Revelation 1:17-18: ¹⁷And when I saw him, I fell at his feet as dead, and he put his right hand on me, saying, “Do not fear; I am the first and the last ¹⁸and the living one, and I became dead and behold I am living forevermore, and I have the keys of Death and Hades.”

John’s encounter with Jesus in the vision was overwhelming, causing him to fall down as if dead. Like all who have ever had genuine visions of God or God’s throne (called a “theophany,” Ezekiel 1:28), we too must fall down in humility and worship with a genuine encounter with Jesus. Experiencing God’s presence should also cause fear, in the sense of dread as our sins are exposed, and awe before God’s power and holiness. John had no choice but to fall down before Jesus because every knee will bow before Jesus as the sovereign Lord (Philippians 2:10-11). When John was prostrate, Jesus reached out to him with the same right hand that held the seven stars.

The touch of the Master brought assurance with the typical response of God in the Bible to those who have genuine visions, often mediated through angels: Do not fear (Daniel 10:12; Luke 1:13, 30). Jesus next gave six reasons why John should not fear, each providing further identity of who this person actually was. The I am speaks and calls himself the first and last, similar to God’s description in verse 8 and Isaiah 44:6 and 48:12. This significant claim indicates Jesus’ divinity and eternality. The next description of the living one goes with the following phrase of being once dead but now eternally alive. The Old Testament describes Yahweh as the living God (Deuteronomy 32:40). Jesus’ death and his victory over death in his resurrection provide the basis for the forgiveness and cleansing of human sin. Holding the keys of Death and Hades indicates how Jesus’ own resurrection provides the victory over death itself. Therefore, eternal life is now available to humans who are destined for death. Hades represents the place of death, hell, the place away from God’s presence and life itself. Hades is always paired with death in Revelation and will ultimately be thrown in the “lake of fire” (6:8; 20:13-14).

A key thought of these verses is found in the phrase, when I saw him. A genuine encounter with the risen Jesus should lead to profound change in us. When the one who conquered death comes to us and places his right hand upon us, we should not fear. The touch of the Master changed many lives as he walked the dusty roads of Galilee. Now that he has conquered death and Hades, he has beaten our final enemy. No matter what we face in this world, we can have hope beyond the grave. Everyone has troubles in this life. Those who have placed their lives in the control of Christ and have the hand of Christ upon them have hope and peace.