Kings and Priests

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REVELATION 1:4-8

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 kings on earth.

To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood
6 and made us a kingdom, priests to his God and Father, to him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen. 7 Behold, he is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see him, even those who pierced him, and all tribes of the earth will wail on account of him. Even so. Amen.

8 “I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God, “who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.”

 
 

The number 7 signifies completeness, and so the seven churches that are in Asia (present-day Turkey) represent the entire Church—this letter is for every church. What we learn here is that death of Jesus has freed his people and made them into both kings and priests:

Kings, because they rule with him;
Priests, because they live in his presence.

 

How can you use your free will to reign with God today, and how can you go about your daily life in his presence?

 

P.S. Note that v. 7 says that “he is coming on the clouds.” Does that remind you of the vision in Daniel 7? (See the reading for Wednesday, 1/4.)

P.P.S. Did you catch the way John refers to God in a way that is strange to us, and yet still trinitarian:? “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.”