Why Was John Chosen To Write The Book of Revelation?

From the teaching Saturday, 7/9/11

Why Was John Chosen To Write
The
Book of Revelation?

John wrote the Book of Revelation.

John occupied a chief place in the heart of Christ. Thus, the most blessed and beautiful
description we have of any disciple is that John was the one “whom Jesus loved.” John
mentioned this in his gospel, referring to it 5 times without mentioning his name.

John 13:23: Now there was leaning on Jesus' bosom one of his disciples, whom Jesus
loved.

John 19:26: When Jesus therefore saw his mother, and the disciple standing by, whom he
loved, he saith unto his mother, Woman, behold thy son!

27Then saith he to the disciple, Behold thy mother! And from that hour that disciple
took her unto his own home.

John 20:1: The first day of the week cometh Mary Magdalene early, when it was yet
dark, unto the sepulchre, and seeth the stone taken away from the sepulchre.

2Then she runneth, and cometh to Simon Peter, and to the other disciple, whom Jesus
loved, and saith unto them, They have taken away the LORD out of the sepulchre, and
we know not where they have laid him.

And...

:4 So they ran both together: and the other disciple did outrun Peter, and came first to the
sepulchre.

And...

:8 Then went in also that other disciple, which came first to the sepulchre, and he saw,
and believed.

John 21:7: Therefore that disciple whom Jesus loved saith unto Peter, It is the Lord. Now when
Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he girt his fisher's coat unto him, (for he was naked,) and did
cast himself into the sea.

And...

:20; Then Peter, turning about, seeth the disciple whom Jesus loved following; which
also leaned on his breast at supper, and said, Lord, which is he that betrayeth thee?

21Peter seeing him saith to Jesus, Lord, and what shall this man do?

John was the Apostle who personified Love. He had an ability to write what he
saw, in fact, he ended the Gospel of John this way;

John 21:25: And there are also many other things which Jesus did, the which, if they
should be written every one, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the
books that should be written. Amen.

John was the youngest among the Disciples of Christ, and the longest lived
Apostle of The Church. John began the preparation for his ministry as a disciple of
John the Baptist.
In his Gospel and Epistles, John gave to the world a definition of love, and such a
declaration of love could only have been learned from close personal contact with
Jesus, himself. Through all his spiritual development, John knew that the Love of The
Master held him captive. For over 70 years, John maintained a firm and fearless
witness for his Master.

What kind of person John was, when he was first called...

Mt. 4:18: And Jesus, walking by the sea of Galilee, saw two brethren, Simon called
Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea: for they were fishers.
19And he saith unto them, Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.

20And they straightway left their nets, and followed him.

21And going on from thence, he saw other two brethren, James the son of Zebedee, and
John his brother, in a ship with Zebedee their father, mending their nets; and he called
them.

22And they immediately left the ship and their father, and followed him.

Immediately (defined):

1. at once
2. directly
3. as soon as
4. forth with
5. shortly
6. straightway

John's picturesque writing ability is seen in his first epistle, in these verses...

I John1:1: That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have
seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, of the
Word of life;

2(For the life was manifested, and we have seen it, and bear witness, and shew unto you
that eternal life, which was with the Father, and was manifested unto us;)

manifested (defined):

1. made visible
2. revealed to us
3. disclosed to us

3That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have
fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus
Christ.

Rev. 1:1: The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave unto him, to shew unto his
servants things which must shortly come to pass; and he sent and signified it by his
angel unto his servant John:

2Who bare record of the word of God, and of the testimony of Jesus Christ, and of all
things that he saw.

John was a record bearer

3Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the words of this prophecy, and keep
those things which are written therein: for the time is at hand.

4John to the seven churches which are in Asia: Grace be unto you, and peace, from him
which is, and which was, and which is to come; and from the seven Spirits which are
before his throne;

5And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead,
and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our
sins in his own blood,

6And hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father; to him be glory and
dominion for ever and ever. Amen.

7Behold, he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him, and they also which
pierced him: and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him. Even so, Amen.

8I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, which is, and
which was, and which is to come, the Almighty.

9I John, who also am your brother, and companion in tribulation, and in the kingdom
and patience of Jesus Christ, was in the isle that is called Patmos, for the word of God,
and for the testimony of Jesus Christ.

Patmos-it was a volcanic, treeless, rocky island, about 6 x 10 miles; and about 30
miles SW of Samos. It was made a place of exile by the Romans for the lowest of
criminals.

10I was in the Spirit on the Lord's day, and heard behind me a great voice, as of a
trumpet,

11Saying, I am Alpha and Omega, the first and the last: and, What thou seest, write in a
book, and send it unto the seven churches which are in Asia; unto Ephesus, and unto
Smyrna, and unto Pergamos, and unto Thyatira, and unto Sardis, and unto Philadelphia,
and unto Laodicea.

12And I turned to see the voice that spake with me. And being turned, I saw seven
golden candlesticks;

13And in the midst of the seven candlesticks one like unto the Son of man, clothed with
a garment down to the foot, and girt about the paps with a golden girdle.

14His head and his hairs were white like wool, as white as snow; and his eyes were as a
flame of fire;

15And his feet like unto fine brass, as if they burned in a furnace; and his voice as the
sound of many waters.

16And he had in his right hand seven stars: and out of his mouth went a sharp twoedged
sword: and his countenance was as the sun shineth in his strength.

17And when I saw him, I fell at his feet as dead. And he laid his right hand upon me,
saying unto me, Fear not; I am the first and the last:

18I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and
have the keys of hell and of death.

19Write the things which thou hast seen, and the things which are, and the things which
shall be hereafter;

20The mystery of the seven stars which thou sawest in my right hand, and the seven
golden candlesticks. The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches: and the seven
candlesticks which thou sawest are the seven churches.

Rev. 2:1: Unto the angel of the church of Ephesus write; These things saith he that
holdeth the seven stars in his right hand, who walketh in the midst of the seven golden
candlesticks;

2I know thy works, and thy labour, and thy patience, and how thou canst not bear them
which are evil: and thou hast tried them which say they are apostles, and are not, and
hast found them liars:

works (defined):
1. toil
2. deed
3. doing
4. labor

and...

:4: Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love.

Nevertheless (defined):

1. yet
2. notwithstanding
3. one thing yet is above all

left (defined):

1. forsake
2. lay aside
3. leave
4. let alone
5. omit

Some thoughts that came to Brother Mastin as the message was coming:

A. not wanting to do as quick or as fully and completely.
B. not going out of the way to do.
C. putting off to do some other time
D. not as happy to get to do
E. not finding the greatest satisfaction to do God's Will.

5Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works;
or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place,
except thou repent.

     Additional thoughts:

Be mindful of the height from which you have fallen. Do the works you did
previously when first you knew the Lord.

And...

vs.6: But this thou hast, that thou hatest the deeds of the Nicolaitanes, which I also hate.
Nicholaitanes: Followers of Nicholas, a heretic who taught and preached impure
and immoral doctrines, such as community of wives, and the community adultery and
fornication was not sinful and that eating mean sacrificed to idols was lawful.