Central to the large middle section of Revelation is three sets of seven: seven seals, seven trumpets, and seven bowls. Each cycle of seven depicts the unfolding of God’s judgment in the world during the time between Christ’s two advents. As part of the interlude between the seven trumpets and seven bowls, chapter 14 presents an account of how everything turns out in the end. The Lamb and his followers triumph. All of God’s elect from every nation and people have been gathered in and the risen and exalted Christ brings about the final judgment upon the unbelieving world.

In this particular section of chapter 14, John hears three proclamations from three different angels. Their words point to the final judgment which will be poured out at the return of Jesus. These pronouncements therefore are understandably frightening. And they should be. What would we think of a God who did not give proper weight to his warnings that those who remain in their sin will be cut off from his mercy? May the love we have for our neighbors be such that our urgency to see them freed from sin’s slavery mimics the Lord’s own urgency.

Along with a call for the saints to endure, this section closes with the second of seven beatitudes, or words of blessing, that are found in Revelation. It is a promise of eternal rest (another way of referring to the eternal life of joy in the new creation – the eternal Sabbath) for those who “die in the Lord.” This promise is made to those who have obeyed the Lord and endured in their faith in Jesus. This mention of obedience is not a contradiction to the gospel of justification by faith alone. Rather it Scripture’s way of qualifying the sort of faith which justifies, that is, a living faith. And so the angel announces of the saints: “their deeds follow them!”