The Apostle John wrote these opening verses to introduce to his readers the main subject dealt with in this book and his purpose for writing it.
1:1 "The revelation of Jesus Christ"is the subject of this book. "Revelation"means unveiling or disclosure and is a translation of the Greek word apokalypsisthe transliteration of which is an alternative title for the book (i.e., the Apocalypse). Jesus Christ was the giver of this revelation (cf. Matt. 11:27; John 1:18; 5:19-23; 12:49; 17:8), and He is its main subject.9
"It will be vain to become occupied with sevens,' hundred-forty-four-thousands,' six-sixty-sixes,' the restoration of the Roman Empire, the person of the antichrist, the two wild beasts, the millennium,' or even the new Jerusalem; unless, along with God the Father, who has subjected all things unto Him, Christis ever before our eyes!"10
God wanted the bond-servants of Jesus Christ (cf. Acts 2:18; 22:6) to have this revelation of things that will happen soon.
"If we are having difficulty with this blessed closing book of God's holy Word, let us surrender ourselves to Jesus Christ as His servants. The book was written to bondservants."11
The idea behind the Greek words translated "shortly"(en tachei) is probably that the events to be revealed will appear soon rather than speedily.
". . . the view that sees en tacheimeaning soon' and thereby focuses on the imminence of the predicted events is impressive. A major thrust of Revelation is its emphasis upon the shortness of time before the fulfillment. In the midst of persecution God's people do not have long to wait for relief to come. To say that the relief will come suddenly' offers no encouragement, but to say that it will come soon' does. . . .
"The presence of en tacheiin 1:1 shows that for the first time the events predicted by Daniel and foreseen by Christ stood in readiness to be fulfilled. Therefore, John could speak of them as imminent, but earlier prophets could not."12
There are many similarities between how John wrote Revelation and how Daniel wrote the book that bears his name. Both prophecies deal with God's sovereign rule over the world.
Jesus Christ communicated this revelation to an angel (Gabriel? cf. Dan. 8:16; 9:21-22; Luke 1:26-31) who passed it on to the Apostle John.13John used the traditional title of bond-servant (slave) to describe his relationship to Jesus Christ as did all the other apostles (cf. Rom. 1:1; Phil. 1:1; Titus 1:1; James 1:1; 2 Peter 1:1; Jude 1).
1:2 Forty-four times in this book John wrote "I saw"(1:12-13; 4:1, 4; 5:1, 2, 6, 11; 6:1, 2, 4, 5, 8, 9, 12; 7:1, 2, 9; 8:2, 13; 9:1, 17; 10:1; 13:1, 3, 11; 14:1, 6, 14; 15:1, 2, 5; 16:13; 17:3; 18:1; 19:11, 17, 19; 20:1, 4, 11, 12; 21:1, 2, 8). He saw many things and passed this revelation ("all that he saw") on to the church. By the time the original recipients of this book had read it, the visions that he had seen, which the book describes, were in the past. John regarded the book as an inspired word from God, specifically from Jesus Christ (cf. v. 1).
"No other book in the Bible is so strongly supported as to its divine inspiration."14
The "word of God"may refer to God the Father's word to Jesus Christ. "The testimony of Jesus"probably refers to the Lord Jesus' faithful communication of God's word to John who passed it on to his readers.
Verses 1 and 2 summarize the contents of the Book of Revelation and present them as testimony that Jesus Christ bore.
1:3 Those who read, hear, and obey this prophecy will receive a special blessing from God. John put himself on a par with the Old Testament prophets (cf. 10:8-11) and distinguished this book from Jewish apocalyptic literature.15This is the first of seven blessings that John mentioned in Revelation (14:13; 16:15; 19:9; 20:6; 22:7, 14; cf. Luke 11:28).16The Greek word translated "time"(kairos) describes a period of time rather than a point in time. The time when God will fulfill these prophecies was "near"when John wrote this book. "Near"is the translation of the Greek word eggusmeaning at hand. It means relatively near in God's timetable in which a thousand years are as a day (2 Pet. 3:8).
"A revelation' of the end of history is given not for the satisfaction of curiosity, but to inspire living in accordance with the reality unveiled."17
"As is true of NT epistles in general, the address of Revelation contains three elements: the writer, the addressees, and the greeting."18
1:4 John sent this letter to the seven churches mentioned in chapters 2 and 3, which were in the Roman province of Asia.19The province of Asia lay in Asia Minor (modern western Turkey).
Since this book deals mainly with future events, John described the divine Author as God (the Father) who is, was, and is to come. This title occurs nowhere else in the Bible except in Revelation (4:8; cf. 11:17; 16:5; Exod. 3:14-15). This description stresses the continuity of God's dealings with humankind.
The phrase "seven Spirits"probably refers to seven principle angelic messengers (cf. v. 20; 8:2, 6; 15:1; 1 Kings 22:19-21; Heb. 1:14).20Another view is that the phrase refers to the Holy Spirit (cf. Isa. 11:2-3).21If so, this title fills out a reference to the Trinity in this sentence (cf. 3:1, 4:5; and 5:6).
1:5 John described Jesus Christ as the "faithful witness (cf. 3:14; Ps. 89:37)."22
"Jesus Christ is of the seed of David and will sit on the Davidic throne that will endure forever as the sun (Ps. 89:16)."23
"Faithful witness"is Jesus Christ's present ministry of revealing what follows. John also called Him the "first-born from the dead"(cf. Ps. 89:27; Acts 2:29-32; 4:2; 26:23; Rom. 1:4; 1 Cor. 15:23). This title looks at the culmination of His past ministry when God raised Him to new life at His resurrection. He also referred to Him as the "ruler of the kings of the earth"(Ps. 89:27) That is His future ministry following His second coming (Matt. 2:6). The New Testament speaks much of believers entering into their rights as first-born sons of God and ruling with Jesus Christ in His millennial kingdom. This will be the privilege of faithful, obedient Christians (cf. 2 Tim. 2:12).24
". . . the origination of all three expressions from Psalm 89 reflects a major authorial intent to direct attention to the fulfillment of the promises made to David regarding an eternal kingdom in 2 Samuel 7."25
John ascribed eternal glory and dominion to Jesus Christ who is the subject and object of this revelation. He described Him as the One who always loves us and who loosed us from the bondage of our sins by His death.26
1:6 Jesus Christ also has made us a kingdom (corporately) and priests (individually; cf. 5:10; 20:6; Exod. 19:6; Isa. 61:6; 1 Pet. 2:5, 9) to His God and Father, another evidence of His present love for us.27We are such now, but in the future faithful Christians, His bond-servants, will also reign with Jesus Christ on the earth (cf. 5:10).
"Amen"means "So be it!"Here it signifies the writer's assent to the truthfulness of these affirmations about Jesus Christ (cf. 1:7; 5:14; 7:12 [twice]; 19:4; 22:20)
It is interesting that John, the apostle of love, would emphasize God's love in this first doxology as the dominating divine emotion (cf. Deut. 4:37).
These verses contain the first prophetic oracle of the book. The only other one in which God speaks is in 21:5-8.
1:7 "Behold"(Gr. idou) indicates special divine intervention. This verse summarizes the main features of the revelation to follow. It is in this sense the key verse in the book.
"The theme of the book is the ultimate victory of Jesus Christ over all enemies and the establishment of His earthly kingdom."28
Jesus Christ will return physically to earth as He ascended into heaven (1:4, 8; 2:5, 16; 3:11; 4:8; 16:15; 22:7, 12, 20 [twice]); Acts 1:9-11). "Every eye"of those alive at His second coming will see Him (Matt. 24:30; cf. Num. 11:25; Ps. 104:3; Isa. 19:1; Dan. 7:13). "Those who pierced Him"evidently refers to Jews particularly (Zech. 12:10, 12, 14; cf. John 19:37).29Another possibility is that these people stand for Jesus' enemies.30Representatives from all tribes on earth then will mourn (wail) because then the earth will be in rebellion against Him (cf. Matt. 24:30). These tribes represent all human beings, not just Jews.31
This great text announces the climactic event in Revelation, namely, the return of Jesus Christ to the earth at His second coming (19:11-16). All that intervenes between this verse and 19:11-16 leads up to that event. This verse does not refer to the Rapture as is clear from what John said will happen when it takes place. The Second Coming is a public gradual manifestation, but the Rapture will be a secret instantaneous coming (1 Cor. 15:52).
"The promise combines Daniel 7:13 with Zechariah 12:10 . . . Daniel 7 provides a key focus for John throughout the whole book (there are no fewer than thirty-one allusions to it)."32
"Even so, amen,"provides firm assurance that the coming of Christ will happen as prophesied in this verse.
1:8 God confirmed the preceding forecast with a solemn affirmation of His eternity and omnipotence. Alphaand omegaare the first and last letters of the Greek alphabet and signify here God's comprehensive control over all things including time.33John strengthened this point further with present, past, and future references (cf. 4:8; 11:17; Heb. 13:8). He is the originator and terminator of all things. God is not only Lord of the future. He is also powerful enough to bring what John just predicted to pass. He is the "Almighty."
"A weighing of evidence, especially in light of the OT flavor' of the expression and a recollection that the Father in the OT refers to Himself as I am' (i.e., the Tetragrammaton, Ex. 3:14; cf. Isa. 48:12), tips the balance ever so slightly to the side of concluding that God the Father speaks in v. 8. . . .
"God's declaration in v. 8 thus ends with a note of authority. The omnipotent one will surely implement what His prophet has predicted by way of future judgment."34
"Almighty is a key name for God in Revelation (Rev. 1:8; 4:8; 11:17; 15:3; 16:7, 14; 19:6, 15; 21:22)."35
This whole introduction points to the main event of the following revelation, the return of Jesus Christ at His second coming (19:11-16). It also presents the triune God as Lord of time (past, present, and future), faithful to His promises, and powerful enough to bring these events to pass. In Genesis, Moses also emphasized God's power and faithfulness more than any other of His attributes. The last Bible book stresses these qualities of God as does the first Bible book.
