Daily Devotional For January 8, 2025
Blessed is the one who reads and those who hear the words of this prophecy and keep the things which are written in it, for the time is near. Rev 1:3.
The text says, “Blessed is the one who reads. . .and blessed are those who hear. . .” What does that mean? Why does one person read and many persons hear? The book of Revelation in its original context was apparently intended to be read in church. It was not intended as a written work for study by individuals but rather to be read out loud, with many people listening. There is a special blessing pronounced on the public reading of the Book of Revelation.
In 1995 I had the privilege of leading a tour of the seven churches of Revelation in Turkey. The trip was an adventure in many ways. 39 people, including my family, crowded into a single bus with a Turkish driver and a Muslim tour guide. The driver took more chances on the road than any driver I have ever experienced, yet he did so with a calmness that made such driving seem like the right thing to do!
Another memorable aspect of the trip was that everyone but the two Turks got sick with some sort of stomach flu by the second day. That made for many desperate stops at remote pharmacies, and other stops in even more remote places with the occupants of the bus scattering in all directions looking for trees and bushes to hide behind! What was even more embarrassing is that most of the sick ones were vegetarians who professed healthy living. The two Turks who didn’t get sick were chain smokers who also transgressed Muslim strictures against alcohol!
A highlight of this trip was the chance to visit the ruins of the seven ancient cities in which the churches of Revelation were located. A young lady in our group prepared a dramatic reading of Jesus’ message for each of those churches. As prescribed in the text, there were one or more who read and the rest of us who listened. After each reading we sang a song she had written based on the messages to the seven churches. The impact was unforgettable. We heard the letter to each church right on the spot where those churches originally heard them.
I doubt that most churches today would have the patience to hear the entire book of Revelation read out loud (it takes about an hour and a half)! But in small pieces we were able to recreate some of the original setting on our trip. In Pergamon we heard the letter while standing on the site of the “seat of Satan,” the Great Altar of Zeus. In Thyatira we heard the letter while surrounded by a friendly group of Turkish school children whose teachers then treated us to apple tea! John encourages every Christian to experiment with dramatic readings of Revelation in church and in family worship.
Lord, give me attentive ears to listen to You and Your Word as never before. I also pray for a heart that is willing to obey.