The Book of Revelation – Beatitude Number Six
“Look, I am coming soon! Blessed is the one who keeps the words of the prophecy written in this scroll.” Revelation 22:7
There is a God in Heaven who reveals mysteries, Daniel 2:28. John was to be shown ‘what must soon take place’, Revelation 1:1. That was in particular to include the revelation, the unveiling of Jesus in His Glory. And now the Savior Himself says, “Look, I am Coming soon!” He is the One we may and can expect, any hour, any moment. No one knows precisely when that will be. It cannot be calculated. The moment He calls us to Himself can come at any moment for every human being. But His public ‘Coming in Glory’ is approaching today at full speed as well. An Old Dutch hymn says: ‘All the ‘signs of our days’ tell me: His Coming is nigh.’ And therefore, I eagerly continue to look forward to meeting with Him! Maybe tomorrow, maybe today.
“Surely, Jesus is Coming! He is Coming—and very soon, very quickly indeed!”
One-day soon the day will dawn that our Saviour will return with the ‘clouds’ that are covering the Glory of God, the Shekinah Glory, at the sound of the trumpet, 1 Corinthians 15:52; 2 Thessalonians 2:16. Christians throughout all the ages have lived in this expectation. It marked their life. Surely, Jesus is Coming! He is Coming—and very soon, very quickly indeed!
Their hearts were filled with this longing, this Blessed Hope, the Hope of His ‘Coming in Glory’. This is the deepest level and meaning of the Christian ‘hope’. “…looking for the blessed hope and the appearing of the Glory of our great God and Saviour, Christ Jesus… “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His great mercy has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to obtain an inheritance which is imperishable and undefiled and will not fade away, reserved in Heaven for you, who are protected by the power of God through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. In this you greatly rejoice, even though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been distressed by various trials, so that the proof of your faith, being more precious than gold which is perishable, even though tested by fire, may be found to result in praise and glory and honour at the revelation of Jesus Christ; and though you have not seen Him, you love Him, and though you do not see Him now, but believe in Him, you greatly rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of Glory! John says: “All who have this hope in Him purify themselves, just as He is pure.” They bring their life into agreement with His Coming very soon now.
And they heed/keep the words of the prophecy. They keep the Book of Revelation in their heart. They also know what another Dutch hymn says: ‘I am travelling to that City, where Christ will be the light, to be there forever with Him, freed from all care and pain.’ There God Himself wipes all tears away. There will be no more suffering there; ‘no more crying there, no more dying there’, as the lyrics of a song go. However dark the times will become, I know that this will be the final outcome: Jesus is Coming quickly, and His Kingdom will fill the earth.
“Blessed is the one who heeds’/keeps the words of the prophecy written in this scroll!”
It has been said seven times: “Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the Churches.” How sad it is, therefore, that unfortunately this ‘Book of Revelation’ has remained a closed book during the history of the Church. It has almost become a tradition—both in the Roman Catholic Church and the Protestant and Evangelical churches—to leave this book un-opened. However, “Blessed is the one who heeds’/keeps the words of the prophecy written in this scroll!” Refer to Revelation 1:3.
That ‘keeping’ does not mean ‘preserving, never to be opened or looked at’ or ‘schematizing’ or ‘dogmatizing’ or ‘computing’, but it means: keeping it as a treasure, read it again and again and discover the truth and the comfort of it, and ‘clutch’ it with your ‘heart and mind’! It is a treasure that will make you rich. Be like Mary, who “treasured all these things, pondering them in her heart”.
At the beginning of His High Priestly prayer, the Lord Jesus says: “They have kept Your word,” And to the Church of Philadelphia He says: “You have kept My word.” The ‘keeping’ of the words of the prophecy concerning the glorious Coming of Jesus is precisely the opposite of what happened for centuries in Christianity: putting all thought of His Glorious return as far away as possible. That has caused the Church considerable damage to her Christian life. For some, the ‘Second Coming’ became almost like a ‘spooky’ thing that filled someone with dread and fear. His Coming meant for them: final judgement whereas it is the Blessed Hope! It will bring great rewards! Completed ‘salvation and deliverance’!
How intensely oppressed people and nations and their ‘underground movements’ were hoping for and eagerly awaiting the arrival of the Allied Forces during World War II! Liberation! No more oppression! Finally, freedom! Only those who had collaborated with the occupying forces were not looking forward to the coming of the Allied Forces. They feared that this ‘coming’ would not mean their ‘liberation’, but would bring about ‘revenge’ and a great ‘settling of accounts’. Romans 12:19 “Never take your own revenge, beloved, but leave room for the wrath of God, for it is written, “Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,” says the Lord.” Compare 2 Thessalonians 1:3-10, where Paul praises this Church for their perseverance under persecutions, and the punishment that awaits their tormentors. To say it with the words of the Book of Revelation, these tormentors are those ‘who bear the mark of the ‘beast’ on their forehead and right hand’. They will tremble one-day with fear. Because they will be ‘tormented’. But for those who are expecting the Lord the New times finally will dawn!
Behold, I am Coming quickly! Wonderful! Jesus has said ‘I am Coming quickly/soon’ three times, and three times in this last chapter of the Book of Revelation.
