Re 1:3

Re 1:3 ¶ Blessed [is] he that readeth, and they that hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written therein: for the time [is] at hand.

John uses another list of three things. At first we may be confused at the list as we try to map them to three things. However, John is showing us that it is not a word mapping, but an idea mapping.

The idea being represented is how we respond to God. We can respond even though we do not fully understand, as represented by the hei ה. We can respond with understanding as represented by the het ח. Or we can spontaneously respond through the new life within as represented by the tav ת. The triad of hearing, seeing, walking is normally mapped that way.

In this triad 'keep' is easily mapped to walking. Jesus said that there were some who did not have ears to hear. The believer, however shoud have ears to hear, and so the metaphor is changed, since this is a letter to believers.

Read - the word is accepted but maybe not understood.

Hear - with ears to hear. To understand.

Keep - live what is understood.

Prophet נביא

Prophesy נבא

Prophet נבו

Prophetess נביאה

Utter a prophesy נאם

Prophesy (drop) נטף

Vision, seer, prophet ראה

Spirit of God inspiring prophecy רוח

The hand represents works. When Jesus said that the Kingdom of Heaven/God was at hand, it means that it was already in the works. It was near or even present.

1. The things written in this book are 'at hand'; not 2000 years in the future.

2. The things were written for all people of all time who read it.

3. Those who read and hear it are commanded to 'keep' it. It is supposed to change lives.

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