Teaching from the Book of Revelation Part 111

INTRODUCTION:Let us turn in our bibles to the Book of Revelation, chapter 14, verse 13, for a continuation of our study from the Book of Revelation, chapter by chapter and verse by verse.

Today will be Part 111in a series of teaching entitled:

TITLE: Teaching from the Book of Revelation Part 111

In our last teaching, in covering the events that will occur in the great tribulation, we left off studying the last part of Revelation chapter 14, verse 13, where John wrote about the voice from heaven that he heard and what the voice said unto him. But for clarity, let us read the entire verse and then complete the last part we left off with. It reads:

Revelation 14:13 (KJV 1900)

13And 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 (GNB)

13Then I heard a voice from heaven saying, “Write this: happy are those who from now on die in the service of the Lord!” “Yes indeed!” answers the Spirit. “They will enjoy rest from their hard work, because the results of their service go with them.”

Here in this passage of scripture, we covered the part where John writes: 13And I heard a voice from heaven saying unto me, Write, Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord from henceforth. We learned that death rewards believers with the entrance to heaven. Death is a method by which a believer enters heaven. The separation of the believer’s earthly bodies from their soul and spirit is the process by which the believer enters into heaven.

And so, let us begin with the voice of the Holy Spirit joining in with a “Yea”. John writes Yea, saith the Spirit that they may rest from their labors; and their works do follow them.

In this passage of scripture, we can see that there are two great rewards. First, there is the reward of rest from earthy labor. Here, we see that the Holy Spirit is giving an assuring Yea in agreement with the voice of God, declaring that the blessing for the saints will be rest from their labors. This picture is that of work, labor, and toil, which we can imagine that the saints will experience. The saints will labor in witnessing and ministering for Christ. The believer's labor is standing up against all temptations and trials of life. It was remaining faithful in the midst of hardships. It means sticking with the commandments of God and enduring to the end. These will be the things that will be rewarded with rest. There is the picture of rest from earthly labor. And in the troubles of the end times they will be experiencing, they will stand up for Christ, refuse to follow the beast, and accept his mark.

When believers are truly faithful to Christ, truly in the Lord, and truly living for the Lord, then they will die in the Lord. And the Lord takes them home to heaven and gives them rest from their labor and toil. But let us have a deeper look at the word “rest.” The word “rest,” as it is used in this passage of scripture, means to be refreshed, revitalized, restored, recharged, and rejuvenated. It means to be free of all temptations and trials, to be comforted and relaxed while being refreshed and recharged. When we get to heaven, we will be free from all this earth's temptations, trials, and labors. Our bodies will be perfect, free from ever getting tired, from aching muscles and headaches and heavy eyes, and from ever becoming exhausted and weary again. We will be perfect, and we will live in a perfect society of godliness and righteousness forever and ever. We will rest from our labor and struggles in this corruptible world on that glorious day. Let us look at some scriptures that reflect on the rest that only come to the believer from heaven.

Job 3:17 (KJV 1900)

17There the wicked cease from troubling; And there the weary be at rest.

2 Thessalonians 1:7 (KJV 1900)

7And to you who are troubled rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels,

Hebrews 4:9 (KJV 1900)

9There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God.

2 Corinthians 4:17 (KJV 1900)

17For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory;

Philippians 3:20–21 (KJV 1900)

20For our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ:

21Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself.

Colossians 3:4 (KJV 1900)

4When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory.

2 Timothy 2:10 (KJV 1900)

10Therefore I endure all things for the elect’s sakes, that they may also obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory.

John goes on to write the last part of our scripture for today, quoting the Holy Spirit saying:

And their works do follow them.

This is saying that believers will receive the reward of a heavenly work to do for Christ. Heaven is not going to be inactivity like so many people are thinking. It will not be floating around on a fluffy cloud playing a harp. This would be no way to spend eternity. It will not be standing around singing the praises of God all the time. No doubt, there will always be our awareness of God’s presence, His fellowship, and our communion with Him. But standing around and doing nothing but singing and praising the Lord on and on forever and ever would be no way to spend eternity. Our Lord is worthy of more than just words and music.

Heaven is going to be full of both worship and service. Let us not forget that heaven is another dimension of being, another world, the spiritual world, which is more real than the world we see today. Heaven is the real and permanent world. The physical world that we presently live in is a dimension of corruption. It and everything on it, including our earthly bodies, ages, decays, deteriorates and passes away. Jesus said in the gospel of:

Matthew 24:35 (KJV 1900)

35Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away.

The real and permanent world, i.e., the spiritual world and dimension, is incorruptible. Thus, God is going to destroy the heavens and the earth and make a new heavens and earth. He is going to transform the universe into the spiritual dimension of being, into the permanent and incorruptible dimension. The earth and the heavens, including all the universe, will be transformed into the spiritual world. They will be transformed into the permanent, incorruptible, and eternal world, into the spiritual dimension of being into the permanent and incorruptible dimension, which will be a world that will last forever and ever. The apostle Peter explains this very well in the Book of 2 Peter 3:10–13, he says:

10But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up.

11Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness,

12Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat?

13Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness.

We will never get tired or exhausted when we work and serve Christ in the new heavens and earth. We’ll be able to work and serve Christ forever without ever feeling pressure, tension, sluggishness, or experiencing boredom or lack of interest.

True believers will be made kings and priests in heaven. We are going to rule and reign under the leadership, direction, and supervision of Christ. Jesus Christ makes this perfectly clear. Believers will be rewarded with work to do and be made responsible for position and rule.

CLOSING: Due to the amount of time needed to cover the broad subject of rewards for the believer, we will complete this discussion about rewards in our next study. Our next study will cover numerous rewards in different categories for true believers. We will be pointing to several scriptures, mainly from the New Testament, about the awesome rewards God has blessed the believers with. After that, we will continue with the next vision that John writes about.

Revelation 1:3 (KJV 1900)

3Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written therein: for the time is at hand.

May the Lord give us ears to hear what the Spirit is saying to today's church and to all that is in the church.!

DAILY SURRENDER TO GOD AND HIS WORD WILL BRING FORTH DAILY VICTORIES IN OUR LIVES. WHEN WE SURRENDER ALL TO GOD, WE WILL RECEIVE ALL OF HIM. TO HAVE ALL OF HIM IS TO HAVE ALL OF EVERYTHING. HAVE FAITH IN GOD! FEAR NOT! BELIEVE ONLY! KEEP TRUSTING! KEEP BELIEVING! KEEP STANDING ON GOD'S WORD. WHEN YOU STAND ON GOD'S WORD, HE WILL STAND WITH YOU. HE WILL NEVER, EVER LEAVE YOU, NOR WILL HE EVER FORSAKE YOU. HE WILL BRING TO PASS WHATEVER CONCERNS YOU.

CALL TO SALVATION