Neglected Emphases
The book of Revelation has the distinction of emphasizing a number of truths that are not as fully emphasized elsewhere in the New Testament. It is these neglected emphases which help to establish the tone of the book as a whole.
A. Revelation lays particular stress upon the truth of Divine judgment upon sin and upon those that rebel against God in this world. Donald Fraser mentions this emphasis.
It is a book of judgment brought forth to victory. The Lamb is the leader and commander of the faithful; and He makes war, and conquers. From the wrath of the Lamb kings and mighty men flee. The prince of the world is punished. Nations are judged. On the earth, the sea, the rivers and fountains of waters, the sun, the throne of the Beast, the great river Euphrates, is poured out the wrath of God. The “harlot,” sitting on many waters, is judged, and the blood of God’s servants avenged. At last the whole confederacy of evil is hurled down in one stern crash of ruin, and plunged into “the lake of fire.”[1]
This truth is emphasized more in Revelation than in perhaps any other New Testament book. The significance of this emphasis is that those who reject Jesus Christ as the redeeming Lamb will face the wrath of the same Lamb.
B. Revelation lays great stress upon the enthronement of the Lord Jesus Christ. From start to finish in this book Christ is revealed as the Lamb on the throne. It is as the enthroned Lamb that Jesus Christ will bring in the consummation of God’s worldwide redemptive purposes. Another writer has the following to say regarding the reign of Christ as it is revealed in the book of Revelation.
Christ’s present rule over the kings on earth (vs.5) is as hidden as is his martyr’s conquest. Yet it is nonetheless real. And in the one case as in the other, what is already reality in the eyes of God will be made manifest before the eyes of man. In words made famous by Handel’s Messiah, “the Lord God omnipotent reigneth” (19:6 KJV). His reign is exercised through his Christ, who, although crucified, dead, and buried, nevertheless now lives and rules. That God through Christ actually does reign, and that his reign will be made manifest to bring all men into subjection, whether for their weal or woe, may be said to be the basic theme of Revelation. Of course, this is either the hope or the assumption of almost every book in the New Testament. The uniqueness of Revelation, however, is that in one way or the other this theme is constantly in the foreground and is always presented in apocalyptic imagery.[2]
C. Revelation lays greater stress upon worship than any other book in the New Testament. Worship is mentioned at least twenty-four times in this book. It is only mentioned thirty-four times in all four of the Gospels together. The significance of this lies in the fact that the only proper response to the glorified Lamb is one of worship.
These, and many other neglected emphases help to give the climactic character to this wonderful book of Revelation.
[1] Fraser, p.324. [2] Robert A. Spivey & D. Moody Smith, Jr., Anatomy of the New Testament (New York: MacMillan Publishing Co., 1974), 475.