Reading, Hearing, and Keeping

Twenty years ago, my second son was admitted to the hospital for a medical emergency.  And I sat beside him and read the book of Revelation aloud in one sitting, knowing it is one book that promises a blessing to the reader!  It does not stop there.  Rev 1:3 says, "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."  Besides reading or hearing, we must also keep the things written there.  By doing all of these things, we receive the promised blessings!  Though the book of Revelation is rich with imagery and symbols that are not easy for us to understand, the message of Revelation is the same as that of all scripture,   Jesus is coming back victorious, and He will reward those who have overcome sin, self, and the world.  There will be a permanent victory of good over evil and of the Saints over their persecutors.  This message gives us hope and helps us to hold on to our faith, even to the point of death, even in the face of persecution.  

These seven letters were written to seven churches in Asia Minor, and they have a call, "He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches."  And so they are written for us too.  If we understand the Book of Revelation, it should change the way we live.  We have to ask ourselves some questions and honestly answer them.  Have we forsaken our first love, our first commitment?  Are we following Pastors and Preachers instead of the God of the Bible?  Are we living a life of compromise to get ahead or to get rich?  Have we become lukewarm Christians?  Today we are called to repent and return to the Lord because His coming is very near.  Do not read the book of Revelation comparing with the world events trying to find out who could be the Antichrist, that woman Jezebel, or where the seat of Satan could be.  That is not important.  What is important is that Jesus would find us worthy when He comes back so that our names will not be blotted out from the Book of Life!  (Rev 3:5).

My friend, let us ask God to give us ears to hear and hearts to obey what the Spirit is saying to the churches.  May God help us and teach us so we might always live in the light of His Word.

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