Revelation 1:1-3; Psalm 2

The subject of the last book of the Bible is “The Revelation of Jesus Christ.”  It is singular; not “revelations” but “revelation.”  To reveal (Greek apocalypsis) is to declare openly something that is hidden.  This book of prophecy reveals Jesus Christ in a way that goes beyond anything ever written.  The story, begun in the Old Testament, portrayed in His life and ministry in the Gospels, and explained in the writings of the Apostles, is now brought to its conclusion in Revelation.

What story are we talking about?  It is the story of the exaltation of the Son of God, a story that actually had its beginning in the counsels of the Godhead.  The Father promised His Son that He would make Him the heir of all things, the ruler from Zion over all the nations (Psalm 2:6-9).  This story is the explanation and goal of the history of the universe.  It underlies the entire message of the Bible.

·        Eph. 1:9-10: Paul called this the mystery of His (God’s) will, a future time when God would gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven and which are on earth.

·        Psalm 110:1-2: This was so completely the work of the Father for His Son, the provision of an inheritance, that the Father said, “Sit at My right hand until I make Your enemies Your footstool.”

·        The Songs of David, the man after God’s heart who was the human ancestor of Christ (Luke 1:32), anticipated the fulfillment of this mystery (whether David fully understood it or not).  Jesus Christ would be the Man who would have dominion over creation (cf. Psalm 8 and Heb. 2:5-9).  David often prayed for deliverance from his enemies, knowing that God would deliver him as the one through whom Jesus Christ would reign (e.g. Psalm 59:8-10).

·        The Prophets predicted the fulfillment of this mystery.  Every foe, in heaven and on the earth, would be humbled and the LORD Himself would rule over them from Jerusalem (Isa. 24:21-23).  His kingdom would never end and would consume all other kingdoms (Dan. 2:44-45).  This would happen when His feet stand on the Mount of Olives (Zech. 14:3-9).

·        The Apostles, particularly Paul (Eph. 3), repeatedly counted on its fulfillment.  Christ would be preeminent over everything (Col. 1:15-18).  Every knee would bow to Him (Phil. 2:9-11).  Even now He is seated at the right hand of the Father awaiting His inheritance (Heb. 1:1-5).  All this would come to completion at the time known as the revelation of Jesus Christ (1 Peter 1:7).

Revelation speaks of that time as the days of the sounding of the seventh angel when the mystery of God would be finished (Rev. 10:7).  Then the kingdoms of this world will become the kingdom of our Lord and of His Christ, and He shall reign forever and ever (Rev. 11:15).  This message is the gift of the Father to the Son to show to His servants for their benefit and blessing.  May we find both comfort and encouragement in the exaltation of Jesus Christ!