The following is an excerpt from Kevin Hartley's Amillennial commentary - Revelation: Understanding the Age. Posted with Permission
Introduction
The book of Revelation is key to understanding the mind of God in the present age. It is the blueprint for comprehending this world in which we live. God has divided history in two; the previous age before Christ, the present age of Christ; the age anticipating His incarnation, and the age preceding His return; the age before His reign, the age of His reign; the age before the kingdom come, the age of the kingdom come. As this age is about the reign of Christ having come, as it is about His conquering, subduing, and completing the sovereign eternal plan of redemption and glory foreordained by the eternal godhead, Revelation then stands as the book key to the design of God for this, the final age. It is the portrait of God's grand scope and design for this age, the compendium of redemptive history in these last days. Without Revelation's insight, the world is confusing, often frustrating, even dispiriting, leaving our Lord's bride absent hope and certainty. With Revelation's glorious insights, we come to see the divine plan of the ages and the manner in which our Lord is advancing that plan. The last days began long ago, and they are advancing, therefore it is essential that the Lord's children have a clear understanding of our Lord's divine will in this present evil age. Our Lord placed the book of Revelation at the end of His book, and rightly so, as it is the final anthology of the Lord's eternal design in this created order. It is the last word from heaven in this the last age.
For most of this age, the church has been deprived of the illuminating insights of this book, either through neglect, trepidation, or misconception. The church has been robbed of the most glorious insights and benefits intended by our Lord for His people in this last of books. Many have simply considered the book of no value or canonical significance, doubting its worth or value for the church they have merely left it unopened and sitting upon the shelf. Some have feared the seeming complexities and difficulties of the book and have timidly simply left it untouched. Others have so misconstrued and wrongly interpreted the book that they have done great harm and damage to the word of God and its truth, misleading and misdirecting those under their care. It is far time for the Lord's people to reclaim this most precious of books, to recover the insights most vital to living in this age, seeking its blessed encouragement, and receiving from God that most glorifying gift of this age, granted to us by the sovereign grace and will of our God. Our Lord gave it to us, he intended us to read it and know it, not to ignore it, and certainly not to fear it nor be deceived by its misuse and misinterpretation. It, as all Scripture, is given to instruct, direct, reprove, correct, and embolden our Lord's beloved children, so that he might be greatly glorified, and we, the church, comforted in these last days. As Paul so succinctly wrote, All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works (2 Tim. 3:16f). Revelation should be as useful as any other book of scripture. The fact that it was placed last in our canon makes it even more essential and vital for living in our day. It is essential that we know it, so that we might persevere and endure in these last evil days.
Perhaps the greatest impediment to rightly understanding the book of Revelation today is the rise of Dispensationalism in the last century and a half. With its faulty hermeneutic and broad popularity, it has left many believing in far off fairytales and myths, wrongly dividing the word of God, and leading vast numbers down the path of one man's imagination. It is not the purpose of this book to refute Dispensationalism, nor every erroneous attempt at attempting to interpret Revelation; however, the detrimental impact of Dispensationalism on the understanding and use of this book since the mid-19th century demands its refutation.
Essentially, Dispensationalism's error lies in its misinterpretation of the book's overall design. The book is not intended for a far-off age. It is a book intended for this present age. Consider how counterintuitive it would be for God to design a second Testament, comprised of four Gospels, one history book, and twenty-two letters to churches and individuals from the first century, only to leave the final book for another day. If this were the case, and Revelation was merely for a distant, far-off age, then God left the church of this age without insight and understanding of so vast a period of time. God has not left the church blind to this age, but as John said, Revelation contains insights and understanding for the present age, writing, "Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written therein: for the time is at hand (Rev. 1:3)."
Yet, a more central error lies behind Dispensationalism's misconception of the book, it has misinterpreted and misunderstood the place of Israel in redemptive history. Failing to properly identify the true nature and identity of Israel in God's redemptive plan in any age is detrimental to understanding the plan and design of God. Dispensationalism has defined Israel in accordance with the Old Covenant, not the New, and therefore their understanding of the ages is errant. A proper understanding of Israel's place in redemptive history is key to understanding the book of Revelation. They have been led the path of the Jews, believing the flesh important to identifying the people of God. Add to these two errors the fact that Dispensationalism was nothing but the imagined thought of a single man, an unlearned, uneducated man, with no training in Scripture, coming from a suspect denomination, and like so many errors of the mid to late 19th century, another danger error is born of the imagination of men.
That said, let us be clear, the book of Revelation is the key book necessary to conclude Scripture, it is the capstone upon the inerrant, inspired, divine work of impeccable glory. It is given to illuminate and summarize the work of our reigning Lord in this present age. It explains the fullness of the godhead's work in creation. It finishes the story. Its central theme is the final, culmination of the eternal plan brought forth in redemption and judgment. As such, it is both an epistle and a book of prophecy. It is the book that outlines the grand scheme of God from the day of Pentecost until the return of our Lord. It is self-interpreting on its own, as much of its metaphors and allegories are internally defined, as well as it being self-interpreting canonically as a whole, as it, along with various prophetic images of old and the allusions of the past are given to provide ample information to decode its symbolic truths. Put at the end, it serves as the final and definite revelation of our Lord for the people of God in these final days.
Consider, Revelation is neither chronological nor literal, it is thematic. Overall, it can be divided into two parts, the epistolary portion, and the prophetic portion. Yet, a more natural and inherent division comes from the text itself, as the book is naturally divided into three principal parts. The first part shows the apostle John receiving a present view of Christ amidst His churches at the end of the 1st century. This view is from the vantage point of heaven. Christ gives it the designation the things which were, indicating it is that first seen by the apostle. The second section contains seven epistles given to the seven churches of Asia Minor, which are written to by John on behalf of the Lord, also occurring at the end of the first century. Of this Christ applies the designation of the things which are. And last, there is that prophetic part of the book that presents the divine work of our Lord in this present age. This is designated by our Lord as the things which shall shortly come to pass. The phrase itself argues against an interlude of time, as Christ says it must shortly come to pass. The things within this vision are those that began in John's day and will end at the return of Christ.
This last designation of time, called the things which shall shortly come to pass, is set within the construct of a creation week. It is divided into the likeness of seven days, in order to demonstrate the creative sovereign work of God to be completed unto perfection in this age, just as was done in that first week. It is symbolic, metaphorical, representative, a grand view of this age and the Lord's sovereign work within it. Overall, these are the grand divisions of the book, which Christ sets down with these words to John, Write the things which thou hast seen, and the things which are, and the things which shall be hereafter (Rev. 1:19). This central division of Revelation establishes the three principal parts of the book.
Beneath the third division is a second division of three parts. As the overarching purpose of the book is to embolden the church in this present age with the knowledge of the Lord's sovereign design, this last division makes up the majority of the prophecy itself; in fact, one might say the former part is epistolary and this latter part prophetic. Thus, the prophetic part is in itself like unto a whole. Thus, it is set down in the form of a creative week, where this present age is likened unto God's first creation; it is set down in the construct of seven, ending in a perfect and completed work, a final sabbath rest.
As in the first creative work where all things came forth from the divine will, so these revelations always proceed from the throne of God; as such they indicate the sovereign, eternal, work of the divine will. With the first age gone, and Christ our Lord having ascended to be seated at the right hand of the Father, we see Him now governing and conducting the will of the Father as set forth from before the ages began. Christ the Lamb is the Lord enthroned, who had been given authority by which he carries out the foreordained divine plan of the Father. He is seen as a conquering King and Lamb, who prevails by His blood. All the while the world and all the fallen created order are allied with the devil against our King and His elect. The elect of God are also known as the true Israel of God, the woman, and His bride, with whom He is bound by an eternal covenant of grace, to redeem, deliver, and subdue her foes, so that they might be as one in the end. It is this portion of Revelation, the final part, which is of such great use to the bride of Christ in this present age.
The following will be a study of this present age, as set forth to us in the book of Revelation. But, as has been shown, it can also be said to be a study of the plan of God in this present age. It is set forth in the final words of our Lord, meant for us, and designed to be understand and employed by us, so that we might persevere and endure unto the end. This study will seek exegetical certainty. It will endeavor to provide necessary clarity and insight for the reader. It will be an endeavor to instruct the reader in doctrinal certainty and the useful applications of the text. But most of all, it will make every effort to be doxologically designed, as it is our central calling in all that we do, to seek to glorify God and Him alone. For that which we seek to understand is the hidden, mysterious wonders of our Lord's eternal covenantal work on a scale so grand and marvelous that the finite mind is at a loss. Yet, with the Lord's grace and allowance, we shall seek to know Him in all His sovereign and supreme designs and manifestations, accentuating the absolute inability of man to achieve his own ends, and our absolute impotency in our salvation and deliverance; or, to put is simply, it will be a study set to punctuate its effort with this phrase, Soli Deo Gloria. Still, as with all scripture it shall be Christocentric, for all things revolve around our Lord and His glory.
Chapter 1 Introduction
The key to the interpretation of the book of Revelation is found in chapter 1. The first chapter provides us with much of what is necessary to properly interpret and understand the book. In the first chapter we find the canonical genre of the book itself. Here the book is set down in two categories, it is an epistle, and it is prophecy; thus, we can expect the material in this book to have epistolary relevance as well as prophetic significance. As a letter, Revelation has its primary use for those present in John's final days. It was that revelation given to those suffering from persecution at the eclipse of the apostolic age. Yet, like all New Testament letters it has bearing and application to Christians throughout his age. The epistles of chapter two and three have much to say to the church and to Christians in these last days. Like all scripture, they provide the believer throughout this age with direction, reproof, correction, and instruction in righteousness, to the end of our maturation in Christ.
In chapter one we also find the book's historic setting which is the backdrop to the epistolary portion of the book. This insight provides context to the book's content. We shall hear of John's plight at the end of the 1st century A.D., we shall hear of his predicament on Patmos, and his enduring hope for the Lord's return in glory. We shall be instructed in living, enduring, and striving in righteousness, as pilgrim's and sojourners in a hostile, foreign, and fallen world. We shall seek to be afforded the grace of God's Spirit to grow in faith, so that we might live and endure in this present evil age. We shall learn key and principal doctrines about our God and about His person. Furthermore, we shall even be given insight into the scheme of God in both His eternal redemptive covenant and judgment. In this way Revelation will function as any other New Testament epistle, set within the backdrop of its historic context.
Yet, as it has been said, Revelation also is prophetic. In fact, most of Revelation fits this category. Like all prophecy it shall serve to anticipate the future. The book shall look forward to the day of the Lord. It will warn the stubborn and adjure the faithful. In doing so it shall employ imagery and metaphor, all to illustrate the Lord's grand scheme for the final age of this world. This is nothing new as imagery and metaphor are common to the prophetic form. Revelation shall richly draw upon the canon's former prophetic works. That which is seen will represent that which shall be. From John's gospel we see that John already has an inclination for metaphor; so, it should come as no surprise to see him continue with this form. Like all prophecy Revelation shall employ dreams and visions of things that represent things that shall be. Together then, Revelation as both an epistolary and prophetic book will prove to be a book of grand complexities, rich with vital importance, of most necessary use for the church in this age.
Chapter one, in addition to giving us canonical insight, also provides us with the scope of the material found in the book; Revelation is for the present age. Twice the book is shown in the first chapter to designate its contents for this present age. Scripture is clear that this is the last age, that we are in the last days, and that these last days span from the days of the apostles until the return of our Lord. When Peter stood and explained the events occurring at Pentecost, he quoted Joel's words, saying, But this is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel; And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams (Acts 2:16f). As Joel prophesied and Peter indicated, Pentecost was the beginning of these last days, which shall last until when Christ returns, upon which they shall end. Hebrews begins with this affirmation, saying, God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son (Hb. 1:1f). Scripture is unequivocal on this matter, these are the last days; there were the former days before Christ appeared, and now these are the last days from which we eagerly await His return. There are but two ages biblically and history is divided this way; God's eternal redemptive plan spans two ages.
Thus, as Revelation is the book given to explain these last days it uses language appropriate to this design. The parameter is set down in chapter one with the phrases shortly come to pass and for the time is at hand. Both phrases indicate that the content of the book is not for a distant future, but for this present age. At hand is right before us, so near that it is at the ready grasp. When Christ said, the kingdom of heaven is at hand, He spoke of it having drawn near in Him. It had arrived, it had come. It was just over the horizon, as close as He was to those to whom He spoke. It was not some distant, long away age, rather it was as though one could touch it. Understand that it would do hermeneutical violence to attempt to put that which is at hand far off in an age yet to come. At hand speaks to the immediacy of those things to be revealed. Added to the phrase at hand is the phrase shortly come to pass. The literal reading of the phrase ἃ δεῖ γενέσθαι ἐν τάχει , which could be rendered that which must come immediately, implies immediacy. This phrase speaks to both the urgency and the imminence of these things to be revealed. It also speaks to their enduring design. Many would have us believe that chapter four onward in the book is for some far away distant age; however, the parameters established by our Lord in this first chapter will not support such a conclusion. For the things found in this book are at hand and shall immediately coming to pass. Revelation is for the here and now.
Consider this, if this book were not predominantly a synopsis of this age, then God has left us nothing for this age; we would be left with nothing beyond the epistles for our help. The epistles contain little insight into the grand design and purpose of our God in this present age. If we were to accept the conclusions of those who have relegated this book's use to a future age and their assumption that this present age is nothing more than a parenthesis in God's true redemptive plan, than this age would be but one of insignificance and a trivial parenthesis. If this is the case, then God has done the church of this age a grand disservice; for what would we have to explain this age? What would be ours for encouragement and faith? We would be left with disillusionment and despair.
However, God has not left us void of His word in these last days. Revelation is the key to this age; it is that necessary insight given to illuminate the plan behind the chaos of this age. It is the book given to comfort us, to encourage us, and to instruct us in these last days. It is the book that is so very necessary for us to know so that we do not lose heart. What God did in the Law and the Prophets for the saints of old He has done most magnificently in the epistolary canon of the New Testament. He has finished His special revelation with a crown of its own, Revelation, which is the final piece of the puzzle. Our Lord has given us the key to a full and perfect insight into His sovereign will and plan drawn out in two grand ages. He has given us the insight and instruction necessary to persevere until that day of Christ's return. The first chapter of Revelation demonstrates and affirms the immediacy and relevancy of this book for the here and now. Revelation is the unveiling of our risen Lord's final act, it is the culmination of God's glorious design, and it is at hand; the time is now.
Furthermore, the first chapter of Revelation provides us with the scope and genre of its content, here also it has provided us with its hermeneutic. Nothing is at is seems; everything is symbolic, representative, figurative, and while mysterious, to be interpreted and understood. It is Christ himself that establishes this principal of interpretation, as He is first to interpret the meaning of those things seen by the apostle John. The Lord reveals that stars are not stars and candlesticks are not candlesticks, they are figures for that which they represent. Revelation one, like the whole of the book itself, is rich with allusions and figures, all of which have meanings that are to be found in what those images represent. Often, the Lord or an angel shall give explanation to those things seen. At other times, scripture itself will provide the insight needed in passages found outside the book itself. When explanations are not given, past prophecies and biblical types shall provide the insight needed to understand the things seen. What John sees in this book are images of things represented. Often these images are layered, overlapping, multifaceted, and complex. They are images that represent truths that are to be understood. Nothing John sees is to be taken to represent the reality of that which it represents.
One example is found in chapter one, where the glorious Son of God is seen with a sharp two-edged sword protruding from His mouth. This we know, Jesus does not have a sword protruding obtusely from His mouth; the image is not what it appears to be, but it represents something about our Lord. The sword represents the word of God, its power, and might, as is found in Hebrews 4:12, where we read, For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. That it comes from His mouth affirms what John says, when he writes, and the Word became flesh (Jn. 1:14). Christ is the word and by His word He makes war. This example from the first chapter shows us that things seen by John are metaphors and symbols and not literally to be understood, and to interpret them in any other way than the way they were intended is to misinterpret the text itself. John employed such images and metaphors in the writing of his Gospel, here he but continues to employ metaphors and images to represent the truth. Christ's appearance is telling, it is not so much what He looks like, but what that image represents; His glorious image speaks of His wisdom, His incarnate work of perseverance and endurance, it speaks of His righteousness and holiness, His majesty and divinity. The images we see in Revelation are to be interpreted not misinterpreted. Revelation is a book of figures and images, metaphors, and types; nothing in Revelation is as it seems.
We also find that Revelation is a book interspersed with the shadows of the Old Covenant. The appearance of Christ is likened unto the High Priest. The place in which He walks is like unto the Temple that once stood on earth. The backdrop of the images seen in Revelation are the antitypes of those things once constructed in the previous age of shadows. That which under the Old Covenant was made visible on earth is now realized in heaven. These will be the backdrop of the book of Revelation. The candlesticks, the altar of incense, the golden censor, the ark of the covenant, all of these are emblems found in Revelation that serve as the setting from which all things proceed. In the temple above the Lord reigns and brings to pass all that which comes to pass among us here below. The setting of this book is heavenly, the stage where those things decreed above are brought to pass is on the earth below. From the heavenly tabernacle comes the directives of the Almighty to bring to pass that which is done below.
The illustrative history of Israel in the previous age is also interwoven into the tapestry of Revelation. We find allusions to the Exodus, to Babylon, to Joseph and Israel, all of which are employed as backdrops to complete the picture of the book. Revelation does not stand alone, and as it serves as the final chapter of that book begun so long ago, we find that it employs facets of form and nuance from the various revelations of God's special will through the ages. Revelation is the capstone of all scripture and as such it uses scripture as its warp and woof. Interwoven throughout it are shadows and figures of the Old Covenant. They once so perfectly formed a remarkable image of our Lord and His salvific glory. Now, they are used again to illustrate that which the Lord is bringing to pass. Long ago He purposed to save us and now He is set to finish that work. As the Lord finishes this mighty work, He moves the apostle to finish it with one final wondrous tapestry of sovereign glory, employing aspects of all of scripture and history to complete this work. And, most of all, in the end Christ stands alone.
Revelation is a book of hope and encouragement. It was given to embolden and encourage the church at the end of the Apostolic age, and it remains a book chiefly for our encouragement. It was penned by the apostle John from Patmos during his exile there under the emperor Domitian, around the year 98 A. D. This date is not to be refuted; scholarship that has attempted to predate the book prior to this date is biased, seeking to affirm a faulty hermeneutic by denouncing what is historically certain. Beyond the internal evidence, external proof has been incontrovertible since Irenaeus, the earliest recorded witness and disciple of Polycarp, the direct disciple of John himself, who wrote:
We will not, however, incur the risk of pronouncing positively as to the name of Antichrist; for if it were necessary that his name should be distinctly revealed in this present time, it would have been announced by him who beheld the apocalyptic vision. For that was seen not very long time since, but almost in our day, towards the end of Domitian's reign (Irenaeus, Against Heresies, v. xxx. 3).
Revelation is set in a time when persecution was at its cruelest, the apostolic host was all but gone, and John stood alone; there was an undeniable need for insight into the Lord's will that the church might not be dismayed. Revelation provided just this material. It was the final book of the canon, God's final word in that day, for those that feared the kingdom was all but lost and those that believed all hope was gone. Revelation was for those that would soon see the last living witness of the risen Lord perish, it was the book necessary for the perseverance of the saints through faith in that day. And just as Revelation was essential to the church of that day, so is it equally vital for our day. It is the key to living in the post-apostolic world of warfare and persecution, a key which John and the church were given in a time of great tribulation necessary for us and them to endure life in a hostile world.
One final insight afforded us in the first chapter of Revelation necessary for rightly interpreting the book is understanding the central theme of the book itself, which is God's sovereignty. God is sovereignly establishing His kingdom in this world through the conquest and judgment of this world. This is the central theme of the book from the start to the finish. The past age was the age anticipating the coming of our Lord and His kingdom. This age is the age of our Lord reigning. His kingdom having come, it grows, and as it grows it advances, and as it advances the world is subdued. The spoils of Christ's conquest include peoples from all nations, being made one with Israel, Israel of the promise, so that both Jew and Gentile, together they are the true Israel of God. This is the age of light infusing into the darkness. It is the age of the repeal and ebb of Satan's reign and authority. It is the age of our Lord's covenant glory magnifying His redemptive mercy and vindicating justice. It is the age of the Lamb victorious, who rules from the throne of heaven, in Jerusalem above, having done away with all types and shadows, He rides forth conquering and to conquer. This is the book of God's vindication and the world's judgment, it is the book of Satan's demise and end, it is the book of the final ingathering of all God's elect, and the glorious conquest and splendor of the Lord of Lords and King of Kings. This is the book of Revelation, the book that can no longer be left upon the shelf, which must become the book most cherished by us all, recovered from all the foolish imaginations and misinterpretations of old, restored to its proper place, so that the Lamb's people might presently reign in Him, with all hope and courage in this present evil age.
Yet we would be remiss to neglect mention of the first chapter of Revelation's most vital point, it is the book of the Revelation of Jesus Christ. It reveals His glory. It reveals His majesty. It, as all of scripture, is Christocentric. He is seen exalted and enthroned, high above all principalities, might and dominion, He is seen as King of Kings and Lord of Lords. He is God of God and Man of Man. He is the central figure of the book, He is the central theme of all scripture, and to fail to read Revelation without Christ central to it is to fail to rightly interpret the book. He is our Lord, who is set before us to see, to behold, and to worship, and in Revelation, we see Him exalted in all His glory and splendor. Revelation read without Christ central to its every design is to fail to understand the true glory of this book. In the end, Christ alone stands on High. We see Him who has been victorious and all by His blood. This is after all the proper title of the book, given at the start, where it titles itself the Revelation of Jesus Christ. Paul said to the Colossians, He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature: For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him: And he is before all things, and by him all things consist. And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence. For it pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell; And, having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself; by him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven. Like Colossians, Revelation is most of all Christocentric. It is the glory of the Son of God. In the end, we must see Him.
Chapter 1 Analysis
With that said, let us turn to the interpretation of Revelation chapter 1. The chapter contains three divisions; a general introduction (v. 1-3), an epistolary introduction (v. 4-8), and a prefatory vision given the apostle anticipating the letters to the seven churches to follow (v. 9-20). As is common to the book itself all visions and prophecies are preceded by a look to the heavenly throne. The throne of God sets the stage for the action that follows; everything always proceeds from the sovereign will and initiation of the Lord. This first vision also provides the framework for the interpretation of all subsequent visions; they are set within that which is the antitype of the old earthly temple and are given direction and interpretation by those entrusted with explaining the vision to the apostle. With this we shall examine the chapter's content.
The general introduction in verses 1-3 serves to establish the divine origin of the book. It is the revelation of Jesus Christ, that which has been entrusted to Him by the Father, for the purpose of making known that which shall shortly come to pass which is at hand. This is no vision of another age, another time, or another future dispensation, this is the revelation of Jesus Christ for this present age. It was then applicable, it is now being made known and accomplished, and it is certain to be completed in this present time. These two modifiers provide the time stamp of this book, it is for these last days, this latter age; while the former days had their prophecy and word from heaven, so our days has this prophecy and word from heaven, thus it is said to bear record of the word of God, and the testimony of Jesus Christ. It was entrusted to the Lord, dispersed to His servants, and sent and signified to the apostle John. It was given at the close of the apostolic age. It is intended to be declared, understood, and employed by the Lord's people, as it says, Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written therein. Thus, it is criminal to relegate this book to a future time; it is for our use now, it explains the Lord's will and work for us now, for as it says, the time is at hand. This general introduction serves to incite the reader to read, to understand, and to reap the benefits of the word of the Lord for our living in these last of days.
How John must have relished the receipt of this revelation. It must have warmed his heart to be afforded the privilege of revealing that made known to him on Patmos in those days. It had been so long since he had seen the Lord, nearly fifty-eight years, and now at last he would see Him again. But not as before, for now He would see Him as he never had, enthroned, glorified, magnified in all His glory, one with the Father and the Spirit, set to make known that which for so long had been concealed. As the book of Revelation opens with this grand introduction, history and providence are interrupted by this declaration, The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave unto him, to shew unto his servants things which must shortly come to pass; and he sent and signified it by his angel unto his servant John: Who bare record of the word of God, and of the testimony of Jesus Christ, and of all things that he saw. Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written therein: for the time is at hand. John was surely blessed to receive this from his Lord.
Note that a blessing is attached to Revelation that does not directly accompany any other book of scripture. A blessing is added for those that read and hear the things contained within but added to this is the admonition to keep those things that are written therein. For the word of God is not merely to be read but kept. These three participles in the Greek, translated as reading, hearing, and keeping, remind us of the vital importance of this prophecy's use for our living in this present age. It says that those that are incessantly engaged in the review and use of this book are blessed. How? By reading, hearing, and keeping. Why? It says the reason for the blessing is due to that which is read, heard, and kept is at hand. A beatitude accompanies those engaged in the use of this prophecy. Μακάριος is that word Christ our Lord employed in the beatitudes. It speaks to our happiness and contentment not in this world, but in the glorious realm of our Lord's reign. In the kingdom of heaven, we are called blessed. Here, those that are found reading, hearing, and heeding the words of this prophecy are called blessed. Happy are those that understand the Lord's will and work in this present age. Happy are those that observe His sovereign glory and providence advancing His conquest of this world and our foes in this present age. We are called blessed because these things are at hand. They are here, now they are transpiring, now they are coming to pass, and as they do, we rejoice to see our Lord's will done in heaven and on earth. We are happy because it is the Lord's will that has, is, and shall come to pass in this the last of days.
Next, the general introduction is followed by an epistolary introduction. With three specific introductions, Revelation has several layers to its beginning. Like the other letters of the New Testament, this letter has equal historical context. Verses 4-8 are the introduction to the seven letters to be sent to the seven churches of Asia Minor. However, this epistolary introduction is nothing like John's other introductions found in his three short epistles. There, John was cryptic, here he is direct. The apostle John introduces himself, which he failed to do explicitly in any of his other writings, and even here he adopts an epistolary preface foreign to his other three letters; but this is intentional. For this is not his letter to the churches, it is the Lord Jesus Christ's epistle to the churches and that of Holy Spirit, here identified as the seven spirits before the throne of God. No other New Testament letter claims to be the direct product of the Lord and His Spirit. While all letters bear divine inspiration, this one is unique in that the apostle is a mere messenger entrusted with the letter composed by Christ and the Spirit. John is merely the scribe of heaven. Revelation then has this unique to its design. Like the prophets of old, John is merely the vessel foreordained to prophecy the word of the Lord. So, while it is a common epistolary introduction, it is unique in its authorship and design. The general introduction serves to introduce the prophecy as that given of the Father to the Son for this present moment. It is the word of God for this age. It is affixed with the divine seal and footnoted with a promise. The epistolary introduction is that of the Lord Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit, the authors of the letters to the churches, whose words are to be conveyed by the human instrument, the apostle. Therefore, the epistolary introduction sets its attention upon the Lord, who is the true author of these epistles.
In the epistolary introduction the reader is introduced to the Lord Jesus Christ in a way that is applicable to the design of the whole book. The book's purpose is to encourage and strengthen the reader in faith and confidence in the Lord. Therefore, Christ the Lord is introduced in a way that speaks to that purpose. He is called the faithful witness, showing Himself trustworthy and true. He is termed the first begotten of the dead, by which our hope is found. He lives, He reigns, and we in Him; as He has arisen from the dead and ascended on high, so we shall reign in Him. He is deemed the prince of the kings of the earth, which is central to our confidence and hope in the present evil age, knowing that He sovereignly governs and administers all things from above here below. When John writes, unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood, he identifies the Lord as the Lamb of God, granting us great hope and joy. He also directs our attention to His blood, by which He overcame the world. When he says, He hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father, he raises us up to a position of certainty, so that we might endure the trials of this present age with Him above. Each of these phrases are employed for our confidence, designed for our consolation, and prefatory to the revelations of Him to follow.
This grand introduction to the letters that follow prepares us for the exemplary character of these epistles. They are from the hand of our sovereign, ruling, almighty King, who is the Lamb that has prevailed, who reigns in glory, as it says, to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen. They are also messages for our hope amidst the world's terror, as he says, behold, he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him, and they also which pierced him: and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him. Even so, Amen. These are pregnant epistles, filled with a grand prophetic, uniquely remarkable, and awe-inspiring form, set in an eschatological context, poised and immediate, giving the reader not only confidence, certainty, and hope, but an expectation of the urgency of this age. As if that were not enough, Christ appendixes this introduction with this affirmation, I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty, making this prophecy not only urgent but certain. Perhaps no other epistle or prophecy has had so grand and awe inspiring an introduction. This prophecy is remarkable in this way.
The third introduction found in this first chapter is a personal, apostolic introduction. It is provided by the apostle John himself. When John writes, I John, who also am your brother, and companion in tribulation, and in the kingdom and patience of Jesus Christ, was in the isle that is called Patmos, for the word of God, and for the testimony of Jesus Christ, he sets himself with us in similar circumstance, in order to embolden us in so troubling a day. He calls himself our companion in tribulation, so that we might see ourselves much like him. Throughout this age the church has suffered persecution. We are assailed in this hostile world. But, like John, we while in it are not of it, as he says, he was in the kingdom and patience of Jesus Christ. Ours is the kingdom. His is the kingdom. And afforded us in this age of tribulation is patience. John, like us, can testify to his plight, but knows the joy that is set before us in Christ our Lord.
So, the book of Revelation is comprised at the start with several introductions, making it unique in this way. It maintains a multifaceted authorship. There is first God the Father who has entrusted this knowledge to the Son. There is also the Spirit that is the one that makes this known, testifying to us of that which is read and heard. Last, there is John, the last living apostle, kept for this purpose, to finish God's word, and to complete the book and see that it is delivered to the elect. Together these all unite to prepare that given to complete the glorious work of the Lord started so long ago.
We find that John's introduction includes the setting of the book; it was written during John's short exile in Patmos, off the coast of Ephesus, where he had made residence ever since Rome's destruction of Jerusalem in 70 AD. John indicates the reason for his exile, saying, It was for the word of God, and the testimony of Jesus Christ, which allows him to find common ground with the reader as one suffering persecution. Given in the year 98 AD, Revelation is a fitting capstone on the special revelation of God, given to His Son, for His people, until the end of all things. John's days were nearly done. A final task was his to complete. So that we might find consolation, he suffered and was persecuted by Rome. So that he might complete the work the Lord ordained him for he did not perish in the oil of his torture. So that we might know these things and he as well he was called to make known that which he saw. So, with his remaining strength, John, the apostle whom Jesus loved, who once heard Jesus say to Peter of himself, If I will that he tarry till I come, what is that to thee (Jn. 21:22), takes up to write that final word of the Lord and complete the full canon of scripture.
The apostle further adds the situation leading to his first revelation, it was the Lord' Day, that day set apart from the Sabbath of the Jews, which the church was granted for the worship and delight in the Lord. What a fitting day to begin the last epistles of our Lord to His church. It is on that day that John's attention is arrested by a trumpet, a sounding blare, which draws His attention to a glorious and preemptory scene; Christ is seen in all His glory. He that once walked with the apostle, He whose breast John laid upon on the night of His betrayal, He that was last seen ascending on the mount, days before Pentecost, is now seen alive, above, glorified, enthroned, and reigning on high. Christ introduces Himself as the Alpha and the Omega, indicating to the reader the purpose of the book; it is to sum up all things. It is to show that He is the sum of all things. It is to show that He is sovereign, alive, active, and working, to bring an end to all the furious chaos and trouble below. It is at this point that Christ directs the apostle to pen the proceeding epistle to the seven churches. John, turning to see the Lord, observes Him in all His splendor. What he sees provides two insights; one, that Christ is glorified and active in this present day, and two, that a precedent is established for the interpretation of what is seen; what John sees is subsequently explained. Like the parables of Christ, this revelation is to be understood, and the understanding is to come from the information provided.
What John sees is a view of Christ that is intentional and representative. He is shown Christ in a way that provides insight into His work and person. It is not that He is glorious just for the sake of glory, but every aspect of what John does see is metaphorical and illustrative of the revelation provided. What John sees is useful. What John sees is applicable. What John sees is necessary for the message conveyed in the book. Whatever John saw, whatever he endeavored to explain, it was all designed to be of use. Many of the images John sees are as dreams, illusions, wonders beheld, which are pictures of truths conveyed. It is here that Christ establishes the book's hermeneutic, in saying that the stars in His hand and the candlesticks around which He walks are but symbols of what they represent. He provides a clear understanding that they are word pictures given to convey meaning. Any attempt therefore to literalize the images of the book defies the very construct of the book's design. Just as Jesus never was a door, or a lamb, or a loaf of bread, so He is not carrying in His hand stars; as He says, the stars are but the messengers of the churches. They are in His right hand because they are in His control, under His dominion, and directed by His authority. John may have not physically seen what he explains, it was a vision, and it was merely a vision provided for our instruction and understanding of that which the images were designed to convey.
Therefore, understand that every detail of Christ's appearance adds insight into His nature and person. The white hair implies His wisdom and eternal nature, as well as His impeccability and purity. His brass feet show that He has been tried by fire. He has endured persecution and trial. His fiery eyes show He pierces the hearts of men with knowledge, that He is omniscient, omnipresent, and immense. The thunder of His voice indicates His majesty and glory. How He appears bears the image of the High Priest, so that we see the setting in a familiar context. He is active, working, interceding, directing, He is our Mediator and King. He is amidst the candlesticks, His church, which He serves day and night. Christ never had a sword protruding from His mouth, but His words are the eternal Logos, the Word of God, which is as a two-edged sword. The vision given John is like all those in the book; they begin in the temple of heaven, Christ the Mediator, King, and High Priest, doing the will of the Father, by way of the Spirit, unto the end God has foreordained. Every vision proceeds from above, the throne of God, His glory, unto the end He has determined. When the candlesticks are seven, though in the temple there was one, it is seven for two reasons; one, there are seven literal churches to whom the letter was sent, and second, the represent the universal church of Christ, throughout this age, in circumstance and situation. Seven throughout this book is a recurring number representing a whole, as creation was a week of seven, so is the work of God and that representing His in the count of seven.
John's response to Christ in all His glory is but indicative of the way in which Christ is glorified and magnified in this book, Christ is shown this way in order to strengthen a feeble church, to encourage the persecuted bride, to grant faith and patience to His own in the scope of an age fueled with rage, fury, warfare and wrath, so that we might know that above is certainty, confidence, and might, while below is trouble. This is the book of a sovereign, eternal, almighty Lamb, who reigns above, working actively in accordance with the divine will, to complete, to sum up, to conclude in this age his work and the eternal will of God. Christ's words to John, fear not, I am the first and the last, tell us that we are to be encouraged and comforted in this book. He says I am alive forevermore, reminding us, and the apostle that He has not left nor forsaken us; He reigns alive. When He says, I have the keys of hell and of death, He reminds us that He is the one that sovereignly unlocks the mystery of time and this present age, working to conclude that with which He has been entrusted, our salvation, the world's judgment, and the Father's glory forever and ever, Amen.
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