Correspondence: John 1:9; Phil. 3:2; Why Read Revelations?

John 1:9  •  3 min. read  •  grade level: 8
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Answer: The “Word”, the Son of God, is the true light, and, coming into this world, shines for every man—both Jew and Gentile. It shows what every man is by nature. It does not mean that every man sees it. The sun shines on blind men, but they do not see it. The light shows out what man is, and “the light was the life of men.” It shines for every man, so that all may receive the blessing of John 3:1616For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. (John 3:16).
Answer: The concision mean those who are trying to improve the flesh by cutting off bad habits. The truth teaches us that the death of Christ is the end of the flesh before God, and that our old man is crucified with Him. (Rom. 6:66Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin. (Romans 6:6)) The circumcision in Philippians 3:33For we are the circumcision, which worship God in the spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh. (Philippians 3:3) recognize this. Colossians 2:1111In whom also ye are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ: (Colossians 2:11) means dead with Christ. “The concision” do not know this, but teach the improvement of man without redemption.
Question: “Why should the book of Revelation be read?”
Answer: The most direct reason is that the SPIRIT of God particularly enjoins that it should be read, and pronounces a peculiar blessing on those who do so. At the very opening of the Book, as if anticipating the opposition of man’s heart to do so, and that Satan would specially seek to undermine its value and throw it into the shade, the Apostle John is led by the Lord to preface his epistle by a benediction in these words:
“Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written therein for the time is at hand.”
And as if this were not enough to stamp its peculiar sacredness, and as if foreseeing that man would even dare, not only to disregard it, but to even tamper with its very structure, he concludes it with a malediction on any one who should either add to, or take from “the words of the book of this prophecy.”
The book of Revelation unfolds the judicial or governmental ways of God: first in the churches, and then in the world; in special connection with the coming of Christ in judgment, and the entire overthrow of Satan’s power in the heavens and the earth. Satan, acting instrumentally through men, is exposed, and his power brought to nothing. With his instruments he is shut up in the bottomless pit for a thousand years, and finally cast into the lake of fire in this book; hence he especially hates it, and would fain keep the saints, and the victims of his wiles from seeing the truth about him, by hiding the light that exposes him, and which shines so brightly in the pages of the book of Revelation.
What should specially render this book dear to the believer, is that it brings the Lord Jesus before him, reaping the fruits of the cross, as the Lamb, in power and glory.