17 When I saw Him, I fell at His feet like a dead man. And He placed His right hand on me, saying, “Do not be afraid; I am the first and the last,18 and the living One; and I was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore, and I have the keys of death and of Hades. (Revelation 1:17–18)
The last time John laid eyes on Jesus he ascended on the mountain top and disappeared into thin air. He’d been seen after he rose from the dead in the upper room to the disciples at least twice, personally to Peter, on the shore of the Sea of Galilee, on the road to Emmaus by two followers, and reportedly to as many as 500 people (1 Corinthians 15:6), but never like this.
We are tempted these days to put this description into AI for its artistic rendition, but the descriptive words used are sufficient enough to render a vivid depiction of the Savior in all His glory in our minds. We need this startling image to replace the soft pastels of him holding a child on his knee, or the many gruesome images of him hanging on the cross. He’s now wearing what is befitting the King of kings and Lord of lords.
If this is the stock photo of Jesus in our minds it might be easier for us to fear him in the right way. I would prefer such motivation to keep me constantly on my toes, or better, on my knees. But still, regardless the somewhat terrifying look, the Lord still reaches out to touch John with his right hand to give him reassurance and reinforce his marching orders. Asking for his touch is always in order.
Since what John wrote down became the last book in our Bible, this picture of Jesus becomes our last look at him until he returns. While we are staggered by his appearance and we’d certainly do as John did and fall at his feet “as a dead man,” this is our Lord and Savior. While we are scrawny little brothers facing the always menacing neighborhood bully Satan, from behind us steps out this Jesus as our scrapping big brother, with a hand on our shoulder, saying, “I’ll handle this.
It is also illuminating to ponder his self description, which is equally as stunning. He calls himself the “first and the last,” “the living One,” “alive forevermore,” and the holder of the “keys of death and of Hades.” Naturally, we tend to align with winners, and looks has a lot to do with it, but the Lord’s résumé is incomparable with that of anyone else ever. This is why he’s the “first and the last.”
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