A Study on Revelation Chapter 14: Part 5 – Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from henceforth
In part 4 of this study I went over Rev 14:9-11 where we read about an angel that goes forth with a warning to mankind.
Rev 14:9-11 And the third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, “If any man worship the beast and his image, and receive his mark in his forehead, or in his hand; the same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation; and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb: And the smoke of their torment ascends up for ever and ever: and they have no rest day nor night, who worship the beast and his image, and whosoever receives the mark of his name.”
After this warning is given, we read the following verses.
Rev 14:12-13 Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus. And I heard a voice from heaven saying unto me, “Write: Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from henceforth. Yea, saith the Spirit, that they may rest from their labors; and their works do follow them.”
It will be during this period of time when all who are alive on the Earth will have to make a decision that will lead to their eternal destinies. The non-religious, the pagans, the fence-sitters who refused to take sides, the agnostics, etc; everyone, without exception, will find themselves facing Judment Day. Babies, and very young children, and the mentally handicapped will not be able to understand what is transpiring, but all those who are able to understand what is transpiring will now have to either choose Christ and his Salvation plan for them, or they will reject Christ and will go on to accept the mark of the beast. This period of time will lead to what we read in Rev 8 is a period of silence in heaven.
Rev 8:1-2 And when he had opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven about the space of half an hour. And I saw the seven angels which stood before God, and to them were given seven trumpets.
The reason there is silence in heaven is because there are no more people becoming saved in the world. All those who God has planned to save will have now answered God’s call to Salvation through his Son Jesus Christ, and now there is silence in heaven. In Luke 15 we read that there is joy in heaven over every sinner that repents, (this is implying they are going to receive Salvation).
Luke 15:7 I say unto you, that likewise joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth, more than over ninety and nine just persons which need no repentance.
When there are no more people repenting and accepting Christ as their Savior, we will have come to that point in time when there will be silence in heaven. It will be at this point in time when God will be ready to begin His final judgments upon the Earth. In Rev 8:2 we read of 7 angels that are given 7 trumpets; in the Bible, a trumpet was blown to warn people of approaching danger.
Rev 8:1-2 And when he had opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven about the space of half an hour. And I saw the seven angels which stood before God; and to them were given seven trumpets.
In the following verses, we read that after there is silence in heaven, and before the angels begin to blow of their trumpets, the prayers of all those that have come to Christ (the saints) are offered up to God before His throne.
Rev 8:3-4 And another angel came and stood at the altar, having a golden censer; and there was given unto him much incense, that he should offer it with the prayers of all saints upon the golden altar which was before the throne. And the smoke of the incense, which came with the prayers of the saints, ascended up before God out of the angel's hand.
In Revelation chapters 8 and 9, we read about judgments that will afflict the Earth upon the blowing of the 7 trumpets.
Rev 8:7 The first angel sounded, and there followed hail and fire mingled with blood, and they were cast upon the earth: and the third part of trees was burnt up, and all green grass was burnt up.
A meteor hits the Earth after the second angel sounds his trumpet.
Rev 8:8-9 And the second angel sounded, and as it were a great mountain burning with fire was cast into the sea: and the third part of the sea became blood; and the third part of the creatures which were in the sea, and had life, died; and the third part of the ships were destroyed.
Many people will die after the third angel sounds his trumpet.
Rev 8:10-11 And the third angel sounded, and there fell a great star from heaven, burning as it were a lamp, and it fell upon the third part of the rivers, and upon the fountains of waters. And the name of the star is called Wormwood: and the third part of the waters became wormwood; and many men died of the waters, because they were made bitter.
After the fourth angel sounds his trumpet, the Earth will no longer have a 24 hour day, but it will now be a 16 hour day.
Rev 8:12 And the fourth angel sounded, and the third part of the sun was smitten, and the third part of the moon, and the third part of the stars; so as the third part of them was darkened, and the day shone not for a third part of it, and the night likewise.
After the fifth angel sounds his trumpet, all the demons from hell will enter the world through an opening of a portal.
Rev 9:1-2 And the fifth angel sounded, and I saw a star fall from heaven unto the Earth: and to him was given the key of the bottomless pit. And he opened the bottomless pit; and there arose a smoke out of the pit, as the smoke of a great furnace; and the sun and the air were darkened by reason of the smoke of the pit.
After the sixth angel sounds his trumpet, the Battle of Armageddon will begin.
Rev 9:13-15 And the sixth angel sounded, and I heard a voice from the four horns of the golden altar which is before God, Saying to the sixth angel which had the trumpet, Loose the four angels which are bound in the great river Euphrates. And the four angels were loosed, which were prepared for an hour, and a day, and a month, and a year, for to slay the third part of men.
After the seventh angel sounds his trumpet, eternity will begin after Christ and his army have been victorious in defeating Satan and his followers in the Battle of Armageddon.
Rev 10:7 But in the days of the voice of the seventh angel, when he shall beginto sound, the mystery of God should befinished, as he hath declared to his servants the prophets.
Rev 11:15 And the seventh angel sounded; and there were great voices in heaven, saying, The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ; and he shall reign forever and ever.
Rev 16:17 And the seventh angel poured out his vial into the air; and there came a great voice out of the temple of heaven, from the throne, saying, “It is done.”
As you can see from the passages above that describe the judgments that will occur during the world's final tribulation period, billions of people will die, and it is why a voice from heaven asks John to write the words: “Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from henceforth..."
Rev14:13 And I heard a voice from heaven saying unto me, “Write, Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from henceforth: Yea, saith the Spirit, that they may rest from their labors; and their works do follow them.”
Rev 14:9-11 And the third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, “If any man worship the beast and his image, and receive his mark in his forehead, or in his hand; the same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation; and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb: And the smoke of their torment ascends up for ever and ever: and they have no rest day nor night, who worship the beast and his image, and whosoever receives the mark of his name.”
After this warning is given, we read the following verses.
Rev 14:12-13 Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus. And I heard a voice from heaven saying unto me, “Write: Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from henceforth. Yea, saith the Spirit, that they may rest from their labors; and their works do follow them.”
It will be during this period of time when all who are alive on the Earth will have to make a decision that will lead to their eternal destinies. The non-religious, the pagans, the fence-sitters who refused to take sides, the agnostics, etc; everyone, without exception, will find themselves facing Judment Day. Babies, and very young children, and the mentally handicapped will not be able to understand what is transpiring, but all those who are able to understand what is transpiring will now have to either choose Christ and his Salvation plan for them, or they will reject Christ and will go on to accept the mark of the beast. This period of time will lead to what we read in Rev 8 is a period of silence in heaven.
Rev 8:1-2 And when he had opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven about the space of half an hour. And I saw the seven angels which stood before God, and to them were given seven trumpets.
The reason there is silence in heaven is because there are no more people becoming saved in the world. All those who God has planned to save will have now answered God’s call to Salvation through his Son Jesus Christ, and now there is silence in heaven. In Luke 15 we read that there is joy in heaven over every sinner that repents, (this is implying they are going to receive Salvation).
Luke 15:7 I say unto you, that likewise joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth, more than over ninety and nine just persons which need no repentance.
When there are no more people repenting and accepting Christ as their Savior, we will have come to that point in time when there will be silence in heaven. It will be at this point in time when God will be ready to begin His final judgments upon the Earth. In Rev 8:2 we read of 7 angels that are given 7 trumpets; in the Bible, a trumpet was blown to warn people of approaching danger.
Rev 8:1-2 And when he had opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven about the space of half an hour. And I saw the seven angels which stood before God; and to them were given seven trumpets.
In the following verses, we read that after there is silence in heaven, and before the angels begin to blow of their trumpets, the prayers of all those that have come to Christ (the saints) are offered up to God before His throne.
Rev 8:3-4 And another angel came and stood at the altar, having a golden censer; and there was given unto him much incense, that he should offer it with the prayers of all saints upon the golden altar which was before the throne. And the smoke of the incense, which came with the prayers of the saints, ascended up before God out of the angel's hand.
In Revelation chapters 8 and 9, we read about judgments that will afflict the Earth upon the blowing of the 7 trumpets.
Rev 8:7 The first angel sounded, and there followed hail and fire mingled with blood, and they were cast upon the earth: and the third part of trees was burnt up, and all green grass was burnt up.
A meteor hits the Earth after the second angel sounds his trumpet.
Rev 8:8-9 And the second angel sounded, and as it were a great mountain burning with fire was cast into the sea: and the third part of the sea became blood; and the third part of the creatures which were in the sea, and had life, died; and the third part of the ships were destroyed.
Many people will die after the third angel sounds his trumpet.
Rev 8:10-11 And the third angel sounded, and there fell a great star from heaven, burning as it were a lamp, and it fell upon the third part of the rivers, and upon the fountains of waters. And the name of the star is called Wormwood: and the third part of the waters became wormwood; and many men died of the waters, because they were made bitter.
After the fourth angel sounds his trumpet, the Earth will no longer have a 24 hour day, but it will now be a 16 hour day.
Rev 8:12 And the fourth angel sounded, and the third part of the sun was smitten, and the third part of the moon, and the third part of the stars; so as the third part of them was darkened, and the day shone not for a third part of it, and the night likewise.
After the fifth angel sounds his trumpet, all the demons from hell will enter the world through an opening of a portal.
Rev 9:1-2 And the fifth angel sounded, and I saw a star fall from heaven unto the Earth: and to him was given the key of the bottomless pit. And he opened the bottomless pit; and there arose a smoke out of the pit, as the smoke of a great furnace; and the sun and the air were darkened by reason of the smoke of the pit.
After the sixth angel sounds his trumpet, the Battle of Armageddon will begin.
Rev 9:13-15 And the sixth angel sounded, and I heard a voice from the four horns of the golden altar which is before God, Saying to the sixth angel which had the trumpet, Loose the four angels which are bound in the great river Euphrates. And the four angels were loosed, which were prepared for an hour, and a day, and a month, and a year, for to slay the third part of men.
After the seventh angel sounds his trumpet, eternity will begin after Christ and his army have been victorious in defeating Satan and his followers in the Battle of Armageddon.
Rev 10:7 But in the days of the voice of the seventh angel, when he shall beginto sound, the mystery of God should befinished, as he hath declared to his servants the prophets.
Rev 11:15 And the seventh angel sounded; and there were great voices in heaven, saying, The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ; and he shall reign forever and ever.
Rev 16:17 And the seventh angel poured out his vial into the air; and there came a great voice out of the temple of heaven, from the throne, saying, “It is done.”
As you can see from the passages above that describe the judgments that will occur during the world's final tribulation period, billions of people will die, and it is why a voice from heaven asks John to write the words: “Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from henceforth..."
Rev14:13 And I heard a voice from heaven saying unto me, “Write, Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from henceforth: Yea, saith the Spirit, that they may rest from their labors; and their works do follow them.”
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