Begin at the finish line and win the race with focus and boldness

In my corporate days, I have taught a useful leadership management topic called, “Begin at the end”. What it means is that when you know your finish line, you will run with focus, boldness, and even ease. How do we know what the finish line of our life is? The Bible is our plume line. When we know what God uses to measure our lives, and what resources and abilities He has richly given us, we know the finish line.

I cannot think of a more essential strategic book to read than the Book of Revelation* in December 2020. In the early 1980s when first baptized in the Spirit and started to feel the hunger pang for God’s words, I was posted by my company to a town with only one evangelical church and the pastor, a fervent missionary, who decided to teach the handful of us the book of Revelation in nightly Bible classes! Imagine suddenly throwing someone who cannot swim overboard into the vast ocean. That was exactly what happened to me that winter. Looking back, I still remember listening and reading the unimaginable words and phrases night after night, with my mouth wide-opened in awe, and it turned out to be one of the best years for a “novice” in Christ. Unlike what many Christians may think, the book of Revelation is not a book of bad news for us. I believe that after one learns to swim proficiently in this vast ocean, there will be great rejoicing reading any other Book of the Bible (including the Leviticus)! For those who are familiar with this Book, it is still good to meditate on it and prepare for the year 2021. Begin at the finish line and you will not go astray.

The Book of Revelation is the finish line for mankind, including believers and none believers of Jesus Christ. There are already many easily accessible good online teachings and free Bible study tools for anyone interested. I would only share some of my notes on a few passages. Today I am led to look at three passages in chapter one: 1:1, 1:3, and 1:10 which speak to me.

What does Jesus mean by telling John in the three passages, highlighting:

“the events that must soon take place”, “for the time is near”, and “write in a book everything you see, and send it to the seven churches”?

1:1 This is a revelation from Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show his servants the events that must soon take place. He sent an angel to present this revelation to his servant John,

3 God blesses the one who reads the words of this prophecy to the church, and he blesses all who listen to its message and obey what it says, for the time is near.

10 It was the Lord’s Day, and I was worshiping in the Spirit. Suddenly, I heard behind me a loud voice like a trumpet blast. 11 It said, “Write in a book everything you see, and send it to the seven churches in the cities of Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia, and Laodicea.”

The watchman’s notes:

1. The apostle John was worshiping in the Spirit on the Lord’s Day when he saw and heard Jesus talking to him and revealing to him the future events about mankind. 1:10
2. John describes the Jesus he saw and what he heard in 1:10-20. he summarized what he understood who Jesus really is in 1:5-7. Briefly, Jesus is the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler over the kings of the earth. He loved us and washed us from our sins in His own blood. And He is coming again, and every eye will see Him. And all the tribes of the earth will mourn because of Him.
3. What are the events that must soon take place? They are all recorded down by John in the Book of Revelation. How soon will they take place? John wrote this book while in exile on the Patmos Island around 95AD. The message of Revelation is about what is to come. John is writing in two spaces: what was happening then and what would happen in the future. The book gives a picture of what will happen as we close the doors on human history as we know it and we look forward with anticipation to Jesus’ second coming.
4. What does it mean by “must soon take place”? When we read the Bible we can note that there is an emphasis on time, which reminds us that God does things in His time, the right time. From the definition of the word “soon” from Strong’s Greek 5034: Quickness, speed; hastily, immediately, it would appear in God’s view it would not be delayed when that right time comes. With God, a thousand years is like a day. In Matthew 24, Jesus Himself gave some answers to His disciples about the Jesus’ second coming and of the end of the age, and what will be the signs to watch. (Also read Mark 13; Daniel 9:23-27)
5. There are many teachings on how to interpret Matthew 24. I have noted two clues in 24:7-12, verse 10 for Christians, “Then many will be offended, will betray one another, and will hate one another.” How can this be? Yes, it is happening today, sadly, even among Christians and “believers” of Jesus as Lord and Savior. Verse 9 gives another frightening clue, “you will be hated by all nations for My name’s sake.” Verse 8 concludes what these mean when they happen, “All these are the beginnings of sorrows.”
6. The development and rise of influencers’ power through media (communication) via the internet and digital technology has accelerated the speed and spread of information and shaping of the mind (attitude, value and belief). It also means that “all nations” can access to big information, including hate speeches/news almost simultaneously.
7. The above development and clear signs mean that “the time is near“. Revelation 1:3
8. What shall Christians do when we read, hear, understand these words? Do what John was asked to do. Obey. Spread the words and help others to understand.
9. Jesus came to this planet with a clear and focused mission, to save mankind from the power of sins and bondages and eternal damnation. And He did His part before He left earth. What did He tell tell His followers to do before He left? Matthew 28:17-20; Mark 16:15-20; Luke 24:44-49; John 21:15-17; Acts 1:7-8.
10. Take note that 1:10-11 clearly states that the Book of Revelation is for the Christians to read, listen and obey, and the Lord Jesus singles out seven kinds of condition a conglomerate of Christians could be under.

Revelation 22:6 6 Then the angel said to me, “Everything you have heard and seen is trustworthy and true. The Lord God, who inspires his prophets, has sent his angel to tell his servants what will happen soon.”

Jesus Is Coming

Revelation 22:7 7 “Look, I am coming soon! Blessed are those who obey the words of prophecy written in this book.”

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*Revelation (Easton’s Bible Dictionary)

an uncovering, a bringing to light of that which had been previously wholly hidden or only obscurely seen. God has been pleased in various ways and at different times ( Hebrews 1:1 ) to make a supernatural revelation of himself and his purposes and plans, which, under the guidance of his Spirit, has been committed to writing. (See WORD OF GOD .) The Scriptures are not merely the “record” of revelation; they are the revelation itself in a written form, in order to the accurate preservation and propagation of the truth.

Revelation and inspiration differ. Revelation is the supernatural communication of truth to the mind; inspiration (q.v.) secures to the teacher or writer infallibility in communicating that truth to others. It renders its subject the spokesman or prophet of God in such a sense that everything he asserts to be true, whether fact or doctrine or moral principle, is true, infallibly true.

Kainotes, 12/03/2020