ESOCS Devotional 22 May 2025 – Blessed are the Dead in Christ
MEMORY VERSE: “And I heard a voice from heaven saying unto me, Write, Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord from henceforth: Yea, saith the Spirit, that they may rest from their labours; and their works do follow them.” Revelation 14:13
TEXT: REVELATION 14:13-20
Then I heard a voice from heaven saying to me, “Write: ‘Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on.’ ”
“Yes,” says the Spirit, “that they may rest from their labors, and their works follow them.”
14 Then I looked, and behold, a white cloud, and on the cloud sat One like the Son of Man, having on His head a golden crown, and in His hand a sharp sickle. 15 And another angel came out of the temple, crying with a loud voice to Him who sat on the cloud, “Thrust in Your sickle and reap, for the time has come for You to reap, for the harvest of the earth is ripe.” 16 So He who sat on the cloud thrust in His sickle on the earth, and the earth was reaped.
17 Then another angel came out of the temple which is in heaven, he also having a sharp sickle.
18 And another angel came out from the altar, who had power over fire, and he cried with a loud cry to him who had the sharp sickle, saying, “Thrust in your sharp sickle and gather the clusters of the vine of the earth, for her grapes are fully ripe.” 19 So the angel thrust his sickle into the earth and gathered the vine of the earth, and threw it into the great winepress of the wrath of God. 20 And the winepress was trampled outside the city, and blood came out of the winepress, up to the horses’ bridles, for one thousand six hundred furlongs.
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The word used here as ‘blessed’ means to be fortunate, to be happy, to be supremely blest and well off. This is the state of those you die in the Lord Jesus Christ. This shows a sharp contrast of dying in the Lord Jesus Christ and dying outside of Him. Obviously, those who didn’t die in the Lord are cursed and cannot be said to be happy. This is because their eternity will be spent in regrets and torments forever in lake of fire that burns with brimstone (Rev.20:15; 21:7-8.)
The story that can help us understand this is in Luke 16:19-31 – the rich man and Lazarus. From the ending of the story, we knew that the rich man did not die in the Lord but Lazarus died in the Lord. The obvious difference between them is in wealth and poverty they had while on earth. The rich man was not rich towards God but built and lived his entire life on the pursuit of material things and the sufficiency of his material wealth. Lazarus was poor materially but possessed a far greater wealth, which is richness towards God. Yes, he was seen materially destitute, which made him seek material help from the rich. Yet, he was contented within him. That was great virtue. We are not saying that material poverty is good. But we emphasize that cleanliness of heart and hands is a great treasure –whether we are poor or rich.
Again, people who die in the Lord rest from their labours – this may refer to pains, troubles and weariness and their works (good and righteous acts) do follow them (testify for them before the judgement throne of God). Anyone that dies in the Lord Jesus Christ will forever be free from all oppression, affliction and temptation. Such a one will escape the second death in the fire that burns with sulphur. He will live forever in perfect bliss!
CHALLENGES
- To die in the Lord is to receive Jesus as Lord and Saviour and live for Him all your life on earth. Have you received Him as your Lord and Saviour? Do you live in Him and for Him now?
PRAYER POINT
- Dear Father, help me by your Spirit to know your Son Jesus as my Saviour, and live for Him as my Lord. Keep me safe in this sinful world, in Jesus name. Amen.
FURTHER READING: Exodus 11:1-end; Judges 18:1-18; Rev. 15:1-10
ESOCS Devotional 22 May 2025
