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1:13They're not going to be proven to be a vain endeavor, but proved to be very illuminating, very right on, very good counsel. And so it's a joy to always just. To come before these words and let them inform us and tell us who we are, who God is, what's ahead, and help us navigate rightly through this world. So, thank you for leading us in those thoughts. Let me go ahead and take you to Revelation chapter 1 and verse 3.

2:00Seven times in the book of Revelation, we encounter the word blessed. Blessed, we've seen a couple of the instances already. But I want to talk to you just as a whole, as we look at this book, who the blessed are, who Revelation, final installment in God's completed canon, who the blessed are according to Revelation. And I want to spend some time this evening just walking through each of those seven little stops through the book and looking at those that this book and the one who authored this book testifies who are blessed. Now, the word blessed, you see in verse 3 of chapter 1, blessed. It's the same word. That Jesus starts out, the mount, the sermon on the mount, blessed, blessed, blessed. The beatitudes, we often call it, but the state of blessing, what is to be blessed? What does that mean? It means to be put into a state of eternal favor. It means happy, privileged. The blessed one is in a one who is in a privileged position before God. The blessed one is the one who has received divine favor, and that divine favor has real manifestations. It's not something intangible, it is someone who's blessed, someone who's happy, someone who's privileged, someone who has been put into a state of eternal favor, one who enjoys favorable circumstances and will enjoy favorable circumstances throughout eternity. That's what this word blessed, when we come to it in Revelation, carries with it. Blessed.

4:15Are you blessed? Let's think about this as we go through the blessed conditions. And so I just want to walk through these blessed conditions this evening so that you will pay attention to how we are to respond to. The contents of Revelation as we're going through. I know there's a lot of decisions to make. There's a lot of things that are maybe difficult to understand and to grasp. And we're going through perhaps one of, if not the most difficult books in the canon of Scripture, and certainly one of the ones that has the most wide array of interpretations. But certainly, there are some things in it that are straightforward and several things that God ties and attaches blessing to. And so they're not hard to grasp. And in really, even the application of Revelation, as I've said often, it's not that hard to grasp. It's pretty clear. And even if we don't fully understand the details or what all it refers to, what we are to do in light of those becomes very evident. And that'll be evident tonight as we just walk through these verses. So you get an idea as we're going through this and have now been a couple of years, or it's certainly going to take a couple of years to finish it. We're nearing the end. I want you to get a perspective of why this whole journey is because of this word blessed and the promises associated with it. Look at verse 3 of chapter 1. Blessed is he who. 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. There's a blessing, and that blessing is announced on three groups, really.

6:19Three recipients. First of all, notice the first one who is blessed is the one who reads, the individual who reads the book. There is a blessing. But it's important to recognize that there are conjunctions there. See the word, blessed is he who reads and those who hear the words of the prophecy and heed the things which are written in it. So you circle the conjunction there. There's three parts. There's the one reading. Blessed is he who reads. That's the singular. But then notice there's a plural group that's blessed. Those hearing it read. Blessed is he who reads and those who hear the words of the prophecy.

7:13It's a prophecy. So the blessed are those who are also hearing it. And so there's a promised blessing, just as a church, as we have gone through this and have heard the words read. A blessing. And that's why I think the word of God is given to us that we read aloud. It's the idea: read aloud God's Word, read aloud it together, and interact, and meditate, and share. That's what we gather here for. We really gather to center our minds and thoughts and life around these words. So there's a blessing for the one reading, and a blessing those hearing, and those complying with what is said. Notice, and heed the things which are written in it. So there is the blessing: reading, hearing it read, and complying with the things that are written in it. And as I have said as we've gone through this, complying with it is really evident, even if you don't fully get what all is being said. And I'm thankful that the blessing is attached to those who read it, who hear it, and comply with what it says. It doesn't necessarily, it doesn't say, blessed is the one who understands all the details of it. That's not where the blessing is. Blessed is the one who gets the prophecy right and is able to touch it and put the date down on the calendar. No, it's not that. It's reading, the one reading, those hearing. Hearing it read, this church is blessed simply because we have gone through and read these words and heard these words read and blessed because those that reading and hearing it read is necessary for you to be able to comply with it. And so complying. So you see this package, the blessed. And this is true regardless of what time period you live in. Whether you're living at the time that these words were first given, whether you're living at the time when these things will be ultimately fulfilled, or whether you're living somewhere in the between.

9:44Blessed is the one who reads, blessing those who are hearing and complying with what it says. The next time we encounter this word, blessed, is in chapter 14. Chapter 14, verse 13. Chapter 14, verse 13. And I heard a voice from heaven saying, Write, blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on. Yes, says the Spirit, so that they may rest from their labors, for their deeds follow with them. We've already been through this passage. Some.

10:30Depth. But here, here is that blessed and favorable condition again. Blessed are the ones who die in the Lord from now on. And the Spirit of God interjects himself. Yes. Very rare for the Spirit of God to just interject himself and said, Yeah, here I am. Hear what I say. Usually he's the one behind the scene. And here he, yes, says the Spirit, so that they may rest. And the word there is in the passive, that they may be put at rest, that they may be refreshed. It's the idea, not just that they will take their ease, but that God, someone acting upon them, will put them at rest. The Spirit says, yes, says the Spirit, so that they may rest from their labors, for their deeds follow with them. So the blessing here is to those, speaking in this context, to those who die in the line of service. Those who exhaust themselves in the line of service. This is what it means to die in the Lord. And this is what you are to heed. This is what you are to comply with in the book. Be active. Be daily in the line of service to our Lord. Die daily. That's what service is about. Is dying daily in the way you love your spouse, in the way you relate to your children, be dying daily in the way you serve at work, be dying daily in the way you relate to one another, die in daily service, exhaust yourself, be active in enterprise, not just on a little level, but on a more cooperative level. Be active in those ministry efforts and enterprises that are noble and God-glorifying, and exhaust yourself as you can in those appropriate lines of service that God has called you to.

12:47Die in the Lord. And in the context here in Revelation 14, don't be ashamed to be identified with Him. Refuse to bow to the Antichrist system of our times, the Antichrist thinking and mandates of a secular worldly system. Heed. Be in the line of service. Blessed. Your deeds go with you. And again, this way of life is true no matter what time period you live in. Heed. Heed the message here. Be about his service. If you're not about his service today, you probably won't be tomorrow. And you won't be, if you were to live to this point, you wouldn't be active then either. So the exhortation to heed is to die in the Lord, die in the line of service, and do this daily as you give yourself to him.

14:04So that's the second time we encounter this word. The third time we encounter this blessed state is in Revelation 16:15. Revelation 16:15. And this is where Jesus inserts himself. Isn't it interesting? Notice the authority with which this blessing announcement is coming. In chapter 14, it was the Spirit who, yes, jumps in. And here in Revelation 16, 15, it's Jesus in this parenthetical statement. Behold, I am coming like a thief. Blessed is the one who stays awake and keeps his clothes, so that he will not walk about naked and men will not see his shame.

14:58Behold, I'm coming like a thief. You don't know when. And as I preach through this, you remember, I think of this as rapture. I think this is the point of his coming in rapture. I'm coming like a thief. You don't know that moment. Believe in the imminence of the rapture, as many schools and systems do. The next thing on the calendar is that God will call us up before him. And so, an imminence of meeting him. And whether that's in the sky at rapture or whether it's tomorrow. I think it's very shocking what a week can bring in the lives of people. We may be standing before him before you are aware. You will stand before him. He will come like a thief. Or you will go before him, stand before him as a thief unexpectedly. Blessed is the one who stays awake. That is the blessed condition, and this is something to heed: to be spiritually alert.

16:10Always be paying attention to that which is important. Be paying attention to what God's Word says and be active in reminding yourself and bringing these things before yourself, whether it's in personal and private study, whether it's in interaction with others. In a smaller group, whether it's attending church that proclaims his word or whatever, be spiritually alert to what the scripture says. Be historically alert. Look around. Understand your world. Understand movements in history. Understand your current times. Be alert, paying attention to prophecy.

16:56Pay attention to what's happening in the world. Be paying attention to what's happening in your home, in your heart. And so stay awake. Remain spiritually alert. And keep his clothes. Be dressed in readiness. Be believing the words. Be faithful. Be one who takes in and is believing these words. Letting the words, these words that God has given to illumine, to shape, to direct, be anchoring your life. Really take them in. Really believe them and let them be part of your daily meditation or dialogue. As we talked about Thursday night, the dialoguings of your heart. Let that truth be there, clothed. And clothed.

17:57We're talking about that which is. Dressed in his righteousness. One who is alert, one is acute to the sinful inclinations and sinful trespasses in his or her own life. Be clothed in righteousness. Walk in a state of confession and repentance and acknowledgement. But I love this picture. Jesus is the judge. It is not his pleasure to come and to expose people, to embarrass people. He doesn't want to do that. He's the judge coming. And he's saying, the one who is blessed is the one who stays awake, understand biblical truth, biblical principles, and is clothed, dressed, believing, faithful, so that people, so I will not have to expose his shame. You know what shame is? Indecent acts, indecent behavior. The one who is awake and alert and responding to truth and is ready for the Lord's return is not going to be exposed. His decent actions are not going to be exposed when Christ returns. Blessed. Blessed is the one who is ready when the Lord returns. And he's very. Very excited when he comes back and he sees he finds faith and he finds those who are waiting. Those, well done, good and faithful. You know what? I'm going to put you at rest here. I'm going to wait on you. That's where the heart of our Lord is. Blessed. That's an eternal state of blessedness.

19:58Fourth time, this word shows up in Revelation 19, 19:9. 19:9. This is the time of the marriage supper of the Lamb. I'll read verse 7. This is after the Babylon the Great has been thrown down. The chorus in heaven is rejoicing. Here comes the marriage supper of the Lamb. Let us rejoice, verse 7, and be glad and give glory to him, for the marriage of the Lamb has come and his bride has made herself ready. It was given to her to clothe herself in fine linen, bright and clean. For the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints. And then he said, Write, blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb. And he said to me, These The true words of God. The blessed. The blessed in this context, the ones who are put in a state of eternal favor, are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb. Blessed.

21:17They come. The idea of invited here are those who are summoned to bless. There are two categories of people in Revelation: those who are going to be summoned to judgment and those summoned to blessing. And so those who respond to God's invitation, the blessed are those who take God up on all of his invitations. Those are the blessed. And so, as we heed the words of Revelation, take God up on all of his invitations, on all of them. But it's an interesting scene here.

22:04And we'll cover this when we get there. There is, whether you're talking, whether you're the bride or whether you're guests, you're blessed. In this image here, there are those, there is the bride, who obviously is blessed, but also those who are invited to this marriage supper. Blessed. We'll talk about that when we get there, whether there's either two blessed groups or one. But for now, for tonight's purposes, it's very clear that both are blessed. Those, obviously, the bride and those who are invited, whether they're the same group or two groups. Blessed are those who are summoned to blessing and take God up on his invitations.

23:03Those who are blessed. And the wedding, the way this works in the Jewish system, economy, first of all, you had the betrothal. And that's where the marriage contract was entered into. And it was binding. This is what Joseph and Mary had. And then Joseph would go and prepare a house, or that was the idea to prepare a place. So you have the betrothal. Then you have, then the second aspect of this wedding system was the presentation. The presentation and festivities that happened before the actual ceremony. So you have the groom going and getting his bride before, and there's lamps lit, there's a big celebration. And the procession of the groom going and getting his bride. And then there's festivities associated with that, with that presentation and coming together. And then it leads up to the actual ceremony. And then the wedding celebration that continues. And so when you look at this, the betrothal, and you look at the panoramic of Scripture, the betrothal is in eternity past.

24:34The presentation of the bride of Christ is at the rapture. And at the actual ceremony, is that when He comes back with them. And there in you have the beginning of God's kingdom upon the earth. And you have His people coming, and there is a marriage supper, a wedding celebration. That's the idea, just like we have. We have all these components, really, to some degree, not as maybe marked out as like this, but you can see the components even in our celebration of weddings. There is a time of betrothal, there is a celebration and preparation for the ceremony leading up to the ceremony, and then the ceremony takes place, and then there's usually some celebration. That follows. And if you, so even in our customs, you can see these components. And you have the beginning when Christ returns, you have this time of really that goes on for a thousand years. You have this time, this beginning period of this union. Then you're going to have the new heavens and the new earth, and you're going to have the happily ever after, if you want to put it that way, together reigning. So we have, what number are we on? That's number four. That was four. Okay, so now let's go to number five.

26:26Revelation chapter 20, verse 6. Revelation chapter 20, verse 6. Blessed and holy is the one who has part in the first resurrection. Over these, the second death has no power, but they will be priests of God and of Christ and will reign with him for a thousand years. First part. One who has part in the first resurrection. Over these, the second death. And the second death, what is that? The second death is hell, both body and soul in hell. Jesus said, remember, do not fear the one who can destroy only the body, but the one who can throw the body, not talking this physical body, because this body decays, but the body that is fashioned for either eternal destruction or for eternal blessing. The second death, that is the place when both body and soul are thrown into hell. Blessed, the one who has part in this first resurrection, the one that happens before this thousand-year reign.

27:56Verse 6 is just talked about in chapter 20, it's just talked about the thousand years. Blessed is the one who has part in that first resurrection. They will be, so you see, they number one, first statement of this blessing is that second death has no power over them. The second, they will be priests of God and of Christ. So they will be priests. Don't know what the specifics look like. We don't get all those details. Details. We don't know what that time exactly is going to be like. We don't get all those details, but this much is clear in the language of priests. They will be priests, and that speaks of an unlimited access and an intimate fellowship with Christ.

28:49So the second death has no power over them. They will be priests of God and Christ and will reign with Him, reign with Christ for a thousand years. It's a joint rulership. They will reign with Him. Unlimited access, intimate fellowship, reigning with Him. And it's not so that we could just be on the top of the pile. That's not what the blessed state is. The Blessed State is being with Him, understanding His designs, understanding His creation, understanding who He is and what it's like to rule, what it's like to be responsible and to be in those places of greater responsibility and reigning with Him and what that looks like. Like I said, I don't know the specifics of Scripture, and it's hard for us to even imagine what that would be, but the language is clear. There's an access to Him, there's an intimate fellowship with Him, and there is. A joint enterprise with him of ruling the nations.

30:10So now we're on number six. Look at chapter 22 and verse 7. And he, and behold, I am coming quickly. Blessed is he who heeds the words of the prophecy of this book. Behold, I am coming quickly. Blessed is he who heeds the words of the prophecy of this book. This sounds very similar to what he first says in chapter 1 and verse 3. Again, this is Christ. Blessed is the one who heeds. But it's a little bit different because in this one he says, blessed is he who heeds the words of the prophecy of this book. Now he's come to the end of this book, the book of Revelation, and for that matter, the book of Scripture. But he is speaking about the individual, not the plural ones who see. Remember, those who heed the words there, the ones who are listening, complying with what it's said. And certainly that's included in this. But the emphasis here seems to be on this word. Idea of keeping in the sense of protecting. Blessed is he who heeds, yes, honors, but is active in protecting the book, called to protect the words of this prophecy. Again, he comes to the emphasis: the prophecy. This book is not apocryphal literature, it's a prophecy, it's a letter of prophecy, it's got epistle functions, it's got prophecy elements, it's not apocryphal literature. And one of the things that happens in some of our academic circles is they start thinking, well, you need to read each book according to its genre. And they've come up with this apocryphal literature, and I think there's some validity to what they observe in the Bible to some degree. But largely, the rules for interpreting apocryphal literature come from extra-biblical sources. The Book of Enoch, okay, this is apocryphal. There's a bunch of apocryphal and pseudopigraphal books being written at the time or a little bit later than this, and they are very apocalyptic, they call it. So then they learn the rules for. Interpreting apocalyptic literature from these non-biblical sources. And then they say, well, Revelation is clearly apocalyptic, and therefore they can come up with all kinds of fancy rules and interpretations. But one of the things that Jesus says right here is that this is a prophecy.

33:31It's not to be put in this ubiquitous category of apocryphal literature or apocalyptic literature. It is prophecy. And prophecy is meant to light the path ahead, to tell you what's coming about. And it uses appropriate language to do it. It's not intended to obscure, but to light. Blessed is he who holds fast, who keeps, who guards, who protects the words of this prophecy. You see, you and I are called as a church to defend this book against the attacks that are going to come upon it.

34:25The words that are going to be detractors. Who will look at the words in Revelation and deny its relevance? There will be those who deny its authority. There will be those who will use this as a playground for all kinds of fancy interpretations. There are those who will deny its truthfulness. There will be those who obscure it. There will be those who deny its clarity. And all of this, blessed are the ones who protects. He who not only complies with, holds fast through, but protects the words of this book. This book is given to tell us the end of human history. Genesis gives us the foundations. Revelation gives us the end.

35:22And without these end points, we are called to defend Genesis. We are called to defend Revelation. And we are called to defend all scripture in between. It is a light to our feet. It is a lamp to our path. Wonderful words. We're going to find when we step over into eternity just how clear they were, just how sufficient they were, just how authoritative and truthful they were and are. Number seven, Revelation 22:14. Blessed, and this is the final blessing in the book. Blessed are those who wash their robes so that they may have the right to the tree of life and may enter by the gates into the city. Blessed, it's an interesting statement. Blessed are the ones washing.

36:20It's a present, ongoing action. Blessed the ones who are washing their robes. We can think of this from a couple of standpoints: washing, washing in the sense of justification. We've got to come initially as sinners who've never met the Lord and repent of our sins, confess our sins before Him. And that's what spiritual cleansing is about: coming before the Lord and saying, you know what, I agree with what you're saying about the condition of my life, about my activities, about the things that I have been party to. I agree with you that my actions are sinful. Please forgive me.

37:13I want to walk in your ways. I agree that your righteousness is what is right. Your standard is what is right. Your ways are good. That's the process of soul cleansing. That's what spiritual cleansing is about agreement, about sin. And about righteousness, and a desire and a request for that righteousness, and that desire for that strength and that power to walk in that righteousness. And so, sometimes when you sin against God, one of the best indications of a true believer is that there isn't peace about it. There is a sense of guilt and awareness of that guilt. But another element of a believer is somebody who knows how to deal with that guilt by not running, not blaming, but confessing. And recognize that is the process of spiritual cleansing. I agree with you. My actions weigh off.

38:24Your standard, right? Forgive me. I want to walk in that way. Help me. That's the process. Help me change my pattern. And that's the final blessing: those who wash their robes both in justification in that very first time, but also in that ongoing sanctifying. We are ones who frequently come to that point of need for soul cleansing. Lord, forgive me. I'm sorry I had. Those thoughts. Forgive me, Lord, for the words that I said. And in fact, let me help me go make that right to this person that I said these to. Whatever.

39:10That's an ongoing thing. Blessed are the ones who wash their robes. But the blessing that's announced here deals with two key issues of life. You can see them there. So that they may have the right to the tree of life and may enter by the gates into the city. Two key issues of life eternal. Number one, access to the tree of life. Number two, entrance into the new Jerusalem. This is the city that Abraham sought, left his home in search of a city, and this is it, entrance into the new Jerusalem. And it is for those who are washing, those who are repenting, denouncing the sinful ways of the earthly system, and who are clothing themselves in Christ's righteousness, who agree with his righteousness and his ways, and want his ways and want to walk in his ways.

40:20This washing displays that believer's participation in the death of Christ. That is what I deserve. Serve. That is where you have, I have met you, is at the cross. Praise God. I am also with you in your resurrection. I am also with you in your coming glorification. The king with his people. God never imagined a king without his people. God never imagined his Christ without a bride. And so, what an honor and blessed state it is to participate in the death, resurrection, and glorification of Christ. Happy, blessed.

41:22That's the state. Favorable. Well off. So, as we just conclude this evening and think about why Revelation was written, it was to communicate the blessed state to us. And bless you for staying with me through all these. We have gone through a lot of wrath. We have gone through a lot. We have gone through verse by verse and. I think you'll see that from here on out, tone changes, and we're coming into a very wonderful part. It's all been wonderful. But blessed, the whole book, blessed to inform you and to put you in a state of blessing.

42:26And so, just by way of review, seven blessed states in Revelation. Number one, the one reading, those hearing, and those complying with what it says. These are the blessed ones. The blessed, number two, is the one who dies in active service to the Lord. Therefore, give yourself until you can't give anymore. There's coming a day when your body won't function very well, your mind won't think very well. It will all be over. And listen, it's coming quicker than you think.

43:09So, how blessed is the one who uses what strength he or she has in active service to the Lord, and so is doing when he returns or when they are called to meet him. What a blessed state that is. Number three, the one who is alert. Clothed in Christ's righteousness. The one who's paying attention to Scripture at all times, the one who is constantly dressing and clothing in Christ's righteousness, agreement with him. Number four, those who take God up on all of his invitations.

43:56Those are the blessed, those who, and just as you go through scripture, not just revelation, but God is constantly inviting us into a closer relationship. When you come across these, circle them, mark them, and say, Lord, I will take you up on this. I am going to take you up on this summons. All of his invitations, when he puts his blessings out there before your eyes, that is a summons to his blessing. So be blessed. Take God up on all of his invitations. Number five, the blessed are those who take part in the first resurrection. They're the ones who enjoy unlimited access, intimate fellowship, and will reign with him as priests and rulers with him.

44:53Number six, the blessed are the ones who protect the words of Revelation. Protect them. They're given to light to show they're adequate, they're sufficient. And number seven, the blessed are those who wash their robes and continue to wash their robes in the righteousness of Christ. There for them the tree of life and the new Jerusalem. So the book of Revelation is an invitation to be blessed, a summons. Let's pray. Heavenly Father, thank you for this book. Thank you for the words that are written in them. Father, help us to heed, help us to be paying attention, help us to be dressed in readiness, help us to be active in the line of duty, help us to be paying attention, hearing these words, talking about these words, and complying with them. Father, we come before you asking you to forgive us of our sins that we might continually be before you and have Christ's righteousness before us and continually be being cleansed and sanctified by his presence and by your goodness in him.

46:25Father, we thank you for the promise of life eternal and truthful. Tree of life and a city, a city where there is no sin, there is no death, there is no decay, there is no corruption, Father, where humanity can truly thrive in all of its creative energies and capacities. And Father, we just look forward to the glory of that holy city. And Father, as we wait, help us to be active in what you've called us to do and to give ourselves and to not lose heart, to keep these things alive upon the forefront of our minds, no matter what comes up on planet Earth or comes upon our land or comes upon us on a personal level. Father, we hold these truths in our heart because they are true and they give us a glorious picture of what's ahead. And we know when we step over eternity, we will look back and we will understand just how sufficient they were. And so we thank you for them and ask that your Spirit would impress them upon our hearts. And as we leave here tonight, Father, that you would bless us, that you would go with us, that you would bless all those that are here tonight, that you would, in their personal lives, in their work, that you would give them back the time of this day and in the ways that you do. Lord, go with us now in Christ's name. Amen.