The Bible tells us that Jesus is the Son of God, the Messiah, and the Savior of humanity. He is described as both fully God and fully human, sent to Earth to fulfill God's plan of redemption for humanity.
In the Gospels, Jesus is the Messiah who is portrayed not only as the Savior of the world, but also as a teacher, healer, and miracle worker, who offers a message of love, forgiveness, and repentance. He is also depicted as the fulfillment of Old Testament prophecies, the promised deliverer who would establish God's kingdom.
Through His death on the cross and subsequent resurrection, Jesus provided a way for humans to be reconciled to God, offering eternal life to all who believe in Him. In the New Testament, He is referred to as the "Word" made flesh (John 1:14), and the one who reveals God’s nature and will to humanity.
There are many other descriptions of Jesus, some that you may not know. Today we will look at Revelation 1:4-6 to find even more descriptions of Jesus.
The Book of Revelation
At the end of his life, the Apostle John was exiled to the Island of Patmos. It was on this island that John was given the divine inspiration to write the book, The Revelation (of Jesus Christ).
Many people consider The Revelation to be a book about the end times, and it is, but as the title alludes, it is the Revelation of JESUS CHRIST. Revelation outlines the events that will take place prior to, during and following the return of Jesus. Additionally, in Revelation we see even more descriptions of Jesus.
In just two short verses found in Revelation chapter one, we will uncover some pretty awesome descriptions of Jesus.
Revelation 1:4-6
John wrote these words in Revelation 1:4-6:
"John, to the seven churches which 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, and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the Ruler over the kings of the earth.
To Him who loved us and washed us from our sins in His own blood, and has made us kings and priests to His God and Father, to Him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen."
When we break these verses down we see some amazing descriptions of Jesus.
Descriptions of Jesus
The Faithful Witness
The phrase "faithful witness" describes Jesus Christ as someone who is truthful, reliable, and obedient to God, as well as to His people.
Truthful
Jesus' words are true, In fact, He is Truth Himself. In John 14:6 Jesus says: “I am the way, the truth, and the life..."
Reliable
Everything Jesus says is trustworthy, that includes the entirety of God's Word because Jesus is the Word (John 1:1).
Obedient
Jesus lived his life in complete obedience to God's will, even when it led to his death.
Witness
The life of Jesus and His words testify to the truth of God and his plan to save humanity. It's interesting to note that the Greek word for "witness" is martyr. Jesus is the ultimate a martyr because He died to forgive the sins of all humanity.
The Firstborn from the Dead
This description of Jesus refers to more than just the fact that Jesus was resurrected from the dead. The term "firstborn" is used by rabbis as a Messianic term. Psalm 89:27 states that "I [God] will make Him My firstborn, the highest of the kings of the earth."
Another important point is that "firstborn" does not indicate that Jesus has a date of birth. That would indicate that He is a created being, which He is not. Jesus is God the Son and has always existed.
The Ruler Over the Kings of the Earth
By the end of time, Jesus will show the whole world that He is and has always been the King of kings. Jesus has always had the authority to appoint and remove rulers of the world. Although world leaders may believe that they have supreme power, it is the Lord who has raised them up. Daniel 2:21 tells us that "[God] changes the times and the seasons; He removes kings and raises up kings..."
The One Who Loved Us
When you read this part of verse five you may think to yourself, "Is this saying that Jesus doesn't love me anymore?" The word used here is "loved" - past tense. Of course Jesus still loves you!
Using the past tense refers to the time that Jesus showed His amazing love for us on the cross. Jesus gave up His own life to save ours - that's how much He loved us. In Romans 5:8 Paul tells us that "God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us."
Knowing this should comfort every believer who has put their faith and trust in Jesus Christ. We can all rest in this awesome love that Jesus has for each and every one of us.
The One Who Washed Us From Our Sins
When Jesus loved us on the cross, He washed us from the stain of sin. It is His blood that makes us clean. It is important for all of us to realize just how horribly sin affects our lives. Sin is what leads us to spiritual death and on our own we can never be clean before God.
Jesus came so that we may become righteous in the eyes of God - to be acceptable before Him. "For He made Him [Jesus] who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him." (2 Corinthians 5:21)
**NOTE: Jesus loved us while we were still dirty, then He washed us. Every one of us comes to Jesus stained by sin and in need of cleansing. His washing proves His love.
The One Who Made Us Kings & Priests
I don't know about you, but the fact that Jesus loved and washed us is enough for me. However, Jesus gives us even more - He makes us kings and priests to His Father.
He makes us kings
This tells us that we are all considered God's royalty. Through Jesus Christ, we are elevated to a position of authority and dignity which allows us to reign over sin. But it's not only that, it means that Jesus shares His inheritance with us. Romans 8:17 says that we are "heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together."
He makes us priests
Through Jesus Christ we are granted direct access to God - we do not need a mediator to approach God on our behalf. As priests we are enabled to intercede for others, offer praise and worship and share the Lord with unbelievers. First Peter 2:5 tells us that
"[we] are being built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ."
Final Thoughts
I urge you that if you have never trusted in the Lord Jesus Christ, please, at the very least, try to understand all that He has done for you. You have no idea the good that you are missing from your life. It is Jesus who sees us through every single day and gives us peace when the world around us is falling apart. It is Jesus who loves you most in this world.
For those who are Christians, give the Lord a shout of praise and thanksgiving that Jesus is everything we need. He really is all things to all people. He is the One who saves us and changes our lives.
If you have any questions or prayer requests, please click here and let me know how I can help!
Blessings,
Amy
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