Friday, August 16, 2013
Update
I will not be able to post the Weekend Sermon today. I will try to get it posted Saturday or Sunday.
Wednesday, August 14, 2013
Book Review
Today's book is called "A Dog Walked Into a Nursing Home" written by Sue Halpern. I found this to be a very interesting book on several levels. First of all, it was interesting to learn about the training that is involved in getting a dog ready to work as a therapy dog in a nursing home. The author trained her dog Pransky to visit nursing home residents in a small town in Vermont. Pransky was perfectly suited to the task of providing love and comfort to the nursing home residents. The residents could pet her and feed her treats while remembering the dogs of their younger days. I thought that the best parts of the book were the stories about those who lived in the nursing home. Each person discussed had an interesting life story. When my Mom had a stroke and was severely disabled, my Dad and I took care of her at the house for over five years. However, she did have to go to a nursing home for the last six weeks of her life as her condition deteriorated to the point that Dad and I couldn't take care of her at the house any longer. I wish that a caring person with a therapy animal would have been available to visit my Mom and the residents at the nursing home she was in. I highly recommend this book.
Friday, August 9, 2013
Weekend Sermon--Revelation
It is good to be back for another edition of the Weekend Sermon. I hope that everyone had a good week that was truly blessed.
Please keep praying that the Lord will help me in my ministry goal. So far, things haven't been progressing the way I hoped. Continue to pray that the Lord will allow me to sell what I need to sell, and that I will get the finances that I need to pay what I need to pay.
I would also ask as well that you pray for the folks who live in Southern Kansas and Southern Missouri. They have been having terrible flooding that has taken several lives. Pray that the rain will hold off for awhile in these areas.
In last week's message, we focused our attention on the first message that Jesus gave to the seven churches of Asia. Jesus commended the church at Ephesus for laboring for Him and judging true from false teaching.
However, the church at Ephesus had lost their first love. This can happen if a believer does not practice building his relationship with the Lord. We grow in our love for the Lord by continuing in prayer and meditation. We stay firm in our love when we obey the teachings and commandments of Jesus.
Jesus urged the people to repent and overcome. Those who overcome would enjoy a great relationship with the Lord in Heaven.
We now turn to Jesus' message to the church at Smyrna recorded in Revelation 2:8-11. Smyrna was a large city located 35 miles north of the the city of Ephesus. This city was know as one of the prime locations of emperor worship in the Roman world. They also had a large Jewish population.
Jesus says that He was the one who died and came back to life. Jesus rose from the dead, and He is alive forevermore.
Jesus goes on to say in verse 9 that He knew the church's, "works, tribulations, and poverty". The people in the church at Smyrna, along with those in Philadelphia, were the only two churches not to receive a rebuke from the Lord.
Jesus was pleased that the people were working diligently for Him. They were spreading the message of the gospel in a place filled with spiritual darkness.
Because of their testimony and their work for the Kingdom of Heaven, the people were suffering a great persecution. Jesus says that this is just the beginning of the persecution that the church in Smyrna would face. Jesus said that some of them would be thrown into prison and tested for their faith in Him.
This wasn't all that the people in Smyrna were facing. They were in great poverty. This may have been a result of the persecution they were facing. Besides this, the people were suffering persecution for some who were claiming to be Jews but were not.
In spite of all of that this church was facing, it remained faithful to Jesus, and they received a word of commendation and encouragement from the Lord.
Jesus told the church that even though they were poor in material things, they were really rich. This has much application to believers today. Some teachers today teach that if a believer is living right and has enough faith they he will have financial prosperity. We see from this passage that this is not the case. The people in the church at Smyrna were faithful followers of Jesus even in the midst of persecution. And they were poor. There are many faithful followers of Jesus who are poor in worldly goods and just barely have enough to get by. However, although many may be poor in things of the world, they are rich in the love of the Lord and the things that count for eternity. They have the true spiritual riches that come for knowing Jesus Christ.
Many also face tremendous persecution for their faith in the Lord Jesus. In some countries, those who come to the Christian faith can suffer the loss of family, livelihood and even their life. There are many martyrs for the sake of Jesus Christ today.
Jesus said that those who were faithful to Him in the midst of persecution will receive the crown of life. James also talks about the crown of life in his epistle as well. This is a special reward for those who give their lives for the cause of Christ. It is a great honor to receive this crown so that it may be placed at the feet of the King of Kings.
Those who are faithful and overcome this world and its temptations will not face the second death which is separation from God for all eternity. Those who put their trust in the finished work of Jesus on the cross and believe in His resurrection have passed from death into life.
Those who trust in Jesus will spend eternity with Him. I pray that if there is anyone who is reading this message who has not trusted in Jesus as Savior and Lord that you will do so today.
On Wednesday, I will post another animal book review. Next week, we will look at Jesus' words to the church at Pergamos.
Please keep praying that the Lord will help me in my ministry goal. So far, things haven't been progressing the way I hoped. Continue to pray that the Lord will allow me to sell what I need to sell, and that I will get the finances that I need to pay what I need to pay.
I would also ask as well that you pray for the folks who live in Southern Kansas and Southern Missouri. They have been having terrible flooding that has taken several lives. Pray that the rain will hold off for awhile in these areas.
In last week's message, we focused our attention on the first message that Jesus gave to the seven churches of Asia. Jesus commended the church at Ephesus for laboring for Him and judging true from false teaching.
However, the church at Ephesus had lost their first love. This can happen if a believer does not practice building his relationship with the Lord. We grow in our love for the Lord by continuing in prayer and meditation. We stay firm in our love when we obey the teachings and commandments of Jesus.
Jesus urged the people to repent and overcome. Those who overcome would enjoy a great relationship with the Lord in Heaven.
We now turn to Jesus' message to the church at Smyrna recorded in Revelation 2:8-11. Smyrna was a large city located 35 miles north of the the city of Ephesus. This city was know as one of the prime locations of emperor worship in the Roman world. They also had a large Jewish population.
Jesus says that He was the one who died and came back to life. Jesus rose from the dead, and He is alive forevermore.
Jesus goes on to say in verse 9 that He knew the church's, "works, tribulations, and poverty". The people in the church at Smyrna, along with those in Philadelphia, were the only two churches not to receive a rebuke from the Lord.
Jesus was pleased that the people were working diligently for Him. They were spreading the message of the gospel in a place filled with spiritual darkness.
Because of their testimony and their work for the Kingdom of Heaven, the people were suffering a great persecution. Jesus says that this is just the beginning of the persecution that the church in Smyrna would face. Jesus said that some of them would be thrown into prison and tested for their faith in Him.
This wasn't all that the people in Smyrna were facing. They were in great poverty. This may have been a result of the persecution they were facing. Besides this, the people were suffering persecution for some who were claiming to be Jews but were not.
In spite of all of that this church was facing, it remained faithful to Jesus, and they received a word of commendation and encouragement from the Lord.
Jesus told the church that even though they were poor in material things, they were really rich. This has much application to believers today. Some teachers today teach that if a believer is living right and has enough faith they he will have financial prosperity. We see from this passage that this is not the case. The people in the church at Smyrna were faithful followers of Jesus even in the midst of persecution. And they were poor. There are many faithful followers of Jesus who are poor in worldly goods and just barely have enough to get by. However, although many may be poor in things of the world, they are rich in the love of the Lord and the things that count for eternity. They have the true spiritual riches that come for knowing Jesus Christ.
Many also face tremendous persecution for their faith in the Lord Jesus. In some countries, those who come to the Christian faith can suffer the loss of family, livelihood and even their life. There are many martyrs for the sake of Jesus Christ today.
Jesus said that those who were faithful to Him in the midst of persecution will receive the crown of life. James also talks about the crown of life in his epistle as well. This is a special reward for those who give their lives for the cause of Christ. It is a great honor to receive this crown so that it may be placed at the feet of the King of Kings.
Those who are faithful and overcome this world and its temptations will not face the second death which is separation from God for all eternity. Those who put their trust in the finished work of Jesus on the cross and believe in His resurrection have passed from death into life.
Those who trust in Jesus will spend eternity with Him. I pray that if there is anyone who is reading this message who has not trusted in Jesus as Savior and Lord that you will do so today.
On Wednesday, I will post another animal book review. Next week, we will look at Jesus' words to the church at Pergamos.
Wednesday, August 7, 2013
Book Review--"Best Friends Forever Me and My Cat"
I finally read a book this week that I've wanted to read for a long time, and I'm glad that I did. "Best Friends Forever Me and My Cat" by Patricia Mitchell is a book of stories about the author's own cats mixed in with some other cat stories. All of the stories contain a spiritual message to help encourage people in their walk with God. Each of the short chapters has a Scripture quotation and a quotation about cats from a famous cat lover. The best stories in this book are the ones about the author's cat named Eli. This book can be read straight through, or it could be used as a daily devotional resource.
Friday, August 2, 2013
Weekend Sermon--Revelation Part 4
It is time again this week for another Weekend Sermon. As always, I'm very glad to be able to post this message, and I hope that those who read it will gain encouragement in the Lord from it.
I asked folks to pray last week that the Lord would allow me to get the things sold that I need to get sold in order to get to the next stage in what I believe the Lord is calling me to do. Please continue to pray on my behalf. These last few months have been a real struggle, and I need the Lord's help now more than ever.
In our message last week, we finished Revelation chapter 1. We looked at the description of the vision of the Son of Man that was revealed to John. Jesus is the holy, pure and righteous judge who is filled with power and great glory.
Jesus told John that the keys of death and Hades were in His hand. Jesus died for our sins paying our sin debt and bearing our sins in His body on the cross as the spotless Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world. Through His resurrection, Jesus defeated the result of sin which is death. Those who are in Christ have eternal life because Jesus is the Resurrection and the Life.
We now move into chapter 2 where Jesus gave John a message for each of the seven churches of Asia. Jesus begins in chapter 2 with a message to the church at Ephesus.
The city of Ephesus was one of the richest and most important cities in the Roman Empire. It was an important place of commerce, and it was the center of the worship of the false goddess, Diana.
The Apostle Paul was instrumental in establishing the church at Ephesus, and he would pen one of his epistles to the Ephesians. Church history tells us that the Apostle John also worked in the church at Ephesus for many years including the years after his exile on Patmos ended.
Jesus said in chapter 2 verse 2 that He knew their works, their labor and their patience. Jesus said that He knew that this church could not bear evil , and that they had tested some who were claiming to be apostles falsely and found them to be liars.
When we serve the Lord and do His will, the Lord knows about it. The Bible says that the Lord is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.
Jesus said the He knew that they had labored for Him, and they had not grown weary. It is our duty as believers to work diligently to spread the message of the gospel. We have the most important job in the world. It is to bring souls into the Kingdom. Nothing on earth should receive more of our hard work and effort than working to spread the love of Jesus and His message of salvation.
In verse four, Jesus states that He does have something against the church at Ephesus. He says, "Nevertheless I have this against you, that you have left your first love."
What does it mean that they had left their first love? I believe that there are at least two possibilities here. First of all, Jesus told us that the great commandment was to love the Lord with all of our heart, soul, mind and strength. This church may have been doing what they were supposed to do, but they weren't doing it out of love. They had grown distant from the Lord. This can happen more readily than many think. Believers are out doing the work, but they aren't abiding in Christ through prayer, study and meditation.
Also, I believe that another meaning here is that their fervency for the things of the Lord was diminishing. I've seen many people who when they first come to salvation they on fire for the Lord. They are trying to witness to everyone. They are in church every time that the doors are open. Over time, they stop witnessing, and their enthusiasm for the things of God wanes.
We need to keep our relationship with the Lord fresh and vibrant. As Jesus said, we need to present ourselves as new wine skins willing to be filled with the new wine of the Spirit each day.
Jesus urges people in the church at Ephesus to repent which means to turn around and change one's mind. Jesus wanted them, and He wants us, to rededicated our lives to Him. He wants us to spend time with Him and grow in our love for Him which means that we are willing to obey all that He has commanded us to do.
In verse 6, Jesus commends the church at Ephesus once again, because they hate the deeds of the Nicolaitans. No one is for absolute sure who these people were or what they believed. I've heard that they were a group founded by Nicholas who was one of the the deacons appointed in the book of Acts. This is not for certain. Some say that their doctrine resembled the beliefs of the Gnostics. Others, and I find that this makes the most sense to me, believe that they were an antinomian group. That is, they believed that Christians were not obligated to follow the law. They believed that when they sinned, God's grace abounded to them, so they sinned all the more.
I'm not saying that they are Nicolaitans by any means, but we have some whose teaching gets dangerously close to this today. People will say "We aren't under the law, we are under grace." They say that believers don't have to follow any Old Testament laws. This is simply not true. Jesus did not abolish the law; He fulfilled the law. Because of His fulfillment of the law, the ceremonial law of the sacrificial system is no longer in place. However, the moral law is still in place.
Finally, Jesus says that the one who overcomes will be allowed to eat from the tree of life in the midst of Paradise.
In Revelation 23, John sees the tree of life by the river of life in the Heavenly City of the New Jerusalem. Those who are obedient in following the Lord and overcome sin will be allowed to eat from this tree which symbolizes deep fellowship with the Lord.
Next week, we will continue in our series in Revelation. On Wednesday, I will publish a book review. May God bless you, may you grow in your love for Jesus. Amen.
I asked folks to pray last week that the Lord would allow me to get the things sold that I need to get sold in order to get to the next stage in what I believe the Lord is calling me to do. Please continue to pray on my behalf. These last few months have been a real struggle, and I need the Lord's help now more than ever.
In our message last week, we finished Revelation chapter 1. We looked at the description of the vision of the Son of Man that was revealed to John. Jesus is the holy, pure and righteous judge who is filled with power and great glory.
Jesus told John that the keys of death and Hades were in His hand. Jesus died for our sins paying our sin debt and bearing our sins in His body on the cross as the spotless Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world. Through His resurrection, Jesus defeated the result of sin which is death. Those who are in Christ have eternal life because Jesus is the Resurrection and the Life.
We now move into chapter 2 where Jesus gave John a message for each of the seven churches of Asia. Jesus begins in chapter 2 with a message to the church at Ephesus.
The city of Ephesus was one of the richest and most important cities in the Roman Empire. It was an important place of commerce, and it was the center of the worship of the false goddess, Diana.
The Apostle Paul was instrumental in establishing the church at Ephesus, and he would pen one of his epistles to the Ephesians. Church history tells us that the Apostle John also worked in the church at Ephesus for many years including the years after his exile on Patmos ended.
Jesus said in chapter 2 verse 2 that He knew their works, their labor and their patience. Jesus said that He knew that this church could not bear evil , and that they had tested some who were claiming to be apostles falsely and found them to be liars.
When we serve the Lord and do His will, the Lord knows about it. The Bible says that the Lord is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.
Jesus said the He knew that they had labored for Him, and they had not grown weary. It is our duty as believers to work diligently to spread the message of the gospel. We have the most important job in the world. It is to bring souls into the Kingdom. Nothing on earth should receive more of our hard work and effort than working to spread the love of Jesus and His message of salvation.
In verse four, Jesus states that He does have something against the church at Ephesus. He says, "Nevertheless I have this against you, that you have left your first love."
What does it mean that they had left their first love? I believe that there are at least two possibilities here. First of all, Jesus told us that the great commandment was to love the Lord with all of our heart, soul, mind and strength. This church may have been doing what they were supposed to do, but they weren't doing it out of love. They had grown distant from the Lord. This can happen more readily than many think. Believers are out doing the work, but they aren't abiding in Christ through prayer, study and meditation.
Also, I believe that another meaning here is that their fervency for the things of the Lord was diminishing. I've seen many people who when they first come to salvation they on fire for the Lord. They are trying to witness to everyone. They are in church every time that the doors are open. Over time, they stop witnessing, and their enthusiasm for the things of God wanes.
We need to keep our relationship with the Lord fresh and vibrant. As Jesus said, we need to present ourselves as new wine skins willing to be filled with the new wine of the Spirit each day.
Jesus urges people in the church at Ephesus to repent which means to turn around and change one's mind. Jesus wanted them, and He wants us, to rededicated our lives to Him. He wants us to spend time with Him and grow in our love for Him which means that we are willing to obey all that He has commanded us to do.
In verse 6, Jesus commends the church at Ephesus once again, because they hate the deeds of the Nicolaitans. No one is for absolute sure who these people were or what they believed. I've heard that they were a group founded by Nicholas who was one of the the deacons appointed in the book of Acts. This is not for certain. Some say that their doctrine resembled the beliefs of the Gnostics. Others, and I find that this makes the most sense to me, believe that they were an antinomian group. That is, they believed that Christians were not obligated to follow the law. They believed that when they sinned, God's grace abounded to them, so they sinned all the more.
I'm not saying that they are Nicolaitans by any means, but we have some whose teaching gets dangerously close to this today. People will say "We aren't under the law, we are under grace." They say that believers don't have to follow any Old Testament laws. This is simply not true. Jesus did not abolish the law; He fulfilled the law. Because of His fulfillment of the law, the ceremonial law of the sacrificial system is no longer in place. However, the moral law is still in place.
Finally, Jesus says that the one who overcomes will be allowed to eat from the tree of life in the midst of Paradise.
In Revelation 23, John sees the tree of life by the river of life in the Heavenly City of the New Jerusalem. Those who are obedient in following the Lord and overcome sin will be allowed to eat from this tree which symbolizes deep fellowship with the Lord.
Next week, we will continue in our series in Revelation. On Wednesday, I will publish a book review. May God bless you, may you grow in your love for Jesus. Amen.
Wednesday, July 31, 2013
Book Review--Trident K9 Warriors
When I first saw a feature on "60 Minutes" about this book and its author, I was very excited. As many who read this blog know, I like to read about the subject of dogs in the military. When I finished the book "Trident K9 Warriors" written by Michael Ritland and Gary Brozek, I have to say that I was disappointed. This isn't a bad book. It just isn't as good as I though it would be. A lot of the book focuses on dog training, and I felt like the book wasn't arranged well. It was definitely not one of my favorite books on this subject. There are several other books about military dogs that I would recommend over this book. Several of these I have already reviewed on this blog. Later this month, there is a book about military dogs written by Rebecca Frankel coming out. She writes an interesting blog called "War Dog of the Week". I am hoping that her book will be much better.
Friday, July 26, 2013
Weekend Sermon--Revelation--Part 3
Hello and welcome to another edition of the Weekend Sermon. It is good to be with you again this week. I want to start this week by thanking the Lord for once again providing the resources I need to make through another month.
I would ask that you would please pray about a couple of different things this week. First of all, I feel that the Lord is leading me to get more involved in the ministry again. More than just putting sermons on this blog and writing. In order to finance what I believe the Lord is leading me to, I am going to sell my house and much of what I currently own. I've already sold quite a bit , but during the month of August, I need to sell more, and hopefully, I can get my house sold by the end of September. Please pray that I can sell what I need to sell to do what God is calling me to do.
I would also ask you to please pray for a writing friend of mine who found out that his dog has cancer. Please pray for healing.
Finally, please continue to pray for peace in Syria. It is really sad what is happening in that part of the world.
In last week's sermon, we saw that Jesus was a faithful witness of the Father. Jesus lived a holy life. He died for our sins and has washed us and redeemed us with His precious blood. Jesus rose from the dead. One day, He will come again, and He will rule as King of Kings and Lord of Lords.
We also saw that Jesus is the Alpha and the Omega. He has always existed as the Second Person of the Trinity, and He will always exist. Jesus is the Lord God Almighty.
Now, we look at John's vision of the Son of Man beginning in Revelation 1:12 and continuing until the end of the chapter. John says that he heard a loud voice that was like the blast of a trumpet. When John turned around to see where the sound was coming from, he saw seven golden lampstands. I believe that these lampstands signify the seven churches that the book of Revelation are addressed to. In the middle of these seven lampstands, John saw "One like the Son of Man."
The term Son of Man is interesting. One of the main usages of this term in the Old Testament was in Daniel's vision recorded in Daniel 7. Jesus also frequently referred to Himself as the Son of Man. John is saying here that the figure he saw resembles the Son of Man as described in Daniel 7. This is another example of Jesus as the fulfillment of an Old Testament prophecy. It demonstrates the reliability of the Bible.
John says that the Son of Man was clothed with a long garment, and there was a golden band around His chest. This dress signifies the high priestly role of Jesus Christ.
The Bible says that Jesus is the Great High Priest of a new covenant. He is the one who makes intercession with the Father on behalf of those who believe in Him.
John then goes on to describe the Son of Man as having hair that was white like wool and snow. This signifies the purity, holiness and sinlessness of Jesus. He is the spotless Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.
His eyes were like a flame of fire. Often in the Bible, fire signifies judgment. When the Lord returns, He will bring judgment on all who do evil.
His feet were like brass signifies the almighty power of the Lord. He speaks with a powerful and thunderous voice.
From the mouth of the Son of Man comes a sharp sword. This can have two meanings. It can signify the judgment of Christ, and it can signify the fact the Jesus will triumph over all of His enemies. Jesus has won the victory over the forces of evil that array themselves against the majesty of God.
Finally, the Son of Man is shining like the Sun. This recalls what happened to Jesus on the Mount of Transfiguration. Jesus was displayed in all of His glory. Jesus is so glorious that He shines more brightly than the Sun shining with all of its power.
When John saw this awesome vision of the Son of Man in all of His power and glory, John fell at Jesus' feet. This is the same type of reaction that the prophets Isaiah and Ezekiel demonstrated when they encountered the awesome presence of the Almighty God in His glory and power.
Jesus reached down His hand, touched John and told Him not to be afraid. Jesus told His disciples this many times while He walked with them on the Earth. One of the notable occasions was when Jesus was walking on the water. The disciples saw Him, and at first they thought it was a ghost. They were terrified. Jesus told them, "It is I, do not be afraid."
We don't have to be afraid of Jesus. He loves us. He is the Mighty God of the universe, and He cares for us as lowly as we are. John would say in one of his epistles, "perfect love casts out fear." Whenever we are afraid, we should ask Jesus to speak His peace into our troubled heart.
Jesus goes on to tell John that He was dead, but now He is alive forevermore. Jesus holds the keys of Hades and Death. By the power of His death and resurrection, Jesus has broken the power of sin, death, hell and the grave. They can have no power over the one whose life is in the hands of Jesus. Sin brought both spiritual and physical death. When Jesus bore our sins in His body on the cross, He paid the penalty that are sins deserved. He took our place. When Jesus rose from the dead, He defeated the effects of sin. Those who put their trust in Jesus need not fear death, because Jesus is the resurrection and the life. We will live with Him for all of eternity. Hell is reserved for the devil, his followers and his angels. Those who trust in Jesus will have Heaven as their home.
In the last section of the chapter, Jesus tells John to write the things that He is going to show Him and send it to the seven churches of Asia.
Next week, Lord willing, we will begin with chapter 2 and Jesus' message to the church at Ephesus. I will post another book review on Wednesday. May God bless you. Amen.
I would ask that you would please pray about a couple of different things this week. First of all, I feel that the Lord is leading me to get more involved in the ministry again. More than just putting sermons on this blog and writing. In order to finance what I believe the Lord is leading me to, I am going to sell my house and much of what I currently own. I've already sold quite a bit , but during the month of August, I need to sell more, and hopefully, I can get my house sold by the end of September. Please pray that I can sell what I need to sell to do what God is calling me to do.
I would also ask you to please pray for a writing friend of mine who found out that his dog has cancer. Please pray for healing.
Finally, please continue to pray for peace in Syria. It is really sad what is happening in that part of the world.
In last week's sermon, we saw that Jesus was a faithful witness of the Father. Jesus lived a holy life. He died for our sins and has washed us and redeemed us with His precious blood. Jesus rose from the dead. One day, He will come again, and He will rule as King of Kings and Lord of Lords.
We also saw that Jesus is the Alpha and the Omega. He has always existed as the Second Person of the Trinity, and He will always exist. Jesus is the Lord God Almighty.
Now, we look at John's vision of the Son of Man beginning in Revelation 1:12 and continuing until the end of the chapter. John says that he heard a loud voice that was like the blast of a trumpet. When John turned around to see where the sound was coming from, he saw seven golden lampstands. I believe that these lampstands signify the seven churches that the book of Revelation are addressed to. In the middle of these seven lampstands, John saw "One like the Son of Man."
The term Son of Man is interesting. One of the main usages of this term in the Old Testament was in Daniel's vision recorded in Daniel 7. Jesus also frequently referred to Himself as the Son of Man. John is saying here that the figure he saw resembles the Son of Man as described in Daniel 7. This is another example of Jesus as the fulfillment of an Old Testament prophecy. It demonstrates the reliability of the Bible.
John says that the Son of Man was clothed with a long garment, and there was a golden band around His chest. This dress signifies the high priestly role of Jesus Christ.
The Bible says that Jesus is the Great High Priest of a new covenant. He is the one who makes intercession with the Father on behalf of those who believe in Him.
John then goes on to describe the Son of Man as having hair that was white like wool and snow. This signifies the purity, holiness and sinlessness of Jesus. He is the spotless Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.
His eyes were like a flame of fire. Often in the Bible, fire signifies judgment. When the Lord returns, He will bring judgment on all who do evil.
His feet were like brass signifies the almighty power of the Lord. He speaks with a powerful and thunderous voice.
From the mouth of the Son of Man comes a sharp sword. This can have two meanings. It can signify the judgment of Christ, and it can signify the fact the Jesus will triumph over all of His enemies. Jesus has won the victory over the forces of evil that array themselves against the majesty of God.
Finally, the Son of Man is shining like the Sun. This recalls what happened to Jesus on the Mount of Transfiguration. Jesus was displayed in all of His glory. Jesus is so glorious that He shines more brightly than the Sun shining with all of its power.
When John saw this awesome vision of the Son of Man in all of His power and glory, John fell at Jesus' feet. This is the same type of reaction that the prophets Isaiah and Ezekiel demonstrated when they encountered the awesome presence of the Almighty God in His glory and power.
Jesus reached down His hand, touched John and told Him not to be afraid. Jesus told His disciples this many times while He walked with them on the Earth. One of the notable occasions was when Jesus was walking on the water. The disciples saw Him, and at first they thought it was a ghost. They were terrified. Jesus told them, "It is I, do not be afraid."
We don't have to be afraid of Jesus. He loves us. He is the Mighty God of the universe, and He cares for us as lowly as we are. John would say in one of his epistles, "perfect love casts out fear." Whenever we are afraid, we should ask Jesus to speak His peace into our troubled heart.
Jesus goes on to tell John that He was dead, but now He is alive forevermore. Jesus holds the keys of Hades and Death. By the power of His death and resurrection, Jesus has broken the power of sin, death, hell and the grave. They can have no power over the one whose life is in the hands of Jesus. Sin brought both spiritual and physical death. When Jesus bore our sins in His body on the cross, He paid the penalty that are sins deserved. He took our place. When Jesus rose from the dead, He defeated the effects of sin. Those who put their trust in Jesus need not fear death, because Jesus is the resurrection and the life. We will live with Him for all of eternity. Hell is reserved for the devil, his followers and his angels. Those who trust in Jesus will have Heaven as their home.
In the last section of the chapter, Jesus tells John to write the things that He is going to show Him and send it to the seven churches of Asia.
Next week, Lord willing, we will begin with chapter 2 and Jesus' message to the church at Ephesus. I will post another book review on Wednesday. May God bless you. Amen.
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