In Revelation 1:2 John says that he is a witness to the word of God and to the testimony of Jesus Christ. In the verse 9b he repeats the same thing by saying that he was on the island of Patmos because of the word of God and the testimony of Jesus Christ.
In between in verse 5 John describes Jesus as Faithful Witness.
In Revelation 19:13 says about Jesus that His name is Word of God.
John 12:49-50 “For I did not speak on my own, but the Father who sent me commanded me to say all that I have spoken. I know that his command leads to eternal life. So whatever I say is just what the Father has told me to say.”
John 5:19 Jesus gave them this answer: “Very truly I tell you, the Son can do nothing by himself; he can do only what he sees his Father doing, because whatever the Father does the Son also does.
John is seeing and describing Jesus as the faithful witness. Faithful witness to the Word of God, for He, Himself is called the Word of God, Jesus is a faithful witness to who God the Father is…faithful witness to the things he hears, sees and the things that the Father is doing. Jesus is faithful witness to the Father Himself and when he says to Philip: Philip who has seen me has seen the Father for me and the Father are one… What Jesus is saying that He is perfect replica, representation, perfect reflection of who the Father is.
Having this revelation of Jesus as faithful witness, John sees himself in the same light. He identifies himself with Jesus by saying that he too in all of his weakness and brokenness is a witness, witness to the Word of God and the testimony of Jesus Christ.
One of the greatest needs and callings to each one of us is to be witnesses to the Word of God and the testimony of Jesus Christ.
I remember one old pastor was saying that if you want God to use you don’t just seat at home go out among the people and you will be used. If you want to see the gifts of the Spirit manifested in you and through you don’t just pray about it but as you share the gospel with people outside God will use you in whatever way is needed and he will manifest himself through whatever gift is needed in that moment.
God gives greater revelation and understanding to those who are witnesses of the Word and Jesus Christ.
It’s not our ability but our availability is needed to do the will of God.
Witness to the Word of God: It is a calling to be truthful to what the Word of God says, to keep it in our heart, to delight in it, to make it our standard of living, to stand upon it and live by it. If we do not delight in the Word of God we will see it as boring and as a command that takes away our freedom. We are called to be witness of the word of God and that doesn’t mean that we should have superior knowledge of the word but it means that what we know to share it. What he has revealed to us already to live by it and share it with other people. Is not about how much we know but is all about being faithful to what we already know and have understanding of.
Witness to the testimony of Jesus: It is a calling to be witnesses to the name of Jesus Christ. Witnesses to who He is, what He is like, witnesses of His heart, His character, His personality, witnesses of what He has done, what He is doing and what He is yet to do. We are called to represent Jesus not ourselves, not our churches, not our nationality, ethnicity etc…We are the image of Jesus to the people all around us!
1 John 4:17 …because as he is, so are we in this world.