EVEN SO
Revelation 1:1-7 (KJV)
The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave unto him, to shew unto his servants things which must shortly come to pass; and he sent and signified it by his angel unto his servant John:
Who bare record of the word of God, and of the testimony of Jesus Christ, and of all things that he saw.
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.
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.
Behold, he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him, and they also which pierced him: and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him. Even so, Amen.
We come to the final message in a year long look at the promise of Jesus’ coming.
One final message based on just three words, “Even so, Amen.”
In some respects, the phrase can be considered redundant.
· The word, “Amen” means, “surely, yes, verily.
· The phrase, “Even so” though a different Greek word, means the same thing.
It’s like God places an exclamation mark on the words, “Behold, He cometh.”
It’s a note of affirmation concerning all that has just been said.
Coming from the point of Apostle John, it is also a prayer.
· When you finish a prayer with the words, “In Jesus name, amen.” you are, in effect praying, “Because of Jesus, please answer this prayer.”
· When your pastor makes a powerful statement in a message and you respond, “Amen.” you are not only affirming your belief in the statement, but you are expressing a prayer that others affirm it as well.
Revelation 1:7 (KJV)
Behold, he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him, and they also which pierced him: and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him. Even so, Amen.
I am tempted to use this passage as a springboard to review the twenty-some messages we have heard this year on the blessed hope.
· Even so, take us to heaven without the taste of death
· Even so, remove us from earth before the Great Tribulation
· Even so, prepare my mansion in My Father’s house
Etc.
I want to instead, stick with the passage and express the surety of the truths found within it.
The most obvious surety is, “Behold he cometh.”
But would you please note these as well:
I. THE BLESSEDNESS OF THE BIBLE
Revelation 1:3 (KJV)
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.
I think it is perfectly acceptable to reach up further into the passage and proclaim
Blessed is he that readeth…, Even so, Amen!
The book of the Revelation is a unique portion of the Word of God.
As the final book, it puts the period mark on all of the others.
It’s written in such a unique style, there is just nothing else like it in all of the rest of the Bible.
We call it “the book of the Revelation” but it calls itself, “The Revelation of Jesus Christ.”
This book says it was from Jesus, telling John what to write.
It serves in many ways to summarize and encapsulate everything else in the Bible.
So, when it says, “Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written therein:”
I take it that the blessing of the verse, while speaking specifically about this book of the Bible, really speaks about all of the Bible.
Scholars think the same way about, Revelation 22:18-19 (KJV)
For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book:
And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book.
We understand this to refer, not only to the book of the Revelation, but to all of the book of the Bible.
Notice the threefold blessing of the verse,
A. A blessing to read
Blessed is he that readeth,
I remember when I got my first Bible.
I had just professed my faith in Christ and presented myself for believer’s baptism. I announced to the little congregation that Mike Riggs took me to that I was going to buy my own Bible.
My pastor told me he would like to go with me.
I though he just wanted the fellowship – I later figured out, he wanted to make sure I got a King James Bible – Christian bookstores, even in those ancient days, would try to sell you any other version first. They really do hate the King James Bible.
I bought two Bibles that day:
· A Thompson, Chain Reference – burgundy, genuine calf leather.
· A pocket Bible I could carry to work and on visitation with my pastor.
I still remember how much I loved my Bible. I was in Bible College when I discovered Bibles actually wear out.
As soon as I could afford it, I bought another Bible for regular use and saved my Thompson Chain Reference for study – still have it today.
Two thousand years of Christian history testify to the blessings men and women, boys and girls, have received simply from reading the pages of this very book.
Men like William Tyndale and John Wyclif realized the blessing and gave their lives to translate it into a language the common plowboy could read.
Countless others went to the stake and were burned alive just for owning and reading a Bible for themselves.
Our country’s founding fathers knew the blessing of reading the Bible. Almost to a man, they included the study of the Bible in their routine while framing our Constitution.
President John Quincy Adams, while serving as an ambassador, I think to Russia, was so pleased to hear that his 10 or 12 year old boy back home was reading his Bible, that Adams wrote a series of lessons for his son to help him get the most out of his Bible reading.[1]
There is a blessing in reading the Bible.
B. A blessing to hear
and they that hear the words of this prophecy,
The Ethiopian Eunuch traveled to Jerusalem just to learn of the God of the Jews. He had obtained a copy of the Word of God and had stopped in the dessert to read for a while, when the Spirit of God sent Philip to him.
Acts 8:27-31 (KJV)
And he arose and went: and, behold, a man of Ethiopia, an eunuch of great authority under Candace queen of the Ethiopians, who had the charge of all her treasure, and had come to Jerusalem for to worship,
Was returning, and sitting in his chariot read Esaias the prophet.
Then the Spirit said unto Philip, Go near, and join thyself to this chariot.
And Philip ran thither to him, and heard him read the prophet Esaias, and said, Understandest thou what thou readest?
And he said, How can I, except some man should guide me? And he desired Philip that he would come up and sit with him.
God’s plan includes, not only our personal reading of the Word of God, but also that we hear the Word of God taught and preached.
Matthew 3:1 (KJV)
In those days came John the Baptist, preaching in the wilderness of Judaea,
Matthew 4:23 (KJV)
And Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all manner of sickness and all manner of disease among the people.
2 Timothy 4:1-2 (KJV)
I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom;
Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine.
God promises a blessing to hear the preaching and teaching of the Word of God.
Further there is
C. A blessing to keep
and keep those things which are written therein:”
The Bible says
James 1:22 (KJV)
But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.
· There is a blessing in reading the Bible and
· There is a blessing in hearing the Bible preached
But the blessing of both comes as a result of keeping and doing what we learn in the Bible.
The one who hears the plan of salvation in the Word of God and comes to Christ for salvation – is blessed.
The one who hears, and reads it, but never comes to Jesus to be saved – they are without excuse, but they missed the blessing.
The same would be true of the person
· Who learns about baptism
· Who learns about church membership
· Who learns about prayer
· Who learns about forgiveness
· Who learns about the Biblical family
The blessing of the Bible is not found in only the reading of it and the hearing of it, but in the doing of it.
Even so, Amen.
Notice next the surety of
II. SALVATION THROUGH JESUS’ BLOOD
Revelation 1:5-6a (KJV)
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…
Unless you are willing to do some personal study, or to hear the preaching of the Word of God from someone who has done some study, you might miss a part of this passage.
The word witness comes from a Greek word where we get our word martyr.
Jesus was a faithful witness in that He laid down His life that we might be saved.
Forgiveness of sins, a right relationship with God is not the result of turning over a new leaf and living a better life.
Those who have their sins forgiven have come to the cross of Jesus Christ and, in the eyes of God, been washed in His blood.
Jesus died so we don’t have to.
All because He loves us.
Even so, Amen
Note thirdly the surety of
III. THE GLORY THAT BELONGS TO HIM
Revelation 1:6b (KJV)
… to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.
Our world today doesn’t seem to give Jesus much glory.
· People glorify big church buildings
· People glorify well known Christian speakers
· People glorify Christian singers
But there doesn’t seem to be much emphasis on Jesus these days.
Lester Roloff sang a song that goes something like this”[2]
Once it was the blessing,
Now it is the Lord;
Once it was the feeling,
Now it is His Word.
Once His gift I wanted,
Now the Giver own;
Once I sought for healing,
Now Himself alone.
Now it is the Lord;
Once it was the feeling,
Now it is His Word.
Once His gift I wanted,
Now the Giver own;
Once I sought for healing,
Now Himself alone.
Once ’twas busy planning,
Now ’tis trustful pray’r;
Once ’twas anxious caring,
Now He has the care.
Once ’twas what I wanted,
Now what Jesus says;
Once ’twas constant asking,
Now ’tis ceaseless praise.
Now ’tis trustful pray’r;
Once ’twas anxious caring,
Now He has the care.
Once ’twas what I wanted,
Now what Jesus says;
Once ’twas constant asking,
Now ’tis ceaseless praise.
Once it was my working,
His it hence shall be;
Once I tried to use Him,
Now He uses me.
Once the pow’r I wanted,
Now the Mighty One;
Once for self I labored,
Now for Him alone.
His it hence shall be;
Once I tried to use Him,
Now He uses me.
Once the pow’r I wanted,
Now the Mighty One;
Once for self I labored,
Now for Him alone.
I can’t help but tell you, I hear that song and pray for each one in our church, “Even so, Amen.”
It’s what I pray becomes the truth of us. It’s what I know will be the future of us.
And then one final certain prayer
IV. THE QUICKNESS OF HIS COMING
Revelation 22:20 (KJV)
He which testifieth these things saith, Surely I come quickly. Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus.
This word quickly can imply both the nearness of a thing and the suddenness of it.
Revelation 1:3 (KJV) said
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.
I’m just telling you; it won’t be very long before Jesus returns to finish all that the Bible prophecies.
· The Rapture of the Christians to heaven without dying
· The seven years of great tribulation and suffering
· The dividing of the sheep from the goats
· The 1000 year reign of Jesus Christ
· The Great White Throne Judgment
· The New Heaven and New Earth
The time for it all is near at hand.
And when it happens, it will happen suddenly
2 Peter 3:9-10 (KJV)
The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.
But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up.
I am not trying to scare you into anything.
I merely want to see you blessed of God.
And I say to you, as I finish today,
Do what you will for Christ quickly.
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