Revelation 1:2“Blessed is he who reads aloud the words of this prophecy, and blessed are those who hear, and who keep what is written therein; for the time is near, (RSV).

Hebrew Writing

The blessing to “he who reads aloud the words of this prophecy” further indicates that it originated in written form rather than the oral form often used by the other prophets. Since John was in exile it was necessary that he address his audience in writing. Since their native tongue was Hebrew/Aramaic, the letter was probably written in Hebrew. Why would he, being a Jew and writing to Jews, not write in Hebrew? Furthermore, it was at that time thought that all true prophecy must be written in Hebrew.

What is the special blessing for those who read, hear and keep the words of this prophecy?

This blessing is related to the fact that “the [appointed] time, (kairos), is near.” If we take “the appointed time” to mean the time foretold by Daniel and confirmed by Christ of the judgments of God upon Jerusalem, then we can see that the special blessing is that those who heed this prophecy will be delivered from the “wrath to come,” and will escape the judgments coming upon Jerusalem.

The Oracle

Eusebius tells us that there was an “oracle given by revelation to acceptable persons,” that ordered the Christians to leave the city, just before the Roman siege. This oracle was circulated in Jerusalem at the time of the Roman invasion (Eusebius 3.5.4). What was that “oracle ” that was so influential as to cause the entire local church to emigrate? I believe that “oracle given by revelation” is, or is contained in, the Book of Revelation which we now have as the final book of our Bibles. The word “revelation” or apokalupsis may also be translated “oracle.”

Eusebius says that the war began in the twelfth year of Nero, which Williamson notes was 66 AD,* and that the Christian exodus was “before the war began.” He no doubt means the Roman war against Jerusalem to put down the Jewish rebellion against Rome that had been going on for some time. The historians Kee, Young, Froelich, says: “Presumably it was just before the siege began that the Christians decided to flee to a place of safety.” The time of the flight, therefore, may have been at some point “before the siege,” which began in April 70 AD. Other indications are that it may have been in the summer of 68 AD.* (See also my Commentary at 18:4 “Flight to Pella.“)

How Did The Christians Escape?

Other accounts show that after the city was under siege and Titus offered their life to anyone who would voluntarily come out to him, the warring factions of Jews inside the city stood guard at the gates and did not allow anyone to pass out to Titus. Some they robbed and some they ripped open in order to obtain any gold pieces they might have swallowed in their effort to get it out of the city. It thus became impossible to leave the city.

However, the account goes, this band of Christian Jews “were found” in another place across the desert from Judea. This may have involved a bodily translation as in Acts 8:40: “…but Philip was found at Azotus,” which may indicate that he was bodily translated from one place to the other. This may well have been the signal fulfillment of the “catching away,” or “rapture” that points to the fact that it can, and has, happened whenever it becomes necessary for Christians to be so delivered.  Indeed, we have modern accounts of saints being bodily translated. It can happen when needed.

*The discrepancy between the dates 66 and 68 AD may be that one was using lunar years and the other solar years.