Revelation 1: A Peek Behind The Curtain

The Book of Revelation has the capacity to blow your mind.  It is a very different kind of literature than we normally read.  It is apocalyptic which means it is heavy on symbolism and the revealing of hidden things.  Some of the "peek behind the curtain" that we receive in Revelation is about future things; some of it is also a different way of looking at past and present (to John) events.

Speaking of John, is this the same John who wrote the books of the Bible that bear his name?  Perhaps.  I used to ardently believe that if you were a "Bible-believing Christian" that you also had to believe that Revelation was written by John the disciple, as well as the other traditions surrounding the books of the Bible that have been passed down.  Nowadays, I'm more likely to say that we must believe what the Bible presents to us.  The author of Revelation identifies himself as "John" - but does not distinguish himself any further than that.  So, in my mind, I can definitively say that I believe Revelation was written by John.  But then, just as now, you could easily come across more than one man named John.  So while I still personally believe that this John is the same man who was an original disciple of Jesus, I don't insist upon it as I once did.

Beginning in the very first chapter, it is evident that Revelation employs symbolism.  John has a vision of Jesus which is very bizarre if taken literally.  A sword in His mouth?  Holding seven stars?  Fortunately, John clues us in when he defines some of the symbolism in vs. 20.  This is a good indication that we must be on the lookout to ask what the symbols used in the Book of Revelation mean.

Finally, I believe the over-arching message of this book, even more than as a detailed prophecy of the future, is one of comfort for the persecuted church in the first century.  Revelation is a beacon of hope, letting us know that God is in charge behind the scenes of history.  This is a peek behind the curtain so that believers may be encouraged that nothing is beyond God's control and everything will turn out all right in the end.