A Brief Introduction: Daily Thoughts from Revelation (Revelation 1:4-5a)

Revelation is just that, a revealing of what must soon take place. God is telling His people something He has been wanting to explain since the very beginning. We know since Genesis 3:15 that God has been planning to restore what was lost in the garden, and we know He has planned to do that through the seed of the woman. And He has given us many more clues to the conclusion of our history throughout the whole Old Testament. He has been telling us, but not with this specificity.

So how does God want to start this off? He chooses to introduce Himself to us. He talks about Himself first. Think about it. He is the beginning and the end of this history. Who He is…is everything. What does He want us to know about Him?

John to the seven churches that are in Asia:  Grace to you and peace from him who is and who was and who is to come, and from the seven spirits who are before his throne, and from Jesus Christ the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of kings on earth.  To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood….  (Revelation 1:4-5a ESV)

John sends the Trinity’s greetings to the seven churches.  The Father describes Himself as the One who is, who was, and who is coming.  The Spirit describes Himself as the seven spirits who are before the Father’s throne.  And the Son describes Himself as Jesus Christ the faithful witness, firstborn from the dead, and ruler of the kings of the earth.

The Father’s description definitely speaks to His eternity, but also to His presence with His people.  He is coming.  He will not remain aloof forever, indeed He has not remained aloof in so many ways, not the least His coming through Jesus.   But He is coming in the future in a way that will make His presence among His people absolutely visible and obvious (at the center of the heavenly Jerusalem come down to earth, Rev. 21). The end of history is ultimate intimacy and fellowship with the Father, that until now has had a degree of separation.

The Spirit’s description highlights His expansiveness or omnipresence, but also His unique position in proximity to the throne of God, in readiness to do the Father’s will.  He is a servant whose capacity exceeds that of any other servant.  He is equal to the Father, He is God, yet He serves the Father, as does Jesus the Son. His service has been to bring us into the most intimate relationship with God we have experienced, and the most powerful help.

The Son’s description highlights his mission of making the Father known (“faithful witness”), His sacrifice on our behalf that necessitated His resurrection and defeat of death (“firstborn from the dead”), and His exaltation above all earthly powers (“ruler of the kings of the earth”).  He is the King of kings, the sovereign ruler of all kingdoms.  He is the one tasked with establishing the earthly kingdom again. He is the executer of God’s expansive plan. No one deserves more love or praise.

This greeting from the triune God anticipates the content of this revelation as the sovereign God prepares to send His judgment upon the earth against all who stand willfully in rebellion. But it also anticipates His bringing the greatest blessing to bear for His precious children.  The Trinity is poised to complete the task of restoring what was lost in Eden.