The Climax of the Bible: 22 Sermons and Notes on Revelation

© Milo Hadwin 2020

ISBN: 978-1-09830-117-0

eBook ISBN: 978-1-09830-118-7

All rights reserved. This book or any portion thereof may not be reproduced or used in any manner whatsoever without the express written permission of the publisher except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

Table of Contents

Preface

Introduction to Revelation

Revelation 1:

The Super Drama of Revelation

Revelation 2:

The Overcomers

Revelation 3:

The Christian Endurance Race

Revelation 4:

From the Footstool to the Throne

Revelation 5:

Weep Not; Behold the Lamb

Revelation 6:

The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse

Revelation 7:

The 144,000

Revelation 8:

The Power of Prayer

Revelation 9:

God’s Warnings to Repent

Revelation 10:

Delay No Longer

Revelation 11:

The Two Witnesses

Revelation 12:

The Dragon and the Woman

Revelation 13:

The Mark of the Beast

Revelation 14:

The Final Harvest

Revelation 15:

The Redeemed and the Wrath

Revelation 16:

The Seven Bowls of Wrath

Revelation 17:

Babylon, the Great Prostitute

Revelation 18:

The Fall of Babylon

Revelation 19:

The Banquet and the Battle

Revelation 20:

The Meaning of the Thousand Years

Revelation 21:

The New Jerusalem

Revelation 22:

The Climax of the Bible

Graduate Paper

Connecting Revelation with the Contemporary Audience

SUPPLEMENTARY NOTES

Chapter 1:

Introduction

Chapter 2:

Hermeneutical Principles and Insights Used in Preaching Selected Texts in Revelation

Chapter 3:

Homiletical Principles and Insights Used in Preaching Selected Texts in Revelation

Chapter 4:

Annotated Sermons

Chapter 5:

Conclusion

Appendix 1:

Listener Response to Sermons

Appendix 2:

Preacher Response to Seminar

End Notes

Preface

This book is a collection of twenty-two sermons on the book of Revelation, by Milo Hadwin, preached in Wheeling, West Virginia, in the United States, from January through June of 1980. There is one sermon on each chapter of the book. The sermons were taped, transcribed, and, with a minimum of editing, are presented here as they were preached. This book contains additional material on Revelation.

The book of Revelation provides an exciting and encouraging message for the people of God. It is hoped these sermons will convey that sense of excitement and provide a great encouragement for all who read them. The Scripture quotations in the sermons are from New International Version. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan Bible Publishers, 1978.

Quotations in the supplemental material are from New Revised Standard Bible. Nashville: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1989.

Introduction to Revelation

Author – God

Writer – John, the Apostle

Date – c. 95 A.D.

Destination – The original recipients were the seven churches in the province of Asia (Asia Minor) (1:4). It was written for God’s servants (1:1) and was designed to bless everyone who will read, hear, and keep the things written in it (1:3; 22:7). It will bring a curse to anyone who adds to or takes away from the words written in it (22:18-19). Even the parts addressed specifically to a church in one place (e.g. 2:1) were intended for everyone in all the churches of Christ in every place (e.g. 2:7). It is a revelation to God’s servants (1:1), and there is no guarantee it will reveal anything to anyone else nor is there any assurance it will bless anyone except those who will keep its teaching (1:3).

Purpose – To reveal (1:1) in such a way as to bless all God’s servants who read it (1:3). It is the only book in the Bible that pronounces a blessing on those who read, hear, and obey its words. It is not written just for historians, theologians, scholars, and intellectuals. Yet the difficulty of the book is frequently stressed to the discouragement of the would-be reader. For example, a recent commentator wrote:

Because of its symbolism, its saturation with Old Testament passages and themes, the various schemes of interpretation that have developed concerning this book through the ages, and the profundity and vastness of the subjects that are here unveiled, I believe that the Apocalypse, above every book of the Bible, will yield its meaning only to those who give it prolonged and careful study" (Wilbur Smith, The Wycliffe Bible Commentary, p. 1500).

Surely, the more one studies the more one is apt to learn, but even a beginner is bound to learn something and may even see something the scholar has missed. A pertinent question here is How much did God intend to reveal in his Revelation? Are we expecting it to have more meaning than God intended for it?

To illustrate, the same writer referred to quoted these words regarding Revelation from a man he said is generally acknowledged to have been the most gifted Biblical expositor in the first quarter of the 20th century. There is no book in the Bible which I have read so often, no book to which I have tried to give more patient and persistent attention….There is no book in the Bible to which I turn more eagerly in hours of depression than to this, with all its mystery, all the details of which I do not understand (G. Campbell Morgan, Westminster Bible Record, Vol. 3 (1912), 105, 109). Could it be this scholar was looking for meanings in the details which the details were never intended to convey? Might it not have been sufficient that through these details God was able to convey a message sufficiently powerful to overcome his depression?

As another writer expressed it: Whenever there is a world crisis, whenever the State exalts itself and demands an allegiance which Christians know they cannot pay without abandoning their very souls, whenever the church is threatened by destruction, and faith is dim and hearts are cold, then the Revelation will admonish and exhort, uplift and encourage all who heed its message (Martin Kiddle in Moffatt Commentary, p. xlix).

How can we know what Revelation means? How do we interpret the Bible? How do we interpret any literature?

Allow it to explain itself (2:11; 20:14).

Interpret the part in light of the whole. (Recognize unity of Bible. Part must harmonize with whole.)

Consider historical background, purpose (don’t make it say more than it intends to say), and style of writing (prose and poetry are interpreted differently).

Interpret the complex by the simple, the confusing by the clear, the ambiguous by the unambiguous. Do not change the clear meaning of a simple passage to fit one possible meaning of a difficult passage.

What more should we consider in interpreting Revelation specifically?

Approach it with humility. One of the most respected Bible scholars in the world said very simply in the preface to his commentary on Revelation: Some of the problems of this book are enormously difficult and I certainly have not the capacity to solve them (Leon Morris, The Revelation of St. John, p. 13). That does not mean we can understand nothing nor be certain about anything. It is to approach Revelation with the kind of attitude Peter had toward some of Paul’s writings (2 Peter 3:15-18).

Recognize that it is highly symbolic. This does not mean we enter a world of unreality. As J.B. Phillips, who produced a popular translation of the New Testament, said: He is carried, not into some never-never land of fancy, but into the Ever-ever land of God’s eternal Values and Judgments (J.B. Phillips, The Book of Revelation, 1960, p.9, as quoted by Morris, op. cit., p. 15). Or as C.S. Lewis said in his book Mere Christianity,

There is no need to be worried about facetious people who try to make the Christian hope of Heaven ridiculous by saying they do not want to spend eternity playing harps. The answer to such people is that if they cannot understand books written for grown-ups, they should not talk about them. All the scriptural imagery (harps, crowns, gold, etc.) is, of course, a merely symbolical attempt to express the inexpressible. Musical instruments are mentioned because for many people (not all) music is the thing known in the present life which most strongly suggests ecstasy and infinity. Crowns are mentioned to suggest the fact that those who are united with God in eternity share this splendour and power and joy. Gold is mentioned to suggest the timelessness of Heaven (gold does not rust) and the preciousness of it. People who take these symbols literally might as well think that when Christ told us to be like doves, He meant that we were to lay eggs (p. 121).

That in Revelation we are dealing with some symbolic language can be seen from a few sample passages (3:18; 6:13; 8:10; 12:3-4). The rich imagery of Revelation introduces us to a whole menagerie of animals: horses, lions, leopards, bears, lambs, calves, locusts, scorpions, eagles, vultures, fish, and frogs.

Revelation comes to us in living color with white symbolizing purity, black – distress, red – death (blood), purple – royalty and luxurious ease, and pale yellow – expiring life and the kingdom of the dead.

Numbers are important symbols in Revelation. The number seven leads the way with fifty-four occurrences in Revelation. It symbolizes completeness, fullness or perfection. Three and a half is a broken number that appears in various forms (42 months, 1260 days, a time, times and half a time) symbolizing distress or tribulation. Ten also is a symbol of completeness or perfection (Ten Commandments, the Holy of Holies was a cube, each side being of ten cubits—symbolic of heaven, according to Hebrews 9:3, 24). Twelve is symbolic of God’s people, the church or the kingdom. So, we have twelve tribes, twelve apostles, twice twelve being the number of elders representing the redeemed church (4:4), the new Jerusalem has twelve gates, and the walls of the city have twelve foundations—all of this associated with God’s people.

Multiples of these numbers are common, as the cube of ten which is a thousand. Certainly, one could turn Revelation into a bizarre mathematical nightmare with numerological games, but it is well to be aware of the possible symbolism that is often suggested and sometimes demanded by the context. We must not force into a symbol a meaning it does not naturally bear, or Revelation will become merely a playground for our own wild fantasies.

Recognize the Biblical context. Revelation was not a work produced in some sublime isolation, but it breathes the atmosphere of the whole Bible of which it is the climax. It has been concluded by the research of two Bible scholars, Westcott and Hort, that of the 404 verses in Revelation, 265 contain lines embracing approximately 550 references to Old Testament passages. A thorough knowledge of the Old and New Testaments will surely enrich one’s study and understanding of Revelation. Similarities to the language and symbolism of Daniel, Ezekiel, Zechariah, Matthew 24, Mark 13, Luke 21, and other prophecies and portions of scripture are found in abundance.

While these comparisons can be helpful, they can also cause one to seriously distort the message and meaning of Revelation if the rest of the Bible is used as a kind of dictionary for assigning meanings to symbols. This assumes Revelation is a kind of cryptogram or code message to be deciphered by treasure hunting through all the Bible for hints and meanings. It is natural that Revelation would express itself in the familiar phrases of the rest of scripture since it is the summing up of God’s purpose in the history of his people.

However, it would be a mistake to assume that a symbol used in one part of scripture will have the same meaning as the same symbol used in another place. (Consider the serpents in Eden and the wilderness; also, the cross, once a symbol of shame, became the symbol of salvation.) This mistake can be seen in some attempts to apply the symbolism of Revelation which refers to the glorified kingdom in its perfected state which is yet to come.

Recognize it is not a book written to titillate or to gratify the curiosity of men anxious to tear aside the veil from the future (see Matthew 24:35, 42, 44). Revelation was never intended to be a celestial timetable of what is to come. It becomes tiring to listen to the frantic ravings of those who see in Bible prophecies forecasts of imminent disasters.

Two prominent religious groups noted for such activity proved themselves false prophets in 1975 (for those who didn’t already know it). One group’s magazine of October 8, 1966, specifically declared that the seventh millennium would begin in Autumn, 1975. It read: "All the many, many parts of the great sign of the ‘last days’ are here, together with verifying Bible chronology…." (Awake).

The other religious group’s leader published a book in 1957 called 1975 in Prophecy. Here is what it said:

While modern science and industry strive to prepare for us a push-button leisure-luxury-world by 1975, United States Assistant Weather chief, I.R. Tarrahill, warns us unofficially to really fear "the big drought of 1975." But the indications of prophecy are that this drought will be even more devastating than he foresees, and that it will strike sooner than 1975—probably between 1965 and 1972!...Here is exactly how catastrophic it will be: ONE-THIRD OF OUR ENTIRE POPULATIONS will DIE in the famine and disease epidemic! (p. 12).

To use that writer’s favorite adjectives, that is Amazing, Astounding, Incredible, and Fantastic!! On page 14 of the same work, he declared that another one-third would be killed by hydrogen bombs, and the remaining one-third would be sold into slavery!

Jeremiah had the best comment on that (Jeremiah 14:14). (Herbert W. Armstrong was the author of aforesaid document. Refer also to Kirban’s I Predict.) While Revelation was not designed to tear back the curtain on some chronological countdown of Jesus’ return, it does draw veils aside and open up a vista of God’s actions and his ways; for it proclaims the kingdom of God, which is here and now and yet is still to come in its fullness, bringing with it the overthrow of all that is against him (W.C. van Unnik, The New Testament, 1964, p. 161, as quoted by Morris, p. 20).

The methods by which commentators have tried to interpret Revelation tend to fall into four categories:

Preterist – According to this view, all or nearly all, of the book had its fulfillment in the first century or, at most, the first three hundred years of the history of the church. Supposedly, the book deals primarily with the persecution inflicted on Christians by the Roman government. For example, J.W. Roberts maintained in his commentary that Revelation 6:1-16:21 predicts the history of the church from John’s time until the conversion of Constantine and the Edict of Toleration (A.D. 311). The three and a half years of the rule of the beast and the prostitute represent this little season of Roman dominance. The binding of Satan represents the downfall of the persecuting power in which the cause of the saints (6:9 ff.) is resurrected (the first resurrection) and the thousand years is the longer period of the triumph of the Biblical faith.

Continuous Historical or Chronological School – This view says Revelation is a prophetic history of the church from the first century to the end of time. This view attempts to match up significant historical events with the various symbols in Revelation. The book is seen as one continuous series of historical events.

Futurist – This interpretation says most of Revelation is yet to be fulfilled. It usually says chapters 4-22 have not yet been fulfilled. Chapters 14-19 are supposed to describe events in a three and a half year period immediately preceding the second coming of Christ. This is supposed to be followed by a literal thousand year reign of Christ on earth.

Philosophy of History (sometimes called Spiritual, Symbolic, Idealist, or Poetic) – This view says the book is not dealing with historical events at all. It is simply a symbolic representation of principles, ideas, and spiritual truths.

Is the task of interpreting Revelation hopeless? Not if it is a revelation. Surely the proper way to interpret Revelation is to read the book and, insofar as possible, allow it to explain itself and interpret it in harmony with the rest of scripture. When this is done, what impressions are made on the mind? Here are some that are helpful in seeing how the book is structured. Four groups of sevens cover more than half the book suggesting this much of a tentative and incomplete outline as a starting point:

A comparison of the seven trumpets and the seven bowls suggests that in some sense they are dealing with the same things. Notice:

1st trumpet (8:7) and bowl (16:2) affect the earth

2nd trumpet (8:8) and bowl (16:3) affect the sea

3rd trumpet (8:10) and bowl (16:4) affect the rivers

4th trumpet (8:12) and bowl (16:8) affect the sun

5th trumpet (9:1-11) and bowl (16:10-11) affect the Abyss where the throne of the beast is (see 13:11)

6th trumpet (9:14) and bowl (16:12) pertain to the Euphrates River

7th trumpet (11:15, 19) and bowl (16:17-21) produce lightning, rumblings, peals of thunder, earthquakes, and great hailstorms

A kind of repetition, as seen in the case of the trumpets and bowls, is characteristic of the whole book. The end of time, especially the coming of Christ to final judgment, seems to be described at various intervals throughout the book (6:12-17 with 7:9-17; 11:15-18; 14:14-20; 16:13-21; 19:11-21; 20:11-15). Four of these passages occur at the ends of the four central divisions of the tentative outline suggested above.

This begins to indicate that Revelation does not present a continuous sequence of events, but may contain sections which each cover somewhat the same material. This is emphasized by the fact that the last three passages mentioned each include the identical expression in the Greek text, the battle (16:14; 19:19; 20:8). This is surely not referring to three different battles, but the same battle is described in three different places. The battle (war) in 19:19 suggests that one section closes with the end of chapter 19, just as previous sections had closed with God’s final judgment.

This enables us to see a completed outline of the book of Revelation which further analysis will confirm as the way the book naturally divides itself.

The sections of Revelation appear to be somewhat parallel, but with the emphasis progressing from section to section toward the events that bring this age to a climax. For example, chapters 1-3 discuss Christ among the lampstands which represent the churches. While chapters 2 and 3 are letters addressed to seven specific churches in Asia Minor, they also are designed to be speaking to the churches in general and are generally representative of the problems and glories of the church in every period of time.

While a letter is addressed to one church (2:1, 8, 12, 18; 3:1, 7, 14), the instruction in each case is to "hear what the Spirit says to the churches (2:7, 11, 17, 29; 3:6, 13, 22). The picture of Christ among the churches reminds one of his statement in Matthew 28:20: And surely I will be with you always, to the very end of the age."

While the first three chapters are considering the church in general throughout the whole age, they are focused particularly on the churches of that time.

The second section calls our attention to the crucified Christ with the picture of the slain Lamb (5:5-6) before the seals are opened, but the scenes revealed by the opened seals carry us forward to the persecuted church, even to the final judgment (11:15-18).

The third section is more concerned with the end of the age. However, there is a major dividing line in the middle of the book at which point, in chapter 12, we are carried back to the beginning again with the birth, death, ascension, and coronation of Christ before we are carried ahead to see the behind-the-scenes working of Satan trying to destroy God’s people.

There is then an intensification of the action as we progress through the next sections. While we see the nature of the conflict between God and Satan throughout the age of the church, we move forward in emphasis to the wrath of God on the impenitent in the fifth section, the destruction of Babylon and the beasts in the sixth section, and the destruction of Satan, death, and Hades in the last section, with an extended look at the world which is to come.

This interpretation of Revelation seems to be the one the Bible itself is suggesting and which harmonizes most readily with the rest of scripture. It has been called progressive parallelism by William Hendricksen who, in his book on Revelation called More Than Conquerors, elaborates extensively on what we have only briefly sketched here.

Synopsis of Revelation

In chapters 1-3 we see the church as the light of the world—a light shining brightly in some places at some times and sometimes barely flickering, but nevertheless, a light. But light and darkness cannot co-exist. And so, the church will inevitably face persecution. In fact, everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted (2 Timothy 3:12). But, let us see things in their proper perspective. First, then, we must see Jesus.

And see him we do in chapters 4-5—the head of the church is the King on the throne who controls the destiny of history. Knowing who is ultimately controlling our world, the Lamb who was slain to show his love and draw us to him, we are ready to face the persecution which comes with chapter 6.

Here we find that those who die in the Lord go to be in his presence. This reassurance provides us with courage to view the awesome judgment finally to be inflicted on the world. Even then, the Church Triumphant is seen rejoicing before the throne of God. But, will the persecuted be avenged? Yes! The seals of persecution give rise to the trumpets of judgment.

In 8:1-5, God is seen constantly sending his judgment in response to the prayers of his people. Here we are introduced to the warning (trumpet) judgment of God designed to cause men to repent and persecutors to relent. But, for the most part, it doesn’t work (9:21).

Consequently, we see in chapters 10-11 the gospel-proclaiming, cross-bearing church being afflicted but emerging victorious. But the book does not end here. Two questions cry out for answers: Why is the church being so vigorously persecuted? And what will be the ultimate fate of the impenitent? So far, we have seen the surface and the conflict on the earth. Now, let us see what is behind it all. Behind the struggle on earth between the church and the world is the cosmic struggle between Christ and Satan!

In chapter 12, we see the dragon, Satan, trying to destroy the male child, Christ. Failing in this, he directs his persecution against Christ’s people, the church.

In chapters 13-14, we see Satan employing the beast out of the sea (representing anti-Christian persecution concentrated in government) and the beast out of the earth (representing anti-Christian religion) and the great prostitute, Babylon, (representing anti-Christian seduction of the world) to destroy the church. But Satan fails, and in chapter 14 we see the Lamb standing victoriously on Mount Zion initiating the harvest of God’s final judgment. And what is the fate of those who, being warned by the trumpets of judgment, remain impenitent?

In chapters 15-16, we see the bowls of God’s wrath given to the angels and poured out on the wicked. But what of the great prostitute, Babylon, and the two beasts?

In chapters 17-18, we see Babylon described and destroyed.

In chapter 19, we see the beasts cast into the lake of fire and brimstone.

In chapter 20, the devil, death, and Hades are all thrown into the fiery lake of burning sulfur.

In chapters 21 and 22, the great Revelation closes with the vision of the new heaven and earth where the saints are seen reigning with God and the Lamb forever and ever!

Revelation 1:

The Super Drama of Revelation

Tonight we begin our study of the book of Revelation, and I hope this evening that under the special tension that many of you are experiencing, I can lift you somewhat out of Super Bowl fever into the super drama of the book of Revelation. I know that in preparation for the lesson tonight that the excitement I felt in simply delving into the great things that John was trying to reveal to us far exceeded what I have been able to generate myself over the Super Bowl, and I hope I can convey that in a small way to you this evening. We are this evening going to be looking beyond the shallow superficiality of this life into the great realities that underlie our experience. We are going to be looking at those great causes that produce the problems that have troubled our world since man was created.

The Revelation came to John in the last decade of the first century during the reign of the Roman emperor Domitian. It was a trying time for Christians. They were facing the imperial power of Rome and the persecution and the effort to make them bow their knees to Caesar. Yet they had committed their lives unreservedly to the Lord Jesus Christ, and now they had to make the decision as to whether they would succumb to the power and pressure of Rome or hold true to the one who said, Be faithful, even to the point of death, and I will give you the crown of life. To whom would allegiance be given? That was the issue then; that is the issue today.

Perhaps the forces that challenge us today are not the forces of political pressure and perhaps not of physical persecution. Yet, there is before us the power of a seductive world order, the seduction of the world that would lead us away from a firm commitment and allegiance to Jesus Christ. We, too, must daily face that challenge of allegiance, whether it be to Caesar or to Christ, whether it be to Satan or to God. These people were confronted with a tremendous burden. They were a people who could easily have become depressed and discouraged, a people who were seeing those whom they loved being put to death and, perhaps, their faith was on the verge of weakening. Not only for that day did the book of Revelation come as a tremendous inspiration, but for each of us, in our time, it can do the same thing.

One commentator on Revelation said:

Whenever there is a world crisis, whenever the state exalts itself and demands an allegiance which Christians know they cannot pay without abandoning their very souls, whenever the church is threatened by destruction, and faith is dim and hearts are cold, then the Revelation will admonish and exhort, uplift and encourage all who heed its message.

One of the more effective expositors of the Bible in the early part of the 20th century said of the book of Revelation: There is no book in the Bible which I have read so often, no book to which I have tried to give more patient and persistent attention….There is no book in the Bible to which I turn more eagerly in hours of depression than to this, with all its mystery…. The book does have some mystery. But it is, in fact, a revelation. God is saying something to us, and what he is saying to us above all else is that God’s people will be victorious, that things are not as they seem. That is the single great message and theme of Revelation.

It may seem to us as though Satan is in control of our world. It may seem to us that God has hidden himself from the problems and pressures of our time and there is no one to whom we can turn. Yet Revelation 17:14 describes graphically and symbolically the message of the book: They will make war against the Lamb, but the Lamb will overcome them because he is Lord of lords and King of kings—and with him will be his called, chosen and faithful followers. God will be victorious! The Lamb that was slain has become King of kings and Lord of lords. Jesus reigns, and with him his people who are called and chosen and faithful will reign and have dominion. That’s the message and theme of the book. But let’s look at it as we enter the first chapter of Revelation.

After the opening words, John says in verses 4-5:

John,

To the seven churches in the province of Asia:

Grace and peace to you from him who is, and who was, and who is to come, and from the seven spirits before his throne, and from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth.

We’re introduced immediately to God, the Father, to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, and it is from them that this Revelation comes.

We are introduced to Jesus Christ in verse 5 who is presented to a discouraged people as prophet, priest, and king. It would be an encouragement to know they have paid their allegiance to the one who is really in charge. Jesus Christ is spoken of as the faithful witness in his capacity as prophet, and his statements are true. In John 8:14 Jesus said, …my testimony is valid…. In a world of conflicting and uncertain voices, there is one Voice we can listen to and know with certainty that we are hearing reality expressed, that this is the way things really are. Jesus is a faithful witness. He alone can be depended on to tell you the truth. Satan would deceive us and blind us to the realities of life. But God is saying to us that through Jesus Christ there is a clear vision of what is true and what is to come and what our destiny is to be.

Jesus is presented not only as a prophet, but as a priest. He is referred to as the firstborn from the dead. That does not mean that he is the first person who was ever raised from the dead, because the term firstborn is primarily a title of pre-eminence. Jesus, among all those who have risen from the dead, is pre-eminent. That’s the thought that is expressed in Colossians 1:18 where the Apostle Paul says: And he is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he might have the supremacy. And Jesus Christ has the supremacy as the firstborn from among the dead in the realm of priesthood. In Hebrews 2:14-3:1, the writer said:

Since the children have flesh and blood, he too shared in their humanity so that by his death he might destroy him who holds the power of death—that is, the devil—and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death. For surely it is not angels he helps, but Abraham’s descendants. For this reason he had to be made like his brothers in every way, in order that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in service to God, and that he might make atonement for the sins of the people. Because he himself suffered when he was tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted. Therefore, holy brothers, who share in the heavenly calling, fix your thoughts on Jesus, the apostle and high priest whom we confess.

Jesus Christ suffered and died enabling us to realize that he has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet was without sin, that he is one who can sympathize with our weaknesses. He understands us. He has been in the flesh. He has been tempted and tried and tormented, and he knows our anguish, he knows our needs. Jesus is the one who truly can serve as our high priest.

Jesus is not only presented to a troubled people as a prophet and as a priest, but he is presented as king. And this passage in Revelation 1:5 says not only that he is the faithful witness and the firstborn from the dead, but he is ruler of the kings of the earth. That is an amazing statement, and it violates the most popular interpretation of Revelation that is heard in our times. Jesus Christ is not one who one day is going to return to the earth and set up a kingdom and reign here for a thousand years. We are informed by the Revelation of Almighty God that Jesus Christ, today, now, is the ruler of the kings of the earth. He doesn’t have to wait until some future date to become the ruler. God is in charge, and he has placed Jesus Christ in charge.

In Jesus, God fulfilled his promise spoken in Psalm 89:27:

I will also appoint him my firstborn,

the most exalted of the kings of the earth.

Jesus rules now and he reigns now. In 1 Peter 3:22 Peter speaks of Jesus Christ who is at God’s right hand—with angels, authorities and powers in submission to him. The world is subject to Christ. We’re not under the ultimate dominion of the leaders of our nation. We are under the authority and dominion and power of Almighty God through his son, Jesus Christ.

In Ephesians 1:20-21 the apostle Paul speaks of Jesus Christ, that God seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms, far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every title that can be given, not only in the present age but also in the one to come. Jesus has already been put in dominion, and he is far above all rule and authority. That is true now, and that’s the reason why in Acts 2:29-35, after Jesus had risen from the dead and ascended into heaven, the apostle Peter said:

Brothers, I can tell you confidently that the patriarch David died and was buried, and his tomb is here to this day. But he was a prophet and knew that God had promised him on oath that he would place one of his descendants on his throne. Seeing what was ahead, he spoke of the resurrection of the Christ, that he was not abandoned to the grave, nor did his body see decay. God has raised this Jesus to life, and we are all witnesses of the fact. Exalted to the right hand of God, he has received from the Father the promised Holy Spirit and has poured out what you now see and hear. For David did not ascend to heaven, and yet he said,

"The Lord said to my Lord:

"Sit at my right hand

until I make your enemies

a footstool for your feet."

Jesus Christ now reigns at the right hand of God and he will continue to reign until every enemy is put under his feet. So in 1 Corinthians 15:24-26 Paul said: Then the end will come, when he hands over the kingdom to God the Father after he has destroyed all dominion, authority and power. For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet. The last enemy to be destroyed is death. God has already done it. Jesus reigns and rules now! We don’t need to wait until some future time.

Some people say, Well, if Jesus is reigning and ruling in the nations of men, why is it there is so much trouble in the world? Well, it’s because not all men have submitted to the reign of Jesus. The same was true in the Old Testament. God was reigning in the kingdoms of men, but there were those who failed to realize it and failed to submit themselves to the reign of Almighty God. But the fact continued to be that God was in charge. King Nebuchadnezzar was the most powerful ruler the world had ever known to his time. But Daniel 4:28-37 says:

All this happened to King Nebuchadnezzar. Twelve months later, as the king was walking on the roof of the royal palace of Babylon, he said, Is not this the great Babylon I have built as the royal residence, by my mighty power and for the glory of my majesty?

The words were still on his lips when a voice came from heaven, "This is what is decreed for you, King Nebuchadnezzar: Your royal authority has been taken from you. You will be driven away from people and will live with the wild animals; you will eat grass like cattle. Seven times will pass by for you until you acknowledge that the Most High is sovereign over the kingdoms of men and gives them to