The REAL Jesus - Himalayan Heights – May 25 Readings: Revelation 1:1-8 – The Revelation of Jesus

 Revelation 1-5 - Seeing Jesus

All Scripture is God-breathed and useful, but there are some Scriptures that we can consider the Himalayan mountaintops of the Bible. In the next few months, we will be looking at a series of great texts that inspire and move us - the "Himalayan Heights" of God's Word.

Today's Reading:  Revelation 1:1-8

The "Super 7" refers to 7 passages I consider formative in my Bible Study and Christian life. They are taken from both the Old Testament and the New, various sources and various subjects.

The revelation of Jesus Christ that God gave him to show his servants what must soon take place. He made it known by sending his angel to his servant John, 2 who testified to the word of God and to the testimony of Jesus Christ, whatever he saw. 3 Blessed is the one who reads aloud the words of this prophecy, and blessed are those who hear the words of this prophecy and keep what is written in it, because the time is near. 4 John: To the seven churches in Asia. Grace and peace to you from the one who is, who was, and who is to come, and from the seven spirits before his throne, 5 and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead and the ruler of the kings of the earth. To him who loves us and has set us free from our sins by his blood, 6 and made us a kingdom, priests to his God and Father—to him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.      

7Look, he is coming with the clouds,
and every eye will see him,
even those who pierced him.
And all the tribes of the earth
will mourn over him.
So it is to be. Amen.

8 “I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God, “the one who is, who was, and who is to come, the Almighty.”

God's timing is sometimes odd. Yesterday, I began a sermon series on Revelation, and today we begin a two-week trek through the first five chapters in our devotionals. There is great power here as we examine these truths!

Through the Bible Readings: 1 Kings 15-16, John 6:22–48, Psalm 67, Proverbs13:23-25

If you wish to read through the Bible in a year, follow these readings. 

Devotional: The REAL Jesus     

The Book of Revelation is often approached as a divine Mapquest, seeking a clear timeline for future events and getting all the facts in order. We study it to win arguments, to answer questions, to satisfy our curiosity over questions about the timing of the Rapture, the identity of the antichrist, or whether certain current events are fulfilling biblical prophecies. As we spend the next two weeks reviewing the first five chapters of Revelation, we will not delve into those questions, which have their place and time. I believe in futurist interpretation of Revelation, but too often, those interpretations miss the key truth - the reason Jesus Christ told John that we would be blessed for reading it.

It all comes down to the first five words of the book. “The revelation of Jesus Christ.” That is precisely what Revelation does, it reveals to us the real Jesus Christ, and that is what we need more than anything else. We think our solutions are political, or financial, or medical, but in reality, we need Jesus - the real Jesus. We need the truth and living Lord Jesus Christ to be revealed in all his glory, the Alpha and Omega, who was, and is, and is to come!

Charles Wesley wrote about the Jesus we see revealed in the Gospels, in his birth. 

Gentle Jesus, meek and mild, 
Look upon a little child;
Pity my simplicity,
Suffer me to come to Thee.

The Jesus that we meet here in Revelation is the same Jesus, of course, but the veil has been removed and his glory is now fully revealed. Philippians 2 tells us that Jesus emptied himself and took on the form of a servant. There are some significant differences between the Jesus we see in the Gospels and the one we encounter here.

• In his first coming, Jesus was born in obscurity. The Jesus of Revelation will come in glory and all the world will see. 
• In his first coming, Jesus cloaked his glory, but the Jesus of Revelation has removed that cloak and his glory is on full display. 
• Jesus came the first time to seek and to save. But the Jesus of Revelation comes to judge the living and the dead and establish his kingdom on earth. He will not come a second time to serve, but to rule. 
• Jesus endured scorn, ridicule, and abuse in his first coming, but the Jesus of Revelation will strike down rebellious nations with the Sword which proceeds from his mouth. 
• In his first coming, Jesus offered himself to mankind, but the Jesus of Revelation no man can resist. Every knee will bow and every tongue will confess - some to their eternal reward and some to eternal punishment. None can escape this glorious Jesus. 

The Jesus of Revelation is not to be ignored, the victorious conqueror, King of kings and Lord of lords. He loves us and those of us who believe in him will reign with him, but we must remember that there is an expiration date on God's gracious offers. One day, the trumpet will sound and Jesus the judge will stand where Jesus the Savior once stood.

It is incumbent on us to know the Real Jesus and to proclaim his glory to all.

Father, I thank you for your Son. Help me to know him as he really is and to worship him. 

Think and Pray:

Is your mental picture of Jesus formed more by the Gospels or by Revelation? Do you see Jesus as he was when he walked on earth, or as he IS in all of his glory?