: I LOVE this one!! I hope you all take a few minutes to enjoy it! -Lyapa The Beatitudes of Revelation/What a glorious beginning for all who believe! Unlike the beatitudes in the book of Matthew which are clustered in one chapter, the beatitudes in the book of Revelation are scattered across the entire book and are also an appropriate response to the prophecy of the apostle John. The Revelation beatitudes are also remarkably arranged in a chiasmic or concentric manner, meaning that they are stated in one particular order which is then repeated in reverse form. Furthermore, the book’s anti-theocratic figures listed as death and hades; the devil and the dragon; the sea and the assorted beasts as well as Babylon the great harlot are all repeated, in their destruction, in reverse order. This book, more than any other book, exemplifies Jesus’ cosmic authority and triumph. The Lord foresaw the persecution that would befall the believers of all ages and how they would be tempted with discouragement and despair so that some would even contemplate recanting the faith in the face of ruthless reigning powers determined to obliterate them. The beatitudes are meant to re-invigorate and infuse courage into a flock beleaguered by opposition. The following is just a précis to prompt the reader to do a more in-depth study of these beatitudes. The first beatitude (Rev. 1: 3): Blessed is he who reads and those who hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things ... for the time is near. This beatitude exhorts believers to deeply embed the Word in their being and to hold it as the compass of their lives no matter the hostile circumstances around them because the return of their Lord is imminent. This truth forms the bedrock of all other truths in the book The second beatitude (Revelation 14:13): Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord henceforth… Whether believers die as martyrs or by any other cause, the hope of resurrection in Christ Jesus is a certainty for them. This beatitude jolts the believers of all time to the reality and authority Jesus has over life and death although it might seem as if the reigning kings and Emperors such as Domitian and Nero at the time had the ultimate authority. The third beatitude (Revelation 16:15), Blessed is he who watches, and keeps his garments… Believers are constantly conscious of the unnerving tension between the natural world and the spiritual world. Although no one knows the time of His return, Jesus, through John, reminds believers about the certainty of His coming. Their part is to ensure they are ready for Him and that they continue to reflect the kingdom of God. The fourth beatitude (Revelation 19:9), Blessed are those who are called to the marriage supper of the Lamb… reminds believers that their calling will be worth all the affliction and whatever else it cost them. The grand re-union with the Lord will be marked by a festive wedding supper of the Lamb and a consummation of the/His relationship with His betrothed; His bride, the Church (2 Corinthians 11:2). The fifth beatitude (Revelation 20:6): Blessed and holy is he who has part in the first resurrection… is a response to the mass violent killings of Christians under persecution, particularly during the reign of Domitian and Nero. The Lord offers believers a reward that extends beyond the grave and beyond the greatest trials they could ever endure at the hands of other human beings. Their suffering for His sake is never in vain. The sixth beatitude (Revelation 22:7), Behold I come quickly; Blessed is he who keeps the words of the prophecy of this book… reiterates the first beatitude but also adds an emphasis to the certainty of Jesus’ second coming. As the Alpha and the Omega of earth’s history, nothing can stand in His way when the time comes to redeem His own-Not Domitian, not Nero, not the dragon, not even Satan. The seventh and final beatitude (Revelation 22:14), Blessed are those who do His commandments, that they may have the right to the tree of life… is reminiscent of the Edenic atmosphere. Only this time instead of withholding the tree of life, the Lord will give it freely to the overcoming believers. Paradise will be reclaimed and this time instead of fellowshipping with God only in the cool of the day, believers will constantly see His face. What a glorious ending! No, rather, what a glorious beginning for all who believe! -Dr. Reigh Simuzoshya
Posted on: Sun, 27 Oct 2013 03:29:50 +0000
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