The Desire of God: For Us To Know Him

“The secret things belong to the Lord our God, but those things which are revealed belong to us and to our children forever,…

Deuteronomy 29:29

The mysteries of God are unknown to most men, but He has revealed, through the ages, the truth about Himself and Jesus. This helps us to understand and have trust in the only true God.  God is mysterious, but at the same time, He desires for us to understand Him and is Devine plan for His Creation.

Our understanding of Revelation is dependent upon several things.  e.g. A basic understanding of the Bible; a genuine desire to know God; the Spirit of Truth working in the heart and mind of the seeker,   etc. Many falter at these requirements and give up trying to understand. But the sincere person will discover the mysteries of God if they go at it with their whole heart.

And you will seek Me and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart.

Jeremiah 29:13

Few are willing to give this much effort.  In this fast-food era, they seek quick, short, easy, and desirable answers that fit into their lifestyle.

I have found that the revealing of the deep things of God is revealed in order and at the appointed time for each person individually.  Revelation is like the class you would take your senior year of college.  If the classes are understood in your freshmen and subsequent years, you will have the basis for the advanced classes.  How many have entered into a reading of Revelation only to be completely confused?

Jesus told his disciples,

There is so much more I want to tell you, but you can’t bear it now.

John 16:12

Paul understood this principle when he said,

I fed you with milk and not with solid food; for until now you were not able to receive it, and even now you are still not able;

1 Corinthians 3:2

Starting at the end of the story leaves the reader confused because they know nothing of the preceding story and events.  It is like watching the last five minutes of a movie…it makes no sense.

The Revealing Story

The book of Revelation is the culmination of the story of redemption found in the inspired writings of the prophets.  In Revelation, all the books of the Bible meet and end. Here is the complement of the book of Daniel. One is a prophecy; the other a revelation. The book that was sealed is not the Revelation, but that portion of the prophecy of Daniel relating to the last days. The angel commanded,

“But thou, O Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book, even to the time of the end.” Daniel 12:4.

Revelation and Daniel are companion books separated by thousands of years. Daniel, just as predicted, is now open to our understanding in the last days.  Revelation is best explained by the symbols revealed in Daniel. Daniel and John saw the same things!

Just as the other books of the Bible, Revelation is meant to be understood, not kept secret. Its’ opening verses give both a promise of blessing and a warning of the nearness of the time.

Blessed is he who reads and those who hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written in it; for the time is near.

Revelation 1:3

 There are many who say, “Revelation is a closed book.  It cannot be understood.” The very name given to its inspired pages, “the Revelation,” contradicts the statement that this is a sealed book. A revelation is something revealed.

The message throughout its pages is the revealing of Jesus, the Alpha, and Omega of our faith.  It is all about Jesus!  He is the beginning and end of the complete story of redemption.

The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave Him to show His servants—things which must shortly take place.

Revelation 1:1

“I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End,” says the Lord, “who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.”

Revelation 1:8

“I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last,”

Revelation 1:11

In Revelation’s final chapter, before the close of all things, Jesus again reminds us of His preeminence with the same words as at the beginning,

I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End, the First and the Last.”

Revelation 22:13

The Core Message

This revelation was given for the guidance and comfort of the church throughout the Christian dispensation. It leads up to the Second Coming of Christ. The messages are given to guide the church at a point during John’s time and all the way to the end when Jesus returns,

John, to the seven churches which are in Asia… Behold, He is coming with clouds, and every eye will see Him, even they who pierced Him. And all the tribes of the earth will mourn because of Him. Even so, Amen. Revelation 1: 4,7

It was Christ who instructed John, the apostle, to record that which was to be opened before him.

“What you see, write in a book and send it to the seven churches which are in Asia: to Ephesus, to Smyrna, to Pergamos, to Thyatira, to Sardis, to Philadelphia, and to Laodicea.”

Revelation 1:11

The messages to the seven churches in Asia were important both to them and to us. Jesus tells John to write about the things which ARE (John’s time), and the things which will take place (Our time).” He also reminds John that He has the keys to unlock the grave and death. This is the most important objective of the gospel…to give eternal life to those who are under the penalty of the law i.e. death.

“I am He who lives, and was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore. Amen. And I have the keys of Hades and of Death... Write the things which you have seen, and the things which are, and the things which will take place after this. The mystery of the seven stars which you saw in My right hand, and the seven golden lampstands: The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches, and the seven lampstands which you saw are the seven churches.

Revelation 1:18-20.

The message of what John saw is the message of Jesus’ activity and protection of the lampstand. Jesus is seen in John’s vision as walking in the midst of the lampstands (churches).

“This is symbolized His relation to the churches. He is in constant communication with His people. He knows their true state. He observes their order, their piety, their devotion. Although He is high priest and mediator in the sanctuary above, yet He is represented as walking up and down in the midst of His churches on the earth. With untiring wakefulness and unremitting vigilance, He watches to see whether the light of any of His sentinels is burning dim or going out. If the candlesticks were left to mere human care, the flickering flame would languish and die; but He is the true watchman in the Lord’s house, the true warden of the temple courts. His continued care and sustaining grace are the source of life and light.” AA p. 586

in the midst of the seven lampstands One like the Son of Man, clothed with a garment down to the feet and girded about the chest with a golden band

Revelation 1: 13

To each church, Jesus gives them a message through the angel (messenger) of His care and work in their midst. To the church at Ephesus, He says,

“These things saith he that holdeth the seven stars in his right hand, who walketh in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks;” Revelation 2:1. 

The stars (messengers-responsible for delivery of Christ’s message)  are under His control. He fills them with light. He guides and directs their movements. If He did not do this, they would become fallen stars.

The main message of Revelation is the care and concern of Jesus for those professing His name.  It is a message of revealing of past and future events which will build faith and trust to follow Him alone. But it is also a message of warning flavored with the sweet taste of God’s reward for everyone who has an ear to listen to the message of Jesus through His messengers:

He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes I will give to eat from the tree of life, which is in the midst of the Paradise of God

Revelation 2:7

Note: This year, Answers From Scripture Online is dedicated to a complete study of Revelation in the light of all the inspired writers of the Bible because the time is upon us for the things written are soon to conclude and prepare the way for the triumphant return of Jesus.

With God’s grace and guidance, I plan to personally conduct a Revelation Seminar in my home state of the Northeast part of Mississippi in early 2019.  Please pray that the great God of the Universe will direct and bless these endeavors with people who are drawn by the Spirit of God to hear what the Lord has to say to the seven churches.