Faithful Reporter
Revelation 1: 1-20
(December 9)
Do you remember “back in the good ole’ days” when reporters were focused and purposeful in reporting the news to us? As a child, I would sit with my dad and listen to the news. We got a lot more FACTS back then and a lot less BULL.
These days, most reporters are looking for the drama in the situation that will increase their ratings. Or they are focused on being far left or far right on a matter, and giving us only that opinion, instead of just presenting the facts. Their faithfulness to their craft has been hindered by social and political pressure.
John was what I would call a “faithful reporter.” He gave the facts … in other words … the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth.
John, being one of Jesus’ original twelve disciples, knew Jesus very well. He was the only one who wasn’t executed for his faith. When he wrote Revelation, he was exiled on the island of Patmos because of his belief in Christ.
In Revelation, John is writing to the believers to offer them guidance and more knowledge about Jesus and how their lives should be lived to represent him in the present. He is also addressing the future and the hope all believers have, especially those who have been persecuted. This hope is the proclamation that Christ gets the win in the end over the enemy, and we can be certain of our eternal life with him.
John refers to seeing Jesus coming with the clouds of heaven. How can he be sure it was Jesus that he saw? Not only did John spend three years with Jesus as his disciple, preaching and teaching with him, but he was also present at the Transfiguration, where he saw a glorified Jesus rise to the heavens. So, you could say that he knows Jesus pretty well.
When Jesus appears in the clouds, his hair is white (wisdom), his eyes blaze with fire (judgement for the evil), and he is wearing a golden sash around his chest (highest of high priests). He has seven stars in his right hand and seven gold lampstands surrounded him. John knows him instantly, even with these changes he doesn’t completely understand.
John fell at his feet upon seeing him. But Jesus, always the friend to John, put his hand on him, saying, “Don’t be afraid! I am the First and the Last. I am the living one. I died, but look – I am alive forever and ever? And I hold the keys of death and the grave.” (verse17-18)
After explaining the seven golden stars (representing the angels of the seven churches) and the seven gold lampstands (representing the seven churches, Jesus then commanded John to write down all that he saw, now and in the future. This would be Revelation, the account of what is to come. John’s obedience to Jesus gave us instruction and information about the return of Jesus, and what that means to each of us.
John gave us the facts … just as were told to him and saw by him. He didn’t concern himself with popular opinion or the pressures of the world. John was, indeed, a faithful reporter.