Revelation 1:5-6 These verses give us the second announcement of Yeshua as our redeemer.
Five great things are declared about Jesus in these two verses.
1) Jesus is the faithful witness; we can depend on His testimony and what he tells us. He came from heaven to reveal the truth about God, man and the world that we live in (John 3:11; John 18:37).
2) Yeshua is the first to rise from the dead never to die again. He is the fulfillment of what was foreshadowed in the offering of the first fruits of Leviticus 23. The words “firstborn” mean to be the first in rank the heir of the Father. This also fulfills the Law of the first-born on which a double portion of the father’s estate was to be given (Deuteronomy 21:15-17). The first-born became the patriarch of the family in the place of the father. His resurrection is the supreme and preeminent resurrection. All other believers arise because He arose and conquered death for us if we our trust is in His work on the cross in his substitutionary death and resurrection and not our own efforts.
3) Jesus is the king of the kings of the earth; Jesus has been raised from the dead and exalted to the right hand of God’s throne. He alone has been given the seat of Sovereign rule over the earth. The world may seem chaotic and the problems too enormous to be handled. However, Jesus is in control, and He is able to handle it all.
Man may legitimately ask: Why does God not go come and straighten out the chaotic mess and evil of the world? God tells us as plainly: “[God] is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance” (2 Peter 3:9).
Jesus is delaying His return so that more people can be saved and live eternally with God. But some day, and from the weight of the evidence the day will be soon, Jesus is returning to take over the rule of the world and He alone is going to rule and bring the reign of righteousness to earth. He is the prince of the kings of the earth. (Psalm 24:1,7;Revelation 11:15;17:14;19:16).
4) Jesus has redeemed us. He “loves us and has washed us from our sins in His own blood” (Revelation 1:5). The word love is in the present tense in the Greek. This means that Jesus Christ always loves us. He loves us today just as He has loved us in the past.
The word “washed” means to be set free, and released from sin. How did the blood of Yeshua set us free from sin? By taking our sins on Himself and dying because of them. He was qualified to do that because He had lived a sinless and perfect life as a Man on earth.
Therefore, He was able to present Himself as the Ideal and Perfect Man before God. He was able to die as the ideal and perfect sacrifice. He took them on Himself and bore the punishment for them (Is. 53). He took our sins off us, removed them, and died for them and rose again so that they might be permanently removed, and gave to us His righteousness as we abide in Him and not ourselves. (Galatians 1:4; Ephesians 1:7;1 Peter 1:18-19; Revelation 5:9).
5) Jesus the Messiah has exalted us. He has actually made us kings and priests. The word kings is meant a kingdom, a rule, we each have been given areas that we are stewards of and as we are faithful we will be entrusted with more both here and when we are rewarded in heaven (Luke 19:12;Romans 8:16-17;1 Corinthians 6:2; Ephesians 2:6-7; Revelation 2:26-27). By priests this means that we have open access into God’s presence any time and are called now to intercede for others. Believers no longer need human priests or mediators. Believers are themselves made priests before God and are now to offer their own prayers, praises, worship, thanksgiving, and offerings to God. (Romans 12:1; Hebrews 13:15; 1 Peter 2:5).
