Revelation Study 20. Revelation 14:14-15:8 (pg.130-132)
For Thought and Discussion: a. Why are the dead who die in the Lord from this point on blessed? " Write this " John is commanded to write twelve times—three times in relation to the book as a whole, seven times for the messages in Revelation 2–3, and twice of statements here and in 19:9–which emphasizes the importance of what is spoken. These are the ones who endure, keep God's commandments, hold on to their faith, whose deeds are good in the sight of God. " Those who die in the Lord " includes all those who come to the end of life before Jesus returns, and not merely those who are martyred. " From this moment on " refers to the period that began with Jesus’ death, and the assurance is similar to Paul’s assurance for the Thessalonians (1 Thess. 4:13–18) that, because of Jesus’ resurrection, death is not the end but a time of awaiting the general resurrection of all humanity. {Paul, Tyndale Commentary) It is possble that the dead in Christ afte...