What Old Testament prophecies align with Jesus' description in Revelation 2:8? Revelation 2:8—Jesus’ Self-Portrait “To the angel of the church in Smyrna write: These are the words of the First and the Last, who died and returned to life.” Prophecies Echoing “The First and the Last” • Isaiah 41:4 — “I, the LORD—the first and the last—I am He.” • Isaiah 44:6 — “I am the first and I am the last, and there is no God but Me.” • Isaiah 48:12 — “I am He; I am the first and I am the last.” • Micah 5:2 — Messiah’s “origins are from of old, from the days of eternity.” ⟶ Jesus’ claim in Revelation matches the eternal self-description Yahweh gives in Isaiah, affirming His full deity and timeless rule. Prophecies Foretelling Death and Resurrection • Psalm 16:10 — “You will not abandon my soul to Sheol, nor will You let Your Holy One see decay.” • Psalm 22:16 & 22 — Pierced hands and feet, yet future public praise “in the assembly.” • Isaiah 53:8-11 — “Cut off from the land of the living… He will prolong His days.” • Hosea 6:2 — “After two days He will revive us; on the third day He will raise us up.” • Jonah 1:17; 2:10 — Three days in the fish, then delivered; Jesus called this “the sign of Jonah.” • Zechariah 12:10; 13:1 — The One “whom they have pierced” leads to cleansing and life. ⟶ Each passage presents a suffering yet vindicated figure—pierced, cut off, or buried—who nevertheless emerges alive and triumphant, just as Jesus declares in Revelation 2:8. Tying It Together • Only Yahweh claims to be “the First and the Last” in Isaiah; Jesus uses the same title, revealing His divine nature. • Old Testament texts consistently anticipate a righteous Servant who would suffer death yet overcome it—fulfilled in Christ’s crucifixion and resurrection. • Revelation 2:8 merges both themes: eternal sovereignty (“First and Last”) and victorious resurrection (“who died and returned to life”), showing Jesus as both God and risen Messiah. Encouragement for Smyrna—and Us Believers facing pressure, like those in Smyrna, can rest in the One who stands outside time and has already conquered death. The prophecies assure us that His victory was foretold from the very beginning, guaranteeing our future with Him. |
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