Introduction to Revelation

The Bible says in Revelation 1:1, "The revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave unto him, to show unto his servants things which must shortly come to pass; and he sent and signified it by his angel unto his servant John." The last book of the Bible is the book of Revelation. The title of the book is taken from the first verse that says, "The revelation of Jesus Christ." The word revelation comes from the Greek word "apokalupsis" and is sometimes translated apocalypse and means manifestation or appearing. We know that Jesus promised to return, or appear again. The apostles always looked forward to the return of Christ because Jesus told them He would return.

In John Chapter 14 Jesus said, "I will come again…" In Acts Chapter 1 while Jesus was ascending into heaven two angels announced to the disciples, "You men of Galilee, why stand you gazing up into the heavens? This same Jesus, who is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as you have seen him go into heaven."

John introduced this writing, and he said that it was the "revelation of Jesus Christ." It’s the revelation about Jesus Christ, and it’s also the revelation that came from Jesus Christ. The way that John received this revelation is also given to us in verse 1. Jesus sent an angel to disclose this information to the apostle John. Whenever the writers of the New Testament received information from God, they recorded it for posterity, and they knew what was going on. They knew that what they were writing was the Word of God. That’s why John said in Rev. 1:2, "Who bare record of the Word of God, and of the testimony of Jesus Christ, and of all things that he saw."

One of the unique tasks God gave the apostles and some of their associates was to be writers of His Word. This is the method that God chose so that His truth would be revealed and also preserved for all subsequent generations: it was the Apostle Peter who wrote, "holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit." Paul also wrote to us that, "All scripture is given by inspiration of God."

In Revelation 1:1 we are told that these things recorded in the book of Revelation "must shortly come to pass." This was written almost 2,000 years ago. How could John say that they must shortly come to pass, when we know that most of the things in the book of Revelation have not yet happened? The reason for this is because God is not limited to time and space the way man is. When Peter was writing about the second coming of Christ, Peter said in II Pet. 3:8, "But beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day." Using this method to measure the passage of time, it has been just over 2 days since Jesus gave His promise that He would return to earth. The Lord may return today or He may not return for years, but once it happens everyone will realize that John was right: it took only a very short time. The time is short. Human history is on a limited course, as is life as we know it, and God has revealed to us in the book of Revelation some wonderful information about what will happen when this end-time comes.

But the book of Revelation does not speak only about the end-time. There are revelations about the end, but there are other things also in the book of Revelation. John wrote in Revelation 1:2, "Who bear record of the word of God, and of the testimony of Jesus Christ, and of all things that he saw." The book of Revelation is part of the Word of God, and therefore it has spiritual value in the same way that other parts of the Word of God have. As the Apostle Paul stated in his letters to Timothy, "All scripture is given by inspiration of God and is profitable for correction, for reproof, for instruction in righteousness..." Don’t make the mistake of considering the book of Revelation just a book of prophecy and information about the end-time. It should be studied for the same reasons that other books of the Bible should be studied: to learn spiritual lessons, to learn more about God and His Son, and to be instructed on how to live for God in this world. Remember that the book of Revelation is really the book of the Revelation of Jesus Christ. When you think of the book of Revelation, you should think of Jesus Christ: Jesus Christ in victory, Jesus Christ the Judge, Jesus Christ the King, and Jesus Christ the Lord of glory. If you do not, then you have missed the point.

It’s important to remember the last little phrase of Revelation 1:2 in order to avoid a common mistake in studying the book of Revelation. John said that he wrote "of all things that he saw." Obviously, the angel who came to John, revealed things to John by means of a vision. John saw things in the future as if he were watching them take place in his own day and age. John then described what he saw within the context of things with which he was familiar. One of the mistakes  people often make is attempting to interpret in detail what John wrote and filter his writings through the filter of experiences from their own day and age. This would only be valid if the Lord returned in their lifetime. But if He does not return for hundreds of years, some of the things that John saw are not totally comprehensible to us either.

But there are many things that are understandable in the book of the Revelation, and therefore there is a great blessing in reading and thinking about the teachings of the book. Revelation 1:3 says,

"Blessed is he that reads, and they that hear the works of this prophecy, and keep those things, which are written therein: for the time is at hand."

It’s important to read and it’s important to hear. "How shall they believe except they hear, and how shall they hear except someone tell them the good news?" Jesus said, "Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God." It’s important to hear, but don’t be a forgetful hearer. Revelation should be studied with the same goal in mind as every other book of the Bible: to find things to put into practice in one’s personal life. If your behavior is not being altered and improved by what you are reading and studying, then you are learning in vain. Your labor is absolutely fruitless.

John wrote, in Revelation 1: 4-5, "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; 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."

We know from verse 9 that John was in exile on the island of Patmos when he wrote the book of Revelation. And we know from verse 4 that John was writing to seven different churches. The seven churches were in seven cities in Asia Minor, that is an old name for the area of the world known  today as Turkey. We will hear more about them in the next few chapters of Revelation, and we will be able to learn much from them about the failures of believers in contrast to the faithfulness of God. The errors and weaknesses of these churches we still see in churches today and probably in a more pronounced way.

Before John gets into correcting their errors, he does a wise thing and begins by pointing out the good and the positive things about them. He will correct them later, but only because he cares about them and hopes to see them accomplish things for the Lord. John wrote in verse 4 that he wished they had grace and peace. There are few things in life more important for a believer than to have the grace of God. God’s grace refers to the free gifts that He gives. God’s grace refers to the things that He does for us that we cannot do for ourselves. God’s grace refers to His unmerited favor granted to us. It’s only because of the grace of God that we are saved from our sin. It’s only because of the grace of God that we have the possibility of serving Him. It’s only by the grace of God that we can understand what Jesus did for us and understand how that affects out lives. If you have the the grace of God, then there is no limit to what you will accomplish in the time that you have left; because it will not be you, but the grace of God that is in you. Those who rely upon their own strength have not learned much about the grace of God.

John also hoped that the believers in the seven churches would have more peace. There is not much peace in this world, although the human soul cries out for peace. There are many things that people do in order to try and find peace and to try and find an escape from the things that trouble them. In large measure the reason many cannot find peace, they are applying the world’s definition of peace to their life. You see the world attributes to peace the connotation of the absence of strife, turmoil and conflict. Yet, the peace that Jesus Christ came to deliver is not the absence of those things, but rather a calm assurance of victory and the ability to overcome in spite of all the turmoil and strife going on around us. But there is no peace to the wicked, there is no peace to those who have a troubled conscience, and there is no peace to those who look in the wrong places for peace, and unfortunately, there is no peace to the child of God who fails to understand the type of peace that Christ came to give to us.

Jesus is the Prince of Peace. As we learn to walk in fellowship with Him and depend upon His promises, we will have peace. If you have grace and peace, you will have priceless treasures that no one or no unfortunate circumstance can take from you. Grace and peace can take you all the way to the return of Christ.

In the book of Revelation Jesus is revealed as the all-powerful, divine Son of God, coming back to take possession of the earth as the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. John attributes the divine characteristic of eternal existence to Jesus when John writes in verse 4, "which is, and which was, and which is to come." One of the great blessings of the book of Revelation is the message that God is in control not only of the future, but also the present. This life can have many sorrows, and the powerful people of this world sometimes use their power against the people of God; but human history is heading towards a great and climactic event: the return of Jesus Christ. The One who created the universe, the One who came as a man and allowed them to do to Him whatsoever they would: is also the One "which is to come."

The book of Revelation is a message that was written by the apostle John. We know from verse 1 that John was assisted in the writing of it by an angel. Now John says in verse 4 that the message also came "from the seven spirits which are before His throne." These seven spirits are probably other angels that are referred to in verse 20. The word angel means messenger, so it is not surprising that God used angels to assist John in compiling this great message that we call the book of Revelation.

But as with all the books of the Bible the ultimate source is the Holy Spirit Himself. Every word is the Word of God, faithful and true in all that is said. The source of the book of Revelation is Jesus Himself. Jesus wanted to give one final written testimony of who He is to the world, and so He gave the book of Revelation. Where did the book of Revelation come from? It came from Jesus. Verse 5 says, "from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness."

The book of Revelation is the revelation of Jesus Christ. It came from Jesus Christ and it’s about Jesus Christ. Its purpose is to reveal Him and to reveal His purpose for the end-time. Who is Jesus? According to Revelation 1:5, He is the faithful witness. When Jesus was on the earth He witnessed of the Father and of the truth. To everyone who has ever believed, Jesus has witnessed to their heart by His Holy Spirit. Many have resisted and many have denied Him, but Jesus has continued to witness because He is the faithful witness. If the heart of a sinner is ever touched by an attraction to the Savior, it will only be because of the witness of Jesus and the convicting power of the Holy Spirit. He might use you or someone else, but they will only be touched and reached by the Faithful Witness.

One of the things about which Jesus is a faithful witness is the resurrection from the dead. According to Rev. 1:5, Jesus is the first begotten of the dead. One of the great promises concerning the gospel of Jesus Christ is that of life after death and of the resurrection from the dead. In order for the resurrection from the dead to take place, life as we know it must be transformed. This transformation of our bodies into a new, glorified resurrected body and the end of all death will be one of the important consequences of the return of Christ to the earth.

Of course, another consequence of His return will be His manifestation as the King of Kings and Lord of Lords when He takes over the rule in a way that He has never done before. That’s why Revelation 1:5 says that He is the prince of the kings of the earth. Right now those who rule the earth are in a way under the authority of Jesus, because they can only rule with His permission. That’s why Romans 13:1 says, "For there is no power but of God. The powers that be are ordained of God." Those who have been given authority will one-day answer to the Prince of the kings of the earth for what they did with their power.

Once man has thoroughly made a mess of things, Jesus will return to smash the enemies of God and right all the wrongs. That’s when the meek shall inherit the earth. They shall inherit it when they come riding in with their King. He will do these things for us because He loves us. Before we loved Him, He first loved us, and He proved His great love by dying in our place on the cross, while we were yet in our sin. When you try to think about all of the wonderful things that can be said about Jesus, for the believer there is nothing greater to be said than the last part of Rev. 1:5 that Jesus "washed us from our sins in his own blood." All of us are sinners. Romans 6:23 says, "All have sinned and come short of the glory of God." Therefore, the final separation of the human race will be based upon the sin problem. If you are under the guilt of your sin, you will not have a part in the Kingdom of God and of Christ. If you do have a part in His kingdom, it will only be because you were freed from the penalty of your sin through Jesus. To be free from the penalty of sin is the greatest freedom, and Jesus paid for this freedom with His blood. Believers will be citizens of a great nation, and will know the greatest of all freedoms. For now we already know freedom from the penalty of sin, and in His great Kingdom to come we will also know freedom from the presence of sin. Are you looking for a place where you will be happy, and free, and safe from all dangers? Then turn from your sins and turn to Jesus, because He will return to the earth one day, and only those who have been washed from their sins because of faith in Him will be a part of His Kingdom.