Heralds Digest

"Then I heard a voice from heaven saying to me, “Write: ‘Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on.’ ” “Yes,” says the Spirit, “that they may rest from their labors, and their works follow them.”" (Revelation 14:13 NKJV) Unlike bread and butter beliefs, reality teaches that the grace of God that bring salvation comes with a package of labour. Obviously in the word of Jesus Christ, this labour is a rest, compared with the burden of sin and unrighteousness. Being crucified with Christ, misconceptions, misrepresentations, convictions, and possibly, prosecutions are normal light afflictions for believers. But for the generation of those who will be born during the period of the Great Tribulation, there is a blessedness in the tenure of their faith-provoked light afflictions. The termination of the earth's light afflictions opens the translation into heaven's glorious rest.

"Then I heard a voice from heaven saying to me, “Write: ‘Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on.’ ” “Yes,” says the Spirit, “that they may rest from their labors, and their works follow them.”" (Revelation 14:13 NKJV) Redemption starts with the spiritual translation from the kingdom of darkness into the kingdom of light. Although the redeemed of the Lord lives in the world thereafter, they are dead in Christ; and they are subject to inevitable persecution from the system of the world. To those who are troubled daily by the enemies of the Cross, the final redemption hour remains an enviable declaration of rest from pain.

"And in their mouth was found no deceit, for they are without fault before the throne of God." (Revelation 14:5 NKJV) Good impressions are the reserves of good people. Wicked people care little about goodness. However, the pressure to give good impression is often badly managed with deceit in the mouth or gesture of good people. Good impressions, wrapped in the regalia of deceitful expressions, can succeed in making good face before men. The scripture says they are not without fault before the throne of God. Even if it leaves a bad taste, honesty with gracious impressions is preferable to deceit-coloured good impressions.

"He causes all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and slave, to receive a mark on their right hand or on their foreheads" (Revelation 13:16 NKJV) National planning for food, health, employment and social securities in the world depends on the accurate presentation of the global identity. There is little doubt that the network system in all the nations of the world are fast being integrated, in order to regulate the morality of man. As long as social security is guaranteed, man is brought to a state where what matter most in term of worship cannot fall outside the services of food, social, and medical care, etc. Eventually, in an anti-christ economy that will be operating on secured morality, a club member is caused (not privileged to chose) to be duly identified with the mark of the beast.

"He who leads into captivity shall go into captivity; he who kills with the sword must be killed with the sword. Here is the patience and the faith of the saints." (Revelation 13:10 NKJV) Saints and tribulation represent an unexpected combination at any period of life, but they appear an unavoidable reality of all times. Tribulation readily provokes bitterness and ungodliness. The victims of tribulation period are unconsciously encouraged to join in the propagation of wickedness. However, saints endure tribulation through their patience in God's sincerity about His final judgment of the wicked, and their faith in God's salvation from wickedness. Obviously, irrespective of the times and season, the white robes of tribulation saints are more precious than their spilled blood.

"But the woman was given two wings of a great eagle, that she might fly into the wilderness to her place, where she is nourished for a time and times and half a time, from the presence of the serpent." (Revelation 12:14 NKJV) Peace, purity and power represent the place of all creatures of God in relationship with their Creator before the fall. And without intervention of heaven after the fall, all are doomed with the dragon and his fallen angels. But grace (God's riches at Christ's expense) represent the sufficiency of the two wings of a great eagle, that cannot held any creature to feast as prey to the hawk of sin. God's grace is great and full of sufficient protection from the embarrassment of sin.

"And the dragon was enraged with the woman, and he went to make war with the rest of her offspring, who keep the commandments of God and have the testimony of Jesus Christ." (Revelation 12:17 NKJV) Friendliness is the natural characteristics of friends; but it is a misnomer with fiends. Unfortunately, the redeemed of the Lord often appears to treat fiend as friend to their destruction. Those who keep the commandments of God and have the testimony of Jesus Christ should not be deceived: friendliness with the world is a dangerous romance with a fiend. Fortunately, anyone who keep his eyes upon Jesus will not be consumed by the rage of an unfriendly fiend.