Friend of God - because of Jesus

Summing up the book of Revelation … “Who is Jesus?”

 I called my previous post “summing up the book of Revelation” and I have to add that it is my perspective and my way of summing up and I don’t claim to be anything but an ordinary Christian (if there is such a thing as “ordinary” when you are a Christian) trying to get my head around this very different book. I have listened to the book since January this year and I have realized that by listening over and over again it has made me less uncomfortable with the message.

There are lots of creatures, brimstones, hail, thunder, earthquakes, evilness and punishment,  but when I look beyond all that it all boils down to this:

"It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. To the thirsty I will give from the spring of the water of life without payment."  

~Revelation  21:6~ 

Through time there have been numerous books written about what will take place in the history to come, and some have even singled out years and dates up to the very day when the earth is going down in final destruction. People have always had a fondness for people who say they can predict the future (even if they cannot predict their own) and we tend to like to be in control by knowing what’s around the next corner.

So here we have a book that is full of prophesies and visions that tell us about what God has decided and  what great changes  will come for both nature and man. No need to look to man who think they can predict the future when you have it all here in black and white that tells us what will happen.

A couple of years ago I had a heated conversation with a man who visited our home a summer’s day when I was working in the garden. He talked a lot about what is going to happen in the future and I could agree with him on the subjects because he related to the book of Revelation but when I agreed on so many of his subjects he got into the final million dollar question “Who is Jesus” His conclusion was that I was in error; believing in Jesus being God in flesh, and God and Jesus could not be the same.

I guess the Holy Spirit came to my help and in the following discussion I sensed that my “defense speech” for Jesus got to this man although he held his poker face intact. He had worked for this organization for 26 years and was “secured ”in his beliefs that his work would bring him into the Kingdom of Peace and  the salvation through the blood of Jesus Christ could not add to it. I on the other hand, was obviously in error by holding on to my faith in Jesus as God and man in the same person. Finally we came to a dead end where neither of us backed down and we parted on a polite level but far apart in spirit. 

Revelation 19.

¹¹ I saw heaven standing open and there before me was a white horse, whose rider is called Faithful and True. With justice he judges and wages war. ¹² His eyes are like blazing fire, and on his head are many crowns. He has a name written on him that no one knows but he himself. ¹³ He is dressed in a robe dipped in blood,

and his name is the Word of God.

¹⁴ The armies of heaven were following him, riding on white horses and dressed in fine linen, white and clean. ¹⁵ Coming out of his mouth is a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations. “He will rule them with an iron scepter.”^[a] He treads the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God Almighty. ¹⁶ On his robe and on his thigh he has this name written:

king of kings and lord of lords.

Revelation 21            A New Heaven and a New Earth

21 Then I saw “a new heaven and a new earth,”^[a] for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. ² I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. ³ And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying,

“Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. ⁴ ‘He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death’  or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.”

⁵ He who was seated on the throne said, “I am making everything new!” Then he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.”

⁶ He said to me:

“It is done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. To the thirsty I will give water without cost from the spring of the water of life. ⁷

^{Now, take a good look at Jesus beyond every altarpiece you have ever seen; every Sunday school picture; every image possible and look at the words above and what he is called. Who's in charge? And who will finally reign?} 

^Jesus 

^{There will be no debate or resolution  against him in the UN.} 

^{There will be total justice - for everyone, and dear Reader even if this has a serious tone  it is a great comfort that we are speaking of Jesus.} 

^{He IS already the ruler over life and death.} 

^{He IS already the ruler over history past, present and future.}

^{And he is a friend of mine.} 

^{Isn't that to brag? Isn't that too presumptuous of me to say?  No,I'm just saying what Jesus said about his disciples "I call you friends"} 

^{John 15:15}

I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you.

John 15:14-16 (in Context) John 15 (Whole Chapter) 

How do I become a friend of Jesus?
Acts 13:38

“Therefore, my friends, I want you to know that through Jesus the forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you.

Acts 13:37-39 (in Context) Acts 13 (Whole Chapter)

Accepting forgiveness of sin  through Jesus  has a great significance for if you will greet him as King of kings and Lord of lords. If he will come as judge or friend. 
Who is Jesus to you? 

Summing up the book of Revelation

To the one who is victorious:

-         I will give the right to eat from the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God …

-        will not be hurt at all by the second death …

-         I will give some of the hidden manna. I will also give that person a white stone with a new name  written on it, known only to the one who receives it …

-        I will give authority over the nations— ²⁷ that one ‘will rule them with an iron scepter and will dash them to pieces like pottery’^[b]—just as I have received authority from my Father. ²⁸ I will also give that one the morning star …

-        Will be dressed in white. I will never blot out the name of that person from the book of life, but will acknowledge that name before my Father and his angels …

-         I will make a pillar in the temple of my God. Never again will they leave it. I will write on them the name of my God and the name of the city of my God, the new Jerusalem, which is coming down out of heaven from my God; and I will also write on them my new name …

-        I will give the right to sit with me on my throne, just as I was victorious and sat down with my Father on his throne …

These are the words

-           of him who holds the seven stars in his right hand and walks among the seven golden lampstands …

-           of him who is the First and the Last, who died and came to life again  …

-           of him who has the sharp, double-edged sword …

-           of the Son of God, whose eyes are like blazing fire and whose feet are like burnished bronze …

-           of him who holds the seven spirits^[b] of God and the seven stars …

-           of him who is holy and true, who holds the key of David. What he opens no one can shut, and what he shuts no one can open …

-           of the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the ruler of God’s creation …

to be continued ... 

(picture found on google: sorry don't know the painter)