Are you amazed yet? You will be part 3 of 3 When we see Christ, what will we see? We will see the perfect priest. He was dressed in a long robe and had a gold band around his chest ( Rev. 1:13), The first readers of the message ( early Church) knew the significance of the robe and band. Jesus is wearing the clothing of a priest. A priest presents people to God and God to people. Perhaps you have known other priest whether clergy or not, who sought to bring you to God. But they, too, needed a priest. Some may have needed a priest more than you did. They, like you were sinful. Not so with Jesus. Jesus is the kind of high priest we need. He is holy, sinless, pure, not influenced by sinners, and he is raised above the heavens ( Hebrew. 7:26). He is also pure and purifying: His head and hair were white LIKE wool, as white as snow, and his eyes were like flames of fire ( Rev. 1:14). What John saw on Patmos was absolutely spotless. He was reminded of the virgin wool of sheep and the untouched snow of winter. He was also reminded of fire. Others saw the burning bush, the burning altar, the fiery furnace, or the fiery chariots, but John saw the fiery eyed. And in those eyes he saw a purging blaze which will burn sin and purify the soul. A priest; white-haired, snow-pure, and white-hot. When we see Jesus we will see absolute strength. His feet were like bronze that glows hot in a furnace (v. 15). The first century church knew the value of this metal. Bronze is a combination of iron and copper. Iron is strong but it rusts. Copper wont rust but its pliable. Combine the two in bronze and the best quality of each is preserved, the strength of the iron and the endurance of the copper. The rule of Christ is set on this base: the foundation of his power is tested by fire. Every power you have ever seen has decayed. The armies in history books. The muscle men in magazines. They had their day, but their day passed. The strength of Jesus will never be surpassed. Never. When you see Him, you will, for the first time, see true strength. Up until this point, John has described what he saw. Now he tells what he heard. He shares the sound of Christs voice. Not the words, but the sound, the tone, the timbre. Ever wondered how you would feel if Jesus spoke to you? John felt like he was near a waterfall: His voice was like the noise of flooding water (v. 15). Rushing water through a forest is not a timid sound. It is the backdrop against all other sounds. Even when nature sleeps, the river speaks. The same is true with Christ. In heaven his voice is always heard---- a steady, soothing, commanding presence. In his hands He held seven stars in his right hand (v. 16). We later read that the seven stars are the angels of the seven churches (v. 20) the right hand in scripture is the picture of readiness. Joseph was blessed with Jacobs right hand ( Gen. 48:18), the Red Sea was divided when God stretched out his right hand (Exod. 15:12), the right hand of God sustains us ( Ps. 18:35), and Jesus is at the right hand of God interceding ( Rom. 8:34). The right hand is a picture of action. And John sees the angels of the churches in the right hand of Christ. Jesus secures the angels, ready to send them to protect his people. What great news. How good to know that the pure, fiery, bronzed-footed Son of Man has one priority: the protection of his church. He holds them in the palm of his right hand. And he directs them with the sword of his word: And a sharp double-edged sword came out of his mouth ( v.16). The sound of his voice sooth the soul, but the truth of his voice pierces the soul. Gods word is alive and working and is sharper than a double-edged sword. It cuts all the way into us, where the soul and the spirit are joined, to the center of our joints and bones. And it judges the thoughts and feelings of our heart. Nothing in all the world can be hidden from God (Hebrew. 4:12-13). Heaven is an honest land. It is a land where the shadows are banished by the face of Christ. His face was like the sun shining in all its brilliance (Rev. 1:16 NIV). What do we do with this picture? Are we to consider it a portrait of Jesus? I dont think so. I dont think John was trying too tell us what Jesus looked like, but rather who Jesus is. The perfect priest. The only pure one. The source of strength. The sound of love. The everlasting light. And what will happen when you see Jesus? You will see unblemished purity and unbending strength. You will feel his unending presence and know his unbridled protection. And----- all that he is, you will be, for you will be like Jesus. We know that when Christ comes again, we will be like him, because we will see him as he really is (1John 3:2). Since you will be as pure as snow, you will never sin again. Since you will be as strong as bronze, you will never stumble again. Since you will dwell by the river, you will never feel lonely again. Since the work of the priest will have been finished, you will never doubt again. When Christ comes, you will dwell in the light of God. And you will see him as he really is.
Posted on: Sun, 17 Nov 2013 14:47:03 +0000
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