Rev. 22:6-14
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As John has just described the new jerusalem in heaven, he is then turning to bring an exhortation to the readers. And with the closing of the letter, part of the exhortation is to bring affirmation to these words being truth.
He brings a case for these words being true in the affirmation of each person in these verses..
A. The Angel said that these words are trustworthy and true. (v.6)
faithful- NIV and NLT say “trustworthy” , the original language speaks of - :being reliable .
“true” speaks of being in accordance with fact, of being Genuine
The words were given to John to write by the Jesus.
Write the things which you have seen, and the things which are, and the things which will take place after this.
If the words that John wrote, can be trusted because they are true and were God given...... Then we must understand that the rest of the bible also carries the same reality of being trustyworthy and of being truth.
All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness,
the bible is absolute truth because it was inspired and given by the one true God who created all things.
B. John saw and heard these things first hand (v.8-9)
“saw”- speaks of to see, or to have faculty of sight
Acts 9:9 - is the passage it makes reference to . Paul’s conversion on the road to Damascus .
- A point when an individual could not see, then faculty of sight was given to see what he could not see before.
“behold “ is used in describing this definition. In John 1:29 - John the baptist uses this term in reference to Jesus. Behold the lamb of God, to look upon Him in His genuine form. To have knowledge of...
this is what John is speaking about. He had first hand experience to the things he saw. He was once unaware of these things.... but now he has been given the faculties to see and know the things that he did not know before.
Transition
in todays court of law, a person can be declared innocent or can be declared guilt on the eye witness testimony of an individual.
this is what John is saying. That he is declaring what he himself saw, and therefore it is true.. He would say the same thing in 1 John 1.
That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, concerning the Word of life—the life was manifested, and we have seen, and bear witness, and declare to you that eternal life which was with the Father and was manifested to us—that which we have seen and heard we declare to you, that you also may have fellowship with us; and truly our fellowship is with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ. And these things we write to you that your joy may be full.
It was this eye witness testimony that would allow these early christians to live for their faith, but to die for their faith. Peter was a great picture of this. We see him walk with jesus for 3 years and when Jesus is crucified , we see him deny Jesus.
then we end up seeing Jesus restore Peter after His resurrection. He calls Peter to feed His sheep and to tend to them. You then see Peter later in the book of Acts preaching Jesus with such conviction in the face of opposition.. What changed in Peter?
he came face to face with the risen Savior. This is what will make the difference in the life of a Christian.
there are many people that attend this church and the chuches in america. But there is always a small percentage of people who are actually all in , in their relationships with Him. What makes the difference?? is it that one christian is better than the other?
NO
The answer is the same as with Peter as with JOhn. A person who comes face to face with their risen savior is a person who will be all in. They will have to face the reality that they are sinners and will be broken at the foot of the cross with the reality that they can do nothing by themselves. At this moment , they have seen Jesus and he has become real to them.
C. Jesus Himself speaks on these things.
Jesus speaks 4 times in this chapter. We look at 2 of the 4 tonight and see what He said.
1. HE is coming quickly (v. 7,12,20)
quickly- soon or without delay , or suddenly
there are some who believe that jesus is speaking about the day He is coming… making reference that the day is coming quickly…
there are others who see this as suddenly,,, that when the Church is raptured.... then the events that will take place after that will happen suddenly, like the knocking down a row of dominos.......
Transition
both may be right. But one thing that Jesus taught His disciples was, to be watchful and to be ready.
“But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, but My Father only. But as the days of Noah were, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be. For as in the days before the flood, they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, and did not know until the flood came and took them all away, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be. Then two men will be in the field: one will be taken and the other left. Two women will be grinding at the mill: one will be taken and the other left. Watch therefore, for you do not know what hour your Lord is coming. But know this, that if the master of the house had known what hour the thief would come, he would have watched and not allowed his house to be broken into. Therefore you also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.
we are to watch the signs of the times.... to know that in the last days , they will resemble the evil days of Noah. People were filled with evil in their hearts
Then the Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.
But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come: For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having a form of godliness but denying its power. And from such people turn away! For of this sort are those who creep into households and make captives of gullible women loaded down with sins, led away by various lusts,
This is what the days of Noah were like. This is what Jesus told us to be watchful for. This is what the days we are living in today are......
the fact that the times we are living in are similar to what is described in the bible, should tells us that Jesus could come at any time. This thought should cause us to be ready and to live a life that pleases God . Today is no time to mess around with sin.
Therefore, since all these things will be dissolved, what manner of persons ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness,
The thought of heaven and the understanding that Christ is coming should serve as motivation and cause ugency of life.
“The assurance of heaven must not lull us into complacency or carelessness, but spur us to fulfill our spiritual duties”. Warren Wiersbe
2. Blessed is he who keeps the words of the prophecy (v.7)
Jesus proclaims a blessing to those who keep the words of this book .
Blessed is he who reads and those who hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written in it; for the time is near.
(v.14) John reiterates what Jesus says .blessed are those who obey the words in this prophecy. He states that there is a reward associated with obedience.
not only is there blessing associated with obeying the words in this book, but there is blessing in obeying every part of God’s word. Duet. 28- speaks of Obedience ot GOd’s word brings blessing and life and disobedience brings forth curse and death
Transition
obedience to a person comes from a few motivations.....
Fear
Obligation as a slave to a master
Love-
He who has My commandments and keeps them, it is he who loves Me. And he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and manifest Myself to him.”
These are the things that will be evident in my life when i am obedient to GOd.
i will have a right view of God and will have Godly fear of him, i will see myself as a bond servant of Christ, i will have a deep love for Jesus. These things will be the motivation behind my obedience.
but the opposite is true. When i have a hard time being obedient to God’s word it will be because i am lacking in one or all of these areas. i will not have a fear of GOd, i will not see myself as a servant to God but i will want to be my own master, i will love myself or something else more than GOd.
3. Jesus will give Rewards (v.12)
- the bible says that we will all face judgement. We looked at this in chapter 20. As Christians you and i will not face the great white throne judgement which is for those who do not have their names written in the book of life. But we will stand before Christ at the Bema Seat of Christ.
2 Corinthians 5:10
For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad.
-the word Judgement seat of Christ in the original language is BEMA Seat....... Which in the greek culture that believers where in , they would understand what Paul was saying to the readers.
in the greek culture you had games like olympic games..... and you would have men competing to receive a crown. once the games where over and you determined who won, that man would stand before what was called a BEMA SEAT, which was where the judge sat and would declare the man a winner and would give him his reward.....Which was normally a wreath crown.
this is the picture that we are given by Paul, that as believers we will not stand before God to be judged on our righteousness.... but we will stand to be judged or to receive our rewards.....
1 Corinthians 3:13–15
each one’s work will become clear; for the Day will declare it, because it will be revealed by fire; and the fire will test each one’s work, of what sort it is. If anyone’s work which he has built on it endures, he will receive a reward. If anyone’s work is burned, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire.
we are told that all of the things that we have done will be thrown into the fire and only the things done for Christ will remain , those things made of Gold, silver . We will receive rewards and crowns based on what made it thru the fire.
for some there will be many rewards.... all the things that they did for GOd, they served people, they lived for GOd, they used their gifts and talents to serve God, they helped the poor, they loved people and were kind......
others were content to just not go to heaven , they really didn’t do much for God and when all the things they did get thrown into the fire , they will have nothing to show for it.
REward- to have the rights to the tree of life, may enter into the gates of the city