Article 1

UNDERSTANDING REVELATION – 1

The Revelation of Jesus Christ

The book of Revelation is “The Revelation of Jesus Christ.”  That is, in the original language, the phrase “of Jesus Christ” may be understood to be either a revelation from Jesus or one that reveals Him.  Given the context of 1:1 it seems that the former interpretation is the primary meaning for it is the revelation “which God gave Him to show His servants.”  On the other hand, the truth of the second meaning must not be overlooked, for this book is pre-eminently one that reveals Jesus in His heavenly work after His ascension there.  Even a cursory reading of the book bears this out.  (See, for example, 1:11-18; 5:1-13; 6:1, 3, 5, etc.)

It should be noted that, in this sense, the book of Revelation is complementary to the gospels.  They record Jesus’ ministry on earth while the Revelation unfolds His work in the plan of salvation since that time.  In that vein the book of Hebrews wonderfully describes Christ’s heavenly ministry in our behalf.

It should also be emphasized that this first verse categorically denies the notion that Revelation is a sealed book and so cannot be understood.  The Greek word for “Revelation” means “an unveiling.”  This book contains God’s message for His “servants” who are to “read”, “hear” and “keep those things which are written in it” (v. 3).  This, they could not do, unless they first understood it.  And here’s the clincher – the angel in 22:10 specifically instructs John, “Do not seal the words of the prophecy of this book.”  And the specific reason is because, “the time is at hand.”   In other words, the time of the unveiling of this book was already in process in John’s time.  This is made plain in 1:19 where John is instructed to “write the things which you have seen, and the things which are, and the things which will take place after this.”  This suggests that the book of Revelation is indeed an “unveiling” of God’s activities through Christ in a historical-continuum as He works toward the final consummation in chapters 21-22!

There is another significant truth imbedded in this first verse of Revelation- “things which must shortly take place.”  There are passages in Scripture that are of a conditional nature, that is, they will take place based on the response of the listeners (see for example Ex. 19:5; 2 Ch. 7:14; Ez. 33:8-20; Jonah 3).  However, this verse speaks of things which “must” take place.  The visions that John “saw” (“I saw” or some visual derivative over 60 times in the book) will, according to God’s sovereignty, happen, not being based on responses or lack thereof.  The visions themselves though, do reveal that some will respond positively and some negatively to God’s activities.  On His part, God reveals these things which “must shortly take place” with the desire that all will understand and “keep those things which are written in it: for the time is near” (1:3).  Indeed, the angel who speaks to John in Revelation’s last chapter, with clarion call, declares that the words of the book of Revelation “are faithful and true (22:6).  Then, taking up the strain of 1:1, the angel reconfirms that “the Lord God of the holy prophets sent His angel to show His servants the things which must shortly take place” (v. 6).  Astonishingly, in the next verse (v. 7), in words written in red, we hear the words of the Revelation of Jesus Christ Himself: “Behold, I am coming quickly!  Blessed is he who keeps the words of the prophecy of this book.”

Now, some questions beg!  To whom is this Revelation of Jesus Christ addressed?  Who are “His servants” (1:1; 22:3, 6) in the verses we have surveyed in this article?  Does the entire world need to be alerted to and conversant with this Revelation of Jesus Christ, or is it for certain people groups in certain time periods of history since John?

If we can discover correctly the answers to the above questions, then can we also ascertain the vital “interpretative keys” (hermeneutics or method of interpretation) so that we can personally experience the “blessing” of those who “keep the words of the prophecy of this book” (1:3; 22:7).

These questions will be the subject matter of the next few articles.

(It is important to peruse the various scripture references scattered throughout this and subsequent articles to see their relation to the subject matter.)

~ Rex Frost