Translation
When I saw Him
I fell at his feet,
as though dead;
Go to footnote numberbut he placed His right hand upon me
Go to footnote numbersaying,
“Do not fear,
I am the first and the last.
Go to footnote numberParaphrase
When I saw Him
I submitted myself to His authority, surrendering to Him all my will and everything I am; but He showed me that He would utilize His honor, strength and authority to protect me, and He confirmed His ability to do so by saying, “Do not fear; everything, from A to Z, is wrapped up in me.
Footnotes
1: "I fell at His feet as though dead"
This act meant total submission, but it was also a realization that “I am nothing.” Here’s why, in the Bible, when people encountered God, or even his angels, they were overcome by fear. They knew they were nothing and deserved nothing. They had no power to even speak or stand before this one who had so much more power, even if it was only an angel.
2
The “right hand” was known as a symbol of honor, strength and authority. The fact the Jesus reached out and touched John was an indication that Jesus was going to use His power and authority to help John, who was in a difficult situation.
3: "The first and the last"
This was an all-encompassing phrase that meant “everything” in a variety of categories. Everything in history, including the personal history of the hearer, was, and will be, under His protecting hand. While He does not manipulate History, He keeps it from being worse than it is. We think things have been terrible because we are self-centered and want things to be easy and comfortable. God is not interested in ease and comfort. He wants us to learn to trust Him, and that often requires tough situations. All power and authority are His. The buck stops with Him. Everything else (at least everything good) is also wrapped up in Him. He is Lord over everything. We can trust His strength and His love to protect us and encourage us in persecution.