Revelation Chapter 1 – The Revelation Of Jesus Christ – The Father’s Perfection Part 6 Of 6 Series

REVELATION CHAPTER 1 – THE REVELATION OF JESUS CHRIST – THE FATHER’S PERFECTION PART 6 OF 6

This wonderful devotional series on Revelation chapter 1 is all about the glory of the Lord Jesus Christ as John saw when on the Isle of Patmos. The whole of the chapter is an unveiling of the glory and Person of the Lord. Revelation after revelation came to John as he saw almost too much to take in. John knew Jesus back 6 decades, but on Patmos, he witnessed Jesus as he could never have imagined. No words could describe the wonders that surround the Lord of Lords and the King of Kings. In our earthly existence we are unable to comprehend it all but there will come a day eithrough death or through the Rapture when we shall see Him as He is. What a glory of delight that will be. EVEN SO, COME LORD JESUS!

Revelation 1:19 “Write therefore the things which you have seen, and the things which are, and the things which shall take place after these things.”

This is the most critical verse in the book for understanding Revelation. It lays the plan out before us. It breaks into three sections and they are (A). The things which you have seen. (B). The things which are. (C). The things which shall take place after these things.

These form the three divisions of the book and this division must be understood.

(A). [“The things which you (John) have seen”] These things are the Revelation of Jesus Christ that John wrote about in the first chapter. That was the introduction to the book. Chapter 1 is the revelation of Jesus Christ, not of world events. Those future events are covered of course, but if you miss the first chapter, then you have missed the point. John saw such glorious revelations that at one point he fell down like a dead man. Part (A) is Revelation Chapter 1.

(B). [“The things which are”] are the conditions that existed at the time of writing. They are the 7 churches of Asia Minor that were in existence then, and John was commanded to write to those 7 churches. In God’s great magnificent program, those churches were not just literal churches at the time, but they represent specified periods of church history right through from the Apostolic church to the time of Laodicea which is our time right now. This is a huge study, but not part of our consideration in this article now. They are being done in the Bible Study. These “things which are”, ARE covering the time from the formation of the Church in Acts 2 right up to the conclusion of the Church Age, which is the Rapture. Part (B) is Revelation Chapters 2 and 3.

(C). [“The things which shall take place after these things,”] are the events of prophecy that succeed the Rapture of the Church. They will all come about after the Church’s removal. They begin with the wonderful scene in heaven in chapters 4 and 5 leading to the scroll with 7 seals where Jesus is seen as The Lamb of God slain before the foundations of the world, and then the judgements proceeding from the breaking of the seals. Successive judgements are covered eventually leading to the Second Coming; the establishment of the Millennial Kingdom; the final revolt; the judgement of the Great White Throne, the New Jerusalem and the new heavens and earth. Part (C) is Revelation chapters 4 to 22.

Jesus Christ is The Lord of History, and The Lord of the Present, and The Lord of Prophesy for He holds the future. Revelation is just such a magnificent book. In some ways Chapter 1 has been a bit like an overture for an opera. An overture features snippets of operatic melodies as a foretaste to the main opera/event. The Lord Jesus is the overture and the opera is His hand in wrath in Revelation.

SUMMARY REVELATION OF JESUS 1:19 {{Revelation 1:19 Write therefore the things which you have seen, and the things which are, and the things which shall take place after these things. (The Lord of History, the Lord of the Living, the Lord of the Present, and the Lord of Prophecy; the Lord of the Future)}}

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Revelation 1:20 As for the mystery of the seven stars which you saw in My right hand, and the seven golden lampstands: the seven stars are the angels of the seven churches, and the seven lampstands are the seven churches.

This last verse of chapter 1 explains what are the 7 stars and the 7 lampstands that came in early in the chapter. It is called a mystery and I have explained that word previously in a Rapture posting. It means the unveiling of a truth not previously known. The verse tells us that the Lord is holding the seven stars that are the “angels” belonging to the 7 churches. This word ???e??? (plural) means messengers or angels, for the angels are God’s messengers. It is thought they are the “secretaries” or church contacts, as earlier John was told to write to them. There is no room for fanciful imagination as to this word “angels”. The 7 lampstands are the 7 churches that were written to.