Revelation 22:14
Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city.
Revelation 22:14
Verse 14 extends the final beatitude and ties it to obedience: blessed are those who keep His commandments, because they have the right—the right to the tree of life—and access through the gates into the city. The city is the new Jerusalem, a present and future hope for God’s people. The “tree of life” harkens back to Genesis, signaling restoration and eternal life. In Revelation, obedience is not a bare moralism but a faithful response to the culminating revelation of God’s reign. The verse sits within visions of blessing and judgment: some enter the city by obedience; others, by disbelief, do not. It underscores that faith and practice belong together in the life of the people of God. Cultural context includes Jewish and Greco-Roman understandings of virtue, citizenship, and access. The blessing is not merely private spiritual experience but corporate–the community lives under the divine invitation to inhabit the new creation.
This verse highlights the inseparability of faith and obedience in biblical faith. The “commandments” reflect the ethical fruit that flows from trust in Christ and participation in His redemptive work. The tree of life frames eternal life as experiential—life is not just a future doom but a present relationship with God that bears fruit now and in the age to come. It reinforces that salvation involves entrance into God’s restored order, not merely escape from judgment. The verse also reinforces the idea of divine hospitality: God invites and welcomes, but participation requires alignment with His will.
Practically, this verse invites a daily posture of obedience catalyzed by love for Christ. Start the day by asking: what would it look like today to keep Jesus’s commandments in my workplace, family, and online life? The promise of access to the tree of life serves as motivation for ethical living, generosity, and truth-telling. It calls you to be a trustworthy neighbor—for example, prioritizing honesty in transactions, caring for the vulnerable, and pursuing reconciliation in broken relationships. It also challenges consumerism: we prioritize eternal values over temporary gain, choosing generosity and integrity because that aligns with God’s life-giving plan for creation.
Cross-References: Genesis 2:9; John 14:21; Galatians 5:22–23; Revelation 3:12; Psalm 1:1–3