Things That Must Shortly Take Place

YOU should be deeply concerned about world events today.  Why so? Because this world cannot escape God's execution of judgment.  But you  can escape. You can do this by making yourself "no part of this  world" that is doomed to destruction.  This does not mean adopting an austere, monastic way of life.  It means that while enjoying a wholesome, meaningful life, you separate yourself from political corruption, from greed commercialism, and from God-dishonoring religion, as well as from violent and immoral behavior.  At the same time, you must  follow God's high standards of conduct and seek to do his will. (John 17:14-16; Zephaniah 2:2, 3;  Revelation 21:8)  The Bible  book of Revelation shows how important it is for you to apply yourself in these  respects, making changes as necessary in your way of life. 

The apostle John introduces this grand prophecy with the words:  "A revelation by Jesus Christ, which God gave him, to show his slaves the things that must shortly take place."  (Revelation 1:1a)  So it was the resurrected Jesus Christ who received his  weighty message from God.  Far from being part of a mystic  Trinity, Jesus is here shown to be subject to his Father. In the same way, the "slaves" making up the Christian congregation are subject to Jesus Christ, so that they 'keep following him wherever he goes.'  (Revelation 14:4;  Ephesians 5:24) But who today are truly "slaves" of God, and how does Revelation benefit them?

The apostle John, who wrote down Revelation, describes himself as such a slave.  he was the last surviving apostle and one of the select spirit-anointed group of "slaves" that inherit immortal life in the heavens.  Today, there are just a few thousand of these remaining on earth.  God has other servants, too, a great crowd of them, men, women, and children, numbering now into the millions.  Under angelic direction, these are sharing  with the anointed "slaves"  in declaring everlasting good news to all mankind.  Oh, how all these "slaves" are expending themselves in order to help the meek ones of the earth to find salvation! (Matthew 24:14; Revelation 7:9, 14; 14:6) Revelation indicates what you must do to benefit from the happifying good news.

How could John say, though, that these "slaves" would be shown "things that must  shortly take place"?   Were not those words spoken almost 1,900 years ago?  From the viewpoint of Jehovah, in whose eyes a thousand years are but "as yesterday," 1,900  years is a short time when compared with the actions of time  that he spent in creating and preparing the earth for human habitation.   (Psalm 90:4)  The apostle Paul wrote of his own "eager expectation and hope," for not doubt the reality of his reward seemed close at hand to him.  (Philippians 1:20)  Today, however, the evidence abounds that all the things foretold will take place on schedule. Never before in history has the very survival of mankind been at stake. Only God has the solution! -Isaiah 45:21.

Next time: Things That Must Shortly Take Place - Channel of Communication

From the Book of Revelation