Rev 4

The Apostle, The Churches, and the Trinity
Rev 1:4-6


1. The Apostle and the Churches—(Rev 1:4) "John, to the seven churches which are in Asia…”

a. First, and this is vital—this passage, indeed this book, is initially a message to seven actual local churches which were alive and functioning in John’s day

b. The “seven periods of church history” myth.

(1) No Biblical basis

(2) No standardized way of looking at this, assigning dates, etc.

(3) So what were these churches? They were churches, real, local, churches, all located on a common mail route.

c. General comments about the churches

(1) These were city churches: Ephesus itself probably had 250,000-400,000 citizens

(2) Of the seven churches, only 2 (28%) were fully functioning and getting the job done.

(a) Ephesus was loveless

(b) Pergamos and Thyatira were corrupt

(c) Sardis was dead

(d) Laodicea was sickening in its self-satisfied complacency

(e) And we will say much more about them as we get to each church.


2. The Trinitarian Greeting—“…Grace to you and peace from Him who is and who was and who is to come, and from the seven Spirits who are before His throne, 5 and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler over the kings of the earth.

a. Apostolic greetings

(1) They are pretty standard

(2) Two large exceptions—Romans and Galatians

(a) Romans was a friendly extension—since Paul knew he was going to write doctrinal and theological paper, not a standard letter, he laid his basis for faith out in seven rich verses

(b) Galatians was a stinging rebuke of heresy in Galatia, and Paul threw down the gauntlet right off the bat.

b. The universal elements—“…Grace to you and Peace…”

(1) Grace—the basis for our salvation, and there is nothing we can do to earn the least little bit of credit for it.

(2) Peace—peace with God (Rom 5:1) and the peace of God, Phil 4:4-7

c. The Trinity is also mentioned in other introductions—

(1) (Rom 1:1-7) "… gospel of God 2 which … 3 concerning His Son Jesus Christ our Lord, … 4 declared to be the Son of God with power according to the Spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead…”

(2) (1 Cor 1:1-3) "…3 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ."

(3) (2 Cor 1:2) "…2 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ."

(4) (Phil 1:1-2) "…2 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

(5) (Col 1:1-8) "… Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. … your love in the Spirit."

(6) (1 Th 1:1-3) "…Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. …6 "And you became followers of us and of the Lord, having received the word in much affliction, with joy of the Holy Spirit,"

(7) (2 Th 1:1-2) "Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy, To the church of the Thessalonians in God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ: 2 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ."

d. The Trinity in Rev 1:4

(1) The Eternal Father—“… from Him who is and who was and who is to come…”

(2) The Spirit—“…from the seven Spirits who are before His throne…”

(3) The Son’s titles in this verse—“…Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler over the kings of the earth…”

(a) Faithful witness

(b) Firstborn from the dead

(c) Ruler over the Kings of the Earth



3. Jesus Is The Faithful Witness—(Rev 1:5) "and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler over the kings of the earth. …”

a. Faithful witness—see also 3:14—(Rev 3:14) ""And to the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write, 'These things says the Amen, the Faithful and True Witness, the Beginning of the creation of God:"

b. A faithful witness is one who universally gives reliable testimony, regardless of any other factor but Truth—

(1) (John 18:37) "Pilate therefore said to Him, "Are You a king then?" Jesus answered, "You say rightly that I am a king. For this cause I was born, and for this cause I have come into the world, that I should bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth hears My voice.""

(2) (1 Tim 6:12-13) "Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, to which you were also called and have confessed the good confession in the presence of many witnesses. 13 I urge you in the sight of God who gives life to all things, and before Christ Jesus who witnessed the good confession before Pontius Pilate,"

4. Jesus Is the Firstborn from the dead—

a. He is here called “prototokos”, a term more fully explained in Colossians 1:15

(1) The cults use this to teach that Jesus Christ was a created being and not fully God

(2) Such groups as the Jehovah’s Witnesses use this verse for that purpose, saying that this verse shows that Jesus was the first being created by the Father. Does it mean that? Can it mean that?

b. What does this word “firstborn” mean?

(1) First, using our dictionary method

(Luke 2:7) "And she brought forth her firstborn Son, and wrapped Him in swaddling cloths, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn."

(Rom 8:29) "For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren."

(Col 1:15) "He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation."

(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 may have the preeminence."

(Heb 1:6) "But when He again brings the firstborn into the world, He says: "Let all the angels of God worship Him.""

(Heb 12:23) "to the general assembly and church of the firstborn who are registered in heaven, to God the Judge of all, to the spirits of just men made perfect,"

(Rev 1:5) "and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler over the kings of the earth. To Him who loved us and washed us from our sins in His own blood,"

(2) Second, in comparing scripture with scripture, we find it does not mean that Jesus was created—it cannot mean that—

(a) Because of John 1:1-2, which plainly teaches that The Word, the Son of God, is co-eternal with the Father—(John 1:1-2) "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was in the beginning with God….”

(a) because of John 1:3, Heb 1:1-3, and the verses that follow this one, which plainly show that the Son has made, in the wonderful words of John 1:3, all that has been made—“… All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made."


(i) Jesus is the uncreated creator, so “firstborn” cannot mean that he has been created.

(b) From John MacArthur—

(i) Although prototokos can mean firstborn chronologically (Luke 2:7), it refers primarily to position, or rank. In both Greek and Jewish culture, the firstborn was the son who had the right of inheritance. He was not necessarily the first one born. Although Esau was born first chronologically, it was Jacob who was the “firstborn” and received the inheritance. Jesus is the One with the right to the inheritance of all creation (Heb 1:2, Rev 5:1-7, 13).

(ii) Israel was called God’s firstborn in Exodus 4:22 and Jermiah 31:9. Though not the first people born, they held first place in God’s sight among all nations…

(c) Jesus was the firstborn among the brethren, even though His human birth was thousands of years after the father of the faithful, Abraham—Rom 8:29 "For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren."

(d) He is the firstborn from the dead—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 may have the preeminence."

(e) And, if God had wanted to call Jesus the “first created,” there is a perfectly good Greek word for that.

(3) “…over all creation…” (Col 1:15)

(a) Here is a key—Jesus’ status as the Firstborn is about His dominion over all the universe. Some translations say “of” all creation, but the Greek should be rendered “over” all creation.

(b) In Mat 8, He is Lord over the storm, disease, and demonic oppression

(4) In John 2, He is Lord over natural forces when He turns the water into wine.

(5) In John 6, He is Lord over all natural processes when He creates enough food to feed five thousand.

(6) In John 11, He is Lord over the grave

(7) In His own resurrection, He shows Himself to be the true master over the Grave

(8) In Phil 2:9-11, we see that one day, every knee will bow to Him.

(9) The very confession that must be made to be saved is to recognize Him as Lord of All (Rom 10:9).

(10) Rev 19:16 "And He has on His robe and on His thigh a name written: KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS."

5. Jesus is Ruler over the Kings of the Earth

a. Satan is referred to as the King of Tyre, distinct from the Prince of Tyre, who is a mortal ruler—

(Ezek 28:1-2) "The word of the LORD came to me again, saying, 2 "Son of man, say to the prince of Tyre, 'Thus says the Lord GOD: "Because your heart is lifted up, And you say, 'I am a god, I sit in the seat of gods, In the midst of the seas,' Yet you are a man, and not a god, Though you set your heart as the heart of a god"

(Ezek 28:12-13) ""Son of man, take up a lamentation for the king of Tyre, and say to him, 'Thus says the Lord GOD: "You were the seal of perfection, Full of wisdom and perfect in beauty. 13 You were in Eden, the garden of God; Every precious stone was your covering: The sardius, topaz, and diamond, Beryl, onyx, and jasper, Sapphire, turquoise, and emerald with gold. The workmanship of your timbrels and pipes Was prepared for you on the day you were created."


b. There is a political relationship to be dealt with here—Satan is also “the prince of this world,” and according to Mat 4, he has a measure of authority over the kingdoms of this world.

(Mat 4:8-10) "Again, the devil took Him up on an exceedingly high mountain, and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory. 9 And he said to Him, "All these things I will give You if You will fall down and worship me." 10 Then Jesus said to him, "Away with you, Satan! For it is written, 'You shall worship the LORD your God, and Him only you shall serve.'""

(Eph 2:2) "in which you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience,"

(John 12:31) ""Now is the judgment of this world; now the ruler of this world will be cast out."

(John 14:30) ""I will no longer talk much with you, for the ruler of this world is coming, and he has nothing in Me."

(John 16:11) ""of judgment, because the ruler of this world is judged."


c. The “authority” Satan had was derived from his rebellion and God’s permission—it was never legal, and since the Cross and the empty tomb, Satan’s authority has been destroyed, pending the final consummation of all things

(Col 2:15) "Having disarmed principalities and powers, He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them in it."

(Rev 17:14) ""These will make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb will overcome them, for He is Lord of lords and King of kings; and those who are with Him are called, chosen, and faithful.""

“…6 and has made us kings and priests to His God and Father, to Him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen…”