Revival must begin and be fueled by "revelation".
No matter how you read the book of Revelation, the fact remains that Jesus wants us to learn from it and do what is written there. That is, for today, we must derive from the passages a current and relevant message of life changing and life determining direction and action for the faithful. So, to begin this critical last days message in the Book of Revelation, Jesus wants to make clear to us today in Revelation 1 who is speaking and to give the most accurate and instructive description of Himself that He wants the church to have in mind and heart of Himself as He speaks, instructs, admonishes, warns and rebukes Her during critical life and death times :
Revelation 1:
I was in the Spirit on the Lord’s day, and I heard a loud voice behind me like a trumpet saying,"Write on a scroll what you see and send it to the seven churches: Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia, and Laodicea.”
Then I turned to see whose voice it was that spoke to me. When I turned I saw seven golden lampstands, and among the lampstands was one like the Son of Man, dressed in a robe and with a golden sash wrapped around his chest. The hair of his head was white as wool ”‹”” ”‹white as snow ”‹”” ”‹and his eyes like a fiery flame. His feet were like fine bronze as it is fired in a furnace, and his voice like the sound of cascading waters. 16 He had seven stars in his right hand; a sharp double-edged sword came from his mouth, and his face was shining like the sun at full strength -- Revelation 1:10-16 (CSB)
Whether literal or symbolic, the "awful", fearful and overwhelming picture and sound of Jesus is clear and that picture is meant to make clear the seriousness and critical importance He places towards His people actually hearing and doing what He says. In the vernacular, He isn't fooling around. He is life and death serious and so He describes His speech to be like the sound of a deafening trumpet and the roar of many cascading waters and means to have people listen and do.
This is why it seems strange, at least it seems so to me, that many people approach the message(s) of Revelation with an academic or even with a microscopic and "long away" prophetic dissecting attitude aimed at knowledge of the signs rather than wisdom unto life.
The issues of life and death for God's people are obviously and especially broadcast by Jesus in Revelation in the letters to the churches. The issues raised in these letters are constants in the life of the church over the generations with pendulum swings of one church message having more relevance to a church than another depending on extant conditions.
But, one thing seems abundantly clear. That is, as the church faces greater challenges, the need to get her spiritual condition right is so critical to her ability to "survive" and even overcome the flesh, the world and the evil one. These same issues are hindrances to "life" in the churches in relatively peaceful times but they are especially life threatening issues in dark and evil times.
Given this, it would seem that our hearts should be ever focused on these life fostering and life threatening issues.
What are those life issues and huge concerns to Jesus or threats to His people and Bride ?
I suggest the list is relatively short and Biblically consistent in all of Scripture but especially so in the NT and thus in Revelation.
1. Sexual Immorality
2. Covetousness and Idols of the heart
3. Lack of passion and zeal for Christ and His people.
4. Enduring and persevering faith in Jesus and love for the
Brethern and the testing thereof.
5. Hearts divided between a love for and an improvement of
life in the present world and a longing and frustration
for the Kingdom of God and the New Jerusalem to come.
6. False prophets.
7. An ingathering of the Jewish remnant.
7. The coming and praiseworthy righteous judgements of God.
8. Great attacks and persecution from the evil one and those
he controls and a call to overcome.
I post all this not so that the people who know these "things" or truths can say we already know that. I say these things because we as the hopefully more mature should be championing and constantly refraining these things (and any others that you think I've left out) for the immature or wayward, especially during dark times. I'm not suggesting that other things in the NT aren't important or even critical, but this list most definitely covers a lot of NT and OT ground. I guess I view this post as a repeat of a call of Jesus to the mature to help the immature or wayward get right.
I'm pretty confident that I'm not saying anything more from a spiritual principle and application standpoint than what is written in Revelation. I'm just prayerful I haven't said less and would appreciate correction. Again, this list isn't meant to be exhaustive of everything important to Jesus but rather a mere repetition of what He said in Revelation in terms of what to do.
We speak of a need to focus on a revival, a next great awakening, fuller displays of signs and wonders, a reformation of society and a hoped for coming of an unprecedented ingathering. These are magnificent things to speak of, pray for and give God no rest unto. Yet, the trumpet of Jesus' voice to His Bride is worthy of mention at least....... so Jesus would say or shout out ?
I think this is why we need to be careful to see and speak of Jesus' and His Bride in these last days as Jesus describes Himself and His Bride and speaks to Her greatest needs and His concerns for Her and expectations and demands of Her. Perhaps, a boy or old man who cries "Lion" and "wolf" is tiresome, pessimistic, in error, sounds uncharitable or even unwelcome. There is a reason though that Revelation is the last recorded and last included voice of Jesus to His church which should be treated as Holy and inerrant and a comprehensive (not exhaustive) reflection of His heart and "will to do" for Her in the last days.