"For I know that my Redeemer and Vindicator lives,
and at last He, the Last One, will stand upon the earth.
And after my skin, even this body, is destroyed, then
from my flesh or without, it I shall see God,
Whom I, even I, shall see for myself and on my side!
And my eyes shall behold Him, and not as a stranger!
My heart pines away and is consumed within me.
(Job 19:25-27)
"Who has prepared and done this, calling forth and guiding the
destinies of the generations, of the nations, from the beginning?
I, the Lord-the first before history began-and with the last,
an ever-present, unchanging God-I am He."
(Isaiah 41:4)
"Thus says the Lord, the King of Israel and his Redeemer, the Lord of hosts:
"I am the First and I am the Last; besides me there is no God."
(Isaiah 44:6)
"Listen to Me, O Jacob and Israel, My called ones:
I am He, I am the First, I am also the Last."
(Isaiah 48:12)
"When I saw Him, I fell at His feet as if dead.
But He laid His right hand on me and said,
"Do not be afraid! I am the First and the Last."
(Revelation 1:17)
The Lord is speaking here to faithful Jews in the assembly at Smyrna.
His words have come to represent the trials and persecution suffered
by countless numbers of true believers- Jews and Gentiles
around the world- throughout the centuries:
"And to the angel of the assembly (church) at Smyrna write:
These are the words of the First and the Last,
Who died and came to life again:
I know your affliction and distress and pressing trouble and your poverty-
but you are rich! and how you are abused and reviled and slandered by
those who say they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan.
Fear nothing that you are about to suffer. Dismiss your dread and
your fears! Behold, the devil is indeed about to throw some of you
into prison, that you may be tested and proved and critically
appraised, and for ten days you will have affliction.
Be loyally faithful unto death, even if you must die for it,
and I will give you the crown of life."
(Revelation 2:8-10)
In His words to Jewish believers in the assembly at Philadelphia,
delivered through the Holy Spirit and the messenger angel,
the Lord told His beloved exiled apostle John:
"These are the words of the Holy One, the True One,
He Who has the key of David, Who opens and no one
shall shut, Who shuts and no one shall open,
I know of your record of works and what you are doing.
See! I have set before you a door wide open which no one
is able to shut; I know you have but little power, and yet,
you have kept My Word and guarded My message and
have not renounced or denied My name.
Take note! I will make those of the synagogue of Satan,
who say they are Jews and are not, but lie-behold,
I will make them come and bow down before your feet
and learn and acknowledge that I have loved you.
Because you have guarded and kept My word of
patient endurance, have held fast the lesson of My patience
with expectant endurance that I give you, I also will
keep you safe from the hour of trial which is coming
on the whole world to try those who dwell upon the earth.
I am coming quickly; hold fast what you have, so that
no one may rob you and deprive you of your crown.
He who overcomes is victorious, I will make him
a pillar in the sanctuary of My God;
he shall never be put out of it or go out of it,
and I will write on him the name of My God
and the name of the city of My God,
the new Jerusalem, which descends from
My God out of heaven and My own new name."
(Revelation 3:7-12)
"For I am the Alpha and the Omega,
the First and the Last
the Before all and the End of all."
(Revelation 22:13)
Pray for the peace of Jerusalem and the salvation of Israel.
Maranatha!
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