Revelation for Today

October 14, 2024

During a breakfast with a group of men recently, the talk turned to heavy topics – tension and conflict in our world, the presidential election, inflation, violence at home and abroad. Everywhere we see cause for concern. I reminded them of the Book of Revelation and what it teaches about troubles and tribulations that will happen in the fallen and broken world in which we love.

The letter from John was written to give unshakeable hope to suffering Christians in the present. Through John, God is revealing truth to first-century believers who are suffering, and the world seems to be falling apart around them. The church is under attack, Christians are losing their lives, and they’re wondering, “What is going on? Does God see our tears and hear our prayers?”

And God gives John a vision to say to the church: “Children, things are not what they seem. You may think that things are out of control. But take heart. Have courage. Christ has conquered death, hell, and Satan, and He is in control. And He sees and hears you. He will raise you up to reign with Him as King forever and ever and ever.”

It was also written to encourage unwavering holiness in a very compelling and seductive culture. These first-century brothers and sisters were understandably tempted to turn away from Christ in the middle of the immense pressure. They were tempted to compromise to save their jobs, families, or lives. Some of their trusted teachers in the church were even saying they should compromise. Besides the pressure to avoid persecution, there was the attraction and lure of pleasure. The Roman Empire offered an endless buffet of sex and success, money and materialism. Some of the Christians were falling away, leaving the faith in favor of temporary satisfaction from pleasures of the world.

John also wrote to correct deception and fuel the mission Christ had given to His church. There were false teachers speaking with great authority, using the name of God to mislead and destroy. The truth must be seen and the lies exposed. Christ had left His followers with a great mission. They were to follow Him faithfully, teaching everything He had taught them, making disciples to be part of His forever family. John wrote to encourage them in this massive mission.

Considering that, how does God speak through John? That’s a huge job, and John communicates it through a grand portrait of God’s greatness. Listen to the description of God, straight from God to John: “Grace to you and peace from him who is and who was and who is to come …” (Revelation 1:4 NRSV). He is the God who owns and covers all of time!

Then in Revelation 1:8 NIV we see one of only two times in the whole book where God speaks directly. He says, “I am the Alpha and the Omega, who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.” He declares again who He is and the greatness of His strength.

He is saying, “Behold your God! Look at Him! He is sovereign (has all control and power) over all history!” We get John’s greeting bookended two times by the declaration of who God is. “Yes, HE WAS. He created and moved. HE IS TO COME. He will return and rescue us. But HE IS. Yes, HE IS!”

The emphasis in the book of Revelation from the beginning is on the present. God is. God is with us now, not just in the future. We don’t have to wait for Him to come. He is here with us now. The One who has existed forever in the past, and the One who will come to rescue you in the future is with you now.

And He is not weak or unable or disinterested. He is in control. He is sovereign over everything. He is the Alpha and the Omega. Do you know what that means? Those are the first and the last letters of the Greek alphabet. God was saying to John, the first century believers, and to you and me today, “I control the beginning, I control the end, and I control everything in between. You have no reason to worry. Trust me.”