The Revelation of Jesus Christ Revelation 1:1

As we begin the study of the book of “Revelation”, we shall learn things together concerning what John the apostle saw and learned from Jesus Christ thru an angel. We begin in the first verse of chapter one with John declaring, “The Revelation of Jesus Christ” where we read:

The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave unto him, to show unto his servants things which must shortly come to pass; and he sent and signified it by his angel unto his servant John:

The verse begins, “The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave unto him,...” John began with the words, “The revelation” which means “the laying bare, disclosure of truth, manifestation and appearance” “of Jesus” whose name means “Jehovah is Salvation” and is “the Son of God, the Savior of mankind and God incarnate” “Christ” which refers to “the anointed One, the Messiah and the Son of God”, “which God” or “that the Godhead bodily and trinity which is comprised of God the Father, Christ the Son and the Holy Spirit” “gave unto him” which means “granted, supplied, furnished and delivered to Jesus”. This “unveiling and disclosure of truth” was “granted” to “Jesus Christ” by “God” Himself.

The verse goes on to say, “to show unto his servants things which must shortly come to pass;” John continued, “to show” or “to expose, give evidence to or prove” “unto his servants” which means “toward Jesus' attendants, bondmen and those of servile condition” “things which must” or “necessary, needful, right and proper circumstances, duties and purposes” “shortly come to pass” which means “with quickness and speed shall happen, begin to be, appear and arise upon the stage”. This “revelation” was given to “Jesus” to “expose” to His “attendants and bondmen” things which are to “happen and come to pass” “quickly”.

Finally the verse says, “and he sent and signified it by his angel unto his servant John:” Finally John wrote, “and he sent” which means “and Jesus ordered and appointed it to go” “and signified it” or “marked, made known and indicated it certain” “by his angel” which means “through and by means of Jesus' messenger, envoy and one who was sent” “unto his servant” or “toward Jesus' attendant, bondman and one of servile condition” “John” whose name means “Jehovah is a gracious giver” and was “the apostle of Jesus, son of Zebedee and Salome and brother of James the elder who wrote the gospel of John”. Jesus “delivered, made known and marked as certain” His “Revelation” to “John the apostle” by a “messenger” or “angel”.

When we think through John's words in this verse, we notice the importance of “Revelation” to God. God gave the “Revelation” to Jesus, who gave it to an “angel” who gave it to His “servant” John, who gave it to everyone who “reads, hears and keeps” the words within it. God's desire is to “save” every person, and He sent Jesus Christ to die for the “sins” that separated them from God. When a person receives Jesus as their personal “Savior and Lord”, God's “Revelation” is truly made, and His predetermined “unveiling” produces it's purposed result - “to seek and to save that which was lost”. (Luke 19:10) May all who read these words know and receive the love of God toward them.

Next time we shall see John the apostle share how he, “bare record of the word of God, and of the testimony of Jesus Christ, and of all things that he saw“, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.

Until tomorrow…there is more…

Look for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, “One Year in the Sermon on the Mount” and the new poetry book "Random Mushrooms" in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com ; http://www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore.