The revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave Him, to show to His servants what must soon take place. And He signified it, sending it through His angel to His servant John. Rev. 1:1.
Stefanie's mother was born on a small island called Krk, off the coast of Croatia in the former Yugoslavia. As a child she swam daily in the transparent waters of the Adriatic and picked wild asparagus along the rock-laced coast. Somewhere in the middle of her adolescent years her father's name finally surfaced from an immigration list into which it had been dropped years before, and she found herself transplanted with her parents and sister into the whirling, horn-honking, exhaust-filled cacophony that is New York City.
Perhaps the most disorienting of her new environment was the language. While many Americans may not realize it, American English is loaded with idiomatic sayings that are extremely difficult for new immigrants to fully understand. Imagine the wonder when a newcomer to America hears that someone is "head over heels in love." Even more puzzling to an immigrant's sense of normalcy is the expression "it's a dog-eat-dog world." And consider the puzzlement when a trusted friend instructs a new immigrant to "break a leg."
None of these expressions make a lot of sense the instant a new American hears them. But to those who grew up in the States, they communicate significant information, especially when combined with just the right tone of voice. The best way to learn such idioms is to spend time listening to those who have been around for a while.
Jesus often used similar expressions. When he warned His disciples against "the leaven of the Pharisees," He was certainly not suggesting that the religious leaders were undercover bakers, churning out poisonous loaves to sell in the marketplace! And think of how we use the word "heart." Even though we live in a medically advanced society, we still consider the emotional center of the human body to be the "heart."
When our text says that the revelation of Jesus Christ has been "signified" it warns us to be careful how we move from the words of Revelation to its meaning. Things will often turn out vastly different than our first impressions might suggest.
So like immigrants, students of Revelation should not try to make too much sense of the book on their own. They need to compare their impressions with those who have carefully studied the book before them. When it comes to Revelation, we will find great safety in a "multitude of counselors."
Lord, give me a learning spirit as I work my way through this book. Help me carefully consider the ideas of others before I become too confident in my own opinions about it.
Stefanie's mother was born on a small island called Krk, off the coast of Croatia in the former Yugoslavia. As a child she swam daily in the transparent waters of the Adriatic and picked wild asparagus along the rock-laced coast. Somewhere in the middle of her adolescent years her father's name finally surfaced from an immigration list into which it had been dropped years before, and she found herself transplanted with her parents and sister into the whirling, horn-honking, exhaust-filled cacophony that is New York City.
Perhaps the most disorienting of her new environment was the language. While many Americans may not realize it, American English is loaded with idiomatic sayings that are extremely difficult for new immigrants to fully understand. Imagine the wonder when a newcomer to America hears that someone is "head over heels in love." Even more puzzling to an immigrant's sense of normalcy is the expression "it's a dog-eat-dog world." And consider the puzzlement when a trusted friend instructs a new immigrant to "break a leg."
None of these expressions make a lot of sense the instant a new American hears them. But to those who grew up in the States, they communicate significant information, especially when combined with just the right tone of voice. The best way to learn such idioms is to spend time listening to those who have been around for a while.
Jesus often used similar expressions. When he warned His disciples against "the leaven of the Pharisees," He was certainly not suggesting that the religious leaders were undercover bakers, churning out poisonous loaves to sell in the marketplace! And think of how we use the word "heart." Even though we live in a medically advanced society, we still consider the emotional center of the human body to be the "heart."
When our text says that the revelation of Jesus Christ has been "signified" it warns us to be careful how we move from the words of Revelation to its meaning. Things will often turn out vastly different than our first impressions might suggest.
So like immigrants, students of Revelation should not try to make too much sense of the book on their own. They need to compare their impressions with those who have carefully studied the book before them. When it comes to Revelation, we will find great safety in a "multitude of counselors."
Lord, give me a learning spirit as I work my way through this book. Help me carefully consider the ideas of others before I become too confident in my own opinions about it.
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