First Begotten of the Dead.

First Begotten of the Dead-- (Remember we are blessed who read, who understand, who keep- so let us dive into the heart of scripture with prayer to comprehend the deep things of God.)

 

We cannot overlook the messages in the beginning of this book of Revelation. It would be so easy to gloss over the greeting as if it is standard and of no real need for further comprehension. We need to rethink this because we are called to comprehend, not just read.

 

Rev 1:4  John to the seven churches which are in Asia: Grace be unto you, and peace, from him which is, and which was, and which is to come; AND from the seven Spirits which are before his throne; 

Rev 1:5  AND from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood, 

 

Reading the two verses together it is clear that the three Gods are being named here-

 

God - the Father- Is, Was, Is to Come.

God - Holy Spirit - Complete Spirit, Whole Spirit, Perfect Spirit.

Jesus Christ - Faithful Witness, First Begotten of the Dead, Prince of the kings of earth.

 

God the Father-

 

Vs. 4 'him which is, and which was, and which is to come'

 

Rev 1:8  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. 

 

Rev 11:17  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. 

 

Gen 17:1  And when Abram was ninety years old and nine, the LORD appeared to Abram, and said unto him, I am the Almighty God; walk before me, and be thou perfect. 

 

Rev.1:5-

 

Jesus Christ -

Faithful witness.

First begotten of the dead.

Prince of the kings of the earth.

Loved us.

Washed us from our sins with his blood.

 

Now let us delve deeper.

 

First begotten of the dead-

 

Jesus being the first begotten of the dead is mentioned two times in the New Testament- Col. 1:18 and Rev. 1:5. Jesus was not the first to be resurrected from the dead- He raised Lazarus from death. If you read the verse in Col. 1:18 it is made clearer what is meant by Jesus being the first begotten of the dead.

 

Col 1:17  And he is before all things, and by him all things consist. 

Col 1:18  And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence. 

Col 1:19  For it pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell; 

Col 1:20  And, having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself; by him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven. 

 

Jesus - before all things.

Jesus- by Him all things consist.

Jesus- head of the body.

Jesus- the head of the church.

Jesus- the beginning.

Jesus- the firstborn from the dead.

 

Jesus- In ALL things He might have PREEMINENCE.

 

Preeminence (def) - the fact of surpassing all others; superiority.

 

Jesus in FACT does surpass all who were raised from the dead. It was because of Jesus being made our Savior before the worlds were-

 

1Pe 1:18  Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; 

1Pe 1:19  But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot: 

1Pe 1:20  Who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you, 

1Pe 1:21  Who by him do believe in God, that raised him up from the dead, and gave him glory; that your faith and hope might be in God. 

 

-that any were able to be raised from the dead at all. If Jesus had not been begotten as the Son before the foundation of the world, we would not have had any hope at all. He was the surety of humanity should we fail to fulfil our intended position. He alone made death temporary to eternity through Himself. All who were raised from the dead were raised from the dead by the One who would die for all- by the One who would die for them. His death surpassed all deaths, His resurrection surpassed all resurrections by making them all possible.

 

Act 26:23  That Christ should suffer, and that he should be the first that should rise from the dead, and should shew light unto the people, and to the Gentiles. 

 

1Co 15:20  But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept. 

1Co 15:21  For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead. 

1Co 15:22  For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive. 

 

This is truth! And we need to comprehend truth!

 

More on ALL of this tomorrow by the GRACE of GOD. By HIS WILL!