For Lord’s Day, January 13, 2013

Dear Saints,

In my devotional readings this week, a verse really stood out to me in light of our Wednesday study of Revelation 6:1-8, where Jesus opens the scroll’s first four seals and unleashes the four horsemen (Himself being the first and leading the way):

“Verily I say unto you, There be some standing here, which shall not taste of death, till they see the Son of man coming in his kingdom.”  (Matthew 16:28)

Matthew Henry’s Commentary explains this verse:  

“At the end of time, he shall come in his Father’s glory; but now, in the fulness of time, he was to come in his own kingdom, his mediatorial kingdom. Some little specimen was given of his glory a few days after this, in his transfiguration (ch. xvii. 1); then he tried his robes. But this points at Christ’s coming by the pouring out of his Spirit, the planting of the gospel church, the destruction of Jerusalem, and the taking away of the place and nation of the Jews, who were the most bitter enemies to Christianity. Here was the Son of man coming in his kingdom. Many then present lived to see it, particularly John, who lived till after the destruction of Jerusalem, and saw Christianity planted in the world. “

So while this verse took partial fulfillment in the Transfiguration, it continues more fully in these Last Days (Hebrews 1:2) until Judgment Day, a present reality which John saw more than any of the other disciples in his longer life and in The Revelation given to him.  As I read this text in Matthew, I couldn’t help but think of the Apostle John, not only for our study in Revelation 6, but because of the end of his Gospel account in the conversation between our Lord and the Apostle Peter:  

“Verily, verily, I say unto thee, When thou wast young, thou girdedst thyself, and walkedst whither thou wouldest: but when thou shalt be old, thou shalt stretch forth thy hands, and another shall gird thee, and carry thee whither thou wouldest not. This spake he, signifying by what death he should glorify God. And when he had spoken this, he saith unto him, Follow me. Then Peter, turning about, seeth the disciple whom Jesus loved following; which also leaned on his breast at supper, and said, Lord, which is he that betrayeth thee?  Peter seeing him saith to Jesus, Lord, and what shall this man do? Jesus saith unto him, If I will that he tarry till I come, what is that to thee? follow thou me.Then went this saying abroad among the brethren, that that disciple should not die: yet Jesus said not unto him, He shall not die; but, If I will that he tarry till I come, what is that to thee? This is the disciple which testifieth of these things, and wrote these things: and we know that his testimony is true.”  (John 21:18-24)

John speaks of himself and says we all know his testimony is true in the Gospel of John.  So is The Revelation of John about these Last Days entirely true:  “And I saw when the Lamb opened one of the seals, and I heard, as it were the noise of thunder, one of the four beasts saying, Come and see. And I saw, and behold a white horse: and he that sat on him had a bow; and a crown was given unto him: and he went forth conquering, and to conquer.” (Revelation 6:1-2 )

John shows us here again what is the theme of The Revelation of Jesus Christ and what Jesus was speaking of in Matthew 16:28: The Lion-Lamb is, at this moment between His first and second comings, advancing His kingdom throughout all corners of the earth.  It is a revelation to edify you who have eyes of faith to see that He not only will conquer, but He is presently conquering.

Remember from our Wednesday Night study of Revelation 6:1-8 that, “Your solace in life is not just, ‘Christ is on His throne’, but also, ‘Christ is on His horse’. Remember 1:7: ‘Behold, he cometh’. He comes now, and you are following Him, carrying His Gospel banner, with the Word in your hands, conquering and to conquer for Christ’s Crown and Covenant.  Remember to accept all things in life given to you by Christ as His way of you conquering the world for your King, and bow saying, “Worthy is the Lamb Who was Slain”. Be encouraged with John knowing that all your sacrifices are worth it, because they all contribute to this reality: Christ’s Kingdom Advances.”

Can you hear the advance of Christ and His horsemen mounted on their trusty steeds, galloping all around you?  Can you see all going on through the earth as dust rising from the feet of the white horse upon which King Jesus rides?  For Jesus is now riding forth, “Conquering and to conquer.”  Even as I write, and even as you read.

Semper Reformanda,

Pastor Grant