Things Which Must Shortly Come to Pass
THE PROBLEM
It has bothered many, justifiably, that Bible student interpretations of Revelation tend to ignore the above phrase of 1:1 when these interpretations explain the message to Ephesus (2:1-7) with Paul’s being its “angel.” Since Revelation was written at the very end of th ‘ e first century, by that time the Ephesus stage of the church was almost all history, and the Apostle Paul was long dead. How then could this be something “which must shortly come to pass?” Clearly this is a legitimate and pertinent question.
A POSSIBLE ANSWER
1. Perhaps the most valuable part of an answer is given is internally. When Jesus instructs John to “write”(1:19), he very carefully specifies that three things be written:
(a) “The things which you have seen” (things already having occurred – history).
(b) “The things which are (things going on all around John – contemporary to him).
(c) “The things which shall take place after these things” (the remainder of the age in prophecy).
2. Not only does this qualify verse 1 because it adds to its meaning, but it gives a very good reason for verse 19. Verse 19 becomes the answer to a question that would be legitimately asked – the question we are now asking. Verse 19 actually says that Revelation would contain things which happened prior to its writing – things John had seen. 5:6, 7 is an example of this, proving that Revelation covers a period prior to its writing. Thus 1:19 and 5:7 by themselves should be sufficient proof that explanations of Revelation which interpret part of it as having happened before its writing are not only correct in doing so, but that such interpretation is sanctioned.
Still, questions remain. If Revelation 2:1-7 was already history when it was written, how can it be said “Write to the angel in Ephesus?” Clearly Paul derived no benefit from this passage. Paul did, however, if we examine the matter carefully, treat all of the parts of this message as he served the early church. He got this message some other way. Is it a coincidence that Paul actually used the same word as the title of the Bible’s last book? Look at 2 Corinthians 12:1 and 7. Paul had “visions and revelations of the Lord” These were so grand as to transcend his infirmity of impaired eyesight. Paul got the message (and more) early – before John ever wrote it down. Thus we need not worry that the message to Ephesus and its angel came too late. But why then record it? The answer is implied in 1:10. John’s perspective is ours – standing in the Millennium (on the Lord’s Day) and looking back. The Lord wished all of the church to learn from the experience of the various parts of the church. He wanted us to look back and, hence, had to record the entire history. How else could he admonish, “Hear what the spirit says to the churches”?
We would all feel an imbalance if the first church, seal and trumpet were left unrecorded – if Revelation simply said there were seven churches, seven seals and seven trumpets, and then proceeded to begin with the second of each series and told us nothing of the first. Not only would we miss this information from which to learn, but we would miss it because we would fail to see how each step built to the next. Revelation is an exquisitely constructed work besides being an amazing prophecy and a spiritual treasure. It would have been a strangely constructed work with many missing lessons without the histories of the Ephesus Church.
Thus we should feel comfortable with interpreting Revelation as a chronicle of the entire age since Jesus’ death. We must interpret “things which must shortly come to pass” as a statement of comfort and warning to the saints that, whenever they consider this book, it will contain things “shortly to come to pass” – things of vital interest to the character growth and safety of the saints. It was written for that purpose. It was written to show his bond-servants (all of them, not just those in John’s day) what would next occur. To this day we use it for that purpose, among others. Verse one is there to show us not specifically that the fulfillment of Revelation would begin just after John wrote it down, but that it will always show us the things which are shortly to come to pass. This is a distinction with a vast difference.
– David Doran (part of a larger collection of Revelation notes)