The Apostle John was on the isle of Patmos as he was writing to the churches of Asia. As he begins to write, Jesus speaks to John. What He says to John is very powerful and a message that John needed to hear. This was not a message to the churches but a message to John. John was about to hear what Jesus was going to say to the churches of Asia. John was going to hear what Jesus has against six of the seven churches that John was not only acquainted with, but he had poured his heart out into these churches. John was in love with them. They were part of him. Soon, John would see all the things that would happen in the world at the end of the age.
This is also a message to us today. It is a message to every believer and a message to help us keep everything that is happening in the world in the correct perspective. Just as John was about to experience something that would shock him to his core, the things that will be happening in the years to come are shocking. We need this message from Jesus to survive. This message will help you in every area of your life.
What is this message? Revelation 1:8 gives us that message. “I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God, “who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.” The message that Jesus gives John is a confirmation of who He is. Please remember that John had spent three years at Jesus’ side. Jesus is revealing Himself to John in a completely different way. He is God! Sometimes we can get so caught up in the human side of Jesus. We see Him dying for our sins. We see Him risen from the dead. That is all great, but we need to always keep in mind that Jesus is God. He is sovereign, the Almighty, the Lord of all.
John was going to see some very awful things. He was going to hear Jesus’ accusations to six of the seven churches. He was going to see the end of the age and all the tribulation. Jesus was giving John the assurance that He had all this under control. I am Alpha and Omega. Those are the first and last letters of the Greek alphabet. Jesus is the beginning and the end. Then Jesus tells John, “I am now, I was, and I am the One who is to come.” Jesus is telling John I am eternal, never beginning and never-ending God!
Jesus was letting John know that He had everything under control. That is what we need to focus on when we see the world around us falling in moral decay. That is what we need to focus on when we see trouble on all sides. Jesus is in control. He is sovereign. Nothing gets by without Him knowing. He knows where you are, where you’re going, what you need. He is not conditioned by the stock market! He is not ruled by an immoral government!
In verse 18, Jesus tells John I have the keys to death and Hades. The Greek word for death here means the process of death. Many of John’s friends were either killed or would be killed for their faith. Jesus tells John, I am in control of that. Jesus has the keys to dying! Death will come to all of us if Jesus tarries. Know that even in that time, He is there, and He is in control!
Please, my brothers and sisters, keep your eyes on Jesus! He is in control! Jesus is Lord! He wants you to know that.