Biblical Influence & Life Application: Revelation, 1.3 ~ The Revelation Blesses the Man Who Reads, Hears, and Obeys the Message (v.3).[1]

Blessed Is He That Readeth, and They That Hear the Words of This Prophecy and Keep Those Things Which Are Written Therein: For the Time Is at Hand (Revelation, 1:3).

"If Ye Know These Things, Happy Are Ye If Ye Do Them" (John 13:17 NKJV).

Chapter 1
I. The Great Revelation to God’s Servants, 1:1–8
A. The Great Revelation, 1:1–3
1. The Revelation was given by Christ Himself 2. The Revelation concerns things that must soon take place 3. The Revelation was given to John	1 The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave unto him, to show unto his servants things which must shortly come to pass; and he sent and signified it by his angel unto his servant John:
a. It was given by an angel b. It was accurately reported by John	2 Who bare record of the word of God, and of the testimony of Jesus Christ, and of all things that he saw.
4. The Revelation blesses the man who reads, hears, & obeys the message	3 Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written therein: for the time is at hand.^{^[2]}

The Promise in the Preface (Revelation1:3)

“Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written therein; for the time is at hand” (Revelation1:3). This is the promised blessing in the preface.

• The prerequisites in the promise. Several conditions are stated to be among those who will obtain the promised blessing. First, the attentiveness to the book. “Readeth … hear the words of this prophecy.” Reading and hearing shows attentiveness and interest in the book. To such will be the blessings of the book. Reading and hearing the Word of God brings blessings. Second, the acquiescing to the book. “Keep those things which are written therein.” This book should affect one’s conduct in the matter of holy living. Obedience to the Lord always brings blessing and is a key to learning spiritually.

• The promptness in the promise. “The time is at hand.” The imminency of the events urges believers to get in the book promptly in study so they will be adequately prepared for the soon-coming events. To be adequately prepared for these events is one of the important keys to blessing. Delinquency will miss many Divine blessings.^{^[3]}

4 (1:3) Revelation, The—Word of God:

The Revelation Blesses the Person Who Reads, Hears, and Obeys the Message.

In the early church, there were, of course, no printing presses to run off copy after copy of John’s letter. There was only the original copy written by him and perhaps a few other copies that had been copied by hand to be passed among the people. Therefore, the reading spoken of in this verse refers to the letter being read before the whole church or before special groups within the church. But note a critical point: reading is not enough. Believers must …

· Read

· Hear the words of this prophecy

· Keep those things which are written

It is never enough to just read and hear the Word of God. We must always do what God says, keep His commandments. This is especially true when it comes to Revelation. Why? Note the last statement made in verse 3: because “the time is at hand.” The events are near, very near. Jesus Christ is returning to earth very soon. The events of the end time are about to happen. They are at hand, right over the horizon. Therefore, we must read, hear, and heed the things written in Revelation. We must be looking and preparing for the coming of Christ and for the events that point toward the end of the world. The believer who does what Revelation says shall be blessed ever so richly by God.

V “Verily, verily, I say unto you, If a man keep my saying, he shall never see death” (Jn. 8:51).

V “Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him” (Jn. 14:23).

V “Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world; looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ” (Tit. 2:12–13).

V “But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which, the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up. Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness, looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat? Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness” (2 Pe. 3:10–13).

Thought 1. No genuine believer has the right to ignore or neglect Revelation. Everything said in this opening statement declares the importance of the Revelation. Revelation is not only to be read and heard; it is to be heeded. This means that the message can be understood by true believers.

Thought 2. There Are Seven Blesseds or Beatitudes in Revelation.

I. The Blessing or Beatitude of Obedience.

V “Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written therein: for the time is at hand” (Re. 1:3).

II. The Blessing or Beatitude of Eternal Life.

V “And I heard a voice from heaven saying unto me, Write, Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord from henceforth: Yea, saith the Spirit, that they may rest from their labours; and their works do follow them” (Re. 14:13).

III. The Blessing or Beatitude of Watchfulness and Purity, of Watching for The Lord’s Return and Living a Pure Life.

V “Behold, I come as a thief. Blessed is he that watcheth, and keepeth his garments, lest he walk naked, and they see his shame” (Re. 16:15).

IV. The Blessing or Beatitude of Heaven, of Being Called to The Marriage Supper of The Lamb.

V “And he saith unto me, Write, Blessed are they which are called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb. And he saith unto me, These are the true sayings of God” (Re. 19:9).

V. The Blessing or Beatitude of The Resurrection, of Being Raised From The Dead, of Conquering Death, and Living Eternally with Christ.

V “Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years” (Re. 20:6).

VI. The Blessing or Beatitude of Obedience, of Heeding the Sayings of Revelation.

V “Behold, I come quickly: blessed is he that keepeth the sayings of the prophecy of this book” (Re. 22:7).

VII. The Blessing or Beatitude of Obedience, of Keeping All of God’s Commandments.

V “Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city” (Re. 22:14).

Note The Critical Importance of Obedience. Three of the seven blessings have to do with obeying God, with keeping His commandments—just doing what He says. Obedience cannot be overstressed. We must do what God says to do in the book of Revelation.

Thought 3. Note that the book of Revelation begins with a promised blessing (Re. 1:3) and closes with a promised blessing (Re. 22:7).^{^[4]}

“Blessed Is the One Who Reads Aloud the Words of the Prophecy and Blessed Are Those Who Hear and Who Keep What Is Written In It; For The Time Is Near.”^NRSV

“Blessed” means “God blesses those who” or “God’s blessing is upon.” This promise sets John’s writing apart from other Jewish apocalyptic literature and points out that these words were inspired by God. This is the first of seven beatitudes in Revelation (see also 14:13; 16:15; 19:9; 20:6; 22:7, 14).

Who is blessed? The one who reads aloud the words of the prophecy. The public reading of Scripture was common in Jewish heritage (see, for example, Nehemiah 8:2–3; Luke 4:16; Acts 13:15). Christians also read Scripture aloud in public because copies of the Gospels and the letters of the apostles were not available to every believer. Someone—usually a scribe or someone trained in writing and reading texts—would be chosen to read aloud portions of the text. Later, the office of “reader” became a position in the church.

Scripture reading was an important event. In addition to the reader, blessed also are those who hear and who keep what is written. This echoes Jesus’ words in Luke 11:28: “Blessed are those who hear the word of God and keep it” (NKJV). “Hear” and “keep” are important terms and major themes of the book. Used together, they mean “to persevere in faithful obedience.” The blessed ones are those who come to church to hear God’s Word and then keep (obey) it so that it changes their lives (Ephesians 4:13).

Revelation is a book of prophecy that is both prediction (foretelling future events) and proclamation (preaching about who God is and what he will do). Prophecy is more than telling the future. Behind the predictions are important principles about God’s character and promises. These words will bless the hearers because through them they can get to know God better and be able to trust him more completely. The words are more than just predictions of the future; they include moral instruction that the listeners were to “hear” and “keep.”

The phrase “the time is near” is like the phrase “what must soon take place” in 1:1 and refers to imminence. Believers must be ready for Christ’s second coming. The Last Judgment and the establishment of God’s kingdom are certainly near. No one knows when these events will occur, so all believers must be prepared. They will happen quickly, with no second chance to change minds or sides.

INSPIRING WORDS

The typical news reports—filled with violence, scandal, and political haggling—are depressing, and we may wonder where the world is heading. God’s plan for the future, however, provides inspiration and encouragement because we know he will intervene in history to conquer evil. John encourages churches to read this book aloud so everyone can hear it, apply it (“keep what is written in it”), and be assured of the fact that God will triumph.^{^[5]}

BLESSINGS PROMISED FOR READING, KEEPING, AND OBEYING THE WORD^{^[6]}

V “Deal bountifully with Your servant, That I may live and keep Your word” (Psalm 119:17).^{^[7]}

V “You are my portion, O Lord; I have said that I would keep Your words” (Psalm 119:57).^{^[8]}

V “So, they kept this word to themselves, questioning what the rising from the dead meant” (Mark 9:10).^{^[9]}

V “And all those who heard them kept them in their hearts, saying, “What kind of child will this be?” And the hand of the Lord was with him” (Luke 1:66).^{^[10]}

V “Then He went down with them and came to Nazareth, and was subject to them, but His mother kept all these things in her heart” (Luke 2:51).^{^[11]}

V “But the ones that fell on the good ground are those who, having heard the word with a noble and good heart, keep it and bear fruit with patience” (Luke 8:15).^{^[12]}

V “And they remembered His words” (Luke 24:8).^{^[13]}

V “Most assuredly, I say to you, if anyone keeps My word, he shall never see death” (John 8:51).^{^[14]}

V “If you love Me, keep My commandments. And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever” (John 14:15-16).^{^[15]}

V “Jesus answered and said to him, “If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home with him” (John 14:23).^{^[16]}

V “Remember the word that I said to you, ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you. If they kept My word, they will keep yours also” (John 15:20).^{^[17]}

V “I have manifested Your name to the men whom You have given Me out of the world. They were Yours, You gave them to Me, and they have kept Your word” (John 17:6).^{^[18]}

V “That you may be mindful of the words which were spoken before by the holy prophets, and of the commandment of us, the apostles of the Lord and Savior” (2 Peter 3:2).^{^[19]}

V “Now by this, we know that we know Him, if we keep His commandments” (1 John 2:3).^{^[20]}

V “But whoever keeps His word, truly the love of God is perfected in him. By this we know that we are in Him” (1 John 2:5).^{^[21]}

V “Blessed is he who reads and those who hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written in it; for the time is near” (Revelation 1:3).^{^[22]}

V “I know your works. See, I have set before you an open door, and no one can shut it; for you have a little strength, have kept My word, and have not denied My name” (Revelation 3:8).^{^[23]}

V “Because you have kept My command to persevere, I also will keep you from the hour of trial which shall come upon the whole world, to test those who dwell on the earth” (Revelation 3:10).^{^[24]}

THE USE TO BE MADE OF THIS REVELATION

Reading, Hearing, Doing

1. It was to be read in the Churches. “He that readeth,” equivalent to “he that reads it in the assemblies of the saints.” The Word of God is not to be hid in a corner, but publicly read. It is not the preserve of the few, but the charter for the many.

2. The people are to hear. God’s truth was to be set before men through the ear. The doctrine that it is more effective when set before the eye, finds in such a passage as this no support.

3. The hearers must keep the things written therein.

Note: If the book is so obscure that no one can understand it, it is hard to say how men can keep the things that are herein written. The blessing pronounced on those who do keep them implies that they are sufficiently plain for that purpose. How, then, are we to “keep” these things?

(1) Seize the principles of the book and abide by them.

(2) Study its prophecies and wait for them.

(3) Learn its promises and lean on them.

(4) Ponder its precepts and obey them. "If Ye Know These Things, Happy Are Ye If Ye Do Them" (John 13:17 NKJV).^{^[25]}

Revelation, 1.3 ~ The Revelation Blesses the Man Who Reads, Hears, and Obeys the Message (v.3).[1]

^{^[1]} Leadership Ministries Worldwide. 1996. Revelation. The Preacher’s Outline & Sermon Bible. Chattanooga, TN: Leadership Ministries Worldwide.

^{^[2]} Leadership Ministries Worldwide. 1996. Revelation. The Preacher’s Outline & Sermon Bible. Chattanooga, TN: Leadership Ministries Worldwide.

^{^[3]} Butler, John G. 2010. Analytical Bible Expositor: Revelation. Clinton, IA: LBC Publications.

^{^[4]} Leadership Ministries Worldwide. 1996. Revelation. The Preacher’s Outline & Sermon Bible. Chattanooga, TN: Leadership Ministries Worldwide.

^NRSV Scripture quotations marked NRSV are taken from the New Revised Standard Version of the Bible, copyrighted, 1989 by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America, and are used by permission. All rights reserved.

^{^[5]} Barton, Bruce B. 2000. Revelation. Edited by Grant R. Osborne. Life Application Bible Commentary. Wheaton, IL: Tyndale House Publishers.

^{^[6]} Thompson, Frank Charles, and John Stephen Jauchen, eds. 1997. Thompson Chain Marginal Notes. Updated and Expanded. The Thompson Chain-Reference Bible. Indianapolis, IN: B.B. Kirkbride Bible Co., Inc.

^{^[7]} The New King James Version. 1982. Nashville: Thomas Nelson.

^{^[8]} The New King James Version. 1982. Nashville: Thomas Nelson.

^{^[9]} The New King James Version. 1982. Nashville: Thomas Nelson.

^{^[10]} The New King James Version. 1982. Nashville: Thomas Nelson.

^{^[11]} The New King James Version. 1982. Nashville: Thomas Nelson.

^{^[12]} The New King James Version. 1982. Nashville: Thomas Nelson.

^{^[13]} The New King James Version. 1982. Nashville: Thomas Nelson.

^{^[14]} The New King James Version. 1982. Nashville: Thomas Nelson.

^{^[15]} The New King James Version. 1982. Nashville: Thomas Nelson.

^{^[16]} The New King James Version. 1982. Nashville: Thomas Nelson.

^{^[17]} The New King James Version. 1982. Nashville: Thomas Nelson.

^{^[18]} The New King James Version. 1982. Nashville: Thomas Nelson.