The Great Revelation (Revelation 1:1-3)

1. The Revelation was given by Christ Himself (1:1)

The Revelation was given by Jesus Christ Himself. Jesus Christ is the Author of The Revelation. But note: it was given to Jesus Christ by God the Father. When Jesus Christ was upon the earth, He said the following about His return and the end of the world:

“But of that day and that hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels which are in heaven, neither the Son, but the Father” (Mk. 13:32).

2. The Revelation concerns things that must soon take place (1:1)

A. The Revelation concerns future events, events that are yet to happen in the end time. The events had not yet happened when Jesus Christ gave the revelation.

B. The early believers had looked for these events to take place very soon. The idea is shortly, swiftly, speedily—in their lifetime. This means that the early believers were expecting the Lord to return in their lifetime. They were doing exactly what Christ had told them to do: to look and watch for His return.

C. God’s clock measures time differently than man’s clock. This is clear, for it has been thousands of years since Jesus Christ gave this revelation to man. Yet He has not returned to earth and the end of the world has not yet happened. Does this mean that John was wrong in saying that the events were to shortly happen?

⇒ God clearly reveals that we are living in the last days and that the events are to happen in the last days.

⇒ God also clearly reveals that a thousand years is as one day with Him.

D. Jesus Christ gave the Revelation to His servants. Who are His servants? Believers who truly follow and serve Christ. This is significant to note, for there are many who profess to believe and follow Christ and do not. The Revelation is not written to them. The Revelation is a closed book to those who do not genuinely follow Christ. It is a closed book to the world. Jesus Christ gave the Revelation to His servants and His servants alone.

3. The Revelation was given to John (1:1-2)

a. It was the angel of Christ who gave the message to John.

b. John says that he has accurately borne witness to what he saw.

4. The Revelation blesses the man who reads, hears, and obeys the message (1:3)

There are seven blesseds or beatitudes in Revelation.

⇒ The blessing or beatitude of obedience.

“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” (Re. 1:3).

⇒ The blessing or beatitude of eternal life.

“And I heard a voice from heaven saying unto me, Write, Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord from henceforth: Yea, saith the Spirit, that they may rest from their labours; and their works do follow them” (Re. 14:13).

⇒ The blessing or beatitude of watchfulness and purity, of watching for the Lord’s return and living a pure life.

“Behold, I come as a thief. Blessed is he that watcheth, and keepeth his garments, lest he walk naked, and they see his shame” (Re. 16:15).

⇒ The blessing or beatitude of heaven, of being called to the marriage supper of the Lamb.

“And he saith unto me, Write, Blessed are they which are called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb. And he saith unto me, These are the true sayings of God” (Re. 19:9).

⇒ The blessing or beatitude of the resurrection, of being raised from the dead, of conquering death and living eternally with Christ.

“Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years” (Re. 20:6).

⇒ The blessing or beatitude of obedience, of heeding the sayings of Revelation.

“Behold, I come quickly: blessed is he that keepeth the sayings of the prophecy of this book” (Re. 22:7).

⇒ The blessing or beatitude of obedience, of keeping all of God’s commandments.

“Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city” (Re. 22:14).