Expositor's Bible Commentary Commentary Revelation 14:13

"And I heard the voice from heaven saying, Write, Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from henceforth: yea, saith the Spirit, that they may rest from their labors; for their works follow with them." — Revelation 14:13 (ASV)

A fourth voice comes from heaven (an angel’s or Christ’s?), pronounces a beatitude, and evokes the Spirit’s response. This is the second beatitude in Revelation (cf. comment on 1:3). Its general import is clear. But how are the words “from now on” to be understood? Do they mean that from the time of the vision’s fulfillment onward (i.e., the judgment of idolaters and the 144,000 with the Lord on Mount Zion) the dead will be blessed in a more complete manner? Or do they refer to the time of John’s writing onward? While either interpretation is grammatically possible, the preceding verse, which implies an exhortation to Christians in John’s day, favors the latter view. John expects the imminent intensification of persecution associated with the beast, and this beatitude indicates that those who remain loyal to Jesus will be blessed indeed.

Apart from 22:17, this is the only place in Revelation where the Spirit speaks directly (cf. Acts 13:2; Hebrews 3:7; Hebrews 10:15). The beatitude is no doubt intended to emphasize the reality of the martyrs’ future. Their blessedness consists in “rest” (GK 399) from the onslaught of the dragon and his beasts and the assurance that their toils (GK 3160; cf. 2:2) for Christ’s name will not be in vain but will be remembered by the Lord himself after their death (Hebrews 6:10; cf. 1 Timothy 5:24–25).