Wow. The look on his face betrayed his unexpected delight.
I was watching a video of a soldier, who upon returning from Afghanistan, found that his wife had secretly shed 100 pounds during his tour. Obviously, to him she was stunning; maybe even intoxicating. He was seeing her again for the first time.
As we plunge into a study of Revelation, we get to watch John see Jesus again for the first time. It’s not that he did not know Jesus; they had hung out together for three years. He had seen Jesus heal the sick, raise the dead, and forgive sins. He had seen Jesus dead, then alive. He even watched as Jesus rose back to Heaven. He knew Jesus pretty well. Or so he thought.
Exiled on the island of Patmos because of his testimony for Christ in the pagan Roman Empire, John was about to get a radically new and shocking view of Jesus.
It started when John heard a somewhat familiar, but strangely unusual voice behind him. Turning, he saw his old friend. But this certainly wasn’t the Jesus he knew. His brilliant white hair glistened in the radiance of His emanating glory, His eyes blazed with fire, His feet glowed like heated brass, and from His mouth protruded a sharp two-edged sword.
John obviously knew something about the identity of Jesus—after all, it was his belief in Jesus that landed him in exile on the island of Patmos. However, when he saw Jesus in His glory, the familiarity deserted him. He could do nothing but collapse lifelessly in fearful prostration.
How do you see Jesus? If we see Him as John did, how could we live in disobedience to His commands? Sure, He is the “meek and mild” one who quietly endured the shame of His false accusers. But He also is God incarnate—the one before whom every person will one day bow.
Do you know Him for who He really is?
This post is part of Whatever Will Be, Will Be, And What You Can do About It, a series on Revelation.
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