Do not be afraid; I Am the First and the Last. I am He who lives, and was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore. Amen. And I have the keys of Hades and of Death. Write the things which you have seen, and the things which are, and the things which will take place after this.” (vv.17b-19)
The Book of Revelation was written by John (the one whom Jesus loved) on the island of Patmos where he was banished by Domitian (who succeeded Caesar Nero to the throne of Rome) after a failed attempt to boil him in oil for his beliefs. And it was on Patmos that John was given this Revelation of Jesus Christ. Why? because at the time believers were dying as a result of horrendous persecution by Rome for their belief in Jesus, and they needed a revelation (from Jesus Christ) to see that He was in control, and on the throne.
Where did this revelation come from you might ask? We find the answer in verse 1, “The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave unto Him to show His servants - things which must shortly take place. And He sent and signified it by His angel to His servant John."
The pronoun “him” refers back to Jesus Christ. In other words, the Father gave the revelation to the Son. The Son sent His Spirit (angel) to give the revelation to John. And John gave the revelation to us, that we might understand the things that must come to pass. The over simplified message behind the book of Revelation is that, King Jesus is on His throne and in control. That things are going according to the Father’s divine plan, and that Jesus Christ will return to establish His kingdom.
As we make our way through this book, keep in mind verse 19 in which the spirit of God gives to John the outline for the flow of his writings, “write the things which you have seen” (chapter 1 the Lord’s person), “the things that are” (chapters 2-3 the Lord’s people), “and the things yet to come” (chapters 4-22 the plan). By following this divine outline, the Book will unfold easier and you will be blessed by doing so, as promised in v.3.
The Truth: “Blessed is he who reads and those who hear the words of this prophecy, and keeps those things which are written in it; for the time is near.” (v.3)
