Article 3

UNDERSTANDING REVELATION – 3

Revelation’s Intended Audience 2

We continue to discover more firmly Revelation’s intended audience as we open to the book’s beginning in 1:1-3.  In verse one we see an example of the “divine protocol” of God’s communication from His throne room to the sinful race.  Jesus expressed it in John 12:49-50.  The book is a Revelation from Him and a book about Him.  It is Christ who, in chapters two and three, has perfect knowledge of the condition of the seven local churches in Asia and by extension the Church throughout the ages.  It is Christ alone who is “worthy” to take the scroll from the hand of the One who sat on the throne and to open its seven seals (chapters 4-6).  It is the Lamb before whom the numberless multitude stand victorious before the throne in chapter 7.  It is because of the intercession of Christ (8:3-4) that the judgments of God (chapters 8-9) are only “partial” judgments (notice the “thirds) upon a rebellious world—God endeavoring to gain the attention of the nations.

(Regarding Rev. 8:3-4, please note a primary emphasis of the book of Hebrews describing Christ’s Hi-priestly ministry in our behalf, (Hebrews 2:17-18; 4:14-16; 7:23-28, esp. 25; 8:1; 10:19-23).  The “much incense” offered with the prayers of the saints upon the golden altar before the throne of 8:3 and the smoke of the incense with the prayers of the saints ascending before God of 8:4 all point to the reality of Christ’s intercessory ministry on behalf of His believing, praying people since the Day of Pentecost (Acts 2:32-36).  Revelation 8:3-5 is an “introductory sanctuary scene” to the seven trumpets of chapters 8-9.)

Continuing, as has been described in the previous article, it is the “power of His Christ” that cemented the plan of salvation and empowers His persecuted saints (12:10-11).  It is the Lamb who stands on Mount Zion with the 144,000 and reaps the earth’s harvest in Rev. 14.  It is the Lamb of 17:14 who is victorious in the battle of Armageddon.  It is the supper of the Lamb described in Rev. 19:1-9 and the Word of God who rides the white horse judging and making war in verses 11-16.  The saints reign with none other than Christ for 1000 years in Rev. 20.  It is the Lamb along with the Lord God Almighty who are the temple of the New Jerusalem of Rev. 21.  It is Jesus Christ himself who thrice declares in Rev. 22, “Behold I am coming quickly.”  Indeed, this book is the Revelation of Jesus Christ!

This Revelation of Jesus Christ is specifically to “show His servants—things which must shortly take place” (1:1).  To “signify” (v. 1) means to “show by signs and symbols”.  One of the major tasks for the student of Revelation is to allow the text to inform us of what the author means rather than imposing a preconceived theology or agenda upon the text.  It is often said that “the Bible is its own best interpreter” and the symbolic imagery presented in the Apocalypse must be explained and clarified primarily from the Bible to come to a correct interpretation of the symbols and make corresponding applications.  The “how” of that task we will discuss in future articles.

To begin, we need to discover Revelation’s literary construction.  In paying careful attention to the structure of the book the student will more readily ascertain the book’s theological message—what it really teaches.

The first indication of this literary pattern we find in the parallel nature of the Prologue (1:1-8) and the Epilogue (22:6-21).  We note the obvious parallels.  Both sections speak of an angel sent by God/Christ (1:1 and 22:6, 16) to show His servants things which must shortly take place (1:1 and 22:6).  Rev. 1:2 explains that the book contains “the word of God and the testimony of Jesus Christ”, and the epilogue concludes, “I, Jesus, have sent My angel to testify to you these things in the churches (22:16), (this testimony for the churches, NIV).  Both sections pronounce a blessing on “those who keep the words of this prophecy” (1:3 and 22:7).  Both passages mention the central theme of the return of Christ (1:7 and 22:7, 12, 20).  In both we read that “the time is near/at hand” (1:3 and 22:10).  In the prologue, God is called the Alpha and the Omega (1:8), while the epilogue describes Jesus as the Alpha and the Omega (22:13).  In both sections the book of Revelation is “to/in the churches” (1:11 and 22:16).

The obvious parallels between the introduction and the conclusion to this amazing book reveal that they are “bookends” to the entire contents of Revelation.  This first indication of this literary arrangement confirms the conviction that the entire book, as an indivisible whole, is directed as a prophetic letter to the church universal.  As we briefly surveyed Rev. 12 in the previous article, we discover that the dragon, upon Christ’s ascension and inauguration, cast out of heaven, turns his ire toward the “woman” (12:6, 14) who is a symbol of the Church (19:7-8; 1 Cor. 11:2; Eph. 5:25-27).  Ultimately his rage is fixed on the “remnant of her seed” (KJV) who, by the way, “have (or hold to) the testimony of Jesus Christ” as described in the above parallels and the simplified chart below.  Thus, John emphasizes that the Chrisitan community is the focal point of the Apocalypse—the dragon bent on its destruction, but God intent on its salvation.  So, the theme of the church as the community of salvation in the last days not only stands at the beginning and end of the book but also constitutes the core of this book of Revelation.

Prologue                                                       Parallels                                                           Epilogue

    1:1                                               “angel sent by God/Christ”                                     22:6,16

    1:1                                                “to show His servants”                                              22:6

    1:1                              “things which must shortly take place”                                        22:6

    1:2                                          “the testimony of Jesus Christ”                                         22:16

    1:3                                              “blessed in he who keeps”                                          22:17

    1:7                                                  “the return of Christ”                                      22:7, 12, 20

    1:3                                                      “the time is near”                                                 22:10

    1:8                                           “the Alpha and the Omega”                                         22:13

    1:4, 11                                          “the seven churches”                                               22:16

We, therefore, initiate a parallel diagram of Revelation’s literary structure, a divine design and architecture, which will be fleshed out in the next article, but unseen by most students of Revelation.

A.    Prologue (1:1-8)

A’. Epilogue (22:6-21)

~Rex Frost