The Things That Must Soon Take Place
“The revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show to his servants the things that must soon take place. He made it known by sending his angel to his servant John…”
If ever a verse, or series of verses, have suffered from poor exegesis, then these verses rank near the top. When John writes about things taking place “soon,” or when he says, “the time is near,” the time reference must mean something to the readers of Revelation. What would that mean to them, and, quite frankly, if we are honest with ourselves, what would that mean to us? It would mean that John is writing about something near or close at hand. If that is true (and I can see no good reason to take these verses in any other way), then what is he referring to? Jesus even says to the Church at Pergamum that if they do not repent, he will come to them soon and war against them with the sword of his mouth (2:16). Jesus tells the Church at Philadelphia, “I am coming soon” (3:11). What does he mean? Would these churches understand Jesus to mean that he is referring to something at least 2,000 years into the future? I think not. We often forget that the Revelation is written to seven churches in Asia Minor in the first century. It was a revelation from the Lord Jesus Christ to these churches about events that were soon to take place and had relevance for them.
Therefore, these time references are important. The last chapter of Revelation contains five time references. In Revelation 22:6: “…what must soon take place.” Revelation 22:7: “behold, I am coming soon” (see also vv. 12, 20 for the same). In Revelation 22:10: “for the time is near.” These all correspond to the opening verses of Revelation. The same words are used. Revelation 1:19 is the key verse in chapter one which says: “Write therefore the things that you have seen, those that are and those that are to take place after this.” This verse should be understood in the light of all that Jesus says in the opening verses and the last chapter. John is to write about the things he sees, about the present things, and the things that are about to take place.
When John uses these words, he is giving us an expectation as to when these things will happen. John is writing the prophecy of the Lord Jesus Christ as given to him (1:1, 2). You will notice that little word “show” in verse one. The Revelation is given to him in order that he might show the servants of Jesus the things that will soon take place. What things is John going to show? It is all that he writes about as it is revealed to him. What John is going to write is revealed and not hidden. Verse three promises a blessing to those who “hear” the prophecy and “keep” the prophecy. Hearing and keeping imply understanding. When I hear something and do what I hear, it implies that I have grasped what was said. A blessing is promised to those who hear and keep. A blessing is also promised to those who read aloud the Revelation. How shall anyone hear without reading? John is urging his readers to listen and respond. The time is near, and things are going to take place soon. So his expectation is married to a contemporary setting. This is for his readers. His initial readers are the seven churches (1:4). John’s contemporary application is found in his use of the words “soon,” or “shortly,” and“near.” If a reader missed “soon,” she might grasp “near.” The word “soon” implies a temporal nearness and indicates speed, and the word “near” refers to events connected to time. How close are these events? John says they are near (close at hand). They are going to happen speedily. These two words mutually support one another. The idea of proximity is expressed by them. Whatever John is going to write as being revealed by Christ is impending. The seven churches were facing incredible pressure. Persecution was upon them. It is obvious that even within these churches there were difficulties from a doctrinal perspective. Heretics abounded. Some resisted and others submitted. John’s letter is designed to help and encourage them.
The fact that John uses the same terms at the end of Revelation is a clue that the terms apply to all that is in between. The incredible visions that John has from chapter four onwards are surrounded by the same terms in the opening and closing verses. If John’s Revelation has nothing to do with his readers in the seven churches, then he would be acting falsely to what he says in the opening and closing verses. He is telling them about events soon to take place, not events that would have nothing to do with them. This is so important to understand. Most interpreters of Revelation have made the book fit some eschatological scheme. This is a mistake. It must be read in light of the seven churches and what the Revelation meant for them and not in light of some end-time scheme.
Revelation employs symbolic or apocalyptic language on a broad scale (as does Daniel and Ezekiel). We all struggle with trying to grasp what John is saying. This is the language of the Old Testament prophets. Jesus used the same language in his Olivet discourse (Matt. 24:15, 27–31; Mark 13:14, 24–27). A purely literal interpretation of such language leads to problems. We end up trying to fit the language to the scheme. The reality is that no one interprets Revelation literally. Jesus used such language frequently. For example, he spoke of “eating his flesh and drinking his blood” (John 6:53–56). We do not interpret this literally. We would be cannibals. We understand it in the figurative sense. John indicates that what he is writing is revealed in symbolic language when he uses the word “show” in verse one. John says on 41 occasions that he sees or that he saw. The Revelation is signified to John. He sees the seven churches as seven lampstands, and he sees the seven stars in the Son of God’s right hand as seven angels, but he only sees them in this way when Jesus explains them to him (Rev.1:20). The lampstands represent the churches. Jesus refers to them as a mystery (vs. 20). Jesus explained his parables in this way. The sower and the seed is a good example (Matt. 13:1–9; 18–23). The disciples were perplexed as to the meaning (Matt.13:10), and Jesus refers to the parable as connected to “the secrets of the kingdom of heaven” (Matt. 13:11). How would we explain the four living creatures in heaven (Rev. 4:6–8)? We must accept symbolic language in Revelation, and, therefore, we must pay close attention to this type of language. If we cannot interpret these things literally, we must seek to understand them historically. This is the key. This is what John is asking of his readers. He is writing to them in the historical context that has meaning and relevance for them.
Do not look for the fulfillment of end-time events in your newspaper or on your television. Do not be hasty to attribute everything in Revelation to the future. Pay attention to those time-indicators historically before you see Russia or Iran or Afghanistan or Syria as the culprit in Revelation.
We know that when our Lord Jesus comes again in his second coming, it will be sudden and swift (1 Thess. 5:2–6). He demands of us that we be ready (Mark 13:33, 35, 37). We do not know when the master of the house is coming, but he is coming and it will be suddenly (Mark 13:35, 36). Let us lift up our eyes for our redemption draws nigh (Luke 21:28). Jesus is coming for us. What a day that will be when my Savior I shall see.