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Revelation - A Positive Book
by Ray Prinzing

Chapter 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: Who bare record oft he Word of God, and of the Testimony of Jesus Christ, and of all things that he saw.  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 1:1-3).

Blessed is he that reads, hears, and keeps the message of this Book.  There is a special blessing reserved for those who do so, yet so often people have shunned the Book, either because it was veiled to their understanding (though it is declared to be a revelation), or else they thought it was too negative - filled with images of beasts, woes, and the various judgments of God. But as the holy Spirit causes His light to shine upon the truth, again and again we find it to be a positive message of hope and victory.

Furthermore, note the phrase, "For the time is at hand... He does not relegate this to a far-off future series of events, but it becomes experientially worked out in each of us as He draws us to Himself, conforming us to His image.  As Jesus stated, "The hour cometh, and now is..." (John 4:23).  For those whom He is drawing to Himself as the firstfruits of His new creation order, it is not only coming, but already begun.  The inworking process has started, and must continue until it is fully consummated, to His glory.  So, for the multitudes it is coming, for the firstfruits it is on now, as they "taste the good Word of God, and the powers of the world (age) to come." (Hebrews 6:5).

It has been said, there are five ways to interpret the Book:

1) Historically, it all happened a long time ago.

2) Present, in our now, but mostly negative, as people try to fit the events of their day into its pages, wondering if these
             certain happenings fulfill the judgment and doom they have been told is to come, to signify time's end, though they hope
             they can escape from it all.

3) Futuristically, it will all happen out there some time.

4) Idealistically, poetically, using mental images from which to form your ideals and values, etc.

5) All of the above, practicing parts of each.  Perhaps that is how many view it today.  Some of it is view historically, some
             of it is viewed prophetically, and betimes men look to see if it verifies the time table that "the end is upon us."  While
             occasionally passages are used to draw images and pictures that men apply to their day, as they interpret various points
             and fit them together.

Now we would present a different approach, as the holy Spirit quickens various passages, and gives us POSITIVE VIEW, with our Lord Jesus Christ as the Center of our focus, for this is declared to be "A REVELATION OF JESUS CHRIST." This phrase tells it all.  The book was written for one purpose, to be the revelation of a Person, not of historical events, nor of future doom and negativism.  Every woe, every vial, every thunder, etc. has but one purpose, TO BRING FORTH THE REVELATION OF JESUS CHRIST.  All that is written of beasts, images, marks, Babylon, etc. are simply issues that are exposed because of the Light.  Every revelation of Him will expose the darkness, not to bring terror, but to swallow it up into the Light. "For God sent not His Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through Him might be saved." (John 3:17).  SALVATION IN FULL is the ultimate victory to be brought forth. "Behold, I make all things new." (Revelation 21:5). Amen!

Furthermore, God "sent and signified it," that is, He revealed the message through signs and symbols.  They are not literal, HE IS THE REALITY!  The signs and symbols are but a means to an end, not an end in themselves - they point to Him, revealing more of His nature, His character, His purpose, that He might be glorified, for the fulfillment is found in HIM.  This is a book of positive spiritual realities communicated by the means of these picturesque scenes and events.  You will not read of their fulfillment in the Daily News, because they are not speaking of world events.  This is the unveiling of a Person who has not yet been seen in all His power and majesty.  But as He is revealed TO US, and IN US, you will see these things fulfilled in a people who are becoming ONE IN HIM - thus it is a revelation of Him, albeit also being in a people who share and manifest His glory.

Significant that twice in the first chapter (1:18, 1:11), and twice in the ending chapters, (21:6, 22:13), emphasis is given, "I am Alpha and Omega, the Beginning and the Ending, saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty."  It is this fact which makes this such a positive Book.  From the Center to the Circumference, from the Beginning to the ending, it is GOD ALL THE WAY.  The more He becomes the Alpha and Omega of all things in our own life, the more our eyes are single unto Him to see Him in all the happenings that unfold in our pathway, the more we rejoice in the positive outworking of the will of God in us.  However negative an event in our life might first appear, because HE IS THE OMEGA we know that all is secure - His will is being done "on earth, as it is in heaven."

Hear again the words of the prophet, "Who hath wrought and done it, calling the generations from the beginning?  I the Lord, the first, and with the last; I am He. - Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of My righteousness." (Isaiah 41:4, 10).

Because He is so totally and sovereignly in control, being the Beginning, and the Ending, and all the way in between, then it right follows - "FEAR NOT!" Regardless of what happens, He will work it into your good, and for His praise.  The only question that remains, is - "Is He the Alpha and Omega of our life?" When we have this confidence in Him, the results have to be positive.

Job made the confession, "The LORD gave, and the LORD hath taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD." (Job 1:21). And the very next statement tells us, "In all this Job sinned not, nor charged God foolishly." It was the truth!  This was no error! THE LORD DID IT ALL - being fully responsible for the giving, and the taking away.  Job did not blame some intermediate agency of Satan, who had, as God's servant, brought about the destruction, for he saw that the Hand of God was in control, and Satan could do no more than God allowed him to do - used him to do.  To see GOD in it all - Job did not sin, i.e. missed the mark with his confession.  Actually, he spoke a vital truth, right on target ,when he saw it was the sovereign handiwork of the LORD.

We note that the word "LORD" used here is in capital letters, signifying that it is the Hebrew tetragram YHWH, and is given in Exodus, 3:13 as "I AM THAT I AM." Rotherham, in his God-given revelation, reads: "And God said unto Moses, I will become whatsoever I please." Since Divine resources are infinite, God will please to become to His people only what is wisest and best.  THIS NAME is at once a revelation, a memorial, a pledge or PROMISE.  In all the compound redemptive names which are given in the Word - Jehovah-Rapha, Jehovah-Shalom, etc.  He is saying, by His very name, "I am pleased to become your healer," or, "I am pleased to become your peace," etc.  However, Rotherham points out, more exactly it could be rendered, "I will become whatsoever I please to become." Thus the verb runs forward into reduplication of itself. THIS IS A PROMISE - for He is BECOMING IN A PEOPLE, a reduplication of Himself.  And He is the Alpha and Omega of the entire process, "in bringing many sons unto glory," (Hebrews 2:10). Every one conformed to His image, being a partaker of His divine nature - so that while you retain your individuality/personality, yet it is all so IN UNION WITH HIM  that you become an expression of Him, manifesting His life.

So, while it is "a revelation of Jesus Christ," it expands into a revelation of the "himself creatures" of which He is the Head. For, "Of His own will begat He us with the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of His creatures." (James 1:18). His creatures - literally, "certain kind of creature of Himself." It is truly a reduplication of Himself in a people. "This people have I formed for Myself; they shall shew forth My praise." (Isaiah 43:21).

"And Enoch also, the seventh from Adam, prophesied of these, saying, Behold, the Lord cometh with ten thousand of His saints." (Jude 14). The Greek text more literally reads, "Lo, comes the Lord in holy myriads of Himself." Every on that becomes a new creature in Christ Jesus thus becomes a further manifestation of Him - expanding the revelation of Jesus Christ.  And all of this by the sovereign handiwork of His love and grace.  Our destiny is to find our identity within the circumference of His identity - to express His nature, character, etc. ever revealing more of Him.

"Grace be unto you, and peace, from Him which is, and which was, and which is to come; and from the seven spirits which are before His throne; and from Jesus Christ, who is the Faithful Witness, and the Prince of the kings of the earth." (Revelation 1:4-5).

PEACE and GRACE in abundance coming from Him who is in control of all the past, present, and future. "Which was, which is, and which is to come." "Lord, Thou hast been our dwelling place in all generations." (Psalm 90:1). He is God over all ages, and He is the bountiful Supplier of all the GRACE and PEACE which is needed to make this a most POSITIVE experience of victory.  GRACE has underwritten the entire purpose of the ages, making the end secure.  And PEACE, synonymous with COMPLETENESS, assures us that there shall be nothing lacking when He has finished the outworking of His purpose.  Alpha and Omega, Author and Finisher - because of His GRACE and PEACE He will bring forth in al creation a revelation of Himself!

"And from the seven spirits which are before the throne." Reference is made to "the seven spirits of God" in three books.  Besides being spoken of here in Revelation, we read of them in Isaiah,  the Old Testament Book of Redemption, which speaks much of the Christ - the Redeemer which would come; and then of those who will be redeemed, from the firstfruits right on down to the totality of the nations.  Also in Zechariah, the book that deals with Restoration, prefigured in a Zerubbabel company, that remnant which brings forth the "Headstone with shoutings, crying, Grace, grace unto it," knowing full well that it is "not by might, nor by power, but by My Spirit, saith the Lord." Thus a work that is wrought "with those seven." (Zechariah 4:6-7, 10).

Redemption, restoration, and revelation - the seven Spirits of God are always connected with these.  The fulness of the Spirit fully equipped to bring about the redemption/restoration which God has purposed.  No wonder a positive victory is assured, for when the full orbed ministry of the seven Spirits of God are effective in our lives, their message is GRACE AND PEACE. Grace, because it emphasizes the fact that it is the sovereign handiwork of God, and nothing by the works of the flesh.  All that unfolds throughout this Book in the bringing forth of the revelation of Jesus Christ in the lives of men, is the positive action of the grace of God.  And the outworking of His grace is to bring forth PEACE - in the COMPLETENESS of redemption.  And the ultimate result of this revelation of Jesus Christ is that every creature might experience His grace and peace.

There are also three very descriptive expressions which help to reveal the nature of the seven Spirits of God.  Revelation 4:5, and 5:6, "And out of the throne proceedeth lightnings and thunderings and voices: and there were SEVEN LAMPS OF FIRE burning before the throne, which are the seven Spirits of God. - And I beheld, and, lo, in the midst of the throne, and of the four beasts, and in the midst of the elders, stood a Lamb as it had been slain, having SEVEN HORNS and SEVEN EYES, which are the seven Spirits of God sent forth into all the earth."

Seven lamps, seven, eyes, seven horns, each of these is highly symbolic, and all referring to the seven Spirits of God. Complete illumination - complete insight - complete power to accomplish. "And the SPIRIT OF THE LORD shall rest upon Him, the SPIRIT OF WISDOM and UNDERSTANDING, the SPIRIT OF COUNSEL, and MIGHT, the SPIRIT OF KNOWLEDGE and of THE FEAR OF THE LORD."  (Isaiah 11:2). All of this is to be seen in the revelation of our LORD, and ultimately in the corporate body of which He is the Head.

Certainly "All things are naked and opened unto the eyes of Him with Whom we have to do." (Hebrews 4:13).

Certainly it is in Him "In Whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge." (Colossians 2:3)

Certainly "The Lord is my Rock, and my Fortress, and my Deliverer; my God, my Strength, in Whom I will trust; my Buckler, and THE HORN OF MY SALVATION." (Psalms 18:2).

Every symbol, every adjective, every phrase of description, is but a further revelation of our Lord, our Redeemer.  And it is by our UNION WITH HIM, being filled with His Sprit, that all of these will become operative in us, to the glory of God.  But ever more HE has the pre-eminence, and only as we abide in Him will we have this enrichment, "For without Me ye can do nothing."

UNION WITH HIM is the qualifying word.  "He that is joined unto the Lord is one spirit." (1 Corinthians 6:17). Joined - the Greek word is "kollao" meaning: to glue, and has been used of that union between a man and a woman - joined together in marriage.  So also, there is a MERGING INTO ONENESS WITH HIM so that we become one spirit.  then the seven Spirits of God can flow through us - to reveal HIS LIFE in and through us.

"And from Jesus Christ, who is the Faithful Witness,..." There is no witness as faithful and true as His! He bore witness of such GRACE AND PEACE that to this day man can scarcely believe what He said. "Never man spake like this Man." (John 7:46). His was a witness of LIFE, a witness of the love of the Father for His creation. And as this Book begins, we are reminded that He is a Faithful and True Witness. He speaks a message of GRACE AND PEACE, which can be traced all the way through the Book, till He has made "all things new."

"And the First Begotten of the dead..." Here is a credential unparalleled in all history.  The message which He s about to declare is backed up by an experience of RESURRECTION, of conquering death and coming forth in the fulness of life.  When He says there will be GRACE AND PEACE, there is nought that can disannul it.  For in Him the last enemy (death) has been conquered, and now He reigns to bring forth that victory in us.

And the Prince of the kings of the earth." Indeed, He will be revealed as "Lord of lords, and King of kings." (Revelation 17:14). But for now we would emphasize that He is THE PRINCE, from the Greek "archon" meaning: first in rank and power.  Paul brings this all into perspective when he writes of "The mighty power which He (God) wrought in Christ, when He raised Him from the dead, and set (positioned) at His own right hand in the heavenlies, 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." (Ephesians 1:20-21).

From the position of this lofty height - first in rank and power, comes the message to undergird all the revelation which follows, and that word is "grace and peace." Furthermore, this is demonstrated in the fact that He "loved us, and washed us from our sins in His own blood." (Revelation 1:5).  He loved us, and washed us!  Highly exalted, yet He reaches down to where we are and ministers that unconditional love that receives us into Himself.  And with His own blood He washes - cleanses us from our sins.

Washed - the Greek word is "Louo" and means: to bathe the whole person.  It is akin to the word "luo" meaning: to loose. This is to be a total cleansing - a loosing from all our sins, that He might "present you faultless before the presence of His glory..." (Jude 24). To this end He will "sanctify you wholly; (that) your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ." (1 Thessalonians 5:23).

"Thou shalt call His name Jesus: for He shall save His people from their sins." (Matthew 1:21).

Such love - such grace - such a cleansing that we are WHOLLY loosed from all sin - purged from the old sin-nature which had a propensity for sin, and made partakers of His divine nature which cannot sin. "How much more shall the blood of Christ... purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God." (Hebrews 9:14).

"Having made peace by the blood of His cross, by Him to reconcile all things unto Himself; by Him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven." (Colossians 1:20).

Yes, we are LOVED and WASHED, redeemed, reconciled to Himself, and however long the PROCESS to bring this to completion in us.  He will not only finish what He has begun, but He will have fitted us to share with Him positions of glory and honor.  For, He "Hath made us kings and priests unto god and His Father."

Again, Revelation 5:10, "And hath made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth."

Let it be clearly pointed out.  He is King of kings, Lord of lords, but He is not Worm of worms.  However low our estate in our humanity, man is not destined to remain there.  We read, "Fear not, thou worm Jacob, and ye men of Israel; I will help thee, saith the Lord, and thy Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel." (Isaiah 41:14). Yes, He condescended to men of low estate, and "Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood.  He also Himself likewise took part of the same..." (Hebrews 2:14).  And while He walked out that realm of humanity, He fulfilled that Word, "But I am a worm, and no man; a reproach of men, and despised of the people." (Psalm 22:6).  But while He shared with us of our low estate, it was with a view that we should share with Him of His high estate.  "He that descended is the same also that ascended up far above all things, that He might fill all things."  (Ephesians 4:10). And He prayed, "Father, I will that they also, whom Thou hast given Me, BE WITH ME WHERE I AM." (John 17:24). Forgotten as a dream of the night, no more lowly as worms, but WITH HIM to reign as kings and priests.  HIS REVELATION  is not as a worm, but as PRINCE of all kings of the earth.  And it rightly follows that His being REVEALED IN A PEOPLE they would be "as He is," therefore - as kings and priests, praise God!

A priest is a go-between, a reconciler; not a barricade, but a bridge.  The word "pontiff" comes from the Latin word "pontifex," Pointis" meaning: bridge; and "facere" meaning: to do. Thus it combines to be a parthfinder, a waymakeer, a bridge-builder. What a tremendous calling, that He "Hath committed into us the word of reconciliation. (that we might be) ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech by us: we pray in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God." (2 Corinthians 5:19-20).

Called to be participators in blessing all men, for "in thee all nations shall be blessed." (Galatians 3:8).  Bless - from the Greek word "eulogeo" meaning: to speak well of.  It is the word from which we get our English word "eulogize," but a eulogy is a retrospective word, speaking well of a life that has been lived.  In Christ the BLESSING INITIATES THE PROCESS, to declare a good thing and then bring it to pass.  He can speak well of us - "And call those things which be not as though they were," (Romans 4:17), and then bring to pass all that He has foretold.  Likewise, those who, IN HIM, become part of the corporate blesser company, shall by His seven-fold Spirit be able to declare the will of the Father, speaking the GOOD NEWS, and then see that Word come to pass - fulfilled to the glory of God.

Take Gideon for an example. "And the angel of the Lord appeared unto him, and said unto him, The Lord is with thee, thou mighty man of valor." (Judges 6:12). Gideon immediately challenges both statements. "If the Lord be with us, why then is all this befallen us? and where be all His miracles..."  Furthermore, on what grounds do You call me mighty? "Wherewith shall I save Israel? behold, my family is poor in Manasseh, and I am the least in my father's house." But the answer came back, "And the Lord said unto him, Surely I will be with thee... (Judges 6:16). GOD GAVE THE WORD, AND HE ALSO FULFILLED IT. Truly, he was blessed! And by the enablement of God he did become a mighty man of valor, and he saw the miracles of the Lord.

We long for such manifestations of the Christ, and well He hath promised, "He that believeth on Me, as the Scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water." (John 7:38).  Flow, from the Greek word "rheo," literally, to flow, TO SPEAK.  From this word comes our English word "rhetoric," or, expressive speech.  Out of our spirit we will speak - quickening streams of divine life.  Not a self-proclamation, but the inner Christ, who is the Living Word, is able to speak the word of life, and bring it to pass.  It is in union with Him that this "kingdom of priests" will herald forth the good news which shall reconcile men to God. They shall 'reign in life by  one, Jesus Christ," (Romans 5:18).  Right here on the earth, to demonstrate to al mankind that HE IS LORD!

God's working is not just an euphoric, ethereal, mystic matter, but He purposes that man, coming into his destiny, in realization, as the image of God, will enable the world to see God projecting Himself through redeemed men and women, to the everlasting praise of His glory.  And what is first wrought in these "firstfruits of the new creation species" shall ultimately be wrought in every man until He has truly "made all things new."