THE COMMISSIONING OF A PROPHETIC MESSENGER
I. INTRODUCTION
A. The Revelation of Jesus Christ is crucial and essential for the equipping of prophetic messengers. Revelation
Chapter 1 is critical to understanding the rest of the book and is easily overlooked.
15 But when it pleased God, who separated me from my mother’s womb and called me through His grace,
16 to reveal (encounter)His Son in me, that I might preach Him among the Gentiles … Galatians 1:15-16
B. The book of revelation has been debated so much that it has become trivialized. The prophetic document is essential
to equipping the end-time church and its prophetic messenger and is profoundly connected to understanding the apostolic
gospel proclaimed by the apostles and the prophets. The book of Revelation is vital to the preaching of the gospel at the
end of the age.
C. The heartbeat of this end-time document is the apostolic gospel. There is profound discovery of the gospel to be
found in this book which is the message of God to the nations of the earth. It is important that the book of Revelation is not
separate from our understanding of gospel. It is important to know that the book of Revelation expounds our understanding
of the gospel of the kingdom, in other words this book is not a side subject but is rather an intricate component to the gospel
of the kingdom. This book reveals how all that which the gospel entails is brought into fullness – the completion of the
mystery of God. (Revelation 10:7) Jesus in Matthew 24:14 says that the gospel of the kingdom (the mystery of God) will
be preached to the nation and then the end will come.
“The angel whom I saw standing on the sea and on the land raised up his hand to heaven 6and swore
(oath) by Him who lives forever and ever, who created heaven and the things that are in it, the earth and
the things that are in it, and the sea and the things that are in it, (Genesis 14:18-15:1) that there should be
delay no longer, 7 but in the days of the sounding of the seventh angel, when he is about to sound, the
mystery of God would be finished, as He declared to His servants the prophets.” Revelation 10:5-7
“And this gospel of the kingdom (the mystery of God) will be preached in all the world as a witness to all
the nations, and then the end will come.” Matthew 24:14
25 Now to Him who is able to establish you according to my gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according
to the revelation of the mystery kept secret since the world began 26 but now made manifest, and by the
prophetic Scriptures (the scroll) made known to all nations (you must prophesy again concerning many nations,
peoples and kings), according to the commandment of the everlasting God, for obedience to the faith— 27 to
God, alone wise, be glory through Jesus Christ forever. Amen. Romans 16:25-27
D. This book of prophesy gives insight into the unfolding the establishing of the 7 fold mystery of God’s Gospel. There
is a seven-fold mystery of God revealed in the New Testament. 1) The convergence between heaven and earth –
Ephesians 1:9-10, 2) The incarnation of Christ – 1Timothy 3:16, 3) The indwelling Christ – Colossians - 1:27, 4)The One
New Man – Ephesians 3:9-11, 5) The mystery of Israel – Romans 11:25-26, 6) The mystery of the resurrection and the
resurrected body – I Corinthians 15:51, 7) The great mystery of the bride of Christ – Ephesians 5:31-32.
E. Mystery #2 and #3 are down payments guaranteeing the fullness of the plan of God.
II. BASIC OUTLINE OF REVELATION 1:1-8
A. Introduction and overview 1:1-3
B. Salutation and Blessing 1:4-6
C. Prophetic Oracle 1:7-8
III. THE APOCALYPSE OF CHRIST JESUS- REVELATION 1:1
“The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave Him to show His servants (in particular the end-time church)—
things which must shortly take place. And He sent and signified it by His angel to His servant John, 2 who
bore witness to the word of God, and to the testimony of Jesus Christ, to all things that he saw. 3 Blessed is
he who reads and those who hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written in it;
for the time is near.” Revelation 1:1-3
A. 1:1(the Apocalypse) the Revelation of Christ which the Father gave contains information concerning things that
must shortly take place. The events highlighted in this book are meant to give the end-time church insight into the knowledge
of God revealed in Christ. The end-time wonders released are meant to give understanding.
“Our fathers in Egypt did not understand Your wonders; They did not remember the multitude of Your
mercies, But rebelled by the sea—the Red Sea.” Psalm 106:7
“As in the days when you came out of the land of Egypt, I will (at the end of the age) show them wonders
(clearly seen in the book of Revelation).” Micah 7:15
B. The opening sentence concerning the revelation of Christ is not so that we can spiritualize the events of the
Apocalypse and conclude introductory insights concerning the death, burial and resurrection of Christ. The revelation of
Christ reveals the fierceness of Christ literal leadership in the natural and in the spirit culminating with the events of the
2nd Coming as He leads the earth into fullness of that that which He accomplished through His death, burial and
resurrection.
“After this, Jesus, knowing that all things were now accomplished, that the Scripture might be fulfilled, said,
“I thirst!” 29Now a vessel full of sour wine was sitting there; and they filled a sponge with sour wine, put it on
hyssop, and put it to His mouth. 30So when Jesus had received the sour wine, He said, “It is finished!” And
bowing His head, He gave up His spirit.” John 19:28-30
“For it pleased the Father that in Him all the fullness should dwell, and by Him to reconcile all things to Himself,
by Him, whether things on earth or things in heaven, having made peace through the blood of His cross.”
Colossians 1:19-20
C. This great end-time book is about both the unveiling of events and the beauty of the personhood of Christ Jesus.
Jesus’ divine administrations are powerfully and intricately woven together with revelation of His beauty.
D. John received the revelation by an angelic messenger who was dispatched by the Son of God under the leadership
and the decree of the Father. It is important to note that the premier giver of the revelation is the 1st Person of the Trinity
– the Father. Jesus was granted permission as it were to unveil this mystery by angelic messenger to the church. Divine
permission was granted because as the Christ is revealed in the book of prophesy, so is the Father.
E. The book of revelation shows us God’s sovereignty over human history. The Father is seen as the master architect
behind the blue-print of the ages – the mystery of His will – Ephesians 1:9. Christ is the executer of the Father’s master plan
– Revelation 10:7
25Jesus answered them, “I told you, and you do not believe. The works (including the 21 numbered judgments)
that I do in My Father’s name, they bear witness of Me.” John 10:25
36 But I have a greater witness than John’s; for the works which the Father has given Me to finish—the very
works (including the 21 numbered judgments) that I do—bear witness of Me, that the Father has sent Me.
John 5:36
9Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you so long, and yet you have not known Me, Philip? He who has seen
Me has seen the Father; so how can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? 10Do you not believe that I am in the
Father, and the Father in Me? The words that I speak to you I do not speak on My own authority; but the
Father who dwells in Me does the works.(including the administration seen in the book of Revelation)”
John 14:9-10
“3 who (Jesus)being the brightness of His glory (Father) and the express image of His person (Father), and
upholding all things by the word of His power, when He had by Himself purged our sins, sat down at the right
hand of the Majesty on high…” Hebrews 1:3
F. The book of Revelation is Jesus continuing to declare the name of the Father in order to awaken love in the heart of
the end-time Church.
G. The contents of the books are meant to fuel and energize an adoring gaze of worship and prayer. The unveiling of
the mystery of God and the testimony of Jesus read with a devotional spirit produces the response seen in Revelation 19:10.
H. The trinity is the fellowship of the Godhead moving forward in harmony and action under the leadership of the Father.
There is therefore no need to squabble over who the sole revealer is, whether the Father or the Son. We can see the
Father’s desire for His Son and to see the bride of the lamb emerge out of the nations of the earth as the Father uses all
the resources of heaven to vindicate and glorify the Son of God. The Father’s eyes were roaming throughout the earth
looking for a king whose heart was wholly His and He found Christ. (2 Chronicles 16:9) The book of Revelation is the
Father showing Himself strong on Christ’s behalf causing all of natural history to be summed up in Christ who is the
consummation of all perfection.
26 And I have declared to them Your name, and will declare it, that the love with which You loved Me may
be in them, and I in them.” John 17:26
9 “For the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show Himself strong on behalf of
those whose heart is loyal to Him. In this you have done foolishly; therefore from now on you shall have wars
(Psalm 110:1-2 is the promise to the King of kings). 2 Chronicles 16:9
IV. THE THREE-FOLD REVELATION OF CHRIST AND THE BEATITUDE– REVELATION 1:2-3
A. 1:2 (three-fold revelation of Christ) There are three components that make up the revelation of Jesus Christ. All
three components are important to connect with the totality of the message that this book brings to the Church of Jesus
Christ. There is no need to highlight one component over the other. All three factors are intricately woven together tightly
in an eschatological mosaic to equip the church at the end of the age. The Revelation of Jesus Christ consists of:
1. The word of God – the plan of God or the mystery of the gospel.
2. The testimony of Jesus – the witness to the plan of God.
3. Things that John saw – things which must shortly take place (eschatological events related to the 1st advent and
the 2nd advent) – the administration of the plan of God.
B. The word of God – the mystery of the gospel.
25 “Now to Him who is able to establish you according to my gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ,
according to the revelation of the mystery kept secret since the world began but now made manifest, and by
the prophetic Scriptures (the word of God) made known to all nations, (Rev 10:7-11)according to the
commandment of the everlasting God (this revelation is given by God), for obedience to the faith— 27 to God,
alone wise, be glory through Jesus Christ forever. Amen.”
“And I, brethren, when I came to you, did not come with excellence of speech or of wisdom declaring to you
the testimony of God.(the mystery of the gospel) 2For I determined not to know anything among you except
Jesus Christ and Him crucified.(the Lamb of God) 3 I was with you in weakness, in fear, and in much trembling.
4And my speech and my preaching were not with persuasive words of human wisdom, but in demonstration
of the Spirit and of power, 5that your faith should not be in the wisdom of men but in the power of God.
6However, we speak wisdom (the testimony of God) among those who are mature, yet not the wisdom of this
age, nor of the rulers of this age, who are coming to nothing. 7 But we speak the wisdom of God (The testimony
of God or the word of God) in a mystery, the hidden wisdom which God ordained before the ages for our glory,
8 which none of the rulers of this age knew; for had they known, they would not have crucified the Lord of
glory.(the Lamb of God) 9 But as it is written: “Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, Nor have entered into the
heart of man the things which God has prepared for those who love Him.(The word of God concerning eternity)”
1 Corinthians 2:1-9
“Then he said to me, “Write: ‘Blessed are those who are called to the marriage supper of the Lamb!’ ” And he
said to me, “These are the true sayings of God.”(The word of God) Revelation 19:9
5“Then He who sat on the throne said, “Behold, I make all things new.” And He said to me, “Write, for these
words are true and faithful.” Revelation 21:5
6”Then he said to me, “These words are faithful and true.” And the Lord God of the holy prophets sent His
angel to show His servants the things which must shortly take place.” Revelation 22:6
C. The testimony of Jesus – the witness to the plan of God – He is the faithful witness.
4 “I thank my God always concerning you for the grace of God which was given to you by Christ Jesus, 5 that
you were enriched in everything by Him in all utterance and all knowledge, 6 even as the testimony of Christ
was confirmed in you, 7 so that you come short in no gift, eagerly waiting for the revelation of our Lord Jesus
Christ,…” 1 Corinthians 1:4-7
2“For by it the elders obtained a good testimony.” Hebrews 11:2
5 “By faith Enoch was taken away so that he did not see death, “and was not found, because God had taken
him”; for before he was taken he had this testimony, that he pleased God.” Hebrews 11:5
39“And all these, having obtained a good testimony through faith, did not receive the promise,40God having
provided something better for us, that they should not be made perfect (brought into fullness) apart from us.”
Hebrews 11:39-40
D. Things that John saw – the administration of the plan of God.
“The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave Him to show His servants—things which must shortly take
place.” Revelation 1:1
“After these things I looked, and behold, a door standing open in heaven. And the first voice which I heard
was like a trumpet speaking with me, saying, “Come up here, and I will show you things which must take
place after this.” Revelation 4:1
E. 1:3 (the beatitude) there is a blessings for those who give themselves to this book, believing it and obeying its
exhortations. The book of Revelation calls for the faith of Noah in that he obeyed God even though the divine warnings
were unseen. Just in the reading of this book there is a release of divine blessing upon the heart.
V. GREETINGS FROM THE DIVINE COURT – REVELATION 1:4-5
4John, to the seven churches which are in Asia: Grace to you and peace from Him who is and who was and
who is to come, and from the seven Spirits who are before His throne, 5and from Jesus Christ, the faithful
witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler over the kings of the earth. Revelation 1:4-5
A. 1:4 (Salutation) John bestows the blessings and the greetings of the Holy Trinity upon the churches. It is customary
for the apostles to start their epistles with a greeting from the Godhead. The authors of the epistles have been in the place
of prayer and encounter and have stood in the counsels of the Lord from which they were sent forth as messengers of
Christ to the people of God. The greetings and the content of the book of Revelation come from a God who desires to
bestow grace and peace upon His people in the midst of the coming crisis. God has thoughts of hope and peace towards
His people (Jeremiah 29:11-14) and it is from that heart that the exhortations and warnings of flows. All three Transcendent
Divine Members of the eternal counsels of the Godhead are present in John’s salutation:
B. The Father (who is and who was and who is to come). The Father is the ancient of days. God is the One who
continues throughout all eternity. God is eternal in the present, past and future. God is the same yesterday, today and
forever, who is all encompassing. Nothing contains Him and all that exist have their being and their movement in Him.
Revelation 1:8; 4:8; 11:17; 16:5.
C. Concerning the latter part of the title some would ask why this title is given to the Father and not to the Son. One
reason for this is because the Father, Son and Spirit though different Persons, possesses the same Divine essence.
Another reason being is because the Father is coming to the earth. The whole earth is and will be full of His glory.
(Isaiah 6:1-3) The 2nd advent of Christ Jesus is Him being the ultimate forerunner preparing the way of the Lord
(Isaiah 40:3, Hebrews 6:19-20).
D. The great crescendo of the book of Revelation is 21:3 as the tabernacle of God will be among men. The Father will
gather all things in heaven and on earth in His Son and there dwell with humanity forever.
E. Jesus interceded in John 17:22 that the glory He possessed with the Father would be given to us. This realm of
glory will come to the earth that we might be swallowed up in the Holy Trinity forever. We will live in the reality of the beatific
vision forever. “This direct seeing of the endlessly lovely Trinity face to face without any mediating idea whatever is eternally,
absolutely unending. We shall never exhaust the wonder, the dazzlingly enthralling, limitless Beauty.” (The Evidential Power
of Beauty by Thomas Dubay, Ch 2 Beauty Beckons)
F. The Holy Spirit (the Seven Spirits who are before His throne). The Seven Spirits is speaking of the seven-fold or
the manifold operation of God. Seven denoting completion, the Seven Spirits speaks of the fullness of God’s operation.
The prophet Isaiah prophesied concerning the Seven Spirits of God as the Spirit without measure resting upon the Messiah;
1) The Spirit of the Lord, 2) The Spirit of Wisdom, 3) Spirit of Understanding, 4) The Spirit of Counsel, 5) The Spirit of
Might, 6) The Spirit of Knowledge, 7) The Spirit of the Fear of the Lord.
G. 1:5 The Son. (Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead and the ruler over the kings of the
earth) Emphasis here is the 2nd Person of the Trinity in His glorified humanity.
1. The faithful witness - Jesus is the only faithful witness is that His testimony alone is true. Jesus is the only Man who
held the line for truth and died for it (martyr). Jesus testimony is synonymous with the Spirit of Prophesy. Christ faithfully
testified to the mystery of God and His ways. Jesus testimony of Himself and of the Father is true. The book of Revelation
is Jesus testifying of Himself. Faithful means to be trustworthy and reliable.
11 Most assuredly, I say to you, We speak what We know and testify what We have seen, and you do not
receive Our witness. 12If I have told you earthly things and you do not believe, how will you believe if I tell
you heavenly things?” John 3:11-12
“Jesus answered and said to them, “Even if I bear witness of Myself, My witness is true, for I know where I
came from and where I am going; but you do not know where I come from and where I am going. 15 You judge
according to the flesh; I judge no one. 16 And yet if I do judge, My judgment is true; for I am not alone, but I am
with the Father who sent Me. 17 It is also written in your law that the testimony of two men is true. 18I am One
who bears witness of Myself, and the Father who sent Me bears witness of Me.” John 8:18
37“Pilate therefore said to Him, “Are You a king then?” Jesus answered, “You say rightly that I am a king. For
this cause I was born and for this cause I have come into the world, that I should bear witness to the truth.
Everyone who is of the truth hears My voice.” John 18:37
2. Firstborn from the dead - Jesus is the 1st born from the dead in that He is ranked 1st in being the premiere inheritor
of the worlds to come. From among the company of the resurrected and those who are members of the New Creation
Christ is preeminent, He will supreme in honor and glory.
“For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the
firstborn among many brethren.” Romans 8:29
a. All authority in heaven and on earth has been given by the Father to Jesus. We do not yet see the consummation
of this reality but by faith we know that Christ is seated on the right hand of the Father awaiting His return to the earth.
“But when He again brings the firstborn into the world” Hebrews 1:6
b. He is the 1st born of all creation because of the cross confirmed in the resurrection
“For He has not put the world to come, of which we speak, in subjection to angels.” Hebrews 2:5
c. He is the 1st born of all creation because He is the source and the goal of all creation.
15”He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation.” Colossians 1:15 (Psalm 24:1)
3. The ruler over the kings of the earth - the gospel is more the proclamation of the forgiveness of sins but it is the
proclamation of the coming rule and reign of God’s appointment King who will bring all nations under God in a theocratic
kingdom. The Man Christ Jesus is a spiritual, social, economical, political and a military king. Jesus is not just a spiritual
king, He provides in part and will provide in full leadership over all the affairs on earth as it is in Heaven.
“Yet I have set My King On My holy hill of Zion.(Jerusalem)”7“I will declare the decree: The LORD has said to
Me, ‘You are My Son, Today I have begotten You. Psalm 2:6-7
7“Jason has harbored them, and these are all acting contrary to the decrees of Caesar, saying there is
another king—Jesus.” Acts 17:7
VI. PROPHETIC SONG ACKNOWLEDGING THE PASSION OF CHRIST – REVELATION 1:5-6
To Him who loved us and washed us from our sins in His own blood, and has made us kings and priests to His
God and Father, to Him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen. Revelation 1:5-6
A. 1:5 continues with a doxology which is a song or a declaration of praise concerning the love of Christ revealed on
the cross. Christ became the supreme leader of the Father’s empire because he shed His blood for the sins of the world.
This reality gets expounded upon in Revelation 5. The Cross of Jesus is also center stage in the book of Revelation in
keeping with Paul’s apostolic determination to proclaim Christ and Him crucified. Christ and Him crucified is the central
issue in the book of Revelation. In this book of prophesy Christ is referred to as the Lamb.
B. There are 29 occurrences of the Lamb in the book of Revelation. Each time when the Lamb is mentioned it
referring to the great eschatological event – The Crucifixion.
C. The crucifixion has great eschatological implications and it was at the cross that all was finished and accomplished
to bring about God’s mystery. (John 19:28) It was necessary for Christ to suffer to bring the redeemed into fullness. This
was the greatest demonstration of love that God from eternity past would fashion a plan so glorious that included and
necessitated the bruising and the crushing of the Son of God.
10 “For it was fitting for Him, for whom are all things and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons to
glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings.” Hebrews 2:10
13 Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends.” John 15:13
“But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”
Romans 5:8
D. The convergence of heaven and earth is made possible through the cross of Christ. Heaven and earth are reconciled
through Christ shed blood. The book of Revelation is about Jesus bring into culmination that the mystery of God.
“For it pleased the Father that in Him all the fullness should dwell, 20and by Him to reconcile all things to
Himself, by Him, whether things on earth or things in heaven, having made peace through the blood of His
cross.” Colossians 1:19-20
“…but in the days of the sounding of the seventh angel, when he is about to sound, the mystery of God
would be finished, as He declared to His servants the prophets.” Revelation 10:7
E. 1:6 Not only is Christ the supreme ruler in God’s empire but He shed His blood for our sins and invites us to rule
and reign with Him in eternity. The kingdom reality of God will be made manifest through the priestly office (worship and
intercession). The government of God goes forward through the ministry of intercession.
VII. ORACLE CONCERNING THE CONSUMMATION OF ALL PERFECTION- REVELATION 1:7-8
7Behold, He is coming with clouds, and every eye will see Him, even they who pierced Him. And all the tribes
of the earth will mourn because of Him. Even so, Amen. 8 “I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning
and the End,” says the Lord, “who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.” Revelation 1:7-8
A. 1:7 The culminating theme is the 2nd coming of Christ which inaugurates the millennial kingdom. John breaks forth
into a prophetic oracle. This oracle will fill our spirits at the end of the age as we declare it with understanding, conviction
and authority. We will feel the reality of His return in our inner man and be energized with adoration. With longing
we will understand the Lord’s Prayer. (Matt 6:8-13). The theme of this prophetic oracle is clearly futuristic and descriptive
of the literal return of the Lord on the clouds of heaven. Some argue that this happened in 70AD but this is impossible.
B. Behold: Sudden in breaking and exhortation to pay attention to the certainty of this event
C. He is coming with the clouds: Christ’s appearing will be glorious. The clouds are seen as God’s mode of
transportation (Matt. 24:30; 26:64; Mark 13:26; 14:62; Luke 21:27).
D. Even they who pierced Him: He is coming to Israel (Rom 11:25, Isaiah 59:19-60:2) this portion of scripture is
referencing the prophecies of Zechariah. Israel is mentioned 1st because the gospel is to the Jew 1st and then to the
Gentile. God still has specific dealings with Israel as a centerpiece in His purpose on the earth.
10 “And I will pour on the house of David and on the inhabitants of Jerusalem the Spirit of grace and
supplication; then they (Israel) will look on Me (Jesus) whom they pierced (Rev 1:7). Yes, they will mourn for
Him as one mourns for his only son, and grieve for Him as one grieves for a firstborn. 11In that day there shall
be a great mourning in Jerusalem, like the mourning at Hadad Rimmon in the plain of Megiddo. 12 And the
land shall mourn, every family by itself: the family of the…” Zechariah 12:10-12
E. And all the tribes of the earth will mourn because of Him: He is also coming for the Gentiles and they will mourn.
F. 1:8 The sovereign leadership of God is once again put before us (Isaiah 40) He is from everlasting to everlasting,
the Beginner and the Object of all human history. All things will be made subject to the Father even Jesus that God maybe
all in all and have the full manifestation of all things having their movement, being and existence in Him. Christ is the
Author and Finisher of our faith. God is the A and the Z everything is contained by Him, in Him and nothing is outside of
Him or besides Him.
G. God stands alone; He is the only One eternal. In Revelation 4:1 John saw One sitting on a throne. It is not clear
as to who this oracle is referring to, whether the Father or the Son. The trinity is the fellowship of the Godhead moving
forward in harmony of action under the leadership of the Father. When the Father acts, the Son acts and so does the
Spirit. When the Father speaks, the Son speaks and Spirit speaks like wise.