Years ago I read about an accidental drowning of a man and his nine-year-old son as they fished near Lancashire England and were trapped by a swift, incoming tide.
What a picture of today's world! All around us, people are drowning in a rushing tide of immorality. They are desperate, but are lost. You and I have the Book of the Revelation and four truths that will give the light in their darkness.
The Central Person
His name is Jesus. Revelation 1:1 says, "The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave unto Him, to shew unto His servants things which must shortly come to pass; and He sent and signified it by His angel unto His servant John." We are not looking for something to happen, we are looking for someone to come.
The word revelation means "unveiling" and comes from the Greek word "apokalupsis." Can you imagine the heartbeat of God the Father when He says, "Here is an unveiling of My dear Son who is not the president of the United States but who is the King of kings and Lord of lords"? Jesus is the hero of the Bible and specially the book of Revelation. And His glory is going to be unveiled.
The Clear Purpose
The first verse of Revelation also gives us the clear purpose of the book: "to shew unto His servants things which must shortly come to pass; and He sent and signified it by His angel unto His servant John." Only God knows the future and Jesus has come to show it to His servants.
The word "servant" in the Greek is "doulos," which means bondslave — those who willingly become slaves. Are you a slave of Jesus Christ? As a Christian, your life is not your own, you belong to Jesus Christ. Why do we have the Book of Revelation? To show us things to come.
The Comforting Promise
There is a blessing in the Book of Revelation: "Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written therein: for the time is at hand!" (Revelation 1:3).
Hear it. Jesus said, "If any man have an ear, let him hear" (Revelation 13:9). Do you remember your parents or teachers ever saying to you, "Do you hear me?" They were not asking if you heard them with your eardrums; they wanted to know if you understood what they were saying.
Keep it. God wants more than just a curious mind when you read the Book of Revelation. There are commands in this book for you to obey. If you really believe that the end of all things may be close at hand, you will not be casual about sharing Christ with your unsaved family, friends, neighbors, or coworkers.
The Certain Prophecy
The time is at hand. Revelation 1:3 says, "Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written therein: for the time is at hand." What does John mean that the "time is at hand"?
Someone has said, "When little men cast long shadows you know the sun is about to set." That may sound pessimistic but I am a glowing optimist because I know that all of the things prophesied in God's Word will come to pass. How grateful I am that God gave us His Word to give us comfort, guidance, and assurance of His sovereign plan!
Years ago the moviemakers of Hollywood produced many western movies. One of the singers in the background music of these westerns was a talented cowboy singer/songwriter named Stuart Hamblin.
One day God changed all that. Stuart learned about the salvation of God through His Son Jesus Christ. A young actor named John Wayne noticed a change in Stuart's life and asked him, "Stuart, what is your secret?" His answer became a beloved hymn:
It is no secret what God can do.
What He's done for others, He'll do for you.
With arms wide open, He'll pardon you.
It is no secret what God can do.
Do you want to be ready when Christ returns? The only way to do that is to receive the One who came and died on a cruel cross for the forgiveness of your sin and the salvation of your soul. It is no secret what God can do. What He's done for me, He'll do for you.
