This passage once again affirms what John has already told us about the Book of Revelation, that it is “the revelation of Jesus Christ.” We take note of the double meaning in that statement. Jesus is both the subject of the revelation and the one who is responsible for giving the revelation. The Book of Revelation is the revelation from and about Jesus Christ. And in the final section of chapter one before he commences with the messages to the seven churches, the Lord offers a vision of himself which draws deeply from the Old Testament and gives the church much needed spiritual sustenance as she walks through tribulation.

It can be difficult to sustain this focus on Jesus. Certainly the devil would have us focus on just about anything other than Jesus! But our own minds tend to wander in directions that promise to be more sensational or “relevant.” But the only way to read the Book of Revelation with an eye toward properly understanding it is to keep on the lookout for Jesus throughout. It is Jesus who ties the Scriptures together from Genesis to Revelation. And it is Jesus who will help us make sense of John’s visions and give shape to our understanding of history.

John’s vision of Jesus in the opening chapter of Revelation reminds us that everything in all the cosmos is subordinated to Him. Everything in the Old Testament which reflected the cosmic longing for and anticipation of Christ is summed up in the vision of the One who is like a Son of Man. Jesus is not a mere religious figure to be honored along with Moses or Mohammed, the Buddha or Zoroaster. He is the Ancient of Days made man, the Alpha and the Omega who died for sinners yet lives forevermore. Jesus is the King and Priest who makes a kingdom and priests of his people.