Sunday, December 11th, 2016 - AM - Believe Christ's Capabilities! (Rev. 1:8)

I. Behold, He Cometh! (Rev. 1:7) A. His Arrival Will Be Seen (Rev. 1:7a). 1. By Every Eye 2. By His Enemies' Eye. B. His Arrival Will Bring Sorrow (v. 7b). 1. The Weeping World. 2. The Wishing Witness

II. Believe His Capabilities (Rev. 1:8).

Remember Who He Is!

A. How The Master Desires to Be Known (v. 8a).

1. He Is Self-existent

Revelation 1:8 KJV 1900

I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty.

The vast majority of the 48 occurrences of this expression are voiced by the Lord, Who said, “I am the God of Abraham” (Mt. 22:32), “I am the door” (Jn. 10:7), “I am the good shepherd” (Jn. 10:11), “I AM the true vine” (Jn. 15:1), etc.... [Thomas M. Strouse, To the Seven Churches: A Commentary on the Apocalypse of Jesus Christ, Selected Works of Dr. Thomas M. Strouse (Bible Baptist Theological Press, 40 Country Squire Rd., Cromwell, CT 06461, 2013).]

2. He Is All-Encompassing

Revelation 1:8 KJV 1900

I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty.

Alpha and Omega, being the first and the last in the alphabet, may stand for the whole; and it seems to be a proverbial expression taken from the Jews, who use the phrase, from Aleph to Tau, for the whole of any thing, which two letters in the Hebrew alphabet stand in the same place as these; [John Gill, An Exposition of the New Testament, vol. 3, The Baptist Commentary Series (London: Mathews and Leigh, 1809), 686.]

Note the contrast between the TR and the CT:

Thru the Bible with J. Vernon McGee Greetings from John, the Writer, and from Christ in HeavenHere in the original Greek the Omega is not spelled out as is the Alpha. Why? Because Christ is the beginning, and the beginning is already completed. But the end is yet to be; so He didn’t spell out the Omega in this instance. One day He will complete God’s program. This is a very interesting detail in the Greek text.

“Ἐγώ εἰμι τὸ Α καὶ τὸ Ω, ἀρχὴ καὶ τέλος, λέγει ὁ Κύριος, ὁ ὢν καὶ ὁ ἦν καὶ ὁ ἐρχόμενος, ὁ παντοκράτωρ.” (Revelation 1:8, Scrivener 1881)

“Ἐγώ εἰμι τὸ ἄλφα καὶ τὸ ὦ, λέγει κύριος ὁ θεός, ὁ ὢν καὶ ὁ ἦν καὶ ὁ ἐρχόμενος, ὁ παντοκράτωρ.” (Revelation 1:8, NA28)

Note although he is right in his ultimate conclusions concerning the fulness of Jesus Christ, we must stress our disagreement with McGee's philosophy of "studying" from the Critical Text while preaching and teaching from the "Authorized" or "King James Version."

Note - the CT also omits "the beginning and the ending."

...the beginning and the ending; the Alexandrian copy, the Complutensian edition, the Syriac and Ethiopic versions, leave out this; which seems to be explanative of the former clause, Alpha being the beginning of the alphabet, and Omega the ending of it; and properly belongs to Christ, who knows no beginning, nor will he have any end with respect to time, being from everlasting to everlasting; and agrees with him as the first cause of all things, both of the old and new creation, and the last end to which they are all referred, being made for his pleasure, honour, and glory: [John Gill, An Exposition of the New Testament, vol. 3, The Baptist Commentary Series (London: Mathews and Leigh, 1809), 687.]

Note John Phillips thought-provoking words:

The Lord Jesus is God’s alphabet. The alphabet is an ingenious way of storing the accumulated wisdom of the race. Our literature is composed of various letters of the alphabet arranged in an endless variety of ways. Jesus is the Alpha and the Omega, the first letter and the last, the first and final source of knowledge, understanding, and wisdom. His decrees will be based on omniscience. He cannot be deceived, disputed, discredited, or disconcerted. He could not be when He came the first time to redeem; He cannot be when He comes the second time to reign. [John Phillips, Exploring Revelation: An Expository Commentary, The John Phillips Commentary Series (Kregel; WORDsearch Corp., 2009), Re 1:8.]

Note what this applies through the comparing of spiritual things with spiritual:

Jesus Christ is the beginning and the ending of all there is. He began all things and He shall end all things. All things find their purpose, meaning, and significance in Him. Man, the world, history—no matter how chaotic and disjointed life may seem—all things are under the control of Jesus Christ.

Thought 1. The exhortation is clear: we must put our trust in Jesus Christ and cast our lives upon Him. When we do, we receive the great gift of God spoken about in verse four. We receive the grace of God’s care and provision and the great gift of peace, and we become safe and secure for eternity.

“And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father’s hand” (Jn. 10:28–29).

“Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you, Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid” (Jn. 14:27).

“These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world” (Jn. 16:33).

“But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;) and hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus; that in the ages to come he might show the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus” (Ep. 2:4–7).

[Leadership Ministries Worldwide, Revelation, The Preacher’s Outline & Sermon Bible (Chattanooga, TN: Leadership Ministries Worldwide, 1996), 17.]

B. How The Master Is Described By John (v. 8b).

Note Walvoord's compelling summary of the opening 8 verses of Revelation:

Jesus Christ is the central figure of the opening eight verses of Revelation. As the Source of revelation He is presented in verse 1. As the Channel of the word and testimony of God He is cited in verse 2. His blessings through His revealed word are promised in verse 3. In verse 5 He is the faithful Witness, the Firstborn of the dead, and the Ruler of the kings of the earth. He is revealed to be the source of all grace who loves us and cleanses us from our sins through His shed blood. He is the source of our royal priesthood who has the right to gather in Himself all glory and dominion forever. He is promised to come with clouds, attended with great display of power and glory, and every eye shall see the One who died for men. He is the Almighty One of eternity past and eternity future. If no more had been written than that contained in this introductory portion of chapter 1, it would have constituted a tremendous restatement of the person and work of Christ such as found in no comparable section of Scripture. [John F. Walvoord, The Revelation of Jesus Christ (Galaxie Software, 2008), 40.]

1. He Is Eternally Unchanging

Revelation 1:8 KJV 1900

I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty.

Note the doctrinal emphasis of these verses from that great Baptist theologian of days gone by:

which is, and which was, and which is to come; who is God over all, was God from all eternity, and is to come as such; which he will shew by his omniscience and omnipotence, displayed in the judgment of the world: who is now a Saviour of all that come to God by him; was so under the Old-Testament dispensation, being the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world; and is to come, as such, and shall appear a second time unto salvation to them that look for him: particularly this phrase is expressive of the eternity of Christ, who is, was, and ever will be; and of his immutability, who is the same he was, and will be for ever the same he is, and was, unchangeable in his person, in his love, and in the virtue of his blood, righteousness, and sacrifice; he is the same to-day, yesterday, and for ever. This same phrase is used of God the father in ver. 4 and is a further proof of the deity of Christ; and which is still more confirmed by the following character, The Almighty; as he appears to be, by creating all things but of nothing; by upholding all creatures in their beings; by the miracles he wrought on earth; by the resurrection of himself from the dead; by obtaining eternal redemption for his people; and by his having the care and government of them upon him, whom he keeps, upholds, bears, and carries to the end, through all their infirmities, afflictions, temptations, and trials. [John Gill, An Exposition of the New Testament, vol. 3, The Baptist Commentary Series (London: Mathews and Leigh, 1809), 687.]

Note the connection of the title "which is to come" with the promised Messiah of the OT:

“The coming one” (ὁ ἐρχόμενος [ho erchomenos]) is Christ’s “great name in Old Testament prophecy” (cf. Matt. 11:3) (Lenski). [Robert L. Thomas, Revelation 1-7: An Exegetical Commentary (Chicago: Moody Publishers, 1992), 76.]

John the Baptist, “Now when John had heard in the prison the works of Christ, he sent two of his disciples, And said unto him, Art thou he that should come, or do we look for another?” (Matt. 11:2–3; cf. Luke 7:19–20; John 3:31; 6:14; 11:27). Erchomai is used nine times in Revelation to refer to Jesus Christ; seven times by our Lord in reference to Himself. Thus, the theme of the book of Revelation is the coming One, the Lord Jesus Christ. Despite the scoffers who deny the Second Coming (2 Pet. 3:3–4), the Bible repeatedly affirms that Jesus will return. That truth appears in more than five hundred verses throughout the Bible. It has been estimated that one out of every twenty-five verses in the New Testament refers to the Second Coming. Jesus repeatedly spoke of His return (e.g., Matt. 16:27; 24–25; 26:64; Mark 8:38; Luke 9:26) and warned believers to be ready for it (e.g., Matt. 24:42, 44; 25:13; Luke 12:40; 21:34–36). The return of the Lord Jesus Christ to this earth is thus a central theme in Scripture. [John F. MacArthur Jr., Revelation 1–11, MacArthur New Testament Commentary (Chicago: Moody Press, 1999), 28.]

2. He Is All-Powerful

Revelation 1:8 KJV 1900

I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty.

The Greek word for “Almighty” is pantokratōr, “the all-powerful One.” It is used 10 times in the New Testament, 9 of them in Revelation (2 Cor. 6:18; Rev. 1:8; 4:8; 11:17; 15:3; 16:7, 14; 19:6, 15; 21:22). [John F. Walvoord, “Revelation,” in The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures, ed. J. F. Walvoord and R. B. Zuck, vol. 2 (Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1985), 929.]

“And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.” (2 Corinthians 6:18, KJV 1900)

“Saying, I am Alpha and Omega, the first and the last: and, What thou seest, write in a book, and send it unto the seven churches which are in Asia; unto Ephesus, and unto Smyrna, and unto Pergamos, and unto Thyatira, and unto Sardis, and unto Philadelphia, and unto Laodicea.” (Revelation 1:11, KJV 1900)

“And the four beasts had each of them six wings about him; and they were full of eyes within: and they rest not day and night, saying, Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, which was, and is, and is to come.” (Revelation 4:8, KJV 1900)

“Saying, We give thee thanks, O Lord God Almighty, which art, and wast, and art to come; because thou hast taken to thee thy great power, and hast reigned.” (Revelation 11:17, KJV 1900)

“And they sing the song of Moses the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying, Great and marvellous are thy works, Lord God Almighty; just and true are thy ways, thou King of saints.” (Revelation 15:3, KJV 1900)

“And I heard another out of the altar say, Even so, Lord God Almighty, true and righteous are thy judgments.” (Revelation 16:7, KJV 1900)

“For they are the spirits of devils, working miracles, which go forth unto the kings of the earth and of the whole world, to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty.” (Revelation 16:14, KJV 1900)

“And I heard as it were the voice of a great multitude, and as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of mighty thunderings, saying, Alleluia: for the Lord God omnipotent reigneth.” (Revelation 19:6, KJV 1900)

“And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God.” (Revelation 19:15, KJV 1900)

“And I saw no temple therein: for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the temple of it.” (Revelation 21:22, KJV 1900)

Note - The Almighty is the same as the Lord of Hosts, or Lord Sabbaoth, the Lord of Armies of the OT:

Almighty—Hebrew, “Shaddai,” and “Jehovah Sabaoth,” that is, “of hosts”; commanding all the hosts or powers in heaven and earth, so able to overcome all His Church’s foes. It occurs often in Revelation, but nowhere else in the New Testament save 2 Co 6:18, a quotation from Isaiah. [Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset, and David Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible, vol. 2 (Oak Harbor, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc., 1997), 552.]

Note the late Dr. Phillips' description of the primalegomena (first use) of this title for the Lord of hosts:

The first time the title occurs in the Bible is in 1 Samuel 1:3. Elkanah, we are told, “went up out of his city yearly to worship and to sacrifice unto the Lord of hosts in Shiloh.” The judges have come and gone, and failure is everywhere. But the Lord has not failed! He is “Jehovah of hosts, the Almighty.” Come back to the Apocalypse. Again there is failure everywhere. The church has failed and, apart from a raptured remnant, has become completely apostate. The nations have failed and have fallen for the blandishments of the Beast. Israel has failed. But God has not failed, for Jesus is coming again. “All power is given unto me,” He said as He prepared to leave the earth for heaven. The claim was not rhetorical; it was true! His triumph will be eventual, but it will also be everlasting. [John Phillips, Exploring Revelation: An Expository Commentary, The John Phillips Commentary Series (Kregel; WORDsearch Corp., 2009), Re 1:8.]

Application of His Attribute of Omnipotence (note the Latin Vulgate word here for Almighty is omnipotens):

Jesus Christ is the Almighty (pantokrator). The word means the All-Controller, the All-Ruler. He is the One who controls all things and rules over all things in the whole universe. This means that Jesus Christ possesses all power: He is omnipotent, able to do anything. He controls everything: the universe and every being within the universe. He controls the atoms, protons, neutrons, and electrons of space and matter. He even controls every circumstance, event, and happening throughout the universe.

Thought 1. Jesus Christ is the Almighty. This means a most wonderful thing: no matter what a person goes through, if he belongs to Jesus Christ, all things will be worked out for his good. Jesus Christ will control the circumstances and twist them to the good of the believer. Nothing can snatch the believer out from under the control of Jesus Christ.

“And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose” (Ro. 8:28).

“For I am persuaded, that neither death nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Ro. 8:38–39).

“Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature: for by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him: and he is before all things, and by him all things consist” (Col. 1:15–17).

“God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds; who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high” (He. 1:1–3).

[Leadership Ministries Worldwide, Revelation, The Preacher’s Outline & Sermon Bible (Chattanooga, TN: Leadership Ministries Worldwide, 1996), 17–18.]

Note Dr. Gill summarizes Christ's deity:

The Almighty; as he appears to be, by creating all things but of nothing; by upholding all creatures in their beings; by the miracles he wrought on earth; by the resurrection of himself from the dead; by obtaining eternal redemption for his people; and by his having the care and government of them upon him, whom he keeps, upholds, bears, and carries to the end, through all their infirmities, afflictions, temptations, and trials. [John Gill, An Exposition of the New Testament, vol. 3, The Baptist Commentary Series (London: Mathews and Leigh, 1809), 687.]

Conclusion:

Illustration Applied: Remember that child who was waiting for big brother to come home and fix that thing he had broken? We as God's children can take comfort in the thought that our Brother, who has called us His friends, and has laid down His life for us, and taken it again, ascended into heaven, will be able to fix this old broken world when He comes back as He promised.

One of the most stirring pages in English history tells of the conquests and crusades of Richard I, the Lionhearted. While Richard was away trouncing Saladin, his kingdom fell on bad times. His sly and graceless brother, John, usurped all the prerogatives of the king and misruled the realm. The people of England suffered, longing for the return of the king, and praying that it might be soon. Then one day Richard came. He landed in England and marched straight for his throne. Around that glittering coming, many tales are told, woven into the legends of England. (One of them is the story of Robin Hood). John’s castles tumbled like ninepins. Great Richard laid claim to his throne, and none dared stand in his path. The people shouted their delight. They rang peal after peal on the bells. The Lion was back! Long live the king! One day a King greater than Richard will lay claim to a realm greater than England. Those who have abused the earth in His absence, seized His domains, and mismanaged His world will all be swept aside. [John Phillips, Exploring Revelation: An Expository Commentary, The John Phillips Commentary Series (Kregel; WORDsearch Corp., 2009), Re 1:7.]