Revelation Chapter 1 : A Book of Comfort, Encouragement, and Hope
Revelation Chapter 1 <A Book of Comfort, Encouragement, and Hope>
1. The revelation from Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show his servants what must soon take place. He made it known by sending his angel to his servant John,
2. who testifies to everything he saw—that is, the word of God and the testimony of Jesus Christ.
3. Blessed is the one who reads aloud the words of this prophecy, and blessed are those who hear it and take to heart what is written in it, because the time is near.
◇ Starting today, we begin our devotional journey through Revelation. When most Christians think of Revelation, they immediately think of the end times, the rapture, the Antichrist, 666, judgment, vengeance, the Second Coming, the millennium, and the seven churches. They tend to view it as prophecy about future judgment, approaching it with fear, shock, and terror. However, the true purpose of Revelation is actually comfort and encouragement.
The first-century Christians who first received and read Revelation would not have felt fear and terror, but rather comfort and encouragement, finding hope in its pages. During times of persecution and suffering, Revelation has been the most frequently read and meditated upon book of the Bible—precisely because it offers comfort, encouragement, and hope.
Using the apocalyptic literary style that was popular at the time, John brought comfort, encouragement, and hope to Christians suffering under Roman persecution. While the extensive use of symbolism—a characteristic of apocalyptic literature—makes it challenging for us to understand 2,000 years later, the original readers, who were familiar with apocalyptic literature, would have easily grasped its meaning.
Most importantly, we must remember that Revelation was not written as a letter for 21st-century Christians. John did not write with modern believers in mind, but rather for the Christians of his own time who were living alongside him.
This letter was written to comfort and encourage Christians who could not confess Domitian as "our Lord and God" during his reign (81-96 AD) and consequently faced persecution for their refusal to make such a declaration.
John speaks of blessing to Christians in the midst of suffering. Who are the blessed ones? Those who read the words of this prophecy, those who hear them, and among those who hear, those who keep what is written. When people read and hear the revelation that Jesus himself gave, and then obey that word, they receive the grace that God bestows.
I pray that over the next month, as we read, hear, and keep the words of Revelation, you will be filled to overflowing with the grace that God pours out.
◇ God of peace, help us to read, hear, and live out Your word so that we may dwell in Your blessing. Holy Spirit, make us strong and courageous. Amen.