⁴ 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, ⁵ and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth. To Him who loves us and released us from our sins by His blood— ⁶ and He made us into a kingdom, priests to His God and Father—to Him be the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen (Rev1:4-6).

The greeting to the seven churches in Asia is from John – he wrote the words of the Apocalypse that those ancient churches and we today are reading. But as is the case in Paul’s epistles, John opens with a divine blessing from God, the Father: “Grace to you and peace from Him who is, and who was, and who is to come”. Regardless of the magisterial supremacy of the Father within the Godhead considered in the previous post, that depiction, referred to in Greek as the “alpha and omega”, is later utilized by Jesus regarding Himself (chapter 22). For as John wrote in his gospel prologue: “He was in the beginning with God. All things came into being through Him, and apart from Him nothing came into being that has come into being” (Jn1:2). That is, nothing apart from God Himself existed before the pre-incarnate Word of God. And having been incarnated as a Man: “Regarding the Son (God) says, ‘Your throne, O God, will last forever and ever’” (Heb1:8).

However, in this instance alpha and omega, the One who is, was and is to come is referring to the Father. That is evident from the conjunction in verse 5 “and from Jesus Christ” whom John describes as anointed (i.e. the Christ), the faithful witness (to God’s Person and Revelation), the Firstborn from the dead (having died and risen as a Man), and ruler of the kings of the earth (albeit not currently in an executive sense).

Most importantly from the Christian’s perspective, He is also the Saviour – “who loves us and released us from our sins by His blood”. Those who have a personal saving interest in that blood are not only pardoned but released (Greek: λύω) from the power of sin. That is in order that they might become “a kingdom, priests to His God and Father” (v6),  echoing Peter’s description of the Church (1Pet2:9). A royal priesthood according to that apostle, for Jesus Christ is not only her High Priestly Head (Heb4:14), but as shall later be revealed in Revelation (19:7), He who has just been described as the “ruler of the kings of the earth” is the Church’s Bridegroom-to-be.

Like its predecessor, this is a deliberately brief post; for the implications of the last point made provide expansive scope for reflection, not to mention awe and wonder.

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