Overcoming – Four Principles in Revelation 12 (Part 4)

 

“And they overcame him because the blood of the Lamb, and because of the word of their testimony, and they did not love their life even unto death.” Revelation 12:11.

 

Continuing from the last post, what is “the word of their testimony”? There are likely a number of ways to express the answer but let me suggest that all of the Biblical answers contain three dimensions to them.

 

Let’s again note that in the beginning of Revelation John is “on the island called Patmos because of the word of God and the testimony of Jesus” (1:9). Also in 1:2 we read that John, “testified to the word of God and the testimony of Jesus Christ.” The word of God and the testimony of Jesus are inextricably intertwined, in fact, they are one and the same for the Word of God is the testimony of the Father, indeed, of the Trinity, and Jesus Christ came to earth to testify of the Father, indeed, to testify to the Trinity.

 

We begin with the testimony of Jesus, for our testimony must be His testimony in that we must first and always proclaim what Jesus says about Himself. His testimony is twofold, there is that which the incarnational Jesus says about Himself (think of the Gospels) and then that which the Scripture says about Jesus (think from Genesis through Revelation). Since the Word is the Word is the Word, and the Word is Whom we term the Second Person of the Trinity (may God assist us to know Him in His mystery), then we may come to a place where we see no distinction between the testimony of Jesus in the Gospels and His testimony in the rest of Scripture – which is as it should be as Christ Jesus radiates from the entire Bible (Luke 24:27, 44; John 5:39).

 

The Gospel of John is especially helpful in this regard as we consider, “And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth…No one has seen God at any time; the only begotten God who is in the bosom of the Father, He has declared Him” (John 1:14, 18). Throughout this Gospel (and of course the other three Gospels) Jesus faces opposition to His testimony (John 5:18; 6:42; 8:48; 10:33).

 

As we see Jesus in the Gospels we see both what His testimony is and how He remained faithful to that testimony; we see our Example, our Pattern; for as the Father sent Jesus into the world, so Jesus sends us into the world (John 17:18; 20:21). As Jesus testifies to the Father, so are we to testify to the Father, Son, and the Holy Spirit. We must know Jesus in His Word if we are to testify to that Word. We must not be ashamed of Jesus and His words (Mark 8:38) if Jesus is not to be ashamed of us.

 

While our personal testimony has its place, it is not first place – first place must always be what God in Christ says about Himself, second place is what the Church (the Body of Christ) through the ages testifies of and to Jesus Christ (as expressed in the Nicene Creed), and third place is our personal testimony (as members of His Body). As we follow on to know Christ the unity of koinonia may make these somewhat indistinguishable, but let our lives always be centered in the Alpha and Omega, the Beginning and the End, the First and the Last.

 

What is the testimony of Jesus Christ in the Gospel of John? What does Jesus Christ say about Himself? For example, does He speak of Himself as the Light of the world? What does He say about Himself and those who desire to come to the Father?

 

What is the testimony of Jesus Christ in the Gospel of John? What is your answer? By the grace of God, what complete answer can you give? Share it with someone. 

 

We’ll continue this focus on testimony in the next post.