From this, we can see that the Greek word apŏkalupsis has been transliterated rather than translated into the word “apocalypse,” which is one of the names the Book of Revelation commonly goes by: The Apocalypse. But it could also be known as The Disclosure, The Appearing, The Coming, The Enlightening, The Manifestation or The Revealing.
In any event, the apŏkalupsis is a revealing of some pretty nasty events that are to occur during the last days, which are now upon us. It also reveals some other important items and events as well.
The important thing to remember about revelation is that it is an eternal principle. It has existed from the days of Adam and Eve up until the present day.
It is how God communicates with his children.
Therefore, revelation is not a principle that once existed but is no longer available or needed. While it may not seem available at times, as through modern-day Biblical-type prophets, it is still available.
Revelation, like God, was present yesterday, is present today and will be present forever. If it seems otherwise, it is only because we have replaced the principle of revelation with our own vaunted wisdom.
Remember:
“Jesus Christ [is] the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever” (Hebrews 13:8).
As with Jesus, so with God. As with God, so with revelation.
“I know that, whatsoever God doeth, it shall be for ever: nothing can be put to it, nor any thing taken from it: and God doeth it, that men should fear before him” (Ecclesiastes 3:14).
Revelation is the means through which God reveals his will to mankind (all throughout the Bible).
It is how he has given us his plan of salvation, his gospel, or as I like to call it, his plan of happiness (all throughout the Bible).
It is how he extends knowledge to us of the past (the first chapters of Genesis before Moses to Moses).
It is how he extends knowledge to us of the future (all throughout the Bible).
It is how he issues warnings to his children of both dire events and dire consequences of our errant behavior (all throughout the Bible).
It is how he promises us of good things to come (all throughout the Bible).
It is how he shows us who he is, his attributes, what he is like (all throughout the Bible).
Basically, what it all boils down to is this: Everything we know about God, his works, his people and his relationship to his people come to us through revelation—from time immemorial to the present day.
If we say there is no revelation today, we are saying that God no longer communicates with his children.
If we say there is no need for revelation today, we are saying we no longer need God to communicate his will to us. Anyone paying attention to what is going on around us in the world today can hardly believe we no longer need revelation. More than ever, I say.
In either case, it presents us with a seemingly Godless Christianity—a religion whose God is either asleep, on vacation, who simply doesn’t care, or who is no longer interested in the welfare of his children.
In short, those who deny the reality of revelation deny themselves the blessings of the living word of God. In addition, those who preach that revelation is no longer needed deny themselves and their congregations those same blessings.
Many claim the Bible is all the revelation they need. Many preach it. They often say Jesus Christ was the final revelation, that nothing else is wanting. These are content to receive the ancient word of God given to a dead people thousands of years removed.
Is not God the same yesterday, today and forever? Would he not be just as pleased today as he was anciently to reveal his will to us, if there were anyone willing to receive it?
If God were content to reveal only the Torah to his people, which are the first five books of the Bible, he would have felt no need to continually reveal his living word to them. Thus, we would be without all the books of the Bible from Joshua to Malachi, and perhaps to Revelation as well. And his people would have been forever content to have Moses for their prophet and none other.
We find ourselves in pretty much the same condition today—forever content to have the Bible for our revelation and none other.
Still, the apparent lack of modern-day Biblical-type prophets does not negate revelation being an eternal principle, even though we know there have been periods where it appears the heavens have been silent.
We know that God has not spoken to prophets in every age, at least according to the records we have. There were over five hundred years of prophetic silence between Malachi and John the Baptist. And there have been more than two thousand years of prophetic silence since the martyrdom of the ancient apostles to the present day.
But because revelation is an eternal principle, we must come to the conclusion that prophetic revelation isn’t the only form of revelation existing between God and his children. Far more extensive than prophetic revelation, I believe, is personal revelation.
Where prophetic revelation is received by God’s chosen prophets, personal revelation may be received by every man, woman and child. Note Moses’ attitude toward this concept:
“And Moses went out, and told the people the words of the Lord, and gathered the seventy men of the elders of the people, and set them round about the tabernacle.
“And the Lord came down in a cloud, and spake unto him, and took of the spirit that was upon him, and gave it unto the seventy elders: and it came to pass, that, when the spirit rested upon them, they prophesied, and did not cease.
“But there remained two of the men in the camp, the name of the one was Eldad, and the name of the other Medad: and the spirit rested upon them; and they were of them that were written [i.e., the seventy], but went not out unto the tabernacle: and they prophesied in the camp.
“And there ran a young man, and told Moses, and said, Eldad and Medad do prophesy in the camp.
“And Joshua the son of Nun, the servant of Moses, one of his young men, answered and said, My lord Moses, forbid them.
“And Moses said unto him, Enviest thou for my sake? Would [to] God that all the Lord’s people were prophets, and that the Lord would put his spirit upon them!” (Numbers 11:24-29).
“And the Lord came down in a cloud, and spake unto him, and took of the spirit that was upon him, and gave it unto the seventy elders: and it came to pass, that, when the spirit rested upon them, they prophesied, and did not cease.
“But there remained two of the men in the camp, the name of the one was Eldad, and the name of the other Medad: and the spirit rested upon them; and they were of them that were written [i.e., the seventy], but went not out unto the tabernacle: and they prophesied in the camp.
“And there ran a young man, and told Moses, and said, Eldad and Medad do prophesy in the camp.
“And Joshua the son of Nun, the servant of Moses, one of his young men, answered and said, My lord Moses, forbid them.
“And Moses said unto him, Enviest thou for my sake? Would [to] God that all the Lord’s people were prophets, and that the Lord would put his spirit upon them!” (Numbers 11:24-29).
The point here is that revelation is both prophetic and personal. In fact, were we to experience the mere act of receiving the Lord’s spirit, we would all become prophets, receiving revelation—at least according to these verses.
That’s not to say we would, like Moses, be prophets to a people or to the world but at least within the confines of our own private homes and in the lives of our families.
So, according to Moses, we should all be in the position to have the spirit fall upon us and make us all prophets—every man, woman and child of us.
While I shall not go into details, as we should all be somewhat familiar with them, I will say that revelation is received by both prophets and “regular” people in a number of different ways:
- Visions (the Book of Revelation);
- Dreams (Jacob’s ladder);
- Angelic visitations (Abraham, Lot);
- Angelic visitations in dreams (Mary, Joseph);
- Writings (ten commandments, writing on the wall of the palace of King Belshazzar);
- Voices (Adam and Eve, Moses);
- Intervention (Balaam’s ass); and
- Inspiration (voices, feelings, intuition, etc.).
John’s Revelation is a wonderful example of God’s communication to mankind. While it is not typical of the kinds of communications we can receive from God, it is not atypical, either.
I have heard numerous stories of people receiving dreams of future events that have either already come to pass or yet remain in the future.
Supporting this idea, we have the words of the Old Testament prophet Joel. While speaking of terrible events to take place in the last days, he added these encouraging words:
“And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions:
“And also upon the servants and upon the handmaids in those days will I pour out my spirit” (Joel 2:28-29).
“And also upon the servants and upon the handmaids in those days will I pour out my spirit” (Joel 2:28-29).
These days are upon us.
The Book of Revelation is a current document and hence extremely relevant. It is even more valuable to us today than it was to those who heard its words in the days of John because it references our day as well as our near future.
So do not despise revelation or you will be despising the means by which God communicates his will to his children.
Also, without revelation, we cannot truly know the meaning of all the cryptic events described in the Book of Revelation, although we can still guess. But guessing doesn’t make it so, nor does publishing our guesses make it so.
On the other hand, be glad that revelation is an eternal principle and that it is as attainable to you and me today as it was in the days of Moses.
Remember:
“But covet [i.e., seek] earnestly the best gifts: and yet shew [i.e., show] I unto you a more excellent way” (1 Corinthians 12:31).
The gift of prophecy (verse 10) is a part of the principle of revelation, but not the only part. Make it yours.
And yet there is “a more excellent way.”
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