“Blessed are those who do His commandments, that they may have the right to the tree of life, and may enter through the gates into the city”

Blessed are those who do His commandments,

The word “blessed” occurs 50 times in the New Testament, seven of those occurrences in the book of Revelation.

This verse presents the last of the seven beatitudes of Revelation (Re 1:3; 14:13; 16:15; 19:9; 20:6; 22:7). Those who “do His commandments” are “blessed.” As believers, we have the right to the “tree of life” and to “enter through the gates into the city.”

The phrase “do His commandments” in some manuscripts reads “who wash their robes.” We qualify for heaven by the shed blood of Christ. Because of that, we have the right to enter New Jerusalem.

that they may have the right to the tree of life, and may enter through the gates into the city.

Christians are blessed because they have the hope of eternal life. They are sure they are going to Heaven. Those without Christ have no hope. Their future is bleak, dark hopelessness.

Principle:

Christians have the guarantee of a bright future.

Application:

People who perceive that they have no eternal future are miserable. They search for happiness in activity and things. They will spend any energy to fill the void in their lives. They never achieve happiness. It is a will-of-the-wisp hope that they cannot attain.

Sometimes people may get the breaks in life for a time, but then some sickness or surgery or problem with children comes their way. Their happiness disappears like the wind. That happiness is temporary. People listen to the news today, and they hear nothing but rape, crime, evil, rebellion, death. They live in misery. Where is their hope?

Jesus does not give happiness but blessedness. Christians have a bright future. They will meet the One they love one day. They have an endless, bright, quality future.