Blessed are The Dead in The Lord | Revelation 14:12-13 | Pastor Daniel Batarseh (Revelation Bible Study Series)

I gladly invite you to turn in your Bibles with me to the Book

of Revelation chapter 14. Revelation chapter 14.

Revelation 14 · chapter mention Revelation 14 · chapter mention

Many of you know this by way of experience, but the Christian

life is like a marathon. And like any actual physical

race, in order for there to be any hope to completing it well,

there must be a preparedness of mind and awareness that such a

race will be demanding at times. In fact, if we're honest, it can

become so demanding that we might even feel the temptation

to quit. To quit on growing unholiness,

to quit on sacrificial love, to quit on our pursuit of knowing

the Lord. To quit on the local church, to

quit on our ministries, and to even quit on our unashamed

witness for Christ and the Lord is so tender.

He's so kind. He's fully aware of our

tendencies to dial down our convictions and our callings.

And so He provides us fuel for our faith.

He has granted us means to no fresh oxygen to our souls,

enthusiasm in our endurance, strength for every stride.

He has not abandoned us should those moments of weaknesses

visit us. And that is what we are prepared

to see here. Because one of the ways that God

does in fact provide energy to us, hydration to our souls, is

by reminding us just how blessed we are in Christ.

And what we're going to see with John in these two verses in

Revelation 14 is just how rich and how great the scope of our

treasures are in Jesus. And so vast are such blessings

that John wants to focus on how we are even blessed in death,

that in Christ even death becomes a blessing.

And my prayer is that by looking at these Scriptures, each of us

will know heavenly enthusiasm poured into our hearts afresh.

And so let's turn here to verse 12 and verse 13 and ask the Lord

after we read it, for this to be our portion today.

Here is a call for the endurance of the Saints, those who keep

the commandments of God and their faith in Jesus.

And I heard a voice from heaven saying, write this, Blessed are

the dead who die in the Lord from now on.

Blessed indeed, says the Spirit, that they may rest from their

laborers for their deeds. Follow them.

Father, we ask, oh, you've heard our prayers since the beginning

of this service, but we come yet again as we open your word and

we pray. How?

We pray for the Holy Spirit's help to understand your mind and

your heart in these scriptures. May they be delivered in power,

may they be received in humility, and may you receive

glory through it. We thank you and we trust that

you will indeed speak to us today.

In Jesus name we pray. Amen.

Question #1 You've been falling with us, hopefully through the

series in Revelation, Carefully, patiently.

And what I want to know, reading these two verses, is why is John

commanded to write about this now?

It seems a little bit out of place because John just finished

describing a very vivid picture of the eternal torment that

awaits those who deny Christ and worship the Antichrist.

But that is precisely the point. Right after describing the

horrors and the torment and the holy wrath of God that will be

poured out on those who deny His grace, we have this strong

contrast between two different types of worshippers.

We have here first the distinction between those who

worship the beast and those who serve Jesus Christ.

And there are many, many differences between the eternal

fates of such worshippers. But the one thing that the Holy

Spirit wants to emphasize is that of rest.

Scroll back to verse 11. Let's remind ourselves what was

said last week, John writes. And the smoke of their torment

goes up forever and ever. And they have no rest day or

night, these worshippers of the beast and its image and whoever

receives the mark of its name. And in comparison, as what we

just read in verse 13, those who die in the Lord will have rest

from their laborers. So you notice what's being

highlighted here, that there is a rest that is eternal and

unending for those who worship Christ, and there is no rest for

those who reject Christ. Now this message was primarily

given for those who would be believers during the Tribulation

era, more specifically the Great Tribulation.

And it makes sense, doesn't it, that they would have to undergo

such torment and sorrow and difficulties as they are living

under the tyrannical reign of a man who demands the devotion of

the masses. And so contextually, what's

happening here is that the Holy Spirit wants to provide fuel to

those who have to face such oppression and he grants them

the fuel to remain faithful, even if it means martyrdom, even

if it means believing in Jesus will cost me my life.

But listen, this promise here, this blessing in verse 13 is not

reserved for a single future generation will have to undergo

end times persecution. It's also for you and me.

And the reason why we know that is because of the wider

testimony of Scripture concerning the believer and his

or hers experience of death. It all is confirmed here.

This confirms what we see in the wider testimony of the Word of

God. And I believe the best way,

though there are many ways to approach this one verse, verse

13 is what we're going to be spending time on, is to consider

at least three reasons why the Christian can no blessing in

death. Job tells us that death is the

king of terrors, but because of our faith in Christ, because of

what Christ had accomplished on the cross, death is different

now. And I want us to focus on these

three things that we find in this one verse.

The first thing that we have to consider is the reassurance of

death, the reassurance about death.

This can be so easily overlooked, but you and I can't

skip over the reliable testimony of this blessing that's being

pronounced. Notice what John says.

He tells us that he sees as he's experiencing this vision, a

hearing of a voice. He hears a voice from heaven

saying, but the Bible doesn't tell us whose voice this is

exactly, but knowing where it came from is enough for us to

comfort us. It came from heaven, heaven.

Why is that important? Well, for one, we know that

heaven is a place of perfect holiness.

There are no liars in heaven. There are no manipulators in

heaven. There is no exaggeration in

heaven, which tells me that if there's any representative from

heaven, it is going to be dependable.

It's going to be true, it's going to be right, it's going to

be trustworthy. But secondly, heaven is around

beyond this world. And what that tells us is that

death ushers us into heaven if we are in Christ, which means

that this announcement is coming from someone who is on the other

side, someone who is witnessing and Speaking of what awaits the

Saints when they die in the Lord.

Do you remember what the Lord Jesus told Nicodemus when he

wanted to provide credibility to his teaching?

When he wanted to explain why his teaching is more

authoritative than any other kind of teaching?

Well, let me remind you in John chapter 3, let's turn there.

John 3 · chapter mention

Notice what Christ says to Nicodemus as he explains to him

of spiritual things. He pauses to inform him why he

is more credible than any other voice.

John chapter 3, Look at verse 11 and read the blessed words of

John 3 · chapter mention

our Lord. John 311 reads Truly, truly.

I say to you, we speak of what we know and bear witness to what

we have seen, but you do not receive our testimony.

If I've told you earthly things and you do not believe, how Can

you believe if I tell you heavenly things?

No one has ascended into heaven except he who descended from

heaven, the Son of Man. You see the case that Christ is

making here, especially in verse 13.

Nicodemus, I can tell you about heavenly things because I

descended from heaven. I have experiential knowledge of

heaven. Therefore I am the most

qualified to speak about heavenly things.

I have the greatest rabbinic credentials because heaven has

been my home from eternity past. Therefore I alone have first

hand experience of spiritual things and spiritual dimensions.

I come from heaven. So listen to me.

And in like manner, when we consider this voice in

Revelation 14, verse 13, the fact that it is speaking about

Revelation 14:13

the blessedness of dying from heaven gives the testimony more

weight. It's the difference between

someone suggesting something without experience of it and

someone who has tasted it for themselves.

That is not to say that the voice that is speaking to John

is someone who died, but what it does mean is that this is

something and someone coming from the place that death leads

to. You know, if that wasn't enough,

amazingly we have a second glorious testimony to this

blessedness. Go back to verse 13.

What does it say? And I heard a voice from heaven

saying, write this. Blessed are the dead who die in

the Lord from now on. Blessed indeed, says the Spirit.

Now the Holy Spirit interjects and he confirms this blessing.

And here's what's so fascinating about this.

The Holy Spirit's speech is not frequently quoted directly in

the New Testament especially. There are times in the New

Testament where we read that the Spirit says, the Holy Spirit

says, but to have his words actually recorded rarely occurs.

In fact, the two books that have the most of the Holy Spirit's

direct speech is the Book of Acts and the Book of Revelation.

And if you don't consider the seven letters to the churches we

read at the end of every letter. He who hasn't here, let him hear

what the Spirit says to the churches.

You only have two recorded places in the Book of Revelation

where the Holy Spirit is quoted directly.

What we find here and what we find at the end of the book when

we read that, the Spirit and the Bride say, come.

They make that invitation for those who are thirsty and desire

to take the water of life without price.

So consider this for a moment. We know that all of the word of

God is breathed out by God. We know that the Holy Spirit is

the author of this book. But for him to speak out, for

him to almost interrupt and to say something at a particular

point says something. And for him to say something at

a point where a promise is being made to the Saints in order to

encourage them in facing death says something about his

eagerness, does it not? The Spirit himself speaks up.

So here's the author who's inspiring John to write it.

And he takes the time now to actually interject and make his

own personal pledge in order to offer even more guarantee, a

double guarantee to this single blessing.

Now, if you doubt that this is the interpretation of this,

consider another interesting detail in that verse alone, did

you notice that this voice from heaven tells John, write this,

look again, and I heard a voice from heaven saying, write this.

You would think that's obvious. Why would you think that's

obvious? Because the last time that John

was commanded this clearly and specifically to write something

again if you don't include what is said in the churches is back

in Revelation 1. Let's remind ourselves, go back

to the beginning of the book. This is John's initial

Commission by Jesus Christ that he faithfully honored Revelation

One, verse 11 saying write what you see in a book and send it to

the seven churches, to Ephesus and to Smyrna, and to Pergamum,

and to Thyatira, and to Sardis and to Philadelphia and to

Laodicea. Look at verse 19 right there for

the things that you have seen, those that are and those that

are to take place after this. Write it.

John. He's told at the start, and we

know that he honored this command because he completed the

book. We even see a glimpse of John's

faithfulness in chapter 10 where we read that he's about to write

what he saw and the Lord says, OK, this you don't write about.

So he had this constant posture of obedience.

And so it seems strange to be redundant here.

It makes us wonder, why are you telling someone who is

faithfully doing what he was called to do from the beginning

to do it here? Unless, of course, it's meant to

convey the absolute importance of what's about to be said.

As though this voice is saying, John, don't miss this.

You've been writing. But I want to ensure that you

document this blessing for my people, especially my people who

are enduring great pressure for their faith in Christ.

And So what I want you and I to see is the reassurance about

death. You have this voice from heaven,

a voice from another realm, a voice in which death will usher

us into. You have the voice of the Holy

Spirit. You have this eagerness, this

keenness in order for us to be assured.

Consider the source of this promise.

God Himself wants you to know that there is blessing that

awaits death, that death in Christ becomes a portal into

glory. The second reason why death is a

blessing for the believer is because of the rest that follows

death. Isn't that what's being

underscored here? The Spirit says blessed indeed,

says the Spirit, that they may wrest from their laborers.

Heaven is a domain of uninterrupted, unending,

marvelous, blissful rest. And the question I have is, what

kind of rest are we talking about?

Rest. From what we don't have to

guess, he tells us rest from their laborers.

So hold on, is heaven going to be this eternal slumber?

Is it going to be this unending, idle way of life strolling

around glory, doing nothing? Very unlikely.

You know this very well, that work was a part of the world

before it was fractured by sin. I believe that many of us are

going to be very busy in heaven, but there will be no toil.

There will be no sweat on our brow.

There's going to be a lot more to do in heaven than you think.

So then when he says rest from our laborers, what is he

implying? Well, here's where word studies

help a little bit. Labor can be more than just hard

work. It can actually communicate

trouble, a labor that comes through sorrow and grief.

Now that makes more sense according to this context

because again, the primary audience are those who will be

alive during this great tribulation era, who are trying

to survive under a Christ hating regime.

And so yes, they're maintaining their faith.

They're trying to survive physically and spiritually all

the horrors that will be imposed, all the threats, all

the dangers, all the loss, all the layers of problems that they

will have to face. And the Holy Spirit wants to let

that audience know. Primarily, listen, in Christ,

death will be the greatest relief you will ever know.

Now, most of us in here have lived long enough to know that

the human experience has much trouble in it, never mind the

tribulation period. And that's why this truth

applies to you and I as well. That death, although it is a a

great danger and threat to many, for the believer it has a

different translation. All of Satan's harassments,

every single allurement of the world, all the frustration that

our flesh causes us, all the the sadness and the pain from

disease and sickness and the evil that people inflict on one

another will suddenly come to an end, will forever be put behind

us, and death will be the instrument to bring it about.

Someone said something so wise about death that because of sin,

death is brought into the body before the redeemed.

Death will cast sin out of the body.

Isn't that true? There is a relief that awaits us

through death. There is going to be a new

dress, a new body, a new mind, a new heart, a new environment, a

new world. And this is what's being offered

to these believers and to us. Realize this, that you and I are

being called into a reality that offers rest.

Now some would take this verse and make crazy conclusions like

ha see this shows that when you die, even if you're a Christian,

that you remain unconscious. That rest is synonymous with you

being dormant and you're actually going to come alive in

eternity when that final day comes and Christ summons us in

the resurrection. But that's not what the Bible

teaches. For the Spirit to say that there

is rest that are that awaits us assures us that we'll be fully

alive the moment we die. In fact, you'll be more alive

than ever. And that's supposed to comfort

us and more than just comfort us in our own experience with that

appointment, but also brings consolation concerning those

whom we love that have gone before us to rest in the Lord

forever. I want to take the time to

actually address that. You know my prayer has been

leading up to this message. Those who are still trying to

manage the pain of losing a loved one with no relief from

the truth that's about to be explained.

There's so many places that we can go to bring us that kind of

consolation. But let's turn to the book of

Job to see it. Go to Job chapter one for a

moment. Job, chapter one, verse one.

I'll wait for you. I don't mind listening to the

pages of our Bibles flipping over in this place.

It's one of my favorite sounds on Sunday afternoon.

Job one, verse one. There was a man in the land of

Oz whose name was Job, and that man was blameless and upright,

one who feared God and turned away from evil.

There were born to him seven sons and three daughters.

Remember that he possessed 7000 sheep, 3000 camels, 500 yoke of

oxen, and 500 female donkeys and very many servants, so that this

man was the greatest of all the people of the East.

So you're in Job one, right? Go to the very end of the book

of Job. We know the story very well, and

most of us are aware that after Job endured this trial and

received the fresh revelation of God's sovereignty, God blesses

Job. Very specifically, look at verse

10 of Job 42. And the Lord restored the

fortunes of Job when he had prayed for his friends.

And the Lord gave Job twice as much as he had had before, twice

as much as what? As he had had before.

What you just read in chapter 1. And we're told exactly that in

verse 12 of 42. Look at it with me.

And the Lord blessed the latter days of Job more than his

beginning, and he had 14,000 sheep, 6000 camels, 1000 yoke of

oxen, and 1000 female donkeys. He also had seven sons and three

daughters. Wait a minute, hold on.

There must be a miscalculation here.

The Bible says that the Lord gave Job twice as much as he

had. So based on what we read, he

doubled the sheep. Yes, He multiplied the camels,

absolutely. He doubled the yoke of oxen, and

he did the same with the female donkeys.

We would think then that when it came to his children that it

would be consistent that the Lord will also give him what?

Well, if he had seven sons and three daughters, it's basic

math. Fourteen sons and six daughters.

But that's not what we read verse 13.

He also had seven sons and three daughters.

Is this a mistake? Is this an error?

Did he forget about the children?

Not, not at all. This is intentional.

And when you see something like this that seems to be a

discrepancy, it invites you to lean in and ask the question

why? And when you don't have a clear

answer in the immediate text, you are invited.

Because God's word is consistent because our God is consistent,

he doesn't contradict himself to see how other truths in the

Bible can inform what we find here.

For example, if God said that he doubled the blessing that Job

once had when but when it came to his children there was no

double, then what could that mean?

The best explanation for this apparent contradiction is that

although Job's children tragically and suddenly died,

they did not cease to live. What does the Bible teach about

the death of the righteous? It does not mean the cessation

of life. It may mean the cessation of

life in this world, but we go on living, do we not?

So what do we find here? Here's what we find.

Job is told that he would be blessed.

Job receives double blessing when it came to his children.

It's the same number. Why?

Because he's going to be reunited with the first sons and

daughters that he lost in chapter 1.

If you count them seven sons and three daughters, and here he has

seven sons and three daughters. That is double the number.

And that teaches us a glorious truth of what happens to those

who pass on from this life to the next.

Jesus said that those who believe in Him, that believe He

is the resurrection of the life, they will not die.

Well, weren't Job's children sinners?

Read your Bible carefully. When Job woke up every day to

intercede for his children that visited each other on feast

days, he said it may be that they have sinned in their

hearts. People have this understanding

that the Job's children went on partying every single day and

Job interceded for them. Job said it may be that they it

didn't say that they're guilty of sin.

And here's God who pronounces his blessing over this man of

God and he indirectly communicates to them.

I'll give you double of the camels.

I'll give you double of the donkeys.

I'll give you double of this and a double of that.

But I don't need to double your children because your children

are going to be reunited with you one day.

So what about your loved one in the Lord?

They are more alive than you can imagine.

They are more at rest than you can fathom, and there is an

appropriate time for grief. Even Jesus, knowing that he was

going to raise his friend from the dead, wept.

There was somebody who didn't need to cry about someone's

death. It was him.

And yet he still showed emotion. Because Christ hates death.

Thank God. Through His sacrifice, He

changes our experience of it, but he still hates it.

He will conquer that final enemy.

But listen, brother and sister, if it's been three years and you

can't still get out of bed, you can't go on your normal life.

May God give you a revelation of the rest that your loved one is

enjoying now. May you be comforted in knowing

that there is a time coming where you will be greeted by

them and they will embrace you. And I'm sure whatever they are

experiencing now, they wouldn't want you to waste a moment of

grief because of the glory that they are basking in.

Listen very carefully. You're joining them one day.

This is just a temporary separation, and they're waiting

for you on the shores of eternity.

And that reunion, though the greatest union, will be between

US and Christ. There is layers of blessing to

this place that death will usher us into.

And one of the treasures that are there is that we will see

our loved ones face to face again.

And Job is just one illustration of that truth, where he receives

children, but not in a way that replaces the ones that passed on

because they are alive. To this day I've not been able

to find any theologian or minister who is able to speak

about death like the Puritans. And I want to read to you a

quote from a Puritan, from the book The Fading of the Flesh and

the Flourishing of Faith. Just lean in and listen to these

words. What wise man will grieve at his

friends gain? In the ceremonial law there was

a year of Jubilee in which every man who had lost or sold his

land gained it back. The day of death for your

believing Friend is his day of Jubilee, in which he is restored

to the possession of his eternal and estimable portion, who

complaints about receiving his inheritance once he comes of

age. Their death is not penal, but

remedial. It is not destructive, but

perfective to their souls. It does for them what none of

the Ordinances of God, the Providence's of God, or Graces

of the Spirit, ever did for them.

It sends the weary soul to its sweet and eternal rest.

This serpent is turned into a rod like an Exodus 4, with which

God works wonders for their good.

Do you see the argument being made here?

Who grieves at the gain that their friend experiences?

If death is gain for us, then how can we sorrow over the loss

of those who have gone on before us?

This thing called death? And this is the analogy that's

being used. It's like a serpent, but because

of God's power, it's turned into a rod, and then that rod is used

for our good. Brothers and sisters, you and I

need to constantly remind ourselves that Christ changes

everything, including death. And that's true for you, and

that is true for those who die in the Lord that you love.

The second reason why we can rejoice even in the face of this

terror, it's because there is arrest that follows it.

There is a life that awaits. Lastly, there is a reward that

awaits us after death. Look again at verse 13.

He says at the end here the final words of the Spirit.

For their deeds follow them. For their deeds follow them.

You know, one of the difficulties of facing death is

that it calls for separation from what we've always known.

And that separation may include permanent severance, right?

Like from your possessions and your positions in this life.

Or that separation might be temporal, like from our

believing loved ones. But the Bible reminds us in this

one verse that there is something that will immediately

follow us when we are summoned into that new world, our deeds,

what you and I have done with the name and the will and the

message of Jesus Christ that comes with you and I right away.

And that message again is primarily to comfort the

Christian. Remember who John is writing to.

Primarily look at verse 12. Here is a call for the endurance

of the Saints, those who keep the commandments of God and

their faith in Jesus. So this is meant to stimulate

the faithful, the selfless, the sacrificial, those who are again

paying a price to serve the Lord.

And what John is saying here is also for you and I.

The Lord will not forget a single deed, a single act that

you've done for him, not one. And even if your faithfulness to

Christ will cost you your life, all that you did for the Lord

will be accounted for. Every single thing will be

rewarded. Every single minute that was

spent, every single dollar that was donated, every single mile

that was driven, every single visit that you made, every soul

that you served, whether small or great, will be remembered and

recompensed by our God. Remind yourself of that.

Remind and exhort others about that truth, because this is a

truth that echoes throughout the Bible.

That our God, because of His nature, because of His grace,

will reward us for what we did in His name.

We will celebrate for what He's done for us.

None of our deeds will guarantee or even give us a chance of

eternal life. It's His deeds, His words.

We know this. Nevertheless, it's possible that

we would grow weary and miss out on even greater experiences in

the world to come because we don't consider how seriously God

takes our deeds. Turn with me to the book of

Hebrews for a moment in chapter 6.

Hebrews 6, and look at verse 10. Here you have another group of

Christians who are very weary. They're battered, they're

bruised, they're ready to quit, they're ready to just assimilate

with their Jewish culture again. If that means denying the

Messiah, at least I get to go to the temple.

At least I get to be visited by my Jewish neighbors.

At least I get to be integrated back into society.

And the author by the Holy Spirit wants to encourage

faithfulness until the end. Notice what he says here in

verse 10 of Hebrews 6. For God is not unjust so as to

overlook your work and the love that you have shown for his name

in serving the Saints as you still do.

Most of us know this verse, but I don't think many connected to

the next part, verse 11. And we desire each of you to

show the same earnestness, to have the full assurance of hope

until the end. Many people start with

enthusiasm and excitement, and they lose it over time.

And one of the reasons is not because of temptation, but

because of pressure, persecution, and problems that

arise because of your faith. So let me just tone it down a

bit. Let me not be so public with my

faith. Let me not be so sacrificial in

my service to Christ. And the author says, by the

Spirit, don't you dare. It's possible to maintain that

same earnestness until the end. And that's the will of God.

The nature of your service and mine might change over the

years, but the conviction and the passion for it shouldn't.

And that should encourage us to keep going.

By the way, notice the greatest motivation in serving the

Saints. One of the reasons why I believe

the author is saying this is because as we go on serving the

Lord, we tend to lose the encouragement for it because we

feel overlooked. And even Christians can overlook

us, right? Especially for those who are

working in the background, who keep things running.

But nobody sees it because most people see what's happening here

and most people applaud what's happening here.

And the author wants to say, hey, listen, people may overlook

you. Even Christians may overlook

you. Elders may overlook you.

God does not overlook you. His character is at stake.

His nature is at stake. He is just.

And if he were to forget, he would be unjust.

And he will never be unjust. But notice there's, there's the

greatest motivation intertwined in this promise.

What does He say here? Look at the language carefully.

For God is not unjust for us to overlook your work and the love

that you have shown for His name, the love that you have

shown for His name in serving the Saints.

You want to know how to continue serving the Saints because the

Saints alone will give you a lot of reasons not to continue to

serve them. It's love for His name.

Your love for His name will help you love others even when they

are unlovable at times. So you see what God is saying

here. There's this, there's this push

and there's this drive, love for his name.

And, and God so loves you that you will have a conversation one

day with him about what you did for him.

And he has blessings awaiting. He has treasures in mind.

And so the Spirit of God in Revelation 1413 says there is a

reward that awaits, and death is the means by which we get to

inherit them. And no one will take them away

from us. They will never rot.

They can never be stolen. They'll be yours.

Let's end them with one final verse.

Do you remember the prophet Balaam?

He wasn't a good prophet. He was a false prophet.

He said something amazing in his first Oracle when he was hired

by Bailek to pronounce curses toward the people of Israel

while they were wandering through the wilderness.

And God and his sovereignty turns those curses into

blessings. But from time to time, Balaam

also received revelation of Christ and those who belong to

Christ. And here's one instance of that.

Turn to Numbers 23 and look here at one single verse, verse 10.

Balaam. The New Testament doesn't speak

very kindly of Balaam. Balaam is a picture of a false

teacher, of a wicked man, of a covetous man, and he's a real

man. Notice what he says here in

Numbers 23, verse 10. Who can count the dust of Jacob,

Numbers 23:10

or number the 4th part of Israel?

Let me die the death of the upright, and let my end be like

his. Do you see that?

Balaam, as he is giving these oracles, as he is receiving

downloads from God, catches a glimpse of the death of the

upright, and he sees something about the end of those who are

righteous. And he can't help but exclaim,

oh, that my end might be like his, that I might share in that

same fate. Makes you wonder that Balaam

have a revelation of the reassurance of death and about

death, the rest that follows death, the rewards that await us

after death. But you know, what shocks me the

most about Balaam's experience here is not that he got a

revelation of it. It's that he desired it.

This is an evil man. This is a sorcerer.

And yet he can't help but say, I want that.

But he never realized it, because when you continue in

numbers, especially in chapter 31, Balaam will be killed.

Balaam will be killed because of God's judgment.

Balaam never experienced the death of the upright, and he

desired it. Desires are tricky things.

People can desire righteousness and holiness and they can even

desire Christ and never own it, never possess it, in fact die

without it. And it's possible for you and I

to listen to a message like we just heard in the last 40

minutes or so and be moved by these truths and these insights.

Job and the eagerness and the keenness of the Spirit and

heaven comforting Christians. It's I, I want that and never

realize it. Do you know why?

Balaam never realized it even though he desired it, because he

longed for the death of the upright, but he didn't want to

live the life of the upright. Do you know why Balaam never got

the chance to even live the life of the upright?

Because he loved money. That's why money was his God.

He obeyed money instead of Yahweh, instead of God.

He submitted to the impulses and the inspirations of money

instead of the will of God. You want to die the death of

the. Righteous #1 You have to

surrender your life to the righteous 1.

Living the life of the upright doesn't mean that you.

Pull your bootstraps and become more moral and become more clean

in your living and integral at your workplace and pure in your

sexuality. That's pride to think.

That you can attain your own righteousness.

It primarily means that you surrender to an alien

righteousness and a righteousness outside of

yourself. Where you surrender.

Your garments and you say clothe me in the righteousness of

Christ. Let him be my canopy and be my

banner. I want to live under his grace

and mercy. I receive his gift of salvation

and then. From there, the righteousness.

That's imputed unto you, inspires you to now live

righteous for Him. This is Christian righteousness.

Not that we reach. Out to try.

To please God, but that we bend the knee and surrender to what

God had done in Christ on our behalf.

And then from there you live from out of the place of

gratitude and grace. Big difference.

And my question for you today. Is how confident are you for

your appointment with death? Because no matter.

How advanced we become. In the society and our cultures

and our civilization, we still haven't figured out this death

problem. Oh sure, you can take a little

bit more vitamins and go to the gym and live a bit longer, but

even guys who do that sometimes die tragically it.

Doesn't matter what we invent. Or what we come up with, or what

things we discover in science. We can't seem to break free from

our individual appointment with death and with.

All the studies that we're. Trying to come up with and all

the ideas that philosophy have been able to conjure up.

Only the Bible has the most articulate and accurate data

concerning death. It's not going anywhere.

It's not going. Anywhere because we brought.

Death into this world through our sin and the only.

Time death will be dealt. With is when Christ comes back

and fixes everything. It's inescapable and.

My. My wish.

Really my? Prayer is that more churches

would remind the people of God of death, not from a morbid

place because the world. Is constantly telling.

You and I of how to make the most of this life and how you

can live forever and how you can enjoy this as though there's

nothing else after this and it's God's house.

That has to regularly. Remind us.

Listen, this isn't it. You're.

Going to leave behind everything.

That house that you're building, that bank account that you're

trying to stuff with more money, those relationships even.

That you're building to a. Certain degree all of this is

going to be left behind and the only thing that's.

Going to matter with your. Final breath is did I put my

faith and trust in Jesus? Did I walk?

With him in this life. Am I going to stand before

Christ as a stranger or as a familiar friend?

Am I going to? Be ashamed at his appearing.

What will I sing? And it's the preacher.

'S duty to do exactly. What's taking place here to

ensure not to just give you life hacks?

Not to just make your family a little bit.

More comfortable. How to overcome this and?

There is a place for. That yes, but from time to time,

oh, we need to remember about eternity.

And not just the people of God, but people who stumble into.

This place who don't know Christ and like Balaam, you like

listening to sermons, but you don't know the one that we were

speaking about you. Like the songs?

They're nice. They have a nice tune.

I like the lyrics, they make me feel a certain way.

Who cares about the feelings? What's going on with your faith?

Where's your? Confidence.

Where's your conviction? Where's the assurance I come

here? Because I know the one.

That the preacher is talking about.

I come here because I'm singing to the one that I have a living,

vibrant relationship with. And so today can.

Be the day where even your interests, your curiosity, your

attraction to Christian realities can become true for

you and. The only way that can happen is

if you humble. Yourself in the presence of God

and say, Oh God forgive me for my sins.

I repent. I believe that what you did on

the. Cross, you did for me.

I believe that there's no other way that I can have heaven and

the rest that it offers and the roars that await unless I put my

complete trust and confidence in you.

I believe that I will only have the chance to stand before you

because of what Christ did for me and stood in the gap for me.

Would you do that today? Would you go from desire?

To devotion today Christ is waiting.

Let's seek him. Here is a call for the

endurance. Of those who obey the.

Commandments of God. And have faith in Jesus.

We pray, Lord, that you would give.

US. More energy, more efficiency,

more enthusiasm to serve you as we are reminded of death.

Thank you that you reassure. Us that it is a blessing.

Thank you that you promised us that there is a rest that we

will enjoy forever. Thank you that though

undeserving, there will be rewards for what we've done in

your name. And Lord, if there's any Balaams

listening. To this now we pray.

That they would go beyond. Desire, but that by your spirit.

You would draw them to. Yourself into saving faith, but

we. Sing because you have.

Informed us of the glories of the gospel that in Christ you

not. Only change.

Us now, but you change what we will experience at the end of

our lives. For this we are thankful.

We bless you and worship you now in Jesus name, Amen.

Let's stand and let's worship the Lord for the gift that we

have in Jesus.