Revelation 2: The Promise

We see each of the churches represented at any given time throughout history. So, the collective spiritual condition of these seven churches, represent the entire church throughout all of history.

It is also significant that seven is the number that represents completeness, and we'll see that number frequently throughout the book.

So, although there were more than seven churches in the area, seven is representative of the whole church.

vv.4-5:

These verses describe the trinity

The Father

The Holy Spirit

Jesus Christ.

Jesus is a faithful witness

Revelation 3:14

Revelation 3:14 NKJV

“And to the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write, ‘These things says the Amen, the Faithful and True Witness, the Beginning of the creation of God:

Revelation 19:11

Revelation 19:11 NKJV

Now I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse. And He who sat on him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and makes war.

He is the firstborn from the dead

Colossians 1:18

Colossians 1:18 NKJV

And He is the head of the body, the church, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things He may have the preeminence.

He will establish His throne on earth, and will rule the nations

Revelation 19:15-16

Revelation 19:15–16 NKJV

Now out of His mouth goes a sharp sword, that with it He should strike the nations. And He Himself will rule them with a rod of iron. He Himself treads the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. And He has on His robe and on His thigh a name written: KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS

By the sacrifice of His flesh, we were cleansed from our sins

1 Peter 1:18-19

1 Peter 1:18–19 NKJV

knowing that you were not redeemed with corruptible things, like silver or gold, from your aimless conduct received by tradition from your fathers, but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot.

v.6:

Having been cleansed by Christ, raised incorruptible, we will be ready for our most glorious of service. . . That of kings and priests.

We will have dominion in the kingdom

Daniel 7:27

Daniel 7:27 NKJV

Then the kingdom and dominion, And the greatness of the kingdoms under the whole heaven, Shall be given to the people, the saints of the Most High. His kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, And all dominions shall serve and obey Him.’

We will reign with Him

2 Timothy 2:12

2 Timothy 2:12 NKJV

If we endure, We shall also reign with Him. If we deny Him, He also will deny us.

Revelation 5:10

Revelation 5:10 NKJV

And have made us kings and priests to our God; And we shall reign on the earth.”

We can conclude that in some fashion, that the saints will be kings, ruling with Christ, but under His headship and authority.

Christ is the King of Kings, meaning He rules over the kings.

In addition to kingship, we will be priests to God the Father, with Christ as our High Priest.

As priests, we will have the very pleasurable duty of offering spiritual sacrifices and praise to God.

As priests, we will offer spiritual sacrifices and praise to God

1 Peter 2:5

1 Peter 2:5 NKJV

you also, as living stones, are being built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.

God, who has eternal Dominion, will forever receive the glory that's due Him.

v.7:

John goes on to declare the coming of Jesus

This stands in contrast to the oppression and suffering that the saints were currently enduring.

So, as a measure of hope, God gave the promise of Christ's return.

This speaks to the physical return of Christ, not the rapture.

Jesus has referenced the same event, and per Jesus, it occurs at the end of the tribulation.

We have the promise of Jesus’ return

Matthew 24:27-30

Matthew 24:27–30 NKJV

For as the lightning comes from the east and flashes to the west, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be. For wherever the carcass is, there the eagles will be gathered together. “Immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken. Then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.

As Jesus returns, every eye will see Him. Nobody will be able to deny Him.

No one will have to say Jesus is over here, or Jesus is over there. When He returns, you won't be able to miss it.

The return of Christ will be unmistakeable

Luke 17:22-24

Luke 17:22–24 NKJV

Then He said to the disciples, “The days will come when you will desire to see one of the days of the Son of Man, and you will not see it. And they will say to you, ‘Look here!’ or ‘Look there!’ Do not go after them or follow them. For as the lightning that flashes out of one part under heaven shines to the other part under heaven, so also the Son of Man will be in His day.

In that day, all who see Him, and all who have denied Him, will have no choice but to acknowledge who He is.

No one will be able to deny who Jesus is

Romans 14:11

Romans 14:11 NKJV

For it is written: “As I live, says the Lord, Every knee shall bow to Me, And every tongue shall confess to God.”

Even those who pierced Him will look upon Him. The overriding reference here, is to the Jews who were responsible for His death.

Zechariah identifies the "House of David" as those who pierced Him

Zechariah 12:10

Zechariah 12:10 NKJV

“And I will pour on the house of David and on the inhabitants of Jerusalem the Spirit of grace and supplication; then they will look on Me whom they pierced. Yes, they will mourn for Him as one mourns for his only son, and grieve for Him as one grieves for a firstborn.

Even though the ones who were originally responsible will be long dead when Christ returns, their surviving remnant will be there to see Him.

As Zechariah states, God will pour out a spirit of Grace on them.

The mourning that will accompany Christ's return, will be tears of repentance

Romans 11:26-27

Romans 11:26–27 NKJV

And so all Israel will be saved, as it is written: “The Deliverer will come out of Zion, And He will turn away ungodliness from Jacob; For this is My covenant with them, When I take away their sins.”

v.8:

This promised return, this promised grace, this promised redemption is an absolutely incredible claim.

Such a promise requires more than just a prophet's signature.

As such, Christ Himself speaks, on His own Godly authority.

Christ Himself affirms the promise, and does so on the basis of His Godhood.

Christ has many names, but here He uses four very powerful ones to describe Himself and His authority.

He is the Alpha and the Omega, the first and last letters of the Greek alphabet.

Within the 24 letters of the Greek alphabet, are contained the entirety of God's Word.

The New Testament was originally written in Greek, and by the time this was written, the Old Testament had been completely translated into Greek.

So, those 24 letters comprised the entire Word of God.

This title is used of Jesus Christ 4 times including this verse.

So, this tells us the Christ is the Word, and it is this same Word who became flesh and dwelt among us.

Jesus Christ is the Word

John 1:1

John 1:1 NKJV

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

John 1:14

John 1:14 NKJV

And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.

He is also called the Beginning and the End.

This title denotes that He is the source of all creation and history.

All things began with Christ

Colossians 1:16

Colossians 1:16 NKJV

For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him.

Next, He is "Who is, and who was, and who is to come."

This tells us that Christ is eternal.

It is Christ who IS

He always has existed and He always will exist.

Christ is the great I Am

John 8:58

John 8:58 NKJV

Jesus said to them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I AM.”

It WAS the pre-incarnate Christ who appeared many times in the Old Testament

It WAS the pre-incarnate Christ who was with Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego in the fiery furnace.

Daniel 3:24-25

Daniel 3:24–25 NKJV

Then King Nebuchadnezzar was astonished; and he rose in haste and spoke, saying to his counselors, “Did we not cast three men bound into the midst of the fire?” They answered and said to the king, “True, O king.” “Look!” he answered, “I see four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire; and they are not hurt, and the form of the fourth is like the Son of God.”

It WAS the pre-incarnate Christ who appeared to Daniel

Daniel 10:5-9

Daniel 10:5–9 NKJV

I lifted my eyes and looked, and behold, a certain man clothed in linen, whose waist was girded with gold of Uphaz! His body was like beryl, his face like the appearance of lightning, his eyes like torches of fire, his arms and feet like burnished bronze in color, and the sound of his words like the voice of a multitude. And I, Daniel, alone saw the vision, for the men who were with me did not see the vision; but a great terror fell upon them, so that they fled to hide themselves. Therefore I was left alone when I saw this great vision, and no strength remained in me; for my vigor was turned to frailty in me, and I retained no strength. Yet I heard the sound of his words; and while I heard the sound of his words I was in a deep sleep on my face, with my face to the ground.

It WAS Christ who came in the flesh, and subjected Himself to death on the Cross.

It WAS Christ who rose again on the third day.

It is Christ who WAS.

Is to come

It is Christ who will return and rule

He is to come in the clouds (v.7), execute judgment, and rule the nations.

Revelation 19:11-16

Revelation 19:11–16 NKJV

Now I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse. And He who sat on him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and makes war. His eyes were like a flame of fire, and on His head were many crowns. He had a name written that no one knew except Himself. He was clothed with a robe dipped in blood, and His name is called The Word of God. And the armies in heaven, clothed in fine linen, white and clean, followed Him on white horses. Now out of His mouth goes a sharp sword, that with it He should strike the nations. And He Himself will rule them with a rod of iron. He Himself treads the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. And He has on His robe and on His thigh a name written: KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS

Almighty - This means that there is none more powerful.

Jesus is able to accomplish all that He has promised, because He is almighty.

None can stop the plans or the will of the Almighty.

Each and every promise of grace and deliverance will be fulfilled.

Each and every promise of judgment will be fulfilled.

We can have complete confidence and trust in every promise, because He is the Almighty.

And because He is the Almighty, we should do as He told Abraham and walk before Him and be blameless.