"The revelation from Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show his servants what must soon take place. He made it known by sending his angel to his servant John, who testifies to everything he saw—that is, the word of God and the testimony of Jesus Christ. Blessed is the one who reads aloud the words of this prophecy, and blessed are those who hear it and take to heart what is written in it, because the time is near." Revelation 1:1-3 NIVThere are many accounts, in the Bible, of God sending an angel to deliver His message to a man or woman. I can't imagine what it would be like to suddenly encounter an angel...a real angel. Call me a skeptic, but all these stories you hear today of people encountering angels...well, I just don't know if I believe them. But the Bible - I believe.
If I did see an angel, I'd most definitely react the way many in the Bible did - falling on my face, terrified.
The next thing that strikes me about the opening of this book is that those who read aloud the book of Revelation are blessed and those who hear it (read out loud) are blessed...if they take to heart what is written in it. It's interesting that there is a special blessing for reading it out loud and hearing it out loud. It's also interesting that it's not enough to just read it - we must take it to heart. The Free Dictionary defines the phrase "take it to heart" as to consider something very seriously or take criticism seriously and be affected or upset by it.
God wants us to take His word to heart. To seriously consider what it says and what it means to us. Even if what it says is upsetting, we must realize that this is truth. It will happen. Knowing that should cause us to think about the ramifications of what we're about to read in Revelation. How should it change the way we think and the way we behave? Our goals?
So, as we journey through Revelation - the book of our future - let's take it to heart. Please feel free to share with us through comments to this and future posts, what you are thinking and feeling about what we're reading and learning.
(Note - I know that sometimes this invites comments by people who are only interested in stirring up controversy and anger. Those posts will be deleted. However, posts that ask honest questions or doubts will be posted and addressed to the best of our ability.)
Prayer:
Father, we ask that you open our heart, spirits and minds to understand and receive what you have for us in the book of Revelation. Let us take it to heart. Show us how to apply it to our lives and our behavior. Amen
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