第七章所提到的十四萬四千人再次出現於約翰的異象裡，這次他們在寶座前唱一首新歌。空中有天使宣告說，審判的時候已經到了。人子開始在地上收割莊稼，那些等著受審判的被丟在上帝忿怒的大酒醉中。七位天使帶來最後的七災，這七災包括毒瘡、血水、炙熱、黑暗、疼痛、地震、冰雹、以及哈米吉多頓大戰。

        聖經有一些關於「有福」之人的話，這些話乍看之下都不怎麼合乎世上的道理！
        「虛心的人……哀慟的人……溫柔的人……憐恤人的人……清心的人……使人和睦的人……為義受逼迫的人……有福了」(太5：3－10)。很明顯的，上帝屬天的「福祉」概念與今天世界上的概念迴然不同！
        約翰在異象中看見天降的死亡和毀滅，並聽見天上有聲音說：「在主裡而死的人有福了」(14：13)。只有基督徒能不將死亡看為災難，而視為開端──安息及因忠心事奉得獎賞的開始。
        保羅告訴他在腓立比的屬靈兒女：「因我……死了就有益處」(腓1：21)。詩人宣稱：「在耶和華眼中看聖民之死極為寶貴」(詩116：15)。大衛在詩篇廿三篇那節耳熱能詳的經文也給無數人帶來安慰：「我雖然行過死蔭的幽谷也不怕遭害，因為祢與我同在。」
        對那些不以死亡為結束，反視為開端的人而言，死亡無異是祝福。你是否擁有那個喜樂的盼望？最近你有沒有與人分享這個盼望？你今天要不要與某人分享它？

最「偉大」的故事
        約翰啟示性的異象極為生動、鮮明，光是「大」這個字在本書就出現了七十二次！

對基督而言，死亡並沒有滅絕希望。死亡將燈火熄滅乃因黎明已來到。

English

        Once again the 144,000 appear in John's vision, this time singing a new song before God's throne. Angels in the midst of heaven announce news that the hour of judgment is come. The Son of Man, sickle in hand, arrives to begin the harvest of the earth, and those ripe for judgment are cast into the winepress of God's wrath. Seven angels emerge with the seven last plagues, which involve boils, blood, scorching heat, darkness, pain, earthquakes, hailstones, and a titanic confrontation at a place called Armageddon.

        The Bible contains a number of statements about "blessed" people, statements that, at first glance, don't make good earthly sense!
        "Blessed are the poor in spirit ... they that mourn ... the meek ... the merciful ... the pure in heart ... the peacemakers ... they which are persecuted" (Matthew 5:3-10). Clearly God’s concept of heavenly "blessedness" differs from the world's concept today!
        In the midst of his visions of divinely sent death and destruction, John hears a voice from heaven declaring: "Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord" (14:13). Only a Christian can look at death, not as a calamity, but as a commencement—the beginning of rest and reward for faithful service.
        Paul told his spiritual children at Philippi, "To me ... to die is gain" (Philippians 1:21). The psalmist declared: "Precious in the sight of the LORD is the death of his saints" (Psalm 116:15). And David's familiar words in Psalm 23 have provided comfort for countless thousands: "Yea, though 1 walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me."
        Those who view death as a blessing are those for whom death is not an end, but a beginning. Do you share that joyful hope? Have you shared it recently? Won't you share it with someone today?

The "Greatest" Story Ever Told —
        The vividness of John's apocalyptic visions is suggested by the fact that the word "great" appears 72 times in the book!

For the Christian, death does not extinguish the light. It puts out the lamp because the dawn has come.