Revelation 1:1 Commentary and Bible Study

‘The Revelation of Jesus Christ’, is particularly the revelation about how he will be with, protect, and strengthen his church through the last age and bring it to final triumph. ‘Which God gave unto him [unto Christ] to show unto his servants things which must shortly come to pass.’ That is such an important phrase. The modern translations perhaps get it a bit more accurately in using words like ‘things which will very soon come to pass’, because that is the force of the original. What you read about in the Book of Revelation begins to happen immediately, at the time when the apostle John is writing. That doesn’t mean that it is only about things that take place in the years immediately following this book, but it begins at the time John received it, and stretches to the end of the age. Some people do misunderstand this passage, and they say, we expect to see in this book short term prophecies, prophecies that would be fulfilled by, let us say, A.D. 70. That is much too early. Others extend it a little longer, but no, these are things which will quickly come to pass, that means they will begin happening straightaway, and they will characterise the world right up until the end of the age. The Book of Revelation is about that period of time between the first coming of Christ and the second coming of Christ, and it is given to us in order that we should understand the time in which we live and why the world is as it is.In English we have the word ‘apocalypse’. That comes from the Greek term used here and translated ‘Revelation’. In current usage apocalypse tends to mean some violent event or some end time event, but that is only because of the association of the word with the Book of Revelation. The strict meaning is simply ‘that which is unveiled, or uncovered, or revealed’, hence ‘Revelation’. It is the revealing, the uncovering, the unveiling of the message of Jesus Christ and his activities and his purpose. What is hidden by God is impossible for man to discover for himself. The revelation of God shows us what no amount of human inquiry, man-made religion, or philosophy could ever uncover. Only Jesus Christ can give such a revelation for he is the Word of God, and all revelation comes only through him. As John tells us in a later vision, Christ alone can open the scroll. That scroll represents the plan of redemption. He alone can reveal its contents to his church. Why? Because his redemptive work has made it possible for there to be a gospel at all. Only he could fulfil the Old Testament prophecies. He is the one who ‘will open [his] mouth in parables; [and] will utter things which have been kept secret from the foundation of the world’ (Matthew 13:35). He has purchased the church with his own blood, and prepared a place in heaven for them.‘Which God gave unto him.’ But Christ is God; he is second person of the Trinity. What is meant by this phrase? It is a way of informing us that the work of Christ and the purposes of Christ are the purpose of the whole Godhead – one God, three persons: Father, Son and Holy Spirit. All are in perfect concert and agreed as to what will be done with the human race, how the human race should be saved, what Christ the second person of the Trinity would distinctively do when he came to earth, and what he would subsequently do together with the Father and the Spirit until he returns.‘To shew unto his servants.’ Why show unto his servants? The Bible from cover to cover is the revelation of God, and it is for all people, a message to the human race, a message of salvation. But this book is rather distinctive. The revelation here is given specifically to his servants. If somebody who has never been converted were to attempt to understand the Book of Revelation, he would fail. Indeed many of us who are converted have difficulty with it, because some of its figures are hard and obscure. But this part of God’s word is specifically for the servants of Christ. It is a book that is moulded and cast for them, because it is only those who are converted who want God’s explanations as to why the world is as it is, and why we are treated as we are. It is a book of comfort for us and an explanation. So it is especially designed for the servants of Christ.‘And he sent it and signified it by his angel.’ It was through the instrumentality of an angel that these visions were given ‘unto his servant John.’ The Lord Jesus has sent this revelation to John by his angel and therefore this is a created angel. Why did Christ choose to use symbols to convey these things to John? Because it is a book for believers, who are well acquainted with previous portions of God’s word, for the symbols found in the book are taken chiefly from the Old Testament.