The Revelation of Jesus Christ begins as an epistle, a letter to be distributed among seven churches in Asia Minor, located in what is now western Turkey. The letter is authored by the Lord Jesus Himself, given with the assistance of an angel, and physically recorded by the last living apostle, John.
The letter begins:
4 John, to the seven churches which are in Asia:
Grace to you and peace from Him who is and who was and who is to come, and from the seven Spirits who are before His throne, 5 and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler over the kings of the earth.
To Him who loved us and washed us from our sins in His own blood, 6 and has made us kings and priests to His God and Father, to Him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.
7 Behold, He is coming with clouds, and every eye will see Him, even they who pierced Him. And all the tribes of the earth will mourn because of Him. Even so, Amen.
8 “I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End,” says the Lord, “who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.” Revelation 1:4-8 (NKJV)
This is the cornerstone of the entire book. First, it gives the gospel, the record of our salvation by faith through the death and resurrection of Jesus, who loves us and cleanses us from all our sins. It assures us that, despite the difficult times coming in the latter days, God loved us deeply enough to submit Himself to an excruciating death on a cross. He was then raised from the dead by the Father, allowing people of faith to become kings and priests throughout eternity, escaping the wrath that will one day put down all evil and wickedness on the earth, and replace proud and lofty oppressors with His righteous and equitable rule. By turning to Jesus in faith and repentance from our own wrongs, we can experience His grace and peace, even amid trials and tribulations. There is no greater gift available to us, but the choice is our own.
After this, we are given a picture of Jesus on a much broader scale. He existed with the Father before all things, and through Him, all things were created, by Him and for Him. He will return to earth one day in our future, no longer seen as the humble carpenter’s Son, but in glory, as Supreme Ruler over all the earth and heaven. Those who failed to recognize Him the first time will mourn at His appearing. Many will try to hide themselves in rocks and caves, but that will be futile – we can never hide ourselves from God.
The apostle Paul wrote of Him in the letter to the Colossians:
15 He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. 16 For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him. 17 And He is before all things, and in Him all things consist. 18 And He is the head of the body, the church, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things He may have the preeminence. Colossians 1:15-18 (NKJV)
The book of Revelation unveils to us how the future will play out. Despite rocky times ahead in the latter days, when heaven and earth are shaken as governments are replaced with the glorious kingdom of God, we are assured that the preeminence of Christ and His eternal love for us will always remain, rock solid and unshakeable.
Reflection
What fears or concerns do I need to bring before the Lord right now?
Father God, thank You for Your great love for us, and for Your tender mercies and forgiveness made possible through Christ’s sacrifice on the cross and resurrection from the dead. We turn to You, confessing and humbly repenting of our sins. We place before You all the pain, grief, anxiety, and concern that lays upon our hearts. We do this with gratitude for the countless blessings You have bestowed upon us every day of our lives. Thank You for hearing our prayer, and for extending to us Your magnificent grace and peace through Jesus Christ our Lord. We ask this in the name of Jesus, Amen.
Times and Seasons - The Book of Revelation FOR TODAY 