Skip to main content

So, Where's the Blessing?

 Revelation 1:3 Blessed is the one who reads aloud the words of this prophecy, and blessed are those who hear it and take to heart what is written in it, because the time is near.

Sounds pretty straightforward doesn't it. I mean, for a fisher guy, how complicated could this authorial effort be? John is the Apostle of love. He uses the word love 53 times in his New Testament works, more than any other author of the Bible. What could he say in 22 chapters that might leave the world a tad scared? Plenty!


It's not that the Revelation is complicated linguistically, because his vocabulary isn't really difficult. It's not a long read. An average reader, me for instance, can read it in a little more than an hour. Really. It took me one hour and seven minutes. On several attempts. 


Revelation is just different. One of the most important aspects to know about the letter, which Revelation is, a letter to seven churches, is that it is apocalyptic literature. The Apocalipse literally means "the catastrophic destruction of every single thing". 


Apocalyptic literature is full of signs in the skies and on earth. It tells of dragons, beasts, monsters and ghosts. There are heavenly scenes as well as hellish ones. Numbers are used to count and to symbolize people, days, hours and years. Horns on seven headed monsters from the sea, may symbolize power or authority. 


Revelation also introduces angels, a lot of angels. There are Serafim, angels on horses, with bows, holding back the wind from the four corners of the globe. They battle in heaven and on earth. One is so huge that he can put one foot on dry land and the other in the sea. That is a stretch. 


So is it any wonder that the average Christian likes to read fast through the book just after Christmas each year as he or she finishes their yearly Bible reading schedule? What a way to end the year. Though 2020 merited a re-reading of the prophecy for sure! 


One thing that maybe you didn't catch in your reading of Revelation. It is the only Bible book that both begins and ends with a blessing. You saw the first blessing quoted above. The last blessing is this, "Look, I am coming soon! Blessed is the one who keeps the words of the prophecy written in this scroll" (Revelation 22:7).


Revelation, read it and be blessed... And also a tad confused. 
Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

What Are You Worth?

What are you Worth?  Have you ever thought about what you are worth? In investing circles there is a term used to gauge this exact question, it's called Net Worth. You take all of your assets, like property owned, funds in your bank account, clothes, jewelry, car, etc.. You total all of these things. You then take everything you owe, like mortgage, car loan, and credit card debt, and you subtract these items from the first total. This gives you your net worth. That number represents where you are financially. Most people never stop to think about this number because they don't understand anything about it. They never have two nickels to rub together. They live from hand to mouth and know (or at least believe) nothing will ever change so, they fall into the "daily grind" mentality. Psalm 49 should be a great encouragement to such as these. The sons of Korah write about them. These sons write about all of us. They call all people everywhere to listen to their wisdom. Bo...
Post a Comment
Read more

The Circumcision Advantage

 What a title right? I'm thinking of Romans 3:1 where Paul asks, "What advantage, then, is there in being a Jew, or what value is there in circumcision?"  This was always an avoided subject in Sunday school, especially in a mixed class. We didn't use the "C" word. Too wierd.  Paul is bringing up this topic for good reasons. He wants to show that the Jews definitely have had a great advantage during their history. In the next verse he tells one of them when he says, ... "First of all, the Jews have been entrusted with the very words of God." The first jew talked to God in person. God chose Abram to be the father of many nations and to bring the blessing of the Messiah to the world. The Old Testament is the story of the Jewish nation. God dealt with the Jews throughout the ages of the time before Christ. They were the chosen. But in all that blessing they ended up crucifying the Messiah.  With all of their advantages the Jews came short of the ideal....
Post a Comment
Read more

Abs of Steel with Glasses

Have you ever wondered why Clark Kent always took his glasses off before he turned into Superman? I hadn’t ever thought about it either until this last Saturday when I almost got sucker-punched. Wellington, one of my spunky Juniors, wanted to wrestle. He feigned a punch to my gut and I said, “Go ahead. I have abs of steel!” I think that my gym visits might be going to my head because my abs of steel are buried under a healthy layer of blubber. I have improved my six-pack but it is far from chiseled. It looks more like a quarter of a keg. Anyway, quick as a wink and with near lightening speed Wellington said, “Yeah but up here is made of glass!” as his poke went within a hair’s breadth of my glasses! I belly-laughed. His rapid reflexes and wit had caught me by surprise. And what he said was so true and funny. It was an excellent though brief lesson. I often prepare for an oncoming fray. I get ready, set and then “BLAM”! The proverbial punch comes from a totally different direction. ...
Post a Comment
Read more