Revelation: In Greek is Apocalypse
We have changed the word apocalypse to mean chaos and catastrophe, however, the original meaning of apocalypse was the “revealing”. So, instead of thinking of Revelation as the chaos and catastrophe to come, instead of fear driven doom and gloom, it is a revealing and unveiling.
The revealing in this book is of Jesus. We’re getting to see Jesus risen and in full power as never before. We get to see him reigning and redeeming as promised.
Does it mean we will understand it all? Absolutely not. Our human minds do not have the capacity to understand the mysteries of God. However, our spirits do. The truths of God are not hidden from us, but instead revealed to our spirit when we seek God.
Jesus says, “Seek and you will find.” He also says, “When you seek God, you will find him.” If Jesus said it, I choose to believe it. If I’m seeking, I will find God … but if I’m not really seeking God, he will remain an untouchable mystery. This applies to the often avoided book of Revelation. When we seek God, our Spirit will come to understand what God intendeds to reveal to us.
And let’s be clear, God WANTS to reveal something to us. What is it? JESUS. Revelation is the revealing of Jesus.
The author of Revelation is John. You know, the fisherman, John, who became one of his 12 disciples. He walked with Jesus for 3 years, he was at the foot of the cross when Jesus was crucified, 3 days later he ran to find the tomb empty, and later that week he had breakfast on the shores of the Sea of Galilee with Jesus, examining his nail scared hands.
John knew Jesus.
He is the one referred to as “the disciple Jesus loved”, and guess who called John this? John himself did, which makes me giggle. “Yeah, I’m the one Jesus loves.” He wasn’t saying he was better than anyone else, he’s simply confident in Jesus’ love for him. He knew their relationship was special.
Can you say that? More on that level of confidence in Jesus’ love later …
John writes the book of Revelation by means of an angel who revealed things to him in the spirit. That angel was sent by Jesus under the instruction of God. How do I know? Chapter 1, verse 1, “This is a revelation from Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show his servants the events that must soon take place. He sent an angel to present this revelation to his servant John.”
See, not so confusing, huh?
Do you know why we’re afraid of Revelation and avoid it? Because that’s precisely what our defeated enemy wants. He does not want you to know of his destiny, nor does he want you to know of the dangers in delayed obedience to God. But, there’s another reason the devil wants to keep you away from the book of Revelation … he wants to steal your blessing!
Verse 3, “God blesses the one who reads the words of this prophesy to the church, and he blesses all who listen to is message and obey what it says, for the time is near.”
It’s a blessing to read this revealing of Jesus. It’s a blessing to hear about the unveiling of the full power and promises of our Savior. It’s a blessing to know chaos and catastrophe are coming, and we are promised to be saved from it all.
There are blessings here for us in this misunderstood and often avoided final book of our Bible. And I don’t know about you, but if there’s a blessing on the table, I want it. If God has offered a blessing, I want to be the girl that grabs it.
My husband taught our kid’s in soccer when they were little. Each year in the very first practice, he would gather all his energy filled tiny players with the attention spans of a gnat, and he would dangle a 20 dollar bill. He would say, “Who wants this?” Oh, all the kids would squeal,