Revelation, chapter 1
CHAPTER 1
1The revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave to him, to show his servants what must happen soon. He made it known by sending his angel to his servant John,a
2who gives witness to the word of God and to the testimony of Jesus Christ by reporting what he saw.
3Blessed is the one* who reads aloud and blessed are those who listen to this prophetic message and heed what is written in it, for the appointed time is near.b
II. Letters to the Churches of Asia
Greeting.*
4John, to the seven churches in Asia:* grace to you and peace from him who is and who was and who is to come, and from the seven spirits before his throne,c
5and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead and ruler of the kings of the earth. To him who loves us and has freed us* from our sins by his blood,d
6who has made us into a kingdom, priests for his God and Father, to him be glory and power forever [and ever]. Amen.e
7Behold, he is coming amid the clouds,
and every eye will see him,
even those who pierced him.
All the peoples of the earth will lament him.
Yes. Amen.f
8“I am the Alpha and the Omega,”* says the Lord God, “the one who is and who was and who is to come, the almighty.”g
======================
Footnotes :
* [1:1–3] This prologue describes the source, contents, and audience of the book and forms an inclusion with the epilogue (Rev 22:6–21), with its similar themes and expressions.
* [1:3] Blessed is the one: this is the first of seven beatitudes in this book; the others are in Rev 14:13; 16:15; 19:9; 20:6; 22:7, 14. This prophetic message: literally, “the words of the prophecy”; so Rev 22:7, 10, 18, 19 by inclusion. The appointed time: when Jesus will return in glory; cf. Rev 1:7; 3:11; 22:7, 10, 12, 20.
* [1:4–8] Although Revelation begins and ends (Rev 22:21) with Christian epistolary formulae, there is nothing between Rev 4; 22 resembling a letter. The author here employs the standard word order for greetings in Greek letter writing: “N. to N., greetings…”; see note on Rom 1:1.
Yes. The Amen at the end of verse 6 looks like a transition to me ... perhaps the end of a hymn or prayer.
Starting in verse 7 John then brings two of the most significant prophetic passages in the OT together. It is unmistakable from the Greek ... John is bringing the imagery of Daniel 7 (the coming of the Son of Man) and Zechariah 10 (the repentance of the nation of Israel).
Jesus Himself says in verse 8 ... "I am the Alpha and the Omega," says the Lord God, "who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty."
... who is to come ... He is coming again.
John received Revelation when he was banished in 95 AD ... Jesus hasn't returned yet ... the nation of Israel hasn't repented yet ... we are still awaiting the Second Coming ... and in conjunction with those events ... the nation of Israel will repent and recognize their Messiah whom they have rejected for 2000+ years.