Billy Rhythm

I recently posted on Facebook about my daily Bible reading, and how I was about to start the book of Revelation. I mentioned how #RCSproul said Revelation was a picture book about Jesus, not a puzzle book that needed code breaking. My friend William R Allison Jr. said “It’s Jesus doing the revealing. And it’s Jesus being revealed. Don’t miss Jesus looking for black hawk helicopters…” That inspired me. I’m going to keep track of how #Jesus reveals Himself in Revelation. Who does HE say that He is in His prophecy? I’ve decided to post my findings here. These are not ALL the ways that Jesus is described in the Revelation to John, but the ones that spoke most to me in my daily reading.

• “…Jesus Christ the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of kings on earth.” ~Revelation 1:5
• “…one like a son of man, clothed with a long robe and with a golden sash around his chest. The hairs of his head were white, like white wool, like snow. His eyes were like a flame of fire, his feet were like burnished bronze, refined in a furnace, and his voice was like the roar of many waters. In his right hand he held seven stars, from his mouth came a sharp two-edged sword, and his face was like the sun shining in full strength.” ~Rev. 1:12-16
  • What was John’s response to seeing this Jesus? “When I saw Him, I fell at His feet as though dead.” Note also that from His mouth comes a sharp two edged sword. I think that’s some important imagery and will come up again.
• “…I am the first and the last, and the living one. I died, and behold I am alive forevermore, and I have the keys of Death and Hades.” ~Rev. 1:17-18
• Jesus said that He is “…the first and the last, who died and came to life.”~Rev. 2:8
• He is “…the holy one, the true one, who has the key of David, who opens and no one will shut, who shuts and no one opens.” ~Rev. 3:7
  • Jesus speaks to the church of Philadelphia, and in the very next verse He says “‘I know your works. Behold, I have set before you an open door, which no one is able to shut.” We know who the door is, right? If not, see one of John’s other writings, namely his gospel, chapter 10 verse 7.
• “…the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of God’s creation.” ~Rev. 3:14
  • “The only other place in the Bible where ‘Amen’ is used as a name is Isaiah 65:16.”#rcsproul study note.
  • Most Bibles translate Is. 65:16 as “God of truth. The underlying Hebrew words are “Elohim amen.”
  • I’m not much into tattoos. If I were, “Faithful and True” would be on the “to get” list.
• “…the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David …a Lamb standing, as though it had been slain, with seven horns and with seven eyes, which are the seven spirits of God sent out into all the earth.” ~Rev. 5:5-6
• “And I looked, and behold, a white horse! And its rider had a bow, and a crown was given to him, and he came out conquering, and to conquer.” ~ Rev. 6:2
  • There is some question as to the identity of the rider on the white horse. Some people think this is #Jesus, and the opening of the first seal initiates the rapture of the church before the great tribulation. Some people think this the antichrist, the beast, who comes into the world to destroy. Still others think this is a symbolic rider (like the other three) representing political power and the might needed to make war. I am not certain of the identity of this rider. But, if your theology leads you to believe this is Jesus, I offer it up as a #jesusinrevelation moment.
• #Jesus is meek, and lowly, come not to be served but to serve. All true. But! When He returns again, He will set things right, renew His creation, and punish the wicked. He will be “…one who is to rule all the nations with a rod of iron…” ~Rev. 12:5
• “Then I looked, and behold, a white cloud, and seated on the cloud one like a son of man, with a golden crown on his head, and a sharp sickle in his hand.” ~Rev. 14:14
  • #RCSproul made an interesting observation on this passage. There could be TWO harvests occurring. In one harvest, #Jesus is harvesting grain, and right after that an angel harvests grapes. The grapes are then thrown into the winepress of God’s wrath. Luke 3:17 records John the Baptist saying “His winnowing fork is in his hand, to clear his threshing floor and to gather the wheat into his barn, but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire.” Thanks RC! I had never noticed that before.
• “…He is Lord of lords and King of kings, and those who are with Him are called and chosen and faithful.” ~Rev. 17:14
• “Then I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse! The one sitting on it is called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he judges and makes war. His eyes are like a flame of fire, and on his head are many diadems, and he has a name written that no one knows but himself. He is clothed in a robe dipped in blood, and the name by which he is called is The Word of God. And the armies of heaven, arrayed in fine linen, white and pure, were following him on white horses. From his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations, and he will rule them with a rod of iron. He will tread the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God the Almighty. On his robe and on his thigh he has a name written, King of kings and Lord of lords.” ~Rev 19:11-16
• “I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end.”~Rev. 22:13
  • The title “Alpha and Omega” is also used by God the Father in Rev. 1:8 and 21:6.
• “I am the root and the descendant of David, the bright morning star.”~ Rev 22:16
• We’ve come to the end… “He who testifies to these things says, “Surely I am coming soon.” Amen. Come, Lord Jesus!”~ Rev. 22: 20