“Blessed are…”
MATTHEW 5:3-11; REVELATION1:3; 14:13; 16:15; 22:14.
1. “Blessed is he that reads” (Rev. 1:3). The one who reads and understands (Mark. 13:14) will gain soul-saving knowledge (John. 8:32). Those in Antioch rejoiced after reading the epistle (Acts 15:31). We walk by faith (2 Cor. 5:7) which comes by hearing the Word of God (Rom. 10:17). So yes, “Blessed is he that reads.”
2. “Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord” (Rev. 14:13). We are comforted by the words of 1 Thessalonians. 4:13-18 in which we learn that those “which sleep in Jesus” and are “dead in Christ shall rise first” “to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.” 1 Corinthians 15:52 adds, “the dead shall be raised incorruptible.” Truly “blessed are the dead who die in the Lord.”
3. “Blessed is he that watches and keeps his garments” (Rev. 16:15). Jesus admonishes us to watch for the second coming (Matt. 24:42). Then, in the verses following that warning (:45-51), He speaks the parable of the unwise servant who thinks that his tarrying master delays. Thus, the servant, with spotted and blemished garments, is caught by the master’s quick arrival. Jesus continues (and thereby stresses the point) in chapter 25 with the parable of the Ten Virgins. Five were slack in watching and were unprepared–and were left. The other five were ready–and were taken. “Blessed is he that watches and keeps his garments.”
4. “Blessed are they that wash their robes” (Rev. 22:14). One washes his robes (i.e., washes away his sins) in baptism (Acts 22:16). After this, one continues to wash his robes by walking in the light (truth) (1 John. 1:7) and confessing his sins (1 John. 1:8,9). Since sin separates one from God (Isa. 59:1,2) and will cause one to be cast into hell (Gal. 5:19-21), then “blessed are they that wash their robes.”
Truly, blessed are they who read, who die in the Lord, who wash their robes and who watches and keeps his garments. Are you one who is blessed?
Gary Henson