Remarks on Revelation 1:1-2

The name by which many, if not most, commonly designate this book is that of "The Revelations." That there are several revelations in the book may be true enough; but the use of the term in the plural (The Revelations) as the name of the book, is calculated to mislead, and seems unhappy, seeing that Divine Wisdom has judged it right to begin the book with the words, if not designation, " The revelation of Jesus Christ, (1:1) which God gave unto Him, to skew unto His servants things which must shortly come to pass," etc.
There is something very definite and distinct in this expression: "The revelation of Jesus Christ" (which God gave unto Him to show unto His servants things which must shortly come to pass), which is lost and veiled by the use of the other more vague name of "The Revelations."
The expression, " The revelation of Jesus Christ," whether in English or in Greek, may mean either of two things, viz.: The revelation of (in the sense of " about, concerning") Jesus Christ-the manifestation of the person of Christ somewhere; or (if of is taken in such a sense as "belonging to, made through, connected with ') the revelation which belongs to Jesus Christ.
I am not aware that anything can be built upon the meaning of the word as found in Greek, apokalupsis, or of the word apokalupto, to the which apokalupsis is related. Both are used to express the showing forth plainly, or, in an uncovered way-in a way in which there is no veil-doctrine, truth, thoughts, events, righteousness, glory, wrath, persons, etc. Taking the cover from, uncovering, discovering being the primary idea.
The question arises as to the expression, " The revelation of Jesus Christ which God gave unto Him to show unto His servants things which must shortly come to pass," (as much in the English as in the Greek,) what is the revelation " or "uncovering "? 1stly. Is it an uncovering or discovering of some position, or of some service of the person of the Lord Himself, which God gave Him to make known to His servants? 2ndly. Or, Is it the revelation of certain things which God gave Him to communicate? 3rdly. Or, As the whole unraveling of things to come, which are not known, hangs upon the positions and services of the person of the Lord, is it both the one and the other? The statement contained in the last suggestion, is at all events I conceive true, and there is an absolute connection of all the things which must shortly come to pass with certain positions and certain services of the Lord Himself, the presenting without a veil of which positions and services, as being held by the Lord Jesus, enters very largely into that which is distinctively peculiar to this book.
Whether it be the uncovering (presenting without a veil) of His person, in certain positions and services, which God gave to Him to show; or, whether it be the uncovering (presenting without a veil) of certain things connected with certain positions and services He is found in, in this book-two things seem to me clear. First, the expression, "which God gave to Him to show," is a most remarkable one-one which is hardly consistent with the quiet assumption that this book (however much it may have in common with the Old Testament prophecies, or with revelations made in the New Testament Epistles) has nothing distinctively peculiar to itself, and new as its matter. Second, the tenor of the book does present much altogether peculiar, and which I think I may safely say was unknown previously.
Who knew, for instance, of the Savior Jah, the Anointed (Jesus Christ), as walking amid the candle- sticks? Who knew Him (the churches ready to be spewed out of His mouth) seated in heaven, and all that was God's secure in Him there, as Himself the center, spring and regulator of the arrangements both for Israel's preparation, trials, and finding again, and for the breaking up of Gentilism, etc. God's thoughts are not as our thoughts, and God's ways are not as our ways.
The law was not the Gospel; and yet the Giver of the Law had, as it were, the Gospel ever in His mind, and before Him in His conduct. And every fragment of the law and its testimony confirms to him who knows the gospel the gospel's Divine origin and our need of it. So again, the revelation of the mystery through Paul, was a putting into our hands of a key which had a gap here, and a gap there-a wall here and a wall there-which found their corresponding counter walls and gaps in the Old Testament scriptures; though the mystery itself had never been revealed previously; but as there is a glory terrestrial and a glory celestial, so both of these having but one center, viz., the person of the Lord, they answer the one to the other; and the more recently revealed part in no way sets aside the other. New it is in revelation, yet, by revelation, found to be old; for without it the earthly glory never could be set up.
I cannot but think the Revelation, in somewhat similar manner, contains matter (its own distinctive, peculiar matter), which was altogether new to John in Patmos. And I conceive it needs but little attention, under divine teaching, to see that while certain things were most clearly announced in the epistles as coming to pass, "the how these things were to be" was left in enigma, until
John was in Patmos. Samson's abstractedly put " Out of the eater came forth meat, and out of the strong came forth sweetness,"-was received by the Philistines as a truth-but who of them could say, " What is sweeter than honey, what stronger than a lion?" until they had plowed with his heifer. Who of us could have traced from epistles or from previously given scripture, the truths revealed in the Revelation.
Let any one examine Rom. 11, for instance, and 1 Cor. 1:1, and he will find that he is debtor to the Lord, through another than Paul, for the power to trace out the order in which things spoken of in these two portions would come to pass. And where, in Paul's writings, would any of us find the display of the person of Christ in services and offices connected with the transition from one state of things to another as in the Revelation?
No; this unveiling, this uncovering, as we have it here, God gave unto Jesus Christ that He might show unto His servants things which must quickly come to pass. At the time of communicating, through Paul, things were not ripe for the revelation which we have here given to us through John. Not only, as I judge, was Paul chosen for another testimony, but also the time was not come for the testimony in Paul's day. The word could still flow forth fresh, addressed " to the saints and faithful in Christ Jesus," but the time would come when (all that Paul has written being still left for the obedience of faith and for the church of Christ, which should never fail, but would be manifested in its parts here below, through the whole progress of time), churches, as such, would come into judgment, and would even be set aside; and then a fresh-given word might take this form, as addressed through "a servant" (His servant John) to "servants," - "To him that hath an ear to hear," etc. Those that were called out to be saints and faithful in Christ Jesus, might, in Paul's day, form churches in various places; churches which had a responsibility in testimony and light-giving, of which they could not divest themselves. Clearly, to be one of such a place, a part of such a thing, while God was holding it responsible and was present to help it, was a very different position from that of one whose lot might be cast in a day when the churches were looked upon as falling or fallen, and when, consequently, instead of the shelter of a formed church, owned of God, each of the servants, each one that had an ear to hear must withdraw himself from all evil, and realize what measure of communion he could with those who still really served God. Now it is just with the calling in question of the churches as churches that the book opens; and the visit of the Lord to His suffering servant John, in Patmos, seems to me something new, over and above what we find in the epistles.
And mark it, separation, through the faith, was at the first unto obedience. God revealed what would separate unto Himself and produce fruits of obedience. When a large mass has taken up the profession of being so separated through faith, but their works denied it-the pressing of this serving the living and true God-the raising the questions, " Who is a servant?" "Who hath an ear to hear?" became a test. And it was a very solemn one, as to the churches themselves, for it was urged, not merely upon individuals merely inside a church, but in connection with the churches still standing as candlesticks but about to be removed.
The possession of eternal life; the occupation of a position of testimony, to the which position many a privilege attached, and the serving of God, the living and true God, were three things which, though unhappily possible to separate, were most naturally and happily united in one in the early Christians. When the churches were failing, and in principle failed, Christ in whom were the spring and claims, as to these three things, came in afresh. As having set up a testimony for God, he was responsible to judge. A sort of analytical process follows. He was what He ever had been for his people. The springs in Him were unchoked-the claims for a return to God of what He gave were as sure, in Him, as was His zeal towards God, as His love to His people.
At the end of the book, we see his announced return bearing, alas! then differently on the holder of the warning (Rev. 22:6,7), on the place of profession (ver. 10-16), and on his own bride (ver. 17). At the beginning, the holder of His word, the professing people, and the privileged ones, were but three epithets for one and the same class. The privileges and responsibilities of each quality flowed from what was in Him, and could never fail. Alas! man fails in all that is committed to him, and when tried he is found to have failed. But Christ would not fail, even amid man's failure, to prove His competency and to keep unto eternal life His people. But where eternal life dwells, there there is the spirit of obedience; and where Christ preserves a people to Himself, He does so by giving them the hearing ear, that they may receive the word which is a quickening word. It is this which gives the peculiar force of the address being to servants, to readers, to treasurers up of the word in this book; enforced as, of course, it is by judgment being now at the very door on account of entire failure. The question is not about taking forth " the vile from the precious," which was the ultimate step of sanative discipline, in the church; it was too late for that: it is not, either, the question of taking forth " the precious from the vile" which connects itself with restorations and with final dooms; it is rather the question as to a mass standing in outward privilege and profession (but which did not meet the claims of divine glory), as to what part in it had at least a heart and mind to respond to God; while all around had failed, yet was spared in mercy, and its doom mercifully postponed, who below could yet be a channel for the Lord of testimony? What a God is ours! Because He is God and not man, we are not consumed. Oh, for more of the hearing ear, and the power to appreciate and hold fast the word of His testimony. His faithful love and gracious forethought has, in this book, traced before his servants the whole outline of the wilderness path from John's day down to the close. Thus has He shown His sympathy towards His servants, and, while preventing them from being taken unawares by difficulties, thus has He given to them the power of connecting each difficulty of the way with the God who had premonished them of it, and the Lord Jesus, whose positions in service are connected with things that pass in the wilderness, God would skew to His servants what must shortly come. The "must" in the verse is also to be noticed as emphatic; all was under divine guidance, and the end was quickly to be brought in.
Another has remarked upon the peculiar character of the mode of revealing in this book. This is not according to the mode found in the rest of the New Testament, but more in harmony with the mode of Old Testament times. This is just; and it may be well to consider the full bearing of the remark. It would seem to me to be more extensive in application than at first sight we might think.
Thus, when the testimony was in a candlestick upon earth connected with outside things, as in Jewish circumstances,- the divine mode of communicating truth was from outside: there was a vision, a communication from God above, and the prophets had to search what and what manner of time, etc., etc.
At Pentecost, the testimony was through the renewed man in the servant; but it was of those who had kept company with the Lord all through his course here below, and were eye-witnesses of all these things (see John 15 and Acts 1 and 2) The candlestick had its corresponding peculiarity, as also had the place of its standing.
Paul's testimony was from an ascended Lord; and the candlesticks were set up in the truth and responsibility of his place on high. The testimony flowed through Paul; and, according to what Christ was up there, they should have been heavenly and divine, though as such seen upon earth and a testimony.
The church could not fail as the body of which Christ was the Head. If the churches ceased to be that, they sank to the level of what was merely an earthly witness, and as such must sink. And a voice calling John to write things that he saw became an adequate and divinely suitable mode of testimony.
I suggest this for consideration.
"Which must shortly come to pass." It may be well to pause and try the state of one's heart, by seeing how far that which to God is "shortly," "quickly," "a little while-how little, how little," is so likewise to us. If we are living near Him and walking in His light it will be so; alas if dwelling in Sodom or walking carelessly; it will not be so. If heart and mind are where the Spirit would have them, this world is a desert in which God's presence refreshes, and which by contrast enhances the preciousness of a glory close at hand. If heart and mind are divided, one above and the other below, there must be inward conflict and mental doubts or disappointed affections. If we are lower still, and walk as men, we shall find ourselves, as did Lot, in the presence of judgment and not without fears.
To God, the while is little, and so is it to those who dwell near Him.
The challenge to our hearts is evidently fair, in that the things which must come to pass shortly are all the things written in the book, and not merely the judgment of the churches as recorded in chaps. 3 and 4. It as much applies to the contents of chaps. 19 or 20, or 21 and 22, as to the contents of chaps. 2 and 3. The " quickly" is quickly to God, and felt to be quickly too to those that walk in the secret of His presence.
In the second part of Rev. 1:1 there are several expressions which suggest inquiry: inquiry, too, which connects itself with the whole contents of the book and their interpretation, and not merely with the words in the sentence or with its grammatical construction.
Καὶ ἐσήμανεν ἀποστείλας διὰ τοῦ ἀγγέλου, κ.τ.λ. "And he sent and signified it by his angel unto his servant John."
It might be asked, 1st, Who sent? and 2nd, Which is the angel referred to?
The word angel being a word signifying the office of "bearing" a message (anqelia 1 John 3:11) it is not necessarily or properly limited in its use to any order or class of beings. It is true, that there is an order of beings called angels (created, perhaps, to be messengers of the throne of God), some of whom are now fallen from their first estate (Jude 6), as having sinned (2 Peter 2:4), and some are elect (1 Tim. 5:21). But the word is not limited in its use to them. The mighty angel of Rev. 10:1 and 5 is evidently Christ, who is the angel of the covenant also; and who else but He (1 Tim. 2:5) is that other "angel" of Rev. 8:3 who offers up to God the prayers of all saints. It is used also of John Baptist (Matt. 11:10; Mark 1:2); as also of his messengers (Luke 7:24); of Christ's messengers (Luke 9:52); of Paul's thorn, a messenger of Satan (2 Cor. 12:7); of the spies (James 2:25), etc., etc.
The description of the communication in chap. 1 gives us these details, "I John was in the isle that is called Patmos (ver. 9). I was in the spirit on the Lord's-day, and heard behind me a great voice, as of a trumpet, saying, I am Alpha and Omega,…What thou seest write in a book, and send it to the seven churches which are in Asia (ver. 11). And I turned to see the voice that spake with me" (ver. 12), etc. The scene is laid in Patmos. Christ comes down there, as the Revelation was given to Him that he might show, etc., he is here displayed in servant character. When John saw Him he fell at His feet as dead, and then tasted the Divine fullness of the grace and power of this messenger of God who visited him.
Differing from this, in chap. 4 John is caught up into heaven. Is it thence, or is the scene shifted; and is he (John) again on earth when, in chap. 10, he sees a mighty angel, the description of whose personal glory and actins mark Him off as Christ alone, who is here again, to John, the medium from God of communication of things to come.
In chap. 21:9, we read, "there came unto me one of the seven angels which had the seven vials full of the seven last plagues, and talked with me, saying, Come hither, I will show thee the bride, the Lamb's wife," etc. This angel is not the Lord, and avows he is not in chap. 22, ver. 8. But this angel, while he is the means of leading John into a more intimate acquaintance with that which had been revealed, to what extent is he the medium of any new revelation? He shows John, it is true, not only the details of the bride the Lamb's wife, but (most precious to us) her connection with the millennium; for, when she is first revealed (chap. 20:1-8) it is in connection with the final post-millennial glory the revelation presents her. So that one could quite admit, that there was here, also, in a sense, an uncovering of things shortly coming to pass. Yet, perhaps, to skew unto his servants "things which must shortly come to pass." ἁ δεῖ γενέσθαι ἐν τάχει would mean "to show what must come to pass," rather than "to show either in detail, or in application, coming things." Still, the making known what is internal to the heavenly glory is most clearly found here.
Where the Lord Himself is the angel He is sent by God-comes in the power of what God had given to Him to show, and is, in servant character, though hidden to sense, and glorified: the chiefest of God's messengers holding a place in the book which again brings angelic agency into unveiled prominency - prominency out of which it had dropped when Christ, as the center of heavenly plans (and the Church), had become the topic but which is resumed directly, the church's judgment recorded, Christ as the center of all God's providential plans for the earth, for Israel, and for the Gentile is taken up again as in this book. The angel who shows John the bride, etc., seems to be a subordinate messenger connected with the execution of that which is God's judgment in favor of Christ: first, in judgment on what opposes, and then in blessing, on what is subject to Christ. As to the mere translation of chap. 1 ver. 1, the word God is that to which he in "he sent" most naturally refers. "God gave to him, and signified, having sent through his angel to his servant John."