October 16 Daily Devotional

Bible Reading

Revelation 14:6–13

Devotional

Instead of calling the dead blessed, we would rather say, “Blessed are those who live.” For after all, does a man not do everything he can to remain alive? Sometimes life becomes so difficult that one prefers death above life. But overall we really love life.

The text says, “Blessed are the dead.” We must realize that this refers to those who were martyred to death. They died a terrible death but still they are referred to as being blessed. God’s Word judges very differently about life and death than man’s word does.

Still, it is perfectly true that the dead who die in the Lord are then fully happy. Oh, certainly salvation is already their share on this earth. They know times that are so blessed that it can even become too much for the body to bear the delights of God’s descending love. That is the beginning of heavenly joy. It will only be after death that they will taste the fulness of this joy. That is why death is, on one hand, the last enemy to be conquered, and yet on the other hand it is the means by which they enter the full glory of God. Only then do they have full salvation and are they fully blessed.

Yes, “blessed are the dead,” because they are delivered from sin, from guilt, from struggles, from affliction, from this valley of tears, from their pilgrimage, from the devil, and also from themselves. On earth they found their death; they were dead in sins and trespasses. Now physical death can only deliver them from the death of sin.

“Blessed are the dead,” and blessed is their end, for this end is the beginning of eternal glory where they will be seated with all the redeemed at the marriage supper of the Lamb. There the weary bride will be forever home with her bridegroom, Christ, who desired that they would also be where He is.

It is not that these people desire to die. Death is still death and a grave is still a grave. It is possible for believers to tremble more in the face of death than someone from the world who in ignorance does not realize that his death is real because of his sin. But these people of God desire heaven; that is, they desire God. They have a desire to be redeemed. Their desire is to be clothed with unspotted garments, to eat forever at the table of Christ’s communion, and to drink always from the fountain of His love. That will mean to rest forever in the arms of the Father and always to give thanks to God for this received redemption.

 

From The Everlasting Word by Frans Bakker, compiled and translated by Gerald R. Procee. Reformation Heritage Books and Free Reformed Publications, 2007. Used by permission. For further information, click here.