The Pulpit Commentary — Revelation — Section 317

llF.ATHB. "The dead which die in the Lord." The dead which are dying. The believet'II in Obrist under the present di~pmsation, who are, one by one, passing away, are evidently intended. " Dying in the Lord " is no vague expression. It defines. It includ88. It. limits. Otherwise were there no meaning in the phrase. It indicates, indeed, nothing special III to the physical mode of dece..1so; nor as to age; nor as to the accidents of death. The expression, "from henceforth," is ambiguoue. (J<'or various lnterpretations, see expositors.) We incline to the opinion that the" henceforth" here referred to is the time of weariness, in which the faith and patience of the saints will be 1!6Verely tried by the raging of the powet'II of evil; that it will be blessed to die in Jesus, and pass away to the realm where the weariness (cf. be,-,;;., ,c,f,,..,., cln-owv) will be known no more. The significance of the expression, "die in the Lord," should be care- fullv studied. Deaths are not alike any more than lives are. The deaths of Lazarus and· Dives were as widely different as their lives. To die "in the Lord" is the natural sequence of living to the Lord. No change of s-tate can affect the relation of believers to their Saviour (1 'l'hess. v.10; eh. i. 18). Sllch a dying as is here referred to must' include (1) trust~ (2) union, (3) communion, (4) surrender, (6) rest-in Christ-all going· on in the act of dying, as really as in the act of living. Whether we live or die, we continue to be the Lord's.- Once his, we are ever his. II. THERE ARE MANIFOLD GROUNDS ON WHICH WE KNOW THOSE TO BE BLESSED WHO 'l'HOB Dm IN THE Lono. Each phrase in the text is full of meaning. 1. Their blessed- ne&lil is declared by the Holy Ghost. "Yea, saith the Spirit.'' 2. It is proclaimed to the apostle by a voice from heaven. S. There is a command to place it on record for all time, Each of these three lines of thon!!ht is indicated by the woriu of the verse. Much more is indicated, however, by the doctrine underlying the expression, "in the Lord." 'l'his phrase is used to express the unique relation between Christ and the believer. It is constantly recurring. "In Christ." From this the blessedness of those dying- in him may be confide1ttlY affirmed; e.g.: 1. Our Lord, in his work for nren, contemplated the whole duration ·of their existence. 2. He is the Saviour of man's whole natnre,-body, soul, and spirit. S. Our Saviour's work for believers touched every point of their ncerl. 4. He is himself the Lord of life. 5. Being ln him ill enough for time and eternity. We know whom we have believed. 6. He is guardian of believers III much after deat.h as before it. Hence it must be the case, "Bleased," etc. III. WB ABE DISTINCTLY TOLD JN WHAT THE.BLESSEDNESS CONSISTS. '!'here is no ground in Scripture for asserting the sleep of the soul between death and the resurrec- tion. It is,· indeed, only "the body" which "is dead because of sin; the spirit is life because of righteousness." And Jesus expressly declared that whoso keepeth hia sayings should never taste of death. "Absent from the body," they are "at home with -the Lord." Not, indeed, that the fully glorified state is theirs as yet, nor will be till the resurrection. Not till Christ, our Life, is manifested, shall we be mauifestcd with him in glory. The heavenly life has three stages. 'l'he .first beginning at reaene- ration. and closing with the dissolution of the body. The second beginning at d~th, and ending at the resurrection. The third beginning with the resurrection, and nevtlf" ending. It is this intermediate stage which is pronounced "blessed." 'J'hey are blessed. ,n de:1th, and blessed after it. "The having died is gain" (Tb cl,ra8a.,,1;..). How? 1. Negatively. "They rest from their labours." (1) From struggles with 11in. . (2) From wearying conflict. (3) From every fault and flaw. (4) From all the frailtk'I incident to a di~ordered frame. 2. Positively. Their works follow with them. '.l'hey ~ only leave behind them blessed impulses which will follow after their earthly works have ceased, but they take with them their works into another lifi'l; i.e. the works of faith and patience and holy activity which were the outwork of their devotion and se&l were a part of themselves; they not only expressed what they were, but they ph1yed their part in the growth and perfecting of their characters. And not only so, but the Lord, into whose presence th~y are ushered at death, sees both them and their works too, as one. As Ewald," Their works are so far from being lost through their death, that they follow. them into. eternity" (quoted in 'Speaker's Commentary,' in loc.). The same law works in the case of the righteous as in the case of the wicked. "Some !hen's sins are open beforehand, going before them to judg,uent; " ,.e. a man goes into eternity, plw his works, whether they be good or bad. Blc111ed, iw.leed, ill it when the mr. xtv. 1-20.] THE REVELATION OJ!' BT. JOHN THE DIVINE; 85'1