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Blessed is he who reads and those who hear the words of the prophecy, and heed the things which are written in it; for the time is near (Revelation 1:3, NASB1995).
When reading the Book of Revelation, most don’t notice Revelation 1:3 — unfortunate because of its message: Blessed is he who reads, hears, and heeds the words of this prophecy!
I believe God always keeps His promises. I’ve tried, but I can’t find another verse in the Bible that promises a blessing for reading a particular book. And to emphasize this point of blessing, the Apostle John doubles down on the promise when he writes at the end of the Book of Revelation…
Behold, I am coming quickly. Blessed is he who heeds the words of the prophecy of this book (Revelation 22:7).
The Greek word for “blessed”, used often in the New Testament, can also be translated “happy,” “fortunate,” and “fulfilled”. We find the most significant usage of the word “blessed” in the Sermon on the Mount when Jesus began each of His beatitudes with “blessed.”
Blessed are the poor in spirit, those who mourn, the gentle, those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, merciful, pure in heart, peacemakers, and those persecuted for righteousness (Matthew 5:3-11).
Obviously, the New Testament understanding of “blessed” doesn’t sync with a life of consumerism, impurity, selfish ambition, and vanity. Throughout the Book of Revelation, the Apostle John explains that those blessed in the end times by God (reading, hearing, and heeding the teachings of Revelation) will not be those entrapped by the world.
I’ve read the Book of Revelation at least once a year for 55 years, and below are some of the blessings that I’ve received…
Fear of the Lord
Yes, proper “fear” is a blessing. Like learning not to walk into traffic or stick your finger into a light socket as a child, the Book of Revelation teaches the righteousness of God, of which we should not trifle.
Loving God
An undercurrent of the Book of Revelation is God’s sustaining hand that works all things to our good — including the events of the end times. In a sense, “God has your back.” How can we not love a God who works all of history toward what will benefit us in eternity?
Understanding
The Book of Revelation becomes much easier to understand if we rebuke the lie of the evil one that we can’t know the meaning. We must embrace the book’s interactions between the physical and spiritual worlds, which, in often figurative language, reveal the meaning of current world events.
In the past few years, I’ve often thought, after hearing a news story, “That’s what the Book of Revelation meant!”
Hope
The Apostle Paul wrote, “But realize this, that in the last days difficult things will come.” In the next few years, the foundations of our tranquil lives will be shattered. The disturbances of 9/11, the 2008 financial crash, and COVID-19 are only glimpses of future turmoil.
I need, and you need, Book of Revelation-inspired hope.
Dr. David Reagon (one of my favorite authors on this book) writes that every time he begins to read the Book of Revelation, he prays, “Lord God, give me the full blessing from reading, hearing, and heeding the words of this book.”
Amen. Come, Lord Jesus!