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 were made through him, and without him was
not anything made that was made. In him was life, and the
life was the light of men. . . . And the Word became flesh
and dwelt among us, full of grace and truth; we have
beheld his glory, glory as of the only Son from the
Father. (John 1:1-4, 14)
Icon: «Revealing Christ in the Scriptures (Fr. Ted’s Blog).
The Evangelist John, known in the Orthodox Church as John
the Theologian, proclaimed Jesus to be the incarnate Word
of God. John is very clear WHO the Word of God is: Jesus
Christ, the incarnate Son of God to whom the Scriptures
bore witness.
You search the scriptures, because you think that in
them you have eternal life; and it is they that bear
witness to me… (John 5:39)
Thus the written revelation of God, the Scriptures bear
witness to the Word of God. As Jesus teaches, Moses
inspired by God to write the Torah, was actually writing
about the Word of God who was to become incarnate.
If you believed Moses, you would believe me, for he
wrote of me.(John 5:46)
And beginning with Moses and all the prophets, he
interpreted to them in all the scriptures the things
concerning himself. (Luke 24:27)
Not only Moses but all the prophets and all the authors of
Scripture were inspired to write about the coming Messiah,
the Word of God.
Then he said to them, ‘These are my words which
I spoke to you, while I was still with you, that
everything written about me in the law of Moses and the
prophets and the psalms must be fulfilled.’ Then he
opened their minds to understand the
scriptures… (Luke 24:44-45)
In this blog series I intend to explore the relationship
between our Lord Jesus Christ, the Word of God, and the
Scriptures, the written record of God’s revelation.
As in all my blog series, this is not a scholarly
researched paper. I am simply drawing upon quotes that I
tagged from books I read over the past 30 years and am now
assembling together into this blog series. The quotes are
ideas I came across in my reading over several decades
which stood out in my mind when I read the books. I am now
bringing the quotes together to explore the relationship
between the Word of God and the Scriptures. Obviously if
Jesus is literally the Word of God, then the Scriptures
are the Word of God in some other way. They are the
written record of God’s revelation, but Jesus is the
full revelation of God. The Scriptures bear witness to
Him. It is of Jesus that all the Scriptures
speak. In this blog series we will look at
various aspects of how the Scriptures are related to the
Word of God.
Even when we think about the Word of God as being a
written text, which we call the Bible, we have to realize
the Bible is a collection of books written over hundreds
of years by different authors. Some of the books show
signs that there were several different authors/editors
involved in bringing together the texts of a book. The
Church still considers the texts inspired—whether
one author or several had a hand in writing the book, or
whether a book was edited by several different people, or
even if we don’t know who the author(s) of a book
are, we still consider the Scriptures to be inspired by
God. Absolute certainty about the authorship of a text, or
total knowledge of the history of a book of the Bible,
does not determine its inspiration. Even when
the books of the bible show several different versions of
the same story, sometimes placed side by side within one
book of the Bible, the Church accepts the received texts
and all its variations as being inspired. The Church in
history accepted as inspired the Septuagint translation
into Greek of the ancient Hebrew and Aramaic texts, as
well as the original texts from which they were
translated.
The first thing I will mention about our Bible, and the
books accepted by the Church as being part of our
Scriptures, is that not only was the Bible written over
many centuries, but the bringing together of all the texts
and deciding which texts exactly belong to the canonical
Scriptures also took centuries. We see in the historical
documents clear evidence that inspired saints, the Fathers
of the Church did have at times slightly different ideas
about which books constituted the official scriptures of
the Church. Additionally, there is a great deal of
literature which compares and contrasts even the
differences in the official texts of the Bible in the
various Christian traditions (Latin, Greek, Syriac,
Ethiopian, Coptic, etc) . Here I will only mention a few
quotes that gives us a sense some of the differences in
the Church Fathers through the centuries about what is
officially in the bible. In the 2nd Century we find one
attempt at establishing what books belong in the Bible
(the fact that this has to be established shows us that
there was not exact agreement on what books officially
belong in the canonical Bible).
Melito (d. ca 180ad) visited the Holy Land with a view to
establishing the list of the canonical books of the Old
Testament. According to Eusebius (EH 4.26) (d. 339AD), his
list does not contain the book of Esther, which
incidentally is also missing from the biblical remains of
the Dead Sea Scrolls found at Qumran (Geza
Vermes, Christian Beginnings, Kindle Loc. 3424-26).
Melitio’s Bible agrees with the Qumran
community’s “canon”. That community was
a dissident group of Jews outside of mainstream Judaism in
Jerusalem.
A 4th Century Document, The Apostolic Constitutions
(written ca 375AD), says this about the Canon: “Let
the following books be esteemed venerable and holy by you,
both of the clergy and laity. Of the Old Covenant: the
five books of Moses— Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus,
Numbers, and Deuteronomy; one of Joshua the son of Nun,
one of the Judges, one of Ruth, four of the Kings, two of
the Chronicles, two of Ezra, one of Esther, one of Judith,
three of the Maccabees, one of Job, one hundred and fifty
psalms; three books of Solomon— Proverbs,
Ecclesiastes, and the Song of Songs; sixteen prophets. And
besides these, take care that your young persons learn the
Wisdom of the very learned Sirach. But our sacred books,
that is, those of the New Covenant, are these: the four
Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John; the fourteen
Epistles of Paul; two Epistles of Peter, three of John,
one of James, one of Jude; two Epistles of Clement; and
the Constitutions dedicated to you the bishops by me
Clement, in eight books; which it is not fit to publish
before all, because of the mysteries contained in them;
and the Acts of us the Apostles.” (The Apostolic
Constitutions, Kindle Loc. 4894-4900)
That 4th century canon of Scripture has many more books
than officially ended up in the Bible of today. It gives
us a sense that there was not one canon accepted by all
Christians in the 4th Century. In the 8th Century, St.
John of Damascus (d. 749) wrote a book that many consider
authoritative in the Orthodox world for delineating
doctrine. Note in his comments especially what
he considers to be the canonical books of the New
Testament. He is writing 400 years after many think the
Christian canon had been closed. St. John says:
The New Testament contains four gospels, that according to
Matthew, that according to Mark, that according to Luke,
that according to John: the Acts of the Holy Apostles by
Luke the Evangelist: seven catholic epistles, viz. one of
James, two of Peter, three of John, one of Jude: fourteen
letters of the Apostle Paul: the Revelation of John the
Evangelist: the Canons of the holy apostles, by
Clement.” ( Exact Exposition of the Orthodox Faith,
Kindle Loc.3180-3221)
St. John includes in the Bible as he knows it the letters
of Clement but also those canons of the Holy Apostles
mentioned from the 4th Century. He includes as Scripture
even more than the 4th Century Apostolic Constitution did.
Finally, in the 12th Century St Peter of Damaskos
(Damascus) says this of the Canon of Scripture which he
accepted:
These books include first of all the Old and the New
Testaments, that is, the Pentateuch, the Psalter, the Four
Books of Kings, the Six Books of Wisdom, the Prophets, the
Chronicles, the Acts of the Apostles, the Holy Gospels and
the commentaries on all these… (St. Peter of
Damaskos—12th Century, THE PHILOKALIA, Kindle Loc.
25654-56).
St. Peter seems almost to have an open canon of Scripture
for he includes all of the commentaries (supposedly the
Patristic ones) on the Scriptures. The issue of Canon had
to do with what writings people believe bore witness to
Jesus Christ, the incarnate Word of God. The Scriptures
are those writing which bear witness to Christ, and so in
different centuries they had differing ideas about what
bore authentic witness to the Word of God. All of these
lists would have the common theme that the
Scriptures—whatever books are included in the
Bible—bear witness to the truth and help us
recognize Jesus Christ as Lord.
CHRIST, THE WORD OF GOD
Dr. W. A. Criswell
John 1:1-3
6-1-86 10:50 a.m.
Where do you get those arrangements? Do you do that? No? Then your wife must do it. They are just beautiful; they are wonderful. Makes me want to join the choir. And did you know, in God’s good grace, we are going to have such a big choir here? We are going to divide it; and the choir, Adult Choir, will sing beginning in September at the 8:15 service. The other half will sing at this service. And our young people are going to sing on Wednesday night, so that they can stay in bed longer and not have to get up so early, and everybody is going to be happy. Oh, I just praise God with you and for you!
And we no less thank the Lord for the throngs of you who share this hour on radio and on television. This is the First Baptist Church in Dallas, and this is the pastor bringing the message entitled Christ, the Word of God. It is a message on the exaltation of God’s Word. It is based on the beginning verse of the greatest piece of literature ever written in human speech. There is nothing, ever penned by man, comparable to the Gospel of John. There is nothing in the revelation of the personality and presence of God comparable to the Gospel of John. And the Gospel begins, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God” [John 1:1]. The spoken Word and the written Word and the incarnate Word all are called the Word of God, and they are one. A man and his word may be two different things; but not God and His word. The word of God is like God Himself: “the same yesterday, and today, and forever” [Hebrews 13:8]. As the psalmist cried in 119:89, “Thy word, O God, is fixed in heaven” [Psalm 119:89].
When I preach the Word, I’m preaching the Lord God. When you receive the Word, you are receiving the Lord Christ. When you believe the Word, you believe God. When you give your life to the Word, you are giving your life to God. When you are saved by the Word, you are saved by the Lord God. God is identified with His Word. This universe is sustained by the word of God: Hebrews 1:3, “Upholding all things by the word of His power.” We are convicted by the word of God: Hebrews 4:12-13, “For the word of God is quick, living, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the [joints] and marrow, and is a revealer of the intents of the soul. For all things are opened and naked before Him with whom we have to do.” We are converted, we are born again, we are saved by the word of God: 1 Peter 1:23-25, “Born again . . . by the word of God, which liveth and abideth forever. And this is the word which by the gospel is preached unto you.”
We are kept from sin by the word of God: Psalm 119:11, “Thy word have I hid in my heart, that I might not sin against Thee.” We are to walk by the word of God: Psalm 119:105, “Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.” We are to live by the word of God: Matthew 4:4, “Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.” We are to die by the word of God: Revelation 3:10, “Because thou hast kept My word, I also will keep thee in the trial that shall come over all the earth.” And we are to preach the Word of God: 2 Timothy 3:16-4:2, “All Scripture is theopneustos, God-breathed; all Scripture is given by inspiration of God. I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at His appearing and His kingdom, Preach the word.” And our assurance of salvation, our hope of heaven, is the word of God: John 5:24, “Verily, verily, truly, truly,” the Greek of it is amen, amen—that’s an unusual thing: in Hebrew, in Greek, in every language of the Word, that word is the same “amen, amen”—“Verily, verily, truly, truly, I say unto you, he that heareth My word, and believeth on Him that sent Me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed out of death into life.”
I was converted, I became a Christian, I became a child of God, I was regenerated, I was saved when I was ten years old. In a little town of about three hundred people, in a white crackerbox of a church house, a preacher was holding a revival meeting, and he stayed in our home at night. He loved to drink a glass of buttermilk, and when he got through preaching and came to our home, he sat down at the table in the kitchen, and my mother had for him a pitcher of buttermilk. It was churned, like this, and guess who did the churning? These youngsters today don’t even know what a churn looks like. They’ve never seen churned buttermilk. He loved to drink a glass of buttermilk. And I would sit every evening at that kitchen table, and he would talk to me about the Lord.
In the days and in the course of the revival, several of those evening services, being drawn by the Holy Spirit of God, I would move, I would go to the edge of the pew, planning to go forward and confess my faith in the Lord Jesus, and would not do it. I have thought of that for the years and the decades since. Why would I hesitate? Why would I be timid? Why would I be reluctant? Why when I got to the edge of the pew didn’t I just walk up to the pastor and say, “Tonight I give my heart in faith to the Lord Jesus”? I cannot explain that. I just know it is true in the lives of practically everyone; timidity, hesitancy, sometimes planning to respond to the invitation, and go through the benediction and home without responding. I don’t understand; it’s just one of those inexplicables of human nature. Maybe it is the interference of Satan himself—come to the edge of the pew, and hesitate and not respond.
On a weekday morning in the course of the revival, my mother sent through me a little note to the teacher saying that it was her pleasure that I be excused from the class and attend the ten o’clock service of the revival. When I went to the revival from the school, I happened to be seated back of my mother. And when the preacher had done his sermon and made the appeal, and the people were standing singing the invitation, my sainted mother turned to me, and was crying. I guess that’s where I have inherited my propensity to weep: she often cried. She was crying and said to me, “Son, today will you give your heart to the Lord? Will you accept Jesus as your Savior?” I burst into tears and said, “Yes, Mother, yes. Today I will accept Christ as my Savior. I will receive Him and give my heart to Him.” And out into the aisle and to the front, I couldn’t see the preacher for crying.
I began preaching when I was seventeen years old. And for the first ten years of my work as a preacher, I was pastor of little country churches. I held revival meetings in those summertimes; they were under tabernacles, they were under brush arbors, and they were largely attended by the whole countryside. There was hardly anything, I suppose, by which people who lived out in those country places could gather together, so the annual revival meeting was a tremendously inviting and interesting convocation. Everybody attended; everyone came. We had camp meetings. People would come, camp there on the grounds, stay there all during the days, live there, and go to church. They had in those meetings what they’d call grove prayer meetings. Under a group of trees over here the men would meet for prayer; and the women usually would remain in the tabernacle or under the arbor for their prayer meeting. So I attended the grove prayer meetings with the men. And as I attended those prayer meetings where the men testified, told their experience of grace, recounted how they were wonderfully converted, as a young fellow, I sat there and listened to those men recount those miraculous experiences. They were beyond anything I had ever seen or ever been introduced to in my life. They would describe the angels who came to speak to them. They would describe the visions of the doors into heaven. One man I particularly remember pointing to a place, saying, “I had mourned over my sins and had been convicted and burdened for my lost condition for years. And I was standing right there when suddenly, out of heaven came a great ball of fire, and it burst over my head and struck me to the ground. How long,” he said, “I lay in that condition, I do not know. But when I awakened from the awesomeness of that heavenly fire, the burden of sin had rolled away.” Then he described how the birds sang, and how the trees looked, and how the mules were as he plowed in the field.
The summation of all of that was a disastrous repercussion in my soul. I came to the conclusion that I was not saved, I was not born again, I was not a Christian. I had had no experience comparable to any of that: I had never seen an angel, no ball of fire had ever broken over my head, I had never looked through the gate and the door into heaven. The agony of the days was doubly poignant to me because I was preaching on Sunday to those country congregations, then bowing down before my bed and before the Lord every night, crying to God that I was not saved, I was not converted, I was not born again, I was not a Christian. And the war in my soul, preaching on Sunday and bowing every night crying to God that I was not a Christian, was beyond any, any sorrow of soul you could ever imagine. “Lord God,” I prayed, “dear God in heaven, please, Lord send an angel to me. Let me see an angel, please, God. Let him confirm that I am saved, that my name is in the Book of Life [Revelation 20:12, 15, 21:27]. Dear God, let a ball of fire burst over my head, please, God. When we have these grove revival meetings, and these men speak of their marvelous experiences, I have nothing to say. I have no great experience to relate: just as a ten year old boy giving my heart to the Lord at the invitation of the tears and voice of my mother. Lord God, please give me a great experience that I also can share and describe when we have our camp revival meetings.”
In the days that passed, that multiplied into weeks and months, and finally into years, there gradually came to my heart an answer, a crystallized, clear-cut answer from God; and it took a certain shape. And the shape was this: in the day when I stand at the judgment bar of Almighty God [2 Timothy 4:1], and the saints of the Lord are marching in, and I assay to join their number, and the Lord God stops me, and He says, “By what right, by what privilege, do you enter My beautiful city and walk on My golden streets?” And I answer to the Lord God, “Lord God, I know I’m a Christian. I know I’m saved. I know I’m born again. I saw an angel from heaven.” And Satan laughs, “Ha, ha, ha! He saw an angel from heaven! I was that angel.” According to 2 Corinthians chapter 11, he turns himself, he transforms himself into an angel of light just to deceive us [2 Corinthians 11:14]. And how could I stand? What could I say? What defense could I make? I based my salvation upon a vision of an angel from heaven, and he says, “I was that angel, just to deceive you.” What would I do? Or in the great assize, when the throngs are judged before God’s throne and the saints of God are marching in, and I propose to join their number and the Lord God stops me, and He says, “By what right and by what prerogative do you join My sainted throng, enter My city, and walk on My golden streets?” And I say, “Lord God, I know that I’m a Christian, I know I’ve been born again; I’m saved. Lord God, a great ball of fire burst over my head, and I know that I’ve been saved!” And Satan laughs, “Ha, ha, ha! He saw a ball of fire burst over his head.” And according to the thirteenth chapter of the Revelation [Revelation 13:13-14], Satan sends fire from heaven to deceive them that are upon the earth. And I based my salvation upon the experience of a ball of fire breaking over my head. And Satan drags me down to hell. What could I say and what could I do?
Then the Lord brought it in poignant words to my soul. When I stand at the great judgment bar of Almighty God [2 Timothy 4:1], and the saints of the Lord are marching in, and I propose to join their number, and the Lord God stops me and says, “By what right and by what prerogative do you enter My beautiful city and walk on My golden streets?” What I will do: I will take the infallible Word of God, and I will say to the Lord God, “Lord, here in the first chapter of the Gospel of John, verse 11, ‘He came unto His own, and His own received Him not’ [John 1:11]; but verse 12, ‘As many as received Him, to them gave He the prerogative, the authority, the privilege to become the children of God, even to them that trust in His name’ [John 1:12]. And Lord God, when I was ten years old, in a revival meeting, in a little white crackerbox of a church house, the preacher gave the invitation, and my sainted mother who stands right there, my sainted mother turned, and said to me, ‘Son, today, will you receive the Lord Jesus as your Savior?’ and I said, ‘Mother, I will. I do.’ And I made my way to the pastor, and gave him my hand, and my heart to the Lord. Now, Lord, it’s just up to You, whether You keep Your Word and Your promise or not. You said, ‘As many as receive Him, to them gave He the right to become the children of God.’ And the best that a ten-year-old boy could do it, I received the Lord Jesus, You, as my Savior; and I’m just depending upon Your keeping Your promise.”
Then I defy Satan! I defy Satan to challenge the word and the promise of Almighty God! The Lord would zap him! My salvation is not a matter between me and Satan, not at all; my salvation is a matter between me and God’s word, whether God would keep His word and His promise or not.
Sweet people, if I were to see an angel today, after these years and years and years, if I were to see an angel today, I’d thank the Lord for the vision: it would never occur to me to connect it with my salvation, never. If I were to see a ball of fire fall from heaven, I’d thank God for the privilege of the glorious vision of the power of the Lord; but it would never occur to me to connect it with my salvation. I base my salvation solely upon the Word of God that liveth and abideth forever [1 Peter 1:23]. And I need no other affirmation: it is enough. He said it, I believe it, and that settles it forever and ever and ever.
So I go my way, preaching the infallible Word [2 Timothy 4:2], calling men to trust Him, assured that what He has promised, He will faithfully perform [Romans 4:21]. He will faithfully perform. I give Him my heart in trust [Romans 10:9]. He said, “I will see you through.” I believe in His holy and heavenly word and promise, and I rest my soul in that infinite, priceless, heavenly promise of my Lord. “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God [John 1:1] . . . He was dressed in a vesture dipped in blood: and His name is called The Word of God” [Revelation 19:13]. And when I can trust in His promise, I have found peace and salvation for my soul.
Now may we bow our heads in the prayer?
Our Lord, precious Savior, what a beautiful thing You have done for us. Not up there in the sky is the word of God, not at the ends of the earth is the word of God, but, “It is nigh thee, even in thy heart: the word of faith, which we preach” [Romans 10:8]; namely, “If thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and believe in thine heart that He liveth, that God raised Him from the dead, thou shalt be saved” [Romans 10:8-9]. And our Lord, our hearts are opened heavenward and God-ward to receive the Word of the Lord, the spoken Word, the written Word, the incarnate Word, Jesus, the Word of God [John 1:1; Revelation 19:30]. And our Lord, in that commitment may we find peace and rest and salvation all the days of our lives, and someday stand before Thee on the infallible, eternal, infinitely precious Word of God [Jude 1:24].
And in this moment, when we stand to sing our appeal, to give your heart to Christ, to receive the Word of the Lord, to open your home and family to the teaching of Jesus, to listen to the voice of the Spirit, to open the Book and to follow its message, to answer with your life, down that aisle, down that stairway, would you come? “Pastor, this is God’s day for me. The Lord has spoken to me, and here I stand.” A family you, a couple you, or just one somebody you—God give us you today in response to the appeal of the Spirit. And our Lord, when we sing this hymn, may it please Thee to give us a gracious harvest, honoring Thy infallible and saving Word, our hope in this life and our assurance in the life to come, in the name of Him who is called the Word of God [Revelation 19:30], amen. Now Brother Denny, let’s all stand together. And while we sing the hymn, on the first note of the first stanza, “Pastor, here I am, and here I come,” welcome, a thousand times, while we wait, while we sing.
WHY IS JESUS CHRIST CALLED “THE WORD OF GOD?”
by Shawn Brasseaux
This epithet is exclusive to the Apostle John’s writings—the Book of John, the Book of 1 John, and the Book of the Revelation. It, or its abbreviated variant “The Word,” appears seven times in the whole Bible canon. John’s Gospel Record is designed to underscore Jesus Christ’s Deity. (Compare the openings of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. John 1:1-4 is unique to John; Matthew, Mark, and Luke all begin their accounts with events relating to Christ’s humanity.) It is thus not surprising that John’s special phrase, “the Word of God,” is intended to accentuate Christ’s Deity:
- John 1:1: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.”
- John 1:14: “And the Word was made 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.”
- 1 John 1:1: “That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, of the Word of life;….”
- 1 John 5:7: “For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one.”
- Revelation 19:13: “And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God.”
The term “word” carries the idea of communication. In Greek, it is logos. Depending on the context, logos can be rendered as—“preaching,” “something said,” “utterance,” “reason,” “saying,” “speech,” “talk,” “account,” and so on. Think of our related English words logic and logo. A “logo,” for example, is a symbol or design that represents a group, idea, line of products, and so on. This symbol conveys a message. The Greek word is the same line of thought.
According to Scripture, there are three Members/Persons in the Godhead or Trinity—Father, Son, and Holy Ghost (Matthew 28:19; 2 Corinthians 13:14; 1 John 5:7). Unless they make themselves known in a special way, we cannot see them with our human eyes. The Person of Jesus Christ (God the Son) is a representative of the Godhead. Turn to John 14:6-9: “[6] Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. [7] If ye had known me, ye should have known my Father also: and from henceforth ye know him, and have seen him. [8] Philip saith unto him, Lord, shew us the Father, and it sufficeth us. [9] Jesus saith unto him, Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known me, Philip? he that hath seen me hath seen the Father; and how sayest thou then, Shew us the Father?”
What the Father and the Holy Spirit want us to see and know, Jesus Christ reveals it to us so we can see and know. If we want to see how God lives, all we have to do is read the Four Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John). This is how God conducted His own life in His own human flesh. Even today, we can see God living His life in human flesh. This is the Church the Body of Christ (all present-day believers in Jesus Christ). It is called “the Body of Christ” because it is His life being manifested through Christians—we are His arms, His legs, His hands, His feet, and His voice. We accurately portray His life as we walk daily in faith in His Word to us (more on this later).
Father God sent Jesus Christ as His spokesman to the nation Israel. For example, John 7:16: “Jesus answered them, and said, My doctrine is not mine, but his that sent me.” God the Father had given some information to Jesus Christ, so Jesus Christ could then relay it to Israel. Jesus is the Spokesman of the Godhead. He is “The Word of God” in this sense.
Now, read Matthew 15:24: “But he answered and said, I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” Hebrews 3:1: “Wherefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the Apostle [sent-one] and High Priest of our profession, Christ Jesus;….” When Jesus Christ left Earth and ascended back into Heaven, He sent His 12 Apostles to be His spokesmen to Israel. They were to repeat what He taught them.
Matthew chapter 10: “[5] These twelve Jesus sent forth, and commanded them, saying, Go not into the way of the Gentiles, and into any city of the Samaritans enter ye not: [6] But go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel…. [16] Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves: be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves.” And verse 40: “He that receiveth you receiveth me, and he that receiveth me receiveth him that sent me.” Mark 3:14: “And he ordained twelve, that they should be with him, and that he might send them forth to preach,….” John 20:21: “Then said Jesus to them again, Peace be unto you: as my Father hath sent me, even so send I you.” Finally, John 13:20: “Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that receiveth whomsoever I send receiveth me; and he that receiveth me receiveth him that sent me.”
God the Father sent Jesus Christ as His Messenger, and Jesus Christ sent messengers (12 Apostles) to Israel. If Israel rejected the 12 Apostles, they were really rejecting Jesus Christ who sent them, and they were rejecting God the Father who sent Jesus Christ to them in the first place.
After His ascension into Heaven, the Lord Jesus Christ sent the Apostle Paul to be His spokesman to us Gentiles. Look at two verses. Firstly, Acts 22:21: “And he said unto me, Depart: for I will send thee far hence unto the Gentiles.” Now, Acts 26:17: “Delivering thee from the people, and from the Gentiles, unto whom now I send thee,…..” Paul thus wrote in Romans 11:13: “For I speak to you Gentiles, inasmuch as I am the apostle [sent-one] of the Gentiles, I magnify mine office:….” And, remember Jesus’ words in John 13:20: “Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that receiveth whomsoever I send receiveth me; and he that receiveth me receiveth him that sent me.” If we reject Paul, then we reject God’s messenger to us!
Whenever there were appearances of God in the Old Testament economy, they were Jesus Christ in pre-incarnate forms. It was not Father God, and it was not the Holy Spirit. First Timothy 6:16: “[Jesus Christ] Who only hath immortality, dwelling in the light which no man can approach unto; [God the Father; verse 13] whom no man hath seen, nor can see: to whom be honour and power everlasting. Amen.” And John 1:18: “No man hath seen God at any time, the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him.” Colossians 2:9: “For in him [Christ] dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily.” The way we see and hear Father God is by paying attention to Jesus Christ: He is the one Mediator between God and men.
First Timothy 2:3-6: “[3] For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour; [4] Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth. [5] For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus; [6] Who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time.” As God, Jesus Christ can take God by the hand. As Man, He can take man by the hand. He thus joins them together through His finished crosswork at Calvary. The barrier of sin is demolished because Jesus Christ died for our sins. Without God communicating that information through Jesus Christ, and then Jesus Christ giving that information to Paul, we would not know it.
Jesus Christ is thus “The Word of God”—the embodiment of the whole message God wants to give to mankind! In 1 John 1:1, Jesus is called “the Word of life,” meaning God’s entire communication to man can be summarized as “life.” If we want to see what true life is really like, how God designed it to function for His glory, we look to “the Word of life,” the Lord Jesus Christ! If we want eternal (spiritual) life, we look to the Lord Jesus Christ! John 14:6: “Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.”
SUPPLEMENTAL #1: THE CHIEF SPEAKER
To better reinforce in our minds what the title “The Word of God” is actually conveying as pertaining to Jesus Christ, turn to Acts chapter 14: “[9] The same heard Paul speak: who stedfastly beholding him, and perceiving that he had faith to be healed, [10] Said with a loud voice, Stand upright on thy feet. And he leaped and walked. [11] And when the people saw what Paul had done, they lifted up their voices, saying in the speech of Lycaonia, The gods are come down to us in the likeness of men. [12] And they called Barnabas, Jupiter; and Paul, Mercurius, because he was the chief speaker.” Focus on “the chief speaker” at the close of verse 12. In Greek, it is, “ho hegoumenos tou logon.” As Paul was the “chief speaker [logos]” of the Paul–Barnabas duo, so Jesus Christ is the “chief speaker” among the Members of the Godhead.
SUPPLEMENTAL #2: THE HOLY BIBLE
“The word of God” is also a title of the Holy Bible. Hebrews 4:12, for example: “For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.” In Scripture, we find the communication from God. The only way to know the Living Word of God (Jesus Christ) is through the Written Word of God (Holy Scripture). While far beyond the scope of this study, there is a very close affinity between the Living Word and the Written Word. Both are necessary to learn everything the Godhead has to tell us.
Also see:
» Did not God send messengers to Gentiles prior to Paul’s apostleship?
» Has God’s Word failed?
» Does Jesus Christ save us, or does the Gospel save us?
Revelation Ch 1:1-11
Scriptural Cross-reference!
Revelation Chapter 1:1-11
Opening Words! “Lord’s Day”
Scriptural Cross-reference & Biblical Interpretations!
“Do not Interpretations Belong to God” Genesis 40:8
Revelation 1:1
“The revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show to his servants the things that must soon take place. He made it known by sending his angel to his servant John,”
What does the word “Revelation” mean?
The Greek word for “Revelation” is –apokalypsis Strongs G602,
The KJV translates Strong’s G602 in the following manner: revelation (12x), be revealed (2x), to lighten (with G1519) (1x), manifestation (1x), coming (1x), appearing (1x).
Strongs defines Revelation as:
“laying bare, making naked”
“a disclosure of truth, instruction concerning things before unknown”
“manifestation, appearance”
Why can a person who thinks they know everything about the scriptures not understand the Book of Revelation?
Where does the word “revelation” appear in the Bible?
“Apocalypses” or Revelation is used 18 times in the New Testament at:
Luke 2:32, Rom 2:5, 8:19, 16:25, 1 Cor 1:7, 14:6, 26, 2 Cor 12:1, 2 Cor 12:7, Gal 1:12, 2:2, Eph 1:17, 3:3, 2 Thes 1:7, 1 Pet 1:7, 13, 4:13.
“Apocalypse” or “revelation” is used 1 time in the Book of Revelation at Revelation 1:1.
At Revelation 15:4, the 144,000 conquerors sing the Song of Moses / Lamb where they sing, “your righteous acts have been revealed.”
Is “revealed” at Rev 15:4 a past tense word for apocalypse or revelation?
What is the only thing that is mentioned in every Chapter of the Book of Revelation?
The Greek word for “God” Strong’s G2316 – theos occurs 96 times and in every chapter of the Book of Revelation:
Rev 1:1, 2, 6, 8, 9
Rev 2:7, 18
Rev 3:1, 2, 12, 14
Rev 4:5, 8, 11
Rev 5:6, 9, 10
Rev 6:9
Rev 7:2, 3, 10, 11, 12, 15, 17
Rev 8:2, 4
Rev 9:4, 13
Rev 10:7
Rev 11:11, 13, 16, 17, 19
Rev 12:5, 6, 10, 17
Rev 13:6
Rev 14:4, 7, 10, 12, 19
Rev 15:1, 2, 3,
Rev 16:1, 7, 9, 11, 14, 19, 21
Rev 17:17
Rev 18:5, 8, 20
Rev 19:1, 4, 5, 6, 9, 10, 13, 15, 17
Rev 20:4, 6
Rev 21:2, 3, 7, 10, 11, 22, 23
Rev 22:1, 3, 5, 6
Where God appears in all Chapters of the Book of Revelation, His Son is not mentioned in 7 Chapters Of Revelation: Chs 4, 8, 9, 10, 11, 16 & 18.
What are the different Names for God in the Book of Revelation?
Rev 1:4, 8, 4:8. 11:17, 16:5, “who is & who was and who is to come”
Rev 11:17, 16:5, “who is & who was”
(Why does Revelation 11:17, 16:5 leave out “who is to come?”)
Rev 1:8, 4:8, 16:7, 14, 19:6, “the Almighty”
Rev 1:8, 21:6, 22:13, “Alpha & the Omega”
Rev 4:8, 14:7, the Creator
Rev 21:6, 22:13, “the Beginning and the End”
Rev 22:13 “the 1st and the Last,” Isaiah 41:4, 6, 48:12
Is God’s Name used in the Book of Revelation?
Yes! “Ya,” the abbreviated form of YHWH, occurs 4 times in Rev 19 at Rev 19:1, 3, 4, 6!
The Greek word for “Hallelujah” is Strong’s G239 – hallēlouia.
Hallelujah comes from 2 combined Hebrew words, “halal” “Ya.” “Halal” means praise & “Ya” is a contraction of God’s name, YHWH.
“Ya,” Strong’s H3050 – yâ, occurs 49 times in the Hebrew scriptures with 43 of those occurrences in Psalms.
“YHWH,” God’s Name, Strong’s H3068, occurs 6,519 times in the Hebrew scriptures!
Psalm 104:35 CSB, Psalm 105:45 CSB, Psalm 106:1 CSB, Psalm 148:14 CSB, Psalm 112:1 CSB, Psalm 113:1 CSB, Psalm 113:9 CSB, Psalm 115:18 CSB, Psalm 116:19 CSB, Psalm 117:2 CSB, Psalm 135:1 CSB, Psalm 135:21 CSB, Psalm 146:1 CSB, Psalm 146:10 CSB, Psalm 147:1 CSB, Psalm 147:20 CSB, Psalm 148:1 CSB, Psalm 148:14 CSB, Psalm 149:1 CSB, Psalm 149:9 CSB, Psalm 150:1 CSB, Psalm 150:6 CSB.
The Greek word for Jesus or Yeshua is Strong’s G2424 – iēsous which occurs 975 times in the New Testament and 14 times in Revelation at Rev 1:1, 2, 5, 9, 12:17, 14:2, 17:6, 19:10, 20:4, 22:16, 22:20, 22:21.
“Christ,” Strong’s G5547 – christos occurs 7 times in Revelation at Rev 1:1, 2, 5, 15, 12:10, 20:4, 6.
What does the Word Christ or Greek Christos mean?
Christ means anointed or messiah.
The Greek word for “Jesus” / “Yeshua” is Strong’s G2424 – iēsous which occurs 14 times in Revelation at Rev 1:1, 2, 5, 9, 12:17, 14:12, 17:6, 19:10, 20:4, 22:16, 20, 21.
What are the different names for Christ in the Book of Revelation?
Rev 1:5, 3:14, 19:11, “the faithful witness,” “the faithful and true witness”
Rev 1:5, 18, 2:8, “the first born of the dead,” Col 1:18.
Rev 1:5, “the ruler of Kings on earth”
Rev 1:13, 14:14, “Son of man”
Rev 1:17-18, 2:8, “the first and the last” “who was dead and come to life”
Rev 1:18 ” the Living one”
Rev 2:18, “Son of God”
Rev 3:7, “He who is Holy”
Rev 3:7, “He who is true”
Rev 3:7, “He who has the key of David”
Rev 3:14, “the Amen”
Rev 3:14, “the beginning of God’s creation,” Col 1:15, 18, Heb 1:6.
Rev 5:6, 8, 12, 13, 6:1, 9, 16, 7:9, 10, 14, 17, 12:11, 13:8, 11, 14:1, 4, 10, 15:3, 17:14, 17:14, 19:7, 9, 21:9, 14, 22, 23, 27, 22:1, 3 “Lamb”
Rev 12:10, “Authority of His Christ”
Rev 17:14, ” Lord of lords and King of kings”
Rev 19:13, “the Word of God”
Rev 19:9, “the marriage of the Lamb”
Rev 19:16, “King of Kings and Lord of Lords”
Rev 21:9, “Lamb’s bride”
Rev 21:27 “Lamb’s book of Life”
Rev 22:16, “the root and the offspring of David”
Rev 22:16, “the Bright and Morning Star”
Christ refers to His Father as “My God” 4 times in Revelation at Rev 3:3, 12.
also Matthew 27:46 and John 20:17.
“which God gave him to show to his servants the things that must soon take place.”
Who gave the Revelation to Christ?
What is God’s purpose of the Book of Revelation?
For who is Revelation specifically written?
Is the Book of Revelation written to all the people of earth?
“show unto His servants things that must soon take place” Rev 1:1,
Repeated in the introduction and conclusion of Revelation at – Rev 1:1, 22:6.
The Greek word for “servants” is Strong’s G1401 – doulos which occurs 14 times in Revelation at Rev 1:1, 2:20, 6:15, 7:3, 10:7, 11:18, 13:16, 15:3, 19:2. 5, 19:2, 5, 18, 22:3, 6.
11 times refers to God’s servants.
3 times refers to Babylon’s and the Beasts servants at Rev 6:15, 13:16, 19:18.
“Servants” appears in the introduction & conclusion of Revelation at Rev 1:1 & 22:3, 6.
“He made it known by sending his angel to his servant John,”
Who is the “He” who sent His angel in vs 1?
(Consider Rev 22:16)
“by sending his angel to his servant John” – Rev 1:1.
Repeated in the introduction and conclusion of Revelation at Rev 1:1, 22:16.
What is the chain of command of the Book of Revelation? (4 listed in verse 1)
Revelation 1:2
“who bore witness to the word of God and to the testimony of Jesus Christ, even to all that he saw.”
What was John bearing witness to in Revelation 1:2?
What are the similarities and the differences between Revelation 1:2, 9?
“Word of God” is used 5 times in Revelation at Rev 1:2, 9, 6:9, 19:13, 20:4.
In addition to John, who also in Revelation are bearing witness to the “word of God” & “testimony of Christ?” (Rev 6:9, Rev 20:4)
“Word of God” & “testimony of Christ” occurs 4 times together in Revelation at:
Introduction – Rev 1:2, 9, John bore witness to in both scriptures.
5th Seal – Rev 6:9, “slain” “souls” under the altar.
1,000 Year Reign – Rev 20:4, beheaded Priests, kings & Judges.
Who is identified as the “Word of God” in Revelation 19:13?
Christ is referred to as the “word of God” in 6th Bowl Armageddon at Rev 19:13
Christ is the word or Logos (Greek) at John 1:1
What English word comes from the Greek word translated “witness,” “testified” & “testimony” in the Book of Revelation?
How strong of a witness or testimony is conveyed by the Greek words martyreō, martyria & martys?
Greek words for “witness,” “testified” & “testimony.”
The Greek word for “witness” or “testified,” martyreō, Strongs G3140, occurs at Rev 1:2.
“Martyreō” is used 3 times in Revelation’s introduction at Rev 1:2, 5, 9 and 3 additional times in the conclusion of Revelation at Rev 22:16, 22:18, 22:20.
The Greek word for “testimony” is martyria, Strongs G3141, occurs 9 times at Rev 1:2, 9, 6:9, 11:7, 12:11, 17, 19:10, 20:4, Matt 10:18.
The Greek word for “witness” is martys Strongs G3144, occurs 5 times at Rev 1:5, 2:13, 3:14, 11:3, 17:6.
What does Rev 19:10 mean when it says, “For the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy?”
What is Christ’s Testimony?
Where can we find Christ’s Testimony?
“John bore witness to” “even to all that he saw.” occurs in the introduction & conclusion of Revelation at Rev 1:2, 22:8
3 Blessed is the one who reads aloud the words of this prophecy, and blessed are those who hear, and who keep what is written in it, for the time is near.
What 3 things must God’s servants do to have His Blessings in the Book of Revelation?
1) “read aloud”
2) “Hear”
3) “Keep what is written”
“Blessed” is repeated in the introduction and 2 times in the conclusion of Revelation at Rev 1:3, 22:7,14.
“Blessed are those” “who keep what is written” is repeated in the introduction and in the conclusion of Revelation at Rev 1:3, 22:7.
“Keeps what is written” occurs 1 times in the introduction and 2 times in the conclusion of Revelation at Rev 1:3, 22:7, 9.
“Hear” in the past tense, “heard” is repeated 2 times in the conclusion of Revelation at Rev 22:8.
There is an incredible amount of writing going on in the Book of Revelation:
“Write” used in Revelation 29 times in the Book of Revelation.
The Greek word for “write” is Strongs G1125, graphō, Rev 1:3, 11, 19, 2:1, 8, 12, 17-18, 3:1, 7, 12, 14, 5:1, 10:4, 13:8, 14:1, 13, 17:5, 8, 19:9, 19:12, 16, 20:12, 15, 21:5, 27, 22:18-19.
1) John Instructed to “Write” – Rev 1:11, 19, 2:1, 8, 12, 18, 3:1, 7, 3:14, 10:4, 14:13, 19:9, 21:5
2) Emphasis on “Written” words of Revelation Rev 1:3, 22:18-19,
3) Writings in Heaven:
“Written” “Scroll” in heaven Rev 5:1,
“Written,” “Book” & “Books” in heaven opened Rev 20:12,
“Write” “New Names” Rev 2:17, “Name of My God,” “Name of the City of My God” & “My own New Name” Rev 3:12, “His Father’s Name Written on their foreheads” Rev 14:1, Harlot’s name “forehead” Rev 7:5,
“He has a Name Written that no one know but Himself” Rev 19:12,
“On His robe & thigh He has a name written” Rev 19:16, “Written” “Lambs Book of Life” Rev 13:8, 17:8, 20:12, 15, 21:27
“Written” or Write” occurs 3 times in the introduction at Rev 1:3, 11, 19 and 2 times in the conclusion at Rev 22:18, 19.
How important are the written words of God according to Revelation?
“For the time is near” occurs in the introduction and conclusion of Revelation at Rev 1:3, 22:10.
Revelation 1:4
John to the seven churches that are in Asia: Grace to you and peace from Him who is, and who was, and who is to come, and from the seven spirits who are before His throne,
John to the seven churches that are in Asia:
According to Revelation 1:1, 4, 22:16, to whom was Revelation written?
In Revelation 1:4-5 who are specifically greeting the 7 Churches?
“Churches” Strong’s G1577 – ekklēsia, occurs 20 times in Revelation at Rev 1:4, 11, 20, 2:1, 7, 8, 11,12, 17, 18, 23, 29, 3:1, 6, 7, 13,14, 22, 22:16.
“7 Churches” is repeated in the introduction and conclusion of Revelation at Rev 1:4, 22:16.
“Seven” occurs 57 times in the Book of Revelation and used to describe 22 different tings.
“Seven” in Revelation hepta, Strong’s G2033, Rev 1:4, 11-12, 16, 20, 2:1, 3:1, 4:5, 5:1, 5-6, 6:1, 8:2, 6, 10:3-4, 11:13, 12:3, 13:1, 15:1, 6-8, 16:1, 17:1, 3, 7, 9-11, 21:9.
7 in Revelation Page Link
7 in Revelation Picture Link
Grace to you and peace from him who is and who was and who is to come,
“Grace” only occurs 2 times in Revelation and is repeated in the introduction & conclusion at Rev 1:4, 22:21.
“who is & who was and who is to come“
Rev 1:4, 8, 4:8. 11:17, 16:5,
Why does Revelation 11:17, 16:5 leave out “who is to come.”
Opposite language regarding the beast – “who was but is not” Rev 17: 8, 11
How can we tell in Revelation 1:4 the “who is & who was and who is to come” is speaking about God and not His son? (answer in Rev 1:4 & 5)
“Come” or “Coming” occurs 36 times in the Book of Revelation at Rev 1:4, 7, 8, 2:5, 16, 3:10, 11, 4:8, 5:7, 6:1, 3, 5, 7, 7:13, 14, 8:3, 9:12, 11:14, 11:18, 14:7, 15, 16:15, 17:1, 10, 19:7, 21:9, 22:7, 12, 17, 20.
The Greek word “to come” or “coming” is erchomai, Strongs G2064 Rev 4:8, 22:7
God’s Son Christ is a God but YHWH is God Almighty.
YHWH “to come” or “coming” – Rev 1:4, 1:8, 4:8, 11:18
Christ “to Come” or “Coming” in Revelation, Rev 1:7, 8, 2:5, 16, 3:11, 16:15, 22:12, 20.
Christ’s Letter to Philadelphia – “Hour of trial is coming,” Rev 3:10
1st – 4th Seals – 4 Horsemen “come,” Rev 6:1, 3, 5, 7,
6th Seal – “God” YHWH & “Lamb” Christ, “the great day of their WRATH has come,” Rev 6:17
5th – 7th Trumpet – “come” “came” for 3 woes, Rev 9:12, 11:14
7th Trumpet – YHWH “Almighty” “WRATH came” Rev 11:16-19
1st message of eternal gospel – “Hour of Judgment has come” Rev 14:7
“Hour to Reap has come” Rev 14:15
Babylon’s Judgment has “come” Rev 18:10
“Marriage of the Lamb has come” Rev 19:7
and from the seven spirits, who are before his throne,
What are “the 7 spirits, who are before His throne?”
“7 Spirits” before God’s Throne occur at Rev 1:4, 3:1, 4:5, 5:6
The Greek word for “spirit” is Strong’s G4151 – pneuma, which occurs 385 times in the New Testament.
“Spirit” occurs 24 times in the Book of Revelation at Rev 1:4, 10, 2:7, 11, 17, 29, 3:1, 6, 13, 22, 4:2, 5, 6, 11:11, 13:15, 14:3, 16:13, 14, 17:3, 18:2, 19:10, 21:10, 22:6, 17.
“Spirit” is linked with evil in 4 of the 24 occurrences at Rev 13:5, 16:13, 16:14, 18:2.
“Spirit” appears 2 times in the introduction of Revelation at Rev 1:4, 10 and 2 times in the conclusion at Rev 22:6 and 22:17.
How does God’s Holy Spirit get to people on earth?
answer: Rev 5:6
What is the significance of a greeting “from the seven spirits who are before His throne?”
Why does Revelation 1:4 say about the 7 spirits “who are before His throne” instead of “that are before His throne?”
Did you know that the 7 Seals, 7 Trumpets & 7 Bowls of Wrath all take place in front of God’s Throne? (Rev 4, 5, 8:1-6, 15)
God’s Throne!
The 7 Seals, 7 Trumpets & 7 Bowls of Wrath ALL take place from the perspective of God’s Throne in Heaven!
In the Book of Revelation YHWH’s THRONE appears 36 times!
Revelation describes what is happening in Heaven “on,” “before,” “from,” “on each side of,” “around,” “in the midst of” & “round about” YHWH’s THRONE!
God’s Throne in Revelation Scriptural Summary:
Revelation 1, 1X – Greetings from God’s Throne! Rev 1:4.
Revelation 3, 1X – Church of Laodicea, Rev 3:21
Revelation 4, 11Xs – 7 Seals opening vision provides a whole chapter describing God’s Throne! – Rev 4:2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 9, 10,
Revelation 5, 5Xs – Lamb worthy to open 7 Seals around God’s Throne, Rev 5:1, 6, 7, 11, 13.
Revelation 6, 1X – 6th Seal Wrath of God, Rev 6:16.
Revelation 7, 5Xs – 6th Seal continued, Rev 7:9, 10, 11, 15, 17.
Revelation 8, 1X – 7 Trumpets opening vision, Rev 8:3.
Revelation 12, 1X – Man Child caught up to God’s Throne. Rev 12:5
Revelation 14, 2Xs – Lamb with 144,000 singing new song before God’s Throne, Rev 14:4, 5.
Revelation 16, 1X – 7th Bowl of Wrath announcement from God’s Throne, Rev 16:17.
Revelation 19, 2Xs – Heavens celebrate Babylon’s Judgment around God’s Throne, Rev 19:4, 5.
Revelation 20, 2Xs – Dead Judged before the Great White Throne, Rev 20:11, 12.
Revelation 21, 2Xs – 2 Announcements from God’s Throne – God Tabernacles with Humans & I am making all things new! Rev 21:3, 5.
Revelation 22, 2Xs – 1st time “Throne of God & of the Lamb” are mentioned twice. Rev 22:1, 3.
YHWH & His Son’s Throne occurs together at Rev 3:21, 22:3,
Satan’s “throne”2:13,
“24 Elders” “Thrones” Rev 4:4, 11:16,
“Priests” “Kings” “Thrones” Rev 20:4
Revelation 1:5
“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”
5 and from Jesus Christ the faithful witness,
“Christ,” Strong’s G5547 – christos occurs 7 times in Revelation at Rev 1:1, 2, 5, 15, 12:10, 20:4, 6.
What does the Word Christ or Greek Christos mean?
Christ means anointed or messiah.
The Greek word for “Jesus” / “Yeshua” is Strong’s G2424 – iēsous which occurs 14 times in Revelation at Rev 1:1, 2, 5, 9, 12:17, 14:12, 17:6, 19:10, 20:4, 22:16, 20, 21.
faithful occurs 8 time in Revelation – pistos Strongs G3982
Jesus “faithful “witness” “true” Rev 3:14, 19:11
“Antipas” “faithful witness” 2:13
“faithful” in Revelation, Rev 2:10, 17:14, 20:5, 22:6,
Jesus’ words using “faithful” Matt 24:45, 25:21-23, Luke 12:42, 16:10-11
What English word comes from the Greek word translated “witness,” “testified” & “testimony” in the Book of Revelation?
How strong of a witness or testimony is conveyed by the Greek words martyreō, martyria & martys?
Greek words for “witness,” “testified” & “testimony.”
The Greek word for “witness” or “testified,” martyreō, Strongs G3140, occurs at Rev 1:2.
“Martyreō” is used 3 times in Revelation’s introduction at Rev 1:2, 5, 9 and 3 additional times in the conclusion of Revelation at Rev 22:16, 22:18, 22:20.
The Greek word for “testimony” is martyria, Strongs G3141, occurs 9 times at Rev 1:2, 9, 6:9, 11:7, 12:11, 17, 19:10, 20:4, Matt 10:18.
The Greek word for “witness” is martys Strongs G3144, occurs 5 times at Rev 1:5, 2:13, 3:14, 11:3, 17:6.
“the firstborn of the dead,”
According to Rev 1:5, 1:18, 2:8, Col 1:15, 18, John 3:13 what does the phrase “firstborn of the dead” mean?
Jesus “firstborn among many brothers” Rom 8:29
Christ is also the “firstborn of all creation” at Rev 3:14, Col 1:15, 18, Heb 1:6
How is Christ described as “the firstborn from the dead” in Revelation & the Bible a part fulfillment of YHWH’s Feast of First Fruits?
Can you see the additionl future fullfillment of YHWH’s Feast of First Fruits in Rev 14:4, 20:4, 5, 6?
Feast of Firstfruits Future Fulfillment in Revelation Rev 14:4, 20:4, 5, 6.
“order” of “firstfruits” 1 Cor 15:20
“Heavenly Jerusalem” called “assembly of firstborn” Heb 11:22, 23
“144,000” “firstfruits” 2 Thes 2:13, James 1:18
Nation of Israel foreshadow of 144,000 “firstfruits” Rom 11:16, Jer 2:3
“firstfruits of the Spirit” Rom 8:23
“First Resurrection” Rev 20:4-6
“and the ruler of kings on earth.”
What “Kings” is Christ referring to at Revelation 1:5?
➥ Revelation 5:9-10
9 They sang a new song, saying, “You are worthy to take the book, And to open its seals: For you were killed, And bought us for God with your blood, Out of every tribe, language, people, and nation,
10 And made them kings and priests to our God, And they reign on earth.”
➥ Revelation 20:4-6
4 Then I saw THRONES, and seated on them were those to whom the AUTHORITY to JUDGE was committed. Also I saw the souls of those who had been BEHEADED for the testimony of Jesus and for the word of God, and those who had not worshiped the beast or its image and had not received its mark on their foreheads or their hands. They came to life and REIGNED with Christ for a thousand years. 5 The rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were ended. This is the first resurrection. 6 Blessed and holy is the one who shares in the first resurrection! Over such the second death has no power, but they will be PRIESTS of God and of Christ, and they will REIGN with him for a thousand years.
“KINGS”
Revelation 1:5, 5:10, 20:4-6, Revelation 3:21, 2:26-27, 2 Timothy 2:12, Daniel 7:13, 14, 18, 22, 27.
Foreshadow of the 144,000 Kings occurs at Genesis 17:6 and Exodus 19:5, 6.
The Greek word for “King” basileus Strongs G934 occurs 21 times in the Book of Revelation.
Rev 1:5, 6, 9:11, 11:15 15:3, 16:12 17:14, 19:16, 20:4, 6.
Satanic controlled “Kings” in Revelation, basileus Strongs G934 Rev 6:5, 10:11, 16:14, 17:10-12, 18, 18:3, 9, 19:18-19, 21:24
To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood
(Jesus’ “blood” “freed” Rev 1:5, “blood” “redeemed” Rev 5:9-10, “overcame by blood of Lamb” Rev 12:10-11, “Lamb slain” 5:6, 9, 12, 13:8, “Lamb” appears 30 times in Revelation.)
Revelation 1:6
“and He made us into a kingdom, priests to His God and Father—to Him be the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen.”
6 and made us a kingdom, priests to his God and Father,
(“Kingdom” basileia Strongs G932 Rev 1:6, 9, 5:10, 11:15, 12:10, Exo 19:6)
(Rev 5:9-10, 12:5, 20:4, 6, 21:4, 14 1 Pet 2:5, Exo 19:6)
(“priest” hiereus G2413 Rev 1:6, 5:10, 20:6)
to him be glory and dominion (5:13) forever and ever. Amen.
(“glory” to Jesus – Rev 1.6, 5.12, 5.13, 22:23)
(“glory” to YHWH – Rev 4.9, 11, 5:13, 7:12, 11:13, 14:7, 15:8, 16:9, 19:7, 21:11, 21:23)
(“glory” to Father & Son COMBINED! – Rev 15:13, 21:23)
(“glory and dominion forever and ever” – Rev 1:6, 5:13. 14, 7:12: 10:6, 11:15)
(“alive” or “live” “for ever and ever” – Rev 1:18, 4:10, 5:14, 10:6)
(“reign” “for ever and ever” – Rev 22:5)
What distinction is made between the Father & Son in Revelation 1:4-6?
7 Behold, he is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see him, even those who pierced him,
(Matt 25:31-46)
and all tribes of the earth will wail on account of him. Even so. Amen.
(Matt 24:29-30)
8 “I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God,
Rev 1:8, (1:11 KJV), 21:6, 22:13
“who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.”
(“who is & who was” Rev 1:4, 8, 11:17, 16:5, Opposite “who was but is not” Rev 17:11)
(“Almighty” pantokrator Strongs G3841 Rev 1:8, 4:8, 11:17, 15:3, 16:7, 16:14, 19:6, 15, 21:22)
9 I, John, your brother and partner in the tribulation
(Rev 2:9, 2;10, 2:22, 7:14)
and the kingdom and the patient endurance that are in Jesus,
(“Kingdom” basileia Strongs G932 Rev 1:6, 9, 5:10, 11:15, 12:10, Exo 19:6)
(“patient endurance” hypomone Strongs G5281 Rev 1:9, 2:2-3, 19, 3:10, 13:10, 14;12)
was on the island called Patmos on account of the word of God and the testimony of Jesus.
(“Word of God” Rev 1:2, 9, 6:9, 19:13, 20:4)
(“testimony” martyria Strongs G3141 Rev 1:9, 6:9, 11:7, 12:11, 17, 19:10, 20:4, Matt 10:18
“witness” or “testify”martyreō Strongs G3140 Rev 1:2, 22:16, 22:18, 22:20
“witness” martys Strongs G3144 Rev 1:5, 2:13, 3:14, 11:3, 17:6)
10 I was in the Spirit on the Lord’s day,
The Entire Bible Foreshadows or prophesies about the Lord’s Day or the Day of the Lord
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and I heard behind me a loud voice like a trumpet
(same voice at Rev 1:10, 12 4:1)
11 saying, “Write what you see in a book and send it to the seven churches,
(“Write” used in Revelation Strongs G1125 graphō, Rev 1:3, 11, 19, 2:1, 8, 12, 17-18, 3:1, 7, 12, 14, 5:1, 10:4, 13:8, 14:1, 13, 17:5, 8, 19:9, 19:12, 16, 20:12, 15, 21:5, 27, 22:18-19,
John Instructed to “Write” – Rev 1:11, 19, 2:1, 8, 12, 18, 3:1, 7, 3:14, 10:4, 14:13, 19:9, 21:5
Emphasis on “Written” words of Revelation Rev 1:3, 22:18-19,
“Written” “Scroll” in heaven Rev 5:1,
“Written,” “Book” & “Books” in heaven opened Rev 20:12,
“Write” “New Names” Rev 2:17, “Name of My God,” “Name of the City of My God” & “My own New Name” Rev 3:12, “His Father’s Name Written on their foreheads” Rev 14:1, Harlot’s name “forehead” Rev 7:5,
“He has a Name Written that no one know but Himself” Rev 19:12,
“On His robe & thigh He has a name written” Rev 19:16, “Written” “Lambs Book of Life” Rev 13:8, 17:8, 20:12, 15, 21:27)
to Ephesus and to Smyrna and to Pergamum and to Thyatira and to Sardis and to Philadelphia and to Laodicea.”
(Location of “7 Churches” in Revelation – Rev 1:4, 11, 20, 2:1, 7, 8, 11,12, 17, 18, 23, 29, 3:1, 6, 7, 13,14, 22, 22:16)
God created the heavens and the earth for His will to be accomplished and His purpose to be fulfilled. How did God create the universe? Christ as the Word was the Creator, and He spoke things into being.
We human beings can only make things out of something else, but God can call things not being as being. Christ is not only the Creator, but Christ is also the means through which the universe was created. As seen in John 1:3, everything that has come into being has come into being through Him.
On the one hand, Christ created all things by speaking the Word, and on the other hand, Christ is the means through which the universe came into being. Christ is the Creator of the universe; Christ is the means of the creation; Christ is the sphere in which all things were created.
This is very mysterious. It is truly mind-blowing. How can this be? With us it is impossible, but we believe what the Bible says concerning the creation! With God it is possible! All the creation was created in the power of Christ’s person, and it is characterized by His intrinsic power. Wow!
Christ is Both the Creator and the Means of His Creation
John 1:3 says, All things came into being through Him, and apart from Him not one thing came into being which has come into being. This “Him” here is Christ as the Word of God (John 1:1).
On the one hand, Christ as God is the Creator, and He created all things in the universe. On the other hand, Christ is God’s anointed and appointed One to carry out God’s commission, and He was the means through which creation was accomplished. This is strengthened by Col. 1:16 where we see that the process of creation was carried out in Christ, through Christ, and unto Christ.
Christ as the Word is the Creator and He is also the means by which the creation came into being (see Heb. 1:2; 11:3; Psa. 33:6, 9). Since creation was God’s work, and since Christ is God (Heb. 1:10; Psa. 102:25), Christ is the creator of all things and He is also the means through which all things came into being.
If you look at the creation today you see the resemblance of Christ because creation was created in the person of Christ! But we need to see beyond the grandness and awesomeness of the creation and realize that creation was created in Christ, and Christ is the Firstborn of all creation!
Nothing came into being except that which came into being through Him. This means that apart from Christ, nothing has existence. Apart from Christ there is nothing. In our Christian life today, apart from Christ and being one with Christ we are nothing.
All Things Came Into Being Through Christ as the Word
Genesis 1 is not a record of how God created the heavens and the earth. The Bible doesn’t tell us how did God create all things. But what we know is that all things came into being through Christ as the Word of God. We as human beings need to put in quite a lot of labor to make something or build something, but God simply spoke things into being.
Once there was nothing, and then God spoke, and things came into being. God didn’t “work hard” to bring the creation into being; He simply spoke! God called things not being as being, and He spoke things into being. Only God can do this. When He speaks, things come into being.
To our limited human mind and natural understanding it is impossible to apprehend how can someone make something out of nothing or call things from nothing…but God can create through His word. Christ as the Word of God is the sphere and the means through which all things were created.
J.N.Darby wrote a note on Col. 1:16 saying that the fact that all things are created in Him (not by Him merely, but IN HIM) means that they were created in the power of Christ’s person. Christ is the One whose intrinsic power characterizes the creation, because creation was not created by Him in an objective way, but IN HIM! All creation is characterized by Christ’s intrinsic power because the universe came into being through Christ as the Word!
This is what we believe as Christians. The Bible says it is so, and we believe this. Do you want to argue and rationalize and understand? When will you realize that our limited human mind cannot understand even things related to our human life, physical body, and our human situations, much less the way God created the universe!?!
Our human word is here today and gone tomorrow, but God’s word is true, just, everlasting, life-giving, light-imparting, and ever-remaining! It’s not about understanding how the universe came about, but knowing that all things were created in Christ, through Christ, and unto Christ!
Praise You, Lord, for being the Word of God! You created all things, and the universe was created in You. Wow, Lord, You are both the Creator of the universe and the means through which the universe was created! When we look at the vast creation, we can’t help it but say, How Amazing, Great, Wonderful, Divine, Excellent, and Wise You are! We believe into You! You give us being. Without You we are nothing. Apart from You we have no existence. Lord, we love You as the Word of God, the Creator of the universe and the means through which the universe was created!
References and Further Reading
- Inspiration: bro. Andrew Yu’s sharing in the message and portions in, The Conclusion of the New Testament (msgs. 14 and 25), as quoted in the Holy Word for Morning Revival on the Crystallization Study of Genesis (1), week / msg 2, Creation in Christ for the Fulfillment of God’s Purpose.
- Hymns on this topic:
# My Father God, when on Thy vast creation, / The wonders of the heav’n and earth, I gaze, / Things great and small, beyond enumeration, / Which manifest Thy pow’r in untold ways; / Then all my being sings in praise to Thee, / How marvellous! How great Thou art!
# God has made all things, / Made them perfectly— / What a wonderful Creator / In His work we see!
# O glorious Christ, the one Creator, / The source unique whence everything has sprung; / He over all is Head and Master; / Of all creation, He’s the firstborn One. / By His command all things upholding, / In Him together all subsists; / God fore-ordained that all creation / Be unto Him as His inheritance.