Revelation 1:3

“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 begins with a blessing.

Before John describes the throne of God, the Lamb, the seals, the trumpets, the Antichrist, Babylon, Armageddon, the return of Jesus Christ, the Millennium, the final judgment, or the New Jerusalem, God gives His people a promise:

There is a blessing for the person who reads, hears, and keeps the words of this prophecy.

Notice the three actions:

READ.
HEAR.
KEEP.

These three words give us the foundation for this three-part series.

PART I — BLESSED IS HE WHO READS

Opening the Book That God Wants Opened

Revelation 1:3

“Blessed is he who reads…”

The Book of Revelation is perhaps one of the most neglected books of the Bible.

Some are afraid of it.

Some believe it is too difficult.

Some see the beasts, horns, seals, trumpets, plagues, and judgments and decide that Revelation is better left to scholars.

But God never told His Church to avoid Revelation.

God said:

“Blessed is he who reads.”

Revelation is not a book that God wants closed.

It is a book God wants opened.

1. GOD WANTS HIS PEOPLE TO KNOW WHAT IS COMING

Revelation 1:1 begins:

“The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave Him to show His servants—things which must shortly take place.”

The word revelation means an unveiling.

God is pulling back the curtain.

God is showing His servants that human history is not moving randomly.

There is a destination.

There is an appointed conclusion.

The kingdoms of this world will not continue forever.

Sin will not continue forever.

Death will not continue forever.

Satan will not continue deceiving the nations forever.

One day Jesus Christ will return.

Revelation 11:15 declares:

“The kingdoms of this world have become the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ, and He shall reign forever and ever!”

That is where history is going.

2. REVELATION IS FIRST AND FOREMOST ABOUT JESUS CHRIST

Revelation 1:1 does not call this merely the revelation of future events.

It says:

“The Revelation of Jesus Christ.”

If we read Revelation only looking for the Antichrist, we have missed the center of the book.

If we read Revelation only looking for the mark of the beast, we have missed the center.

If we read Revelation only trying to identify wars, nations, earthquakes, and world events, we have missed the center.

The central Person of Revelation is Jesus Christ.

In Revelation 1, He is the glorified Son of Man.

In Revelation 5, He is the Lamb who was slain.

In Revelation 6, He opens the seals.

In Revelation 19, He returns as King of kings and Lord of lords.

In Revelation 20, He reigns.

In Revelation 21, He makes all things new.

And in Revelation 22, He declares:

“Surely I am coming quickly.”

The purpose of prophecy is not merely to make us knowledgeable about tomorrow.

The purpose of prophecy is to make us faithful to Christ today.

3. READING REVELATION SHOULD AWAKEN US

Romans 13:11 says:

“And do this, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep.”

The believers cannot afford to sleep.

There is a spiritual alarm sounding throughout the Scriptures:

Wake up!

Wake up from spiritual laziness.

Wake up from compromise.

Wake up from worldliness.

Wake up from prayerlessness.

Wake up from neglecting the Word.

Wake up from living as though Jesus Christ will never return.

The prophetic Word reminds us that this world is temporary.

Your house is temporary.

Your possessions are temporary.

Your career is temporary.

Your earthly body is temporary.

But your relationship with Jesus Christ has eternal consequences.

4. THE DEVIL DOES NOT WANT YOU TO READ THIS BOOK

Why would Satan want Christians ignorant concerning the Book of Revelation?

Because Revelation reveals his defeat.

Revelation 12:9 tells us that Satan will be cast down.

Revelation 20:2 tells us that he will be bound.

Revelation 20:10 tells us:

“The devil, who deceived them, was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone…”

Satan does not get the final word.

The Antichrist does not get the final word.

The nations do not get the final word.

Death does not get the final word.

Jesus Christ gets the final word!

That is why the believer can read Revelation with hope.

5. READING PRODUCES READINESS

Jesus repeatedly warned His disciples to be ready.

Matthew 24:44:

“Therefore you also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.”

We do not study prophecy merely to calculate dates.

We study prophecy so that our hearts will be prepared.

The question is not simply:

“When will Jesus return?”

The greater question is:

“If Jesus returned today, would I be ready?”

The blessing begins with opening the Book.

Read it.
Study it.
Believe it.
Treasure it.

Because God has spoken.

Closing

Saints, open the Book.

Do not be afraid of Revelation.

When you open Revelation, you are opening a book of victory.

Jesus Christ is alive.

Jesus Christ is reigning.

Jesus Christ is returning.

And Jesus Christ will triumph.

Blessed is he who reads.

Closing Prayer

Father, give us a hunger for Your Word. Remove spiritual laziness and awaken Your Church. As we read the words of this prophecy, reveal Jesus Christ to us more clearly. Prepare our hearts for His coming and help us live every day with eternity before us.

In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

Maranatha! Come Lord Jesus!