7 REASONS WHY WE, THE CHURCHES, SHOULD…AND MUST…BE LISTENING AND PAYING ATTENTION TO WHAT JESUS IS SAYING IN THE REVELATION
What Jesus Christ has spoken in the Book of the Revelation is most pertinent, relevant, and binding on us churches who are currently serving. We cannot – we must not – write off the Revelation by saying it is too difficult to understand or that it is not for us – but for some yet-future short-lived generation.
No – these words are for us!
What God gave Jesus Christ – and Jesus Christ, in turn, gave to His angel – and His angel, still in turn, gave to John – and what John was commanded to write down and give to the churches – has been given to us.
So, here are 7 reasons why we must listen to and live by what is written in the Revelation.
- Jesus Christ commands us to hear what He is saying to His churches.
Jesus directly and authoritatively commands each of the seven specific churches to pay attention, listen to, and live by what He is saying through His Holy Spirit.
“He who has ears to hear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches…” [2.7, 11, 17, 29; 3.6, 13, 22]
- Jesus Christ specifically gave the Book of the Revelation to be delivered to His churches.
Revelation 1.11: “What you see, write in a book and send it to the seven churches which are in Asia: to Ephesus, to Smyrna, to Pergamos, to Thyatira, to Sardis, to Philadelphia, and to Laodicea.”
- By extension, these messages are sent not only to those seven specific churches, but to all the churches serving then, since then, and now.
Revelation 22.16: “I, Jesus, have sent My angel to testify to you these things in the churches. I am the Root and the Offspring of David, the Bright and Morning Star.”
- Jesus Christ pronounces and bestows His particular blessing on those who read these messages – both for themselves and in the churches – and those who hear these words being read, and those who value, treasure, and live by the words in these messages.
Since copies of the Scriptures in general…and of this Revelation in particular…were rare in those days, the reading would have been done in the public gatherings and assemblies of the churches. The hearing would have been done primarily there, too. But, the keeping and living by what was read and heard would have been done daily by all the servants of the Lord Jesus.
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.
- Jesus Christ assures us that we will need His words in all the churches of all the successive generations – from that time to our time.
Listen to the time-frames that the messages in the Revelation will apply to: the visions that God gave Jesus – that Jesus gave His angel – that Jesus’ angel gave John – and that John gave the churches were for the times that were then current…and for the times which were at that time beginning to unfold. And, they have applied to all the churches in all the generations from that time to us churches who are now serving.
Revelation 1.1: The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave Him to show His servants—things which must shortly take place.
& Revelation 22.6: Then he said to me, “These words are faithful and true.” And the Lord God of the holy prophets sent His angel to show His servants the things which must shortly take place.
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 22.10: And he said to me, “Do not seal the words of the prophecy of this book, for the time is at hand.”
- The messages of the Revelation will strengthen the faith and fortify the perseverance of the saints for the tribulations and tests they must endure and overcome.
Revelation 1.9: I, John, both your brother and companion in the tribulation and kingdom and patience of Jesus Christ, was on the island that is called Patmos for the word of God and for the testimony of Jesus Christ.
Revelation 12.11: And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, and they did not love their lives to the death.
Revelation 14.12: Here is the patience of the saints; here are those who keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus.
Revelation 22.7-9: “Behold, I am coming quickly! Blessed is he who keeps the words of the prophecy of this book.” 8 Now I, John, saw and heard these things. And when I heard and saw, I fell down to worship before the feet of the angel who showed me these things. 9 Then he said to me, “See that you do not do that. For I am your fellow servant, and of your brethren the prophets, and of those who keep the words of this book. Worship God.”
- The authority of these messages – and both the blessings and curses associated with them – are so profound, that life and death, blessing and cursing are dependent upon how we receive and respond to the messages in the Revelation.
Revelation 22.18-19: For I testify to everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: If anyone adds to these things, God will add to him the plagues that are written in this book; 19 and if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part from the Book of Life, from the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book.
Every one of us – and we, together in our churches – must respond to Jesus Christ like young Samuel did when God spoke to him: “Speak, LORD! Your servants are listening!”
~Dave Parks 