The Sovereign Lord of History

In Chapter 1 we see how John received the revelation. He received this revelation directly from the Lord. He is in the island of Patmos (as a punishment for standing up for Jesus). Whether in the first century or the 21st century, the church of Jesus goes through persecution (Rev 1:3,9). The revelation is for the church (Rev 1:4a). The seven churches represent all the churches through the ages. This revelation comes to us from the triune God (Rev 1:4b). This revelation is given so that we can cope with the situations that we face in the time in which the respective readers live. The revelation equips us as individuals and as churches. |||||

In Chapters 2 and 3 we see the letters John was given for the seven churches. In these letters, the teaching that each church needed was given. |||||

In Chapter 4, the scene changes, and we see John was taken up to heaven where he saw the amazing throne scene. |||||

In Chapter 5 we see the scroll near the One who was on the throne. And we see the Lamb as though it had been slain. In the death of Jesus, He ransomed people from every people group and nation in the world. And He is worthy to open the seals. In these chapters we can see the wonderful love and kindness of God to us. John, from his vantage point in heaven, is then given the revelation of the rest of history till the new heaven and new earth come down. It is vitally important for us to see that this is revealed by Jesus and given to the church. John can clearly see how God is going to bless and keep the church, through hardship and persecution. Now 20 centuries later, we can testify that God has indeed kept the church safe. In Chapter 5:1-7 we see that when John was weeping in despair that no one could open the scroll, he was comforted by one of the elders and told that the Lion of the tribe of Judah was able to open the scroll and its seven seals. In Rev 5:5, Jesus is called the Lion, and in Rev 5:6, He is called the Lamb. Jesus took the scroll to open it. John watches as the sovereign Lord of history, the Lion of Judah, the Lamb of God, takes the scroll of history and opens the seals. This scroll is going to reveal what is going to happen down through history. |||||

In Chapter 6 we see Jesus opening the seals one by one. We see several horses and their riders, which are symbolic. Rev 6:2 “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.” At the breaking of the first seal, we see the white horse and its rider. The rider is Jesus, who rides through history conquering and to conquer. The conquering Saviour broke the power of cancelled sin and set the prisoner free. Eph 1:19-23 “and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe, according to the working of his great might that he worked in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places, far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come. And he put all things under his feet and gave him as head over all things to the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all.” |||||

The Lion of Judah will break every chain and give us the victory again and again. He will continue to conquer sin, and death, and hell. He is the rider who goes out conquering and to conquer. Phil 2:9-11 “Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” |||||

We may wonder what use our feeble efforts at evangelism are, but we must remember that our Champion never fails. Even through these 14 odd weeks of this virus, God has been working to lead people to Himself. |||||

Dan 4:34-35 “At the end of the days I, Nebuchadnezzar, lifted my eyes to heaven, and my reason returned to me, and I blessed the Most High, and praised and honoured Him who lives forever, for His dominion is an everlasting dominion, and His kingdom endures from generation to generation; all the inhabitants of the earth are accounted as nothing, and he does according to his will among the host of heaven and among the inhabitants of the earth; and none can stay his hand or say to him, “What have you done?”