March 12: SIGNIFIED
The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave Him to show His servants—things which must shortly take place. And He sent and signified it by His angel to His servant John. Revelation 1:1
The Bible reveals Jesus to the world in order to impart an understanding of the true character of the Creator. It is a wonderfully systematic way of teaching that centers upon our Lord taking sin’s penalty upon Himself. There are also warnings of spiritual dangers as well as preparatory instructions, that the people of God may be equipped to stand determinedly upon that Word, thus becoming instruments for the spread of the everlasting gospel (14:6).
This final book, The Revelation of Jesus Christ, is a concentrated finale of the Bible. It reveals more fully the One who is worthy of our highest and best praise. He loved us more than His own life. And we can learn to love Him more than our own life (12:11), to love Him supremely. That means allowing Him to transform us—not to just ‘claim His name’ while remaining unchanged (see Isaiah 4:1).
For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake and the gospel’s will save it. Mark 8:35
The desire to save [one’s] life is centered upon things of the world such as the preservation of traditions, luxuries, habits, or lifestyles that overshadow and crowd out a real desire for sanctification: being made ready for life with our heavenly Father.
The opening verse above allows insight regarding the heavenly chain of communication. To see more of Jesus is the indisputable blessing of blessings! God the Father passed the message of Revelation to His Son Jesus, who put it into symbolic, explanatory words (terms humans can understand) for the angelic messenger to give to John—all for the purpose of showing His servants in the church how the last days of the great controversy between Christ and Satan would play out, emphasizing the nearness of future events. In short, properly placing the impetus for the spreading of the Good News while there is still time.
John and his brother James had been called Boanerges, that is “Sons of Thunder” by Jesus (Mark 3:17), due to their volatile tempers. But time with Jesus changed all of that. Their strong personalities were redirected for God’s purposes. Indisputable blessings indeed! Has He shown you things about yourself that need to change? Look to Him! Are you ready to see more of Jesus?
And He sent and signified it by His angel to His servant John, who bore witness to the word of God, and to the testimony of Jesus Christ, to all things that he saw. Revelation 1:1b-2