Revelation Sermon - 59

Revelation: WOW!

Revelation 22:1-5

1. Introduction – This morning we come to the very last vision of Revelation.

a. The final few verses are what’s known as an epilogue…they are full of exhortations to stay faithful…

i. The closing verses contain repeated promises by Jesus about his return.

b. But today, 22:1-5, is the final vision, and like we’ve seen in previous weeks, this vision is magnificent.

i. These verses continue John’s description of the holy city.

1. At the beginning of chapter 21 John said, “then I saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God…”

a. John goes on to describe the city in detail. It’s beautiful and huge.

i. It is shaped like a cube, reminiscent of the holy of holies in the temple.

1. The holy city has 12 gates of pearls, guarded by 12 angels, it has 12 foundations stones made of precious jewels.

c. Over the past few weeks, we’ve taken John’s initial vision of the holy city, and we’ve zoomed in and focused on different aspects of it.

i. John focused on the size of the city; the building materials used…last week he focused on what isn’t there…

1. No pain, tears, anxiety or death, no physical temple, no need for the sun or moon, and nothing or no one evil will be in the holy city.

d. And here, as the visions come to an end, in these verses John focuses on the source of life found in the eternal city.

i. This morning we’re going to focus on the Eden-like characteristics of the holy city.

1. We’ll again look at God’s presence in this city, and as we close, we’ll at the appropriate response of God’s people in the holy city.

2. Edenesque – So here we are, at the end of the Bible, but it kinds sounds like the beginning of it, doesn’t it?

a. In these verses we’re told about a river in the new Jerusalem that flows right down main street; we’re told about the tree or maybe it’s trees, of life on the banks of that river.

i. And at the beginning of the Bible, in Genesis 2&3, we’re told that in the Garden of Eden those very same features were present.

1. There was a river running through the garden, and in the middle of the garden was the tree of life.

b. God’s purpose in the first Garden was to provide a garden of delight for his creation – Eden means delight.

i. We’re told that Adam and Eve were placed in the garden. There they had communion with God, walking and talking with him among the trees of the garden.

1. Adam and Eve were placed in the garden, not so they could have a lazy existence and sit back and smell the roses…

a. They were placed there in order to care for the garden, to work the land.

i. God’s original intent in creating humans was so that they would have dominion over, that they would rule over the rest of creation.

ii. In a way, working the land, tilling the soil, harvesting the crops…these were acts of service…acts of worship to God. They were doing what they were put there to do.

1. In the garden, it was a delight to work.

c. But we know what happened, instead of having dominion over creation, instead of subduing it – Adam and Eve were subdued by it.

i. Adam and Eve fell into sin…and because of that sin, God could no longer fully dwell among his creation.

1. We’re told in great detail that Adam and Eve are ejected form the Garden…and the path leading to the tree of life is blocked and guarded by an angel and a flaming sword.

d. After sin entered the world, in Genesis 3, as God is laying out to the serpent and to Adam and Eve the consequences of what just took place…the word ‘curse’ shows up…a lot.

i. The serpent is cursed, child bearing becomes painful... there is a curse on the land. It will become hard to work.

1. How prevalent and rampant is the curse of sin?

a. One commentator I read this week put it this way.

i. There are1189 chapters in the Bible…and in only 4 of them, sin is not present.

1. Genesis 1&2 and Revelation 21&22.

2. The remaining 1185 chapters reveal God’s plan to deal with sin through his Son Jesus.

a. The intervening 1185 chapters reveal how God is going to bring creation back to what he originally intended it to be.

e. So let’s think about this for a minute – if the curse of sin is that prevalent, in the Bible…in our lives…

i. Then v.3 of this chapter has huge implications. No longer is there a curse upon anything.

1. Hear it again…no curse on anything.

a. No curse on creation, no curse on people…sin and all it’s terrible side effects have been lifted.

i. Access to the tree of life is no longer blocked, but it grows right in the heart of the city, with ample fruit for everyone.

f. And before we move on to the next point, I want to focus your attention on the key characteristic described for us in this passage… the key word here is life.

i. The tree of life, the river of the water of life.

1. Last week we looked at what isn’t in the holy city, no physical temple, no need for sun or moon, nothing evil.

a. Now…look at what is there. There is LIFE in the holy city.

g. In Greek there are 2 different words for life. First there’s the word bios, where we get our word biology, the study of living things.

i. We’re should all be glad we have bios. Bios is the life we inherit from our parents.

1. It involves brain function, a beating heart, taking in oxygen and expelling carbon dioxide.

a. Natural, human life, bios…it’s a good life. I’m glad I have it.

i. But bios, this life, decays, runs down and finally dies.

ii. Luckily, in this verse it doesn’t say the ‘tree of bios,’ or the ‘river of the water of bios…’

1. In this verse the second Greek word for life is used. The word used here is ‘zoe.’

h. Zoe is a life that doesn’t run down, because it can’t run down.

i. Zoe is the life that God has…the life that God is.

1. Zoe is the kind of life Jesus came to bring – life and life abundantly. Zoe.

a. In this vision John saw the tree of zoe, the river of the water of zoe.

i. So do you see it? We’ve been brought back to God’s original plan for creation.

i. Living an abundant life in a garden, temple like paradise.

1. Eating freely from the amply produce fruit from the tree of life – zoe.

a. Strolling down a street of gold, along the banks of the river of the water of life – zoe.

i. It’s like Eden all over again – only enhanced and expanded.

1. For instead of only occupying a small geographical pace…God new holy, garden temple city will occupy the whole of the new creation…

a. And God’s people will always bask in God’s radiating glory.

3. God’s Presence – So why is the new holy garden temple city a place teeming with life?

a. Well, it goes back to a point we’ve been hitting on over and over again…one we cannot belabor, one we should never get tired of hearing…and if you get tired of hearing it…we need to talk.

i. Why is it teeming with life? Because God is there…God’s throne is there.

b. God’s throne, the one that dominates the entire narrative of this book…yes, that throne is present in the holy garden temple city.

i. That throne is no longer contained to heaven’s throne room, but is present in the city.

1. John isn’t belaboring the point – how can he. This is an amazing thought…the idea of God dwelling among his people is simply that important… it is a magnificent idea – one that bears repeating.

c. God’s throne comes into full view again. God’s throne is a major theme throughout this letter.

i. For all the crazy visions, confusing numbers and grotesque beasts, God’s throne is a central figure throughout.

1. Everything in this letter happens relative to a throne, God’s throne – the throne that represents God’s sovereign reign over everything.

d. So that fact that God’s throne is in the new creation is another way of saying, “God’s dwells among his people.’

i. God will sovereignly reign…not from somewhere out there.

1. But he will reign in the middle of his holy garden temple city.

a. As he did before sin entered the world – he will walk with his people among the trees of the garden.

e. This is why life is everywhere in the holy city.

i. From God’s throne flows the river of the water of life – zoe.

1. On the banks of that river – the tree or trees of life grow – zoe.

a. No curse upon anything, because God’s throne is present among his people.

f. And then we see it – perhaps the most amazing part of this vision…maybe this is the most amazing verse in all of Scripture.

i. V.4…And they shall see his face.

1. What? Could it be? See God’s face?

a. Isn’t this the deepest longing of your heart?

i. There will come a day when our faith will be sight – when we will see God, when we will see our Saviour Jesus – as he really is.

1. And if that doesn’t make your heart leap with joy, I’m not sure what will.

g. This was a request denied to Moses.

i. Moses begged and pleaded to see God’s face. But God said “No one shall see my face and live.”

1. So Moses was placed in the cleft of the rock, God passed by him and pronounced his name to him…

a. And Moses caught a glimpse of God’s back.

i. Moses wasn’t allowed to see God’s face – not because he was human and God is divine…

1. But because Moses was unholy and God is altogether holy.

h. But hear v.4 again – and they…we…shall see his face.

i. Not his back, like Moses – but his face! Are you serious?

1. Why? Why will we see his face? Because God has changed? No – because we will be changed – glorified.

i. What a glorious thought – the words of the age-long benediction will finally be fulfilled – it reaches its fullest possible application…

i. Gods’ face will shine upon his people. God will lift up the light of his countenance upon his people, and they will live in peace forever.

4. Response – This is a glorious thought, isn’t it? I hope your heart is racing in anticipation of seeing God’s face.

a. The end goal, the end hope of the Christian life is to see God -face to face.

i. But what’s the appropriate response?

1. Keep in mind what we’ve seen – just this morning, let alone throughout the entire letter.

a. Access to the river of the water of life. Ample fruit form the tree of life.

i. No curse on anything or anyone. God’s throne in our midst.

1. Seeing God face to face.

a. Having God’s name written on us, God’s glory shining all around us.

i. Reigning forever and ever.

b. What’s the appropriate response to all of that blessing?

i. Well, John uses a really specific Greek word to describe the saints’ response.

1. At the end of v.3 John writes “And God’s servants will latreuo him.

a. The Greek word latreup has a double meaning. It means worship and serve.

ii. God’s servants will respond by worshipping him. God’s servants will respond to all of God’s blessings by serving him.

1. It’s a beautiful picture, a wonderful and powerful word – Worship as an act of service…

a. Service as an act of worship.

c. What’s the appropriate response??? Worshipping God in his holy garden temple city.

i. Serving God in his holy garden temple city.

1. Latreuo is the word used in the Greek translations of the OT to describe the duties of the priests in the temple.

a. What did priests do? They served God in the temple. They worshipped God in the Temple.

i. They did both simultaneously.

ii. What will God’s people do for eternity? They will serve God in his holy garden temple city. They will worship him in his holy garden temple city. We will do both simultaneously.

5. Why Wait? – But the challenge for us today is this…why wait?

a. Why wait for eternity to worship god through your service? Why wait to serve God through your worship?

i. Though we won’t ever see God’s face in this lifetime, we can know – though reading and studying his Word and through prayer. We can know God on a deeper level.

1. And if we aren’t deepening our understanding, our knowledge and our love for God – what’s the point of the Christian life?

a. If you are a Christians, you already have the name of God stamped on your forehead.

i. Remember ‘name’ really means ‘character – if you aren’t a child of God – had your sins washed by the blood of Lamb, then God has sealed you – given you his Holy Spirit – he has already stamped his name and his character on your life.

1. And as a child of God – through prayer, Bible study and the transforming power of the Holy Spirit – we are already being transformed form one degree of glory to another.

b. Yes, we have to wait to see God face to face, but we don’t have to wait to serve and worship and allow the Spirit to transform us.

i. What happens here on earth, prepares for and is a microcosm of eternity – and that thought is enough to transform our prayer life and Bible study from dull ritual, to life giving acts.

6. Conclusion – There’s a song that came out in the early 2000’s – a movie was made about it a couple years ago – I Can Only Imagine.

a. And in it, the songwriter muses – I can only imagine, what it will be like, when I stand by your side.

i. And he goes one to say, “Surrounding by your glory, what will my heart feel?

1. Will I dance for you Jesus, or in awe of you be still?

a. Will I stand in your presence or to my knees will I fall?

i. Will is sing “Hallelujah” will I be able to speak at all?

1. I can only imagine…

a. Great questions, aren’t they?

b. And I think the answer to all of those questions is “YES!” All of the above.

i. According to our study through Revelation – there is a time and a place for all of those actions around God’s throne.

1. A time and a place to dance, a time to be still. A time to stand a worship, a time to fall and bow down.

a. We’ve heard hallelujahs ring out loud and clear…but we’ve also seen silence around God’s throne.

c. However, according to Revelation, all of those musings, all of those questions will be answered…we won’t have to wonder or imagine for long.

i. Because the day is coming, and it is sooner now than it was when we started…

1. The day is coming when our faith will be sight…the day is coming when the curse of sin will be lifted, and we will see God – face to face.

a. And along with our Saviour Jesus, we will reign forever and ever.