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  5 and from Jesus Christ, the witness, the trustworthy one, the first to come back to life, and the ruler over the kings of the earth. Glory and power forever and ever belong to the one who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood
    and from Jesus Christ,
We saw the Father and the Holy Spirit in the previous verse.
     
  1. the witness, the trustworthy one,

    		2.
    Past - His earthly life of obedience as given in the gospels.
    Present - His witness to the condition of the churches both in chapters 2 and 3 and present day.
    Future - His finality when all things are consummated under His control.
    The world doesn't like His witness (John 7:7) because its the truth (John 18:37) in spite of religious or political leaders who crucified Him (1 Timothy 6:13).
     
     
  2. the FIRST to come back to LIFE,

    3. Christ was the first one to be raised from death and come back to LIFE...those of us who believe this have the same opportunity of resurrection - Revelation 7:13-14.

    "First to come back to LIFE" is John's way of saying "firstborn". Paul was fond of using "firstborn" in Romans 8:29, Colossians 1:15-18, and Hebrews 1:6. Christ conquered death in all its forms - creation, human, and even/especially spiritual.

    Rabbinic tradition also believes that Psalm 89:27 really refers to the Messiah even though it is written about David.
     
     

  3. and the RULER over the KINGS of the earth.

    4. This is a key theme of Revelation. It is used in Revelation 11:15, Revelation 17:14, and Revelation 19:16. Who are the kings of the earth? Perhaps:
    John is not clear which of the above he meant. Maybe all of them.

    At any rate, John is so overwhelmed by who Jesus is that he bursts out in PRAISE!!!

    Glory and power forever and ever belong to the one

       
    1. WHO LOVES US (present tense) Romans 8:37-39
    2. and has FREED us (past tense) Revelation 5:9 and Revelation 7:14 from our SINS by HIS BLOOD

      3. We, as believers, do/will overcome the devil because of the BLOOD of the Lamb (Revelation 12:11). The devil can NEVER undo that act of SALVATION that Christ did at Calvary and His subsequent resurrection!!
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