Verse 5
John described Jesus Christ as the "faithful witness" (cf. Revelation 3:14; Psalms 89:37; Isaiah 43:10-13). This is the third and last time in the book that the double name "Jesus Christ" appears.
"Jesus Christ is of the seed of David and will sit on the Davidic throne that will endure forever as the sun (Psalms 89:36)." [Note: Thomas, Revelation 1-7, p. 69.]
"Faithful witness" is Jesus Christ’s present ministry of revealing what follows. John also called Him the "first-born from the dead" (cf. Psalms 89:27; Acts 2:29-32; Acts 4:2; Acts 26:23; Romans 1:4; 1 Corinthians 15:23). This title looks at the culmination of His past ministry when God raised Him to new life at His resurrection.
"The Resurrection carried with it a potential lordship over all humanity (Rom. xiv. 9), not only over the Church (Col. l.c. [i.e., Revelation 1:18])." [Note: Swete, p. 7.]
John also referred to Jesus as the "ruler of the kings of the earth" (Psalms 89:27). That is His future ministry following His second coming (Matthew 2:6). The New Testament speaks much of believers entering into their rights as first-born sons of God and ruling with Jesus Christ in His millennial kingdom. This will be the privilege of faithful, obedient Christians (cf. 2 Timothy 2:12).
". . . the origination of all three expressions from Psalms 89 reflects a major authorial intent to direct attention to the fulfillment of the promises made to David regarding an eternal kingdom in 2 Samuel 7." [Note: Thomas, Revelation 1-7, p. 70.]
John ascribed eternal glory and dominion to Jesus Christ who is the subject and object of this revelation. He described Him as the One who always loves us and who loosed us from the bondage of our sins by His death. Some ancient Greek manuscripts have, He washed us from the stain of our sins.
In these notes I will use the term "Christian" in its strict technical sense to refer only to believers who come to faith between Pentecost and the Rapture. There will be believers who are saved during the Tribulation, but these will be Tribulation saints, not "Christians," as I am using the term.
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