John Greets the Seven Churches
John greets the seven churches with grace and peace flowing from the eternal God, from the seven spirits before His throne, and from Jesus Christ. Christ is named in titles that summarize the whole book: faithful witness, firstborn from the dead, and ruler of earth's kings. John then praises Him for His love, His blood-bought release from sin, and His making of believers into a kingdom of priests. The section presses forward into eschatological announcement: Christ is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see Him, even those who pierced Him. Finally, the Lord God identifies Himself as the Alpha and the Omega, the Almighty. The paragraph situates the churches within redemptive grace and cosmic sovereignty.
J4ohn, 5Grace and peace to you from Him who is and was and is to come, and from the seven spirits before His throne, and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth. 6To Him who loves us and has released us from our sins by His blood, who has made us to be a kingdom, priests to His God and Father — to Him be the glory and power forever and ever! Amen. 7Behold, He is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see Him — even those who pierced Him. And all the tribes of the earth will mourn because of Him. So shall it be! Amen. 8“I am the Alpha and the Omega, ” says the Lord God, who is and was and is to come — the Almighty.