Is there anything more important in this world than to know Jesus Christ? And what does it mean to really know Him? Certainly, it begins with that head knowledge, but that is not enough to really know Him. There must be a wooing of the Spirit drawing one to desire to know Him. Like suddenly falling in love-wanting to know everything about Him. Then as time passes, we realize our only true hope is built on a revelation of Jesus Christ ever growing within. There deep within one’s heart we discover a yearning for something only He can fill. We seek hope, joy, peace, and search everywhere in vain; just as King Solomon in Ecclesiastes had searched.
No amount of wealth, wisdom, possessions, nor human love was enough to fulfill the empty place of void. His conclusion “Fear God and keep His commandments, For this is man’s all.” Ecclesiastes 12:13 NKJV
Suddenly, one day, unable to resist anymore, you ask Him into your heart. Believing He is God Incarnate, the only begotten son of God the Father who willingly for love of us and the Father came to live a perfect life we could never live and die the death we deserved, reserved for us. At that moment in time, overwhelmed with emotion, we ask Him to be Lord of our lives. Then, step by step the Holy Spirit over the remainder of our lifetime through good times and bad teach us of Him. And the more we know of Him, the deeper we fall in love with Him. We begin to realize our hope is built on a revelation of Jesus Christ. A Revelation far beyond what we could ever imagine.
Why we long for a Revelation of Jesus Christ?
I could say I know Pastor Jamieson, but do I really? Certainly, I see his actions and hear his words. From that I might conclude he is a devoted husband, father, and pastor. I could conclude he loves God and desires to serve him. But do I really know His heart? His wife and children could proclaim a greater knowledge of him; yet, do we ever truly, fully know another person.
Yet, Jesus knows us. There is no thought that passes through my brain but that He knows. Imagine that every thought?
Lord, You have searched me and known me.
You know when I sit down and when I get up;
You understand my thought from far away.
You scrutinize my path and my lying down,
And are acquainted with all my ways.
Even before there is a word on my tongue,
Behold, Lord, You know it all.
You have encircled me behind and in front,
And placed Your hand upon me.
Such knowledge is too wonderful for me;
It is too high, I cannot comprehend it. Psalm 139:1-6 (NASB)
It is incomprehensible to consider He Knows me completely and loves me just the same. Is not that reason enough to long for every revelation of who He is.
The Book of Revelations Begins
The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave Him to show His servants—things which must shortly take place. And He sent and signified it by His angel to His servant John, who bore witness to the word of God, and to the testimony of Jesus Christ, to all things that he saw. 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 1:1-3 (NKJV)
So, let us not skim past this. This book is the revelation of Jesus Christ which God Gave Him to show His servants. God gave Him this revelation of Himself as Jesus is the perfect reflection of the Father as we saw last week. The exact image.
Who (Jesus) being the brightness of His (God the Father’s) glory and the express image of His person and upholding all things by the word of His power, Hebrews 1:3 NKJV
A Messenger Angel Sent Forth by Jesus in the Revelation of Jesus Christ
Then Jesus sent His Messenger Angel to relay all this to John on the aisle of Patmus. A late 2nd century theologian named Tertullian wrote that the Roman Emperor Domitian had boiled John in a pot of oil attempting to kill him; but he was unscathed by the burning oil. So, to shut him up, they exiled him to a very harsh island alone. While on the aisle of Patmus, Jesus sent His Messenger Angel to John with the in-depth revelation of Himself.
Why send the Messenger Angel? Perhaps that we might see also a glimpse of the Glory He so willingly lay aside to come to earth. After all He has angels surrounding Him willing to perform any act He commands of them.
Theodore H. Epp Explained
The opening words are “The Revelation of Jesus Christ”. The key word to the content and message of the Book is Revelation.
First of all, then, it is a revelation. The word “revelation” comes from the Greek word apokalupsis which means an uncovering, a disclosure or unveiling. We are familiar with the custom of a sculptor making a statue of some person, or an artist painting a picture, which is later unveiled so that the public can see it.
Just so here. The Bible tells us that which we have in this book is an unveiling of Jesus Christ….Revelation is not the Revelation of John but of Jesus Christ. That which was previously concealed is now revealed. Even though there are difficulties in understanding or interpreting certain passages in the Book, it was not written to be a mystery but rather to more clearly reveal or unveil certain truths concerning Jesus Christ. So we approach it expecting to learn from it, not expecting to be led into confusion.
This calls for a reading of the Book and a study of it. We will find as we do that God unveils Christ to us, presenting Him as both the Subject and the Object of the Book. It is a revelation of Him who is its Subject, that is, it is given by Him. He is also its Object so it is also about Him. Thus, we have a revelation of Jesus Christ, by Him and about Him. [1]
The Revelation of Jesus Christ: Our Hope Holds Fast in Him
John, to the seven churches which are in Asia:
Grace to you and peace from Him who is and who was and who is to come, and from the seven Spirits who are before His throne, and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler over the kings of the earth. Revelation 1:4-5 NKJV
Who else can offer grace and peace other than Jesus Himself? He is the great I AM, who Is, who was and who is to come.
The seven Spirits, who are before His throne, refers to the Holy Spirit in all His perfection. This references the passage in Isaiah 11:2,5
The Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon Him,
The Spirit of wisdom and understanding,
The Spirit of counsel and might,
The Spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord….And righteousness shall be the girdle of his loin
And who is sending the greeting as well? Jesus Christ, the faithful witness for who else can be the greater witness. He is the first born of the dead—only through Him can we be resurrected to life. Without His resurrection there would be no other resurrection to life. No hope for out spirits which are dead to God to come alive. No chance these dry bones could find life. Furthermore, He is the ruler over all the kings of the earth.
The Revelation of Jesus Christ—the faithful witness
Jesus Christ has been throughout the ages the faithful witness of God’s love, His grace, His righteousness, His patience and His Justice. Christ was a faithful witness even to the point of death. He would not deny the truth, that without the shedding of blood there could be no remission for sin. Theodore Epp wrote:
The Lord Jesus Christ has been a faithful witness concerning the righteousness of God. He has declared God’s righteousness showing how He is just and the Justifer of him who believes in Jesus. It is this very characteristic of God that makes it impossible for Him to allow sin in heaven or even the thought of it. Atonement was made for sin through Christ. So all who trust Him, all who dare to believe in Him are justified and are given eternal life.
Our Lord was faithful in His witness even unto death. In Pilate’s judgment hall Christ did not deny that He was the Son of God. He affirmed it. He could not and would not deny the truth concerning Himself. Though He might have been spared some suffering and scorn. He did not hesitate to witness before Pilate and the High Priest of Israel concerning Himself and God’s purposes through Him.[2]
The Revelation of Jesus Christ, Our Savior
To Him who loved us and washed us from our sins in His own blood, and has made us kings and priests to His God and Father, to Him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen. Revelation 1:5-6 NKJV
Not only did He save us but,
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 1:7 NKJV
And who is He?
“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 NKJV
Vision of the Son of Man
Then I turned to see the voice that spoke with me. And having turned I saw seven golden lampstands, and 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. His head and hair were white like wool, as white as snow, and His eyes like a flame of fire; His feet were like fine brass, as if refined in a furnace, and His voice as the sound of many waters;
He had in His right hand seven stars, out of His mouth went a sharp two-edged sword, and His countenance was like the sun shining in its strength. And when I saw Him, I fell at His feet as dead. But He laid His right hand on me, saying to me, “Do not be afraid; I am the First and the Last. 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. Revelation 1: 12-18
A Vision – A Revelation of Jesus Christ
The Vision John saw brought Reverent fear
Just like Isaiah, Ezekiel and Daniel; John fell upon his face at the appearance of Jesus. This was a reverent fear. The two-edged sword proceeded from the mount of Jesus revealing His perfect righteousness in judgement.
He is the Word of God. And “ the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.” Hebrews 4:12 NKJV
How wonderful and marvelous that God Almighty bid us to come, read, and hear this marvelous revelation of Jesus Christ. This book of the Bible is not meant to confuse or shrouded in mystery. Rather I truly believe, He has presented it with clarity for all to see. We should embrace His truth and study it as we would any part of the Word of God, believing that every Word is true written to demystify the Glorious Beauty of Jesus Christ in all His Splendor
An Outline of the Study
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 1:20
Clearly, God did not intend there to be any confusion. He is revealing what will yet take place considering history and the present time. That is what He told John and I believe it still. Revelation does not have to be a daunting study when we use the entirety of scripture to explain scripture. So this will be our goal over the next few weeks or months.
8 Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ,
9 And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith:
10 That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death; Philippians 3
So, let us rejoice in the revelation of Jesus Christ, fully expecting it to transform our lives.
[1] Epp, Theodore H.; Practical studies in Revelation Vol 1; Christ and the Church, Back to the Bible Broadcast, Lincoln, NE; copyright 1969, page 10
[2] IBID page 30-31
DO YOU KNOW CHRIST AS YOUR SAVIOR AND LORD? He is our only Hope in Life and Death! Our Joy is found in Him.
Therefore if you don’t know Jesus Christ as your Savior and Lord: I urge you today. Go to my page titled How to Be Saved by clicking on this link. There is nothing more important than this; because He is the way, the truth and the life. Therefore, I urge you to seek Him today.
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©Effie Darlene Barba, 2025
Disclosure of Material Connection: I have not received any compensation for writing this post. Furthermore, I have no material connection to the brands, products, or services that I have mentioned except for my own books. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.
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