Revelation 22: The Final Chapter

Revelation 22 The Final Chapter

Vv1-5 gives us more details of what Heaven will be like...

1 Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, bright as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb 2 through the middle of the street of the city; also, on either side of the river, the tree of life with its twelve kinds of fruit, yielding its fruit each month. The leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. 

3 No longer will there be anything accursed, but the throne of God and of the Lamb will be in it, and his servants will worship him. 4 They will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads. 5 And night will be no more. They will need no light of lamp or sun, for the Lord God will be their light, and they will reign forever and ever.

--------------

The RIVER: water of life, ie eternal life...bright as crystal, absolutely pure

It’s SOURCE: God Himself...the throne of God and of the Lamb: see Psalm 36:9; 

Note: Rivers in Eden, Genesis 2:10-14

NOTE: the river of eternal life flowing from God in heaven flows right down the center of the city and on either side, the tree of life (the one man was forbidden to take from after sin - Genesis 3:22-24)...the fruit of the tree continually is born, giving life, and all that sin ruined is healed..forever.

NOTHING ACCURSED there, but the throne of God and the Lamb are in heaven, and His servants will worship Him. (All through the OT the people of God were tempted and drawn away to worship other gods..) NOW, in the very presence of God and the Lamb, there will be pure, holy, heavenly worship forever...

They...WE...will see His face...the face of Christ Himself...the God/Man...

1 Peter 1:8-9

8 Though you have not seen him, you love him. Though you do not now see him, you believe in him and rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory, 9 obtaining the outcome of your faith, the salvation of your souls.

...and His name, the name of ownership...the final mark which the seal of the Spirit has been...

5-no more night, the Lord will be our light, as He is our life...we will eternally be in His glorious, gracious presence and will never be without the light of His face looking on us with favor...

We will reign forever and ever...the worship of Revelation 5:9-10...

Also we see this in:

Daniel 7:18; 2 Timothy 2:12a; 

---------------------

AND ONCE again, as in Rev 21:5, John is assured (and thus we are, too) of the trustworthiness and truthfulness of what he has seen and heard

6 And he said to me, “These words are trustworthy and true. And the Lord, the God of the spirits of the prophets, has sent his angel to show his servants what must soon take place.”

ESVSB: The unique truth and trustworthiness of the revealed word (and words) of God are underscored seven times in the last two chapters of Revelation, as indicated first in Rev 21:5, as repeated in Rev 22:6, 7, 9, 10, and then in the solemn warning in vv. Rev 22:18 and Rev 22:19 to anyone who “takes away from the words of this book.

----------------------------------

7 “And behold, I am coming soon. Blessed is the one who keeps the words of the prophecy of this book.”

“Soon” in Revelation 22: 7,12,20

With this 3-fold repetition, it is announced as SURE!

WHAT WORDS of prophecy are to be kept?

-Rev 1:3

-From UCRT: blessed. Gr. makarios (S# G3107, Mat 5:3). FS43, +Deu 28:3. Rev 22:9; Rev 22:14, See on +*Rev 1:3; Rev 14:13; Rev 16:15; Rev 19:9; Rev 20:6.

keepeth. Gr. tērōn (S# G5083, Mat 19:17). Rev 1:3; Rev 3:8, Isa 1:19, Mat 23:3, Joh 2:5; Joh 2:10; +**Joh 5:39; +Joh 17:6, +**Act 17:11, 1Th 5:20, +**2Ti 3:16; +**2Ti 3:17, Jas 1:22, 1Pe 1:4, *1Jn 2:5.

Words of the prophecy of this book...

-Rev 1:3

-Rev 2:5

-Rev 2:7

-Rev 2:10,11

-Rev 2:16,17

-Rev 2:25,26

-Rev 3:2,3

-Rev 3:13

-Rev 3:19, 20, 21

-Rev 12:11

-Rev 13:10

-Rev 14:12

-Rev 16:15

-Rev 18:4

-Rev 19:10

-------------------------

8 I, John, am the one who heard and saw 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 to me, “You must not do that! I am a fellow servant with you and your brothers the prophets, and with those who keep the words of this book. Worship God.”

WHY does John fall down to worship the angel? Prob because he earlier heard the voice of Christ Himself in Rev 22:7 and assumed this angle is the one who spoke...

Angels are God’s servants...

Hebrews 1:14

Also:

Gen. 19:16; 28:12; 32:1, 2; Judg. 6:11; 13:3; Ps. 34:7; 91:11; 103:20, 21; Dan. 3:28; 6:22; 10:11; Matt. 18:10

--------------------------

10 And he said to me, “Do not seal up the words of the prophecy of this book, for the time is near. 

“Near” or “Soon” we see in: Rev 22:7; 10; 12; 20

What does Near or Soon mean when there are hundreds and thousands of year involved? See 2 Peter 3:8-10

A LONG TIME because of God’s patience but ANYTIME because the time is unknown.

-----------------------------

11 Let the evildoer still do evil, and the filthy still be filthy, and the righteous still do right, and the holy still be holy.” Does not sound like Isaiah 55:6-7!

A very unusual verse: perhaps: when the end is near, the time is near... the nearness has this effect: to harden the wicked and to motivate the righteous and holy.

Ezekiel 3:27; Daniel 12:10

Regardless of what others do..the time is near...and we must pursue Christ all the more, and be faithful and endure regardless of the cost...

-------------------------------

12 “Behold, I am coming soon, bringing my recompense with me, to repay each one for what he has done. 13 I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end.”

Judgment, which we saw in Rev 20, is coming...Christ IS the judge...He is coming to judge...Isaiah 40:10; 62:11

Christ brings all into being and then to it proper end...

--------------------------------

14 Blessed are those who wash their robes, so that they may have the right to the tree of life and that they may enter the city by the gates. 

This is the recompense from Christ for those who have been righteous and holy still...they are righteous (white robes, Rev 7:14, washed and made white in the blood of the Lamb)...right to the tree of life...eternal life! In Gen 3:22, says eating of it would bring living forever, so they were sent out of the garden and therefore kept from the tree...

---------------------------------

15 Outside are the dogs and sorcerers and the sexually immoral and murderers and idolaters, and everyone who loves and practices falsehood.

This is the recompense for those who still do evil and are still filthy...the horrible word “outside”

Eg...Genesis 7:16: Noah and family locked inside the ark: the Lord shut him in...but all else were on the outside!

----------------------------------

16 “I, Jesus, have sent my angel to testify to you about these things for the churches. I am the root and the descendant of David, the bright morning star.”

Have sent my angel: Rev 1:1

Jesus, Angel, John...for the churches...

Root - Descendant - ESVSB: Jesus is both David's “son” and his Lord, the source of his royalty (5:5; Isa. 11:1, 10; Mark 12:35–37).

Bright morning star - Welwyn Commentary: And do you remember Christ's promise to the believers at Thyatira (Rev 2:28), that He would give them the morning star? Now He says, 'I am... the bright Morning Star.' The Old Testament background for the phrase is Numbers 24:17 (cf. 2 Peter 1:19). The point is this: Christ Himself is coming, and that coming heralds the dawn of everlasting day when He will give Himself to His people and share His glory with them in a way which at present is utterly beyond our imagination.

-----------------------------------

AN INVITATION...

17 The Spirit and the Bride say, “Come.” And let the one who hears say, “Come.” And let the one who is thirsty come; let the one who desires take the water of life without price.

The Holy Spirit and the Bride, the Church, you and me! Say COME! To this glorious Alpha and Omega, first and last, etc...who sent His angel to testify...who gave His life so the church could be washed white in His blood...who is coming soon (Rev 22:7,12)...who will give Himself to us forever as the bright morning star...

AND IT IS AN INVITATION for those who hear the Spirit and Bride say COME to Christ to hear the invitation and come to see His greatness and His offer and todesire Him and to join in the invitation and say COME! For the Invited to become the Inviters!

It is a COME to the thirsty, thirsty for the water of life offered FREELY! The invitation given throughout the Scriptures (Isa. 55:1; John 7:37) and that should still be given by the Bride to all who will listen and who thirsty TODAY!

----------------------------------

A WARNING...Plagues and No eternal life...

18 I warn everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: if anyone adds to them, God will add to him the plagues described in this book, 19 and if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God will take away his share in the tree of life and in the holy city, which are described in this book.

This applies most directly to the words of REVELATION, but it is also placed at the END of the Scriptures...much as it was placed:

Deut 4:2

Deut 12:32

Josh. 1:7 

Prov. 30:5,6

2 Timothy 3:16-17

It is ALL the very word of God, which comes from His own mouth and cannot be changed...

The warning is add to them and you will see how trustworthy and true they are as you experience all the plagues they promise...and take away and you will find you are amongst those who OUTSIDE this glorious city...and cannot take from the tree of life and live forever!

----------------------------------

20 He who testifies to these things says, “Surely I am coming soon.” Amen. Come, Lord Jesus!

A FINAL promise to come soon and final COME!

-----------------------------------

21 The grace of the Lord Jesus be with all. Amen.

And the whole volume of the Word of God, the Word of Christ, ends with GRACE...from beginning to end, this is God’s desire and God’s promise to the thirsty...and God’s free gift to all who will COME and take.

This is expressed in a fine hymn which bears the names of both Philip Doddridge and Augustus Montague Toplady.

Grace, 'tis a charming sound,

Harmonious to the ear;

Heaven with the echo shall resound,

And all the earth shall hear.

Grace first contrived a way

To save rebellious man;

And all the steps that grace display,

Which drew the wondrous plan.

Grace first inscribed my name

In God's eternal book;

'Twas grace that gave me to the Lamb,

Who all my sorrows took.

Grace turned my wandering feet

To tread the heavenly road;

And new supplies each hour I meet,

While pressing on to God.

Grace taught my soul to pray,

And made my eyes o'erflow;

'Tis grace that kept me to this day,

And will not let me go.

Grace all the work shall crown,

Through everlasting days;

It lays in heaven the topmost stone,

And well deserves the praise. 

'The grace of the Lord Jesus be with God's people. Amen.'