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Saturday, March 22, 2014

Comparing the actions of Jesus Christ in Revelation 1 & 19-20


Revelation 1:5-6 and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth. To Him who loves us and released us from our sins by His blood— 6 and He has made us to be a kingdom, priests to His God and Father—to Him be the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen.

Revelation 19:11 And I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse, and He who sat on it is called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and wages war.

Introduction:
Yesterday we compared the descriptions of Jesus Christ that we find in Revelation 1 & 19-20.  We noted at least four physical descriptions that match the Post-resurrected and exalted Christ in both passages.  We ended yesterday's post with the main application being from Hebrews 13:8 - that Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever.

Today's post will conclude what has been a three part series on comparing the two great visions of Jesus Christ in both Revelation 1:4-16 and 19:11-20:6.  To guide us through a comparison of these two texts, we have been noting three headings: Jesus' names, descriptions and actions.  As we already noted, we covered in yesterday's post the description of Jesus Christ, with His names in the post prior to yesterday's. In today's post we will focus our attention on how John describes Jesus' actions in Revelation 1 & 19-20.  As the reader notes the actions listed below, pray and ask the Spirit of God to show you the glory of Jesus Christ in each action.

1. According to Revelation 19:11 and 20:5, Jesus' coming will entail three principle activities: judgment, waging war and reigning. 
In Revelation 1:5 we see reference to Jesus Christ ruling in Heaven. In Revelation 1:7 we see Christ coming to restore His people Israel, along with His coming to judge. Then in Revelation 1:16 we see Jesus described in terms corresponding to He readiness to make war with His enemies. Therefore from these two sets of passages, we see both a heavenly aspect of Christ's reign followed by what will be an earthly aspect of His reign. 

2. In Revelation 1:7 and 16 we see reference to Jesus' four main activities in His second coming and Kingdom: restoring, waging war, judgment and reigning.  In look at Revelation 19-20 we can note the following eight point method by which Jesus is going to accomplish all of these things:

a. slaying. Revelation 19:15

b. tending. Revelation 19:15

c. treading the winepress of wrath. Revelation 19:16

d. seizing the anti-Christ and false prophet. Revelation 19:20

e. casting of the false prophet and anti-Christ into the lake of fire. Revelation 19:20

f. Raising tribulation martyrs and Old Testament Jewish believers from the dead. (based upon Daniel 12:1; John 5:24-28;  Revelation 20:4)

g. Restoring the then living nation of Israel who looks upon Him in faith at His return. (Romans 11:25-26; Revelation 1:7; 7:1-8; 14:1-5)

h. Beginning His 1,000 year or Millennial reign upon the earth (Revelation 20:1-6) 

Conclusion:
In the past three days we have considered the following comparisons between revelation 1 and 19-20: Jesus' names, descriptions and activities.  The aim has been to show the reader how glorious and awesome Jesus Christ is and will be at His second coming.  The other aim to was to demonstrate how much uniformity and continuity there is from beginning to end in the book of Revelation.  May these studies prove edifying and spiritually uplifting to the reader as we look forward to the blessed hope of the glorious appearing of our Great God and Savior Jesus Christ. (Titus 2:13)