“Behold I am coming quickly! Hold fast what you have, that no one take your crown.” Revelation 3:11
What does it mean to be ready for Christ’s return? For the born-again believer in Christ it means several things, which when combined together, reveals to us what we are to be doing, and how we are to be living, and what attitude of mind and heart is to characterize us. However, for all these things, there must be a true and right vision of Christ, as He is revealed in the Scriptures. For this, we come to the book of Revelation.
The Book of Revelation was not given to John the Apostle principally for the world, but for the church of Christ, and specifically for every individual body of believers. In the first verse of this book is unveiled to the church the central theme of the book, and message. It is the REVELATION of Jesus Christ, not as He appears on earth in Bethlehem, Jerusalem, and on a cross, but at the right hand of the Father, glorified and exalted. The call of God throughout this book is to BEHOLD Him, hear Him, and obey Him in faith. We are told in the first chapter, “Behold, He is coming with the clouds, and every eye shall see Him…” (v.7) Even those who crucified will somehow see Him, as well as all from the far corners of the earth, and all the tribes of the earth. This is not only remarkable, and overwhelmingly incomprehensible to begin to take in, but certainly is given to us to raise our thoughts to behold Christ in His power and glory. Only God could ever conceive of such an event, and only God can accomplish it by His sovereign power.
In beholding Christ at His coming, what is seen? There is in His coming that which causes mankind to remember Christ’s wounds, and that act by sinful men who put Him to death on the cross. Such a vision will cause remarkable sorrow in the hearts of those who did this, but also, in the hearts of those who have not believed. But there is more to the vision of Him coming, for Christ declares: “I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End, who is and who was, and who is to come, the Almighty.” (1.:8) Here is revealed the Almighty, Eternal, Unchanging, Sovereign God. Christ comes as Creator and the Redeemer of men, nothing less than Him being everything. Nothing would have its existence without Christ, and there would be no salvation from sin and Satan were it not for Christ. He alone possesses the power and the authority to make alive, and to take life, for He is God. In the book of Revelation, Christ specifically speaks of the attributes of Him being the Alpha and Omega, the First and the Last, when He addresses the seven churches. In fact, He will instruct John the Apostle to write what he sees in a book, this book of Revelation, to be sent to the seven churches. God’s purpose in giving the revelation of the glorified, exalted, and Almighty Christ, is to create in the hearts of all believers, in the seven churches, as well as churches that have existed until this very day, the expectation that He is coming again, but this time as Almighty God, who “…lives, and was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore. Amen. And I have the keys of Hades and of Death.” (v.18) Here is the eternal Christ, revealing to His church, His body in every location, that He is God, having conquered death, and because of this has received from the Father, all power and authority in heaven and earth. This is the one who is coming.
Christ speaks of seven angels, His messengers to the churches. He also speaks of His churches as being lampstands. Their purpose is to be the instruments of spreading His light to the world. This can only be done if communion with Christ is primary in the life.
Dear Father, Strengthen us to be ready. In Jesus’ name, Amen.