F O O T H O L D
READING
94 ENCOURAGEMENT IN HARD
TIMES
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PRAY Help me to see Jesus
more clearly today, please God.
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READ Revelation 1:1-20.
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THINK What does this chapter
teach about Jesus? List several aspects.
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FOCUS Have you been through
some difficult experiences and wondered
what the point of it all
was? Even wondered perhaps whether God
cared about it at all?
Imagine how John must have felt. He was an
old man in exile on the
island of Patmos probably condemned to
hard labour in the quarries.
he was deeply concerned that the
churches he loved and cared
for were being persecuted. And then
God speaks (8). He reveals
himself as the One who is, who was and
who always will be.
WHAT JOHN SAW AND HEARD.
This wonderful, symbolic picture of the
risen Lord Jesus emphasises
his power, majesty and holiness. Some
of the truths about him are
explained - compare verse 12 with
verse 20. The rest we have
to work out prayerfully and by
comparing with other Bible
passages - for example:
(a) HAIR WHITE AS WOOL.
Daniel 17:9 describes God in exactly the
same way. So Jesus is put on
a level with God. 'Whiteness' is a
Bible picture word for
purity. So this adds up to Jesus being the
Holy One equal with God the
Father.
(b) HIS EYES BLAZED WITH
FIRE, seems to reflect Daniel 10:6 - a
picture of purification or
destruction.
(c) A TWO-EDGED SWORD.
Hebrews 4:12 helps here: words come out of
the mouth, and Christ's word
pierces deep.
John's response was a deep
sense of worship.
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PRAY Spend some time re-reading
the picture of the Lord Jesus. Allow
its words to lead you in
worship also.
