Revelation 1:1; God Gave Unto Him
Revelation 1:1 The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave unto him, to shew unto his servants things which must shortly come to pass; and he sent and signified it by his angel unto his servant John:
This book is the unveiling of future events leading to the Second Coming of Christ ushering in the transition from time to eternity, here, spoken of, as the Revelation of Jesus Christ. Jesus, is He Whom the Godhead has appointed to reveal the truth concerning the future of mankind. The message is given from God through Jesus Christ, conveyed by His angel unto John, the Apostle of Christ, to His servants.
Who are His servants? The receipients of the letter who hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written therein (v3). The Lord pronounced them “blessed”. These events must shortly come to pass. In other words, there is work for God’s servants having received this blessed revelation. This word “servants” in the same form first used in Matthew 22:8 Then saith he to his servants, The wedding is ready, but they which were bidden were not worthy.
Observe the subsequent instruction in Matthew 22:9-10 Go ye therefore into the highways, and as many as ye shall find, bid to the marriage. So those servants went out into the highways, and gathered together all as many as they found, both bad and good: and the wedding was furnished with guests. Here, the salvation of the Gospel is compared to a marriage feast. Indeed, there is in the Gospel a complete provision for all the wants of man’s soul: there is a supply of everything that can be required to relieve spiritual hunger and spiritual thirst. Pardon, peace with God, lively hope in this world, glory in the world to come are set before us in rich abundance. [JC Ryle]
The call is for God’s servants, heralders of the gospel, to proclaim it to every man and woman that God so loved the world, that He gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. A time is coming when there will be time no more when Jesus Christ returns to judge the world. The world that rejects Jesus will wail because of Him!
Matthew 22:11-13 And when the king came in to see the guests, he saw there a man which had not on a wedding garment: And he saith unto him, Friend, how camest thou in hither not having a wedding garment? And he was speechless. Then said the king to the servants, Bind him hand and foot, and take him away, and cast him into outer darkness; there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
May the Lord bless the Good News to the saving of souls. Amen.