The Revelation of Jesus Christ

The last book of the Bible starts with the wonderful line: “…The revelation of Jesus Christ…” (Revelation 1:1).

It’s this powerful phrase that I want to highlight. But what does it mean for us?

The word ‘revelation’ is the Greek word from which we get the English word ‘apocalypse’. It simply means ‘unveiling’.

Nelson’s Bible Dictionary defines revelation as: “…God’s communication to people concerning Himself, His moral standards, and His plan of salvation…”.

So, preachers of the Gospel and teachers of the Bible are fundamentally concerned with revelation (Cf. Ephesians 1:17).

However, the phrase ‘…The revelation of Jesus Christ…’ can be understood in three ways.

Firstly, the revelation belongs to Him. So, it must be honoured. We can’t change it to suit our opinion or circumstances.

Secondly, the revelation is given by Him. So, it comes with responsibility. We can’t remain silent. We must communicate it urgently and effectively.

And thirdly, the revelation is about Him. We have had Jesus Christ unveiled to us, so now, with the help of the Scriptures and the Spirit of God, we must unveil Him to the world.

But are we doing this in our preaching?

And are we revealing Him as He revealed Himself?

How exactly did He reveal Himself to the seven churches in the Book of Revelation?

That’s what I want to explore.

Robert