“The revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave to show his servants the things that must soon take place; and he sent it and manifested it through his angel to his servant John.” (Revelation 1: 1)
What is the specific prophetic message and purpose that this verse brings us today?
In Revelation 1: 1, we see that the Book of Revelation is given to the followers of Jesus Christ to “reveal” something that would soon take place. God the Father gave this revelation to his Son, Jesus, to pass on to his servants (all who followed him or would ever follow him) so that they would realize the things that were soon to come on earth.
Since God has a much broader perspective of time than we do, the word “soon” refers to this specific time as it refers to the entire history of the world. Therefore, most biblical scholars agree that the beginning of what we call the “End of Times” began when Jesus became flesh and was born into the world and will culminate when he returns.
At first, his followers did not understand this extended time frame. They assumed that Christ would return during his lifetime. However, as time passed, they finally came to the conclusion that the end of time would unfold over a longer period of time than they had imagined.
As a result, they also realized the importance of recording everything they had experienced regarding the life and teachings of Jesus so that it could be preserved for those who would be alive when He actually returned.
This was the reason that God commissioned them to bring the Holy Bible into existence. The entire Word of God, including the Book of Revelation, serves as the complete history record of God’s provision for the eternal salvation of mankind; Genesis to Revelation.
Jesus sent his messenger angel to make the meaning of this revelation known to John, the disciple and servant of Jesus Christ. This is the same John who established the record in the Word of God in the Gospel of John, which includes the testimony of Jesus and the account of everything that John had personally seen related to the life, death, resurrection, and Word of Christ.
Revelation 1: 3 promises that those who read and hear the words of this prophecy and hold on to the things that are written on the pages of this Book, will be blessed (they will be given God’s favor and will benefit from receiving these words) because “The time is near”.
How does God intend to benefit us in the end times by reading this historical prophetic book?
Elsewhere in Scripture we are given a clue through an illustration that describes the End Times process as “a working woman” about to give birth. This is a picture of intense and continuous waves of painful changes and periods of rest until the end, when Jesus Christ will suddenly return.
The Book of Revelation contains a blessing that will be revealed to us over time as we read the words of this prophecy and continue to read them. You need to keep reading the Book of Revelation, because the “revelation” was given in symbolic form and this message was designed to require careful interpretation over the years, comparing it to historical events as they unfolded.
In essence, God is saying, “Just read it.”
Although we do not fully understand what we are reading, God wants us to read it for the purpose of putting together the pieces of a puzzle that will eventually be assembled in the End Times.
Even the disciple, John, did not understand the vision he was given.
Since this was a futuristic vision that involved things that John was not familiar with, it is obvious that he was trying to describe it in terms of the things that he saw and did not understand, such as the type of war and the military devices involved, which had the appearance of insects with mouths and tails that could burp fire.
The Book of Revelation was clearly designed by the Creator and the original Author to be obscured until a specific time in history when everything would be revealed.
With the passage of time, things on earth would change. Humanity would become acquainted with the protagonists of worldly conquests, the various religious and political powers, and new inventions. Therefore, the blessing would come as this information was collected and brought together to form this important End Times message.
Even today, while we are still struggling to understand the true meaning of the Book of Revelation, this process of “revelation” is carefully timed and controlled by the Spirit of God to correspond with the actual End Time scenario for believers to can pinpoint the times we are living in and we begin to realize how far along this countdown process really is.
We find in 2 Thessalonians, Chapter 2, a warning about a “strong deception” and another warning given by Jesus is found in Matthew 24 regarding a great “deception”, both occurring at the End Times. Only those who continue to feed faithfully personally on all the Word of God and, therefore, are inhabited by the Spirit of God, will be able to correctly interpret the Book of Revelation and correctly compare what is written with what is really happening.
Personal Bible study is not an option. The stakes are high to risk being swayed by the opinions of mere men and religious icons. We must assume this responsibility ourselves and be personally nourished in spirit by every Word that comes from the mouth of God.
If we don’t listen to Him, He won’t listen to us. It’s as simple as that.
For this reason, Jesus gives us another warning at the beginning of the Book of Revelation, Chapter 2: 4-5:
“However, I have something against you, because you have left your first love. Remember, then, from where you have fallen, and repent, and do the first works; otherwise, I will come to you soon and remove your lampstand from its place, unless you regret it. “
Those who have left their first love, who do not remember, repent and do the first works, will be removed from their (presumed) relationship with Christ. Regardless of what we believe about the eternal security of a professing believer, we must all admit that this warning from the lips of Jesus sounds extremely serious and should not be taken lightly.
Most professing Christians believe that leaving the first love has to do with our love for Jesus, but this is only part of the interpretation that depends on the multitude of worldly definitions regarding what “love” really is. Jesus said that there is an imitation of “love” that calls him “Lord”, but is not really willing to give him prominence or genuinely acknowledge him as Lord at all. (Luke 6:46)
The rest of the actual interpretation is found in the “Hidden Manna” throughout the entire Bible, as God defines these “first works” as the most important thing in life.
This warning is given at the beginning of the Book of Revelation because unless we are doing the “first works”, we will not be able to correctly divide the Word of God or accurately interpret what is written about the End Times in the Book of Apocalypse.
Because God’s Word makes it clear in Ephesians 2: 8 that we are saved by grace through faith and not by works, the “first works” mentioned in Revelation 2: 4-5 cannot refer to any physical works. , but to specific works of the spirit that only true believers experience; It is not required to be saved, but it is evident when one is saved.
They are works that involve recognizing the preeminence of God and feeding on the “Hidden Manna”. They occur as a result of being saved by grace through faith in Jesus Christ and testify to our genuine relationship with Him.
It is this “Hidden Manna” that protects us from the great deception and allows the Book of Revelation to be accurately interpreted and revealed to the children of God so that we can overcome and endure to the end.
“Repent, or I will come to you soon, and I will fight against them with the sword of my mouth (Word of God). He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches; to him who overcomes I will give manna to eat hidden, and I will give him a white stone, and on the stone a new name written, which no one knows but the one who receives it. ” (Revelation 2: 16-17)
