Devotional Thoughts for Christians***
When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead. Then he placed his right hand on me and said: “Do not be afraid. I am the First and the Last.” (Revelation 1:17, NIV)
Many are fascinated with the end of the age. Charts are drawn. Timelines are debated. Symbols are decoded. Yet the final book of Scripture does not begin with beasts, bowls, or battles. It begins with a Man.
John’s first vision was not of events but of Jesus.
This is the same John who leaned upon the Lord’s breast at supper. The same disciple who called himself the one whom Jesus loved. Yet when he beheld the glorified Christ—eyes like blazing fire, voice like many waters, countenance blazing like the sun—he did not step forward casually. He collapsed. He fell at His feet as though dead.
Familiarity vanished in the light of glory. Love did not erase reverence.
Before John ever saw seals opened or trumpets sounded, he saw the King. And until we see Him so, we are not ready to handle the apocalypse. Without that encounter, Revelation becomes a field for speculation. With it, it becomes a throne room.
Knowledge of prophetic detail may stimulate the mind. A vision of Christ will humble the soul.
The Book of Revelation proclaims judgment upon a defiant world. It unveils heaven opened and Christ riding upon a white horse, followed by the armies of saints and angels. It declares Him King of kings and Lord of lords, making war in righteousness. This is not merely a sequence of future events—it is the unveiling of supreme authority.
Only those who have fallen before Him in holy fear can stand for Him in holy courage.
And then—what mercy! The same hand that holds the stars was laid upon John. The voice that thundered across eternity spoke gently: “Do not be afraid.”
The First and the Last is also the Comforter of trembling hearts.
Charts do not shape true end-time warriors. Encounters shape them. When we see Jesus enthroned, fear is silenced. When we behold His majesty, pride dies. When we fall at His feet, we are prepared to rise in strength.
Lift your head. The coming King is not merely an event on a timeline—He is the center of history, the climax of eternity, and the Lord of your present hour.
Pause to reflect:
Have you seen Jesus only as Friend and Savior—or have you beheld Him as the glorious, reigning King? Has your study of prophecy led you to humility, or merely to information?
Parting Thought:
Before we seek to understand the end of the age, we must bow before the Lord of glory.
Prayer:
Lord Jesus, while we behold You in our daily devotion as our Lord and Friend, as our loving Savior, may we never forget that You are the glorious King who will rule in righteousness. Reveal Yourself to us in holy majesty. Let our hearts fall low before Your throne, so that we may stand firm in Your Kingdom. Teach us to see You first—and in seeing You, to be made ready. Amen.
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