Tag: Jesus Christ

Revelation 1: The True Focus of Revelation is Jesus Christ

The Book of Revelation opens with a strong, declarative statement: this is the revelation of Jesus Christ. The Apostle John makes this emphatic point to ensure that readers keep their focus on Jesus as He is revealed through the many visions describing God’s judgments, rather than being distracted in speculation about peripheral elements like the beast, the dragon, or natural disasters. The book invites the church of that time to see Christ in a newly revealed way, offering encouragement during periods of persecution and suffering.

In particular, the description of Jesus in Revelation 1 builds upon the majestic portrayal of the Son of Man in the Book of Daniel, further emphasizing His ultimate sovereignty, authority, and everlasting power over all realms—both in heaven and on earth. This vision must have been an immense comfort and source of strength for the first-century church. And the remarkable thing is that this invitation to know Christ in His fullness extends to the church today as well.

Summary

The book was introduced as the Revelation of Jesus Christ, given by God and communicated by His angel to His bond servant John. John began his letter by greeting his fellow partaker in suffering, the seven churches in Asia, with an emphatic, encouraging message that praises God for His glory and dominion that transcend time boundaries and that Jesus would certainly be coming back with clouds. 

Then, John went on to share his brief, but powerful encountering experience with Jesus in the Spirit on one of the Lord’s days while he was on Patmos Island. First, he stated that he heard a loud voice like the sound of a trumpet that commanded him to write what he would see in a book and send it to the seven churches in Asia. Then, he saw the one like a son man, who manifested a majestic and awe-inspiring image, in the middle of the seven golden lamp stands. Although John fell at His feet like a dead man, he was comforted by the son of man and was told to write things that he had seen, he was seeing, and he would see. 

The Revelation of Jesus Christ: The True Focus

  • Revelation (apokalypsis in Greek): laying bare, a disclosure of truth, cornering things before unknown, manifestation, appearance.

Right from the start, the very first phrase captures the essence of the book: “The Revelation of Jesus Christ.” This is not a revelation of the Apostle John himself. Though he was a faithful servant of God and entrusted to deliver the message, John was merely the messenger. The central focus of the book is not the end of the world, nor does it center on the rise of the dragon, the beast, or the angels and their judgments through catastrophic events like natural disasters. While these dramatic elements are described in detail and capture much attention, they are not the primary focus. The purpose of Revelation is to reveal Jesus Christ. The word “revelation” in Greek, apokalypsis, means the unveiling or disclosing of truths previously unknown. In this case, it appears that apokalypsis points to a fuller disclosure of certain often-overlooked attributes of Jesus Christ, which would serve as an encouragement to His followers enduring persecution and suffering.

One of the risks when reading Revelation is the temptation to focus disproportionately on the events or peripheral elements described. It’s crucial that we not let these aspects distract us from the main subject: Jesus Christ. Perhaps this is why John begins with a strong, clear statement: “The Revelation of Jesus Christ.” Just as John used the word “sign” (sēmeion in Greek) in his Gospel to emphasize that the seven recorded miracles were not significant in themselves but pointed to God and Jesus, so too in Revelation the awe-inspiring, fearful, and at times unsettling visions serve a similar purpose. They function as signs pointing back to Jesus.

As we read chapter 1 and the rest of Revelation, let us focus on the character of Jesus Christ rather than speculating about other elements. One of the key messages of Revelation is that Jesus is coming back with the clouds, which often symbolize the full presence of God. His return will fulfill His promise to His disciples and the world—for ultimate redemption and the full manifestation of His presence. While the timing of this return is known only to the Father, many have attempted to speculate, only to reveal the futility of such efforts. Our task is not to predict the when, but to focus on the certainty of His return and what it reveals about His character.

Three Key Titles of Christ in Revelation

As a starting point of the Revelation of Jesus Christ, John reminds the readers of the three fundamental descriptions associated with the Lord Jesus Christ in Revelation 1:5: the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth. Jesus as “the faithful witness” signifies His role in perfectly revealing and testifying the truth of God.  Jesus as “the firstborn of the dead” points to His resurrection after the death on the cross, highlighting His power even over death (Col 1:18, 1 Corinth 15:20-23, Romans 8:39). “The ruler of the kings” affirms Jesus’ ultimate authority over all, including all mankind’s power structure and institutions. John reminds the readers of Jesus again of these important characters and attributes of Jesus – in part to strengthen those who were undergoing persecution and suffering.  

Christ’s Majestic Revelation: A New Vision of Authority

Revelation 1 introduces a unique and majestic portrayal of Jesus Christ, which echoes the descriptions from the Old Testament, particularly from the book of Daniel, but also presents new revelatory aspects of His divine nature and role that are distinct from the rest of the New Testament. The depiction of a son of man in the Revelation is similar to that in Daniel, but expands farther with more descriptive details and unique elements. 

The description of highlighted Jesus’ characters in Revelation 1 builds upon the imagery found in the book of Daniel but goes much farther. Daniel shows a glimpse of the son of man’s authority and majesty, but Revelation unveils the son of man in additional ways: His presence that transcends time boundaries, His majestic descriptions that show His kingly authority, and His ultimate grip transcends heaven. 

First, Jesus says, “I am the first and the last, echoing the earliest statement by the Lord God that He is the Alpha and Omega. His statement symbolizes that He is the origin and completion of all things. This identification is unique in the book of the Revelation and emphasizes Christ’s eternal, uncreated and His sovereign control over history. This identification is the repeat yet expanded version of the description given in Daniel (7:13-14) which describes a son of man, who came to the Ancient Days, was given dominion and glory and a kingdom that is an everlasting one immune to destruction. 

Second, Revelation 1 expands upon the majestic descriptions found in Daniel 7, presenting Jesus in His glorified, post-resurrection state. The imagery of Christ in Revelation in 1:12-16 is more vivid and complete, emphasizing His identity as both Judge and King. His white wool-like hair shows His wisdom. His fiery eyes symbolizes His penetrating discernment (His people from those of the beast), the bronze feet His steadfastness and purity, and sharp-two edged word His powerful judgment. 

Third, revelation 1 shows more specifically Jesus’ ultimate authority over the realm that is largely invisible – the dead. Although Jesus’ authority over the realm of the dead was shown indirectly through His resurrection, Revelation 1 makes this more explicit from Jesus’ statement that “I was dead, and behold,I am alive forevermore, and I have the keys of death and of Hades.” The statement signifies His authority over life, death, as well as eternal destiny. This description is a fuller revelation of the divine power over the living and dead hinted at in Daniel 12:1-2

The Command to Write: Preserving the Revelation 

Notable commands were given to John in this chapter: the command to write – twice. First, a loud voice like the sound of a trumpet instructed John to write in a book what he was about to see and send it to the seven churches (1:11). Then, a second command comes from the one like a son of man, concerning the things that have been seen, were being seen, and would take place (1:19). 

The repetition of this command to write underscores the significance of the book of Revelation – its role in comforting and encouraging Jesus’ followers while offering others an opportunity to acknowledge God and return to Him. This command is particularly notable because, in the four Gospels, Jesus never directly commanded His disciples to record His actions and words. The New Testament writings were composed by His disciples, inspired by the Holy Spirit absent without explicit directives. However, in this chapter, two direct commands were given to John to document the vision to the church. This highlights the urgency and importance of the overall message of the book of Revelation, especially for the seven churches, who were desperately seeking the living and powerful message of Christ in the midst of suffering and difficulties. 

From Private Vision to Public Revelation

The scope of the Book of the Revelation is vast. The message was given to John in a deeply impressive way, particularly through powerful visual and auditory forms. John was tasked with taking in these overwhelming and inspiring revelations and faithfully converting them into written words to the seven churches in Asia Minor.

Yet, this monumental revelation was initially very private to John, and that privacy carries a significant meaning. First, the private delivery of messages highlights the deep intimacy between John and God – an intimate connection between God, Jesus, the Holy Spirit, and John. This is fitting, given John’s unique relationship with Jesus as one of His closest disciples. Second, the private nature of the revelation can be seen as a way to safeguard, a way to ensure the message’s integrity is kept before being open to the public. This helps to prevent immediate public distortion, misunderstanding, or exploitation of the Revelation of Christ. Third, this private nature of the message places John as a mediator like a prophet of the Old Testament where God had revealed messages and visions privately to His prophets before being communicated to a wider community  of Judah and Israel.

Though private at first, the revelation was meant to be shared with the broader community of believers, and eventually, the whole world. John was to bring this revelation to his fellow bond-servants of Christ, including the seven churches, as a source of comfort and encouragement, reminding them of Jesus’s eternal power and authority over all affairs of the world.

Then, as Revelation 1:3 declares, “Blessed is the one who reads, and those who hear the words of the prophecy and keep the things which are written in it,” the message was to reach beyond churches, offering the entire world a chance to hear and heed the words of Christ. In this way, the Book of Revelation echoes the heart of John 3:16-19 – God sent His Son not to judge the world, but so that all might believe and have eternal life. The revelation is an invitation to return to God before the appointed time draws near.

Ruth 4: Celebration

The story ended in chapter 3 in suspense. Ruth and Naomi were waiting in a mixture of great expectation and anxiety because their status would be changed in the next 24 hours. They would be redeemed by either the closest redeemer, whose name was never revealed, or Boaz. Ruth and Naomi would prefer Boaz. However, nothing was certain at that time.

Summary of Ruth 4

Boaz acted immediately. While he was near the city gate, he happened to see the closest relative. Then, he quickly summoned the ten elders of the city and explained to them that Naomi came back from Moab to Bethlehem and she needed to be redeemed. At first, the closest relative said that he would redeem. Then, Boaz explained further that redemption would include not only Naomi’s land, but also Ruth the Moabite, the widow of Mahlon, in order to raise up the name of the deceased. Then, the closest relative told Boaz that he could not redeem it. Boaz, who was next in line for redemption, officially proclaimed that he had bought the land that belonged to Naomi and acquired Ruth to be his wife.

Boaz married Ruth and they had a son named Obed. The whole village celebrated and blessed Naomi as well. This Obed came to be the grandfather of king David.

Repeated Keywords

In an Inductive study, we examine the text closely to make a few simple, fundamental observations on the frequently repeated phrases and words. Here are a few repeated keywords: redeemer, redeem, Boaz, deceased, fathered, and witnesses,

Boaz was repeated eight times. The chapter clearly showed that the main character in chapter 4 was Boaz. The main repeated verb was redeem. Therefore, the main continent of this chapter was that Boaz redeemed Ruth and Naomi. However, this event did not just take place at the individual or the family level. Plenty of witnesses partook and confirmed this redemption event, and this signified that the redemption was for the whole community to celebrate. Then, there was a dramatic change in status from the deceased to “life” for Naomi, Ruth, and even Elimelech. As a result of this event, they became the ancestor of King David, who was the representative physical ancestor of LORD Jesus.

Boaz: A Man of Action

As Naomi predicted, he immediately launched into action to settle the matter related to redemption. He happened to meet the redeemer in the city gate and quickly summoned ten elders of the city. We briefly see how the LORD guided Boaz to meet the redeemer near the city gate on that very morning. Also, we can see the extent of Boaz’s (positive) influence in the city by the quickness with which he was able to summon all the elders in a very short time.

Swift, Decisive Proclamation

Although the closest redeemer was willing to redeem Naomi’s land initially, after being informed about his additional duty to acquire Ruth the Moabite, he stated he could not redeem (Ruth 4:9). With his refusal, Boaz made a swift, decisive proclamation. Boaz proclaimed to all the witnesses that he redeemed the land of Naomi and acquired Ruth to be his wife in order to raise up the name of the deceased. It was a firm statement that no one could object.

Let’s notice a few things. Boaz followed the principle thoroughly. Based on the law of Moses laid out by God, he followed it step-by-step, ensuring that every important person, the closest redeemer and the ten elders, were summoned and consulted. Boaz, although being wealthy and very influential, did not circumvent the law and procedure laid out by God.

When God was to redeem us from sin, the all mighty God could have used His power to unilaterally forgive. However, even God, He subjected Himself under a “proper process.” In order to save us from sin, a sinless person had to shed his blood to free us from sin. He allowed Jesus to undergo death on the cross to free us from the dominance of sin. God followed the process. So did Boaz in a miniature manner.

Side Note: Nameless Redeemer

On a side note, the name of the closest redeemer was never revealed in this chapter. There are potentially two reasons for this – one for negative, and the other for positive.

The first reason for his anonymity was that his name was irrelevant overall. Because he refused to redeem, the author of this book saw no need to reveal his name.  

On the other hand, the second reason was to protect his descendants from humiliation. The author could have deliberately shielded his name. If his name was revealed, the descendants of his family may have felt shamed because the closest in line refused to redeem.

Boaz and Ruth’s City-wide Celebration

This event was not to be an isolated event. Marriage and celebration permeated to the whole community. The word witnesses was repeated three times (Ruth 4:8, 9, and 10). Although the redemption took place at a private and family level, this became a public event in the presence of many witnesses. The ceremony of redemption was to be witnessed by the people. Because of what Boaz did to redeem Naomi and Ruth, the whole village indirectly experienced a key aspect of the character and the law of God, which gives life and hope to those who had fallen and been subjected to captivity of poverty and no inheritance.

Besides, we see that the LORD God is the one who literally gives life. The LORD allowed Ruth to conceive – in contrast, Ruth was childless when she was married to Mahlon.  It is only the LORD who determines life and death. The gift of life is common around us. Yet, everyone is precious because without God’s permission a new life would not be realized.

Coming Home

This whole book of Ruth reminded us of the parable of the lost son given by Jesus (Luke 15:11-32). The second son ran away from the presence of the father and eventually came back to be embraced and redeemed by the father. In a similar manner, Naomi stepped away from her hometown to spend 10 years in the land of Moab before coming back to her home, where God was waiting with a hidden treasure. In her hometown, Naomi and Ruth were redeemed.

Jesus Christ: The Ultimate Redeemer

Borrowing the definitions provided by Merriam Webster dictionary, redeem means: 1) to free from captivity by payment of ransom, and 2) to free from the consequences of sin.

With his wealth and willingness to marry Ruth, Boaz freed Naomi and Ruth from the captivity of poverty and the risk of losing their name forever without inheritance. On a far greater level, Jesus was the ultimate redeemer who freed us from the consequence of sin with the payment of His life.

Let us remember Jesus Christ the Redeemer in this season of the year.