Sight-seeing and coming upon a great view can be overwhelming! Most us have seen a spectacular sunrise or sunset, lofty mountain top, a valley view, a colorful canyon, the broadness of grain fields or the endless sight of water in the middle of the ocean.
Suppose you witnessed a rare or absolutely astounding experience how would you describe that incredible sight? Well, many people do try to explain by comparison, but eventually we most likely will hear them say “you should have been there” or “you need go to see it for yourself!”
In the first sentences of the book of Revelation the apostle John describes the awe of the Almighty.
There are three effects on a person who understands and obeys the Revelation of Jesus in chapter 1:1-8. The Authority of the Word, Our Amazing Position, and the Awe of Jesus Christ.
I.) The Authority of the Word of the Lord. 1-3
While reading verses 1-3, we are supposed to understand the nature and purpose of these words. They make a serious statement. Notice the first phrase of verse 1, “The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave Him to show His servants”
“It is the Word of the Lord.” This is from Jesus Christ! (Hebrew history of treating God’s Word, written or the pronunciation of the Tetragrammaton came to be avoided. i.e. four consonants)
Verse 1 meant that all readers were to respect and respond to the book of Revelation. And there are some people that treat this book of Revelation as simply a tale or having only a symbolically meaning. This book has been seen as something not literal by the liberal theologians.
There are two effects of Jesus revelation on the apostle John.
The first affect is told at the end of verse 1: “And He sent and signified it by His angel to His servant John. John was humbled, he identified that by the word “servant.” Jesus Christ’ revelation of Himself should cause people to be made low just like it did to Saul on the Damascus road or Moses on the Mount.
The second affect is that there is an urgency tell others. In verse 1 and 2 you can sense the urgency; “things which must shortly take place. And He sent and signified it by His angel to His servant John, 2 who bore witness to the word of God, and to the testimony of Jesus Christ, to all things that he saw.”
Along with verses 1 & 2, verse 3 repeats this urgency. “Blessed is the one who reads and those who hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written in it; for the time is near.”
The words “the time is near” indicates that this word from the Lord to John is about prophecy not the past.
However, Biblical prophecy is not given to just focus on the future, but understand it in light of a believer’s present situation. The key aspect of Biblical prophecy is that, it is a divine perspective spoken to present situation.
In the apostle John’s day people believed God communicated with His people directly by choosing certain individuals who were given their message of divine revelation and charged to deliver it to the people. The people needed to understand their present situation and what it meant to be faithful Christians.
Those in the 1st century and us today can read and understand how we are to remain faithful while reading the book of Revelation. We must not misunderstand the prophecy by getting get caught up in the events of this prophecy. Its role is to reveal that Jesus Christ is coming in authority and in might, the One who rules and controls all things; past present and future.
Biblical prophecy should cause a reaction to the present readers.
How did the 1st century Church respond? Some people might have reacted in fear since they would be found unfaithful. Some people might have reacted in fear and sold all their belongings. Some claimed that Christ’s second coming is like “with the LORD one day is like one thousand years” so they were not concerned by it.
Some people feared it was the end, by the sights of evil or injustice that abounded.
How should we respond? I follow that question with another, what exactly is the urgency in the book of Revelation? This prophecy is not just that the end is near. It appears to me that in verse 3, the urgency is for believers to be faithful to Jesus Christ.
The God who was with them in the past would not forsake believers now or in the future. Later in Revelation chapters 2 & 3, the accusation made to the seven churches is because of their lack of faithfulness. A faithful Christian is a person, whose life is dedicated to the cause and person of Jesus Christ.
A brief biblical model of the idea of faith is how Paul reacted to Jesus after the Damascus road experience? Afterward he was found obedient even in the midst of hardship. He worked and served the Lord of the universe until the end of his days.
The book of Revelation is meant for Christians to remain faithful in spite of appearances, God is supreme and we are to look forward to the return of Christ.
The second effect from reading Revelation is being reassured of our unique privilege to worship Jesus.
II.) Our Amazing Position. 4-6
In verse 4, John to the seven churches that are in Asia:
I cannot tell you exactly why seven Churches are addressed. But there are two ideas that I would like to share with you.
The first, these seven Churches are a circuit of churches that are associated with each other via correspondence. If a person would place them onto a geographical map you would find they all were linked together with major Romans roads.
The second idea, is that the number seven is an important symbolic concept in Revelation. The book is organized around the number seven. Seven churches 1:4, seven spirits 1:4, 5:6 seven lamp stands 1:12, seven stars 1:16, seven angels 1:20, seven torches 4:5, the lamb with seven horns and seven eyes 5:6, seven seals chapters 6-8, seven trumpets chapters 8-11, seven thunders 10:3-4, seven bowls chapters 15-16, seven headed dragon 12:3, and the seven headed beast 13.1.
In Hebrew culture the number seven had a special significance since the number seven in Judaism conveys completeness. Some Biblical scholars think this was so because the seventh day was the completion of God’s creative work. Since John was a Hebrew and the book of Revelation conveys the apocalypse or end times. I’m suggesting that a Hebrew mind would think in terms of seven because the number seven suggests completeness or the conclusion.
Importantly though, these seven descriptions are not the point of this book. The point is that Jesus Christ is active in the universe. He is not just a grandfather sitting on the throne in heaven. Nothing is done without His knowledge and permissive authority.
Notice the reassurance spoken in verse 4 “Grace to you and peace from Him who is and who was and who is to come, and from the seven Spirits who are before His throne,”
This is adapted from Exodus 3:14 “And God said to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM.” And He said, “Thus you shall say to the children of Israel, ‘I AM has sent me to you.’ ”.
This phrase is a reassurance that God is not static or neutral nor avoiding the problems in the world. Jesus Who is and Who was, is the same One who will continue to be active in the world especially in regard to the lives of His people.
In addition to encouraging Christians to remain faithful, we are appointed to have roles serving God and be part of the kingdom with obligations to be priests and rulers.
Notice our assignments in verses 5-6. “And from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler over the kings of the earth. To Him who loved us and washed us from our sins in His own blood, and has made us kings and priests to His God and Father, to Him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.”
The construction of verse 5, “He loved us” (past tense). Also, in verse 6, He has “made” us priests and kings in His kingdom (now and forever). And while we wait for His earthly kingdom to return, Jesus continues to love us present tense. Note back in verse 4, that John wrote the words “Grace and peace …. From Him.”
How did Jesus demonstrate His love for us? He accomplished His love for us through His liberating death on the cross “with His own blood” to make us Kings and priests.
A parallel thought is in the book of Exodus as this text is referring to help you see a pattern of God’s
Relationship’s with His people. In the Book of Exodus, Israel was told God would save them and free them and they would be a priestly kingdom and a holy nation. So, we read, they were brought forth out of destruction, plagues and punishments that were delivered to Egypt.
The Apostle John is reassuring believers much like Moses did in his day! The message is that Jesus will bring righteousness and justice. Here is what it comes down to: We have a privilege to live in hope, not in fear, and faithfully worship Him until He returns.
The second effect from reading Revelation is to appreciate the awe of Jesus Christ.
III.) The Awe of Jesus Christ. 7-8
Verse 7 is a significant prophetic pronouncement:One word seems small but this word “ἰδού” in the Greek or the word in English, “Behold” begins verse 7. This is an imperative, it’s a command! It is saying behold or look with an exclamation mark following. (attention illustration: Achtung Kharlshue alongside)
Verse 7 opens, the primary purpose of Revelation, which is about the coming King of kings and Lord of Lords!
He is coming with clouds, and every eye will see Him, even they who pierced Him. And all the tribes of the earth will mourn because of Him.”
This verse conveys that Jesus Christ’s coming will be of such magnitude that every eye will see Him even those who don’t care to! The thought here is that no one will miss out. Every person will bow as they see His Glory.
There are two examples of this reality in the Bible the first is recorded in Acts 1:9-11.
9 Now when He had spoken these things, while they watched, He was taken up, and a cloud received Him out of their sight. 10 And while they looked steadfastly toward heaven as He went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel, 11 who also said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand gazing up into heaven? This same Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will so come in like manner as you saw Him go into heaven.”
The apostles saw His majesty as He went from them. And we are told that everyone will see Him descend and come into sight.
The second example is a little different. John 18:1-6 “And Judas, who betrayed Him, also knew the place; for Jesus often met there with His disciples. 3 Then Judas, having received a detachment of troops, and officers from the chief priests and Pharisees, came there with lanterns, torches, and weapons. 4 Jesus therefore, knowing all things that would come upon Him, went forward and said to them, “Whom are you seeking?” 5 They answered Him, “Jesus of Nazareth.” Jesus said to them, “I am He.” And Judas, who betrayed Him, also stood with them. 6 Now when He said to them, “I am He,” they drew back and fell to the ground.”
The point: When Jesus reveals Himself, every person will be humbled no matter who or where they are.
Back in Revelation chapter 1, notice how Jesus reveals Himself in verse 8. “I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End,” says the Lord, “Who is and Who was and Who is to come, the Almighty.”
There are two key phrases authenticating Himself.
1.) “The Alpha and the Omega. The Beginning and the End.” A – Ω are the first and last letters of the Greek alphabet. This description occurs twice in the Book. This is like saying A and Z in English. Additionally, it is expanded with the addition of “the beginning and the End.”
These descriptive expressions explain that Jesus Christ was in the beginning Genesis 1:1 and Who will be at the end. These phrases proclaim the entirety of God’s sovereignty and power. These phrases communicate: What God began in creation God will bring to completion.
The second phrase;
2.) “Who is and Who was and Who is to come, the Almighty.” The phrase who is and who was and who is to come is repeated from verse 4 and is like A- Ω describing the work of God.
Instead of Greek culture, this phrase is connected to the Hebrew culture, understanding of the name “Yahweh”, or the “I am.”
- Who is—eternally present tense
- Who was—always was (never had a beginning)
- Who is to come—always will be
There is no marking of time with God because He has no beginning or ending. (He is always and forever!)
He is the all-powerful One who holds authority and might over all.
Just like many times in the Old Testament the name of God is expanded with “the Almighty.” This phrase “the Almighty” appears eight times in the book and when it is used it is alongside the proper name of God. (see
4:8, 11:17, 15:3, 16:7, 14; 19:6,15; and 21:22). Every time the term appears in Revelation and in the Old Testament it is conveying “the Lord of Hosts.” The supreme ruler!
These affirmations in Revelation 1:1-8 should be a powerful encouragement to every believer facing any situation.
- The believer is to know God is in absolute power and control.
- Revelation encourages believers not to fear, but to rejoice.
- Our role is to attribute glory and honor to Jesus Christ.
- To Know that Jesus is “our Lord of Hosts.”
- And we are to be refreshed in His Glory and Majesty.
Have you have trusted the God of Scripture, Jesus Christ? Now is a great time to look and see Jesus is Lord and Who He is. Would you ask Him to be your Lord and Savior?
A second thought is for believers; are you worshipping God as Lord of your life? For the imminent hour is upon us. It is even more than when Revelation was written.
In closing I will highlight verse 3, “Blessed is the one who reads and those who hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written in it; for the time is near.”