The Book of Revelation: Jesus Christ Revealed

Revelation 1

1 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:

²Who bare record of the word of God, and of the testimony of Jesus Christ, and of all things that he saw.

³Blessed 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.

The single great truth that will revive the church is the glory of Jesus Christ revealed. Above all else, that is what the Book of Revelation is all about. No wonder the devil hates this “Masterpiece Book”. Jesus Christ lives in this Book in all the Glory of His Eternal Person as well as the Glory of His Father. Any man that will ever understand this great “Masterpiece” must learn to stand on his spiritual tiptoes and walk through its dramas like walking on rose petals. Revelation is a Divine sunrise and sunset together, given by the Father to finish the Redemption of all things.

It is His most intimate communication to His beloved Jewels, His Saints. Great was everything He said as the Son of Man. Now He is the First Begotten from the dead and has been rewarded by the Father. The Father has given Him a name above every name, and He manifests the glory of all those names in this Revelation. This book is the mountain peak, and this chapter is the first summit. The last summit will be seen in the last two chapters when He takes His abode in the city of New Jerusalem with His Bride.

Revelation 1

⁷Behold, 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.

⁸I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty.

⁹I 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.

Chapter One is clothed in Christ’s Glory and that Glory shines brighter as this revelation unfolds. First, John describes the Lord’s prophecy as it is spoken to him. Twenty-two picture words are employed in revealing Jesus Christ as the source of this Book. The eternal revelations of Jesus Christ must show the transcending facts of His Person. While these twenty-two descriptions only deal with His Incarnation among men, the next part of the First Chapter takes us into the realm of the Glorified. Here are the Word Revelations of Jesus Christ – Messiah, Son of man, Son of God.

The Faithful Witness – Truth Incarnate
2. The Faithful Martyr – Unto death
3. First Begotten of the Dead – First resurrected eternal body
4. Prince of the Kings of the Earth – Every king shall bow
5. That loved us – Took upon Himself the form of a servant
6. Washed us from our sins – His blood has made us holy
7. His own blood – Divine blood that is eternal
8. He cometh with clouds – His promise is never forgotten
9. Every eye shall see Him – Soon He will be recognized by all
10. They also which pierced Him – His beloved kin are not forgotten
11. All kindred shall wail – Judgment will touch every living thing
12. Amen – He is the finality of life
13. I Am – The first title God gave of Himself
14. Alpha – The first word of all words ever spoken
15. Omega – The last word to ever be spoken
16. The Beginning – Time starts with Him
17. The End – He is finality, the end of everything
18. The Lord – His words are final – He is over all
19. Which is – Self-existing and without beginning
20. Which was – Came out of eternity to be known by all
21. Which is to come – Will come again to finish all things
22. The Almighty – Without Him was not anything made

Revelation 1

¹⁰I was in the Spirit on the Lord’s day, and heard behind me a great voice, as of a trumpet,

¹¹Saying, I am Alpha and Omega, the first and the last: and, What thou seest, write in a book, and send it unto the seven churches which are in Asia; unto Ephesus, and unto Smyrna, and unto Pergamos, and unto Thyatira, and unto Sardis, and unto Philadelphia, and unto Laodicea.

¹²And I turned to see the voice that spake with me. And being turned, I saw seven golden candlesticks;

John hears the first description of the Lord but then he sees the finished picture as a Heavenly drama and His excellent Glory dazzles him until he falls upon his face. John is in the Spirit and beholds a priestly Christ that actually sits at the Father’s right hand. This description includes eighteen additional picture words. This drama leaves no doubt that the Son of God has total Lordship over everything of His Church and is manifesting the fullness of the prophetic future. Look at this revealing description.

I am Alpha and Omega – The A to Z
One like unto the Son of Man – The Christ we loved
Clothed with a garment down to the foot – Readers will remember the Priestly robes
Girt about the paps with a golden girdle – This attire can only describe the High Priest
His head and hair were white like wool – Eternal
His eyes were as a flame of fire – Awesome Holiness
His feet like unto fine brass – Omnipotence
His voice as the sound of many waters – Omnipresence
In His right hand were seven stars – Angels charged to defend holiness in His churches
Out of His mouth a sharp, two-edged sword – The Word of God incorruptible and unfailing
His countenance was as the sun shineth in His strength – The glory of His Father
I am the first and the last – And everything in between
And the last – The end of all things
I am He that liveth – This is life evermore
And was dead – He was the Master of His own death
Behold, I am alive forevermore – Death is defeated
Amen – The work of God is finished – It’s time to settle the last war
Has the keys of hell and of death – The valley of the shadow of death is now a sun-kissed highway to Glory.

This is a picture of Divinity that walked the pathways of human flesh until He could die with the pain of every human care. As He lived in our midst, He robbed our enemy of his weapons. Now, this Victor has stepped right back into the Father’s presence and taken His seat at the Altar of Grace wearing the robe of the High Priest and possessing all the rights of our Redeemer. He has all the possessions and appearances of final victory. He is the “Amen” of a new world soon to come.

Revelation 1

¹⁶And he had in his right hand seven stars: and out of his mouth went a sharp twoedged sword: and his countenance was as the sun shineth in his strength.

¹⁷And when I saw him, I fell at his feet as dead. And he laid his right hand upon me, saying unto me, Fear not; I am the first and the last:

¹⁸I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death.

¹⁹Write the things which thou hast seen, and the things which are, and the things which shall be hereafter;

John leaves no question about the people to whom this book is written. This book is the property of the church. Not only is it their property, it is their future and their responsibility. No treasure of great value is ever given to the saints to sit on, to hoard up, or to be put on the library shelf. This treasure is given to enrich the saints and to fill them with a hope that fills every day with expectation.

“Blessed” are those that “read, hear, and keep” the things written. Prophecy is history written in advance. God’s people are the only people in the world that have the future in their hands. Most of the world grieves over what they cannot know about tomorrow, the next day, the next year, or the next decade. We have all of that and the next one hundred years and the next one thousand years and the next ten thousand years; yet we ignore it. We are blessed because we have nothing to worry about. The future is just as sure as was the past. So, John got the truth from the Maker of truth and has it all written in stone. He says to read it, hear it, obey it, and be happy.