I was in the Spirit on the Lord’s day, and heard behind me a great voice, as of a trumpet, Saying, I am Alpha and Omega, the first and the last: and, What thou seest, write in a book, and send it unto the seven churches which are in Asia; unto Ephesus, and unto Smyrna, and unto Pergamos, and unto Thyatira, and unto Sardis, and unto Philadelphia, and unto Laodicea. And I turned to see the voice that spake with me. And being turned, I saw seven golden candlesticks; And in the midst of the seven candlesticks one like unto the Son of man, clothed with a garment down to the foot, and girt about the paps with a golden girdle. His head and his hairs were white like wool, as white as snow; and his eyes were as a flame of fire; And his feet like unto fine brass, as if they burned in a furnace; and his voice as the sound of many waters. And he had in his right hand seven stars: and out of his mouth went a sharp twoedged sword: and his countenance was as the sun shineth in his strength. And when I saw him, 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: 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 1:10-18

No one aptly captured the experience of John the Beloved as recorded in our text for today in words better than Apostle Paul in 2 Corinthians 5: 16b – yea, though we have known Christ after the flesh, yet now henceforth know we him no more. This same John for all the relationship he had with the Lord God Almighty as recorded in John 13:23 and John 19:26,27, turned to see the voice that spoke with him (verses 12-17).

Needless to say, the weight of glory, just as it happened in the Old Testament when the priests could not stand to minister by reason of the cloud; for the glory of the Lord that had filled the house. The glory of the Lord that filled the house was so heavy that the priests could not stand, such was what knocked John down as dead. But in these times of unpardonable familiarity, we speak of Him as though He is mate or equal to us.

Would you give Him the glory due to His name? Moses knew Him firsthand in the day of trouble and penned Exodus 15:1-19, a dirge appropriate for such a time as we are facing all over the world. Draw inspiration for this, resting in His assuring words, ‘fear not’! Shalom.