VI. The Joy of Revelation: The Beatitudes of Revelation - 2 of 7

1.     14:13 Then I heard a voice from heaven say, “Write this: ‘Blessed are the dead, those who die in the Lord from this moment on!’”

Generally, especially when we look at one verse of a biblical passage, we do well to consider its context so as to see better what it is attempting to tell us. Now, as I might have already stated, Revelation is not always written in such a way that this is as important here as in other scriptures that present, for example, a story. Revelation is not a book written in a linear fashion. As we have begun to see, Revelation is somewhat of a compilation of pictures, visions, as much as stories. Indeed, some present the same picture/vision or ‘story’ again in a different way, from a different perspective or vantage point, sometimes even seemingly from a different time.  

Here is one saying, described as coming from heaven. It is actually preceded by the appearance of three angels, each with a different message (14:6-11). These and a following comment directed to ‘the saints’ along the lines of other messages to God’s people, are dealt with in part III of this blog on Revelation, Messages to the Churches.

At first reading some might wonder, how can one be blessed when dead. Most of us want to live as long as possible, or at least as long as we are well enough and finding some joy in life. Indeed, many fear death. By this time though, if we have read the whole of Revelation especially, we can understand that death might have been seen as a welcome reprieve from the suffering and persecution Christians were experiencing at the time Revelation was written. We have also begun to see positive images of what is in heaven. So, to be taken from this earth with all of the problems they were going through, to die, for the believers could indeed be seen as a blessing. The blessing aspect of dying for and in your faith is emphasized by the positive attention, the recognition, given to martyrs in some of the visions in Revelation. To be a martyr was indeed coming to be considered a blessing.

This might be true for some of us in today’s world too. We might be suffering from cancer or some other debilitating illness and long to be freed of our affliction, knowing too that only in death would that occur. Christians, more in other parts of the world than here in North America where I write from, who are being beaten, burned, put in prison and even killed, would surely long even more strongly for escape. 

Then there is the second part of the beatitude. The preceding passages suggest Christ has already come to redeem his saints but that God’s actions are still bringing some to repentance. Needless to say, in a world deprived of the salt and light of Christianity, their lives could be unimaginably difficult. There is in this blessing also a call to them to endure, as the preceding verse had said, to be faithful. Only then, if they maintained their faith in the face of the tremendous odds of the time, the tribulation, would they die in the lord and receive this blessing. May that be true of all of us, that we keep the faith till we have passed from this life. 

Free Will in the New Earth

As Christians, our understanding from the teachings that have been passed on and from our Scriptures, the Bible, is that the new heaven and the new earth after the resurrection will be perfect places. We have also been taught through these same sources that the original creation was likely perfect, as God seems to have pronounced all of it good.

How this perfect creation then became so utterly marred is something we can see evidence of all around us. How that could happen to begin with is another story. So, who is to say that in the new heaven and new earth post-resurrection, which we often refer to as heaven, and this is one of those questions that one is sometimes hesitant to ask, the same thing could not happen again?

We were talking about these things in our LIFE Group yesterday evening when an answer to my question dawned on me. Thinking about it again this morning, I think it must have been a flash of insight implanted by the Holy Spirit.

Again, we are taught, and learn to know from our own experience as believers, that God is love. As imperfect as our experience and understanding of love is, we have now in our vocabulary something we understand as “unconditional” love. Like all good things, we believe this originates in the love of God, whom we believe created all things.

Most of us are fortunate enough to experience some of this love in one way or the other in our short pilgrimages on this earth. We know how wonderful that is. But what we experience here will pale in comparison, and we can only imagine what this would be like, to what we will experience when we are actually in the presence of God and he has removed all sin. Indeed, for those of us who believe in the death and resurrection work of Christ, our sin is removed now. However, we continue to live in an imperfect body and imperfect world. Only after the resurrection will that ultimately be changed for the better.

And therein lies my answer to the question I shared in the second paragraph of this blog.

Perfect love does not force anything. Perfect love seeks a voluntary and willing response to love offered. That is our position in response to the offered love of God, most perfectly expressed in the death and resurrection of the Christ, which, as I write, we will shortly be celebrating once again in the season we now call Easter. We who believe have voluntarily submitted our will to our Creator God. The only thing that keeps us from actualizing that submission perfectly now is our imperfect body and the imperfect world we still live in. However, when we are removed from that, and that is removed from us, we will be freed of the inability to respond as perfectly in love to God as how he offers us his love.

I believe this is why there will not be another rebellion in the new heaven and earth, as there was and is in this earth. At least, that is an answer that satisfies me at present. As always in this journey, one is open to further insights.