Category: The Revelation of Jesus Christ
The revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show to his servants the things that must soon take place. He made it known by sending his angel to his servant John (Rev. 1:1).
God gave Him...God gave Christ many things. In John 17 we see that God gave His Son: authority over all things (v.2), work (v.4), men (v.6), words (v.8), name (v.11), and glory (22). Now the Father gives the Son this revelation, and it has a specific purpose--to show His bondservants the things which must shortly take place.
To show His servants. The contents of this book are highly graphic. The events which must shortly take place are portrayed in dramatic visual images that may, at first, startle the mind. One of the obstacles (and dangers) that faces a 21st century interpreter is the temptation to view these images in light of their 21st century context. One must take great pains, however, to refuse to give a meaning to any of the objects that it could not have had for the original audience. If these things were to take place soon in the lives of the first recipients of the letter, then they must have been able to comprehend the descriptions of the things. Otherwise, what Jesus showed them would not have been worth seeing.
'Show' (Gr.deiknuo) occurs several times in The Revelation: A voice summoned John to a higher place in order to show him, "what must take place after this" (4:1). John is shown the judgment of the great harlot (17:1). One of the angels shows John the bride, the wife of the Lamb (21:9) and the holy city, Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven (21:10). He is also shown the river of the water of life (22:1). The original statement of purpose for The Revelation ("to show to His servants the things which must shortly take place") is restated (22:6), and John falls down to worship the angel who showed these things (22:8).
Soon (Gr. en taxos). In at least some of its occurrences, it means "swiftly" or "taking a brief period of time" without concern for when ("whenever this happens, it will be swift"). Other occurrences appear to be more concerned with how soon the event will take place. Here in Rev. 1:1, however, the emphasis is on a different syllable.
Unlike the other New Testament epistles which are intended to be digested audibly, this letter is to be consumed visibly. Granted, that is too strong a disjunction to claim, for the very images that are to be seen are communicated through the words that are heard. But the point is that the standard exegetical processes for dissecting the sixth chapter of Romans will fall short of if applied to the iconic exhibitions of Revelation. When Paul speaks of baptism in Romans 6, he wants us to think about baptism. But when Jesus stands before John with eyes like flames of fire (1:14), we should be not be worried that our Lord's eye's are burning. Rather, we should be looking at the burning eyes and searching out what it symbolizes or what meaning it is trying to convey.