By John Claeys
The apostle John, who penned the only evangelistic book of the Bible—the Gospel of John— also wrote another wonderfully unique book, Revelation. Unlike the Gospel of John, Revelation was written for believers.
Revelation’s unique character is apparent from the outset. Revelation is the only book of the Bible that begins with a promised blessing to those who heed its teaching and apply it to their lives: “Blessed is he who readsi and those who hear the words of this prophecy and keep those things which are written in it” (1:3).ii Likewise, it is the only book of the Bible that concludes with a promised blessing––in fact, two promised blessings––to those who obey its message: “Blessed is he who keeps the words of the prophecy of this book” (22:7); and “Blessed are those who do His commandments” (22:14). In other words, this one-of-a-kind work begins and ends by pledging blessing to those who take its content seriously and obey its message.iii
This announced blessing at the beginning and end of the book communicates two things. First, it clearly shows that God wants us to give serious attention to this book. Second, it indicates that Revelation is about kingdom reward from beginning to end.
The promised blessing at the beginning and end of the book forms an inclusio. An inclusio alerts the reader to a particularly important theme by bracketing material that supports that theme. This word blessed (makarios) is often used in the New Testament regarding reward for obedience. Examples of this in the book of Revelation include 1:3; 14:13; 16:15; 19:9; 20:6; 22:7, 14. Thus, the inclusio of blessing in Revelation highlights the eternal reward promised to those who faithfully obey the message of this book.
Every well-written document or book has a purpose for being written, and Revelation is no exception. The inclusio of blessing for obedience to the book’s message indicates its purpose which, according to this writer, is: To challenge believers to remain faithful to Jesus through tribulation in order to experience glorious, eternal reward. Thus, it would follow that the message of Revelation is: Believers who faithfully endure will experience glorious, eternal reward.
This message is woven throughout the book. An example is found in 2:26, where Jesus offers an incredible reward to the believer who fulfills the condition of His offer:
“And he who overcomes, and keeps My works until the end, to him I will give power over the nations—‘He shall rule them with a rod of iron …’ —as I also have received from My Father …” (Rev 2:26-27).
According to this proposal, the one who overcomes is the one who obediently endures for Jesus (keeps My works until the end). This means that the overcomer finishes his life faithfully for the Lord, which is what the end indicates.
This message is also expressed in Rev 3:21 (among other verses in Revelation): “To him who overcomes I will grant to sit with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne.” Notice that the overcomer is one who follows the example of the ultimate Overcomer, the Lord Jesus Christ. He overcame by enduring faithfully in obedience to the Father to the very end of His life. As a result, He was granted the amazing honor of sitting with the Father on His throne. Consequently, Jesus offers to the believer who endures faithfully to the end of his life the glorious reward of sitting with Jesus to co-rule with Him. This reward indicates both intimacy with Jesus (sit with Me) and honored rule with Him. And since His rule is eternal, so will be the reward He is offering to the faithful believer.
As mentioned, the message of the book of Revelation is that believers who faithfully endure will experience glorious, eternal reward. In Revelation, as in life, enduring faithfully means remaining faithful to Jesus through trials and tribulations. Most of Revelation occurs during the Great Tribulation, the final three and a half years before Jesus returns. Jesus describes this period as that of the most widespread persecution in the history of mankind (Matt 24:21).
During this era, there will be many believers who, in publicly identifying with the Lord Jesus, willingly follow Jesus to their deaths (cf. 6:9; 12:11; 14:13; 20:4). Their examples are given to encourage and inspire us. If they can endure faithfully for Jesus during that intense period of tribulation, then believers today certainly have no excuse. We can endure faithfully through our trials and tribulations, which pale in comparison.
The message of Revelation shows that it will be worth it to faithfully follow Jesus, for, in some of the last words of the book, Jesus reveals: “And behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to give to every one according to his work” (Rev 22:12).iv In other words, believers who faithfully endure will experience glorious, eternal reward.
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John Claeys holds degrees from the University of Northern Iowa (BA in English) and Dallas Theological Seminary (ThM in New Testament Greek) and has pursued doctoral work at Phoenix Seminary. He is also the author of The Impending Apocalypse, A New World Coming, and Unveiling Eternity, a three-part series on eschatology. He and his wife, Connie, have been married 40 years and have two sons.
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i The singular he (he who reads) refers to the one who read Scripture to the congregation due to the fact that there was only one copy of the book when it was first written.
ii Hear and keep have only one article for the two substantive participles. This indicates that hear and keep are bound together. To be blessed, one must hear and keep—that is, one must obey the things written in this book.
iii BDAG assigns a meaning of fulfill to this Greek word (tēreō) for keep (815) which indicates obedience. This is the primary meaning of this term in Revelation (cf. 2:26; 3:3 [hold fast translates tēreō], 8, 10; 12:17; 14:12; 22:7, 9).
iv I am coming quickly can also be translated I am coming without delay. Because the Rapture, which begins Jesus’ return to the earth, is imminent, there will be no delay in His return.
