Our Lord’s Final Beatitudes

Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city. - Revelation 22:14

    'Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city' (Revelation 22:14)

    A beatitude is the sure and certain promise of immortal bliss, eternal happiness, and supreme delight. The Lord Jesus pronounced nine beatitudes in his sermon on the mount (Matt. 5:3-12). The apostle Paul, by divine inspiration, gave us what some have called 'the last beatitude' in Acts 20:35 - 'Remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he said, It is more blessed to give than to receive.' Everyone knows that it is more blessed in this world to be rich and have the means to give than it is to be poor and have nothing to give. But the words of our Lord mean: It is more blessed to give to others than it is to receive from them. It is more blessed to give what we have, be it little or much, for the good of others, than it is to increase what we have. Many give for the hope of gain, to get more. God’s people give according to their ability, to do good, hoping for nothing in return. It is more blessed to give our labor to those who need it than it is to be paid for our labor from those who do not need it. It is blessed to give and labor for those who are grateful and appreciative. But it is more blessed and honorable to give and labor for those who are ungrateful and unappreciative, for then our gifts and our labors are to God alone.

    Look at Acts 20:35. 'I have shewed you all things, how that so labouring ye ought to support the weak, and to remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how that he said, It is more blessed to give than to receive.'

    It tells us three things about the children of God in this world. First, God’s saints are honest, hardworking men and women. They work for their living. They work hard. They work for the glory of God (Eph. 6:5-8; 1 Thess. 4:11; 2 Thess. 3:10; I Tim. 5:8). God’s people are not lazy, loitering dolts, but productive members of society. Second, God’s people work, not merely to enrich themselves, but to support the weak, the poor, the needy, and the work of the gospel (Eph. 4:28). Believers are not greedy, grasping people, but generous, giving people. We work to support our families, the work of the gospel (churches, pastors, missionaries, etc.), and, those who are not able to support themselves. Third, God’s saints in this world who give with willing and cheerful hearts are blessed of God. The fact that they give with willing hearts, freely and cheerfully is proof that they are loved of God. Our giving does not cause God to love us and bless us with his grace. But it is a proof that he does love us and has blessed us (2 Cor. 9:7). Giving men and women shall be constantly supplied by God with the ability to give (II Cor 9:8; Phil. 4:19; Luke 6:38). Generous, open-hearted, and open-handed men and women, those who give willingly and cheerfully because they love Christ are blessed with God’s unspeakable gift, Jesus Christ, and everlasting glory in him (2 Cor. 8:9; 9:15). 'Blessed!' - The text says, giving men and women are 'blessed.'

    These are the beatitudes of our Lord, his sure, unconditional promises of supreme happiness and eternal bliss to his people. These beatitudes and the blessedness they promise are not conditioned upon the character and conduct of those to whom the promises are made. Rather, their character and conduct is the result of the blessing bestowed (Eph. 1:3).

    Our Lord gives seven final beatitudes are given to his people in the book of Revelation

    Here are the last seven beatitudes given to God’s elect in the Word of God. Here, in the last Book of the Bible, are seven sure and certain promises of immortal bliss, eternal happiness, and supreme delight given to all who believe.

    1. Supreme happiness and eternal bliss are connected with the public ministry of the Word

    'Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written therein (Rev. 1:3). 'Blessed is he that readeth.' John Gill suggested that the word 'readeth' here means to read with explanation. The faithful gospel preacher reads God’s word to the church and explains the meaning of the words. That is what it is to preach the Scriptures. And the man who does so is blessed of God, with grace, with gifts of knowledge and understanding (Jer. 3:15), and with the ability to preach the gospel, teaching the Word of God. That man is blessed of God in the preparation and in the preaching of God’s message to his people (Eph. 3:8). 'Blessed are they that hear the words of this prophecy.' Those who hear the Word of God faithfully read and proclaimed are blessed in the providence of God, for this is the means of grace, the means by which God calls, comforts, corrects, and cleanses his elect (Isa. 52:7; Rom. 10:14-17; Eph. 4:8-16; 5:26). Those who hear in faith with understanding hearts are blessed with divine grace and eternal life (John 3:5-7; 1 Cor. 2:9-14). 'Blessed are they that keep those things which are written therein.' Those who keep the Word in their hearts are the children of God. Their hearts have been prepared by grace. The Word has been sown in their hearts by grace. And they keep the Word by grace. They receive the Word as seed sown in good ground; and it brings forth fruit (Matt. 13:23). They receive the Word by the power and grace of God the Holy Spirit (1 Thess. 1:4-5).

    2. Supreme happiness and eternal bliss is promised to all who die in the Lord

    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 (Rev. 14:13). There is a great, indescribable blessedness connected with death for the believer. 'Precious in the eyes of the Lord is the death of his saints' (Ps. 116:15). Read II Corinthians 5:1-9. 'They rest from their labours.' (See Heb. 4:9-11). As soon as a sinner comes to Christ in faith, he begins to keep a sabbath rest. Ceasing from his own works, he rests in Christ’s purchase, trusting him alone for acceptance with God. That is what the Old Testament sabbath day typified. We also rest, at least in measure, in our Lord’s providence (Rom. 8:28). But as soon as God’s saints leave this world of woe, they enter into the perfect rest of his presence. 'And their works do follow them.' Our works do not go before us to prepare a place for us in heaven. Christ did that (John 14:1-3; Heb. 6:20). We do not carry our works with us as the ground of our acceptance with God or the basis for reward in heaven. Every believer knows that his righteousnesses are filthy rags before God (Isa. 64:6). But our works do follow us to heaven for the praise, honor, and glory of Christ.

    3. Supreme happiness and eternal bliss is promised to those who persevere in the faith of Chris

    'Behold, I come as a thief. Blessed is he that watcheth, and keepth his garments, lest he walk naked, and they see his shame ' (Rev. 16:15). God’s saints live in anticipation of Christ’s coming to carry them home. We look for his second coming at any moment; and we look for him to come and carry us away by death at any moment. We are watching for him. We do not watch for him as we ought. But we do watch for him in faith. This is the constant life of faith. Faith never quits. Thus, we keep our garments, the garments of salvation, persevering in faith (Matt. 10:22; 1 Cor. 15:1-3; Heb. 3:14; 10:23). Those who do not persevere unto the end, those who cast away the faith of Christ, never truly knew him. Being found naked, they shall be ashamed and cast away forever (Matt. 22:12-14).

    4. Supreme happiness and eternal bliss is promised to all who are called to the marriage supper of the Lamb

    'Blessed are they which are called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb' (Rev. 19:9). The call here spoken of is the effectual call of grace, by which God the Holy Spirit brings chosen, redeemed sinners to Christ, creating faith in them by his irresistible power (Ps. 65:4; 1 Cor. 1:26-31). This is that distinctive, distinguishing call which separates the precious from the vile (Rom. 8:29; 1 Cor. 4:7).

    5. Supreme happiness and eternal bliss is promised to those who are born of God

    'Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years' (Rev. 20:6). This is not a promise to be fulfilled in some imaginary millennial kingdom. The first resurrection is a spiritual resurrection. It is the new birth (John 5:25; Eph. 2:1-5). All who have been resurrected representatively with Christ must be resurrected from spiritual death by the Holy Spirit in the new birth, and shall be resurrected physically at the second coming of Christ (Job 19:25-27). It is by virtue of this first resurrection that God’s saints are made kings and priests unto God. 'And they shall never perish' (John 10:28)

    6. Supreme happiness and eternal bliss is promised to all who keep, or obey, the words of Christ

    'Behold, I come quickly: blessed is he that keepeth the sayings of the prophecy of this book' (Rev. 22:7). 'The sayings of the prophecy of this book' are the commandments of the gospel issued to sinners in the book of Revelation. They are all matters of faith, acts of faith which grace alone can enable us to perform, but commandments we are responsible to obey. Our Lord requires us, by an act of faith, to buy of him everlasting salvation (3:18; Isa. 55:1-3). He demands that any of his saints, desiring communion with him, open the door to him (3:20).Yet, we know that if we open to him, it is because he put his hand to the door and opened it first (S. Of S. 5:2-6). The Son of God also demands that all who follow him make a clean break from all false religion (18:4). And he calls whosoever will to come to him and drink of the water of life freely (22:17). All who obey his voice of grace have been blessed with grace from eternity (Eph. 1:3), and shall be blessed with grace forever.

    7. Supreme happiness and eternal bliss is promised to all who obey the commandments of God

    Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city' (Rev. 22:14). His commandments are very simple (1 John 3:23). Believing Christ, we offer to God perfect righteousness and the complete fulfilment of all his commandments (Rom. 3:28-31). All who believe on the Lord Jesus Christ have the right to live forever. By the gift of God, the purchase of Christ, and the imputation of righteousness to them, they are worthy to inherit eternal life (Col. 1:12).