The End is the Beginning is the End... Revelation 1:4-8
The Dissidents Guide to Revelation, part 2.
(Re 1:4–6)
John, To the seven churches in the province of Asia:
Grace and peace to you from him who is, and who was, and who is to come, and from the seven spirits before his throne, 5 and from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth.
To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood, 6 and has made us to be a kingdom and priests to serve his God and Father—to him be glory and power for ever and ever! Amen.
First Thought:
This passage is like an appetizer, a sampler. Everything John's audience needs for the journey is found in Jesus. John lays it all out for them right here. The solution to their problems has always been with them, but they have either failed to see it or didn't have the fortitude to grasp it. So before John lays out the problem for us, he lays out the solution. It is Jesus.
To the Seven Churches
John writes this letter to the seven churches of Asia Minor, as it was called in his day. They are relatively close to each other. Three are near the coast, three a bit more inland, and then there's Laodicea, twice as far away as the other six. Each city is unique, each with its own cultures and rituals, but likely all connected by the work of John.
But there is a bigger audience still. Seven is the number connected with completion and wholeness. By writing to seven churches, John is writing to all churches. The message that he brings to them is not specific to geography nor limited by time. It is an eternal message because the things that threatened the church in John Day are the same that threaten our churches in our own day. We must pay attention to the correction they receive to avoid falling into the same trap.
From Jesus Christ
The list of ingredients that make up John's description of Jesus Christ are each carefully chosen. Each attribute will be essential for them. In verse 5, Jesus is the faithful witness that they are called to be in their own cities. For a people afraid of persecution and violence at the hands of the Romans, Jesus is also called the firstborn from the dead, a reference to the resurrection, rising up out of the graveyard like the first shaft of wheat poking through the ground before the harvest. It is a promise. Once the first breaks through, it's only a matter of time before the field is overflowing with golden wheat.
And by calling Jesus ruler of the kings of the earth (v5), he is drawing their eyes away from the Caesars, upwards, towards Christ. The kings of this earth have captured their attention. The opulence and power of the empire enamor some. Others stare in fear at the beast, paralyzed, unable to be the faithful witness required of followers of Jesus. John wants them to know that Jesus is not merely coming to rule; he is already ruling. Whether or not the Romans and their leaders realize it has no bearing on whether or not God's future is coming. Their world will be turned upside down, the powerful will become servants, and the lowly will be honored. They may not see it yet, but that is why John writes: