Texts in Conversation
Revelation’s description of Jesus as the ruler of the kings of the earth echoes the language of Psalm 89, where the royal figure is named the firstborn and highest among earthly kings. In the psalm, this status depicts the king as the chosen heir of divine favor and covenantal authority.
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Psalm 89:27
Hebrew Bible
24 He will experience my faithfulness and loyal love, and by my name he will win victories. 25 I will place his hand over the sea, his right hand over the rivers. 26 He will call out to me, ‘You are my father, my God, and the protector who delivers me.’ 27 I will appoint him to be my firstborn son, the most exalted of the earth’s kings. 28 I will always extend my loyal love to him, and my covenant with him is secure. 29 I will give him an eternal dynasty and make his throne as enduring as the skies above. 30 If his sons reject my law and disobey my regulations,
Date: 6th-3rd Centuries B.C.E. (based on scholarly estimates)
Source
Revelation 1:5
New Testament
3 Blessed is the one who reads the words of this prophecy aloud, and blessed are those who hear and obey the things written in it, because the time is near! 4 From John, to the seven churches that are in the province of Asia: Grace and peace to you from “he who is,” and who was, and who is still to come, and from the seven spirits who are before his throne, 5 and from Jesus Christ—the faithful witness, the firstborn from among the dead, the ruler over the kings of the earth. To the one who loves us and has set us free from our sins at the cost of his own blood 6 and has appointed us as a kingdom, as priests serving his God and Father—to him be the glory and the power for ever and ever! Amen.
Date: 92-96 C.E. (based on scholarly estimates)
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Notes and References
"... the Root of David title is linked with other well-known messianic testimonia and serves to identify Jesus as the fulfillment of traditional messianic expectations. Among these messianically understood scriptural passages, John appears to give a high visibility to Davidic promises. Christ is not only from the tribe of Judah and the family of David (5:5; compare 7:4a with 14:1), but he also holds the key of David (3:7; Isaiah 22:22). And because YHWH’s covenant with David (2 Samuel 7:14; Psalm 89:4) has found its fulfillment in Jesus, John can call him the “ruler of the kings of the earth” (Revelation 1:5; Psalm 89:27). Therefore, the title “Root of David” not only functions as a messianic identification but also emphasizes Christ’s royal authority as the legitimate Davidic heir. Its presence in a vision of Christ’s enthronement and reception of authority (Revelation 5) provides a foundation for later statements concerning his kingship, kingdom, and rule (11:15; 17:14; 19:16; 20:4, 6; 1:5) ..."
Fekkes, Jan
"Isaiah and the Book of Revelation: John the Prophet as a Fourth Isaiah?" in McGinnis, Claire Mathews, and Patricia K. Tull (eds.) "As Those Who Are Taught": The Interpretation of Isaiah from the LXX to the SBL
(pp. 125-143) Society of Biblical Literature, 2006
* The use of references are not endorsements of their contents. Please read the entirety of the provided reference(s) to understand the author's full intentions regarding the use of these texts.
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