The Book of Revelation is:
“The Revelation of Jesus Christ,
which God gave Him
to show His servants—
things which must shortly take place.
And He sent and signified it by His angel
to His servant John,
who bore witness to the word of God,
and to the testimony of Jesus Christ,
to all things that he saw.
Blessed is he 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.”
(Revelation 1:1 – 3)
This is how the Book of Revelation
Introduces itself…
But “what does revelation mean”?
The Dictionary describes it this way:
“a surprising and previously unknown
fact that has been disclosed to others.”
“the divine or supernatural disclosure
to humans of something
relating to human existence.”
“an act of revealing or communicating divine truth”
“something that is revealed by God to humans”
“an act of revealing to view or making known
something that is revealed especially :
an enlightening or astonishing disclosure
shocking revelations.”
“Revelation is defined as a surprising fact
or event that makes you look at things
in a new way.
An example of a revelation
is when your friend who has always
had three dogs suddenly reveals
he is a cat person…
An example of a revelation
is when you learn a fact
that changes the way
you look at the world around you.”
NOW…
After all of these Dictionary explanations
You would be forgiven
For being CONFUSED…
And in a way…
THAT is a very good introduction
To Revelation…
But let me take you back
To the Book of Revelation
And what it starts by saying:
“The Revelation of Jesus Christ”…
(Revelation 1:1)
AND…
“which God gave Him
to show His servants”
(Revelation 1:1)
God GAVE Jesus…
God’s Son…
His ONLY Son…
THIS book…
“The Book of Revelation”
Revelation of WHAT…?
“things which must shortly take place.”
(Revelation 1:1)
YET that was written
Nearly 2,000 years ago…
So if it was “shortly” then…
Surely it must be even more
“shortly” NOW…
And yet because it has to do with:
“Blessed is he who reads
and those who hear
the words of this prophecy”
(Revelation 1:3)
PROPHECY
We shy away from it…
And are apprehensive
At best…
About trying to understand it
And what it says to us
And for us
TODAY…
We focus on the word:
PROPHECY
And MISS what came before
The word…
“Blessed is he who reads
and those who hear “
(Revelation 1:3)
So let us READ
And HEAR these words
Of prophecy…
And be BLESSED…