Big Idea: Jesus Christ has revealed to his servant John a prophetic vision about God’s plans for consummating human history, a vision that will bring blessing for those who hear and obey its message.

Understanding the Text

The introduction to the book of Revelation, which runs through verse 20, begins with a statement of the book’s title: “the revelation from Jesus Christ” (1:1a). Next, we are told how the heavenly vision was communicated to John (1:1b) and how this resulted in John’s testimony (1:2). The first paragraph closes with the first of seven beatitudes, or blessings, that appear throughout the book (1:3; cf. 14:13; 16:15; 19:9; 20:6; 22:7; see sidebar). The opening lines of Revelation also introduce many of the main themes of the book: the centrality of God and Christ, the immi…