Journey through the RevelationPt.16 (FINAL)

Last time we saw the incredible arrival to earth of the New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven like a bride adorned for her husband. We considered the dimensions of that incredible city, and the surpassing beauty of her makeup. We also noted that the New Jerusalem is not all of heaven, but is the “City of God” long awaited by the saints of old of whom it is written in Hebrews, “If they had been thinking of the country they had left, they would have had opportunity to return. 16Instead, they were longing for a better country—a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them.”—11:15-16

Now this time we come to the Bible’s final messages, to the OMEGA (end) of scripture. Revelation 22 is the 1,189th chapter in the Bible. Without these final words the canon of Scripture might have been supposed to be yet open. It is not. Nothing more is to be added.

In the first five verses the scene of heaven is majestic and satisfying. John beholds the crystalline stream, the water of life, flowing from the very imperial throne of the Eternal God.

1 “Then the angel showed me a river with the water of life, clear as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb.”

So…there is a river, as Brother Howard said in the audio we played for you last time. In an inspiration of prophetic insight, the Psalmist David saw the same thing:

“There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God, the holy place where the Most High dwells.”—Ps. 46:4

John goes on with his description:

2 “It flowed down the center of the main street.”

The river’s sparkling waters flow through the midst of the broad golden avenue of glory. And once again we encounter the tree of life seen first in Genesis in the Garden of Eden:

“On each side of the river grew a tree of life, bearing twelve crops of fruit, with a fresh crop each month. The leaves were used for medicine to heal the nations.”

The tree of life, a heavenly kind of tree, is depicted as growing, blossoming and bearing fruit for the healing or health of the nations. The leaves from the tree are medicinal. They carry the power to heal. Next, John assures us that all curses will be gone:

3 “No longer will there be a curse upon anything. For the throne of God and of the Lamb will be there, and his servants will worship him. And they will see his face, and his name will be written on their foreheads.”

Heaven will be unlike anything we could imagine. We will live in an imperishable, resurrected body where no sin or disease can touch us. Worship of the highest order shall continuously fill that place. All of the redeemed of the Old and New Testament eras will be the servants of God forever, continually seeing His face and reigning with Him. John goes on to say:

5 “And there will be no night there—no need for lamps or sun—for the Lord God will shine on them. And they will reign forever and ever.”

Think about this a moment. There will be no need for light bulbs, no lamps, no street lights, or for any kind of man-made illumination, nor any need for the light of the sun. The very glory of God exuding from His Person shall be the light of heaven!

Now, from verse 6 through the end of the chapter John records his closing words, the last words of Christ, and the words of the revealing angel.

The great Apostle is so overwhelmed at the words of Christ and of all that he has seen and heard, that he falls again before the angel, as he did in 19:10. And again, the angel tells him to “worship God” instead.

6 Then the angel said to me, “Everything you have heard and seen is trustworthy and true. The Lord God, who inspires his prophets, has sent his angel to tell his servants what will happen soon.”

And then the Lord Jesus Himself tells him:

7 “Look, I am coming soon! Blessed are those who obey the words of prophecy written in this book.”

8 I, John, am the one who heard and saw all these things. And when I heard and saw them, I fell down to worship at the feet of the angel who showed them to me. 9 But he said, “No, don’t worship me. I am a servant of God, just like you and your brothers the prophets, as well as all who obey what is written in this book. Worship only God!”

And notice that even in the last paragraphs three warnings are evident:

FIRST: The contrast between the unjust and the righteous is drawn again. And there is no hint of a second chance:

10 Then he instructed me, “Do not seal up the prophetic words in this book, for the time is near. 11 Let the one who is doing harm continue to do harm; let the one who is vile continue to be vile; let the one who is righteous continue to live righteously; let the one who is holy continue to be holy.”

Again, Jesus speaks to John of His guaranteed return:

12 “Look, I am coming soon, bringing my reward with me to repay all people according to their deeds. 13 I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End.”

14 “Blessed are those who wash their robes. They will be permitted to enter through the gates of the city and eat the fruit from the tree of life.”

Only those that have been washed in the blood of the Lamb, who have “washed their robes” will be permitted to enter through heaven’s gates, and to “eat the fruit from the tree of life.”

SECOND: In verse 15 we see again the sad reminder that outside the city there remains a place for people involved in 5 different sins:

15 “Outside the city are the dogs—the sorcerers (evil magicians and drug addicts), the sexually immoral, the murderers, the idol worshipers, and all who love to live a lie.”

This is not an exhaustive list of sins, but an example of how those that have not been born again live. The unredeemed are recognizable by these kinds of things. Those who never find forgiveness, who never wash their robes and make them white in the blood of the Lamb, shall remain in a shadowy burning lake of fire on the fringe of creation.

Jesus spoke very clearly about this:

Lk 13:28 "There will be weeping there, and gnashing of teeth, when you see Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of God, but you yourselves thrown out.”

Matthew 22:13 “Then said the king to the servants, Bind him hand and foot, and take him away, and cast him into outer darkness; there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”

The phrase “outer darkness” is yet another synonym for hell. It is a place of darkness. It is a place outside the experience of God's grace. Although God bestows His grace on both the just and the unjust while on earth (Matthew 5:45; Acts 14:17), none of the gracious presence of God is to be found in the place of outer darkness.

So very many people who have attempted to call evil good and good evil, to put darkness for light and light for darkness, are going to be tragically surprised on that day.

The closing verses of the Bible are filled with repeated calls to Christ.

Blessedness and bliss, says John, will be the inheritance of all who do His commandments, particularly that one found in one of John’s own letters, that we “should believe on the name of His Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, as he gave us commandment” (1 John 3:23).

Then, the Lord Jesus again reminds us of Who He is, and who the message of the Revelation was for:

16 “I, Jesus, have sent my angel to give you this message for the churches. I am the Root and the Offspring of David, the Bright and Morning Star.”

Jesus is telling John that the promise to David that his kingdom would be an everlasting one was now fulfilled. Listen to God’s promise as he speaks to him:

2 Samuel 7: 12-16 “When your days are fulfilled, and you sleep with your fathers, I will raise up your seed after you, who shall come forth from your body, and I will establish his kingdom forever. He shall build a house for my name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever. I will be his father, and he shall be my son. Your house and your kingdom will continue before me for all time, and your throne will be secure forever.”

Isaiah predicted that Messiah Jesus would fulfill this promise:

Isaiah 9:6-7 “For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and…of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this.

FULFILLMENT

When Mary was visited by the angel of God, she was told that the Son she would give birth to would be the fulfillment of this promise to David:

Luke 1:30-33 “Don’t be afraid, Mary,” the angel told her, “for you have found favor with God! 31 You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you will name him Jesus. 32 He will be very great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his ancestor David. 33 And he will reign over Israel forever; his Kingdom will never end!”

And now in the final chapter of the Bible, the Risen Savior and Messiah, Jesus Christ, is announcing that He is the One promised!

Next, a warm and loving invitation from the Holy Spirit and the bride of Christ is issued:

17 “And the Spirit and the bride say, “Come!” And let him who hears say, “Come!” And let him who thirsts come. Whoever desires, let him take the water of life freely.”

The invitation to join in the blessing of what the Son of God has purchased with His blood is offered to “whosoever will.”

Jesus alone can quench the deepest thirst of the human soul!

And then the third and last warning of the Bible is given:

THIRD: If anyone thinks to add to or take away from the Word of God, they had better think twice. This warning rules out all other books written that make a claim to “divine inspiration.”

18 “And I solemnly declare to everyone who hears the words of prophecy written in this book: If anyone adds anything to what is written here, God will add to that person the plagues described in this book. 19 And if anyone removes any of the words from this book of prophecy, God will remove that person’s share in the tree of life and in the holy city that are described in this book.”

The consequences for trifling with the Holy Bible are severe. All of the 21 plagues—the 7 seals, 7 trumpets, and 7 bowls—will be experienced by the person or persons adding to or taking away from Scripture!

The chapter concludes with the last promise of Christ, the last prayer in the Bible, and the last benediction.

20 He who is the faithful witness to all these things says, “Yes, I am coming soon!” Amen! Come, Lord Jesus! 21 May the grace of the Lord Jesus be with God’s holy people.”

While the Old Testament closes with the words, “lest I come and smite the earth with a curse” (Malachi 4:6), the New Testament ends with “the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ.”

In closing, no good thing can come from setting presumed dates for the Rapture or the Glorious Appearing of Jesus Christ. God’s people are simply urged to “watch and wait.”

Alert to the times, eager for the Return, but ever busy in the Master’s service, though it might be the 11th hour, we as believers are to live and walk in the Spirit, witness for Christ, study the Word, fellowship with one another in love, “not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as we see the day approaching” (Hebrews 10:25)

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