Nearly every title employed elsewhere in the New Testament to describe the divine-human nature and the redemptive work of Jesus is mentioned at least once in Revelation, which, together with numerous additional titles, provides us with our only multidimensional unveiling of the present position, continuing ministry, and ultimate victory of the exalted Christ.
Although Jesus’ earthly ministry is telescoped between His Incarnation and Ascension in 12:5, Revelation asserts that the Son of God, as the Lamb, has completely finished His redemptive work (1:5, 6). By His blood sinners have been forgiven, cleansed (5:6, 9; 7:14; 12:11), liberated (1:5), and made kings and priests (1:6; 5:10). All ensuing manifestations of His applied victory are based in His finished work on the Cross; hence, Satan has been defeated (12:7–12) and bound (20:1–3). Jesus, raised from the dead, is enthroned as absolute Sovereign over all creation (1:5; 2:27). He is “King of kings and Lord of lords” (17:14; 19:16), and is entitled to the same ascriptions of adoration as God the Creator (5:12–14).
The only One who is “worthy” to execute the eternal purpose of God is “the Lion of Judah,” who is not a political Messiah but a sacrificed Lamb (5:5, 6). “The Lamb” is His primary title, utilized twenty-eight times in Revelation. As the One who has conquered, He has the rightful authority and the power to control all the forces of evil and their consequences for His purposes of judgment and salvation (6:1—7:17). The Lamb is on the throne (4:1—5:14; 22:3).
The Lamb, as “One like the Son of Man,” is always in the midst of His people (1:9—3:22; 14:1), whose names are recorded in His Book of Life (3:5; 21:27). He knows them intimately, and with immeasurable holy love, He watches over, protects, disciplines, and challenges them. They share fully in His present and future victory (17:14; 19:11–16; 21:1—22:5), as well as in His present and future “marriage supper” (19:7–9; 21:2). He dwells in them (1:13), and they dwell in Him (21:22).
As “One like the Son of Man,” He also is the Lord of the final harvest (14:14–20). He pours out His wrath in judgment upon Satan (20:10), his allies (19:20; 20:14), and the spiritually “dead” (20:12, 15)—all those who have chosen to “dwell on the earth” (3:10).
The Lamb is the God who is coming (1:7, 8; 11:17; 22:7, 20) to consummate His eternal plan, to complete the creation of the new community of His people in “a new heaven and a new earth” (21:1) and to restore the blessings of the Paradise of God (22:2–5). The Lamb is the goal of all history (22:13).
Each of the messages to the seven churches is from the exalted Lord, yet the individual members are urged to hear “what the Spirit says” (chs. 2; 3). The Spirit only says what the Lord Jesus says.
The Spirit is thus the Spirit of prophecy. Every genuine prophecy is inspired by the Holy Spirit and bears witness to Jesus (19:10). The prophetic visions are communicated to John only when he is “in the Spirit” (1:10; 4:2; 21:10). The content of these visions is nothing less than “The Revelation of Jesus Christ” (1:1).
All genuine prophecy demands a response. “The Spirit and the bride say, ‘Come!’ ” (22:17). Everyone either hears or refuses to hear this appeal. The Spirit is working continuously in and through the church to invite those who remain outside the City of God to enter. Only by the empowering of the Spirit is the bride enabled to witness and “patiently endure.” The Spirit thus penetrates the present experience of those who hear with foretastes of the kingdom’s future fulfillment. ~NSLF
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