REVELATION 1:17-18
When John saw Him, he said, "I fell at his feet as dead. And he laid his right
hand upon me, saying unto me, "Fear not; I am the first and the last"
(Revelation 1:17).
John is really overwhelmed by the whole vision. Daniel, who also received some
pretty venerable visions, was always falling on his face. He said, "And I Daniel
fainted, and was sick certain days... I was astonished at the vision" (Daniel
8:27). He was actually sick as a result of some of these experiences of passing
through spiritual dimensions and receiving these spiritual revelations. Paul the
apostle received so much spiritual revelation that it actually resulted in a thorn in
his flesh (II Corinthians 12:7).
Here is John falling on his face. On various occasions throughout the book John
is falling down on his face. It would no doubt be a very powerful sensation to go
through these kinds of experiences.
Jesus then laid His right hand on him and said,
Fear not; I am the first and the last: I am he that liveth, and was dead; and,
behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death
(Revelation 2:17-18).
Jesus triumphed over hell. He triumphed over death. He rose triumphant. He
said, "I have the keys of hell and death," by which He was speaking of releasing
the prisoners. In Luke's gospel, Jesus described hell as being in two
compartments divided by a gulf. On one side they were being comforted, the
other tormented.
Isaiah prophesied concerning Jesus Christ:
"The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me; because the LORD hath anointed me to
preach good tidings unto the meek... to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the
opening of the prison to them that are bound" (Isaiah 61:1).
Referring to those that had died, those that were captive in hell, in the grave,
Jesus said, "I have the keys of hell and of death." He opened up Hades and
released those souls that were in prison.
Paul said that He who has ascended is the same one who first descended into the
lower parts of the earth. When He ascended He led the captives from their
captivity (Ephesians 4:8-9). Peter said that Jesus went and preached to those
souls that were in prison (I Peter 3:19). Jesus opened up hell and delivered
Abraham and the others who by faith were believing and waiting for the coming
Messiah.
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