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Revelation 1, 2 & 3

• Discover How Revelation's Visions Relate to Daniel's Book of Prophecy

• Learn The Seven Promises For The Victorious Saint of the Last Days

When a student of the Bible embarks upon the study of Revelation, he or she feels projected into a different world.  Here is something quite unlike the rest of the New Testament.  Not only is Revelation unique, it can be difficult to understand.  However, the Greek word for revelation is apocalypsis, which means a "disclosure," or an "uncovering."  Even so, the book has its complexities, and therefore it has sometimes been abandoned by teachers and the church, or it has become the playground of religious eccentrics who have presented bizarre explanations.

As we enter the final days, Revelation will take on new meaning as our contemporary world reflects its predictions.  If one could show that Revelation mirrors the prophecies of Daniel and other Old Testament books, then not only would this add clarity to John's visions, but would also allow students of prophecy to draw out the meaning of both books.  What is confusing in Daniel might be made clearer in Revelation, and so forth.

The Bible student must first be willing to look at Daniel as a book specifically written for our day, and to understand that it is not merely a historical book of events.  Lessons One to Ten have explained the view that the visions of Daniel explain apocalyptic, last-day events to the same degree as Revelation (which was the view held by the early church for centuries).

Now we will endeavor to search the visions of Revelation in light of the knowledge gained in Daniel.  The five major time periods of Daniel represent a road map through the appointed time of the end.  One time period--the 1260 days (Daniel 7:25)--is repeated in Revelation five times (11:2; 11:3; 12:6; 12:14; 13:5), as though to say "look, watch and listen" to this important time period.

The following lessons will prove that Daniel and Revelation are twin books representing the identical events and time periods of the end.  If the link between these two books can be clearly seen, then all prophecy may finally merge together as a completed picture of events about to come.

1. Whose revelation testimony was given to John the prophet, who is considered to be the loved disciple of Christ when He was on earth (Revelation 1:1)?

Jesus made the prophecies known by sending His angel to His servant John.  

The angel (Greek-aggelos, meaning simply messenger) Gabriel is most associated with the proclamation and delivery of prophecy (Daniel 8:16; 9:21), and he might have been the one sent to John to begin the process of the visions.

The "testimony of Jesus Christ" is repeated throughout Revelation (1:2; 1:9; 12:17).  Revelation 19:10 says, "the testimony of Jesus Christ is the spirit of prophecy"; in other words, a prophet's warnings. 

2. How does Deuteronomy 18:15, 18 predict Jesus, the promised Prophet, who would foretell things to come?

3. How long would this gift of prophecy be given, which shows that a prophet may be called at anytime to serve God (Ephesians 4:11-13)?

Until we all come into the unity of the faith at Christ's coming.             

4. According to Revelation 1:3, blessed (happy) is the person who does what?

Reads, hears and takes to heart what is written in Revelation.  Why?  Because the end is near.  

The Hebrew meaning of "hearing" and "keeping" gives deeper insight into what is being said here:

 hearing – shema, to hear with understanding of obedience

keeping – shamar, to guard, protect, attend, take heed, observe, and preserve

The book of Revelation begins with a promise of a blessing to those who hear and obey. It ends with a curse (Revelation 22:18-19) to those who do not adhere to its teachings. Between these "bookends" is the message that those who obey God's Word are the ones that will acquire the blessings of God.  Consider the blessings of adhering to the prophecies from Jesus.

Revelation 3:10; Revelation 14:12; Revelation 19:15; Revelation 22:14

Seven spirits as introduced in Revelation 1:4, are said to be found before God's throne.  These seven are mentioned several times in Revelation (3:1; 4:5; 5:6).  In the Bible seven represents perfection, so the perfect work of God is illustrated through the influencing work of the seven spirits.  Hebrew 1:14 asks the question, “Are not all angels ministering spirits sent to serve those who will inherit salvation?” From this we learn that the seven spirits represent seven angels who stand in the presence of God (Isaiah 63:9; Zechariah 6:5; Luke 1:19).

5. What are the three titles assigned to Jesus (Revelation 1:5)?

The Faithful Witness signifies Christ's untiring work to represent God; the First Begotten of the Dead signifies His success over the grave; and the Prince of the Kings of the Earth symbolizes God's sovereign control even above the most powerful leaders of man--even over Antichrist.