Who Is.

I started the practice of Scripture memory again a few months ago. It is a sometimes difficult, but always good, thing. For one, it keeps portions of Scripture at the forefront of my mind in a way that simply reading or studying doesn't always do. This morning as I was practicing a new passage, I was given pause...

The revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show to his servants the things that must soon take place. He made it known by sending his angel to his servant John, who bore witness to the word of God and to the testimony of Jesus Christ, even to all that he saw. Blessed is the one who reads aloud the words of this prophecy, and blessed are those who hear, and who keep what is written in it, for the time is near. 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.
Revelation 1:1-6

I like chronological order. So I noticed (because I mix it up when I'm practicing) that the "who"s are out of order. I want to read "who was and who is and who is to come", but that's not what it says. Which made me stop to think about why... It seems that by placing "who is" first, John is putting emphasis on the fact that our God is ALIVE! He IS! He is with His people because He IS! Because, honestly, most of the rest of the book is pretty scary. Kind of like when God appeared to Moses in the bush and then poured out the ten plagues on Egypt.

Then Moses said to God, "If I come to the people of Israel and say to them, 'The God of your fathers has sent me to you,' and they ask me, 'What is his name?' what shall I say to them?" God said to Moses, "I AM WHO I AM." And he said, "Say this to the people of Israel, 'I AM has sent me to you.'"
Exodus 3:13-14

But He is not JUST the God who IS, He also was. He was in control over all the events of history that led up to today. And even better than that... He is to COME!!!

And Jesus said, "I am, and you will see the Son of Man seated at the right hand of Power, and coming with the clouds of heaven."
Mark 14:62
 
"And behold, I am coming soon. Blessed is the one who keeps the words of the prophecy of this book."
Revelation 22:7
 
"Behold, I am coming soon, bringing my recompense with me, to repay everyone for what he has done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end."
Revelation 22:12-13
 
He who testifies to these things says, "Surely I am coming soon." Amen. Come, Lord Jesus!
Revelation 22:20