Day 239, Revelation 1 
I tend to greet with skepticism anyone who claims to understand
everything written in the book of Revelation. So please don't expect me to
unravel every mystery about it over the next four weeks. My
fundamental premise is that if God wants something to be clear, He
can make it clear. The reason Revelation is sometimes vague is
because God intended it to be vague. He wants us to wonder, and so that’s
what we’ll do! And we'll be blessed as we read, just as John promised in 1:3,
but only if we "heed the things which are written" (1:3). This
book will motivate any soft heart towards holiness and purity.
Revelation can be divided into three sections. The first part,
which we’ve read today, is the introduction. The second part,
chapters 2-3, contains messages to seven actual churches that existed in
Asia Minor in John’s day. The third part, from chapter 4 to the end,
contains foresight into future events. These three divisions were
established by Jesus in His instructions to John: “Write therefore the
things which you have seen, and the things which are, and the things
which shall take place after these things” (1:19).
Some think that much of what John wrote of the future was fulfilled
within a few years of his writing about them, namely by the time of the
destruction of Jerusalem in AD 70. Others, like myself, believe that most of
the future events which John foresaw are still yet to be fulfilled during a
time of world-wide tribulation---when the antichrist will rise to power.
In his final years, John had been banished by the Roman
emperor, Domitian, to the isle of Patmos in the Aegean Sea. It was there
that he experienced his incredible vision, first seeing Jesus in His glorified
state. Pay attention to John's description, as that is how He will appear when
we see Him! Jesus was glorious and John was mortified.
In John's vision, Jesus was standing in the midst of
seven golden lampstands and holding seven stars in His right hand. We
are informed that the lampstands represent the seven churches to whom John
was writing, and the seven stars represent the seven angels (or
"messengers") over those churches (1:20). We would not have known
this had it not been explained, so we see that God can make clear anything He
wants to make clear, and keep mysterious anything He wants to keep mysterious.
I think it is safe to assume that there is a reason that Jesus chose
to use lampstands to symbolize churches. Churches are supposed to be spreading
the light of the truth in the midst of darkness. I'm afraid that many churches
today would be best symbolized by black boxes.
If we understand nothing else in this wonderful book, there is one
fact that couldn't be more clear, and that is the certainty of the second
coming of Christ. Loosely quoting from the Old Testament books of Daniel
and Zechariah, John writes in his introduction:
Behold, He is coming with the clouds, and every eye
will see Him, even those who pierced Him; and all the tribes of the
earth will mourn over Him (1:7).
Everything we will read in this book leads up to that solemn and
cataclysmic event that is highlighted in the 19th chapter. Jesus is He
"who is and who was and who is to come" (stated twice in this
chapter, in 1:4, 8). So many people are focused on Him "who was"
while too few are focused on Him "who is to come."
Jesus claimed to possess “the keys of death and of Hades” (1:18).
This was obviously a metaphorical expression. Keys unlock what is
locked. Through His sacrificial death and resurrection, Jesus provided a
means whereby people can escape the sentence of spiritual and eternal
death and hell. Praise God that He "released us from our sins by His
blood" (1:5), and He has "made us kings and priests unto God"
(1:6; KJV). So from one king to another, have a great day!
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