Rev 22 - The Finale
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We have made it to the end of the book and the end of the Bible. We remember where we are. We are past the great tribulation, the rapture, the second coming, even the millennium. We are in the New Jerusalem in the new heaven and new earth. Where we will spend eternity.
1 Then he showed me a river of the water of life, clear as crystal, coming from the throne of God and of the Lamb,
2 in the middle of its street. On either side of the river was the tree of life, bearing twelve kinds of fruit, yielding its fruit every month; and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations.
3 There will no longer be any curse; and the throne of God and of the Lamb will be in it, and His bond-servants will serve Him;
4 they will see His face, and His name will be on their foreheads.
5 And there will no longer be any night; and they will not have need of the light of a lamp nor the light of the sun, because the Lord God will illumine them; and they will reign forever and ever.
V 1 – 5 So here we are continuing our travel brochure from chapter 21. It interesting to note that we Began in a Garden with a river and end in a river garden
· The river of the water of life. It is described as clear as crystal, pure. It flows from the throne of the Lamb through the middle of the great street of the city.
o Should we see this as a literal river? Yes, but rivers also have symbolic meaning as well. Rivers throughout scripture are used in describing prosperity and pleasure.
o Ps 36:8 - 9 Pleasure
o Ps 1:4 Prosperity
o Note: Satan uses our desire for Pleasure and Prosperity to destroy us. His distortions causes increased cravings with decreased satisfaction. Whereas, in eternity, we have as much as we want with complete satisfaction.
o See Jer 2:13 Cisterns that cannot hold water. Discuss.
· V2b on each side of the river is the tree of life. Bearing 12 Crops of fruit, yielding fruit every month, and leaves are used for the healing of the nations.
o We will be eating in eternity!!
o See Gen 3:22 And the LORD God said, “The man has now become like one of us, knowing good and evil. He must not be allowed to reach out his hand and take also from the tree of life and eat, and live forever.”
o Zec 14:4. 8 Read – millennium, river starts with Jesus foot on mt. of olives.
o Eze 47: 1 – 10 – millennium, river heals the dead sea.
o Healing is the greek word: therapeia. We get our word therapy or therapeutic. So healing in every aspect, mental and physical.
· No curse there…His servants will serve Him there.
o Gen 3:14 – 19, painful childbirth, marital strife, Difficulty in making a living, and will die,
o Imagine doing the thing you were created and gifted to do forever, that what we will be doing.
o V4 we will see His face. Paul said we now see through a glass darkly but then face to face. We will know as we are known. I can hardly wait.
o Note: you won’t see Jesus’ name on your forehead but everyone else will. It’s the same now. See Acts 4:13.
o No lamp or sun needed…the Lord is there.
6 And he said to me, “These words are faithful and true”; and the Lord, the God of the spirits of the prophets, sent His angel to show to His bond-servants the things which must soon take place.
o V6 Trustworthy and true…thing that must soon take place.
V7 – 21 Closing Words of Jesus
7 “And behold, I am coming quickly. Blessed is he who heeds the words of the prophecy of this book.”
8 I, John, am the one who heard and saw these things. And when I heard and saw, I fell down to worship at the feet of the angel who showed me these things.
9 But he said to me, “Do not do that. I am a fellow servant of yours and of your brethren the prophets and of those who heed the words of this book. Worship God.”
· I am coming soon. Soon is the Greek word takhu, where we get tachometer.
· John falls to worship the angel as he did in Ch19. He is told “worship God”.
10 And he said to me, “Do not seal up the words of the prophecy of this book, for the time is near.
11 “Let the one who does wrong, still do wrong; and the one who is filthy, still be filthy; and let the one who is righteous, still practice righteousness; and the one who is holy, still keep himself holy.”
· Don’t seal up this book. What most of the church does unfortunately.
· V11 What? 2 thoughts, if you’re not convinced after seeing all this, you never will be, or perhaps, when we get to the end there won’t be time.
12 “Behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to render to every man according to what he has done.
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, so that they may have the right to the tree of life, and may enter by the gates into the city.
15 Outside are the dogs and the sorcerers and the immoral persons and the murderers and the idolaters, and everyone who loves and practices lying.
16 “I, Jesus, have sent My angel to testify to you these things for the churches. I am the root and the descendant of David, the bright morning star.”
Root and offspring of David. He is David’s creator and grandson.
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 wishes take the water of life without cost.
Whoever is thirsty…Come. Jesus told His first disciples come and see.
One might say, "I don't understand all the Christian doctrine and theology" - come anyway, because it doesn't say whoever understands, let him take the water of life freely.
One might say, "I can't repent the way that I should. My heart is hard and I can't even weep over my sins or feel bad over them as I should" - come anyway, because it doesn't say whoever feels, let him take the water of life freely.
One might say, "I don't know if I can live the Christian life the way that I should" - come anyway, because it doesn't say whoever can, let him take the water of life freely.
Finally, one might say, "I don't know if I am worthy to live the Christian life" - come anyway, because it doesn't say whoever is worthy, let him take the water of life freely.
18 I testify to everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: if anyone adds to them, God will add to him the plagues which are written in this book;
19 and if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God will take away his part from the tree of life and from the holy city, which are written in this book.
20 He who testifies to these things says, “Yes, I am coming quickly.” Amen. Come, Lord Jesus.
21 The grace of the Lord Jesus be with all. Amen.
Don’t add or take away from this prophecy. Bad things are promised.
The Revelation and the Bible end with the Grace of the Lord Jesus Christ.
Note: OT ends with a curse.