Is the book a revelation of or about the person of Jesus (objective genitive) or is it a revelation from Jesus (subjective genitive)? It is accurate to see that as one “reads the prophecy of this book and is blessed upon reading, hearing, and keeping it,”(Rev. 1:3), it is a prophetic revelation and thus, can be viewed as a subjective genitive (Romans 16:25-26, Gal. 1:12, 2 Cor. 12:1, ). However, we believe this text together with the use of the phrase elsewhere will show that the theme of the book is a revelation about Jesus that remained to be revealed about Him after His ascension. To whatever this revelation points, it is clear that this revelation concerns the “things that must shortly come to pass” (Rev. 1:1). If John is talking about the content of information that is “read, heard, and kept”, it is no longer a mystery once it is read. But, the text tells us that this revelation was shown in visions about things/events that will occur. Once they are fulfilled, it reveals something about Jesus Christ that had not been seen previously.
John introduced him on earth as the “lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world” (John 1:29). This revelation of Jesus Christ that John sees, however, unveils something about Him that was not revealed during His earthly ministry. The first chapter describes His awesome and powerful presence and He is declared to be the Lion of the tribe of Judah (Rev. 5:5). His earthly stay declared him as the lowly and humble son of man. John declares him as the “holy King that God has set upon His holy hill of Zion” (Psalms 2:6) and will “rule with a rod of iron” (Ps. 2:8-9). Matthew 12:20 differentiates his earthly presence from His heavenly position. It reads, “A bruised reed shall he not break, And smoking flax shall he not quench, till he sends forth judgment unto victory. This verse admits a change that will take place when He sends forth judgment unto victory. The Lion will be unleashed “on the great and terrible day of the Lord” (cf. Joel 2:31; Mal.4:5; 2 Thess. 2:2, 2 Pet. 3:10) upon that generation. This is not describing a 24 hour period.
While on earth, he came not to condemn the world, but to save it. Now, John sees Him as the judge of the world. It is a day of reckoning and vengeance. Consequently, the Revelation of Jesus is associated with the Day of the Lord. Jesus spoke of the destruction of Jerusalem as “the day that the Son of man is revealed” (Lk. 17:30,31; Matt. 24:17, 34). Other passages show the same connection (1 Cor. 1:7,8; 2 Thess. 1:7; 2:2; 1Pet.1:7, 13; 2 Pet. 3:10). Jesus speaks of that day (Matt. 10:34-39; Lk. 12:49-53). John 14:1-3 and 16:16-23 tell us that Jesus was going away, but will return for them and Paul confirms this in 1 Corinthians 15 and 1 Thessalonians 4 that some will not die but remain here when he returns. They would be changed and caught up to be with the Lord.
The context of the following passages compares this phrase, “revelation of Jesus Christ” in Revelation 1:1 as the day the son of man is revealed (Luke 17:30-31).
1. 1 Peter 1:7 “so that the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.”
2. 1 Peter 1:13 “Therefore, preparing your minds for action, and being sober-minded, set your hope fully on the grace that will be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ.”
3. 1 Cor. 1:6-8 “…even as the testimony of Christ was confirmed in you: so that ye come behind in no gift; waiting for the revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ; who shall also confirm you unto the end, that ye be unreproveable in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ.”
4. Rom. 2:5 5 “…but after thy hardness and impenitent heart treasurest up for thyself wrath in the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God.”
5. 2 Thes.1:7 “…and to you that are afflicted rest with us, at the revelation of the Lord Jesus from heaven with the angels of his power in flaming fire,”
6. 1 Peter 4:13 “…but insomuch as ye are partakers of Christ’s sufferings, rejoice; that at the revelation of his glory also ye may rejoice with exceeding joy.”
When you combine this with the fact with the content of the vision of John, we have a strong case that the revelation is concerning him at his coming (Greek, ‘parousia’). It was the only coming that they anticipated as it was to take place, “soon”, “shortly” and in that generation. Luke 17:24-37 reads, “For as the lightning flashes and lights up the sky from one side to the other, so will the Son of Man be in his day. But first, he must suffer many things and be rejected by this generation. Just as it was in the days of Noah, so will it be in the days of the Son of Man. They were eating and drinking and marrying and being given in marriage, until the day when Noah entered the ark, and the flood came and destroyed them all. Likewise, just as it was in the days of Lot—they were eating and drinking, buying and selling, planting and building, but on the day when Lot went out from Sodom, fire and sulfur rained from heaven and destroyed them all— so will it be on the day when the Son of Man is revealed. On that day, let the one who is on the housetop, with his goods in the house, not come down to take them away, and likewise let the one who is in the field not turn back. Remember Lot’s wife. Whoever seeks to preserve his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life will keep it. I tell you, in that night there will be two in one bed. One will be taken and the other left. There will be two women grinding together. One will be taken and the other left.” And they said to him, “Where, Lord?” He said to them, “Where the corpse is, there the vultures will gather.”