Mighty Man

I have finally made it to Revelation. I've been meandering through the New Testament for about two years I think... =) I'm usually nervous to begin reading Revelation because I feel like it just goes over my head-- and to be honest, it scares me. War, blood, plagues, pain, persecution... At least that's what I usually think of when I think of Revelation. But this summer I heard two AWESOME messages from Revelation & I began to get excited to read it again. This morning, chapter one was no disappointment.

I was in the Spirit on the Lord's day, and I heard behind me a loud voice like a trumpet saying, "Write what you see in a book and send it to the seven churches, to Ephesus and to Smyrna and to Pergamum and to Thyatira and to Sardis and to Philadelphia and to Laodicea." Then I turned to see the voice that was speaking to me, and on turning I saw seven golden lampstands, and in the midst of the lampstands one like a son of man, clothed with a long robe and with a golden sash around his chest. The hairs of his head were white, like white wool, like snow. His eyes were like a flame of fire, his feet were like burnished bronze, refined in a furnace, and his voice was like the roar of many waters. In his right hand he held seven stars, from his mouth came a sharp two-edged sword, and his face was like the sun shining in full strength.
Revelation 1:10-16

I don't know if you are picturing this "man" in the passage, or how you may be picturing him. My brother actually drew an illustration of this (taken literally) when we were teens-ish. That was standing in vivid color in the back of my mind as I read, but the messages I heard this summer both said that the pictures are to help us see characteristics.. "a picture is worth a thousand words," right? And so I read, and then I read again, and then again... =)

You've probably heard one of the men in your life say, "I wouldn't want to come up against THAT GUY in a fight." Well, this Man goes WAY beyond that thought! So much so that John "fell at his feet as though dead". The descriptions of his eyes, feet, voice, words and face all express power and wisdom in the extreme. I'm thinking I would have been like John- flat on my face!

When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead. But he laid his right hand on me, saying, "Fear not, I am the first and the last, and the living one. I died, and behold I am alive forevermore, and I have the keys of Death and Hades.
Revelation 1:17-18

The right hand was the hand of favor, so I'm thinking that the Man reaching out to John is a good sign. At least this guy is not John's enemy. But then this Mighty Man tells John not to be afraid. And as I read the reason He gives, I'm thinking-- "I'm still scared. This is a TERRIFYING person. How is this supposed to comfort John?" So I began to ponder, and I was drawn back to the beginning of the chapter.

John to the seven churches that are in Asia: Grace to you and peace from him who is and who was and who is to come, and from the seven spirits who are before his throne, and from Jesus Christ the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of kings on earth. To 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, to him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen. Behold, he is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see him, even those who pierced him, and all tribes of the earth will wail on account of him. Even so. Amen. "I am the Alpha and the Omega," says the Lord God, "who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty."
Revelation 1:4-8

And it hit me! Shorty helped. =) John did not recognize Jesus at first-- or at least he SEEMS not to. And then Jesus says, in effect, "John, don't be afraid. You KNOW me. I love you and I redeemed you. You are mine." What a Mighty Savior!