Revealing Revelation – #1

PART ONE

I’m told the very word Revelation means “the lifting of the veil.” In other words, when we read the book of Revelation, the veil over Jesus will be lifted, and we will know him as we have never known Him. Knowing Him IS “Intimacy Personified.” Verse 3 of chapter 1 excites me. “A joyous blessing rests upon the one who reads this message and upon those who hear and embrace the words of this prophecy, for the appointed time is in your hands.”* I interpret this to mean there is one who reads and those who listen. They can only listen if the reader reads aloud. In my case, I am both reader and listener.
 
I have been waiting for the appointed time for ages, or so it seems, and it appears that time is actually in my hands. I can’t answer for you, but the one thing I want in life is to know Jesus as my personal Savior, my personal Redeemer, and my personal Friend. Whatever I do, I want it to bring me closer to Jesus and to know Him better than I know myself! When I discovered the book of Revelation is designed to give me everything I want: wisdom and knowledge of my Lord Jesus Christ, I was ecstatic! Join me in my discovery.
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The word blessed in verse 3 is one of seven times that word is used in Revelation, and it means to be spiritually happy with the order of events that will happen on this earth that will bring us to the end. Not that anyone knows the day or the hour, but Revelation has come to indicate the events that will quickly take place, just as our events will quickly happen according to our obedience, bringing us to the end of our race and the satisfaction of completing it.
 
Through the course of history, the grace of God has always been available to us, just as the peace of Christ has been ours to exercise and use. We’ve had foibles presented to us by our enemy the devil, and the messages to the seven churches points these traits out to us. The sins of the seven churches are also ours to uncover and reject. I’m told by much greater scholars than myself that the number seven in the Bible indicates completion and/or perfection. I’m so glad I don’t have to be perfect, but the day will come when I will be.

Through our faith, the mighty power of God constantly guards us until our full salvation is ready to be revealed in the last time (1 Peter 1:5).
 
Now to the one who constantly loves us and has loosed us from our sins by his own blood (Revelation 1:5).
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Jesus is constant in His ways and His treatment of us. How does He treat us? He guards us. He constantly loves us. I need this. I am constantly looking for love, and now I discover He is constantly giving it to me. I need to be guarded. As a toddler I wanted to climb down a cliff in front of our house, but our old dog, Rex, wouldn’t let me do it. He stood between me and the cliff. Even when I screamed and cried, pulling his hair in my distress, Rex still wouldn’t let me do it. Thank God that Jesus won’t let me throw myself into danger, or devilment! He guards me.
 
When I think back on the things I have been saved from, I am astonished. I encourage you to take some time to realize what God has done for you. What have you been saved from?
 
*Bible verses are taken from The Passion Translation, unless otherwise noted.