Revelation – I AM Statements – Part 2

Revelation – I AM Statements – Part 2 – Study Questions
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Revelation 1:17-18 … And when I saw Him, I fell at His feet as dead. But He laid His right hand on me, saying to me, “Do not be afraid; I am the First and the Last. 18 I am He who lives, and was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore. Amen. And I have the keys of Hades and of Death.

• What is being said here by adding I AM He who lives to I AM the First and the Last?
  Commentary 1: He is the “Living One”. Throughout Scripture, God is described as the Living One (Psalm 42:2; Mt 16:16; 1Thess 1:9-10; 1Tim 4:10); so, Jesus is again declaring His deity. He is declaring Himself to be the eternally living God who was before{First} all false gods and will remain{Last} after all false gods. He is not a dead idol; He is not made out of stone, wood, or metal. He is the eternal, living Son of God; who gloriously gives everlasting life to all who believe the glorious gospel concerning His death, burial, and resurrection for the sin and sins of mankind. Let’s read Rev. 1:18 again. He died, was buried, and rose again; He is alive to give us life. AMEN!
• How does having the keys of Hades and of Death fit with I AM He who lives?
  Enduringword: Jesus has the credentials of resurrection, and lives to never die again. The victory that Jesus won over sin and death was a permanent victory. He didn’t rise from the dead just to die again.
  *So Jesus is the one who has the keys of Hades and of Death. Some imagine that the devil is somehow the “lord of Hell.” Some imagine that the devil has authority or power to determine life or death. Clearly, they are wrong, for only Jesus holds the keys of Hades and of Death. We can trust that Jesus never lets the devil borrow the keys.

To the Church in Smyrna –Rev 2:8-11

• How would using the title The First and the Last, who was dead, and has come to life along with holding the keys o Hades and of Death be an encouragement to believers in Smyrna?
  Enduringword: ‘These things says the First and the Last, who was dead, and came to life:
  * The First and the Last: Jesus chose this title from His initial appearance to John (Revelation 1:11,17) to speak of His eternal character. The First and the Last are titles that belong only to the LORD, Yahweh, according to Isaiah 41:4; 44:6;48:12.
  * Who was dead, and came to life: Jesus chose this title from His initial appearance to John (Revelation 1:18) to remind the Christians in Smyrna that they served the risen Lord, victorious over death. Death could not hold Jesus, and it cannot hold His people.
  * The association with death – and the victory of resurrection – is throughout this letter. The name Smyrna[4668] comes from the word myrrh[4667], a sweet-smelling perfume used in embalming dead bodies.
  * v10: Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life.

Revelation 2:23 … I will kill her children with death{with a deadly disease}, and all the churches shall know that I am He who searches the minds and hearts. And I will give to each one of you according to your works.
To the Church in Thyatira –Rev 2:18-29

• How does I am He who searches the minds and hearts go with The Son of God, who has eyes like a flame of fire, and His feet are like burnished bronze{fine brass}(v18)? –Jeremiah 17:10;Matthew 16:27;Hebrews 4:12
• Enduringword: Jesus uses the Son of God title to emphasize His diety. The Son of God has the divine nature, the nature of God.
  * Who has eyes like a flame of fire: Jesus chose this description of Himself from the presentation in Revelation 1:14 to emphasize the idea that His eyes looked with penetrating judgment.
  * His feet like fine brass: Jesus chose this description of Himself from Revelation 1:15 to emphasize His purity because brass is pure and highly refined in the fire. It also emphasized His steadfastness, because brass was the strongest known metal in the ancient world, and feet like fine brass would be strong and unmovable.
• Why did these believers need I AM He who searches the minds and hearts?
  * These believers are commended for their deeds, and love, faith, service and perseverance, and that their deeds are greater than at first. However though these deeds look good on the surface they are corrupted by the teachings of Jezebel. 
  *Those who do not repent of Jezebel’s ways suffer death{with a deadly disease}.
  * Those who overcome and continue with the Son of God are granted to rule the nations.
  * Jesus offered overcomers a reward greater than the kingdom. He offered them the reward of Himself, because He is the Morning Star (Revelation 22:16).

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Revelation 22:16 … I, Jesus, have sent My angel to testify to you these things in the churches. I am the Root and the Offspring of David, the Bright and Morning Star.

• What is Jesus claiming here: I am the Root and the Offspring of David?
  Jesusplusnothing: Jesus trapped the Pharisees! Yes, the Messiah would be the son of David in that He would be born as a descendant of David. Yet He wasn’t just the descendant for He was also David’s Lord! That puzzle was too much for the Pharisees and from that day they didn’t ask Jesus any more questions! So that is what we see here in Revelation – Jesus says He is both the root (ie source) and the descendant of David. He came both before and after King David!
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  Matthew 22:41-46 … while the Pharisees were gathered together, Jesus asked them, (42) ‘What do you think about the Christ? Whose son is he? “The son of David,” they replied. (43) He said to them, “How is it then that David, speaking by the Spirit, calls him ‘Lord’? For he says, (44) ‘The Lord said to my Lord: Sit at my right hand until I put your enemies under your feet.” ‘(45) If then David calls him ‘Lord,’ how can he be his son?” (46) No one could say a word in reply, and from that day on no one dared to ask him any more questions.
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  **Commentary 2: Jesus Christ is declared to be a descendant of David from the very first verse of the New Testament (Mt 1:1). The Davidic line of Jesus Christ is traced in Mt 1 and includes David’s father Jesse (Mt 1:6). Jesus Christ is declared to be of the root of Jesse and David throughout Scripture (Isa 11:1; 10; Rom 15:12; Rev 5:5).  Jesus as an ancestor and descendant of David fulfills the prophecy concerning David’s family. Jesus is of the seed of David (Rom 1:3-4).
• What is the morning star in astronomy?
  Jesusplusnothing: In astronomy the term “morning star” is most commonly used as a reference to the planet Venus as it rises in the east. So before dawn, before the sun rises, first there is the rising of what we call ‘the morning star’. It is a pointer to the new day that is about to unfold. Outside of the sun and the moon, Venus is the brightest object in the night sky.
  * In the natural it is a pointer to the dawn of a new day. In the spiritual it also speaks of the sure and confident hope that we have of the dawn of a coming new day.
• What is Jesus claiming here: I am the Bright and Morning Star?
  *Commentary 2: The word “star” (Greek #792) means star and is used 24 times in the New Testament. It is used 4 times at Jesus’ birth (Mt 2:2, 7, 9, 10). Just as Jesus’ arrival on earth (incarnation) as a baby was proclaimed by the star; even so, the bright morning star heralds the dawn of a new day.
  * Peter speaks of “a light that shineth in a dark place, until day dawns, and the day star arise in your hearts” (2Pe 1:19; 2Cor 4:5-7; Prov 4:18). Jesus Christ is the Light of the world and the day star that shines in our hearts as believers. He is the “morning star” given to overcoming believers in the churches (Revelation 2:28). The second coming of Jesus Christ precedes the 1000- year millennial reign of Jesus Christ followed by the new heavens and a new earth eternally with Jesus Christ. And He that testifies these things says: Surely, I come quickly, AMEN! Even so, come Lord Jesus (Revelation 22:20)!

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Related:
I AM’s – John & Revelation{blog}
Commentary 1
Commentary 2
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Tags: I AM He who searches minds and hearts, I AM the Bright and Morning Star, I AM the First and the Last, I AM the Root and Offspring of David, I AM=Jesus' Invitation to Know Him, John I AM Bible Study