A Study in Revelation- Verses 1-3 part 1.

1 The revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show his servants what must happen very soon. He made it clear by sending his angel to his servant John, 2 who then testified to everything that he saw concerning the word of God and the testimony about Jesus Christ. 3 Blessed is the one who reads the words of this prophecy aloud, and blessed are those who hear and obey the things written in it, because the time is near!

The first three verses of Revelation tell us much about the book’s authorship and intent. Unpacking these three verses we find this book is the revelation of Jesus Christ. We learn that the Revelation was given by God the Father to His Son Jesus Christ who gave it to His angel to give to John.  John was to testify to what he was shown and to give the revelation to His, Jesus Christ’s servants. We learn that John then “testified to everything that he saw concerning the word of God and the testimony about Jesus Christ.” This shows us that there were three persons confirming the truth of the Revelation, God the Father, God the Son and His Servant John. Under Jewish law there must be at least two witnesses to testify to a truth here there are three. It is believed by most scholars that the author is the Apostle John who was on the island of Patmos as prisoner because of his faith and preaching the Gospel.

Revelation was given; “to show his servants what must happen very soon.” In looking at the Greek words for “very soon” and “the time is near” it appears to me, (I’m not a Greek language scholar, nor am I a bible scholar.), that one could take it to mean that the time is near for the start of God’s judgments upon the earth. Within the first three verses we are told twice that the things in the revelation are going to happen soon. When I was in college one of my professors said that when he mentioned something once we could let it pass but if he said it twice we should write it down because it may be on the test. If he said something three times we needed to really learn it because it was very important. Obviously because the time is near is mentioned twice it is very important that we take note of the nearness and what it means.

Revelation in the Greek means:

1.  Laying bare, making naked.
2. a disclosure of truth, instruction
• concerning things before unknown
• used of events by which things or states or persons hitherto withdrawn from view are made visible to all
3. manifestation, appearance. 

Scripture makes several references to revelation or making things unknown known. Daniel 2:28 says "But there is a God in heaven that reveals mysteries, and He has make know to King Nebuchadnezzar what will take place in the latter days.” At Amos 3:7 it says "The Lord in Revelation is making His plans for the judgment of the earth known." The question is will we listen to His counsel? Nineveh heard the words of Jonah and repented saving their city while the Jews heard the words of Jeremiah, Isaiah and others and did not repent and were taken into captivity in Babylon.