Thursday Devotional – Jesus is Worthy as the Physically Exalted Son of God (10/24/24)

 A lady at Bible study wondered if we would have a physical body in heaven or just have our spirit. As we continued our study in Revelation, John’s first vision made the answer clear.

Revelation 1:9-18   ⁹ I, John, your brother and companion in the suffering and kingdom and patient endurance that are ours in Jesus, was on the island of Patmos because of the word of God and the testimony of Jesus. ¹⁰ On the Lord’s Day I was in the Spirit, and I heard behind me a loud voice like a trumpet, ¹¹ which said: “Write on a scroll what you see and send it to the seven churches: to Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia and Laodicea.”

¹² I turned around to see the voice that was speaking to me. And when I turned I saw seven golden lampstands, ¹³ and among the lampstands was someone like a son of man, dressed in a robe reaching down to his feet and with a golden sash around his chest. ¹⁴ The hair on his head was white like wool, as white as snow, and his eyes were like blazing fire. ¹⁵ His feet were like bronze glowing in a furnace, and his voice was like the sound of rushing waters. ¹⁶ In his right hand he held seven stars, and coming out of his mouth was a sharp, double-edged sword. His face was like the sun shining in all its brilliance.

¹⁷ When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead. Then he placed his right hand on me and said: “Do not be afraid. I am the First and the Last. ¹⁸ I am the Living One; I was dead, and now look, I am alive for ever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and Hades.

Can you imagine that one so exalted would desire to relate to John and to you and me? What an honor! John heard, saw and felt the Son of Man!

The awesome glory of Jesus terrified John, but Jesus reassured him and told him to take another look at His living, tangible presence! Not only did Jesus’s unique features represent different aspects of His authority, but His exalted state gave evidence that we will also have a glorified physical body. He is the “firstborn from the dead” (as we read in Rev 1:5 last week), showing us we will have physical features, too, when we rise from the dead.

How are you and I encouraged by this brilliant vision of Jesus? I am encouraged knowing I will have a physical body in heaven that will be amazing, never decay, and live forever. I am also encouraged knowing Jesus has all authority and all power over everything in life and after this life!