Day 25

“Therefore write the things which you have seen, and the things which are, and the things which will take place after these things.” Rev 1:19 NASB

In verse 11 John was told to “Write what you see in a book and send it to the seven churches.” The word for “see” in that verse is a present tense, indicating that John was already in vision and that the vision would continue for a time. In verse 19, on the other hand, John is told to “Write what you have seen.” The word for seeing is no longer in the present tense; it is now in the past tense. This suggests that John received the whole vision between verse 10, when he went into the spirit “on the day of the Lord,” and verse 18 when he finished the narrative of his encounter with Jesus. By verse 19 the vision was over, it was time for the writing to begin.

According to verse 19, the content of Revelation fits into two categories; the things which are and the things which must happen after these things. In Rev 4:1 the language of 1:19 is repeated. “Come up here and I will show you the things which must happen after these things.” Verse 19, then, seems to be a structuring device for the rest of the book. The first part of the vision involves the “things which are,” the messages to the seven churches (Revelation 2 and 3). The rest of the vision focuses primarily on events that are future from John’s perspective. But what good is it to the churches to learn about events beyond their day?

God tells us about the future so that we can get where we are going today. Each day is a piece of our itinerary toward God’s purpose. With an eye on His Word we can find our way through the maze of life.