Christ in Revelation

~ Jesus Christ Is All! ~

The Bible is about Jesus Christ  ~  “Jesus said to them, ‘How foolish you are, and how slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken!  Did not the Christ have to suffer these things and then enter His glory?’  And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, He explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning Himself” (Luke 24:25-27).

Jesus Christ in the Book of Revelation  ~  In this final book in the canon of Scripture we find many different images of Jesus Christ—The Son of God—The Messiah.  He is the “King of Kings,” the “Lord of Lords,” the “Prince of Peace,” the “Son of Man,” the “Lamb of God,” the great “I AM,” the “Lion of the Tribe of Judah,” and the “Alpha and Omega” (the “First and the Last” – the “Beginning and the End”).  Jesus Christ is God, our Savior, our Lord, the “Great Judge,” the “Lion of Judah,” the “Conquering One,” the “Bridegroom” (of His Church), the “Faithful One,” the “True One,” and He is the living “Word of God.”  And of course in the Book of Revelation we clearly see the end times and Jesus Christ as the “Coming One” for His Church. 

Summary  ~  All things come together in Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior.  Those who accept His free gift of salvation (based on His finished work—realizing there is nothing they can do to add to His work) will be with Him forever and ever!

One of the clearest images of Jesus Christ throughout all of Scripture is the “Lamb of God.”  Beginning in the first book of the Bible we find Abel shedding the blood of a lamb for forgiveness of sin (Genesis 4:1-5).  The shedding of blood for forgiveness of sin continues consistently throughout the Old Testament. 

In the New Testament the “Only begotten Son of God” comes to earth, lives a sinless life, and is slain as the “Lamb of God” for the permanent forgiveness of sin (for those who accept this free gift).  The great news is that Christ’s death on the Cross is a “finished work” (John 19:30) and there is nothing anyone can do to add to it (they can only receive it by their faith and His grace).  One of the great differences of Christianity from religions is that the work of salvation is DONE and there is nothing you or I can DO to earn it or to add to it!  The Lamb of God has provided a way for your forgiveness but those who fail to accept His free gift will one day meet Him face-to-face as their final and Great Judge. 

Comment  ~  We have only touched the surface of Christ in the book of Revelation.  The Apostle Paul told us the Scriptures present many shadows of things to come but the reality is found in Jesus Christ (Colossians 2:17). 

The Bottom Line  ~  Christ Jesus—the only One who ever lived a perfect sinless life—is the only possible provision for paying the price of our sins.  Jesus Christ, the Son of God, became the Son of Man so that the sons of men could become sons of God.

the key question: “Who do you say that I am?” (Matthew 16:15).  This is the most important question you will ever answer.  If you do not answer it, or answer it incorrectly, you have made the biggest mistake anyone can make!

~~~ EXPLANATORY “JESUS CHRIST IN EVERY BOOK OF THE BIBLE” SERIES ~~~   

(1)  Approximately once a month ALN posts an overview of how Jesus Christ is seen in a specific book of the Bible.

(2)  In most cases these posts only scratch the surface regarding Jesus Christ in the particular book.

(3)  These posts will typically be in the same order as the books are found in the Bible.

(4)  These serial posts are in addition to our other ALN postings.

(5)  Subscription to ABUNDANT LIFE NOW blog is simple—just use the link on the left sidebar.  Once subscribed you will not miss future posts.

~ Robert Lloyd Russell, ABUNDANT LIFE NOW

NOTES:

(1)     The current TOP 10 ALN posts are listed at the very bottom of this home page.

(2)     There is an INDEX of all ALN posts accessed by scrolling down the left column.

(3)     You may LINK to any ALN posts on your own blog or website. 

(4)     You may COPY any ALN post, but please credit ALN as the source by prominently displaying the following statement:  Reprinted from “Abundant Life Now,” a free blog which offers inspiring moments, thought-provoking comments, and solid Biblical insight at http://RobertLloydRussell.blogspot.com/ .

Fact Check, 62

~ Expect Success ~

People Think  ~  “Born to win.”  

The Bible Says  ~  Because of mankind’s sin in the Garden of Eden we are all bent toward failure—“born to lose” would be a more realistic description. 

The Old Testament  ~  “Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin my mother conceived me.  Behold, You desire truth in the inward parts, and in the hidden part You will make me to know wisdom” (Psalm 51:5-6).  

The New Testament  ~  “This I say, therefore, and testify in the Lord, that you should no longer walk as the rest of the Gentiles walk, in the futility of their mind, having their understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God, because of the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart; who, being past feeling, have given themselves over to lewdness, to work all uncleanness with greediness.  But you [believers] have not so learned Christ, if indeed you have heard Him and have been taught by Him, as the truth is in Jesus: that you put off, concerning your former conduct, the old man which grows corrupt according to the deceitful lusts, and be renewed in the spirit of your mind, and that you put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness” (Ephesians 4:17-24).

The Significance  ~  (1) Accepting Jesus Christ as your personal Savior is the only solution to your sin nature.  He paid the price for our sin and speaking of Himself stated it this way:  “Whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life.  For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.  For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved” (John 3:15-17).

(2) Accepting Jesus as your personal Savior allows you to enter into the Abundant Life.  Our Savior said this:  “The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy.  I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly” (John 10:10).

(3) Accepting Jesus as your personal Savior allows you to have deep inner joy and peace regardless of your present circumstances.  “Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord, as His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue” (2 Peter 1:2-3).  “The peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:7).

(4) Accepting Jesus as your personal Savior guarantees you an eternal future of unending joy with God in heaven.  Before returning to His Father Jesus assured us that His followers would spend eternity with Him.  "Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me.  In My Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you.  I go to prepare a place for you.  And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also” (John 14:1-3).

~ Robert Lloyd Russell, ABUNDANT LIFE NOW

NOTES:

(1)     The current TOP 10 ALN posts are listed at the very bottom of this home page.

(2)     There is an INDEX of all ALN posts accessed by scrolling down the left column.

(3)     You may LINK to any ALN posts on your own blog or website. 

(4)     You may COPY any ALN post, but please credit ALN as the source by prominently displaying the following statement:  Reprinted from “Abundant Life Now,” a free blog which offers inspiring moments, thought-provoking comments, and solid Biblical insight at http://RobertLloydRussell.blogspot.com/ .

Learn From Gideon, 26

~ A Few Good Men ~

The Biblical account of the life of Gideon provides for one of the most interesting character studies in all of Scripture.  In this series we will discover practical lessons for living the Christian life today.  

Scripture  ~  “But the Lord said to Gideon, ‘The people are still too many; bring them down to the water, and I will test them for you there.  Then it will be, that of whom I say to you, “This one shall go with you,” the same shall go with you; and of whomever I say to you, “This one shall not go with you,” the same shall not go.’  So he brought the people down to the water.  And the Lord said to Gideon, ‘Everyone who laps from the water with his tongue, as a dog laps, you shall set apart by himself; likewise everyone who gets down on his knees to drink.’  And the number of those who lapped, putting their hand to their mouth, was 300 men; but all the rest of the people got down on their knees to drink water.  Then the Lord said to Gideon, ‘By the 300 men who lapped I will save you, and deliver the Midianites into your hand.  Let all the other people go, every man to his place.’  So the people took provisions and their trumpets in their hands.  And he sent away all the rest of Israel, every man to his tent, and retained those 300 men.  Now the camp of Midian was below him in the valley” (Judges 7:4-8).

Learn From Gideon  ~  God is downsizing once again.  He wants a few good men whom He can use! 

1. Gideon originally started with 32,000, but then the fearful were eliminated. Bringing his army to a mere 10,000 (Judges 7:3). 
2. Now Gideon is downsizing once again and we find the 10,000 further reduced to just 300 men—God eliminated those who were not constantly on guard.  But 300 of God’s choosing!  “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour” (1 Peter 5:8). 
3. Even in today’s world we find military units selecting out a few good men for the most challenging tasks.  In the USA there are army Special Forces, Navy Seals, and so forth.
4. God wants to make it obvious when victory occurs it is His doing.  God is the only One who can give the victory.  “So he answered and said to me: ‘This is the word of the Lord to Zerubbabel: “Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit,” says the Lord of hosts’” (Zechariah 4:6).  It is not by the strength of men that God accomplishes His purpose but by the power of His Word and the Spirit of God.

Comment  ~  God’s strategy and approval process are clearly vastly different than man’s.  Gideon started with 32,000 men—God pared it down to just 300.  God let go over 99 percent of those Gideon had planned on using!  God didn’t need the fearful—those who didn’t trust Him.  Likewise those who would let down their guard for a drink of water would not be utilized.  (Have you ever watched an animal drink water?  Their eyes are always watching and their ears are listening carefully.)  God is about to take this band of 300 soldiers against a massive military enemy – “the Midianites and Amalekites, all the people of the East, were lying in the valley as numerous as locusts; and their camels were without number, as the sand by the seashore in multitude” (Judges 7:12).

Challenge For Us  ~  Where do you fit in God’s current Christian army?  Are you part of the 69 percent who were fearful, the 30 percent who are not watchful, or the one percent which God can use for His glory?

concluding comment  ~  We learn about Gideon primarily from Judges 6-8, but also Isaiah 9:1-7, and Hebrews 11:1-3, 32-34.

~ Robert Lloyd Russell, ABUNDANT LIFE NOW

NOTES:

(1)     The current TOP 10 ALN posts are listed at the very bottom of this home page.

(2)     There is an INDEX of all ALN posts accessed by scrolling down the left column.

(3)     You may LINK to any ALN posts on your own blog or website. 

(4)     You may COPY any ALN post, but please credit ALN as the source by prominently displaying the following statement:  Reprinted from “Abundant Life Now,” a free blog which offers inspiring moments, thought-provoking comments, and solid Biblical insight at http://RobertLloydRussell.blogspot.com/ .