Revelation: In Greek is Apocalypse

We have changed the word apocalypse to mean chaos and catastrophe, however, the original meaning of apocalypse was the “revealing”. So, instead of thinking of Revelation as the chaos and catastrophe to come, instead of fear driven doom and gloom, it is a revealing and unveiling.

The revealing in this book is of Jesus. We’re getting to see Jesus risen and in full power as never before. We get to see him reigning and redeeming as promised.

Does it mean we will understand it all? Absolutely not. Our human minds do not have the capacity to understand the mysteries of God. However, our spirits do. The truths of God are not hidden from us, but instead revealed to our spirit when we seek God.

Jesus says, “Seek and you will find.” He also says, “When you seek God, you will find him.” If Jesus said it, I choose to believe it. If I’m seeking, I will find God … but if I’m not really seeking God, he will remain an untouchable mystery. This applies to the often avoided book of Revelation. When we seek God, our Spirit will come to understand what God intendeds to reveal to us.

And let’s be clear, God WANTS to reveal something to us. What is it? JESUS. Revelation is the revealing of Jesus.

The author of Revelation is John. You know, the fisherman, John, who became one of his 12 disciples. He walked with Jesus for 3 years, he was at the foot of the cross when Jesus was crucified, 3 days later he ran to find the tomb empty, and later that week he had breakfast on the shores of the Sea of Galilee with Jesus, examining his nail scared hands.

John knew Jesus.

He is the one referred to as “the disciple Jesus loved”, and guess who called John this? John himself did, which makes me giggle. “Yeah, I’m the one Jesus loves.” He wasn’t saying he was better than anyone else, he’s simply confident in Jesus’ love for him. He knew their relationship was special.

Can you say that? More on that level of confidence in Jesus’ love later …

John writes the book of Revelation by means of an angel who revealed things to him in the spirit. That angel was sent by Jesus under the instruction of God. How do I know? Chapter 1, verse 1, “This is a revelation from Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show his servants the events that must soon take place. He sent an angel to present this revelation to his servant John.”

See, not so confusing, huh?

Do you know why we’re afraid of Revelation and avoid it? Because that’s precisely what our defeated enemy wants. He does not want you to know of his destiny, nor does he want you to know of the dangers in delayed obedience to God. But, there’s another reason the devil wants to keep you away from the book of Revelation … he wants to steal your blessing!

Verse 3, “God blesses the one who reads the words of this prophesy to the church, and he blesses all who listen to is message and obey what it says, for the time is near.”

It’s a blessing to read this revealing of Jesus. It’s a blessing to hear about the unveiling of the full power and promises of our Savior. It’s a blessing to know chaos and catastrophe are coming, and we are promised to be saved from it all.

There are blessings here for us in this misunderstood and often avoided final book of our Bible. And I don’t know about you, but if there’s a blessing on the table, I want it. If God has offered a blessing, I want to be the girl that grabs it.

My husband taught our kid’s in soccer when they were little. Each year in the very first practice, he would gather all his energy filled tiny players with the attention spans of a gnat, and he would dangle a 20 dollar bill. He would say, “Who wants this?” Oh, all the kids would squeal, “Me, me, me.” “Who wants it?” They would raise their hands and begin to scream louder. “Me, Coach, pick me.” And he would continue to dangle the 20 and say, “Who wants it?” Inevitably, there would finally be one bold child that would want that 20 so bad they would stand up and grab it. Then Coach would say, “Then you’re the one that gets it. If you want it, get up and get it. Go for it! Do something about it.”

So, we’re being told there’s a blessing in the offering here. Dangling right in front of us. Who wants it? The one who goes for it is the one who gets the blessing. I’ve decided to dive in! I’m grabbing this book of Revelation and I’m getting the promised blessing. I will read it, I will listen and I will obey.

Jesus is being revealed to us, and God felt it was important to talk about. And if God is concerned enough to talk about it, he wants us to be concerned enough to listen. We are blessed by READING, we are blessed by LISTENING … it doesn’t say understanding is required for that blessing.

John, the one who personally walked with Jesus, the one who sat at the foot of the cross with Jesus, the one who saw the risen Jesus, has been spreading the gospel of Jesus at this point for over 60 years. Jesus went to the cross in AD 33, and now John is being visited by an angel in 95 AD, 62 years later, to reveal more of Jesus. The news wasn’t getting old. The promises were still holding. And John was still passionate in telling everyone he could about this Jesus who loves them.

Verse 5, John writes, Glory “to Him who loved us and washed us from our sins in His own blood.”

The day you understand Jesus personally and directly loves YOU, is the day your life changes. And here, we understand the extent of his love … he chose to wash us instead of just throwing us away.

Think about this … if you get paint all over your jeans, you would only try desperately to wash that paint out if you really loved those jeans. Otherwise, you would just throw them away and get a new pair of jeans. But, if you love them, you would google all the ways to wash out the paint.

The solution for getting paint out of denim is rubbing alcohol. The solution for getting sin out of you is the blood of Jesus.

The simple fact that Jesus washed us with his blood proves his unequaled and undeniable love for us. We are dirty. We fail. We mess this thing up on the regular. Jesus has the power to destroy us and just start over again. He could make a replacement for you. He could erase you and start again. But instead, he chooses to wash you so he can save you.

Why would he do that? Because, girl, he really really really loves you. And he’s proven it.

So, remember this …

1. Revelation is not intended to be a hiding of mysterious chaotic events. It is a revealing of Jesus, his power and his sovereignty.

2. There are blessings being offered in reading and listening to these words. If you want the blessings, you have to be willing to grab it. Grab ahold of this word. Don’t be afraid of it. God for it. The Spirit of God wants to reveal truths to you.

3. You are like a favorite pair of jeans that will be washed and saved because you are so totally loved. Jesus isn’t throwing you away, he’s washing you, girl!

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