Read Revelation 1:1-3
During my trip to Arizona, I was able to get to know our student and children’s ministry intern a little better. One of the things that I learned about Swiggett is that she doesn’t like it when people use the phrase, “Let me bless you so that you don’t rob me of my blessing.” She feels that reasoning defiles the motive behind the supposed act of kindness. In other words, people want to bless not simply to be obedient to God’s direction but so that they too can experience a blessing. Of course, Pastor Eric took every opportunity he could to aggravate, I mean bless Swiggett, during our trip to the Navajo Reservation. On a serious note, we all agreed that we could be a little more humble and accept people’s efforts to bless us on their first attempt. By accepting their act of kindness on their first attempt, they wouldn’t have to try and persuade us with Swiggett’s most dreaded phrase. Even though we had a little fun over the way we all sometimes try and convince people to allow us to bless them, the Bible has much to say about how much God has already blessed us (Ephesians 1:3-14). Yet Revelation 1:3 tells us that God promises a blessing to everyone who reads the book, listens to its message, and obeys what it says.
The book of Revelation is also sometimes referred to as the “Blessing Book” because it is the only book of the Bible that contains such special and unique promises about itself. There are many blessings scattered throughout the book of Revelation. Still, the one found in 1:3 is the most comprehensive and one that anyone reading can enjoy! The benefit is threefold.
The one who reads
This phrase describes an early church gathering. Early on, it was common for each Christian assembly to have only one copy of the Scriptures because materials were both expensive and hard to come by. The usual practice was for one person to read the Scriptures out loud for all to hear (1 Timothy 4:13). Today this blessing applies to everyone who is able to read this fantastic ending of God’s story of rescue!
All who listen
Those who just don’t hear and read the book of Revelation but actually accept its message as truth will find peace and confidence during the troubling times in which we live.
All who obey
A few books before Revelation, James reminds us to be doers of the Bible and not simply hearers only. John says that we must obey what God reveals to us in the book of Revelation. As we read and study, the Spirit should help us become more like Jesus and fall more in love with him as we seek to obey the message contained in its pages. According to the last part of verse three, we should also diligently look for the end times’ signs.
According to Blogos, the ancient Greek word for “blessed” is makarios. Initially, makarios was used to describe those who lived in another world, a world far from the problems and worries of others. Those who were “blessed” seemed to be free from earthly cares and struggles.
If we read, listen to, and obey God’s message in Revelation and become mature in our understanding of the end times, the above description of “blessed” can be our constant state of being.
The second reason that we study prophecy is that God wants to bless you through the truth it contains.
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