I have missed so much because I really did not want to study Revelation; it just never interested me. I know now that I missed so many blessings. We all miss many blessings that God wants to give us by just not doing what God tells us to do. We need to listen to God and step out in faith. When we step out in faith, God provides a way.
The fifth blessing is found in Revelation 20:6: “Blessed and holy are those who share in the first resurrection. The second death has no power over them, but they will be priests of God and of Christ and will reign with him for a thousand years.” The various resurrections mentioned in the Bible are divided into two general categories: the first resurrection is the resurrection of the just, and the second of the unjust (Daniel 12:2; Luke 14:14; Acts 24:15). The first resurrection leads to eternal life; the second resurrection leads to the second death (Revelation 20:13–15).
The sixth blessing is found in Revelation 22:7: “Look, I am coming soon! Blessed is the one who keeps the words of the prophecy written in this scroll.” Again, Jesus promises a blessing to those who keep or obey the teachings of Revelation. Reading and hearing the Word is not enough, if not followed by obedience.
The seventh blessing is found in Revelation 22:14: “Blessed are those who wash their robes, that they may have the right to the tree of life and may go through the gates into the city.” Salvation comes from having one’s robes washed in the Lamb’s blood (Revelation 7:14)—an amazing picture of the purity that comes with salvation and the price Jesus paid for our redemption (see Ephesians 1:7). Only blood-washed believers have the right to partake of the tree of life from which mankind has been barred since the Fall; only those with robes of righteousness have access to the Holy City (see Psalm 118:20; Isaiah 35:8).