Grace to You and Peace, Part Two

The Testimony of Jesus, Chapter 9

John to the seven churches that are in Asia: Grace to you and peace from Him who is and who was and who is to come, and from the Seven Spirits who are before His throne, and from Jesus Christ the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of kings on earth. To Him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by His blood and made us a kingdom, priests to His God and Father, to Him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen. Revelation 1:4-6

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As we had seen in the last lesson, John addresses this letter to the seven churches; seven being the number of completion in the Bible, and therefore, this letter is to anyone and everyone saved by God’s grace who makes up the eternal church of Jesus Christ. No one is left out. All are blessed in the reading, hearing, and keeping of this gospel word. All are responsible for its content. All are greeted with the comforting words of grace and peace.

Moreover, these gracious and peaceful tidings come from the Tri-une God— Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

First, it comes from the everlasting Father, “from Him who is and who was and who is to come,” therefore, this greeting is timeless. It was not confined to the seven local churches existing in the day of John. This salutation is extended to all God’s saints right up to this very moment, and beyond that, until the Lord Jesus returns.

Second, this salutation also comes from the Holy Spirit, “from the Seven Spirits who are before His throne.” While on the surface, the Holy Spirit being placed before the Lord Jesus in the greeting seems out of order; nevertheless, since the Lord Jesus has ascended into heaven and sent the Holy Spirit, John’s mention of the Holy Spirit before the Lord Jesus Christ is consistent with the power of the Spirit in order to testify of Christ, to glorify Christ, to teach us of Christ, and to remind us of those things the Lord Jesus Christ has said (as seen in Chapter Eight last time).

Finally, this blessed greeting comes from the Lord Jesus Christ, “the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of kings on earth. To Him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by His blood and made us a kingdom, priests to His God and Father, to Him be glory and dominion forever and ever.”