Revelation 14:13

13. Heard a voice from heaven The above three menacing angel-voices were from the mid-heaven; but now peals down a voice from the highest heaven in beautiful contrast with the menacing voices. Amid the menaces upon the persecutors it interpolates a benediction upon the faithful dying sufferers.

Write Let this blessed assurance be well recorded.

Blessed are the dead They are under no malediction, in no torment, in no unconsciousness, for they are blessed, that is, happy and more than happy.

Die in the Lord Said on occasion of their martyr-death, yet in such comprehensive terms as to include all the dying faithful in all ages.

From henceforth This from henceforth, starts from the death of each individual dying saint. The meaning then is, those dying in the Lord are thenceforth and forever blessed. The end of a holy life is the commencement of an eternal bliss. This assures the unshrinking faithful who refuse the beast, his mark, and his number, and thereby meet death, that their destiny is not torment, but blessedness.

Yea, saith the Spirit This appears to be a responding voice ratifying the affirmation of blessedness. John hears this response from the same highest heaven, and knows and tells us that so saith the Spirit. By inspired intuition he knows the voice of the Spirit, and allows us now to infer that the first voice was from the First Person of the Trinity, and the response from the Third.

That In order that. Depends upon die. Those dying in the Lord do truly die, in order that they may rest from their labours.

And Better reading, For, assigning a reason for their blessed rest, namely, that their works of keeping the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus, (Revelation 14:12,) do follow them, namely, from this world to the next, as witnesses for their justification with God.