The Dead in the Lord (14:13)

Submitted by admin on Mon, 2006-10-30 11:37.

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John again heard a voice from heaven, telling him to write, “‘Fortunate are the dead dying in the Lord from now on.’ ‘Yes,’ says the spirit, ‘they will rest from their labors, for their works accompany them.’” (14:13) Those dying in the Lord are believers who are at one with him, united to him as members of his body. They are pronounced fortunate, blessed, or in a highly desirable situation evidently because of immediately receiving their heavenly inheritance. Whereas the worshipers of the beast have no rest, those who remained loyal to God and Christ rest from their earthly labors. The record of their godly deeds accompanies them, leading to a favorable judgment. (Compare 2 Corinthians 5:8-10.) Apparently the “spirit” is referred to as speaking because John received the message of the vision through the operation of God’s spirit. This particular message seems to relate to the climax (the time of judgment). Those represented by the two witnesses would be killed by the beast, and any who may then perish would be resurrected and united with their Lord in the heavens. Others who may escape death but whose testimony would basically have been silenced would be changed and thus come to share in their heavenly inheritance. (Compare 1 Corinthians 15:51-54, 58; 1 Thessalonians 4:14-17; 2 Thessalonians 1:6-10.)