Jack Gutknecht Supporter Arizona Bible College graduate and Dallas Seminary graduate

Good question, Michael! The reassurance by Jesus (Revelation 1:17-20) was and still is --
1. Comforting (Rev 1:17-18): He reassures the fear-stricken John.

a. "I was dead but am alive forever and ever" (Rev 1:17-18 a).
When John fell at Jesus' feet as though dead, overwhelmed by the awesome vision of the glorified Christ, Jesus responded not with judgment but with reassurance. He laid his right hand on John—the same hand that held the seven stars—and said, “Fear not.” This is the Jesus whom John once leaned on at the Last Supper. The change in appearance was dramatic, but not the heart of Christ. He is still the risen Lord who conquered death. “I was dead,” he says—not in weakness, but in submission to the Father’s will, bearing the sins of the world. “But behold, I am alive forever and ever.” His resurrection was not temporary; it is eternal. He is the living one. Death could not hold him, and because he lives, his people live also.

b. "I hold the keys of death and the grave" (Rev 1:18b).
Jesus continues, “I have the keys of death and of Hades.” In Scripture, keys symbolize authority and control. To hold the keys is to possess the power to open and shut, to grant or restrict access. Jesus is declaring that he has absolute authority over both physical death and the realm of the dead. No one dies apart from his knowledge, and no one remains in the grave unless he wills it.

Satan no longer holds that power (Hebrews 2:14) — Jesus does.

When Jesus says, “I have the keys,” he means:
"You don’t need to fear death anymore. I went there. I came back. And I’m holding the door open for you."

These are not Satan’s keys—Jesus took them back when he rose. This is not the voice of a distant sovereign, but of a Savior who tasted death and emerged victorious.

Alexander MacLaren’s words shine with special meaning here: “The hand that holds the seven stars is as loving as the hand that was laid in blessing upon the little children... the face that is as the sun... beams with as much love as when it drew publicans and harlots to his feet... the breast... is the same breast upon which John leaned his happy head” (Who Said That? Jesus, p. 277). The Jesus who now holds the keys is the same Jesus who once wept, touched lepers, and bore our griefs. His power is not cold or distant. It is personal, hard-won, and filled with compassion.

This reassurance is meant for all who fear death or the unknown. Jesus has been there. He has the keys. And if he holds them, no grave, no darkness, and no terror can bind his people. His touch still comforts. His voice still calms. And his victory still stands.

~barebones outline from "The Chapters of Revelation" by Harold Wilmington

2 days ago • 1 response • Vote Up • Share • Report