Message One

An Introductory Word
and
the Unique and Ultimate Revelation
of Jesus Christ

Scripture Reading: Rev. 1:1-3, 13; 4:5; 5:5-6; 21:2, 23

1. An introductory word:
   1. Revelation is a book of signs—1:1:
      1. The word signs in 1:1 is the key to interpret the entire book of Revelation—12:1, 3; 15:1.
      2. The God-given revelation in this book is made known by signs, that is, by symbols with a spiritual significance.
      3. In the book of Revelation, which is composed of signs, there are two great signs—the sign of the golden lampstands and the sign of the New Jerusalem—1:12, 20; 2:1; 21:2, 10.
   2. Revelation is a book of prophecy—1:3; 22:7, 10, 18a:
      1. The revelation in this book is in the nature of prophecy, with most of the visions referring to things to come—1:19.
      2. The prophecy in this book is not merely in words but also in visions revealed to the seer—1:2, 11a.
      3. In the eyes of God, all the things prophesied in this book have already taken place—21:6a.
   3. Revelation is a book of administration—4:2, 5; 5:6:
      1. The book of Revelation presents a clear view of God’s universal administration—4:2-3.
      2. The subject of Revelation is Christ as the center of God’s administration according to God’s eternal economy—5:6; 22:1.
   4. Revelation is a book of consummation—21:1-2:
      1. The consummation of the divine revelation— 22:18-19.
      2. The consummation of the divine economy with the divine dispensing—22:17, 1-2.
      3. The consummation of the two trees, the two sources, the two lines, and the two principles—20:10, 14-15; 21:8, 2, 10; 22:1-2, 14, 17b.
      4. The consummation of the entire Bible with its governing principle—the Triune God wrought into the tripartite man—21:18, 21, 19a, 11.
   5. Revelation is a book of intensification—1:4; 3:1; 4:5; 5:6:
      1. The full ministry of Christ is in three stages— incarnation, inclusion, and intensification— John 1:14; 1 Cor. 15:45; Rev. 1:4.
      2. In Revelation the Spirit is the seven Spirits, the sevenfold intensified Spirit—3:1; 4:5; 5:6.
      3. In 1:4-5 the Spirit becomes the second, the center, of the Divine Trinity, revealing the importance of the intensified function of the sevenfold Spirit of God.
2. The book of Revelation is the unique and ultimate revelation of Jesus Christ—1:1a:
   1. The unique and ultimate revelation of Jesus Christ is a revelation of the all-inclusiveness of Christ:
      1. Jesus as Jehovah the Savior and Christ as the One anointed by God to carry out His economy—1:1a.
      2. The faithful Witness—1:5; 3:14.
      3. The Firstborn of the dead—1:5.
      4. The Son of God and the Son of Man—2:18; 1:13.
      5. The First and the Last, the Beginning and the End, the Alpha and the Omega—1:17; 2:8; 22:13.
      6. The living One—1:18.
      7. The Holy One and the true One—3:7.
      8. The faithful One—19:11.
      9. The Amen—3:14.
      10. The beginning of the creation of God—3:14.
      11. The Root and the Offspring of David—5:5; 22:16.
      12. The Lion and the Lamb—5:5-6; 21:23; 22:1.
      13. Another Angel—7:2; 8:3; 10:1; 18:1.
      14. King of kings and Lord of lords—19:16; 17:14.
      15. The Word of God—19:13.
      16. The morning star—22:16; 2:28.
      17. The lamp—21:23.
      18. The Husband—21:2; 19:9a.
   2. The unique and ultimate revelation of Jesus Christ is a revelation of Christ in the stage of intensification—5:6:
      1. Christ as the life-giving Spirit has been intensified to be the seven Spirits, the sevenfold intensified Spirit—2:1, 7a; 3:1; 4:5; 5:6.
      2. Christ’s ministry in the stage of intensification is to intensify His organic salvation, to produce the overcomers, and to consummate the New Jerusalem as the goal of God’s economy.
   3. The unique and ultimate revelation of Jesus Christ is a revelation of Christ in the divine administration—5:6; 22:1:
      1. In the divine administration Christ is the Ruler of the kings of the earth, ruling the whole earth that the gospel may be spread and that the churches may be produced—1:5.
      2. In the divine administration Christ is the High Priest, judging and purifying the churches and holding the messengers of the churches—1:13, 16a, 20; 2:1.
      3. In the divine administration Christ is the worthy Lion-Lamb, the overcoming Redeemer, opening the scroll of God’s economy—5:3-7.
   4. The unique and ultimate revelation of Jesus Christ is a revelation of Christ in His ascension, in His coming back, in His judgment, in His possessing the earth, in His reigning in the kingdom, and in His centrality and universality in eternity—5:6; 3:3b; 1:7; 15:1; 18:1; 20:4, 6; 21:23.