Devotional: The Righteous Judge
“...Do not be afraid. I am the First and the Last. I am the Living One; I was dead, and now look, I am alive for ever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and Hades."
– Revelation 1:17-18
If you were to ask a non-Christian what they think about the type of person Jesus was, what do you think they would say? The worldly perception of Jesus is a peace-loving hippie who says, “Love one another” and “Do not judge.” They will deny that He was God in the flesh and say that He was just a good moral teacher. Honestly, if you were to ask an American Christian the same question, they might acknowledge Him as God and Savior, but many probably reduce Him to a passive “buddy” or friend in their lives. Do they only acknowledge His gentleness and lowliness without remembering His lordship and holiness?
Jesus is the Jewish Messiah. He was the promised Savior of the Israelites who fulfilled the prophecies foretold about Him written in the Old Testament. His sacrifice and resurrection provide redemption not just for the Israelites but for the whole world. At His first coming, He fulfilled the prophecy of being the suffering Servant. In Isaiah 53, He is described in this way: “He has no form or comeliness; And when we see Him, there is no beauty that we should desire Him. He is despised and rejected by men, a Man of sorrows and acquainted with grief…but He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement for our peace was upon Him, and by His stripes we are healed.”
In Revelation 1, however, we see Him as the glorious and glorified King! Verses 12-16 say, “Then I turned to see the voice that spoke with me. And having turned I saw seven golden lampstands, and in the midst of the seven lampstands One like the Son of Man, clothed with a garment down to the feet and girded about the chest with a golden band. His head and hair were white like wool, as white as snow, and His eyes like a flame of fire; His feet were like fine brass, as if refined in a furnace, and His voice as the sound of many waters; He had in His right hand seven stars, out of His mouth went a sharp two-edged sword, and His countenance was like the sun shining in its strength.”
This description of Him is unlike His earthly appearance. He is not described as the sacrificial Lamb anymore, but as the roaring Lion of Judah! It’s critical to have this two-fold perspective of Jesus’ character. He is the Almighty God, our Creator, the perfect Judge, and Lord of everything just as much as He is the humble Teacher and suffering Servant who came in human-form to carry the punishment of our sins.
What do the descriptions from Revelation 1 mean about Jesus?
“A golden band” symbolizes the judgment that’s coming. By wearing this sash, Jesus is dressed for His action of judgment. For example, a judge wears a robe when they enter court to signify their authority. Revelation 15:6 says, “Out of the temple came the seven angels with the seven plagues. They were dressed in clean, shining linen and wore golden sashes around their chests.”
“Hair white like wool and white as snow” symbolizes His eternal existence. It also symbolizes His wisdom (Prov. 20:29), and His perfection and purity. I also think the mention of wool is an interesting connection of Jesus as the sacrificial lamb (John 1:29).
“Eyes like fire” -- Fire typically symbolizes judgment (1 Corinthians 3:15). Jesus sees all and knows all. Hebrews 4:13 says, “And no creature is hidden from his sight, but all are naked and exposed to the eyes of him to whom we must give account.”
“Feet like brass” symbolizes the trials Jesus walked through on earth-- having walked through the “furnace” of trials. Brass also signifies strength, durability, and judgment. In the Old Testament, the altar for sacrifices was overlaid with brass. Jesus was the ultimate sacrifice and we worship at the altar of His feet!
“His voice like many waters” – Ezekiel 43:2 says “and I saw the glory of the God of Israel coming from the east. His voice was like the roar of rushing waters, and the land was radiant with his glory.” The sound of rushing water symbolizes the power of His Words. No excuse will be heard past His voice of truth. Additionally, the sound of many waters creates tranquility. Lastly, water symbolizes purification, which He will accomplish by purging out all evil.
“A sharp two edged sword” symbolizes that He is ready to take action. The original Greek word describes a long, sharp sword used for combat. Hebrews 4:12 also connects to this imagery: “For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.” Jesus is the Word and will judge based on the truth of His Word.
“The First and the Last” means that He has no beginning and no end. He is also reminding us that He will return. He won’t fail to keep His promise!
“The Living One; I was dead, and now look, I am alive for ever and ever!” Jesus is reminding us that He did, in fact, rise from the grave. (Read 1 Corinthians 15, which goes into much depth about why His resurrection is pivotal to our faith).
“And I hold the keys of death and Hades” Jesus conquered death. Sin and death have no dominion over us if we are in Christ!
How does this view of Jesus transform the way we live?
If we hold the singular perspective that Jesus is all-grace, all-mercy, and all-forgiving, we might face the temptation to dismiss the conviction of sin in our lives. But, what makes God all-gracious, all-merciful, and all-forgiving is the fact that He is all-perfect, all-holy, and all-just. Romans 2:4 tells us that His kindness leads us to repentance because we know that He is the Righteous Judge. We don’t deserve His mercy, yet He gives it to us freely. Grace and mercy mean nothing if it’s from someone who doesn’t simultaneously have some level of power over you. If we miss out on the side of the coin that is His holiness, we are more likely to “abuse” His grace for our selfish gain and dismissal of sin.
Having the dual perspective that Jesus is also all-perfect, all-holy, and all-just gives us peace when we face persecution, betrayal, or malice from others. Matthew 10:28 says, “And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. But rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.” Remembering Jesus’ holiness gives us the peace to trust that He will right every wrong done to us. His holiness also gives us the reverence to understand that He will right the wrongs we have done to others. 1 Corinthians 5:10 describes the day we will stand before Him: “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad.” It’s not our good or bad deeds that save us, but “The Lord will judge his people” for rewards or our lack thereof (Hebrews 10:30).
Lastly, the dual perspective of Jesus reminds us that He is returning. 1 Peter 1:3-4 says, “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you…” As Christians, that is the hope we hold onto! It’s easy to get into the rhythm of forgetting about our future hope. It’s easy to be narrow-sighted and only focus on our present, temporal life. This is how many Christians turn Jesus into the “co-pilot” of their lives or their genie in a bottle instead of their Lord who is returning for them.
Take a moment:
Which aspect of Jesus’ traits from Revelation 1 struck a chord with you the most? Why do you think it did?
Do you fail to recognize Jesus as the Righteous Judge and only view Him in the light of the Suffering Servant? How would your life be different by recognizing His power as the Righteous Judge?
Trusting that Jesus will return and judge evil with His perfect judgment is what it means to live by faith!
-Alina