Revelation brings a blessing.

The opening words of the final book of the Bible bring a blessing to you. The Apostle John writes, "Blessed is the one who reads aloud the words of this prophecy, and blessed are those who hear and keep what is written in it."

Just like the blessing or beattitude of Luke 11, the Word of God promises a blessing to those who read and obey God's word. 

John's original audience needed to hear this message as many local churches began facing persecution. Churches in cities such as Smyrna, in modern day Turkey, were beginning to experience increased social and political pressure. Many believers would be imprisoned. Some would be executed.

The early church needed reassurance of who God is, what he is doing, and that their future was secure because the true ruler was Jesus Christ, not Emperor Domitian. Today, Christians need to be reminded of those same truths.

Several verses later John writes about those truths by describing who Jesus Christ is and what he has done for his people.

First, Who is Jesus?

He is the faithful witness. He is the one who stood before Pontius Pilate as an innocent man. He was faithful to God the Father even to the point of death.

Moreover. Jesus Christ is the firstborn of the dead. He is the one who was given to death, but rose again from the dead on the 3rd day. His triumphant resurrection from the dead is the guarantee that all those who trust in him will also inherit eternal life.

The third title John gives Jesus is the "ruler of kings on earth" (Psalm 89.27). While Domitian sat on the throne in Rome, Jesus Christ rules on the throne in heaven above all earthly kings. Emperor Domitian, like all the Caesars before him, would one day die and stand before the true King of Kings.

You and I need to be reminded of those spiritual truths. In addition, just like the early church, you need to know what he has done for you. John lists 3 works of Christ on behalf of his people.

1. He loves his people.

The King of Kings shows grace and mercy to his people because he loves them. The rulers of Rome were not known for loving their subjects. They were known for governing, taxing, and punishing their people. Jesus Christ, however, demonstrates love for his people through his mercy and grace.

2. He has freed his people from sin.

You were bound to sin and destined to death. You could not and you cannot earn freedom from sin or death. Yet Christ has done for you what you cannot do for yourself. He has freed you from sin and death and gives you the gift of eternal life and adopts you into the family of God.

3. He has made his people a kingdom of priests.

No longer do God's people have to go through a priest, or an intermediary to reach God. Because of the work of Jesus Christ at Calvary, every Christian, whether living in Pergamum in 95 AD or South Carolina in 2018, can go to Christ directly in prayer. We have access to God the Father because of the work of Jesus Christ.

These truths about the person and redemptive work of Jesus Christ should you lead you to worship him. As John wrote the opening words to Revelation, these thoughts led him to doxology: "To him be glory and dominion, now and forever. Amen."