Vol. 4, No. 15 – April 21, 2019
The Revelation of Jesus Christ: Revelation 1:1
This is a revelation from Jesus Christ, which God gave him concerning the events that will happen soon. An angel was sent to God’s servant John so that John could share the revelation with God’s other servants.
The Book of the Revelation is the concluding book of the Bible (God’s Holy Word). The book unfolds the great events that bring humankind and our earth to historical consummation – at least this side of eternity. Therefore, The End can also be seen as the entrance to eternity for humankind, either in Heaven, or the Lake of Fire.
This book, The Revelation, speaks of the second advent (coming) of Jesus Christ. The introductory sentence above is from the NLV, an easy to read and easier to understand version that is popular among Christians today.
The major theme of the entire Bible (66 books) is the Lord Jesus Christ. The Bible is both theo-centric and Christo-centric. The Bible centers in God, in Jesus Christ, and in His Holy Spirit.
- The Old Testament sets forth the Christ of Prophecy
- The four Gospels set forth the Christ of History
- The Book of Acts sets forth the Christ of the Church
- The Epistles (letters) set forth the Christ of our Experience
- The Revelation sets forth the Christ of Glory
The Lord Jesus Christ is portrayed uniquely in several chapters of the Bible. We see Him in His sufferings in Isaiah 53; we see Him in His splendor in Matthew 17; His submission in Philippians 2; [we] take a look at His sovereignty in Colossians 1 and His superiority in Hebrews 1. However, of all the chapters in the Bible which show forth our blessed Lord, none surpasses Revelation, chapter one. —Lehman Strauss
John, the Apostle, imprisoned (exiled) on the barren and grotesque Island of Patmos, was worshipping, when he does something marvelous. He breaks forth in spontaneous doxology for our great salvation that is so rich and so graciously free. Would that today’s believers would worship in this manner. All praise to Him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by shedding His blood for us (1:5)
He has made us His kingdom and His priests who serve before God His Father. Give to Him everlasting glory! He rules forever and ever! Amen. (1:6) That is God’s value for us, having assigned us a place for worship, service, dignity, and honor. (It is interesting, a word phrase coined by the character in The Princess Bride). Jeremiah 1:5, 29:11-13 have much more to say to us than we commonly give it credit to do, and we tend to make the words very selective. God expects our worship, our praise!
That is what our God wants!
God’s method of love is contained in 1:5 – He loves us, and released us from our sins, by His blood (NASV). He washed us with His blood because He loves us!
The Bible is true—giving forth the true story, of what Jesus Christ has done in the past, what He does today, and what He will do in eternity.
- He loved us before we were born
- He made us
- He calls us to Himself
- He washed us with His blood to become His
- He promises to bring us to His Father’s Heaven – (1) a purged place, (2) a prepared place, (3) a praising place, (4) a providing place, (5) a perpetual place, (6) a purposeful place, and, (7) a precious place (Revelation 21-21 – Seven things we can know about Heaven)
Whom do you depend upon for your eternity?
Lee Strobel found the truth in Jesus Christ, have you?
