This week I’m beginning work on a new commentary. This one will study Revelation, verse by verse. It’s a daunting challenge but I’m enjoying the experience of diving deep into the text.

What that means for the website is many of my devos will naturally reflect my ongoing study. Since most of the devotionals I write just come to me based on whatever I’m thinking of at the moment, and since I’m going to be thinking a lot about Revelation, prepare to get a lot of devotionals based one way or another on the last book of the Bible.

Speaking of…

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 1:18

What a wondrous walking dichotomy is our Master. He is the one who lives, and was dead. Notice that Jesus doesn’t say “I am living but was dead.” He’s not drawing attention to the change but to the seemingly-impossible nature of the change. I am living and I was dead and I am alive forever more. How can that be?! It can’t be by all natural occurrences; once a man dies he’s dead and on his own is powerless to do anything about it. He can’t un-die himself. But with God all things are possible; He is the resurrection and the life (John 11:25).

Who better than He, the first-fruits of the resurrection (1 Corinthians 15:20), to be, not only the Master of life and death, but also the custodian of it? He describes Himself here as the one who has the keys of hell (the grave) and of death. All those who live, live by God’s creative power. All those who die, die because of sin, but thanks to Christ’s sacrifice, He has become the gatekeeper to the grave, allowing those who die the opportunity to escape from the pit and be freed from death. Without Jesus, the dead are dead forever. Satan had the keys of the grave and he kept it locked. Through Jesus, the gate is open; we can live again.