Sunday, January 21, 2018

Answering Questions on "the First and the Last."


Question: Let's move along to Rev l:4 it speaks of the one who is, and who was and who is coming.  Now read verse 8.  I am the Alpha and the Omega says Jehovah God "the one who is and who was and who is coming the Almighty."  Now back up to verse 7 and it says he is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see him, and those who pierced him.
Who pierced the Almighty?  In verse 17,18 reads I am the first and the last, verse l8 and the living one, and I became dead.  So this is Jesus.  Could this explain the one "who was" in verse 8?  So let's get this straight Jehovah is the Alpha & Omega (I know you know what that means), and Jesus is the First and last in ver 17,18.
Who is speaking in Rev 22:14?
You know now that I'm thinking about it you have two of everything else you might as well have two first and last!!

Reply: Well, let us take a closer look at this.
In verse 4, we have John talking, until verse 7, which ends with "Amen."
Verse 7 refers to Jesus, and it ends with "Amen."
Verse 8 we have the Lord God talking, but then, in verse 9, it starts off with John talking again.
To confuse things even further, all this was sent via an angel. (Rev 1:1).
Jesus is "the first and the last" with reference to his death and resurrection."
All references to Jesus as being the "first and the last" have this limitation. Let us take a look?  "I am the first and the last, and the Living one; and I was dead" Rev 1:17,18 (Actually, one of the oldest manuscripts that we have (A) has the word "firstborn" here.
"These things saith the first and the last, who was dead, and lived [again]" Rev. 2:8
"Jesus Christ, [who is] the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead" Rev 1:5 See also Romans 14:9 and Col 1:18.

Question: Just a few more questions.  In verse 3 it reads, "But the throne of God (Jehovah), and of the lamb (Jesus) will be in the city and his slaves will render him sacred service.  Ver 4 and they will see his face.
Should this have read their throne, and see their faces?  According to previous passages both are coming (ver 12,13 & Jesus in ver 20)  According to Matt 25:31 the son of man arrives in his glory (Isaiah 42:9) and all the angels with him, then he will sit on his glorious throne.  Now back in Rev. 22:3 it reads, "the throne of God"
Do we now have two thrones?So back to Rev 22:3,4
Who is on the throne?  Now verse 4 and they will see his face, and his name (singular)  will be on their foreheads.  Well guess what?  Read Rev l4:l now you've got two names on one forehead!!!  Unless......they are the same God.

Reply: Rev 22:3 actually mentions THREE different parties, God, the Lamb, and the servants. When the name is mentioned, we can exclude the other 2. as it is definitely the Lord God that is the referent (see verse 5), which is a term (i.e. Lord God) never used of Christ (the Lamb) or his slaves (servants).
Do we have 2 thrones? Yes we do. Remember that the Jewish kings sat on Jehovah's throne (1 Chron 29:23) and that Jesus would be at God's right hand, "thus he is made second in authority to God himself." Footnote at Ps 110:1 NIV Study Bible
Jesus gets his glory from the Father (John 1:14), and we share in that glory (John 17:22), but are to acknowledge that "Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father." Everything eventually comes back to the Father.

Remember too that Jesus, God's agent, his hands the kingdom BACK to God the Father (1 Cor 15:24) so in this way, we can speak of both of them as coming.

Jesus, as agent, represents God in such a way that he hold a functional equality with him.

"The main point of the Jewish law of agency is expressed in the dictum, "A person's agent is regarded as the person himself. Therefore any act committed by a duly appointed agent is regarded as having been committed by the principle."
The Encyclopedia of the Jewish Religion, R.J.Z. Werblowski and Geoffrey Wigoder

Question? Why is it that the person of the holy spirit is never pictured in the visions of heaven?

Question: One last question
Did you know that Jesus and Jehovah have their own individual angel Rev 22:6,l6?

Reply: So does Satan (Rev 12:9) and Michael (Rev 12:7). Angel simply means "messenger."
Why does the person of the holy spirit not have any of his own individual angels?

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