2024.12.05 Hopewell @Home ▫ Revelation 1:4–6

Read Revelation 1:4–6

Questions from the Scripture text: Who writes to whom in Revelation 1:4? From what two Persons of the Godhead does He pronounce grace and peace? And from which Person in Revelation 1:5a? What four things is He called? What three things has He done (Revelation 1:5-6a)? What belong to Him? For how long?

How should we respond to the book of Revelation? Revelation 1:4–6 looks forward to the hearing of God’s Word, publicly read, in the holy assembly on the coming Lord’s Day. In these three verses of Holy Scripture, the Holy Spirit teaches us that we should respond to the book of Revelation especially by praising and submitting to Jesus Christ as God, our Mediator.

This is a book from the Triune God. We already considered in Revelation 1:1, that this book about Christ was given to Christ as our Prophet. Now, we have the formal addressing of that book. It may be from the pen of John, but as we’ve seen with other New Testament letters, the salutation comes not so much from the apostle but from God Himself. He is the “I AM,” Who is infinite in His being. Wherever we are in space, He is there. Wherever we are in time, He is there. He is “the One Who is, Who was, and Who is to come.” And grace and peace are especially from the Holy Spirit, called here the “sevenfold Spirit” (cp. the sevenfold aspect in Isaiah 11:2 and Christ as the One Who has and gives Him in Revelation 3:1). Finally, grace and peace are especially from Jesus Christ (Revelation 1:5). Not only is He the third Person of the Godhead, but He has added humanity to Himself in order to be our Mediator. What a blessing to receive a blessing and greeting from the Triune God, and even from each of the persons, personally!

But, as we learned from its self-title in Revelation 1:1, this is especially a book about Jesus Christ. So, while the first and third persons of the Godhead do receive some description, it is Jesus Christ Who is described most fully. To the seven churches, by the seven-fold Spirit, we learn seven things about Jesus.

• First, He is Christ. God, Who became a man, so that He might be our Prophet, Priest, and King, our Mediator.
• Second, He is the faithful witness, our Prophet, Whose testimony (cf. Revelation 1:2) is perfectly true and powerful.
• Third, He is the firstborn from the dead, the Heir and head over all His brethren, who shall also rise.
• Fourth, He is ruler over the kings of the earth, our King, Who rules over our nation’s king—whichever it is!
• Fifth, He loved us. From all eternity, He willed to redeem us because He foreknew us in love.
• Sixth, He washed us from our sins in His own blood. His love was shown in the most valuable way possible!
• Seventh, He has made us kings and priests to His God and Father. As Mediator, He has given us participation in Himself, not only to be adopted into the family, with the royal and priestly implications of this union.

The book goes immediately from benediction (“Grace to you and peace”) to doxology (to Him be glory). Since this book is about Jesus Christ, it immediately gives us the most important way to apply itself: by praising and submitting to Jesus forever.

Praise Jesus Christ. To Him be glory! We must treat Him as infinitely weighty above all others, worshiping Him as God, and never giving any worship to the creature. Everything in this book will be pushing us to glorify Him.

Submit to Jesus Christ. To Him is dominion! He is the last Adam, and He has succeeded. All authority in heaven and earth belong to Him. We must be confident in His protecting us and submit to His commanding us.

Forever. God is, and was, and is to come, speaking especially of the Father in Revelation 1:4. But Revelation 1:8 is about to say the same of Christ. When we praise Him and submit to Him, we do so to the One Who is our Mediator, but we must do so to Him as God, our Mediator. And, since He is forever, we must do so forever!

This is what the book of Revelation is about: the Triune God blessing us in Christ, and we reciprocating by praising and submitting to Christ. God give us to read, and hear, and keep this (Revelation 1:3)!

How blessed are you? How are you taking this to heart? How are you responding to Christ? When do you?

Sample prayer:  Forgive us, our Triune God, for being so forgetful of the truth about You. Father, You are and were and are to come, but we often live as if there were no God at all. Forgive us! Sevenfold, Holy Spirit, not only are You God, but You are the blessed gift from our Lord Jesus Christ. And yet, we quench You with closed hearts toward Your Word, and we grieve You with closed hearts toward our brethren, and we even forget You altogether, thinking of You as a power rather than a person. Forgive us! And, Lord Jesus, what can we say of Your divine love to spill Your blood for us?! But we have often treated sin as small, forgetting the love in which You have given us such a costly washing. And we have not rejoiced in the divine royalty and consecration that we have received as members of Your family. So, glorify Your greatness and the greatness of Your sacrifice by forgiving us, we ask, for such heinous sin. For we ask it through Your own Name, Lord Jesus Christ, AMEN!

 Suggested songs: ARP98 “O Sing a New Song” or TPH381 “Blessing and Honor and Glory and Power”