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.
Encouragement to those persecuted under the beast.
Unto me. Omitted in 'Aleph (') A B C, Vulgate, Syriac, Coptic.
Write - on record forever.
Blessed - in resting from their toils, and, in the case of the saints, persecuted by the beast, in resting from persecutions. Their blessedness is now "from henceforth" - i:e., FROM THIS TIME, when judgment on the beast and the harvest-gathering of the elect are imminent. The time so longed for by former martyrs is now all but come: the full number of their fellow-servants is on the verge of completion: they have no longer to "rest (Revelation 6:10-11, as here, anapausis) yet for a little season;" their eternal cessation from toils (2 Thessalonians 1:7 х anesis (G425)], relaxation after hardships. Hebrews 4:9-10, sabbatism of rest; and God's complete rest х katapausis (G2663), akin to anapausis (G372)] is at hand now. They are blessed in being called to the marriage supper of the Lamb (Revelation 19:9), and having part IN THE first resurrection (Revelation 10:6), and right to the tree of life (Revelation 22:14). In Revelation 14:14-16, follows why they are "blessed" now in particular-namely, the Son of man on the cloud is just coming to gather them in as the harvest ripe for His garner. Yea, saith the Spirit. The Father's words (the "voice from heaven") are echoed back by the Spirit (speaking in the Word, Revelation 2:7; Revelation 22:17; and in the saints, 2 Corinthians 5:5; 1 Peter 4:14). All 'God's promises in Christ are yea' (2 Corinthians 1:20).
That they may. 'Aleph (') A B C х anapausontai (G373)] (future indicative). They are blessed, in that they SHALL rest from their toils (so the Greek).
And, х de (G1161)]. So B, Andreas; but 'Aleph (') A C, Vulgate, Syriac, read, 'for.' They rest from toils, because their time for toil is past: they enter the blessed rest, because of their faith evinced by works, which 'follow WITH х meta (G3326)] them.' In the coming judgment every man shall be 'judged according to his works.' His works do not go before the believer, nor even by his side, but follow, at the same time that they go with, him as a proof that he is Christ's.