In Revelation chapter 1 verse for John refers to God as the One who is and who was and who is to come, and in chapter 1 verse eight God refers to himself as the one who is who was and who is to come. In chapter 1 verse 17, after seeing the vision of Jesus, John fell down at his feet as if he were a dead man, and Jesus laid his hand upon him and told him to not be afraid. The words that Jesus spoke to John ,when he laid his hand upon him, to comfort him, are very interesting. To comfort John, Jesus said I am the first and the last. Again, God refers to himself as the one who is and who was and who is to come, and to comfort John, he said “do not be afraid; I am the first and last.” Now what does all this mean to us practically? I know those words have significant theological meanings, but I want us to look at them in a very practical, and personal way. The book of Revelation is full of a lot of amazing things, but definitely has a lot to say about spiritual warfare, conflict, and battles. In all of our lives, every day, we experience conflict and warfare in this fallen world. Probably everyone who’s reading this devotion this morning is going through some kind of battle in your own personal life. In what way do these words the Lord spoke about himself comfort all of us to not be afraid in the midst of the battle. Very simply, when God says that He is and was is to come, He is saying to each of us that all of the things you’ve gone through in the past I was there with you, and everything that you’re going to go through in the future I will be there with you, and everything that you’re going through now I am with you. He is saying to each of us that because I was with you, even the battle even in your failures, in the past, your history is My story causing all things work together for good, (Your history is HIS-story) and your present involves My presence, and your destiny, your future, is My destination. When Jesus encouraged John to not be afraid by laying hands on him and telling him He was the first and the last, He was saying, “before this battle your in began I was already here, and when it is all over I will still be here. I will be the one standing, when its all said and done. I Win. I always do. Just trust me, and follow me in this situation, and when it’s over you’ll be standing with me.
