{"id":30037,"date":"2024-02-19T22:00:09","date_gmt":"2024-02-20T05:00:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ocbf.ca\/2019\/zechariah-14_12-21-copy\/"},"modified":"2024-02-05T22:08:00","modified_gmt":"2024-02-06T05:08:00","slug":"revelation-1_1-8","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ocbf.ca\/2019\/revelation-1_1-8\/","title":{"rendered":"Jesus, Your Alpha and Omega"},"content":{"rendered":"

Revelation 1:1-8\u00a0 \u00a0(CLICK HERE FOR\u00a0BIBLE VERSES)<\/a><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Hi GAMErs!<\/p>\n

Today we begin the book of\u00a0Revelation.\u00a0 It is easily one of the most intriguing, mysterious, powerful and controversial books in all the Bible.\u00a0\u00a0 Revelation was written by the apostle John in approximately 95 A.D. while he was in exile on the island of Patmos for preaching about Jesus.\u00a0 While on Patmos, John receives multiple visions which he understands to be from Jesus Christ and is told to write them down.\u00a0 The result is the book of\u00a0Revelation, a highly significant book that describes what will happen before, during and after the return (second coming) of Jesus Christ.\u00a0 This book also shows how many Old Testament prophecies will be fulfilled.<\/p>\n

Today’s passage is\u00a0Revelation 1:1-8.\u00a0 As usual, I encourage you to read the passage yourself first and see what you can glean with the Holy Spirit\u2019s help, then read the GAME sharing below.\u00a0 Let’s go!<\/p>\n

Revelation<\/em><\/strong>\u00a01<\/em><\/strong>:<\/em><\/strong>1<\/em><\/strong>-2 (NIV)\u00a0<\/em><\/strong>
\n1<\/sup>\u00a0<\/em>\u00a0The\u00a0<\/em>revelation\u00a0of Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show his servants what must soon take place. He made it known by sending his angel to his servant John,\u00a0<\/em>
\n2\u00a0<\/sup><\/em>\u00a0who testifies to everything he saw–that is, the word of God and the testimony of Jesus Christ.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

On verses\u00a01-2:\u00a0 Here John makes it clear that what he is writing about is not something he manufactured.\u00a0 Rather what John is writing down is \u201cthe\u00a0revelation\u00a0of Jesus Christ\u201d (v1).\u00a0 What John is about to share is what was revealed to him as \u201cthe word of God\u201d and \u201cthe testimony of Jesus Christ\u201d (v2).<\/p>\n

Revelation<\/em><\/strong>\u00a01<\/em><\/strong>:3 (NIV)<\/em><\/strong>
\n3\u00a0<\/sup><\/em>\u00a0Blessed is the one who reads the words of this prophecy, and blessed are those who hear it and take to heart what is written in it, because the time is near.<\/em><\/p>\n

On verse 3:\u00a0 There is a blessing that comes from reading God\u2019s Word (v3a), and there is even more blessing that comes with taking it to heart (v3b).\u00a0 May you not just read or hear God\u2019s Word, but may you take it to heart as well.<\/p>\n

Revelation<\/em><\/strong>\u00a01<\/em><\/strong>:4 (NIV)\u00a0<\/em><\/strong>
\n4\u00a0<\/sup><\/em>\u00a0John, To the seven churches in the province of Asia: Grace and peace to you from him who is, and who was, and who is to come, and from the seven spirits before his throne,<\/em><\/p>\n

On verse 4:\u00a0 Asia was a Roman province.\u00a0 When John describes God as \u201cHim who is, and who was, and who is to come\u201d, see my comment on verse 8 for more on what that probably means.<\/p>\n

Some commentators understand the \u201cseven spirits\u201d to mean more accurately the \u201cseven fold Spirit\u201d, which is probably a reference to the Holy Spirit.\u00a0 Why is the Holy Spirit the \u201cseven fold Spirit\u201d?\u00a0 It could be because there were seven churches in the province of Asia, and the same Holy Spirit is at work in each one of them.\u00a0 In this way He is the \u201cseven fold Spirit\u201d.\u00a0 If the \u201cseven spirits\u201d or the \u201cseven fold Spirit\u201d is indeed the Holy Spirit, then notice that God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit \u2013 the Trinity \u2013 appear in these first verses of\u00a0Revelation\u00a01.<\/p>\n

Revelation<\/em><\/strong>\u00a01<\/em><\/strong>:5a (NIV)\u00a0<\/em><\/strong>
\n5\u00a0<\/sup><\/em>\u00a0and from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth\u2026<\/em><\/p>\n

On verse 5a:\u00a0 We can learn so much about Jesus from these verses.\u00a0 He is \u201cthe faithful witness\u201d, meaning you can completely trust His testimony, what He says.\u00a0 He is \u201cthe firstborn from the dead\u201d, meaning he is the first one to resurrect from the dead and never to die again.\u00a0 He is \u201cthe ruler of the kings of the earth\u201d, for all authority in heaven and on earth belongs to Him (Matthew 28:18) and at His name every knee will bow (Philippians 2:10).<\/p>\n

Revelation<\/em><\/strong>\u00a01<\/em><\/strong>:5b-6 (NIV)\u00a0<\/em><\/strong>
\n5\u00a0<\/sup><\/em>\u00a0\u2026To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood,\u00a0<\/em>
\n6\u00a0<\/sup><\/em>\u00a0and has made us to be a kingdom and priests to serve his God and Father–to him be glory and power for ever and ever! Amen.<\/em><\/p>\n

On verses 5b-6:\u00a0 In the process of thinking of Jesus, John cannot help but express praises to Him.\u00a0 In praising Jesus, John tells us three great things Jesus does for us.\u00a0 First, He loves us (v5).\u00a0 Second, Jesus \u201chas freed us from our sins by His blood\u201d (v5).\u00a0 Because of Jesus\u2019 shed blood on the cross we are free from sin\u2019s bondage.\u00a0 Third, He \u201chas made us to be a kingdom and priests to serve his God and Father\u201d (v6).\u00a0 In other words, through Jesus Christ you are a member of God\u2019s royal family, made to reign with God.\u00a0 You are also a priest in God\u2019s kingdom, called to serve God.<\/p>\n

Revelation<\/em><\/strong>\u00a01<\/em><\/strong>:7 (NIV)\u00a0<\/em><\/strong>
\n7\u00a0<\/sup><\/em>\u00a0Look, he is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see him, even those who pierced him; and all the peoples of the earth will mourn because of him. So shall it be! Amen.<\/em><\/p>\n

On verse 7:\u00a0 In Jesus\u2019 first coming, hardly anyone on earth witnessed it, except for Mary, Joseph, and some shepherds.\u00a0 In Jesus\u2019 second coming, \u201cevery eye will see him\u201d, including every person who has rejected him (\u201cthose who pierced him\u201d).\u00a0 Why will all the peoples of the earth \u201cmourn because of him\u201d?\u00a0 Perhaps it is because in that moment when all the peoples of the earth see Jesus, they will be struck all at once by how beautiful and holy Jesus is, how painful and terrible was the piercing he received, and how the end has finally come.<\/p>\n

Revelation<\/em><\/strong>\u00a01<\/em><\/strong>:8 (NIV)\u00a0<\/em><\/strong>
\n8\u00a0<\/sup><\/em>\u00a0“I am the Alpha and the Omega,”\u00a0says the Lord God,\u00a0“who is, and who was, and who is to come, the Almighty.”<\/em><\/p>\n

On verse 8:\u00a0 Alpha is the first letter in the Greek alphabet.\u00a0 Omega is the last.\u00a0 When God refers to Himself as the Alpha and the Omega, He is basically saying that everything begins and ends with Him.\u00a0 God gets the first word and also the last.<\/p>\n

God is also the One \u201cwho is, and who was, and who is to come\u201d.\u00a0 In other words, past, present and future, the eternal God has always been there and there is no one like Him.\u00a0 Our past, present and future are in His hands.<\/p>\n

Finally, God refers to Himself as \u201cthe Almighty\u201d.\u00a0 Of the 10 times that the name \u201cthe Almighty\u201d appears in the New Testament, 9 of them are in\u00a0Revelation.<\/p>\n

Father, thank You for revealing who You are to us through the book of\u00a0<\/em>Revelation<\/em>.\u00a0 Thank You that no matter what kind of problem or challenge I am going through today, I can look to You as my Almighty One, my Alpha and Omega, my beginning and my end, the One who holds the past, the present and the future in His hands. Thank You Jesus for who You are and for everything You have done for us.\u00a0 In Jesus\u2019 name, AMEN!<\/em><\/p>\n

<\/div>\n

Copyright \u00a9 2021 Justin Lim. All rights reserved.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div><\/section><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Hi GAMErs!<\/p>\n

Today we begin the book of\u00a0Revelation.\u00a0 It is easily one of the most intriguing, mysterious, powerful and controversial books in all the Bible.\u00a0\u00a0 Revelation was written by the apostle John in approximately 95 A.D. while he was in exile on the island of Patmos for preaching about Jesus.\u00a0 While on Patmos, John receives multiple visions which he understands to be from Jesus Christ and is told to write them down.\u00a0 The result is the book of\u00a0Revelation, a highly significant book that describes what will happen before, during and after the return (second coming) of Jesus Christ.\u00a0 This book also shows how many Old Testament prophecies will be fulfilled.<\/p>\n

Today’s passage is\u00a0Revelation 1:1-8.\u00a0 As usual, I encourage you to read the passage yourself first and see what you can glean with the Holy Spirit\u2019s help, then read the GAME sharing below.\u00a0 Let’s go!<\/p>\n

Revelation\u00a01:1-2 (NIV)\u00a0
\n1\u00a0\u00a0The\u00a0revelation\u00a0of Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show his servants what must soon take place. He made it known by sending his angel to his servant John,\u00a0
\n2\u00a0\u00a0who testifies to everything he saw–that is, the word of God and the testimony of Jesus Christ.\u00a0<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":30039,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[28],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-30037","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-gametime-sharing"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/ocbf.ca\/2019\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/30037","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/ocbf.ca\/2019\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/ocbf.ca\/2019\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ocbf.ca\/2019\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ocbf.ca\/2019\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=30037"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/ocbf.ca\/2019\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/30037\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":30040,"href":"https:\/\/ocbf.ca\/2019\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/30037\/revisions\/30040"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ocbf.ca\/2019\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/30039"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/ocbf.ca\/2019\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=30037"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ocbf.ca\/2019\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=30037"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ocbf.ca\/2019\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=30037"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}