Soon and Near: Daily Thoughts from Revelation (Revelation 1:1-3)

I have a relative who, when he was young, became terrified at sermons about the end times and was traumatized by them. No doubt sermons on the end times have on many occasions been used to scare people into the kingdom. To be sure there are some scary aspects to the events described in this book. But John also speaks of the blessing that should come to those who read this prophecy. Happiness should also be a consequence of understanding this prophecy for those who know the Lord.

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.  (Revelation 1:1-3 ESV)

God has made this revelation known to His servants through one particular servant, John.  We find that much of this revelation is made known by angels. Angels and men alike serve Him.  Jesus said the apostles were his friends.  Does that apply to us?  Even if it does, it does not eliminate the fact that we are also servants, as the apostle John calls himself.  I am here to do God’s bidding, not my own.  I am hear also to bear witness to the word of God and the testimony of Jesus Christ.  He is my Lord.

John uses two words that give a sense of imminence to what is revealed:  “soon” and “near”.  The first communicates nearness of time and the second nearness of proximity or space.  Do the things which must take place soon comprise all of the events of Revelation and does soon mean within the next several years?  If so, then perhaps the preterists or historicists are correct on the interpretation of this book.  They see everything in Revelation as having already occurred.  Futurists see it all as yet to occur. But even for those who hold that everything in this book has already been fulfilled in some sense, there is a belief that there is a fuller sense in which Jesus is going to return to rule and that this return is yet future.

Someone or something can be near in proximity, however, without being soon in time of arrival.  I can stay near without arriving for a long time.  And something could be soon without being fully arrived.  What is soon could be the beginning of the arrival.  So, could there be parts of this revelation that are imminent (soon in time to occur) and parts that are remote (for a later time)?  Could there be an event that more or less marks the beginning of the arrival but yet many parts of what John describes that are still to be fulfilled? I believe so.

And why would someone be blessed for reading and hearing these words because the time is near?  This does seem to make most sense if nearness means imminence of arrival, that is, it would be important to get the word out and to be prepared because it is happening soon. You would be blessed if you made it known and blessed if you kept what is commanded for this soon event. But would you not also be blessed for communicating and heeding these teachings even if “soon” meant many, many years in the future?

On the other hand, being soon and the time being near could indicate that whatever is in the way of these events being fulfilled has been removed. Now nothing stands in the way of their fulfillment and that makes them soon and near. They could happen at any moment and so one is blessed if one heeds their warning and reads the warning out loud for others to hear and obey. But they could also be far in the future if God pleases.

At any rate, God loves to make known to us His purposes.  Any revelation from Him springs from His desire that we know Him and know His plans and ways.  We are always blessed if we pay attention to Him when He speaks.