“Blessed is he who reads and those who hear the words of the prophecy, and heed the things which are written in it…” (Revelation 1:1-3, NASB)

Let’s read Revelation and be blessed! This book is about future things that God revealed to Jesus and his servants. To be specific, God the Father revealed them to Jesus, God the Son, who then revealed to John, his bondservant, who in turn revealed it to all of us, who seek to serve Him (Rev.1:4). While most people fear reading the book of Revelation because of strange and bizarre things written in it, God promises us that those who reads and heeds the words of the book will be blessed. It says,

“The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave Him to show to His bond-servants, the things which must shortly take place; and He sent and communicated it by His angel to His bond-servant John, who bore witness to the word of God and to the testimony of Jesus Christ, even to all that he saw. 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.”

Have you ever read a book that really blessed you? Well, God promises that if you read the book of Revelation, He will bless you a thousand times over since it deals with the eternal things. Therefore, instead of running away from it, we should run to it to read it and share its contents with others. Furthermore, since the book said it was about the “things which must shortly take place,” those of us who are living in the book’s future must pay closer attention. The book was written just prior to 100 A.D. It means about 1,900 years have gone by. So, if the book dealt with events in its near future, it would not be wrong to say that we are living in that future. I can’t wait to see some of these things take place during my lifetime, especially concerning the return of Christ! How about you?

So how can the book benefit us, and how can we get the most out of it? According to John, those who the book will bless are those who “read,” “hear,” and “heed” the words of the prophecy. First, reading and hearing mean simply knowing what the book is about. The first thing that you should do is to read it for yourself. Then, if you have the opportunity, try to hear what the wise pastors and teachers have to say about it. I don’t mind telling you that they don’t agree either. You will see different theories and interpretations of the book. Since the book deals with so many signs, symbols, supernatural, and strange creatures and events, you have to expect differing opinions on its subject matter. Thus, it’s important to listen, read, and come to your own understanding, guided by God’s Holy Spirit, who is called the Spirit of Truth. Even still, you should be cautious not to treat your conclusions as absolute or final. Learn all you can, but be open about it.

Second, heeding the words means applying their principles and obeying Christ’s commands. Although the book is about prophecy, there are many places where it commands readers to obey its words. The book of Revelation is about future things, and obeying or disobeying will have its consequences. As readers, the first thing that we must seek to obey is the warning at the end of the book. The book warns the reader at the end that one should not add to or take away from the words of the prophecy, as there are consequences (Rev. 22:18-19). Nonetheless, the book promises that those who read, hear, and follow it will be greatly blessed. Yes, there is a blessing and a warning! So, read Revelation and be blessed, and try to handle the words of truth accurately.

• Why do you think the Lord promised blessings to those who read, hear, and heed the book of Revelation?
• Do you feel that this book is relevant and practical for believers today?