Journey-ing the Revelation
“The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave Him to show to His bond-servants, the things must soon take place;” [Revelation 1:1, NASB]
It is amazing how half of a line tells volumes. I hope that you see the heart of God when reading this line. His heart is to reveal His Son — Jesus Christ, in whom an individual finds salvation and redemption.
The word “revelation” in its original Greek is “apokalypsis”. I don’t know if like me, you grew up hearing about this word and seeing in your mind images of the world being destroyed. I think the popular media has succeeded in linking the word and the imagery so strongly together. That we cannot hear one without thinking of the other. No wonder because in English the similar sounding word “apocalypse” is defined as the complete and final destruction of the world.
BUT CATCH THIS: “Apokalypsis” the word written in Revelation 1:1 has an entirely different meaning. “Apokalypsis” or “apokalupsos” means an uncovering, an unveiling, a revealing, a revelation.
KEEP CATCHING: And what is uncovered, what is being unveiled and being revealed is of topmost importance. Jesus Christ is being revealed to man so that in Him man believes, be saved, and have eternal life.
There was a time when Jesus Christ was veiled and cannot be fully known by man. It is like the knowledge of Him is covered in a shroud of mystery. But now He has been revealed through the Holy Scriptures. And in the book of Revelation, God gave the revelation of Him to Him to show to His bond-servants.
I hope you see the gracious nature of God — He is the God- God the Father who reveals and the God — God the Son (Jesus Christ) who gives the revelation to man. This is what we read in this half line of Revelation 1:1.
The truth right before our eyes. It doesn’t require secret knowledge or climbing stairs to know God. The Word of God reveals Him.
There is still time to lay a hold of this revelation.
