How much time is left

Revelation 1:1-3

“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, who bore witness to the word of God and to the testimony of Jesus Christ, even to all that he saw.  Blessed is the one who reads aloud the words of this prophecy, and blessed are those who hear, and who keep what is written in it, for the time is near.”

Today I began reading Revelation, which was written by the apostle John off the western coast of Asia Minor, where John was banished because of his testimony of Jesus Christ, on the island of Patmos.  The time for the writing is placed about 96 A.D.   This book of the Bible is often neglected and yet many volumes have been written on this book.  I do not claim to have any new insights into Revelation, but Jesus made this statement in Matthew 24:35, “Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.”  I believe that to be true, and therefore I believe it is not a book I should distance myself from.

In our culture if someone makes the statement, “The revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show to his servants the things that must soon take place” we are thinking tomorrow or the next day, but God is not controlled by time, and soon to Him, is very different, from our  “give it to me right now” culture.  It is also important to understand John was being shown a future event, one that he had not known or lived in.

What jumped off the page at me today was, I am to read the Revelation aloud, and though I do not understand the reason for this, it is very important to obey or summit to what the word of God is telling us to do.  As I read aloud the words of this prophecy, I will also be blessed that I am hearing it, but as always in Scripture comes the kicker, I have to do or obey what is written. 

The last part of this sentence is of great interest, all of us would like to know the when of any happening.  I hate to be late, so the time and place is of the utmost importance.  One thing is for sure; the time is closer today than it was when the apostle penned these words!

Form the Back Porch,

Bob Rice