Scripture Study for

The scene in Revelation, which occurs as an interlude in the  depiction of apocalyptic judgment, focuses on those who will be protected because of their fidelity to God. The “seal of the living God” is like a signet ring used to claim ownership; those who have  been marked with the seal belong to God and are therefore safe.  They are among the “great multitude” that includes Christians from  beyond ethnic Israel who have “won the victory” and remained  faithful during the time of persecution. The robes washed white in  the blood of Christ signify renewal, joy, and resurrection; the palms  signify victory. Now safe, the faithful worship God with the Lamb, a fitting response to the salvation won from them both.

The First Letter of John has, up to the point of our reading,  been developing the theme of “fellowship with God,” which means  a sharing in God’s eternal life through Christ. This fellowship is  manifested in loving others, repentance, and avoiding sin. To be in  fellowship with God means to be a child of God. This places us  in the light, in truth and goodness, not in the darkness of moral  depravity. The relationship is in place and is safe as long as we remain  in fellowship with Christ. Those who have hope in the future glory  that they will share with Christ ensure that they are pure, avoiding  turning away from Christ and his commandment, which in the  Johannine literature is summed up in the phrase “love one another.” 

The Beatitudes are, on the one hand, good news of “blessedness.”  On the other hand, they make clear that following Jesus is difficult.  Poverty of spirit means renunciation of both material and other  “possessions.” Meekness, mercy, and peacemaking often go against  our desire to strike back or get even. We must work diligently to  develop the kind of single-minded devotion to God implied in purity  of heart and hunger and thirst for righteousness. And of course, no  one seeks persecution and insult. Those who are able, throughout  their lives, to finally meet the challenge of the Beatitudes are perhaps  few, as Jesus will later warn, but they will indeed be blessed.