The Revelation of a Mystery

The revelation from Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show his servants what must soon take place. He made it known by sending his angel to his servant John, who testifies to everything he saw—that is, the word of God and the testimony of Jesus Christ. Blessed is the one who reads aloud the words of this prophecy, and blessed are those who hear it and take to heart what is written in it, because the time is near.

Rev 1:1-3

Two words in this paragraph tell us the nature of the book. The word revelation is the Greek word apocalypse, which means an unveiling. Apocalypses have to do with mysteries and their meaning. Throughout Revelation we will find many mysteries made clear. The mystery of evil is unveiled, why it persists, and what its ultimate end will be. And the mystery of godliness is made clear. How can one live a godly life in the midst of a broken and evil world?

We also read that this book is a prophecy. Revelation is not only an unveiling, it is a prediction. It deals with persons and events yet to come. We learn what personalities will appear in the last days, and what great events will unfold as history rolls on to its final consummation.

How this book comes to us is stated: He (Jesus) made it known by sending his angel to his servant John. Those words made it known are one Greek word, which in English should be translated signified, i.e. made known by signs or symbols. Symbols are ways of understanding things you cannot draw a picture of. Almost all the symbols of Revelation appear elsewhere in the Bible. That is why it is wrong to read the book of Revelation without reading first the whole Bible. If you read through the rest of the Bible, when you reach Revelation you will immediately understand many of the symbols.

The author is not John the Apostle, though he is involved in giving us this book. The author is God himself! Notice the words, The revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave him. This book began among the Godhead, and God the Father is its author. He revealed the book to his Son. It all began in the mind of the Father and then was revealed to Jesus, his Son. Then the Son passed it on to an angel, who in turn made it known by symbols to John the Apostle, and eventually it comes to us. No other book was given in quite this way. It comes from the mind of God the Father, through the Son of God, to an angel of God, and finally to the apostle of God, John the Apostle.

Notice the blessing promised to the one who reads aloud the words of this prophecy, and blessed are those who hear it and take to heart what is written in it… The word blessed is probably based on a Hebrew word that is not the usual word for blessing. The word Esher, to guide, is more likely in John’s mind than Barak, to bow down. If we pay attention to the book of Revelation and take it to heart, we shall be guided through all the confusing pathways that exist around us.

Thank you, Lord, for this revelation. Thank you that it unveils and predicts the great events that will affect every human being upon the planet. Help me to understand these things and more importantly, to take seriously what is written. Amen.