The Scary Book That Was Meant to Comfort
“And when I saw him, I fell at his feet as dead. And he laid his right hand upon me, saying unto me, Fear not; I am the first and the last: I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death.”Revelation 1:17–18 (KJV)
For a lot of people, Revelation is the scary book. Beasts, plagues, trumpets, a lake of fire. Many believers avoid it entirely.
But think about who first received it. Christians under pressure, some in prison, some facing death. And the very first vision John describes is of Jesus himself, who “laid his right hand upon me, saying unto me, Fear not; I am the first and the last: I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore.”
Then the curtain pulls back on heaven: “behold, a throne was set in heaven, and one sat on the throne.” Before any of the hard things come, John is shown that the throne is occupied. Someone is in charge, and it isn’t the beast.
Revelation was written to give tired believers courage. It tells us how the story ends. Christ is alive, the throne is not empty, and he holds the keys. Read it as a book of hope, because that is what it is.
Read it yourself
Read Revelation 1:9–18. What does Jesus say he holds in verse 18?
Do you read the end of the story with fear or with hope?
Lord Jesus, you are alive for evermore, and the throne is yours. Give me courage from how the story ends. Amen.