Revelation 1:3-6

Introduction

We have already examined the purpose of Revelation and the pedigree of the human instrument God used to record His words. This morning we are turning our attention to the promise given to those who read this book and the one who made the promise.

The Promise

Revelation 1:3: “Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written therein: for the time is at hand.”

There are two Greek words that have been translated as “blessed” in our New Testaments. One word means to speak well of others. It is where we get our English word “eulogy” from. The first time this Greek word appears in the New Testament is when Jesus prays over the five loaves of bread and two fishes that would feed five thousand men, plus women and children. Matthew records the word of Jesus in Matthew 14:19: “…he commanded the multitude to sit down on the grass, and took the five loaves, and the two fishes, and looking up to heaven, he blessed, and brake, and gave the loaves to his disciples, and the disciples to the multitude.” The phrase “he blessed” means that Jesus spoke well of the Father.

The other word that has been translated as “blessed” in the New Testament means “happy.” We see this word throughout the Beatitudes in Matthew 5. For example in Matthew 5:3: “Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” Happy is the person who is poor in spirit, the reason why is they have the kingdom of heaven. This is the word that John chose in Revelation 1:3.

The first question I want to answer: “to what degree of happiness does the Christian enjoy?” Happiness in our culture speaks of a temporary emotional moment based on a positive outcome. For example: An employee may be happy at the size of their bonus; or, a patient may be happy with their prognosis of recovery. However, the way Jesus used the word “happy” has eternal implications. In other words, it is not based upon positive earthly results, but weightier eternal results:

Matthew 5:3–11: “Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted. Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth. Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled. Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy. Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God. Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God. Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness’ sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake.” Each of the reasons they are happy has eternal and divine value promises.

In Greek literature, the word was applied three different ways. First, to speak of the happiness of the gods. “They were ‘blessed’ because they had achieved a state of happiness and contentment in life that was beyond all cares, labors, and even death (1)”. Second, to speak of those who “through death, had reached the other world of the gods and so were now beyond the cares and problems and worries of earthly life (2).” Third, speaks of the powerful and wealthy who were “above the normal cares and problems and worries of the lower socioeconomic strata, who constantly struggled to make it in life (3).”

What does it mean to you to be blessed by God? An anonymous disciple of an apostle wrote to a high ranking pagan named Diognetus in the second century regarding Christians. He wrote in Diognetus 5:11-17: “They love everyone, and by everyone they are persecuted. They are unknown, yet they are condemned; they are put to death, yet they are brought to life. They are poor, yet they make many rich; they are in need of everything, yet they abound in everything. They are dishonored, yet they are glorified in their dishonor; they are slandered, yet they are vindicated. They are cursed, yet they bless; they are insulted, yet they offer respect. When they do good, they are punished as evildoers; when they are punished, they rejoice as though brought to life. By the Jews they are assaulted as foreigners, and by the Greeks they are persecuted, yet those who hate them are unable to give a reason for their hostility (4).” The happiness they had was not pleasant circumstances; rather, it was the reason they loved, even though they were persecuted, or they were blessed, even though everyone cursed them; they were loved by God!

So, the “blessed” or ‘happiness” that John has in mind is rooted in the love of God. God’s love for His people moved Him to write about end times. Even though we are slaves of God, we are happy slaves knowing that God entrust us with His future plans (John 15:13–15: “Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you. Henceforth I call you not servants; for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth: but I have called you friends; for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you”).

Consider the background to the hymn “It Is Well With My Soul.” “The author, Horatio G. Spafford (1828-1888), was a Presbyterian layman from Chicago. He had established a very successful legal practice as a young businessman and was also a devout Christian. Among his close friends were several evangelists including the famous Dwight L. Moody, also from Chicago. 

“Spafford’s fortune evaporated in the wake of the great Chicago Fire of 1871. Having invested heavily in real estate along Lake Michigan’s shoreline, he lost everything overnight. In a saga reminiscent of Job, his son died a short time before his financial disaster. But the worst was yet to come. 

“Hymnologist Kenneth Osbeck tells the story: ‘Desiring a rest for his wife and four daughters as well as wishing to join and assist Moody and [his musician Ira] Sankey in one of their campaigns in Great Britain, Spafford planned a European trip for his family in 1873. In November of that year, due to unexpected last-minute business developments, he had to remain in Chicago, but sent his wife and four daughters on ahead as scheduled on the S.S. Ville du Havre. He expected to follow in a few days.

“‘On November 22 the ship was struck by the Lochearn, an English vessel, and sank in twelve minutes. Several days later the survivors were finally landed at Cardiff, Wales, and Mrs. Spafford cabled her husband, ‘Saved alone.’  “‘Spafford left immediately to join his wife. This hymn is said to have been penned as he approached the area of the ocean thought to be where the ship carrying his daughters had sunk.’ (5)”

When peace like a river attendeth my way, When sorrows like sea billows roll; Whatever my lot Thou hast taught me to say, “It is well, it is well with my soul!” It is well with my soul! It is well, it is well with my soul!

Though Satan should buffet, though trials should come, Let this blest assurance control, That Christ hath regarded my helpless estate,  And hath shed His own blood for my soul.

My sin—oh, the bliss of this glorious thought— My sin, not in part, but the whole, Is nailed to His Cross, and I bear it no more; Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, O my soul!

For me, be it Christ, be it Christ hence to live; If dark hours about me shall roll, No pang shall be mine, for in death as in life Thou wilt whisper Thy peace to my soul.

The reason Horatio could write this hymn during a terrifyingly trying time in his life was the aternal relationship he had with Jesus. His everlasting hope and happiness was the cross.

The second question I want to answer is: “what does the person have to do to be blessed?” The blessing that is promised has conditions. Revelation 1:3: “Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written therein: for the time is at hand.” The good news is the blessed person does not have to understand everything that is written in the Book of Revelation. There are many difficult passages that may take time to come to a clearer understanding. The blessed person reads, hears and keeps what has been written in Revelation.

There are three importnat verbs in verse 3: read, hear, and keep. “Read” is singular, but “hear” and “keep” are plural. This means that “the words he who reads and those who hear show that this book was intended to be read publicly, just as other books of accepted Scripture.(6)”

Today, usually, the reader and hearer are the same person. I have heard many people over the years that say something like: “I do not read the book of Revelation because it is too hard to understand.” I know this to be true: you will never understand Revelation if you fail to read the book. So the blessed person has to read what is being said.

There are some subject matter that has to be read more often and studied more frequently in order to understand or grasp the implication of what is being said. When I first began the journey to know more about how we got our English Bible, I had to read material several times and I needed a dictionary to define unfamiliar terms so that I could understand what I was reading. It takes more effort from me to understand the Proverbs than Luke’s Gospel because I struggle with poetry. Do not let the daunting task of the Apocalypse to discourage you from reading Revelation. The more you read, and study, the more you will understand.

In addition, they have to hear. Hearing is more than just reading. I can read three chapters of John’s Gospel and not remember what I read. I was reading but I was not hearing; I was not digesting the information. The blessed person hears what they read. They may not understand the significance of everything they are read but they can describe what they read. Early in my Christian life, I did not understand the impact of all of Jesus’ parables but I could tell what He said.

Finally, the person who is blessed needs to read and hear, and keep. The word “keep” means to guard or protect something of value. The Book of Revelation has value for the Christian. Enough value that warrants us to protect and safeguard this book from detractors and enemies of truth. When I was in the Air Force, their priority breakdown was A, B, and C. Priority A had the highest security and Priority C had the lowest security. All of God’s word has Priority A status and requires the utmost security and protection from us. All of God’s word is truth; this includes the poetic and apocalyptic genres. Jesus prayed to the Father in John 17:17: “Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.”

The third question to answer is: “Why is it important for us to read Revelation when we will not be here during the tribulation?” First, Revelation is God’s word and is as Paul wrote 2 Timothy 3:16–17: “All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.” God wants us to know the different aspects of His word. Luke records in Acts 20:27 that Paul did “…not shunned to declare unto you all the counsel of God.”

Second, Revelation gives us more detail of final victory that we read in the Old and New Testaments. God has a victorious plan that will glorify His Son. His is not putting this together on the fly. Revelation reminds me that we are on the winning side. Even though we are not going to be here during chapters 6-19, I am grateful to know how God will rescue the Jews and establish Jesus’s eternal Kingdom that will begin with a 1000 year reign before eternity begins. It is a privilege to know God’s plans for the future whether we are going to be here or not.

The third reason why it is importnat for us to read Revelation is urgency. As I mentioned in the introduction to this study, the rapture is imminent. There is no prophecy that needs to be fulfilled for Jesus to rapture His saints. The prophecies that still need to be fulfilled relate to the last phase of His second coming. Knowing what the citizens of earth will go through during the tribulation and not knowing when the rapture will occur should provide us with a motivation to be urgent is evangelism and praying.

The Promiser

Revelation 1:4–6 “John to the seven churches which are in Asia: Grace be unto you, and peace, from him which is, and which was, and which is to come; and from the seven Spirits which are before his throne; And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood, And hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father; to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.”

Revelation 1:4 has a similar introduction as many other epistles; particularly, as this relates to grace and peace. Grace was a typical way that Gentiles began their letter, and peace was a typical way that Jews began their letter. However, seeing that God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ are the benefactors of true and lasting grace and peace. Also, in verse 4, we discover Revelation was written to 7 churches. B. H. Carroll has this to say regarding the word “churches:” “In Matthew 16, (Jesus) says: ‘I will build my church,’ using the term to signify the institution. In Matthew 18, he says, ‘tell it to the church,’ referring to whatever particular congregation the decision of the case of discipline belongs. Many times in the book of Revelation he uses the word ‘church,’ and in every case the reference is to particular churches. Our Lord’s usage of the word knows nothing of a now existing universal church, whether visible or invisible. He does not say to the church of Asia, but to the seven churches of Asia (7).” What follows is a description of the ones who bring grace and peace and reasons they can fulfill their promise

The promise of being blessed hinges upon the promiser. If I promise you an RV tomorrow for cleaning the church today, you should not expect an RV tomorrow. I do not have the resources to purchase an RV for you. In addition, even if I had the resources, whose to say that I will be alive tomorrow. The only person who knows the time of my death is God (Hebrews 9:27: “And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment”). To stress the validity of this point: James 4:13–15: “Go to now, ye that say, To day or to morrow we will go into such a city, and continue there a year, and buy and sell, and get gain: Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away. For that ye ought to say, If the Lord will, we shall live, and do this, or that.” Our promises need the disclaimer, “Lord willing.” The only person who can make a promise without need permission from anyone else is God. There is no higher person to swear to than God: Hebrews 6:13–14: “For when God made promise to Abraham, because he could swear by no greater, he sware by himself, Saying, Surely blessing I will bless thee, and multiplying I will multiply thee.” Therefore, if God makes a promise, He will fulfill His promise. Jesus said in Matthew 24:35: “Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away.” Before this, Jesus said in Matthew 5:18: “For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.” Even this smallest promises of God will be fulfilled.

First, God the Father makes the promise. God the Father is “which is , and which was, and which is to come.” The emphasis is on the eternality of God the Father. He has always been and will always be. His origin and home is eternal. The reason He is true to His promises is His power extends beyond the natural to the supernatural or the eternal. John Macathur writes: “God the Father, described here in anthropomorphic terms. Because it is the only way we can understand the threefold description views God in time dimensions (past, present, and future), Although He is timeless (8).” The reason the the Father is coming has to dow with His intimate relationship with the Son. Jesus said in John 14:9: “Jesus saith unto him, Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known me, Philip? he that hath seen me hath seen the Father; and how sayest thou then, Shew us the Father?” What did Jesus mean by this? He did not mean to say that He is a manifestation of the Father; rather, He is a representative of the Father. God the Father’s coming is through His representative; His Son!

We are going slightly out of order, but another point to see regarding the Father is He has a throne: Revelation 1:4 “…and from the seven Spirits which are before his throne.” “His throne” refers back to the Father. Isaiah writes that God sits on His throne (Isaiah 6:1: “In the year that king Uzziah died I saw also the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up, and his train filled the temple”). Kings of the earth may relinquish there thrones by death or abdication, but God ever lives to sit on His throne (Psalm 45:6: “Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever: The sceptre of thy kingdom is a right sceptre”). He is actively ruling His universe (Psalm 103:19: “The Lord hath prepared his throne in the heavens; And his kingdom ruleth over all”), so no one can stay His hand.

Second, “the seven Spirits which are before his throne.” Robert Thomas correctly says: “The identification of the seven Spirits is problematic (9).” On one hand, these 7 Spirits could refer to 7 angelic beings who are in a subordinate position to the Father sitting on His Throne. Angels are referenced as spirit beings in Hebrews 1:7 “And of the angels he saith, Who maketh his angels spirits, and his ministers a flame of fire.” However, there is a glaring problem with seeing these 7 Spirits as angels because they are created beings. Angels are not equal to the Father or the Son in rank, power, or purpose. It seems unlikely to think that angels are just as important as the God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ in dispensing grace and peace to the seven churches in Asia.

The Old Testament can help us to understand more clearly who these 7 Spirits are. In Isaiah 11:1–2:“And there shall come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse, And a Branch shall grow out of his roots: And the spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him, The spirit of wisdom and understanding, The spirit of counsel and might, The spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord.” The “rod out of the stem of Jesse is Jesus Christ. The Spirit of the LORD or YWHY shall rest upon the Messiah. “After the mention of the Spirit three pairs of qualities are stated (10).” The plurality of Spirits, which is the Spirit of YWHY are sources and qualities of God’s attributes. Therefore, the seven Spirits before the throne of God is the Holy Spirit manifesting different qualities.

Another Old Testament text that can help us is Zechariah 4:1–10 “And the angel that talked with me came again, and waked me, as a man that is wakened out of his sleep, And said unto me, What seest thou? And I said, I have looked, and behold a candlestick all of gold, with a bowl upon the top of it, and his seven lamps thereon, and seven pipes to the seven lamps, which are upon the top thereof: And two olive trees by it, one upon the right side of the bowl, and the other upon the left side thereof. So I answered and spake to the angel that talked with me, saying, What are these, my lord? Then the angel that talked with me answered and said unto me, Knowest thou not what these be? And I said, No, my lord. Then he answered and spake unto me, saying, This is the word of the Lord unto Zerubbabel, saying, Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, Saith the Lord of hosts. Who art thou, O great mountain? before Zerubbabel thou shalt become a plain: And he shall bring forth the headstone thereof with shoutings, crying, Grace, grace unto it. Moreover the word of the Lord came unto me, saying, The hands of Zerubbabel have laid the foundation of this house; His hands shall also finish it; And thou shalt know that the Lord of hosts hath sent me unto you. For who hath despised the day of small things? For they shall rejoice, and shall see the plummet in the hand of Zerubbabel with those seven; They are the eyes of the Lord, which run to and fro through the whole earth.” The seven lamps are God’s Spirit. Those seven Spirits represent “the eyes of the Lord, which run to and fro through the whole earth.”

What makes Zechariah 4:10 compelling is what John writes in Revelation 5:6 regarding Jesus Christ: “And I beheld, and, lo, in the midst of the throne and of the four beasts, and in the midst of the elders, stood a Lamb as it had been slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God sent forth into all the earth.” Resting on Jesus Christ are “the seven Spirits of God sent forth unto all the earth. The 7 Spirits are the seven horns and eyes of the Messiah, which Zechariah’s painted picture speaks of the Lord omniscience. Robert Thomas wrote: “ John identifies the seven eyes of Zechariah with the seven Spirits that belong to the Lord (11).”

Understanding the 7 Spirits as the Holy Spirit, not only connects with Zechariah 4 and Revelation 5, but fits harmoniously within the context on Revelation 1:4. Grace and peace comes from God the Father and the Holy Spirit, who are equal in their relationship with one another.

Third, “and from Jesus Christ.” Grace and peace, and the promise made to the readers and keepers of this book come from God the Father, God the Holy Spirit, and God the Son. Let us consider the qualities traits of Jesus Christ in Revelation 1:4–6a “John to the seven churches which are in Asia: Grace be unto you, and peace, from him which is, and which was, and which is to come; and from the seven Spirits which are before his throne; And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth…” Clarence Larkin wrote that “it is worthy to note that the ‘Threefold Office’ of Jesus as Prophet, Priest, and King is brought out in the salutation. He is called the ‘Faithful Witness’ as such He is a Prophet. As the ‘First Begotten from the dead,’ He carried His own blood to the Heavenly Tabernacle and thus performed the work of a Priest. As the ‘Prince of the kings of the earth,’ as He will be when He takes the Throne, He will be a King (12).”

“A faithful witness is one who always speaks and represents the truth (13).” Jesus Christ gave His life to speak truth and be faithful to God the Father’s plan. He said in John 12:49–50 “For I have not spoken of myself; but the Father which sent me, he gave me a commandment, what I should say, and what I should speak. And I know that his commandment is life everlasting: whatsoever I speak therefore, even as the Father said unto me, so I speak.” Jesus was a faithful withness of God’s the Father. He never failed or deviated from His mission to testify of the Father.

John writes of the Apostolic Fathers in 1 John 1:2–3 “(For the life was manifested, and we have seen it, and bear witness, and shew unto you that eternal life, which was with the Father, and was manifested unto us;) That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ.” They gave their lives to be faithful witnesses of eternal life. Even though we are not apostles, we have the same burden to testify of the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Peter said on the Day of Pentecost in Acts 2:32: “This Jesus hath God raised up, whereof we all are witnesses.” The church in Jerusalem was a living witness of the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Other’s witnessed the resurrection of Jesus Christ but denied His resurrection or refused to speaks of the resurrection of Jesus (Acts 4:18: “And they called them, and commanded them not to speak at all nor teach in the name of Jesus”). Are you a living or dead witness of the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Have you giving your life to His resurrection?

The fascinating truth of Jesus being “the first begotten of the dead” is it’s ramifications. Jesus was not the first person to resurrect from the dead. God used Elijah to raise up the Shunammite’s son in 2 Kings 4:18-37. Jesus raised a widow’s son in Nain in Luke 7:11-17. There are others that Jesus raised from the dead: He raised Jairus’ daughter ini Luke 8:49-56; He raised Lazarus from the dead in John 11:1-44. The point is, Jesus was not the first to resurrect from the grave. Yet, His resurrection has ramifications that none others had before Him. All others who resurrected from the dead eventually, went back to the grave. However, Jesus has never nor will He ever go back to the grave. His resurrection is new life without the possibility of death. This is why He is “the first begotten of the dead;” He will not experience death again.

“The first begotten from the dead” is a title given only to Jesus. The implications of this title are clearly seen in Psalm 89:27 (“Also I will make him my firstborn, Higher than the kings of the earth”), and Colossians 1:18 (“And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence”). He is the King of kings and the head of the church (in an institutional sense). Both of these implications have a vital role in Revelation.

“He is the prince of the kings of the earth.” John Walvoord writes: “ Jesus’ witness and His resurrection are now past. He role as ruler of all the earth’s kings and kingdoms is still future, to be achieved after His victory over the beast and the false prophet (14).” John Macarthur has a different perspective: “The third title…depicts Christ as absolute sovereign over the affairs of this world, to which He holds the title deed (Revelation 5:1) (Macarthur).” In their respective arguments, both men are right. Jesus “is the prince of the kings of the earth, right now; however, His ascension to the throne will be after the tribulation. At the same time, Jesu is presently the King of kings and Lord of lords (1 Timothy 6:15 “Which in his times he shall shew, who is the blessed and only Potentate, the King of kings, and Lord of lords”).

Conclusion

Last summer, my son fell through the backyard deck. Much of the wood had dry rotted; so the deck could not support his weight and gave up. The weight in this morning’s sermon is the promise of blessing to those who read, hear, and keep the Revelation of Christ. The support holding up the promise is God. God never bends, breaks or is dry rotted. The triune Godhead can support the promise.