Sabbath: Revelation and Inspiration
Daily Lesson for Sabbath 24th of October 2026
Image © Pacific Press
Read for This Week’s Study
Hebrews 1:1-2; 2 Timothy 3:15-17; 2 Peter 1:18-21; Exodus 17:14; Revelation 1:19; Ezekiel 4:1-8.
Memory Text:
“The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave Him to show His servants—things which must shortly take place. And He sent and signified it by His angel to His servant John, who bore witness to the word of God, and to the testimony of Jesus Christ, to all things he saw” (Revelation 1:1-2, NKJV).
The apostle John had been part of the inner circle of the Twelve Apostles (Luke 8:51; Matthew 17:1; Matthew 26:36-37). After Christ’s ascension, he continued his ministry, in Jerusalem. Yet, before the fall of the city (a.d. 70), he moved to Ephesus in order to oversee churches in the Roman province of Asia Minor. During the Christian persecution under the Roman emperor Domitian, the apostle was exiled to Patmos, an island in the Aegean Sea.
On Patmos, John received special prophetic messages that were addressed not only to the seven churches of Asia Minor but also to Christians throughout the ages (Revelation 1:1-3,9-11). The prophetic message delivery chain, of which John was a part, looked something like this: God the Father, to Jesus Christ, to the angel, to the apostle John, and to the readers and hearers. This is a classic example of the revelation-inspiration process in which God uses prophets to communicate His messages to humanity.
This week’s lesson specifically examines the multiform revelation-inspiration process, with special focus on the oral, written, and dramatized ways the divine message has been communicated to human beings.
I think that it is good to take a look into the ways that the prophetic gift is both enabled by God and exercised by mankind. There is always something more to be learned. The Bible is an endless mine of wisdom and treasures.
Happy Sabbath everyone!
God alone is all knowing. He knows the future. He holds the future. He alone is all wise. In His wisdom, He decides to disclose and make known (reveal) what is unknown and hidden from mankind. There is so much about God’s truth that is concealed from us as human beings. God may reveal His truth to us through visions, dreams, prophetic messages or other means.
Why does God conceal some of His truth and reveal it at some later time?
God alone is all wise and sovereign, He reveals His truth according to His wisdom, purpose, and timing. What was once hidden may later become clear when the time is right.
“The secret things belong to the LORD our God, but those things which are revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may do all the words of this law.” (Deuteronomy 29:29, NKJV)
God’s timing is the best time. God has always His own time to accomplish His purposes. Therefore, He reveals things according to His timetable. For example, God had promised the coming of the Messiah, but nobody knew the time. However, when the right time came, the promised Messiah was born. “But when the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His Son…” (Galatians 4:4)
God reveals His plan of salvation progressively as some truth will be understood at certain time and may be too overwhelming to bear. Human beings do not have a capacity to process certain spiritual truths because they are not ready. They must be ready to receive certain revelations. “I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now.” (John 16:12, NKJV). Some truths require spiritual growth, experience, or further teaching before their significance becomes clear.
As we examine God’s revelations, we are being reminded how helpless human being are without God. Unless God intervene in our spiritual lives, we are absolute incompetent to save ourselves. Therefore, God in His own mercies intervenes to reveal the way to eternal life. The essence of biblical revelations is not simply about additional information about God, but a revelation of His love through His son to save mankind. This is the greatest revelation. If we have the gift of understanding all of God’s revelations, but if we have no personal relationship with Jesus Christ the Son of God, all will amount to nothing.
In a world where many think truth is relative, the Revelation of Christ through John makes it clear that the truth matters and that not everything people believe or teach is true. The truth is that Christ calls His followers to exercise discernment and remain faithful to His Word (John 17:17). The messages to the seven churches in Revelation 2–3 repeatedly remind us that Jesus knows the condition of His people. Each letter begins with the assurance that He knows their works, struggles, and circumstances. This brings great comfort to every believer: when our service goes unnoticed, when challenges overwhelm us, or when we feel discouraged, Christ sees and understands. Revelation 2:2 declares, “I know thy works,” reminding us that nothing done faithfully for the Lord escapes His attention.
The Inspiration and Revelation call us to trust Christ rather than allow difficulties to weaken our faith. Jesus knows both the obstacles His church faces and the spiritual needs of every believer. Even when circumstances appear discouraging, He calls us to remain faithful, overcome trials, and hold firmly to His truth (Revelation 2:10; 3:11–12). This assurance connects with Philippians 4:19, which promises that God will supply our needs according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus. Therefore, instead of dwelling on discouragement, we can draw courage from the knowledge that our risen saviour is present, understands our circumstances, and provides what we need. Jesus knows us, His truth guides us, and His promises sustain us as we overcome.
God has always had messengers who were willing to take the weight of the responsibility of being His witnesses. Are we willing to bear that too?