The Glory of Jesus Christ (Rev. 1:17)

SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR 02/05/2005

 

My Worship Time                                                      Focus:  The Glory Of Jesus Christ

 

Bible Reading & Meditation                                                 Reference:  Rev 1:17

 

            Message of the verse:  17 When I saw Him, I fell at His feet like a dead man. And He placed His right hand on me, saying, "Do not be afraid; I am the first and the last, (NAS95)  17  And when I saw him I fell at his feet as dead; and he laid his right hand upon me, saying, Fear not; I am the first and the last,  (DARBY)

            The Jesus that John saw in this vision is different than the One on whom he leaned upon His breast at the last supper, for He is seen here in all power and glory as the King/Priest/and Judge of all, and when John saw Him he fell on the ground as though he were dead because of the sight.  Daniel has a similar experience long before John did and the results were the same, as he too fell on his feet as though he were dead.

            Jesus then tells John to “fear not,” and this comforting phrase is repeated 15 times in the NT.  In the tenth chapter of Daniel the same scene plays out with the same results, for this was the reincarnate Christ who told Daniel to fear not.  The Bible has much to say about fear, as we are to fear the Lord, but we are not to have fear over our circumstances.  In this verse both aspects of this phrase can be seen, as believers are to fear the Lord who is seen in this verse, yet are not to fear the circumstances that they find themselves in.  Jesus gave great comfort to both John in this situation, and also Daniel who found himself in the same situation.  I think that it was possible that John penned his three letters after he went through this vision that enabled him to write Revelations, and in his first letter, 1John 4:18, he wrote about fear:  “There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves punishment, and the one who fears is not perfected in love.”

            Jesus goes on to tell John why he should not fear, and that is because Jesus is the first and the last.  Dr Wiersbe points out that “fear not is a great encouragement for any child of God.  We need not fear life, because He is the ‘Living One.”  We need not fear death, because He died and is alive, having conquered death.  And we need not fear eternity because He holds the keys of Hades (the world of the dead) and of death.  The One with the keys is the One who has authority.  

 

            Spiritual meaning for my life today:  Fear is something that I have struggled with all of my life, and these comforting words of Jesus to John, “fear not” do give me a great deal of help.  Many believers today have their fear in the wrong places as they fear their circumstances and they also do not have the fear of the Lord Jesus Christ as they are commanded to.  Jesus Christ is the friend of sinners, yet He is also the Lord over the Church.

 

The Word of God was both convicting and comforting to my heart as I read it this morning.

 

My Steps of Faith For Today:  To trust the Lord to have the fear of Him that I should and to also trust the Lord to not fear things that I should not.