Forever and ever

DEVOTION

THE REVELATION

FOREVER AND EVER

Rev 1:17-18

17 When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead. Then he placed his right hand on me and said: "Do not be afraid. I am the First and the Last. 18 I am the Living One; I was dead, and behold I am alive for ever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and Hades.

NIV

After seeing the description of Jesus we just viewed and realizing that we should fall on our faces in complete submission to him, we see that is exactly what John did. No man could possible stand tall in the presence of our glorious Savior and God. Yet through his power he reached down with his right hand and not only sustained John releaving all his fears, he revealed everything to him that is to come. Once again showing us that although he is full of awesome power which we are going to see, he has the compassion and love of a father. “Do not be afraid”. Being one of his, John was not to have any fear. This also applies to each believer in Christ. Although God has the almighty power to destroy us, because we are his, we have nothing to fear from him. Jesus tells John that he is the First and the Last. This is another version of the Alpha and Omega. He always was and will always be. We should be careful not to put our Lord into a mold created by men. It seems Christianity would like to fit Jesus into a certain representation of God. Although we have certain evidence of his character within the text of scripture, including what we have just read, it might be wise for us to understand that we may never truly know all of him until we lay prostrate at his feet and have him reach with his right hand to lift us up. He tells John that he is the Living One, that he is in fact the same Jesus John knew in the flesh, that he died and that behold he is alive forever. Two truths are in these words for us. First because Jesus will live forever and ever he will always be able to fulfill all his promises. We humans can make promises but we do not have eternity to fulfill them. There may be some of our promises that go unfulfilled because of our death, but the promises of Jesus will never be cut short by death, for he lives forever and ever. The second truth here is if we are in Christ, as we are, then we too can know this one thing for certain. That when we die, we too shall live forever and ever, that is one of his promises. The key to knowing this is in those very keys Jesus tells John he owns, the keys of death and Hades. Jesus has the ultimate authority over death. According to the words given to John when he wrote his gospel account:

John 10:16-18

 17 The reason my Father loves me is that I lay down my life — only to take it up again. 18 No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down and authority to take it up again. This command I received from my Father." 

NIV

Jesus has the authority to lay his own life down, but also through his own authority he took it back up. These keys show us his absolute authority over death and Hades, or as it is rendered also Hell. This simply tells us Hell is not a free flowing place, but a dark and gloomy dungeon locked with gates and chains, keeping its prisoners firmly confined. Jesus has the power over Hades, not Satan for he does not own the key. Once again we can be extremely thankful the Spirit was able to break through our humanity and reveal to us our need to repent and accept Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior. Had we never opened our heart and mind to the Spirit we would be doomed to this place under lock and key. Although we already know the ultimate fate of those poor souls locked in Hades, we will see it told plainly to us further in this Revelation. So we can praise God because we have escaped that fate. We can praise God because Jesus has these keys. We can praise God because he has saved us, he has redeemed us, he has given us eternal life and we shall someday see our blessed Savior and live with him forever and ever. Although Jesus sustains us, provides for us, and leads us through the course of our lives, we also must know that whatever life brings our way during our stay here is totally diminished by what is to come our way in eternity. Our physical life had a beginning and it will have an end, but because Jesus has those keys, someday, and we really do not know exactly which day that will be, we shall be raised from the grave and live with our Lord forever and ever.