The Lord’s Revelation to His apostle John is translated into plain English.

But can the untrained disciple really understand the allegorical references to the events preceding Jesus Christ’s return? Should he try to read it without some level of qualified assistance?

Maybe that shouldn’t be his goal.

Many would readily surrender this task to the professional scholar or clergyman, suggesting that the art of reading between the lines requires certain resources connected to formal instruction. As a result, the escatalogical flowcharts abound. We can pick and choose.

But, while the metaphors are certainly relevant to Biblical prophesy, they’re clearly secondary to the theme of the first three chapters of the book known as ΑΠΟΚΑΛΥΨΙΣ ⸀ΙΩΑΝΝΟΥ, or Revelation of John.

By focusing on the introduction, I can discover two important reasons about why it was written:

“The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave Him to show to His bond-servants [δοῦλος: a slave, bond servant], the things which must soon take place. And He sent and communicated it by His angel to His bond-servant John, who testified to the word of God and to the testimony of Jesus Christ, even to all that he saw. Blessed is the one reading and those who are hearing the words of the prophecy, and heeding the things which are written in it, for the time is near.” [Rev. 1:1-3] [my emphasis]

If indeed I consider myself to be a bond-servant of Jesus Christ, and I’m reading, hearing and heeding the words of Biblical prophecy, I could eventually determine how to apply these verbs to John’s visions of multi-headed dragons, seals and bowls.

On the other hand, I could discover that the first three chapters of the Revelation of John are explicitly prophetic as the Biblical definition of prophecy goes—that is, that it’s not always about predicting the future. And, if I chose to re-read them, I’d also realize that they’re remarkably straightforward and coherent. I wouldn’t need study guides, commentaries or puzzling diagrams to understand them.

[προφητεία: (prô-fā-tāy’-ah) prophesy, preaching the message of God, the gift of preaching the message of God, an inspired message or utterance, intelligible preaching; sometimes proclaiming the future as a warning to preparedness and continued obedience]

Embedded in each passage of prophesy spoken to the seven churches in these first three chapters is the assurance of future rewards and honor in Christ’s presence for “overcoming,” or being a“victor” over the power of sin in this age.

[νικάω: (nǐ-kâh’-ōh) to conquer, overcome; win the verdict]

For example: “He who is overcoming, I will grant to him to sit down with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne.” [Rev. 3:21 ]

Not only that, each instance was followed with a common charge, expressed in the Greek Imperative Mood, making it a statement of force rather than a suggestion:

“The one having an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.” [Rev. 3:22]

One dog in me wants to dwell on the mystery of prophetical visions.

The other one just wants to eat what’s set before him.