Rev 1:1  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:
Rev 1:3  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.
Rev 22:7  Behold, I come quickly: blessed is he that keepeth the sayings of the prophecy of this book.

At the beginning of this book we are told to “read, hear and keep the things which are written therein, because the time is at hand.” Then at the end of this book this admonition is repeated, ” I come quickly, blessed is he that keeps the sayings of the prophecy of this book.”

How we are to approach this book

The only way to properly understand the book of Revelation is to acknowledge that this book begins with the instructions to “read, hear and keep what is written in this book.” What part of this book is to be kept? There is no room for guessing and there is no excuse for not seeing that the parts of this book to be kept are “what is written in this book.”  It is to be kept by all who have  read and heard its words and sayings. In other words, it is absolutely impossible to approach this book as having anything at all to do with eschatological end- time events and still make any sense of the words, “The time is at hand… I come quickly… keep the things which are written therein… keep the saying of the prophecy of this book,” a book which was penned 2000 years ago.
The dispensationalist critic will point to this verse as proof that this is a book about end time events:

Rev 1:1  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

Certainly the word ‘shortly’ means ‘quickly.’ These are indeed things that will happen quickly. But where in that verse, or anywhere else in God’s Word, are we told that the words being spoken were to be understood and having application only to eschatological end- time events? Where is the scripture for such dispensational heresy? It does not exist. Christ did not say ‘the kingdom of God will be here in two thousand years.’ Here is how He presented the kingdom to us, and this is how we are to present it to others:

Mar 1:14  Now after that John was put in prison, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God,
Mar 1:15  And saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel.
Luk 21:31  So likewise ye, when ye see these things come to pass, know ye that the kingdom of God is nigh at hand.
Luk 21:32  Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass away, till all be fulfilled.

What generation is “this generation?” It is the generation that “reads and understands… the words of this prophecy.”

Mar 13:14  But when ye shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing where it ought not, (let him that readeth understand,) then let them that be in Judaea flee to the mountains: [ the Lord, Psa 121:1-2]

“This generation… [ which] reads and understands the sayings of the prophecy of this book… will not pass away till all be fulfilled… [ because] the time is at hand.”

Speaking in proverbs

Christ told His apostles that ‘the time cometh, when I shall no more speak unto you in proverbs, but I shall shew you plainly of the Father’.  For those who understand the Is, Was and Will Be nature of Christ and His Word, that time begins when the Spirit of God is given.

These things have I spoken unto you in proverbs [ Gk. Paroimia]: but the time cometh, when I shall no more speak unto you in proverbs [ Gk. Paroimia], but I shall shew you plainly of the Father.  At that day ye shall ask in my name: and I say not unto you, that I will pray the Father for you:  (Joh 16:25-26)

This parable [ Gk. Paroimia] spake Jesus unto them: but they understood not what things they were which he spake unto them.  (Joh 10:6)

This Greek word paroimia is translated variously as ‘proverb’ and ‘parable’ in our King James Bibles.  Here is how this word is defined by Mr. Strong in his concordance.

G3942
παροιμια
paroimia
par- oy- mee’- ah
>From a compound of G3844 and perhaps a derivative of G3633; apparently a state alongside of supposition, that is, (concretely) an adage; specifically an enigmatical or fictitious illustration: – parable, proverb.

And here is Webster’s definition of an enigma:

Enigma
E NIG’ MA, n. [ L. oenigma; Gr. – to hint] A dark saying, in which some known thing is concealed under obscure language; and obscure question; a riddle.  A question, saying or painting, containing a hidden meaning, which is proposed to be guessed.

This study on the book of Revelation is for those to whom Christ is even now “showing plainly of the Father” by revealing to them the enigma of His signs, His symbols, His parables and His proverbs.  When Christ said, “I shall no more speak to you in proverbs,” He was not saying that He intended to change His method of speaking in parables, in this age.  If that was what He had meant then He surely wasn’t finished speaking in proverbs to John when He gave John the visions of this book.  What Christ meant by “The time comes when I will no more speak to you in proverbs” was that His disciples would one day understand all of His enigmatic signs and symbols in His parables. Here is what has actually happened:

Luk 24:41  And while they yet believed not for joy, and wondered, he said unto them, Have ye here any meat?
Luk 24:42  And they gave him a piece of a broiled fish, and of an honeycomb.
Luk 24:43  And he took it, and did eat before them.
Luk 24:44  And he said unto them, These are the words which I spake unto you, while I was yet with you, that all things must be fulfilled, which were written in the law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in the psalms, concerning me.
Luk 24:45  Then opened he their understanding, that they might understand the scriptures,

Anyone who has read Rightly Dividing The Word on iswasandwillbe. com knows that those books all speak of Christ in proverbs and parables. As the first verse of chapter one states, this too, is a book which is “signified.” For those who understand its signs…it speaks plainly. But the understanding of those signs is not left to personal whim or interpretation, because ‘every scribe which is instructed unto the kingdom of heaven brings forth out of his treasures things new and old.” So each and every sign and symbol inspired of the Holy Spirit in this book is taken directly from the “treasures” of both the New and the Old Testaments.  They are never taken from the fertile imaginations of some false prophet who sees no need to be bound or tied down to “that which is written.”

Then said he unto them, Therefore every scribe which is instructed unto the kingdom of heaven is like unto a man that is an householder, which bringeth forth out of his treasure things new and old.  (Mat 13:52)

When asked why He spoke in parables to the multitudes who came to hear Him, Christ told His disciples it was for the purpose of  keeping those very multitudes who followed Him and ate His loaves and fishes from seeing and from hearing the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven.

And the disciples came, and said unto him, Why speakest thou unto them in parables?  He answered and said unto them, Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given.  For whosoever hath, to him shall be given, and he shall have more abundance: but whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken away even that he hath.  Therefore speak I to them in parables: because they seeing see not; and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand.  (Mat 13:10-13)

And Jesus said, For judgment I am come into this world, that they which see not might see; and that they which see might be made blind.  (Joh 9:39)

Many of us have made the mistake of thinking that this was a statement only for Babylon. After all, right here in this same chapter, Christ’s very own disciples thought that they understood His parables…

Jesus saith unto them, Have ye understood all these things? They say unto him, Yea, Lord.  (Mat 13:51)

…when they yet did not.

When Christ is glorified

These things understood not his disciples at the first: but when Jesus was glorified, then remembered they that these things were written of him, and that they had done these things unto him.  (Joh 12:16)

“When Jesus was glorified then remembered they… that they had done these things unto Him” is saying the same thing that Christ is saying in this verse in this same chapter.

Joh 12:31  Now is the judgment of this world: now shall the prince of this world be cast out.
Joh 12:32  And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me.
Joh 12:33  This he said, signifying what death he should die.

Christ is not glorified within us until we are being judged, and we are not being judged until Christ is living His life within us dying daily to the flesh.

It is all within

Christ cannot be “glorified” in us until we acknowledge that it was each of us who crucified Him.  Only after that confession, that accounting of our actions, can judgment begin within.  And that is where this book of Revelation occurs and must be kept – within.  Until we know and understand that this is the revealing of Jesus Christ, we will not understand that this revelation cannot even begin as long as the “man of sin” has not yet been revealed as being on the throne of God, in the temple of God, which temple we are:

1Co 3:13  Every man’s work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man’s work of what sort it is.
1Co 3:14  If any man’s work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward.
1Co 3:15  If any man’s work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire.
1Co 3:16  Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?
1Co 3:17  If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye ar e.

2Th 2:3  Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition;
2Th 2:4  Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God.
2Th 2:5  Remember ye not, that, when I was yet with you, I told you these things?
2Th 2:6  And now ye know what withholdeth that he might be revealed in his time.
2Th 2:7  For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth [ will let], until he be taken out of the way.
2Th 2:8  And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming:

When Paul was with them he told them that they were the temple of God, just as he had told the Corinthians.
The chief of sinners and unworthy publicans
Christ came to this earth “to save sinners of whom I am chief.”

1Ti 1:15  This [ is] a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief.

Luk 18:11  The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men [ are], extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican.
Luk 18:12  I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess.
Luk 18:13  And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner.
Luk 18:14  I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.

We have all been guilty of declaring that we have never blasphemed the name of God. But those who can acknowledge their blasphemy and see that they can “look behind them” and see that they have kept what is written in this book and that it is all within them, will be justified.
Therefore the revelation of Jesus Christ will mean nothing to anyone who doesn’t see the need for a savior.  As it was in the days of our Lord’s experience in this dying flesh, in the day of “His poverty,” no one who was secure with his relationship within the church of that day was capable of receiving the revelation of Jesus Christ.

2Co 8:9  For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich.

Our slavery to our flesh is our poverty.  Obedience to Christ’s spiritual words are our wealth. 

2Co 6:10  As sorrowful, yet alway rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, and yet possessing all things.

Christ emptied Himself of His spiritual body and “became poor” by coming as “the seed of Abraham,” in the same flesh and blood with which we must contend.

Heb 2:14  Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil;
Heb 2:15  And deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.
Heb 2:16  For verily he took not on [ him the nature of] angels; but he took on [ him] the seed of Abraham.
Heb 2:17  Wherefore in all things it behoved him to be made like unto [ his] brethren, that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things [ pertaining] to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people.
Heb 2:18  For in that he himself hath suffered being tempted, he is able to succour them that are tempted.

An integral part of the revelation of Jesus Christ is the fact that He was despised  by the spiritual leaders of His day.  His chosen ones will also be rejected by the established church to this very day.

Joh 9:35  Jesus heard that they had cast him out; and when he had found him, he said unto him, Dost thou believe on the Son of God?
Joh 9:36  He answered and said, Who is he, Lord, that I might believe on him?
Joh 9:37  And Jesus said unto him, Thou hast both seen him, and it is he that talketh with thee.
Joh 9:38  And he said, Lord, I believe. And he worshipped him.
Joh 9:39  And Jesus said, For judgment I am come into this world, that they which see not might see; and that they which see might be made blind.
Joh 9:40  And [ some] of the Pharisees which were with him heard these words, and said unto him, Are we blind also?
Joh 9:41  Jesus said unto them, If ye were blind, ye should have no sin: but now ye say, We see; therefore your sin remaineth.

So keeping the words written in the book of Revelation is not for those who claim that they have never blasphemed God, and were never blind. It is only for those who can acknowledge that they have denied their Lord, and can acknowledge their part in His crucifixion, and who are given to understand that the revelation of Jesus Christ includes “every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God.”  It is only those who have gone into Babylon, have come to see themselves as “chief of sinners,” as having come to God but then have left their first love, and have wasted their substance on riotous living, and then have come to see their own spiritual blindness “from their mothers’ womb”, that is from their birth within “that great city wherein our Lord was crucified in each of us, in whom Christ was, “in times past… not yet glorified.”  But all of God’s people come out of Babylon:

And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues.  (Rev 18:4)

With this understanding that we are all, at our appointed time, in Babylon, and that we all, at our appointed time, begin coming out of Babylon, we begin this study on the book of Revelation.  In this book Christ is continuing to do exactly what he promised His disciples He would do when the time came that they would pray to the Father “in My name.”

These things have I spoken unto you in proverbs: but the time cometh, when I shall no more speak unto you in proverbs, but I shall shew you plainly of the Father.  At that day ye shall ask in my name: and I say not unto you, that I will pray the Father for you:  For the Father himself loveth you, because ye have loved me, and have believed that I came out from God. (Joh 16:25-27)

Christ is glorified within us

God’s Word for us all is an ongoing project, one wherein we ‘labour, striving according to His working, which worketh in us mightily’ to “search [ out] the scriptures which… show you plainly [ the mind] of the Father,” on each symbol and sign within the of Revelation Of Jesus Christ

Whereunto I also labour, striving according to his working, which worketh in me mightily.  (Col 1:29)

This book of signs and symbols is not designed for casual readers. It is designed to be used by those within whom ‘Jesus was glorified’…glorified in their lives. It is for those who already know that “the time [ has been] at hand” for more than two thousand years and those who already want ‘to keep those things which are written therein’.

He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water.  (But this spake he of the Spirit, which they that believe on him should receive: for the Holy Ghost was not yet given; because that Jesus was not yet glorified.)  (Joh 7:38-39)

And all mine are thine, and thine are mine; and I am glorified in them.  (Joh 17:10)
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.  (Rev 1:3)

We always welcome any comments and contributions to our efforts. The revelation of Jesus Christ is much more than the revelation of our ‘Head’.

But I would have you know, that the head of every man is Christ; and the head of the woman is the man; and the head of Christ is God.  (1Co 11:3)
For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the saviour of the body.  (Eph 5:23)
The revelation of Jesus Christ includes His Christ, His body the church

The revelation of Jesus Christ is not simply the revelation of the man who walked this earth in the flesh 2000 years ago. We are specifically admonished that we must grow beyond thinking in terms of a physical  manger, turning physical water into physical wine, physically feeding thousands of people by miraculously increasing the loaves and fishes of a little boy. We must grow beyond Christ physical healings, his physical raising of the dead, His physical abuse at the hands of the Jews and the Romans, and His physical death burial and resurrection,
This book we are studying reveals to us that the revelation of Jesus Christ is far more than any thing or any one, in physical terms. The revelation of Jesus Christ is the revelation of our ‘Head’ and His body.

For we are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones.  (Eph 5:30)

Wherefore henceforth know we no man after the flesh: yea, though we have known Christ after the flesh, yet now henceforth know we [ him] no more.
Therefore if any man [ be] in Christ, [ he is] a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.
And all things [ are] of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation;
To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation.
Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech [ you] by us: we pray [ you] in Christ’s stead, be ye reconciled to God.
For he hath made him [ to be] sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him. (2Co 5:16 -21)

It is nothing less than life eternal:

And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.  (Joh 17:3)

You may think you know Christ. You might even know that He is ‘the fullness of Him that filleth all in all’.  But until you know what it is that fills Christ you are still unaware of exactly who is “the Lord and His Christ:”

That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him:  The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints,  And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us- ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power,  Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places,  Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come:  And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church,  Which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all.  (Eph 1:17-23)

It is Christ’s christ, “the church which is His body, [ which is] the fulness of Him [ Christ] that filleth all in all [ the Father]:”

The kings of the earth stood up, and the rulers were gathered together against the Lord, and against his Christ.  (Act 4:26)

And the seventh angel sounded; and there were great voices in heaven, saying, The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ; and he shall reign for ever and ever.  (Rev 11:15)

When we all come to see “plainly of the Father”  we come to see Him in His Word. We come to see that ‘the revelation of Jesus Christ’ includes the revelation of the Christ, of Christ, “The church which is His body, [ which is] the fullness of Him that filleth all in all. ” That is the true “revelation of Jesus Christ.

Conclusion

We have seen from the instructions of the first and last chapters that we are to read, hear, and keep the words which are written in this book. Yes, indeed, even the plagues of God’s wrath “which are written therein.” We were told by the holy spirit that this is a book which “is at hand,” and it has been “at hand” for all to whom ” it is given… to read, hear… and understand,” for the past 2000 years. We have seen that the ability to see, hear, read, and understand, God’s Word is given to but very few. We have seen that Christ taught us that all these things were fulfilled in His generation as well as in every generation which “reads and understands” the words of His parables. We have seen the scriptures which demonstrate that the only eschatology in this book is as it concerns the time of the end of the lives of all who “read, hear, and keep what is written therein.” We have seen that Christ’s parables are what “show us plainly of the Father” and thus are “no longer proverbs.” We have seen that it is only those who can confess that they themselves have been “children of wrath, even as others,” who will understand and benefit from acknowledging that they have “looked behind” themselves and seen within themselves the keeping of all that is written in this book. We have seen, and we will see that this entire book is all within each of God’s elect.

Eph 2:2  Wherein in time past ye [ God’s elect] walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience:
Eph 2:3  Among whom also we all [ God’s elect] had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others.

Finally we have seen that this book is not just the revelation of Christ in the flesh who “we know no longer… after the flesh,” but it is the revelation of the christ of Christ. What we will see is that “no scripture of prophecy is of  its own interpretation” and that this book of the revelation of Jesus Christ cannot be understood by the speculations of false prophets, but only by being considered within “the sum of thy word,” each and every signified symbol being interpreted by “words which the holy spirit teaches comparing spiritual things with spiritual.”

1Co 2:7  But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, [ even] the hidden [ wisdom], which God ordained before the world unto our glory:
1Co 2:8  Which none of the princes of this world knew: for had they known [ it], they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.

1Co 2:13  Which things also we speak, not in the words which man’s wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual.
1Co 2:14  But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.
Mat 13:11  He answered and said unto them, Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not givenMat 13:16  But blessed are your eyes, for they see: and your ears, for they hear.

Mat 13:17  For verily I say unto you, That many prophets and righteous men have desired to see those things which ye see, and have not seen them; and to hear those things which ye hear, and have not heard them.