PrayerBits for Saturday

PrayerBits

A bite sized devotional program
produced by the West Side Presbyterian Church

Saturday

Scripture lesson: Revelation 1:4b-8 Who is God, who is Jesus

Time to reflect: While I have this opportunity it needs to be said that the Book of Revelation is NOT a time table for the end of the world. It is a sermon of exhortation and encouragement to a persecuted and discouraged people. It is written in code (and we mostly know the code now) and uses vivid and dramatic imagery that is not to be taken (cannot actually be taken) literally. The “seven churches” translates to “every church,” the “seven spirits” is “the spirit of every church.” “Alpha and Omega” translates to “First and Last.” The point of this passage is to clearly state John of Patmos' basic theology, what he believes about God and Jesus.

Moving through the day: Unpack the passage, recognizing what John is saying about God and Jesus. Does his ideas make sense to you? Do you agree? Do you ever really think about God and Jesus in these terms?

Scripture:

Revelation 1:4b-8

4 John to the seven churches that are in Asia:

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, 5and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth.

To him who loves us and freed* us from our sins by his blood, 6and made* us to be a kingdom, priests serving* his God and Father, to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.
7Look! He is coming with the clouds;
   every eye will see him,
even those who pierced him;
   and on his account all the tribes of the earth will wail.
So it is to be. Amen.

8 ‘I am the Alpha and the Omega’, says the Lord God, who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.