Jesus was the ruler of the kings of the earth

JESUS WAS THE RULER OF THE KINGS OF THE EARTH
EDITED BY GLENN PEASE
Revelation1:5 5and from Jesus Christ, who is the
faithful witness, the firstbornfrom the dead, and the
ruler of the kings of the earth. To him who loves us
and has freed us from our sins by his blood,
Jesus is “The Ruler of the Kings of the Earth”!
2
April 25, 2017 | By: Sam Storms
One of the three things said of Jesus in Revelation1:5 is that he is “the ruler
of the kings of the earth,” and that includes Assadof Syria and Kim Jong Un
of North Korea, and yes, he is the ruler of President DonaldTrump as well.
Solomonsaid it with the utmost clarity: “The king’s heart is a stream of water
in the hand of the Lord; he turns it whereverhe will” (Prov. 21:1). When
God’s purpose was to bring the people of Israelback to Jerusalemfrom their
time of exile in Babylon, how did he do it? He “stirred up the spirit” of the
pagan, unbelieving king of Persia, Cyrus, “so that he,” Cyrus, “made a
proclamation throughout all his kingdom and also put it in writing” (Ezra
1:1).
We see this incredibly wonderful and reassuring truth all through the
Revelation, but especiallyin chapter 17. There we read how God will make
use of the kings of the earth and even the leaders of the corrupt religious
system to accomplishhis purpose. We read in Revelation17:17, “forGod has

put it into their hearts,” that is, into the hearts of the ruling leaders of the
pagankingdoms of the earth, “to carry out his purpose by being of one mind
and handing over their royal powerto the beast, until the words of God are
fulfilled” (Rev. 17:17).
Today we hear and read and see on every hand the movements and decisions
and plans of earthly leaders in their efforts to expand their powerand gain
new territory. And people tremble in fear. Do not be afraid, Christian! Do not
be afraid. Everything they do, down to the most strategic plans formulated in
back rooms under the strictestof secrecy, is all in the hands of the risen Lord
Jesus Christ. They are unwittingly doing his will.
It often appears that the entire world reels with one blow after another. In
Egypt dozens of Christians are killed when ISIS detonates a bomb on Palm
Sunday. Bloodycivil wars continually erupt all around the globe. Racialstrife
plagues our owncountry. Threats againstIsraelby Iran and other Muslim
countries is a daily fixture. And drug cartels continue to supply a seemingly
endless flow of illegalnarcotics into our country. The world, by all external
appearances,appears horribly unstable and chaotic and out of control.
The churches in Asia Minor, to whom Revelationwas first written, were
facing their own fair share of persecutionand political turmoil. But John
speaks words ofunimaginable encouragementto them and to us today.
Jesus Christ is alive from the dead and seatedat the right hand of the Majesty
on high, reigning and ruling and exercising absolute sovereigntyover all the
kings of the earth, over all the events in the Middle Eastand throughout
Central and South America and even over the lunatic plans of North Korea
and China and Russia.
Jesus does not approve of their wickedways, but he irresistibly overrules the
sinful acts of evil rulers and makes their sin and their folly a part of his wise
plan for history. I cannotfathom how he does this. In the end, I must fall back
on the words of Paul in Romans 11:33, “Oh, the depth of the riches and
wisdom and knowledge ofGod! How unsearchable are his judgments and how
inscrutable his ways!”

As “the ruler of the kings on earth” he mysteriously governs and regulates
what all earthly kings and presidents do, sometimes restraining them from
doing evil, sometimes frustrating their plans, sometimes ordering events so
that they might serve his purposes. We can’t figure out how he does it, but do
it, he does!
Thus Paul declares in 1 Corinthians 15:25 that “he must reign until he has put
all his enemies under his feet.” So don’t just read the newspaperor scour the
internet. Readand reflectwith the eyes of faith and confidence in the
supremacy of Jesus Christ over all things.
…the prince of the kings of the earth….
— Revelation1:5
We live in an age when darkness is increasing all over the face of the earth.
But as we face this looming threat, we need to remember that Jesus Christ is
Lord over all. Nothing takes Him by surprise because He has known
everything that has and will ever occurbefore He even createdearth. The
rulers of the darkness of this world may think they are in charge, but
Revelation1:5 declares that Jesus Christ is “the prince of the kings of the
earth.” Therefore, He rules over all the affairs of mankind. We may not
always see His hand or understand His movements, but Christ is in charge
nonetheless.
This means that no matter what political party, president, or ruler holds
poweror what verdicts the courts mete out, Jesus Christ’s ultimate authority
over the kings of the earth remains uncontested. Others may command an
earthly sphere of influence for a limited time, but Christ’s rule supersedes and
outlasts them all.
Today I’d like for us to look at the apostle John’s description of Jesus as “the
prince of the kings of the earth” and see exactlywhat it tells us about our
Lord and Savioras He rules today! The word “prince” is the word archon, a

Greek word that denotes one who holds the highestand most exalted position.
That emphatically means Jesus is truly Lord overall.
*[If you started reading this from your email, begin reading here.]
Furthermore, the word “kings” is a form of the Greek wordbasileuo, which
means to rule or to reign. However, the form of the word used in Revelation
1:5 not only refers to human kings or rulers, but also to governments, which
tells us Jesus’poweris greaterthan any human government. Human
governments may think they are in control, but Jesus is exaltedfar above
them, and He calls the shots. In time, every opposing force will be eliminated,
and Jesus will remain high and lifted up!
It is significant that John used this terminology to depict Jesus in the
beginning of the book of Revelation. As he wrote these words in the latter
years of the First Century AD, early believers were suffering greatly at the
hands of evil rulers. So John reminded them — and us — from the onsetof his
messagethat Jesus holds the ultimate authority and commands the final say in
all matters. John boldly proclaimedthat Jesus is the most highly exaltedKing
and that He possesses supreme powerand authority — more than any ruler
or government that will ever exist in the earthly sphere.
Even in the darkesthours or the bleakestsituations, the efforts of evil will
always be thwarted by the prevailing powerof Jesus Christ. Nearly2,000
years of Church history have proven beyond a shadow of a doubt that
darkness doesn’thave the poweror authority to silence the voice of Jesus
Christ and His Church.
When Jesus appearedto John as the risen and exalted Christ, He imparted a
powerful message to believers in all ages — He is the King of kings! He holds
the highestseatof power; He possessesdominion over all; and His Kingdom
will never cease. Otherkings and governments will come and go, but Jesus’
Kingdom is everlasting and supersedes allothers. There is no better reasonto
proclaim “AMEN!”
MY PRAYER FOR TODAY

Father, I am so thankful that Jesus is Lord overall, and that includes my life!
Your Word is coming to pass at a rapid pace in these end times: Darknessis
increasing;morals are sliding; laws are changing for the worse;and societyis
rapidly degenerating. But seatedabove them all is Jesus — the King of the
kings of the earth. When all is said and done, rulers may have a temporary
say-so in the affairs of man, but Jesus ultimately rules over all. Help me not to
despair when I see evil prosper and to remember that Jesus has not lost His
grip on the situation. He really IS Lord over all!
I pray this in Jesus’name!
MY CONFESSIONFOR TODAY
I boldly confess that Jesus Christ is not only the King of kings, but the Prince
of all the kings of the earth (see Revelation19:16;1:5). There is no higher
poweror authority than Jesus Christ. His throne is exalted above all others.
Human powers come and go, but the Kingdom of Jesus Christ endures
forever. I declare that 2,000 years ofChurch history have proven that Jesus is
highly and forever exalted, and that He will have the ultimate say-so in the
affairs of mankind. I may not see how His hand is moving, but none is greater
than or equal to Him. Jesus Christ rules over all, and He is directing the
affairs of mankind to fulfill His divine purpose!
I declare this by faith in Jesus’name!
https://renner.org/jesus-christ-prince-of-the-kings-of-the-earth/
Revelation1:5-6 Jesus Christ, the Prince of the Kings of the Earth
Tagged:King Jesus, king of kings, Prince, Revelation1:5
brook

Keymaster
Revelation1:5-6 And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the
first begottenof the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him
that loved us, and washedus from our sins in his own blood; And hath made
us kings and priests unto God and his Father; to him be glory and dominion
forever and ever. Amen.
John informs us his letter is from “Jesus Christ.”
Three more appellations enforce the authority of the letter: As a faithful
witness, he not only speaks the truth, but will castthe first stone in judgement
(Deuteronomy 17:7);
“first begottenfrom the dead” means that He represents a new humanity of
resurrectedsouls in a harvest to come; and,
“prince of the kings of the earth” describe his authority over civil magistrates,
parliaments, and heads of state.
“As begottenof the dead,” refers to Christ’s triumph over the grave by virtue
of His death, burial, and resurrection. As victor over death, he is able to solve
our fundamental problem of death. He is the first in a whole harvest to come.
As wonderful as these truths are to the soul, we want to concentrate onwhat
the title “prince of the kings of earth” implies. America’s problems are not
economic;they are spiritual; that is, they are rootedin a deficient
understanding of Christ as King, and the apotheosis ofthe State as some kind
of god that has no accountability to the Lord Jesus Christ.
When problems arise politicians do not seek to align themselves under the
authority of King Jesus, ratherthey seekssolutions through more programs,
more taxation, and more regulations. The American politician thinks that if
there a problem, throw $$ at it.
AS PRINCE

John states that Jesus Christ is “the prince of the kings of the earth.” The use
of the definite article points out the identity of Christ in regardto the kings of
the earth: He is their “prince.” He is not a prince among other princes, but the
One and Only Prince.
The Greek wordtranslated “prince” (archon) refers to one who is a ruler,
lord, commander, or a chief governor. He is the Archon by virtue of his
resurrectionfrom the dead. The word indicates one who has authority to
govern others. The rootarch of the family of Greek words, of which archon is
a part, refers to that which has primacy, priority, whether in time or rank.
The word “prince” or “ruler” is, therefore, an excellent translation.
The English word prince comes from the Latin term princeps which means
first or chief, and the primary sense of “prince” is that of a monarch or king
or governor. Jesus Christ is the princeps of the kings and rulers of the earth.
AS KING
John uses the term “prince” (archon) which can be translated “chief,”
“ruler,” “king,” or “Supreme Ruler.” The term “prince” in Latin is princepts
which can be translated chief, leader, head, main, sovereign, greatest
authority, inspirer, director, head, emperor, king, foremost, main.
He is not one among many . . . for there is only one Lawgiver (Jam. 4:12) and
one MediatorbetweenGod and men (1 Timothy 2:5).
Jesus is the Ruler of the kings of the earth, the Potentate, the Chief Justice of
Heaven’s Supreme Court, the Chief Legislator, the Commander and Chief of
Heaven’s armies: For the LORD (Jesus)is our judge; the LORD (Jesus)is our
lawgiver;the LORD (Jesus)is our king; he will save us” (Isaiah33:22).
The criticalmessage ofRevelationis the Sovereigntyof Jesus!His reign is not
something in the future, but a present reality to believe and enjoy now.
Neither Satan, nor men, nor chance governthe affairs of men.
Jesus is the Referee overall the events of history. If we miss this truth, we
miss the main messageofthe book. And, it is our duty to proclaim the

sovereigntyof Christ and challenge civil rulers to acknowledgeHis authority
and surrender to His law-order.
(Note:There is Satanic resistance to this truth. In America, the doctrines of
“separationofchurch and state,” and “religionand politics don’t mix” are
enough to silence most Christians in political debate. The wayto overcome
this is to confront their hypocrisy. They sayone thing and practice another.
Every man is religious, and every law represents someone’s religious values.
The secularists use the doctrine of separationof church state to bar Christians
from asserting the authority of Christ so they can force their religious values
(like same-sexmarriage)down the throats of Americans. We must challenge
their hypocrisy and not permit them to hide behind the doctrine of separation
of church and state while they force their secularreligious values upon the
minds of men.)
OF KINGS OF THE EARTH
The genitival phrase, “of the kings of the earth,” defines His jurisdiction, the
kind of power and authority He has. He is the Ruler of rulers; the Princes of
princes; the Governorof governors!And, in the language of Revelation19:16,
He is the “King of kings!”
“of the kings” of the earth is translated“regum” in Latin which is a plural for
rex (king).
The term “king” signifies those who stand first in governing authority within
a country, those who are the highest ranking magistrate in their particular
nation. The words “of the earth” informs us the rulers of the world have a
duty to acknowledgeHis authority and seek to align their administration
under His authority. The kings under His rule are eachand every chief
magistrate in the world! And, if every chief magistrate is under His authority,
then all lessermagistrates are also under His authority. He claims absolute,
global, universal jurisdiction over every civil ruler (Psalm97:1). And, He is
more unyielding than an anvil.

He is not announcing Jesus’authority over the church here, though he has
authority over the church. John is not stating that Jesus is “his King,” or “my
king,” or the “king” of the church, though He is.
The persons responsible to subject themselves to Prince Jesus, are kings, civil
rulers, subordinates, and officers of the State, whether in the legislative,
judicial, or executive branches of government. Of such, Jesus Christ is Prince
— archon, ruler, lord, chief, the first in power, authority, and dominion.
Therefore, the statementthat Jesus Christ is “the prince of the kings of the
earth” is a powerful political title. It defines the authority of Christ in
reference to political rulers and the sphere of civil government. It designates
Christ as the supreme ruler of all magistrates and of all the nations of the
earth.
The Scripture gives to Jesus Christthe title of “head” in reference to His
absolute authority over the church (Ephesians 1:19-21). But, this is not the
declarationin this text. The church is not subjectto the kings of the earth nor
do the kings have jurisdiction over the church. The church has its ministry
(subject matter jurisdiction) of gospelproclamationunder Christ as Head of
the Church; and, the government has its ministry (subject matter jurisdiction)
of justice under Christ as Prince of the kings of the earth.
Jesus is over all civil rulers, and all civil rulers, even those in China and the
Congo, are expectedto order their affairs as accountable to Him. The church
can admonish kings, but it cannot command kings. Jesus commands kings.
Other texts in Holy Writ utilize the title of “Lord” in other texts to
communicate that He reigns over all men and aspects oflife (individuals,
family, church). But, this is not what John intended to communicate here. He
wants the original readers to understand that Jesus has authority over the
State;that He is the Ruler over all civil institutions and the persons who
govern them; that officers of the State must surrender to His authority and
conduct their administrations of justice under His command.
The issue, of course, is not whether Jesus is the King of kings, but will the
heads of state acknowledgeHim as such . . . and, herein lies the problem.
Statesmensee themselves as sovereign. . . as institutions with a secular

purpose rather than under a religious duty to submit to King Jesus. As the
church accepts Christas Head of the church, all civil rulers are expectedso
honor the Lord Jesus Christ as Head of State in their civil administrations
And, here is the rub. Churches acknowledge the Headship of Christ, but civil
magistrates do not and will not acknowledgeChristas Prince of the ruler of
the kings of the earth. They are in rebellion againstthe LORD and His
anointed as Psalm 2 so accuratelydescribes.
The New Testamenttitle of “prince” for Jesus Christ is announced in the
messianic prophecies ofthe Old Testament. Theystate that Christ will be a
King who will rule the kings of the earth and govern the nations: Psalm 2:1-
12; Psalm22:28;Psalm 89:27;Psalm 110:1-7;Isaiah2:4; Isaiah9:6-7; 33:22;
Jeremiah10:7; Daniel 7:13-14.
The New Testamentalso makes it clearthat Jesus was installedas King of the
nations at His ascensionto the right hand of God: Matthew 2:2; Matthew
21:5; Matthew 27:11; John 17:2; John 19:18-20;John 19:15;Acts 2:30-36;
Acts 4:12; Acts 17: 1-7;1 Timothy 6:15.
John’s words do not suggestthat at some future time Jesus will become the
“prince of the kings of the earth,” but that He is to be recognizedas such
NOW!
From the beginning the church has preached “that there is another king
(Rex), one Jesus”(Acts 17:7); that is, there is a King who is greaterthan
Caesar. This is the gospelthat turned the world upside down, and if the
church wants to do so again, it must preach Christ as King now and call civil
rulers to repent and submit to Him (Acts 17:6-7).
The goalof history is the defeat of His enemies (1 Corinthians 15:24-26);that
is, that all men would acknowledgeChristas Lord of the family, Lord of the
churches, and King of all nations. It is the duty of all nations to confess Christ
as their Ruler and King.
But, the issue is not whether He is King of kings, but will men acceptand
confess Him as such.

The gospelthat turned the world upside down and conquered Western
Civilization did not proclaim government as god, or Caesaras king, or the
Roman City State as the hope of the world.
There is no law without a king, and King Jesus has His law. The Westseeksto
practice the rule of law v. the king is law;however, there is no law without a
rex (See Exodus 20:1-3).
Becausethere’s only one King and one the law, we must work toward is the
law that comes from King Jesus. In this sense, Christians believe in THE
KING IS LAW or Rex Lex!! Once man recognizes One King, then we can
work toward Lex Rex. Selah.
DUX LUX REX LEX Cross. The rough Englishtranslation is “my King, my
Leader (Commander), my Light, and my Law” in reference, of course, to
Jesus Christ. Word order makes little difference in Latin.
Rex, Lex, Lux, Dux is Latin Christian meaning ”My King, My Law, My Light,
and my Commander: Jesus is Rex (King), Lex (Law) Lux (light), Dux
(Leader or Commander).
The gospelthat turned the world upside down taught “anotherRex, King
Jesus.”
The Apostolic Declarationthat launched the gospelfrom Jerusaleminto the
Mediterraneanworld acted on a commissionsealedby Lord’s signet ring
procured by His ascensionto heaven’s throne:
“We ought to obey Godrather than men” – Acts 5:29
HE MADE US KINGS AND PRIESTS
The blessing of being a saint is mentioned. Saints are chosen, cherished,
cleansed, and crowned.
As loved ones, saints are the objects of Divine affectionand favor. Christians
are loved not because they are lovable, but because it is God’s nature to love.
As cleansedones, saints are washedand purified from sin by virtue of the
death, burial, and resurrectionof Christ.

As crowned ones, saints are citizens of His kingdom (a kingdom: basileian,
singular) by virtue of their associationwith Christ who sits at the right hand
of the Father. The term “basilean” is translated“kings” in some versions, but
the better translation is “a kingdom” with the idea of rule contained therein—
not ruled, but reigning triumphant over all enemies (Barnes, 1975);not slaves,
but sovereigns sharing in the reign of the Sovereign(1 Corinthians 7:23).
As chosenones, saints are anointed as priests, to representmen to God. In
Israel’s temple there were four courts: The court of the Gentile, the court of
women, the court of the Jew, and the court of the priests. The Israelites were
not allowedto go into the court of priests. Due to the gospel, however, all
Christians are appointed to perform the duties of a priest excelling in their
influence upon history for good. The church does not have a priesthood, the
church is a priesthood: As a holy priesthood Christians offer up praises to
God; as a royal priesthoodthey proclaim His glories to men (1 Peter2:5-11).
He “made us kings and priests” is a reference from Exodus 19:6. This is the
first of many references wherebyJohn applies images of Israelto the church:
“The regaland sacerdotaldignities are the two highestthat can possibly exist
among men; and these two are here mentioned to show the glorious
prerogatives and of the children of God” (Clarke, 1831).
The church is a kingdom of royal priests. Thus, the church is the people
belonging to Christ, the true Israel of God. John perceives the church as
sharing regalauthority over the nations—notunder the authority of
governments, but under authority of Him who has authority overthe kings of
the earth (2:26; 3:21; 5:10; 20:6).
John attributes glory to Christ for his accomplishments. Gloryis fitting for
Him who stoopedso low, even to the death of the cross, to raise us so high as
to be calledpriests of God. John’s benediction includes increased“dominion”
(kratos = strength) or political power. Only an all wise, all loving, all
powerful, humble Savioris worthy of increaseddominion.
Enough of this nonsense that Christians must always obeythe government,
Christians ought to be calling their government to always obeyChrist!

BrookyStockton, BA, MSL, PHD
(Primary Source:Stockton, Standing Firm in ToughTimes, A Commentary
on Revelation)
https://nikeinsights.famguardian.org/forums/topic/revelation-15-6-jesus-
christ-the-prince-of-the-kings-of-the-earth/
ALBERT BARNES
And the prince of the kings of the earth - Who has over all the kings of the
earth the pre-eminence which kings have over their subjects. He is the Ruler
of rulers; King of kings. In Revelation17:14; Revelation19:16, the same
thought is expressedby saying that he is the “King of kings.” No language
could more sublimely denote his exalted character, orhis supremacy. Kings
and princes swaya scepteroverthe million of the earth, and the exaltationof
the Saviouris here expressedby supposing that all those kings and princes
constitute a community over which he is the head. The exaltation of the
Redeemeris elsewhereexpressedin different language, but the idea is one that
everywhere prevails in regard to him in the Scriptures. Compare Matthew
28:18;Matthew 11:27;John 17:2; Ephesians 1:20-22;Philemon 2:9-11;
Colossians 1:15-18. The word“prince” - ὁ ἄρχων ho archōn- means properly,
“ruler, leader, the first in rank.” We often apply the word “prince” to an heir
to a throne who is not invested with absolute sovereignty. The word here,
however, denotes that he actually exercisesdominion over the rulers of the
earth. As this is an authority which is claimed by God (compare Isaiah10:5 ff;
Isaiah45:1 ff; Psalm47:2; Psalm 99:1; Psalm103:9; Daniel4:34), and which
can only pertain to God, it is clearthat in ascribing this to the Lord Jesus it is
implied that he is possessedofdivine attributes. As much of the revelations of
this book pertained to the assertionof powerover the princes and rulers of
this world, there was a propriety that, in the commencement, it should be
assertedthat he who was to exert that powerwas invested with the
prerogative of a ruler of the nations, and that he had this right of control.

COFFMAN
The ruler of the kings of the earth ... Christ is here spokenof as the possessor
of all powerand authority, fully in keeping with the Saviour's words, "All
authority in heavenand upon earth has been given unto me" (Matthew
28:18). It should be noted that this authority belongs to Christ in the present
time and perpetually. He is not planning to start ruling at some future time;
he rules now! A greatdeal of the misunderstanding of this prophecy, as well
as of the whole New Testament, derives from a failure to take accountof this
tremendous truth. Many have difficulty believing that Christ rules now;
because, as they say, the world is in such a dreadful mess. However, the world
was in a dreadful condition in the days of Nebuchadnezzar, who had to eat
grass with the beasts ofthe field for seven years to learn that "The MostHigh
rules in the kingdom of men" (Daniel4:25). As for the reasonwhy God's rule
permits such atrocious wickednessonearth, it is clearenoughthat God
permits it because it is in keeping with his purpose. The reign of Christ now in
this present time will be more extensivelytreated under the "thousand years"
interpretation (Revelation20:2). There is no way in which this student of the
Lord's word canacceptsuch a declarationas that of Hal Lindsey, who wrote:
"Even though Christ has the right to rule the earth, he isn't exercising this
authority over kings and kingdoms at this time."[16]If Christ is not
exercising his authority, how can the church receive his promise that Christ
will be with us "even unto the end of the world" (Matthew 28:18-20)? Yes,
despite the inability of some to see and recognize it, Christ is ruling now and
will continue to rule until the lastenemy is destroyed(1 Corinthians 15:25
Ruler of the kings of the earth

Ruler of the kings of the earth is a name of Jesus (Yeshua‘) that is similar in
meaning to a group of names that declare God’s dominion over world leaders.
For instance, Godis the King of kings and Lord of lords.
The Greek wordarchē is equivalent to severalmodern English words. They
all have to do with leadership. In this case, “ruler” is a goodtranslation.
Ruler of the kings of the earth in the Greek text of Revelation1:5.
Ruler of the kings of the earth in Greek:
Ho archōntōn basileōntē gēs
Strong’s Concordance numbers: 758, 935, 1093
Bible reference:Rev. 1:5
[Grace and peace]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
releasedus from our sins by His blood—and He has made us to be a kingdom,
priests to His God and Father—to Him be the glory and the dominion forever
and ever. Amen. (Revelation1:5-6)
One name of God is simply Ruler and the same title is used by Matthew in a
quotation from Micah.
https://namesforgod.net/ruler-of-the-kings-of-the-earth/
Biblical Hermeneutics
Who are the “kings of the earth”?

In the book of Revelation, it sometimes seems like the term "kings of the
earth” is used to refer to the chosenones, but in other verses it looks like they
are the damned ones.
The chosenones:
Revelation1:5
... Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler
over the kings of the earth.
Revelation21:24
And the nations of those who are savedshall walk in its light, and the kings of
the earth bring their glory and honor into it.
Bonus: Psalm89:27
Also I will make him My firstborn, The highest of the kings of the earth.
The damned ones
Revelation6:15
And the kings of the earth, the greatmen, the rich men, the commanders, the
mighty men, every slave and every free man, hid themselves in the caves and
in the rocks ofthe mountains, 16 and said to the mountains and rocks, “Fall
on us and hide us from the face of Him who sits on the throne and from the
wrath of the Lamb! 17 For the great day of His wrath has come, and who is
able to stand?”
Revelation16:14
For they are spirits of demons, performing signs, which go out to the kings of
the earth and of the whole world, to gatherthem to the battle of that greatday
of God Almighty.
Revelation19:19

And I saw the beast, the kings of the earth, and their armies, gathered
togetherto make waragainstHim who saton the horse and againstHis army.
Bonus: Isaiah24:21
It shall come to pass in that day That the Lord will punish on high the host of
exalted ones, And on the earth the kings of the earth.
migrated from christianity.stackexchange.comApr 16 '15 at 4:19
This question came from our site for committed Christians, experts in
Christianity and those interested in learning more.
John uses the Greek phrase οἱ βασιλεῖς τῆς γῆς (and declensions)eighttimes
(or nine, depending on one textual variant in Revelation16).
The first time, it appears within a description of Jesus in chapter 1: Jesus is
'the ruler of the kings of the earth'. The final time, the phrase is used in
chapter 21, combined with an allusion to Isaiah60: the 'the kings of the earth'
bring their glory into the new Jerusalemofthe new creation.
All of the other uses appearbetweenchapters 6 and 19, always in an explicitly
negative context: these 'kings of the earth' suffer the judgment symbolized in
the sevenseals, trumpets, and bowls, finally concluding with their defeatby
the rider of the white horse in chapter 19.
Influences
The Revelation1 instance appears to be drawing on LXX Psalm88, where we
find an overlap of severalkey words:'firstborn', 'the kings of the earth', and
'faithful witness':
Revelation1.5
καὶ ἀπὸ Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ, ὁ μάρτυς, ὁ πίστος, ὁ πρωτότοκος τῶννεκρῶν καὶ ὁ
ἄρχων τῶν βασιλέων τῆς γῆς

LXX Psalm 88.28,38
κἀγὼ πρωτότοκονθήσομαι αὐτόνὑψηλὸνπαρὰ τοῖς βασιλεῦσιν τῆς γῆς . . .
κατηρτισμένη εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα καὶ ὁ μάρτυς ἐν οὐρανῷ πιστός διάψαλμα
John here draws on this psalm to highlight Jesus'identity as a Davidic
messiah;Jesus is the one whom God has exalted overall worldly powers ('the
kings of the earth') in fulfillment of God's covenantwith David (cf. LXX
Psalm88.28-29).
The next use of the phrase 'the kings of the earth' in Revelationdoes not
appear until chapter 6, but even before we arrive at that chapter, something
else catches oureye in chapter 2:
Revelation2.18,26-27 (NRSV)
'And to the angelof the church in Thyatira write: These are the words of the
Son of God, who has eyes like a flame of fire, and whose feetare like
burnished bronze:
...
To everyone who conquers and continues to do my works to the end,
I will give authority over the nations;
to rule them with an iron rod,
as when clay pots are shattered—
even as I also receivedauthority from my Father.
Note the points I've placedin bold text; they all come directly from Psalm2.
In this psalm, God speaks to the king of Israel(i.e. David or his descendants):
Psalm2.6-9 (NRSV)
'I have set my king on Zion, my holy hill.'

I will tell of the decree of the Lord:
He said to me, 'You are my son;
today I have begottenyou.
Ask of me, and I will make the nations your heritage,
and the ends of the earth your possession.
You shall break them with a rod of iron,
and dash them in pieces like a potter's vessel.'
Becauseofthe high degree of overlaphere, it is very important that the
Septuagint version of Psalm2 uses the phrase in question, 'the kings of the
earth', to describe the people who rebel 'againstthe Lord and his Christ':
LXX Psalm 2.2
παρέστησαν οἱ βασιλεῖς τῆς γῆς καὶ οἱ ἄρχοντες συνήχθησανἐπὶ τὸ αὐτὸ κατὰ
τοῦ κυρίου καὶ κατὰ τοῦ χριστοῦ αὐτοῦ διάψαλμα
Psalm2 comes back in the Revelationat leastthree more times:
Revelation12.5 describes a 'male child' (presumably a symbol for Jesus)as
ascending to God's throne in order 'to rule all the nations with a rod of iron',
Revelation14.1 has 'the Lamb' (Jesus)'standing on Mount Zion',
Revelation19.11-16 has a highly symbolic depiction of Jesus, describing how
'From his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations,
and he will rule them with a rod of iron'.
I would suggestthat the Revelationhas been shaped, in broad strokes, by a
particular reading of Psalm2. John has employed key phrases from the psalm
and invested them with a specific symbolic significance throughout the
Revelation.
In this case, Johnhas borrowed the psalm's phrase 'the kings of the earth' and
utilized it throughout his book to representall those world rulers who stand

opposedto The One Sitting On The Throne and The Lamb (i.e. LXX Psalm
2.2, 'the Lord and his Christ').
John brings his various references to Psalm2 back togetherin Revelation19:
Jesus wields 'the iron rod' to rule 'the nations' and strike down those who
oppose him; at the beckoning of the beastand his false prophet, 'the kings of
the earth' rally againstJesus, only to be swiftly defeated, per the psalm.
Amid all this, LXX Psalm 88 may still stand behind John's use of the phrase,
but LXX Psalm2.2 has dominated the phrase's usage for John.
A twist ending?
After the severelynegative depiction of 'the kings of the earth' throughout the
Revelation, their reappearance in 21.24 is rather unexpected. In this passage,
John has drawn extensively from Isaiah 60:
Revelation21.22-27 (NRSV)
I saw no temple in the city, for its temple is the Lord God the Almighty and
the Lamb. And the city has no need of sun or moon to shine on it, for the glory
of God is its light, and its lamp is the Lamb. The nations will walk by its light,
and the kings of the earth will bring their glory into it. Its gates will never be
shut by day—and there will be no night there. People will bring into it the
glory and the honour of the nations. But nothing unclean will enter it, nor
anyone who practises abominationor falsehood, but only those who are
written in the Lamb's book of life.
Isaiah60.11,19 (NRSV)
Your gates shallalways be open;
day and night they shall not be shut,
so that nations shall bring you their wealth,
with their kings led in procession.

. . .
The sun shall no longerbe
your light by day,
nor for brightness shall the moon
give light to you by night;
but the Lord will be your everlasting light,
and your God will be your glory.
The Septuagint of Isaiah60 doesn'tuse the phrase οἱ βασιλεῖς τῆς γῆς, and the
Masoretic Hebrew makes no reference to 'the kings of the earth' either.
John appears to have deliberately imported the phrase 'the kings of the earth'
from LXX Psalm 2 and/or 88 into his allusion to Isaiah60.11. GivenJohn's
systematicallynegative portrayal of 'the kings of the earth' throughout the
Revelation, I find his use of the phrase in a positive sense in chapter 21 to be
surprising and optimistic.
Isaiah60:11 refers to "the dogs outside" who are denied entrance to the city
coming to the gates andpaying tribute. – user10231Oct17 '15 at 16:46
Greatanswer, Mark!In the Hebrew of Isaiah 60.18 is embedded the idea that
Jesus himself is the structure of the walls around the city: "you shall call your
walls Salvation [Yeshuah] and your gates Praise [Tehillah]." By the English
translation's implication, then, to approachthe city walls is per se "to become
saved," which I would interpret as your twist optimistic ending for John's
"Kings of the Earth." – Adinkra Nov 11 '16 at 22:03
add a comment
5

The "Kings of the Earth" mostly means exactly what it says it does - i.e.
earthly rulers. Revelation, however, is a highly symbolic book, and the people
in it are not necessaryidentifiable individuals but types or groups. Meanings
of the passagesare:
Revelation1:5 "Jesus will be the highestruler over all the earth"
Revelation21:"Everyone on Earth, no matter how powerful, will worship
Jesus"
Psalm89: "Jesus willbe over all rulers"
Revelation6: "Rulers will be afraid"
Revelation16,19:"Rulers will fight againstThe Lord"
Isaiah24: "Godwill punish even the highest rulers"
Since all these events can take place at different times, or may be symbolic, it
isn't necessarythat they refer to the same actualpeople. It also doesn'thave to
mean every single ruler on earth, just rulers in general. In the same way that
when we say"Americans voted for Barack Obama" we don't mean every
single one did.
Your answerpretty much sums it up; "Kings of the earth" in eachof those
contexts means temporal authority over nations. "King" can have a different
meaning, however. The "King of Tyre" in Ezekiel28 represents Satan-no one
else canlay claim to be "the anointed cherub that covereth". – TauApr 16 '15
at 8:28
add a comment
The Kings of the earth can be put into two groups.

There are the Kings of the earth who worship the beast
There are the Kings of the earth who follow Christ.
Revelation13:8 NIV,it is written,
All inhabitants of the earth will worship the beast--allwhose names have not
been written in the book of life belonging to the Lamb that was slain from the
creationof the world.
It is clearfrom the above scripture that the ones who do not worship the beast
are the followers of Christ and all the rest,are worshipers ofthe beast.They
are referred to as "the inhabitants of the earth," and they along with the
Kings of the earth,chooseto worship the beastinstead of worshiping Christ.
What one must understand with reference to Rev13:8,is that not all the Kings
of the earth will worship the beast, but some will follow Christ.Readinto the
scripture for understanding.It explains it well,
All inhabitants of the earth will worship the beast--allwhose names have not
been written in the book of life belonging to the Lamb that was slain from the
creationof the world.
Taking into accountthe above scripture,one can say that some Kings of the
earth,along with some inhabitants of the earth will follow Christ.This is
further reinforcedin Revelation21:22-27,whenthe Kings of the earth, who
are followers ofChrist,will bring their glory into the "New Jerusalem."
Revelation21:22-27
I saw no temple in the city, for its temple is the Lord God the Almighty and
the Lamb. And the city has no need of sun or moon to shine on it, for the glory
of God is its light, and its lamp is the Lamb. The nations will walk by its light,
and the kings of the earth will bring their glory into it. Its gates will never be
shut by day—and there will be no night there. People will bring into it the
glory and the honour of the nations. But nothing unclean will enter it, nor
anyone who practises abominationor falsehood, but only those who are
written in the Lamb's book of life.

Conclusion.
The Kings of the earth who are referencedin Revelation21:24,arefollowers of
Christ,this is why they are allowedto bring their "Glory" into the New
Jerusalem.Inshort,their names have been written into the book of life which
belongs to the lamb that was slain.All the other Kings of the earth do not have
their name recorded in the lambs book of life,because theyare followers of the
beast.Thesekings ofthe earth belong to the group called "inhabitants of the
earth," as recordedin the above scriptures,andall inhabitants of the earth
whose names are not written into the book of life,are consideredshameful and
deceitful, and are not allowedto enter the New Jerusalem.
Revelation21:27 (NIV)
Nothing impure will enter it,nor will anyone who does what is shameful
or deceitful,but only those whose names are written,
in the Lambs book of life.
I think this is the truth, so gainedmy approvation... Matthew 16:26 Forwhat
profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his ownsoul? Or
what will a man give in exchange for his soul? – Juan Jun 30 '15 at 15:00
add a comment
The 3 instances the OP has identified as being about "the chosenones" are
not, to my thinking "saints" but rather plain old kings. I'll explain my
thinking in regard to the 2 verses citedas wellas the Bonus, Ps 89:27:
1) Revelation1:5 ... Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn from the
dead, and the ruler over the kings of the earth.
The word translated "ruler", contextually means "the highestruler among
the kings of the earth". That is, out of all the kings of the earth he is the top
banana. We'll see this againwhen he is referred to as "the firstborn" in just a
sec.

2) Revelation21:24 And the nations of those who are saved shall walk in its
light, and the kings of the earth bring their glory and honor into it.
The "story" of the Revelationis that God will use broad-brush terrorism
from the skyto so torment and humiliate the nations of the earth that they
become demoralized and submit to God and his Christ. The Revelationis the
accountof God putting all things beneath Christ's feet. The kings of the earth,
rather than receiving tribute from others bring tribute to God and to his
Christ (anointed Davidic king).
3) (Bonus): Psalm 89:27 And I will make him the firstborn, the highestof the
kings of the earth.
In a middle easterntribal societylike the Israelites'(and here all of the tribes
of the earth are viewedin the analogyof a single tribe) eachtribe is
representedby an alpha male. This would often be the oldest male of the tribe
but it needn't be. It may be someone else who is made the "sheik" forother
practicalreasons. Godpromised David that [his descendant]would become
"sheik" or"firstborn" even though he wasn't born first. Of course it can also
be viewed that he indeed was born before any of the other kings.
I see the usage of the phrase "kings of the earth" to consistenlyrefer to
normal earthly rulers.
I am coming to believe that the "kings ofthe Earth" refers to something
broader and deeperthan we think it means. We humans "serve" the Kings of
the Earth in money-need and consignedto dying. We acceptChrist, who is
.their enemy.. and we are slowly drawn away from them to escape the
bondage of money-need and death. You can see how "death is the lastenemy
to be defeated". more to follow if anyone wants to talk about it.. ^
Welcome to BiblicalHermeneutics Stack Exchange, thanks for contributing!
Be sure to take our site tour to learn more about us. We're a little different
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site. Don't just tell us what you know, tell us how you know it. – Steve Taylor
Oct 18 '16 at 13:59
add a comment
In the Book ofRevelationthere is one verse stating that the kings of the earth
will honor the new Jerusalemand will choose christ. In other verses in the
Book ofRevelationit mentions other kings of the earth waging waragainst
Jesus Christ.
Therefore some kings of the earth will turn to Christ as believers, and other
kings of the earth will wage waragainstJesus Christ. Remember King David,
for example. King David committed sins but afterwardhe turned to God and
repented of his sins. King David, King Solomon, and King Saul all were kings
of the earth. Nebuchadnezzarwas also a king of the earth. Although he most
likely worshiped God the Father, we don't have much evidence. But I do
believe he worshipped other Gods while worshiping Godthe Father, the true
God, as the greatestGod.
Welcome to Stack Exchange,we are glad you are here. Please consider
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Oct 17 '15 at 23:23
https://hermeneutics.stackexchange.com/questions/17378/who-are-the-kings-
of-the-earth
What does Revelation1:5 mean? [⇑ See verse text ⇑]

In this verse John describes Jesus Christas "the faithful witness," becauseHe
is the truthful, reliable source of what is recordedin this revelation.
Jesus conquereddeath and arose from the grave. He was the first to rise from
the dead in a glorified, everlasting body. As such, He is referred to as "the
firstborn of the dead." His resurrectionguarantees the resurrection of
believers of the church age (1 Corinthians 15:12–28;Philippians 3:11; 1
Thessalonians 4:16), the resurrectionof tribulation martyrs (Revelation20:4–
6), the resurrection of Old Testamentbelievers (Daniel12:2), and the
resurrectionof the wickeddead of all periods of history (Revelation20:12–
13). Someday He will return to earth and reign over the nations. At that time
every king will submit to His rule.
John points out that the ruler of kings is the believers'redeemer. In His deep
love for us He shed His blood on the cross to end sin's tyranny over us.
https://www.bibleref.com/Revelation/1/Revelation-1-5.html
Ruler of the Kings of the Earth
Dr. Ray Pritchard
Author, Speaker, Presidentof Keep Believing Ministries
“Jesus Christ, who is . . . the ruler of the kings of the earth" (Revelation1:5).
The word for “ruler” means he is the ultimate authority over all the kings of
the earth. They are great, but he is greater. They are mighty, but he is
mightier. Millions answerto them, but they answerto him. He is not merely
one of the kings. He rules over them all.

In the first century the mighty emperor Nero thought he was the ruler of the
kings of the earth. He held in his hands the power of life and death. Thumbs
up: one man lived. Thumbs down: one man died. It is said that he ordered the
burning of Rome and then blamed it on the early Christians. He had Paul the
apostle beheaded, thinking that the pernicious Christian movement would die
with him. But now 2000 years have passed, and the tables have turned. We
name our dogs Nero and our sons Paul.
Who are the kings of the earth John is talking about? They are political
leaders in their various spheres–mayorsand councilmembers, governors,
congressmenand senators, presidents and prime ministers, and potentates of
every variety. There are small-time kings who rule tiny realms and mighty
kings who rule vast empires.
Their names are Obama, Putin, Netanyahu, Ahmadinejad, Komorowski,
Mukherjee, Harper, Kim, Abdullah, Sarkozy, Karzai, Xi, Mugabe,
Remengesau, Calderon, Merkel, Cartesand Cameron. And a thousand others
just like them.
Jesus rules over them all. We all know that the world is in a mess. That’s why
it’s hard to believe this is true. All the evidence seems to move in the opposite
direction. The pornographers go free, the baby-killers are untouched, the
politicians break the laws they write, the drug dealers make their millions,
and the nations arm themselves for total destruction. Without trying very
hard, you could make a goodcase that Satanis the ruler of the kings of the
earth.
But it only seems that way. Satan has no powerexcept that grantedto him by
God. In due time and at the proper moment, Jesus will step back on the stage
of world history. Think of it. The hands that were nailed to the cross will
somedayrule the world. Though we do not see it today, it is certainand sure

of fulfillment. That’s whatthe book of Revelationis all about. Readit for
yourself and see how the story ends.
In the meantime, right now and at this very moment, he is the ruler of the
kings of the earth.
By him they reign.
By him they are restrained.
By him they are replaced.
By him they will be judged.
Will Jesus take care ofmy future? Yes he will, for he is the ruler of the kings
of the earth. You’re in goodhands when you are in his hands for those hands
rule the universe.
In these days when the world seems to shake beneathus, I rest my faith on
you, Lord Jesus, ruler of the kings of the earth. Amen.
Article One: The Authority of Christ OverAuthorities
All world leaders have a Higher Authority over them. Whetherthey like it or
not, that Higher Authority is Jesus Christ.
In Matthew 11:27, Jesus said, "Allthings have been committed to Me by My
Father."

In Matthew 28:17, Jesus said, “Allauthority in heavenand on earthhas been
given to Me." Godhas placedJesus Christonthe eternalthrone that is above
all otherthrones.
Revelation1:5 says thatJesus is "the Rulerof the kings ofthe earth."
In Psalm2, the kings ofthe earthare told to "Kiss the Son". Jesusis the Sonof
God, the King of kings, the Lord oflords, and the ultimate Judge and Ruler
overall of mankind.
Colossians 2:10saysJesus is "the Headovereverypowerand authority". He is
over kings, queens, prime ministers, presidents, mayors, emperors, governors,
and dictators, etc. Theyare ultimately accountable to Him.
No world leadercomes to poweroutside ofGod's will.
All world leaders are placedinoffice by Godand are eventually removedfrom
office by God. ReadRomans 13: 1-7 andTitus 3: 1-2. Inthe New Testament,
Jesus toldPilate that his (Pilate's) authoritycame from God(ReadJohn
19:11).
Rulers pretend to forgetthis and become proud. Becauseofpride, many rulers
are takenout ofoffice by the Lord.

King Nebuchadnezzar's greatpowerandauthority was givento him by the
LORD. This is whatthe LORD saidto the envoys ofworld kings through the
prophet, Jeremiah, inJeremiah27:4-5,
"This is what the LORD Almighty, the Godof Israel, says: 'Tellyourmasters:
With My greatpowerandoutstretchedarm, I made the earth
and its people, andanimals that are on it, and I give it to anyone I please.'"
The LORD went onto announce in the following verses thatNebuchadnessar
would be givenpowerto subdue othernations and kings, andhe did.
Later, King Nebuchadnezzar found outthe hard wayWho reallywas in charge
when, in his arrogance, he boastedandbraggedabouthis ownpowerand glory.
His son, Belshazzar, who cameto the throne afterhim also foundout who was
in charge (ReadDaniel2:21andDanielChapters 4 through Daniel5:31) .
In the new testament, whenKing Herod was praisedand calleda "god" by the
people, andhe took theirpraise and failed to give the true Godthe glory. God
saw to it that he died a terrible death (ReadActs 12:19-23).
It is advisable for allworld leaders to acknowledge thatJesusChristis the
Head overthem.

Postedby Constance WaldenNo comments:
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Article Two: Who Is Your King?
Before the young nation ofIsrael had kings, theyhad judges who administered
overthem during a long period of time. Gideonwas a manusedby Godin this
capacity.
The Israelites, desperateforlong term stable leadership, saidto Gideon, "Rule
overus - you, your son, andyour grandson-because youhave savedus from the
hand ofMidian." (Judges8: 22)
But, Gideon, inhis wisdom replied, " I will not rule over you, nor will my son
rule overyou. The LORD will rule overyou." (Judges8:23)
We should all acceptthe Lord's rule overus.

In Luke 23:3, Pilate askedJesus ifHe was the king ofthe Jews. Jesus
acknowledgeditby replying, “Yes, itis as yousay."
John18:36-37describesthe conversationbetweenPilate andJesus this way:
“Jesus said, ‘Mykingdomis not of this world. If it were, my servants would
fight to prevent my arrestby the Jews. Butnow my kingdom is from another
place.’
"You are a king, then!" saidPilate. Jesusanswered, "Youare rightin saying I
am a king. In fact, forthis reasonIwas born, and for this I came into the world,
to testifyto the truth. Everyone on the side oftruth listens to me.’"
Pilate then paradedJesus before the people, calling Him the “King ofthe
Jews”. This irritatedand enragedthe chiefpriests, who criedback, "Wehave
no king but Caesar" (John19:15). The chiefpriests andthe people of
Jerusalemcried, “CrucifyHim!” Thus, theydenied the kingship ofGod
Himself and chose to bow atthe feetof Caesarinstead.
Now, the chiefpriests shouldhave knownbetter since Isaiah33:22reads:
"Forthe LORD is our judge,
the LORD is our lawgiver,
the LORD is our king;
it is he who will save us.”

“We have no king but Caesar.”became the statementthatsealedtheirfate. In
rejecting Christ, theyended up endorsing their captors…the ones who were
enslaving them, and who would later destroythe city ofJerusalem. Keepin
mind they did not know who Jesus was, butJesus knew who He was…the King
overevery king.
Will we rejectHim if we are facedwith the choice ofallegianceto a national or
world leaderorJesus Christ?
Rejecting JesusChristas King holds dire consequences. InLuke 9:26, Jesus
said, “Ifanyone is ashamedof Me and My words, the SonofManwill be
ashamedofhim when He comes inhis glory and in the glory ofthe Fatherand
of the holy angels.” No earthlyking canmake sucha statement.
Revelations 19:11-20showsthe complete victoryKing Jesus willhave when He
returns. The King ofKings and the Lord ofLords will triumph over the kings
of the earth. There is no king on earth, neitherwill there everbe, who is worthy
of the honorand the glory and the praise and the acknowledgment thatJesus
Christ deserves.
So, the questionis, who is your king? Is it Caesaroris it Jesus Christ?
Postedby Constance Walden
Concerning the Lord's Recovery,

by Witness Lee
More excerpts from this title...
A FAITHFUL WITNESS AND THE RULER OF
THE KINGS OF THE EARTH
Revelation1:5 also mentions that Jesus Christ is the faithful Witness. While
He was on the earth He was a witness of God. He was resurrectedfrom the
dead, and today He is the Ruler of the kings of the earth. You don’t need to
worry about the world situation. All of the rulers of the earth are under our
Ruler. This is why His calendaris the universal calendar. Even those atheistic
Communist countries who are opposing Christ use His calendar. He is the
King of kings. He is the Ruler of all the kings.
THE GOLDEN LAMPSTANDS
By these examples you cansee that the book of Revelationhas a specialtone.
In such a tone what God wants today is a church in every city as the
practicality of God’s expression. Everylocalchurch in this book is a
lampstand. The lampstand is the embodiment of the Triune God. With the
lampstand there are three things: the substance, whichis pure gold. The
substance is not made of woodnor of mud, but of pure gold. In the biblical
figures gold signifies the divine nature of God the Father. So in the lampstand
there is God the Fatheras the substance. Second, the golden lampstand is not
just a formless piece of gold. It is gold formed and shapedinto the form of a
lampstand. The form, the embodiment, of the Triune God is the Secondofthe
Trinity. All the fullness of the Godheaddwells in this Secondof the Trinity
bodily (Col. 2:9). Jesus Christis the form of God. This is God the Son. So
there is the substance of the Father and the form of the Son.
Third, there is the expressionof the lampstand. The lampstand is for shining,
and the shining is the expression. The expressionis sevenlamps. The Bible
tells us clearly, not only in Revelation, but also in Zechariah that the seven
lamps are the sevenSpirits (Zech. 4:2, 6; Rev. 4:5). The substance ofthe
lampstand is God the Father. The form and the embodiment of the lampstand
is God the Son. The expressionof the lampstand is God the Spirit. So the

lampstand is just the embodiment of the Father, the Son, and the Spirit. This
is the church. The church is the lampstand which is the embodiment of the
Triune God. By this you can see whata localchurch is. A localchurch is one
that has God the Father as its substance, Godthe Son as its embodiment, and
God the Spirit as its shining, its expression.
It is right to saythat the Lord’s recoveryis to recoverthe localchurch, but it
depends upon your understanding. If you simply mean that the localchurch is
a group of Christians meeting without a name in a city, not being a
denomination, not having a pastor, sitting in four directions instead of one,
with everyone standing up to function, that is not adequate. Such a local
church may be of the Lord’s recovery, or it may not be. It all depends upon
the reality. What is the reality of the localchurch? It is the substance of the
Father, the embodiment of the Son, and the expressionof the Spirit.
Suppose an outsider visits a localchurch and he hears the older sisters
gossiping and the younger sisters murmuring. He sees the elders debating and
the brothers complaining. Is this the condition of a goldenlampstand? This is
a muddy lampstand. When there is gossiping and murmuring and debating
and reasoning, where is the substance of the Father, where is the embodiment
of the Son, and where is the shining expressionof the Spirit? Among
Christians today it is very difficult to find the proper situation of a golden
lampstand which has the substance of the Father, the embodiment of the Son,
and the shining of the Spirit. If you go to most Christian groups today you
mainly find politics and nice manners.
(Concerning the Lord's Recovery, Chapter6, by Witness Lee)
REV 1:9-20—THE REALJESUS
INTRO:We’ve all seenpictures of Jesus from time to time: Jesus kneeling
and praying, or carrying a lamb, or knocking on the door, or maybe you’ve

sent the picture of Jesus knocking onthe UN building. If he’s knocking on a
door it’s usually sort of a limp-wristed, backhandedknock. Or, he has his two
fingers in the air, and he’s looking off into the middle distance. His hair is
perfectly parted down the middle, every hair is in place, and his beard is
perfectly trimmed. Clearly those are all accurate pictures of a guy who
workedwith his hands with woodand stone and spent his adult life walking
by foot all overthe dusty land of Palestine. The movies portray him pretty
much the same way—exceptthe movies reveal that Jesus has a British accent.
We would not have knownthat by just reading our Bibles. Even pictures that
try to portray Jesus in a more realistic image manner have a fundamental
problem. The problem is that they all focus on the Jesus who walkedthis
earth 2000 years ago. Butthat is not the wayJesus is now. As we saw last
week in Rev 1:5, Jesus is “the ruler of the kings of the earth.” So one of the
things I think we need to do is geta better understanding of this Jesus. The
last half of Revelation1 gives us the picture of Jesus as he is now—the real
Jesus—notthe limp-wristed Jesus of the pictures and movies. [READ REV
1:9-20]
PROP:This passageis telling us: Know the realJesus.
O/S: In this passagewe will get to know the realJesus as we see two main
things: (1) What Jesus is like; and (2) What that means for us.
I. What Jesus is like (vv. 13-18) These 6 verses give us an amazing picture of
the realJesus. But remember something important: v.10 tells us that John
was “in the spirit.” He had a vision. As we mentioned last week, this is a book
of symbols. Symbols, by their very nature, use physical images to try to depict
spiritual realities that cannot be fully described. That’s why John says again
and again“I saw something and it was like this.” For example, v.14 says “His
head and hair were like this, and his eyes were like that.” v.15 says, “His feet
were like this and his voice was like that.” The symbols John uses do not

describe what Jesus looks like physically but are describing what he is like;
they show us how things are—nothow they look to the physical eye. So when
we think of Jesus as he really is, don’t think: “He really doesn’thave dark
hair; but he has white hair. And he really doesn’thave blue eyes;but he has
funny-shaped yellow or orange eyes that look like flames. And his tongue is
not pink, but it’s longer than Gene Simmons of KISS’s tongue, and it looks
like a sword.” Thoseare all symbolic portrayals that are trying to convey the
essenceofthis amazing Jesus. v.13-15[READ]These images are taken
directly from Daniel’s visions in Dan 7 and 10. [READ Dan 7:9, 13; 10:5-6].
Notice something:in Daniel’s vision, it was “the Ancient of Days” whose
“vesture was like white snow and the hair of His head like pure wool.” Here in
Revelationthose same images are applied to Jesus. Jesus is both distinguished
from yet identified with the Ancient of Days. This gets us back to the
mysterious notion of the Trinity: there is only one God, but he is in three
persons—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit—as Johnpreviously hinted at in Rev
1:4-6. His robe and sashsuggestboth kingly and priestly attire. That is
consistentwith Daniel where the Ancient of Days is sitting on the throne as
king of the universe. On the day of Pentecost, Peterconcludedhis sermon in
Acts 2 by saying that Jesus is reigning even now as king. In the book of
Hebrews, Jesus is called our “greathigh priest.” What we are seeing here in
Revelationare pictures-visions-symbols that visually are portraying the truths
we find about Jesus elsewhere in the Bible. In v.14 it says “His eyes were like
a flame of fire.” That suggestsJesus’role, not only as king and high priest, but
as the all-seeing, holy, and righteous judge. In the Bible, fire often is a symbol
of judgment. For example, 1 Cor 3 says that the nature of our works will be
“revealedby fire.” The same symbol of Jesus having eyes like flames of fire is
used againin Rev19:11-12 where Jesus returns to earth specificallyto judge
and wage war. “Eyes like a flame of fire” also suggestthat his eyes see not
only the outside of things but burn down to the heart of the matter. That’s
exactly what Jesus himself says in Rev 2:23. There he says, “All the churches
will know that I am he who searchesthe minds and hearts.” In v.15 it says
Jesus’ “feetwere like burnished bronze when it has been made to glow in a
furnace.”

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As we read earlier, that image comes from Dan 10:6. The image reinforces the
picture of Jesus as judge because eyes like flames of fire and feet like
burnished bronze appear togetheragainin Rev2:18. On that occasionthey
are immediately followedby Jesus’ words, “Iknow your deeds.” And he then
goes onto promise the church judgment or rewardbased on whether there is
repentance or not—so Jesusis the judge. But Jesus is a judge unlike any
other judge—he is the judge who himself has been judged. The “feet” suggest
one’s “walk,” IOW one’s life. Jesus himself walkedthis earth as a man. When
v.15 says Jesus’ “feetwere like burnished bronze when it has been made to
glow in a furnace,” bronze, like fire, suggestsjudgment. For example, in Num
21:9 Moses made a bronze serpent which he lifted up, and all who lookedto it
were spared death when they were bitten by snakes.John3:14 applies that
image to Jesus and says, “Justas Moseslifted up the serpent in the wilderness,
so must the Son of Man be lifted up on the cross.” Jesus was tempted and
endured everything we are tempted by and have to go through—sexual
temptation; the temptation to quit; the temptation to worship other things. He
also endured all the stressesandpressures of this life, including poverty, being
falselyaccusedand convicted. He endured pain and beatings and a cruel
death. Yet he never once turned his back on God. He never once sinned. As a
result, Jesus did walk our walk. He paid the penalty for your sins and mine
that otherwise we would have to pay, but never could. He himself went
through the furnace of God’s judgment that otherwise we would have to
endure. Jesus’ feetare indeed “like burnished bronze when it has been made
to glow in a furnace.” So Jesus is the only one who canbe a just judge. v.15
concludes by saying that his voice is “like the sound of many waters.” Thatis
another image that suggests Jesus is Godhimself, because in Ezek 43:2
Ezekielsays, “the glory of the God of Israel. . . his voice was like the sound of
many waters.” v.16 talks about the “sevenstars.” We will return to the seven
stars later when we talk about what the realJesus means for us. But look at
where it says, “out of his mouth came a sharp, two-edgedsword.” This image
againreinforces the picture of Jesus as judge, because this same image is used
in Rev 2:16 and 19:15. In both places the context is of Jesus judging and
waging war with the swordof his mouth, the WOG. And his face “like the sun

shining in its strength” takes us back to the transfiguration, which was a
prefigure of Jesus in all his glory. Matthew tells us that, at the transfiguration,
Jesus “faceshownlike the sun, and his garments became as white as light.” In
v.17 Jesus calls himself “the first and the last.” This description again
identifies Jesus with God Almighty, since in Isa 41:4; 44:6; and 48:12 God
describedhimself as “the first and the last.” This description as “the first and
the last” indicates that Jesus is sovereignovertime and history. Just as Jesus
was in control of the world’s beginning, so he is bringing everything to its
preordained conclusion. This is reinforced in v.18 where Jesus calls himself
“the living one,” and describes how he “was dead” but is “alive forevermore.”
That, of course, is referring to his crucifixion and subsequent resurrection
from the dead. Yet when he says “Ihave the keys of death and Hades,” what
he is saying is that, through his own death and resurrectionhe defeateddeath
itself. He gained the keys over death so that he can now unlock the grave and
lead the dead to eternallife. And so, in 1 Corinthians 15 Christ is calledthe
“first fruits” who will give all who are his resurrection, glorious new bodies,
and glorious new lives, when he comes again. Thatis the realJesus. He is a
being who knows us down to the very thoughts in our heads. He too was a
man. But he transcends us as far as the oceantranscends a drop of wateror as
the sun transcends a candle flame. And yet, despite his being sovereignover
all time and over all people and over all of creation, Jesus gave everything he
had for us. That is also the real Jesus. The only appropriate response to who
he is and what he has done is to do what John did in v.17—“falldownat his
feet”—notas a dead man, but in awe and worship.
Which leads us to the issue of: II. What this means for us (vv. 9-13, 16-20)
Note how in v.9 John begins by calling himself “yourbrother and fellow
partakerin the tribulation and the kingdom.”
A. As to the kingdom, there is what is known as the “already, but not yet”
nature of the kingdom. IOW, in one sense, the kingdom is now; Jesus
inaugurated the kingdom at his first coming. Jesus saidon one occasion, “the

KOG has come upon you” (Luke 11:20). We are in the kingdom now; that is
the “already” ofthe kingdom. But the kingdom has not yet been
consummated. It is not yet in its final, perfect state. Thatis the “not yet” of the
kingdom. That will come when Jesus returns. What are the implications of
the factthat we are in the “already” ofthe kingdom now? We mentioned last
week that we—believers,the church—are to be an alternate kingdom to the
kingdom of the world. That
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implies that our values and priorities should be fixed around Jesus and his
values and priorities. That should affecthow we spend our time, how we treat
people, and what we do with our money. As a kingdom we are not just
disconnectedindividuals. We are a body, a community. We need to be
engagedas a body where God has placed us. Don’tjust “come to church” for
an hour on Sundays, but get involved with the body. How can we claim to be a
kingdom and a community if we have no relationship with the other members
of the kingdom and community? We are not here, in this time and place, by
accident. One of the things that PastorWade is studying during his sabbatical
is the very issue of how the church can be more missional, how it can have
greaterengagementwith the community in which God has put us. It seems to
me that today’s messagedovetails with what Wade is in the process ofdoing.
Let us pray for him and his sabbaticalstudy, and look forward with
anticipation to what God may be showing him—becauseevennow God is
preparing us for what he has for us. B. Just as there is an “already, but not
yet” aspectto God’s kingdom, so is there an “already, but not yet” aspectto the
tribulation. Tribulation is stress, problems, oppression, persecution, and every
other sort of evil that affects God’s people. In Luke 16:33 Jesus said, “In the
world you have tribulation.” Tribulation will characterize the entire period
betweenChrist’s first coming and his return. The nature, form, and degree of
tribulation may wax and wane depending on circumstances,time, and place,
but it will always be here. Remember last week we talkedabout how “the
sevenchurches that are in Asia” are representative of all the churches in all
times and places. Here in vv. 11 and 20 John againis referring to “the seven
churches.” So he is talking about the entire church, whereverand whenever it

is located. Additionally, in v.19 John is told to write “the things which you
have seen, and the things which are, and the things which will take place after
these things”—IOW,past, present, and future. What Jesus is showing us in
the book of Revelationapplies throughout the earth and throughout time—
and that includes tribulation. That is the “already” ofthe tribulation. But
tribulation againstthe church probably will increase shortly before Christ’s
return. That is the “notyet” of the tribulation, which we will talk about more
when we getto ch.20. What are the implications of tribulation for us? For one
thing, we need to resistevil by supporting financially, through prayer, and
otherwise, our brothers and sisters overseas,and here at home, who are being
persecutedor otherwise are facing evil or hard times. In previous sermons I
have mentioned the Voice of the Martyrs and International Justice Mission
which help people who are being oppressed. You may also have heard of the
ministry Open Doors. Recently, Nancyand I got a mailing from Open Doors
about a project they have to try to help Christians who are being persecuted
by ISIS. You might want to check these ministries out. Second, we need to
look at how we respond to personaltribulation and evil. The thing we
absolutely should not do is get bent out of shape, or lose our faith, or shake
our fist and say “God, how could you let this happen,” when evil happens to us
or to those we love and care about—becauseit will happen. Jesus experienced
evil and said that we will too. John said, “I am your fellow partakerin the
tribulation.” Since he is our “fellow partaker,” that means that we can expect
tribulation, too. This is why the word “perseverance” in v.9 (or as the ESV
puts it, “patientendurance”)is so important. That same word is found
throughout Revelation, not only here but in Rev 2:2-3; 2:19; 3:10; 13:10; and
14:12. The reasonis that Christians follow in Christ’s footsteps. The waywe
do that is by being faithful witnessesall the way to the end, even to death, just
like him. That is why the way we respond to evil is important. It is important
because it reveals the nature and quality of our faith. In December1776
when the continental army was facing very difficult times in our fight for
independence, Thomas Paine wrote in a pamphlet called “The Crisis”:
“THESE are the times that try men's souls. The summer soldier and the
sunshine patriot will, in this crisis, shrink from the service of their country;
but he that stands by it now, deserves the love and thanks of man and woman.

Tyranny, like hell, is not easilyconquered; yet we have this consolationwith
us, that the harder the conflict, the more glorious the triumph.” If that was
true in the political and military arena, how much more true is it in the great
battle we are engagedin now for the eternaldestinies of men and women. The
biggestproblem for many Christians is that they don’t even realize they are
engagedin a battle at all. They only think, “I’min the kingdom; I have my fire
insurance policy; yea me!” That is why John is reminding us that he is our
“fellow partakerin the tribulation and kingdom and perseverance whichare
in Jesus.” C. Just as there are implications for our lives from the fact that we
are in the kingdom and implications from the fact that we are in the
tribulation, there is one other aspectofthis passagethat is important for our
lives. In vv. 12-13 Johnheard the voice and saw the sevengolden lampstands
and turned and saw “in the middle of the lampstands one like a sonof man.”
v.20 tells us that “the sevenlampstands are the sevenchurches.” What
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John is telling us is that Jesus is in the middle of the churches. It’s like he said
while he was on earth, “Where two or three are gatheredtogetherin my name,
I am there in their midst” (Matt 18:20). But this is telling us more. In v.16 it
says that “in his right hand he held sevenstars.” v.20 tells us that “the seven
stars . . . are the angels of the seven churches.” A footnote in my ESV Bible
says, “The Greek word[translated ‘angels’]means ‘messengers.’It may refer
to human messengers, specificallypastors ofthe churches, or to angels.” I
think the latter meaning—angels—iscorrect. A commentatorI particularly
like regarding the book of Revelationis Greg Beale who says: “Addressing the
churches through their representative angels is to remind the churches that
already a dimension of their existence is heavenly, that their real home is not
with the unbelieving ‘earth-dwellers,’and that they have heavenly help and
protection in their struggle not to be conformed to their pagan environment.
And one of the purposes of the church meeting in its weeklygatherings is to be
reminded of its heavenly existence and identity.” (Beale, Revelation, 218) The
churches don’t just have angelic representatives, but Jesus is holding them in
his right hand. Traditionally, the right hand is the hand of power. All of this
tells us at leasttwo things: • First, whatever hardship we or other parts of the

greatworldwide church may be having to endure, Christ is right here with us.
We are not alone. We have not been abandoned. Jesus himself said: “My
sheephear my voice, and I know them and they follow me; and I give eternal
life to them, and they will never perish; and no one will snatchthem out of my
hand” (John 10:27-28). Jesus did not choose those words by accident. He is
closerto us than we imagine. • Second, althoughCommunity Church is
relatively small, and other church fellowships around the world are small, and
poor, and oppressed, we have supernatural resourcesthat most of us probably
do not think about or even realize we have. If we start realizing this, and
reflecton these things, I think it can help our prayer life. And I think it can
help free us up—loosenourgrip on our money, loosenthe ties that bind us to
the world and its ways—sothat we can start living more proactive, Christian
lives. CONCL:The real Jesus is not the wimpy stereotype ofthe pictures
and movies. The real Jesus is an amazing being unlike anything or anyone we
have ever seen. But the real Jesus is intimately connectedwith his people, the
church. That is true even when we think of him as a million miles away. He is
not a million miles away. He is not only in our midst, but we are in the palm of
his right hand. So, as Jesus told John in v.17, “Do not be afraid”—regardless
of what you may be going through. But more than that, recognize that we are
part of a corporate body that is on earth but also is supernatural. And with
confidence, as we come to know the real Jesus more and more deeply, let us
loosenthe ties that bind us or pull us awayfrom him, and do the things he has
given us to do, both individually and as a body and community of believers.
KINGDOM BIBLE STUDIES
"Teaching the things concerning the kingdom of God..."
FROM THE CANDLESTICKTO THE THRONE
Part 11

THE PRINCE OF THE KINGS OF THE EARTH
"From Jesus Christwho is the faithful witness..."(Rev. 1:5). "These things
saith He that is holy, He that is true...these things saith the Amen, the faithful
and true witness..."(Rev. 3:7,14).
This word "true" is a very wonderful word! In the Greek it does not mean
true merely as opposedto that which is false. The root means "that which is
not concealed" or"that which is not withheld," that is, the whole truth as
opposedto a partial truth, as distinguished from all shadows of, and
approximations to, the truth. It expressesthe perfectrealization of an idea as
contrastedwith its partial realization. It indicates fullness as againstthat
which is fragmentary or in-part. For example, we recall that Jesus said,
"Mosesgave you not that bread from heaven; but my Fathergiveth you the
true bread from heaven" (Jn. 6:32). "I am the true vine" (Jn. 15:1). "The true
light now shineth" (I Jn. 2:8). "ForChrist is not entered into the holy places
made with hands, which are the figures of the true; but into heaven itself, now
to appear in the presence ofGod for us" (Heb. 9:24).
The manna that fell in the wilderness was not false bread from heaven. God
sent down angelbread from heavenfor Israel!But that bread did not satisfy.
It was only goodfor a day. If it was left over to the next day it became
contaminated, bred worms, and stank. It was wonderful bread from the hand
of God, but not the fullness of what God had in mind! Christ is the fullness!
He is bread like no other bread! When a man eats of this bread he will never
hunger again. He does not need to come back and eatagain. He that eats this
bread from heaven, which is Christ as life, receives a dimension of life that is
heavenly and eternal! Here indeed is reality! This is the true — whole,
complete, full, all-inclusive, illimitable, boundless — bread of incorruptible
life!
The light of the Old Testamentlaw and the words of the prophets were not a
false word, they were just not the full revelation of reality that came in Jesus
Christ. No one could deny that Israelhad light! They were the only people
that had light as a nation. The rest of the nations were as when Egypt was so

dark that one could feelit, but in the homes of the Israelites there was light!
That was wonderful light indeed, but now the true light is come!The light of
the world is Christ! Moses andthe prophets brought the light of God within
the law and the scriptures, but what was but glowing word has now broken
forth in the brightness of God in the midst of His people! As the pillar of fire
gave a natural light at night, and that was wonderful, now incorruptible life
and heavenly light are manifestedas living personality in the personof Jesus
Christ and those holy sons
who come into His glory! The law and the prophets were a fragment, but
Christ is the fullness! The law was truth. "Thy law is the truth...and all Thy
commandments are truth" (Ps. 119:142,151).So while the law with all its
outward observances oftypes and shadows is indeed truth, Christ is the whole
truth and nothing but the truth! "For the law was given by Moses, but grace
and truth came by Jesus Christ" (Jn. 1:17). The law was a glimmer of light in
the darkness, but the true (full) light now shineth!
Since this word "true" indeed expresses perfectrealizationas againstthe idea
of partial realization as illustrated in these examples, we can now understand
that Jesus Christ, the firstborn Son of God, is the FAITHFUL AND TRUE
WITNESS!The revelationof Jesus Christis the revelation of the FULLNESS
OF TRUTH AND REALITY. That’s what the book of Revelationis all about!
It is not merely the last book of the Bible, or a book about the end of the
world. It is the revelationof Jesus Christ — the unveiling of the full intent, the
ultimate purpose, and the very fullness of God in His calledand chosenelect
body of Christ! It is the revelationof the Third Day, of the MostHoly Place, of
the FeastofTabernacles, and the Manifestationof the Sons of God!
God has been using His people everywhere to whatever degree He has
prepared the vesselfor that revelationof the Christ. There has come a
beautiful unfolding of His purpose, the outflow of His life, and the
manifestation of Himself throughout the church age, right up to the present
time. But Jesus senta revelation to the church to declare that there shall yet
come the ultimate, the total, and complete revelationof Jesus Christ — not a
narrow, limited thing, not to geta number of people savedand filled with the
Spirit, and healedand blessedand used — but the kingdom of God coming

with powerand with glory, as an expressionand manifestation of God in His
total capacitywith no limitations, with all the power, with all the glory, all the
might, all the majesty, all the authority, so that nations will be swept into the
kingdom of God, all humanity transformed, creationdelivered, and the last
enemy, even death, destroyed from off the face of the earth for evermore.
That is what you see in Christ’s promises to the overcomers, in the manchild
ruling upon the throne, in the New Jerusalemcoming down from God out of
heaven, in a new heaven and a new earth wherein dwelleth righteousness, in
the judgments of Godcomplete in all men, and there shall be no more death.
What bright and glorious prospects loombefore the vision of all who press on
into the FULL REVELATION OF JESUS CHRIST!How do we know that
the sons of God will be manifested in the glory of Christ? How do we know
that all men will be delivered and made alive in Christ? How do we know that
all sin and death will be swallowedup in the whole human race as creationis
delivered from the bondage of corruption? How do we know? BecauseChrist
Jesus Himself is THE FAITHFUL AND TRUE WITNESS!
In this order of fullness our Lord Jesus Christ is the firstborn, the first
manifested sonof God, and He is therefore the faithful and true witness. He is
Himself the firstfruit, the sample, the demonstration, the proto-type, and the
pattern of God’s fullness in His sons and ultimately in all men! The message
revealedin the book of Revelation, and the messageI proclaim to you today, is
just this: Jesus is coming again!He will never come againin the body of His
humiliation, never againwalk to restupon the well, or sleepin the storm
tossedboat, never to againbe smitten in the face and spit upon and crucified.
Can we not all thank God that that part is finished? "In like manner as ye
have seenHim go away," so will be the manner of His coming. It was an hour
of His kingdom glory and the holy rapture of His translation. And so will He
return. So He has returned. So He does return. His return on the day of
Pentecostwas in a mighty rushing sound, in tongues of flame, in prophetic
ecstasy, in gifts of apostles andprophets and miracles. He came to fill His
body, the church, with this power. But that was not the end! It was merely a
means to the end!
Can we even begin to comprehend the greatergloryof His coming in many
sons brought to glory? All this will be reproduced on a larger, fuller scale. It

will be the FULL HARVEST of His life! He will come with the keys of death
and the grave in His hands for His electsons. He will come in power as the
Judge of the living and the dead. He will come as King of kings and Lord of
lords in sovereigngrace to carry out the greatwork of restoring all things.
"Behold, I make all things new!" Some presume that they have already
entered in to this full revelationof Jesus Christ, they are now walking in the
Third Day, dwelling on mount Zion, living in the FeastofTabernacles,and
already reign as kings in the kingdom. Their lives and their ministries give the
lie to their claims. I have not witnesseda powerand a glory greaterthan
Pentecostin any place, nor in any person, nor through any ministry anywhere
on this planet. Have you? But it is coming! You can count on it! Having now
accomplishedHis purpose of forming His electbody through the church age,
the Lord is now also ready to use the finished product from this age, sons in
His own image and likeness, to be the deliverers of creation. To this we are
called, beloved, and for this our hearts cry out with groanings that cannot be
uttered! Will it really happen? Ah, yes, my friend, JESUS CHRIST IS THE
FAITHFUL AND TRUE WITNESS!
THE FIRSTBORNFROM THE DEAD
"And from Jesus Christ, who is...the firstbegottenof the dead" (Rev. 1:5).
For three and a half years the disciples walkedwith Jesus. Theysaw Him feed
the multitudes, calm the violent sea with a word, healthe sick and oppressed,
and raise the dead even from the tomb of foul corruption. Three of them had
been with Jesus on the holy mount and had seenthe transcendentglory of His
transfiguration. They fell down afraid, dumbfounded by the glory that was
manifest, as they beheld the face of Christ shining with a brightness exceeding
the noon day sun, and heard the voice of God out of the glory saying, "This is
my belovedSon!" But at lastthe day came when the hideous monster
approached, and death moved in and reaches out its bony hands and takes
this Jesus, the Nazarene, and lifts him up from the earth and impales Him
upon a cross. He then takes his diabolical dart and plunges it into His heart.
Jesus, with a loud cry, gives up the ghostand dies! Blacknessand death cover
the land and as His lifeless body is laid reverently in the tomb the hopes of all
who trusted in God in Christ had been dashed to a thousand pieces.

The hours draggedslowly by. The sun set in the westand darkness covered
the earth. At lastthe easternskywas reddened and grew bright with a
morning hope. People arose andwent about their business. Again the light
faded and disappeared. Once more darkness threatened. All of this was
unseen and unfelt in the coldness andperpetual darkness ofthe tomb. There
no light came nor went. There the air did not move nor was it disturbed by
breathing. The most delicate instrument would have picked up no sound of a
beating heart. There was but stillness and coldness and death in the tomb
where Jesus lay. Those eyes that had wept over Jerusalemand had looked
with compassiononso many, now had passedinto the land of eternal
darkness;those hands that had gone about doing good, which had touched the
leper and opened the blind eyes, now were cold and clammy and still. Death
reigned supreme in that tomb.
But on that morning of the first day of the week, whenthere was but the
slightestshimmering of dawn on the horizon, unseen by human eyes, there
descendedthe omnipotent and supernatural hand of God, right through that
stone, and touched the body of the beloved Son. Life poured into that body
and it was quickenedby the immeasurable and illimitable power of God. In
the silent darkness ofthat tomb a mighty metamorphosis took place — the
body that rose was no longera natural body — it was a spiritual body! It was
a body pulsating with incorruptible powerand immortal vitality! It
shimmered with a splendiferous glow and vibrated at a frequency thousands
of times higher than the body that was laid there three days before. Suddenly
out of the blackness ofthe tomb, the first human body in the history of the
world that could not die, nor be affectedby any earthly power, stoodand
quietly passedthrough the rock walls like sunshine through a window pane,
disappearing into the morning mist. Christ came out, not to the roar of
hundreds of thousands, not to greatparades or waiting hands, but He came
out alone, having conquered death itself within Himself. There was only One
who was goodenough, wise enough, strong enough — Jesus the Christ, the
first begotten, the firstborn from the dead! It is His voice that speaks in the
vision of Patmos, it is His voice that beckons us onward to the glory of
sonship!

But hark! this voice that speaks is not of this world. It does not sound from
somewhere among the deep death-shadows in which here we grope and find
no way out. It is the resurrection voice!He that speaks stands at the other side
of death and the grave as the risen One! That means that He was dead and is
alive againand lives forevermore!He is alive with a new life, a victorious life.
He was in death, and went through death, and He now lives as never one lived
before. And what is more, as He passedthrough death, He left the way open!
In the Spirit we behold Him there, on the other side of death; and looking at
His glory from our presenttravail, we know by that very token that there is a
way out! As a man groping in the black and fearful darkness of a deep cave
beholds in the distance the glimmer of glorious sunlight and takes courage to
continue his wayin the one direction of that light spot, assuredthat there lies
his deliverance, so the sons of God groping in the darkness ofthe shadow of
this mortal realm, beholding in the Spirit the glory of the risen firstborn Son,
know that there is a way out of death into the glorious liberty of the sons of
God! For, mark you well, He is not merely risen: He is the firstborn from the
dead! And the firstborn is He that "openeth the womb" and prepares the way
for all His brethren. Thus Christ was in the womb of death, was born from
death, opening the womb of death for all those whom the Fatherhath given
Him. And it is He, standing in that spot of glorious light, whom you see from
your present darkness, who calls to you, "BecauseI live, ye shall live also!"
"To him that overcomethwill I give the crownof life." It is true, wonderfully
and gloriouslytrue — "We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed!"
This beautiful message wassentto the churches from the resurrected, living
Christ because He was lostfrom their minds, because He was vague in their
consciousness, because time had eroded their fresh experience, because
persecutions and troubles had weakenedtheir hopes, because confusing
teachers had disturbed their faith, and they had lost the real essence ofHis
indwelling powerof life. So He reminded them, truly reminded us, that He is
the first one born from the dead. He is alive from the dead! Not just in spirit,
but in spirit, soul and body! Precious friend of mine, are you lacking Him?
Are you missing Him? Are you weak and troubled and doubting within your
heart? Are you frustrated by pressures from without? Then hear the word of
the Lord — this message is from Jesus who is speaking to you alive from the

dead! This is a living word, it’s an incorruptible life, touch it and you will be
strengthenedby it, quickenedby it, empoweredby it, transformed by it, for it
is the life of the resurrectedSon of God within you! The book of Revelationis
a word of life from the dead, it doesn’tcome from any mortal man, it’s not
about darkness, death, destruction, and hopelessness, but it’s the value of a
treasure from heaven. I have this life in me, you have this life in you, and this
life within is the revelationof Jesus Christ, the appearing of Jesus Christ. This
word will prevail!
Multitudes of Christians do not believe that Jesus is the "firstborn from the
dead." They believe that Enochwas the first man to overcome death! They
believe that Enoch was raisedout of this death realm to a celestial, immortal
existence in spirit, soul and body. Furthermore, they are convinced that both
Enoch and Elijah precededJesus in His triumph over death, being caught up
to heaven, changedand glorified, escaping physicaldeath! That is the story
told by the preachers. But I do not believe it! The problem is that the believers
in the church systems have become literally filled with traditions and stuffy
old theories formed in the minds of men who imagine they are students of the
word of God. I am a great lover of the scriptures, but I am always afraid of
any man who superficially interprets them out of a carnal mind. That man is
spiritually illiterate and has closedhis eyes to the shining light of the
revelation of the Holy Spirit as it illumines His word. He may be a scholarand
have a greatintellect filled with dead head knowledge, but is unable to
compare spiritual things with spiritual and thereby discern the wisdom that is
from above.
Many people claim that Enochand Elijah never died, yet in Hebrews chapter
elevenEnoch is listed among the heroes offaith, and then verse thirteen
plainly says, "TheseALL DIED in faith, not having receivedthe promises..."
Enoch is named and Elijah is referred to in chapter eleven, and yet verse
thirty-nine states, "And these ALL having obtained a goodreport through
faith, receivednot the promise: God having provided some better thing for us,
that they without us should not be made perfect." In John 2:13 we read an
emphatic statement by Jesus which cannotbe contradicted. We would have to
say that either Jesus is wrong, or our understanding of a couple other

passagesis wrong, and Jesus is right! Jesus states,"And no man hath
ascendedup to heaven, but He that came down from heaven, even the Sonof
man which is in heaven." Did Jesus forgetabout Enoch and Elijah when He
made that statement? I think not!
It is not my intent to go into detail about this subjectin this writing, but let us
look briefly at Enoch’s experience as recordedin the scriptures. Let us
examine some of the clues that will aid our understanding. Genesis 5:23 states,
"ALL the days of Enoch were 365 years." Whenthis expressionis used of
other patriarchs, including Methuselah, it is followedby, "...andhe died."
However, Enochis unique because insteadof "and he died," the record states,
"And Enoch walkedwith God, and he was not; for God took him." What does
it mean when it says that God "took him"? According to Hebrews 11:5 it
means translationand this word occurs three times in one verse!Translation,
however, in the Greek means "to change sides," "transfer," or"transport."
When we think of translation we think of going up. But that is not the
meaning of the Greek word! "Transferred" wouldbe a better translation. Let
us look at another place where "translated" appears in the King James Bible.
"Who hath delivered us from the powerof darkness, and hath translated us
into the kingdom of His dear Son" (Col. 1:13). Now, while it is true there is an
upward motion presentedin many passages, suchas, "If ye then be risen with
Christ," and "He hath raised us up together," and many others, these are
different words and different analogies. The words used in those passages are
not the same word rendered "translated." The word rendered translated
simply means to transfer or transport, to move from one place, realm, or state
to another — in any direction! Have we not "changedsides" to follow Jesus?
Have we not been "transported" from one kingdom to another? Have we not
been "transferred" from a human, earthly, natural consciousness, realm, and
state of being to a divine and spiritual consciousness, realm, and state of
being? Has our allegiance notbeen "transferred" from our own selfishrights
to the will of our Father? This is a very real spiritual experience!And though
we have truly been "translated" into a new kingdom, and have "risen" and
been "raisedup" and "caughtup" togetherwith Christ in the heavenlies,
have we gone anywhere physically? Did we disappear off the earth? Did our
bodies become changed, metamorphosed, spiritualized and immortalized?

NO! If we have been "translated" into the kingdom of God’s dearSon, and yet
haven’t gone one inch off of planet earth, nor yet been changedinto a body
like unto HIS glorious body, by what authority do we contend that Enochand
Elijah left planet earth and have, for the past severalthousand years, been
living in some far-off heaven somewhere in immortal bodies that escaped
death! Nowhere does the scripture saythat Elijah never died. It only says he
was "taken," andhe was seenbeing caughtinto a whirlwind. I have seen
many things caughtup in whirlwinds, my friend, including buildings and
trees, and they were surely transferred some place, some of them never seen
again. But they did not go to heaven! Ah, beloved, we do such superficial
thinking!
I do not for one moment doubt that Enoch had a greatand glorious spiritual
experience that raisedhim up into a new dimension of spiritual life, for that is
the outcome in any age ofwalking with God! He "was not" any more the same
old Enoch, nor was He "found" any more in the old realm of sin and death
consciousnessandexistence. But the scripture plainly states that HE DIED!
Oh, how we need to let go of all the old religious traditions and believe what
God has said! Our blessedLord Jesus Christ, who came out of the tomb in a
glorious body of divine life and power has told us from that state of
resurrectionlife and immortality that HE HIMSELF IS THE FIRST
BEGOTTEN,THE FIRST BORN FROM THE DEAD! The question follows
— if Enoch and Elijah were able to attain this apart from the resurrectionof
Jesus Christ, then why would any of us have needed Jesus to open the way for
us? Jesus wouldnot have been the first man to overcome death — Enoch
would have been first! This strikes atthe very root of the redemption
accomplishedthrough the death, burial, and resurrectionof Jesus Christ. Our
hope of full and complete redemption, including the redemption of our bodies,
lies not with Enoch and Elijah, greatas those men were, for only Jesus has the
experience, and therefore the power, to change our vile bodies that they may
be fashioned like unto His body of glory! Blessedbe the firstborn Son!
THE PRINCE OF THE KINGS OF THE EARTH
"And from Jesus Christ, who is...the Prince of the kings of the earth" (Rev.
1:5).

Jesus was the ruler of the kings of the earth

Jesus was the ruler of the kings of the earth

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