We will look at chapter 1 verse by verse and get some idea what the book of Revelation is all about.
1 The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave unto Him, to shew unto His servants things which must shortly come to pass; and He sent and signified it by His angel unto His servant John.
The focus of Revelation is Jesus Christ.
☆ Revelation 19:10..."the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy."
Jesus is always the focal point.
He must always increase.
Revelation unveils Christ in all His deity, splendour, majesty and power.
The phrase "to shew unto His servants things" means that ... God has something very special and important to reveal to His people.
And... we are to personally pay very close attention to what's written in Revelation... it is relevant for all Christians of all ages...
The Revelation of Jesus Christ is not to be ignored.
It is interesting to note that each letter Jesus wrote to the seven churches, concludes with the words...
"He that has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit say unto the churches."
In other words... take careful note... pay attention to what the Holy Spirit is saying.
The Revelation of Jesus Christ is not to be ignored.
"Must (will) shortly (is actually speedily) come to pass (happen)..."
The words in brackets are the actual meaning of the highlighted words.
So.... "Must shortly come to pass" does not mean it will happen soon but... when the things of Revelation do take place, they will happen quickly.
Note how this Revelation was passed down...
It was given from God the Father... to Jesus His Son... to His angel... to John... to you and I.
The words "signified by His angel" means the vision was explained by God's angel.
And note John's "station" in the Kingdom.
Yes, he was an Apostle and a pastor... but he speaks of himself as a servant (a slave, a bondman) of the Most High God.
2 Who (speaking of John) bare record of the word of God, and of the testimony of Jesus Christ, and of all things that he saw.
John was a true witness of the Word of God (Jesus).
John a disciple, personally knew the Lord Jesus Christ for three years.
John heard Jesus teach, preach and saw Him perform miracles.
John was an intimate friend of the Lord and he was one of Jesus' inner circle of very close friends (Peter, James, John).
John saw and heard the things Jesus said and did... and he recorded it all faithfully and truthfully in the Gospel of John and his three epistles... John, "bare record of the word of God."
John is a man of utmost integrity, and his witness... his testimony of all that he saw and heard of Jesus was true.
That is why I believe God entrusted Revelation to John.
3 Blessed is he that reads, and they that hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written therein: for the time is at hand.
No other book in the Bible gives this special promise... a blessing for reading it!
It is mentioned again at the end of the book... ☆ Revelation 22:7...
Blessed (happy, joyful, full of bliss) is the person who...
• reads Revelation,
• hears the words of Revelation and
• keeps all those things that are written in Revelation.
How can we ignore this amazing book?
How can we ignore the words of this prophecy?
How can we ignore God's blessing to us?
People, pastors, leaders... read it... teach it... preach it!
"For the time is at hand..."
“For the time..." Gr. word "kairos" means... an occasion that is set or proper time.
"... is at hand..." Gr. word "eggus" means... time is imminent and will come to pass.
What the book of Revelation says is going to happen... will happen... will take place at God's appointed time.
God is not a man, that He should lie.
4 John to the seven churches which are in Asia: Grace be unto you, and peace, from Him which is, and which was, and which is to come; and from the seven Spirits which are before His throne...
John now addresses... speaks to the seven churches in Asia minor.
He prays the blessing of grace and peace upon the saints in these churches... the blessing that comes from... the Eternal Godhead (the Trinity)...
• from Almighty God... the all existent Eternal One... the One "which is, which was, and which is to come."
• from "... the seven Spirits which are before God's throne..."
The only light I can shed on the 7 Spirits is found in...
☆ Isaiah 12:2...
"And the spirit of the LORD shall rest upon Him (referring to Christ), the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the LORD."
The Holy Spirit has these 7 qualities or aspects... from the Lord, wisdom, understanding, counsel, might, knowledge and Godly fear.
5 And from Jesus Christ, Who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto Him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in His own blood,
And... the blessing of grace and peace comes from... Jesus Christ the Son.
This one verse has much to say about Jesus...
• Jesus Christ... "the faithful witness."
At His first advent, Jesus gave true and complete witness of His Father in Heaven whilst here on earth. He came in the flesh... His purpose was to reveal the Father to mankind.
☆ John 8:29...
"And He that sent Me is with Me: the Father has not left Me alone; for I do always those things that please Him."
☆ John 12:49...
"For I have not spoken of Myself; but the Father which sent Me, He gave Me a commandment, what I should say, and what I should speak."
• Jesus Christ... "the first begotten of the dead."
Jesus was the first to rise from the dead by His own power, and to an immortal life. Some were raised before Him, yet not by themselves, nor to live for ever, but to die again.
• Jesus Christ... "the prince of the kings of the earth."
Jesus we shall see later in the book of Revelation... comes back to earth a second time as King of kings and Lord of lords.
His name His Father has exalted above every other name.
"At the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth;
And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord."
• Jesus Christ... "Who loved us, and washed us from our sins in His own blood."
Jesus loved us (the world) so much that He willingly lay down His life for us. His shed blood on the Cross has cleansed us from all sin past, present and future. We are redeemed by the blood of the Lamb.