phrase “him who is and who was and who is to come” (Revelation 1:4) is important. If the letter of Revelation is given about the times that will soon take place, this phrase assures the reader that all is held in the hands of God—all past, present, and future. This threefold identity of God is probably a nod to Exodus 3:14, where God tells Moses, “I am who I am.” What appears to be incorrect grammar in John’s Greek rendering (there is no noun for God, but the pronoun is used), is actually kept in the nominative case on purpose to highlight the Exodus 3:14 connection. The phrase may have also been a common, well-known title for God in Judaism.44 Likewise, Aune notes that John is the first Christian author to use this pronoun as the divine name for God. (See Jeremiah 1:6; 4:10; 14:13; and 39:17 in the Septuagint.) Like Moses, John is authenticating the authority of his prophesy by appealing to the divine I am of Exodus 3:14.45
Part of a clear trinitarian formula appears with the next connecting phrase, “the seven spirits who are before his throne.” I see the Holy Spirit as the most obvious choice for the seven spirits. Beale does as well, denying that the seven spirits could be seven angels or archangels of Jewish writings (see 1 Enoch 20:1–8).46 Mounce disagrees. Although admitting it’s difficult to determine the meaning of the sevenfold spirits, he writes, “It would seem that they are perhaps part of a heavenly entourage that has a special ministry in connection with the Lamb.”47 I think it is safer and more consistent with John’s use of the number seven and the connection of the sevenfold spirit with the throne to see this as a reference to the fullness of the Holy Spirit and his perfection rather than as seven different spirits.
John identifies Jesus, the third member of the Trinity mentioned, with several significant titles: “faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of kings on earth” (1:5) (see Philippians 2:5–11; Hebrews 12; Matthew 4:8–10—Jesus won the kingdoms of the earth through his death on the cross, not as a gift from the devil), “him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood and made us a kingdom, priests to his God and Father” (1:5–6).
These titles become important themes throughout the book of Revelation. Jesus, as the faithful witness, gave his life as the first-fruits of the sacrifice presented to God. This is a witness and sacrifice that will be asked of his followers as well. Jesus was faithful to God’s call on him and his mission to come to the world and willingly give up his life for the salvation of the world. He was a witness of God. He was God in human form, a testimony or witness to the character of God.
The second title, “the firstborn of the dead,” is connected to two ideas in Revelation. First, Christ has taken control of death and will destroy it (firstborn in the sense of Psalm 89:2748, as the exalted Messiah—see also Colossians 1:15 and Hebrews 1:6), and second, Christ’s work on our behalf as the firstborn through his resurrection, in other words, the firstborn from among the dead.49 Jesus is firstborn not chronologically, but firstborn in the sense of sovereignty.50 We can also confess that Jesus was the firstborn out of the tomb, the first to be risen to glory, the forerunner of those who will be raised at the last day. This is the hope of final salvation that we have and a common theme in Revelation.51
This sovereign King, because of his love for us, freed us from our sins by his blood, and made us to be a kingdom and priests (1:5–6). A textual variant in verse 6 should be read as lusanti, not lousanti. The variant was probably caused by an incorrect hearing. The first, the correct reading, means “loosed” or “freed.” The second means “washed.” The phrase “freed us from our sins” is only found here in the New Testament. The idea of being freed from sins is based on Isaiah 40:2 (“her iniquity is pardoned [. . .] she has received from the Lord’s hand double for all her sins”), as well as the redemptive language of Exodus 19:6, which reads, “and you shall be to me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.” This was God’s promise to Israel after freeing them from the slavery of Egypt via the blood of the slain lamb on their doorposts. Now kings and priests, the believers’ role is something that is done, accomplished, and/or administered in the present because of what Jesus has done in the past. (See Peter’s use of this idea in 1 Peter 2:5–11.)52 Ladd also makes the good point that the idea of people in the church as priests unifies the church and Old Testament Israel “in a bond of continuity. The church is the new and true Israel, inheriting the spiritual privileges of the Old Testament people of God.”53 Revelation explores this idea further, that we are in fact sealed by God, marked with his name. Because of that mark, God will keep us from spiritual destruction, for we belong to him and are his people. People like to read books that tell them how wonderful they are. But this is a book that tells us how wonderful the One who calls us is and makes us worth so much more because we belong to him.
Jesus is given the doxology in the second half of 1:6, where it reads: “to him be glory and dominion forever and ever.” This reminds the reader and the hearer that Jesus alone, not Caesar, is worthy of praise and devotion as the Lord of all, for redemption comes only through him and because of him.54 We must never lose the place of worship in the book of Revelation. Much of the vision that John receives, he receives in the presence of the One on the throne in the atmosphere of heaven itself. There are experiences of worship unlike he had ever seen or heard or felt. Revelation is a message of worship, giving us a picture of the glory of God, and of Christ, and a picture of his ultimate victory.
This is worship clearly ascribed to Jesus. There are plenty of passages in the Old Testament where worship was only given to God and only allowed to God and to no other. John attributing glory and worship to Jesus shows his understanding of Jesus as part of the Trinity on equal par with God the Father as one with the Father and the Spirit. This is a stark contrast to the cults that were calling Jesus a lesser deity or an angel.
No, John contends, Jesus is worthy of worship, and Revelation gives us many reasons why. We are so woefully inadequate in our worship because we don’t see Jesus for who he really is. Revelation allows us to get a more complete picture of the Lord in all his glory. The greater our vision of Jesus, the more real our worship will become.
And to this Jesus we look for a return “with the clouds” (1:7). Two passages give background to verse 7. In Daniel 7:13, one like a son of man is coming on the clouds of heaven. He is given authority and power on the throne. Verse 14 says, “And to him was given dominion and glory and a kingdom, that all peoples, nations, and languages should serve him; his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom one that shall not be destroyed.” Another background passage is Zechariah 12:10: “[. . .] when they look on me, on him whom they have pierced, they shall mourn for him, as one mourns for an only child, and weep bitterly over him, as one weeps over a firstborn.” The One who is coming back is the One who was crucified. The peoples of the earth will mourn over his return because they crucified him.
The ones who crucified Jesus will realize that he is alive and real and coming as the judge. They will realize it is too late, that they mocked him when they should have worshipped him, denying him the glory that was only his to have. They persecuted his messengers instead of repenting. They will feel anguished sorrow at their unbelief.
But no anguish for those who know the truth and have chosen to follow Jesus. We have hope. Revelation gives us hope. We know Jesus will come. We also know that there are several things that must happen first, “soon.” We know the most
