“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, and the living One; and I was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore, and I have the keys of death and of Hades.”
Revelation 1:17–18
While studying for Sunday’s introductory message in the book of Revelation, the above passage, among many, caught my eye. Notice what it says. Jesus is speaking to John, the Apostle. John has turned to see what the sound was that was speaking to him from behind, and he saw the glorified Jesus Christ, the Son of God and Son of Man (v.13).
Once taking in and trying to comprehend what he saw, from his rock perch on Patmos, he is immediately overcome with fear and is about to faint. Had Jesus relished the fear, He would have let John faint. But He didn’t. Notice His message to John: “Do not be afraid…”
Now, why wouldn’t John be afraid? He is catching a full view of the resurrected Jesus in all of His ascended glory. There is unspeakable power there, and infinite glory. Why wouldn’t he be afraid? John is only a man, and in exile no less. I certainly would have fainted like a dead man too.
But notice why Jesus said to not be afraid. There are three categories of ultimate authority:
“I am the first and the last.”
When we summarize many other passages that guide us in this title Jesus uses of Himself, we come up with the following:
“Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and unfathomable His ways! For who has known the mind of the Lord, or who became His counselor? Or who has first given to Him that it might be paid back to him again? For from Him and through Him and to Him are all things. To Him be the glory forever. Amen.”
Romans 11:33–36
“For even if there are so-called gods whether in heaven or on earth, as indeed there are many gods and many lords, yet for us there is but one God, the Father, from whom are all things and we exist for Him; and one Lord, Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we exist through Him.”
1 Corinthians 8:5–6
“For by Him all things were created, both in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things have been created through Him and for Him.”
Colossians 1:16
“For it was fitting for Him, for whom are all things, and through whom are all things, in bringing many sons to glory, to perfect the author of their salvation through sufferings.”
Hebrews 2:10
In short, Jesus is reminding John of the very thing that John wrote some years earlier:
“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things came into being through Him, and apart from Him nothing came into being that has come into being. In Him was life, and the life was the Light of men.”
John 1:1–4
It was for Jesus Christ that the Father mandated the creation of the world. It was for Him that He would ordain the fall, the cross, and the re-creation. It is for Jesus and His glory and He will give glory back to the father because of His love for Him:
“The last enemy that will be abolished is death. For He has put all things in subjection under His feet. But when He says, “All things are put in subjection,” it is evident that He is excepted who put all things in subjection to Him. When all things are subjected to Him, then the Son Himself also will be subjected to the One who subjected all things to Him, so that God may be all in all.”
1 Corinthians 15:26–28
“…and the living One; and I was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore…”
The Man Christ Jesus was executed on a cross for no cause. He was judged by men and found innocent. However, in the plan of God, He died and suffered the wrath of the Father. God spent His wrath on Him, and as a result of His righteousness He raised Him from the dead. He is alive, at the right hand of the Father, and ruling over His own creation from there:
“And He is the radiance of His glory and the exact representation of His nature, and upholds all things by the word of His power. When He had made purification of sins, He sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high,”
Hebrews 1:3
He will never die again. No man, or devil, will ever concoct a means by which He can be tried and executed. He is alive forevermore, the Man Christ Jesus.
“…and I have the keys of death and Hades…”
At the end of the book of Revelation, John tells us that death and Hades will be cast into the Lake of Fire, along with the false prophet, the beast, Satan, and all of the tares, the non-elect. Whoever’s name was not written in the book of life will suffer in the Lake of Fire:
“Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire. And if anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.”
Revelation 20:14–15
Jesus Christ controls life and death, in other words.
Stay tuned as we continue in this book together.
Sketches of Scripture 