29/12/2023 - THE FIRST AND THE LAST

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And when I saw Him, I fell at His feet as dead. But He laid His right hand on me, saying to me, “Do not be afraid; I am the First and the Last.” Revelation 1.17

The Lord Jesus’ visit to His beloved disciple on the island of Patmos, where he was in exile, brings surprising revelations and others which, as of now, have no clear interpretation. The Most High also has countless revelations to give to humanity and He will grant them to whoever asks Him and wishes to live victoriously. Why would God exclude you? Believe and live!

After arriving on the island of Patmos, the apostle was visited by an Angel of the Lord (Revelation 1.1). He began to say beautiful things to John. However, at a certain point, this disciple heard something and, coming to his senses, fell at the feet of the Owner of that voice (Revelation 1.9-17). No one will be able to stand before the glory of the Most High, because it transcends everything that has ever been shown. The things that come from the Lord are good for us, and that’s why we worship Him.

Imagine the joy and awe that took over John, an old man. Not only did he see his Lord visiting him, but he also realized that the Friend of so many years was still the same. Jesus had come to tell him about the things that would soon happen. They were beautiful revelations about the future of humanity and also about the Kingdom of God. Many of them are still intact today. What a blessing to be of Christ!

John was so surprised that Jesus had to place His right hand on John. Any one of us would like to receive a visit from the Savior. However, we know that this will not be for everyone, but only for those whom the Father has determined. Whether we will be visited by the Lord in life or not is irrelevant now. What we really want is the certainty that, one day, we will live alongside Him forever in the Father’s House (John 14:2,3). It’s good to be saved by Him!

We have the Word of God, the Bible. No other method will be used to instruct us other than the Scriptures. By the examples of the Old Testament brethren, we have the conviction that we are members of the Body of Christ and heirs to the promises that were revealed to them in order for us to possess them. They paid a high price to produce them. So we have to pay a high price to make the people understand that they too can be saved.

At the beginning of His visit, Jesus declared that John was loved by God and should not fear the trials to come. The Lord uses this same language to convey divine revelation to us today. He loves us because we have His commandments and keep them (John 14:21). When a person lets fear enter their heart, they unknowingly disconnect themselves from the Father. As a result, they no longer understand anything about God’s plan. Be a blessing!

In an objective way, Christ said to John: I am the First and the Last. Therefore, it is impossible to appear some “enlightened one” who is able to change someone’s life with a simple word. The Son of God was sent to pay the price for our salvation, taking us from the clutches of the evil one and redeeming us. Today, we don’t have to suffer anything to be saved, because the required price has already been paid.

In Christ, with love,

R. R. Soares