Notes on the Apocalypse #1

The introduction to the book of Revelation is of supreme importance if we are ever to come to a right understanding of its content. There are actually two introductions. The first comes in verse 1:1-4. The book opens with these words:

The revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show to his servants the things that must soon take place. He made it known by sending his angel to his servant John, 2 who bore witness to the word of God and to the testimony of Jesus Christ, even to all that he saw. 3 Blessed is the one who reads aloud the words of this prophecy, and blessed are those who hear, and who keep what is written in it, for the time is near. 4 John to the seven churches that are in Asia

There are several significant features of this introduction. Too often, we rush into the details of this grand vision without first recognizing the significance of the more basic truth of the nature and source of this book. John opens with a brief summary of the theme of the book. This book is nothing less than a revelation of Jesus Christ. This very basic interpretive key is frequently overlooked. The book of Revelation is not, first and foremost, a prophecy about particular events in human history; neither is it simply a code to be unlocked. It is an unveiling (as the word ‘revelation’ means) of the Person and work of Christ. This theme is developed a bit further in verses 5-8–where the first and second coming of Christ are in view. Everything that will be discussed in the subsequent chapters is understood with relation to the Lord Jesus Christ and the work He accomplishes in His two advents. The visions span the entire period of redemptive history between Christ’s first and second coming.

But John also deals, at the outset, with the all important chain of origin of this prophecy. The Holy Spirit has intended to begin this final redemptive prophecy with a description of the chain of revelation. The revelation of Jesus Christ originates with the Father. This is seen in the phrase, “Which God gave Him…” The Father gives the revelation, about the Son, to His Son. John next notes that Jesus, having received the revelation from the Father and acting as the great Prophet of the church, “sent and signified it by His angel to His servant John. The Father gives the revelation to the Son, the Son gives it to His angel (i.e. His spirit messenger) who in turn gives it to John. Finally, John, we are told, gives it to the church: “John to the seven churches which are in Asia Minor.” It seems that the authority of Scripture, and of this prophetic piece in particular, is of upmost importance. The purpose of outlining this hierarchical delivery of the revelation is to confirm to the minds of the readers the attention that is required of them.

The authority is noted along with the responsibility of the particular members of the church to respond appropriately. John writes, “Blessed is he who reads, and those who hear, and he who keeps the words of this prophecy.” The content of this prophecy, written in the first century, is of utmost importance because it comes from the Father, to the Son, through an angel, to the apostle John–and finally to the church. The Father is speaking when the revelation is read. The Son is also speaking. Two of the members of the Godhead have spoken. It is, therefore, the message of the great King. Interestingly, the kingship of Christ is most fully set out in this book where He is even termed, “King of Kings and Lord of Lords.” So the response that we make to this prophecy is the response we make to the King of the Universe. Jesus Himself alluded to the importance of the channels of revelation when He said to the apostles, “Whoever hears you hears Me, but whoever rejects you rejects Me.”

There is one final important aspect of the first introduction. John adds a causal statement to the promise of blessing for the one who reads, hears and keeps. He writes, “for the time is near.” The things written in this prophecy would occur quickly. This is a repeated theme in the book. The note of urgency is coupled with explanation of authority so that we might be all the more quick to read, hear and keep. We should long to dig down deeply into the words of this book because it is a book about our Savior Jesus Christ, it is a prophecy that comes from the Father to the Son, and because there was and is an immediacy to the things written within. Let him who has ears to hear let him hear what the Father and the Son say to the church.