As the last book of the Bible, Revelation is the ultimate consummation of the divine revelation. Even in human writing and speaking, the last word is important. The Bible is a long story with sixty-six books, but without the final book we would miss very much. If we read only Genesis through Jude, we would be lost, knowing neither the goal, destination, nor completion of the Bible, nor the ultimate revelation of God Himself. We must all see that this book is crucial to our Christian life, especially in the end times.
God’s eternal purpose is to have a building. The Bible opens with creation, but it closes with a city. This tells us that God’s work began with creation and will consummate with a building. Genesis 1:1 says, “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth,” but at the end of the Bible what we see is not merely a new heaven and new earth. If the entire universe were only the heavens and the earth, it would be empty. We may prefer the heavens, but if God’s goal is not accomplished there, they are empty. It is on earth that there will be something that attains to God’s goal. Therefore, at the end of the Bible there are three new items: the new heaven, the new earth, and the New Jerusalem (Rev. 21:1-2). If we were to enter into the new heaven and new earth without the New Jerusalem, we would need to weep. Without the New Jerusalem we would have no home in the new heaven and new earth, no city or building where we can meet with the Lord. Strictly speaking, God will eventually be neither in the heavens nor on the earth but in the New Jerusalem. The New Jerusalem is His final goal. This demonstrates that in order to know God, we need to know the book of Revelation.
To some extent, Revelation contains teachings and prophecies, but it is not merely a book of teachings and prophecies. The first two verses of this book tell us that it is the revelation of Jesus Christ. Among Christian teachers and Bible students there is much dispute about the small phrase the revelation of Jesus Christ in 1:1. Some say that it refers to the revelation given by Christ. However, this phrase means that this book is the revelation concerning Christ; it is the unveiling of Christ Himself. The word revelation refers to the opening of a curtain or veil. If a person has a veil over him, we will not be able to see him, and the more we try to study him, the more we will not accurately know him. This illustrates the situation in today’s Christianity. The book of Revelation is meant to be an unveiling, but the more people read it, the more they are veiled. Up until this day, many among us may still not see what is in this book. Some may say that this book tells us about the beasts and how one has ten horns and seven heads (13:1-2, 11). Others may see that the seven lampstands are the seven churches, but they do not know why the churches are signified by lampstands (1:12, 20).
In the book of Revelation we should see only one figure, Jesus Christ, because this book is the revelation and unveiling of Jesus Christ. As we have said before, we may compare this book to a painting. We may have a painting of a lion, but in order to bring out the figure of the lion, we need a background and an environment. The best paintings always have a good background and environment. The main figure in the book of Revelation is Christ as the Lion of the tribe of Judah (5:5), but in order to present this wonderful Lion, Revelation has a certain background and environment. In the first vision of this book, the Lion is walking in the midst of the seven lampstands. At this point, though, He is not in the form of a lion. As He is walking in the midst of the lampstands, He is the High Priest (1:12-13). Later, many other characters come into the picture. In chapter 12 there is a wonderful woman (vv. 1-5). It is difficult to tell where she is, because she is clothed with the sun, the moon is underneath her feet, and a crown of stars is on her head. After this, a serpent creeps in (v. 9), and then there are two beasts (13:1-2, 11). All these “characters” are a wonderful environment for the “painting.” Eventually, after traveling through a long journey, the Lion is enthroned in the center of the New Jerusalem as the King of kings and Lord of lords. This is the “painting” of the divine Lion in the book of Revelation. If we have seen this painting, then we will know what we are and where we are. We are not the creeping snake or one of the beasts. We are the golden lampstands.
Some Christians focus on the serpent, the beasts, and the woman and miss Christ. They study the background but miss the main figure of the painting. We need to see the unveiling of Christ in the book of Revelation. Every Christian knows the Christ in the four Gospels, but very few see Him in the book of Revelation. The Christ in the book of Revelation is different from the Christ in the four Gospels. The Gospel of John says that He is the Lamb (1:29). Revelation also says that He is the Lamb, but it tells us something further. He is no longer only the Lamb; He is now the Lion. The Lion is not the same as the Lamb. Is our Christ today the Lamb or the Lion? We may say that He is the Lion, but in our experience He is still the Lamb. In Revelation 5 the angel introduced Him as the Lion of the tribe of Judah, but when John turned to see Him, he saw a Lamb (vv. 5-6).
Today He is no longer only the Lamb. In the four Gospels He is the Lamb, but in Revelation He is the Lamb-Lion. If we love the Lord, He is the Lamb to us, but to those who do not love Him He is the Lion. He is the Lamb to us and the Lion to the enemy, the world, and the sinful things. Since we do love Him and He is the Lamb to us, why must He also be a Lion? It is because there are still many negative things in us. He died on the cross as the Lamb of God to redeem us, but even after being redeemed, we are still mixed with many negative things. Therefore, He must also be the Lion to deal with these things.
In the Gospels, John could recline on Jesus’ bosom. John was close to Him, and He was nice, dear, gentle, kind, and loving to John. However, when John saw Him again in Revelation, he was frightened and fell at His feet as dead (John 13:23; Rev. 1:17). Out of His mouth proceeded not words of grace but a two-edged sword (Luke 4:22; Rev. 1:16). In John, Jesus looked at people and wept; He truly captured people by His loving look. In Revelation, though, His eyes are like a flame of fire, burning and shining (John 11:35; Luke 22:61; Rev. 1:14). Therefore, we have the full freedom to say that the Christ in Revelation is different from the Christ in the Gospels. We all need to see this different Christ.