The first words give us the title of the book — “The Revelation of Jesus Christ.” The first three verses are a kind of preface. We are reminded that the ascended Jesus, though invested with all power in heaven and in earth, is still Jehovah’s righteous servant, and as such receives this book from God. John, not simply by the immediate inspiration of the Spirit, as was usual, but by the guidance of an angel, receives the particulars of the book to communicate to the churches. We are told that the object of the Revelation is to show unto His servants the things which must shortly come to pass. (They are not called, as in John’s other writings, the friends of Jesus, or sons of God, but servants.) To show the shortness of time in the mind of God, and the speedy fulfilment of the prophetic word, it is added in the third verse,
John writes with authority, being conscious that he is recording God’s truth, and that the various scenes and actions he was about to relate were the testimony of Jesus Christ — things which he had heard and seen in vision (ver. 2).
An especial blessing is promised to those who hear (even if unable to read) (ver. 3). How encouraging! How different are man’s thoughts to God’s! Man says, Do not read the book of Revelation, it is so difficult; or do not listen to any who may read it to you. God says, Whether you read or hear you shall find blessing.
By keeping
we have not the thought of obeying commands, like the law of Moses, as much as keeping in the heart the solemn instruction which the prophetic word conveys. In this book, the future passes before the mind’s eye like a panorama, shedding its light upon everything of the present, and pointing out the course of all the principles at work around us. All who keep these things in their hearts will find present blessing. We are told that Mary kept the sayings of Jesus in her heart. Jesus also spoke of this as a special mark of those who loved Him:
Surely this is a searching word for the conscience of any who have neglected the sayings of Jesus contained in “The Revelation.”
Verses 4 to 8 may be looked at as introductory to the great subjects of the book.
Seven churches in Asia are selected for John to address. He salutes them in the usual apostolic manner with
Observe the order. — not peace and grace, but “Grace unto you, and peace”; because peace always flows from grace, and our enjoyment of peace is entirely dependent on our apprehension of Divine grace. But it is not, as in other epistles, added, from God the Father, but
that is, from the eternal I AM; for this book is rather the dealings of God with man in the earth, than of the Father with His sons. Then we get,
As seven is a symbol of perfection, we have the Eternal Spirit in fullness in His various actings, rather than the indwelling and actings of the “one Spirit” in the Church, as in Ephesians (v. 4).
Lastly, it is from
Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness;
for every other witness has proved more or less unfaithful:
the first-begotten from the dead,
for He is the Son begotten in resurrection; the first who rose from the dead, never more to die; and He is also presented as
because the book largely treats of kings, and other things of earth; hence His title and power are asserted. Immediately the glory, triumph, and dominion of Christ are spoken of, the Church seems at once exultingly to respond with,
Notice in this song —
1st. They have the joy of present redemption.
2nd. That all true believers are priests — a royal priesthood;
and
3rd. That all is traced to Divine love, and flows to us through the blood-shedding and death of the Son of God. This fills the heart with joy, and the lips with praise (vv.5, 6).
In v. 7, the Lord’s coming is presented to us according to the subject of the book in relation to the earth. His saints (of course) are with Him, having been previously caught up to meet Him in the air. The scene is Christ manifested in glory as the only Potentate. The last time the world saw Christ was on the Cross; the next time they see Him will be coming in the clouds of heaven. Then, in His own glory, the glory of the Father and of the holy angels, with all His saints changed and fashioned into His glorious likeness, with a dazzling brightness that is inconceivable,
The Jews, too, shall
while all the tribes of the earth in bitterest anguish wail, because Jesus is come to take vengeance, and put all enemies under His feet.
“Bright with all His Crowns of glory,
See the royal Victor’s brow;
Once for sinners marred and glory –
See the Lamb exalted now;
While before Him
Every knee on earth must bow.
“King of kings! let earth adore Him
High on His exalted throne;
Fall, ye nations, fall before Him,
And His righteous sceptre own; All the glory
Be to Him and Him alone!”
Happy those who can peacefully contemplate that day, and truly say,
After we are thus instructed about the manifestation of Christ in glory, the announcement of His eternal Godhead closes the introduction (v. 8).