Christ is Coming, Revelation 26:6-15

Introduction

We are fast coming to the end of our study in Revelation. It has been a long hard road. But it has been worth it to be encouraged by the hope that we have in Christ. I don’t know how many people get through the day with all of its uncertainties and calamities that happen. Everyday I read the news there is some financial wizard warning about a financial collapse, so you better get ready by getting your investments in order. Or some so-called expert who claims the ice in the arctic is melting at an alarming rate and if we don’t do something about the carbon gases causing it we will be under water. Or someone else that claims if we don’t do something about the red speckled butterfly (I’m being facetious) they will go extinct and the domino will fall and we will miss out on something special. Or murders, and wars, catastrophes such as earthquakes, typhoons, volcanic eruptions. It is a wonder that we are all not on drugs to get us through the day. the anxiety is crushing.

But I have news for you. You don’t have to worry about these things. At least that is what Jesus said to the disciples in “When you hear of wars and rumors of wars, be ye not troubled for such things must needs be; but the end shall not be yet.” There will be all those troubles that I just mentioned. And if we didn’t have hope in Christ we would be doing exactly what the world is doing, trying to stave off the inevitable.

But our study in Revelation has detailed all of these things. It has warned us that Jesus is coming so we better get ready. It seems to me that John is really summarizing the point of the entire revelation. I am not going to summarize the entire book now, but to help you see where we are going to day I want to point out the flow of this passage and then you will be able to track with me as I explain it.

The message of vss. 6-15 is the Lord’s Coming is certain.

Worship God (Not the beast)

Therefore

Obey the Word of this prophecy

Do this while there is still time

Wash your robes

It is the same as John’s call to purity in ,

I. Blessed is the one who keeps the Word, v.6, 7

Blessed are those who keep the words of this prophecy, that is, obey the truths of this book.

This statement follows and is based on what is stated in v.6

-the words are faithful and true- therefore they are trustworthy

-they are sourced in God

*He is the one who guided the spirits of the prophets to write

*He sent the message by His angel to his servants (John and the angels of the seven churchs)

*The message is about what is going to happen (the content of this book) Christ is coming and will destroy Satan, Sin, and judge those who reject Him and bless or preserve those who are His. He is coming soon.

-there will be accountability for he said, “Behold, I come quickly,” v.7a

Behold, I come quickly, v.7a

Those who keep the words of the prophecy of this book will find themselves Blessed.

So then Christ is coming soon, Keep His Word.

II. Repent and Believe while you still have time, v.8-11

John testifies that he has both seen and heard this message. The significance of hearing and seeing is that they are two witnesses, cf. , the two senses of seeing and hearing are dependable. The message is real and therefore true.

The message is open to all who hear it. v.10

The message is not sealed, but open to all who want to read and hear it.

Secondly, there is an urgency about heeding the message:

For the time is near

IN other words, the return of Christ is close at hand so repent now while you have time. Remember in the gospels John the Baptist and Jesus both preached the message “Repent, for the kingdom of Heaven is near.” The same message is what John has in mind here.

The lesson is taught also in the gospels . Jesus often told lessons with the ruler who will return and so watch for his return.

The third thought here is that of v.11

What does this verse mean?

The implication of the verse is this: change while you have time, because their will come a time when change will be impossible. V. 10 points out the time is near, when it will be too late to change

the one doing evil let him do evil still

the filthy let him be filthy still

the the just one let him do righteousness still

the holy let him be holy still

Look at the parallelism of this verse,

*four clauses, two dealing with the wicked, two dealing with the righteous.

*the verb of the first clause of each set is aorist active imperative, implying action by the subject that is one time with permanent results.

the verb of the second clause of each set is aorist passive imperative implying the result of the first action.

in other words, the one doing evil is filthy/defiled. the one doing righteousness is holy.

*a third thought is the word still/ετι it implies an extension of time, in this case the state of the individual in question continues.

The question implied is why does the unrighteous not change? It is because he has hardened his heart so that he will not want to change despite the bad things that befall him in the prophecy. ;

The fact is that those who reject Jesus long enough will have hardened their hearts to the point where they will not see Him for who He is and repent of their rebellion, even though the evidence is clear.

See those passages where the wicked do not repent. , ; ,

Thus, now is the time to repent and believe. Today is the day of Salvation.

That brings us to the last of the Beatitudes in Revelation

III. Blessed are those who wash their robes, v.12-15

Again we see that the reason or motivation for doing so is because the Lord’s return is soon.

The idea of washing their robes hearkens back to “These are the ones coming out of the great tribulation. they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.” with the distinction that there the verb is aorist tense speaking of a one time event. here it is present tense implying a continual washing.

Another way of putting this is to say that to wash one’s robes is to repent and believe.

The verb in the KJV is “the ones doing his commandments” οι ποιυντες τας εντολας αυτου

The verb in the KJV is “the ones doing his commandments” οι ποιυντες τας εντολας αυτου

The implication of washing or obedience are the same. The thought is one of continuous obedience. In that thought is clear, “If we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin.”

###It is mindful also of Jesus statements about the servant who is found serving when the Lord comes and how blessed that servant is.

The result indicated by hina is that they will have the right to eat from the tree of life and to enter freely into the city. those who overcome in the church at Ephesus are promised to eat of the tree of life.

On the other hand, those who have not washed their robes in the blood of the lamb, they have instead rejected that offer, will be outside the city.

v.15

The contrast with v.15 merely shows the fate of the believer with that of the wicked. It doesn’t imply that throughout eternity the wicked will be just outside the gates of heaven.

John describes six (or perhaps seven, depending upon how one views the two kinds of liars) types of evildoers who are excluded from the city. The term “dog” is used in Scripture for various kinds of impure and malicious persons. In the term designates a male cult prostitute. In the Jewish culture of first-century Palestine it was used in reference to the heathen (.), and in Paul turns the tables and applies it to the Judaizers. Those who practice magic arts, the sexually immoral, murderers, idolaters, and all liars are to be excluded along with the dogs. To love and practice falsehood is to be totally devoid of truthfulness. These have become like their leader, Satan, “who leads the whole world astray” (; also 13:13–15; 16:14).

John describes six (or perhaps seven, depending upon how one views the two kinds of liars) types of evildoers who are excluded from the city. The term “dog” is used in Scripture for various kinds of impure and malicious persons. In the term designates a male cult prostitute. In the Jewish culture of first-century Palestine it was used in reference to the heathen (.), and in Paul turns the tables and applies it to the Judaizers. Those who practice magic arts, the sexually immoral, murderers, idolaters, and all liars are to be excluded along with the dogs. To love and practice falsehood is to be totally devoid of truthfulness. These have become like their leader, Satan, “who leads the whole world astray” (; also 13:13–15; 16:14).

Mounce, R. H. (1997). The Book of Revelation (p. 408). Grand Rapids, MI: Wm. B. Eerdmans

You may be thinking we forgot something, v.9b where it says

“Worship God” I am glad you asked. Because, if you notice that is really right in the middle of these two beatitudes. They sandwich the main idea or thrust of the passage. And even the main thrust of the entire book of Revelation: You see the vision of the throne in heaven in chapter 4,5 and all that are around the throne, all the heavenly creatures are praising and worshipping God and the Lamb who was slain. Note the number of times in those chapters they break out in impromptu praise. cf.

Conclusion

cf.

That is the struggle, the tension throughout the book. It begins with God, ends with God and in between you have this major warfare with Satan about worship. The main thrust of this section is:

WORSHIP GOD! Not the beast. Do it now, Because once He comes it will be too late to change your mind.

He is coming therefore

Keep the words of this prophecy

Wash your robes in the blood of the Lamb

*****which means to repent and believe

*****which also mean for believers to take heart, stay with Him, It will be worth it all

Worship God Alone!