Revelation 22
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Important messages
Chapter 22
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.
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.”
7. “And behold I am
coming soon. Blessed is the one who keeps 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 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.”
10. And he said to me, “Do not seal up the words of the prophecy
of this book, for the time is near.
It’s interesting to note that
heaven provides security and healing, even though enemies are destroyed in the
Lake of Fire forever, and sickness will cease to exist. In the last chapter,
verse 12, there is a high wall and an angel guarding each gate of the city. If
you have ever had a doubt that sometime in eternity, sin or the consequences of
sin might revive, this vigilance is recorded to assure the reader that God has secured
eternity. The Creator insures and reassures that these maladies will never
again return.
Earthly cities attempt to
beautify themselves with trees, parks and rivers or lakes, but the heavenly
city seems to be, essentially a park… a well populated park! There is no
mention made of buildings, but in this chapter, John is taken inside the city
to see, first of all, a river. It is called the River of the Water of Life. The
source or fountain of the river is the throne of God and the Lamb. The river is
as bright as crystal (1).
Ezekiel 47 seems to similarly depict
this scene, but it is, rather, the millennial city, which extends, in its
essence, into the New Jerusalem that we are now seeing. A temple is the center
of Ezekiel’s vision (Ezek.47:1) and the river flows from the temple in it. On
both banks of the river were many trees for continuous fruit (Ezek.47:12).
Their leaves are for healing and they never fall; the trees bear fresh fruit
every month.
The main street of the New
Jerusalem runs as a causeway through the middle of the river. We have already
learned that in the New Jerusalem there is no temple, but simply the throne of
God and the Lamb. The river flows from the throne of God and the Tree of Life grows in the middle of the street and along both banks of
the river. Naturally, we understand that the Tree of Life is not a singular
tree, but a singular type of tree. As in Ezekiel, there are many trees and the
properties are similar. It bears a different kind of fruit every month, 12
kinds of fruit in every cycle, and again, the leaves are for healing (2). There
is no sickness in the New Jerusalem and the leaves doubly assure eternal health
(I would imagine that the leaves are for tea).
Nothing remains of the curse upon
mankind which, as already stated, includes sickness. There will be no weariness,
thirst or hunger, yet eating and drinking will be pure pleasure. The central
activity in the New Jerusalem is untiring worship, bursting forth continuously from
the heart of every citizen. Service will spring from worship: “His servants
will worship him” (3). The aroma
from Mary’s worship in John 12 filled the house, enhancing Martha’s service and
Lazarus’ communion with the Lord. That chapter was a picture of heaven on
earth. His worshipping servants will also reign in His kingdom of light (5).
We will need transformed eyes in
order to gaze upon His face in its glory. From the time that man fell into sin,
his eyes could not look upon Him and live. Therefore John declared in his
Gospel, “No one has ever seen God; the
only God, who is at the Father’s side, he has made him known” (Jn.1:18). The
mark of the beast depicted a blasphemous loyalty to him, but here is the
genuine mark of ownership of the One, Who is worthy: “His name will be on their foreheads” (4). There will be no night
in the city of light, because the eternal light from the presence of the Lord
God will stream continuously (5), giving perfect light and warmth.
We are reading and meditating
upon inerrant truth from its highest authority and upon it, we bank our future.
Man’s word and teaching will fail, heaven and earth will pass away, but these
words are worthy of our full trust (6). The holy prophets’ spirits were God-conscious
and they were moved by the Holy Spirit. For the benefit of His servants, His angel
is showing future events to John. With Him, a thousand years is as a day and
His servants must develop a patient, heavenly mindset: “Beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the
Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. The Lord is not slack
concerning his promise as some men count
slackness…” (2 P.3:8,9, KJV).
We must apply this time principle
to the last chapter in the Bible. In His measure of time, Jesus said that He is
coming soon and if that day does not come in our lifetimes, He will come
personally for our souls and receive us into glory (7). John declares his part
in witnessing these mighty prophecies for the benefit of the church of all
ages. He also humbly testifies of his human frailty and unworthiness (8). The
revelation is immense and he falls before the angel and, only by the angel’s
pure devotion to God, does he refrain from worship. Angels join with us in service
to God and are much more involved than we think. They worked with the spirits of
the prophets and the spirit of John to unfold the word of God to His people.
Their command and passion is to worship God (9).
An angel revealed to Daniel much
that serves as a background to the Revelation and Daniel was told: “Go your way, Daniel, for the words are
shut up and sealed until the time of the end” (Dn.12:9). We are in the last
days, the time of the end, for John is told “Do not seal up the words of the prophecy of this book, for the time is
near” (10). The events are already unfolding and as they develop, his
servants will be taught concerning them. As Jesus said, “Nothing is covered that will not be revealed, or hidden that will not
be known” (Mt.10:26). These are days of revelation and all the children of
light will be informed, so that nothing takes them unawares (1 Thes.5:4).
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.”
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.”
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.
15. Outside are the dogs and sorcerers and the sexually immoral
and murderers and idolaters, and everyone who loves and practices falsehood.
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.”
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.
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.
20. He who testifies to these things says, “Surely I am coming
soon.” Amen. Come, Lord Jesus!
21. The grace of the Lord Jesus be with all. Amen.
The separation of light and
darkness becomes increasingly great, as time goes by. Gray areas disappear and
light and darkness become more intense (11). Jamieson-Fausset-Brown comments:“The punishment of sin is sin, the reward of
holiness is holiness… No worse punishment can God lay on ungodly men than to
give them up to themselves.” The Lord Jesus shows in chapter 3, in dealing
with the Laodicean Church, that He prefers hot or cold to lukewarm. Lukewarmness
is a balance of hot and cold. God is pleased with a radical commitment to Him,
and not a rationalized balance between godliness and humanism. We must
also state that Jesus assured the church in Laodicea that He loved them and He was calling them to
repentance, so that they would not be vomited out of His mouth. Elijah challenged
the Israelites on Mount Carmel: “How
long will you go limping between two different opinions? If the Lord is God,
follow him; but if Baal, then follow him” (1 K.18:21). God’s desire was
their repentance and Elijah brought Israel headlong on their faces crying, “The Lord, he is God.” (1 K.18:39). In
any case, be assured, nominal Christianity is never acceptable to God.
Neither hell nor heaven will bring
people into an equal status: “The one
who did not know, and did what deserved a beating, will receive a light beating”
(Lk.12:48). Rewards will differ before the Judgment Seat of Christ: “If the work that anyone has built on the foundation
survives, he will receive a reward. If anyone’s work is burned up, he will
suffer loss, though he himself will be saved, but only as through fire” (1
Co.3:14,15). Jesus warns that the consequences for good or bad will soon be
administered. Life is short (12).
The revelation of Christ
continues to the end of the Bible and I quote again from The Christ of the
Apocalypse: “The anger of the Jews
was about to explode one day. Jesus was making claims that they knew belonged
to God alone. One more statement drove them beyond their religious tolerance. ‘Before
Abraham was born, I AM’ (Jn.8:58). In so saying, he identified with the one who
appeared to Moses through the burning bush – ‘I am who I am’ (Ex.3:14). Uttered
by man or angel, it was a blasphemous statement. Only God could make such an
assertion. They picked up stones to kill him.
They were ignorant of their day of divine visitation. In truth,
Jesus is all that he said he is and much more. He has a name that no one knows
except himself (Rv.19:12). He is God, beyond what has been revealed to us or
that we can comprehend. He is the author of our faith before we believe. He is
the finisher of our faith after we have done all.
The claims continue in the Revelation and reach an apex in the
last chapter. ‘I AM the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the
beginning and the end… I AM the root and the offspring of David, the bright
morning star’ (13,16). Outside of his incomparable Son, there is no more
imposing figure in the entire Bible than David, on either a national or
spiritual level. Behind David – his ancestral line, anointing, training and
reign – was one called, in our text, the Root. He is the unseen Author in
charge of David’s history. It is his method to disqualify the abler candidates
and exalt one of low degree. He drives out the secure and self-confident and finds
a place for the misfit. He uses the common and unpretentious to perform his
mighty acts.
Into the carefully selected line of Judah, the Root of David
brought a pagan woman with no inheritance in Israel, but Ruth had a heart of
faith. She married Boaz and kindness, dignity and faithfulness were bred into
David’s heritage. From early age, David had a heart after God, which found its
outlet in harp and voice. When the time came for kingly anointing, seven older
brothers were paraded before the prophet Samuel and each, in turn, was
rejected. The eighth was finally brought in from the sheepfold and, much to the
mystification of the rest, was consecrated to be future king. He became a
giant-killer, a general of a rebel army and finally a great monarch and
prophet.
According to his humanity, Christ is David’s offspring. He is
the Son of Man. He passed through a human birth canal unto the straw of a
Bethlehem barn. A prophet and prophetess, who had no place in the religious
hierarchy of the day, blessed him. As a toddler, he endured a round trip to
Egypt and back, then went to live in Galilee. He played in the streets of lowly
Nazareth. He was very young when he astounded theological giants in Herod’s
temple. He descended into the waters of baptism and knew the driving force of
the Holy Spirit. He was tempted of the devil in all points like we are; yet he
was without sin. He knew weariness, hunger, thirst and pain.
More than that, his human body contained a spirit crushed with
the burden of a sin-damned world. He cried over sheep without a shepherd. He
wept over the dominance of death on human society. Hypocrisy, corruption and
materialism infuriated him. He taxed his body by nights of prayer and days of
service. He sweat drops of blood.
The glory beamed upon the Galilean towns and countryside. It
filled Solomon’s porch with greater light than the seven-fold candlestick in
the holy place. He was a Priest, not from the tribe of Levi, but like David
from Judah and from the order of Melchizedek. None of his ways fit the normal
pattern. He was an outside-the-camper. He lives today to intercede in heaven
for such as have none to plead their cause on earth.
The Bright and Morning Star rose over the country of Israel and
shone to an entire dark world. Jesus claimed that the Scriptures testify of
him. They shine yet today to lead us to Christ. Peter saw the prophetic
Scripture as a lamp in a dark place. It burned its witness through the darkness
until the morning star appeared on the horizon (2 P.1:19). Zacharias said, ‘The
sunrise from on high shall visit us, to shine upon those who sit in darkness
and the shadow of death’ Lk.1:78-79).
I must insert the testimony of Charles Finney, who went to his
Bible, when he found no relief around him for his darkened soul. The Scriptures
led him to prayer, prayer to repentance and finally to a great revelation of
Jesus Christ. ‘There was no fire, and no light in the room; nevertheless it
appeared to me as if it were perfectly light. As I went in and shut the door
after me, it seemed as if I met the Lord Jesus Christ fact to face… He said
nothing, but looked at me in such a manner as to break me right down at his
feet… I wept aloud like a child… I bathed his feet with my tears.’
Jesus is the Water of Life. The earth may sprout and bloom from
other sources, but none will be transplanted by the sides of New Jerusalem’s
streets. Church programs and soul-winning classes may fill pews. All of earth’s
streams can be directed into Christian channels, but what it produces will not
defy gravity. Only that which flows from the high peaks of Paradise will return
from where it came with an abundant harvest.
Jesus is the Tree of Life. There are no graveyards, memorial
chapels or funeral processions in the New Jerusalem. There is no death register
in its archives; only a book of life. It is the one qualifying document for
passport into the heavenly city. No religion, church, prophet or god can
provide a page for this book. Thanks to the Lamb! ‘Thou gavest Him authority over all mankind, that to all whom Thou has
given Him, He may give eternal life’ (Jn.17:3). For the partakers of the
Tree of Life, life will go on beyond what we can now comprehend or imagine. Our
souls have been set in motion, as a satellite in space, with no earthly fuel or
guidance. On and on we will course in an eternity of joy, love and peace.”
An old hymn states: “I washed my
robes, in Jesus’ blood; and He has made them white as snow.” There is a
fountain of blood that flows from Calvary’s cross into the 21st
Century and it cleanses the sinner. It is his only passage into the gates of
New Jerusalem. Adam was separated from the Tree, guarded by cherubim, but the
Last Adam freely and abundantly provides access to the Tree of Life. Heaven’s
gates are wide open for the believer, whose only hope is Jesus Christ (14). We
need not, we cannot, come with payment in our hands; it is offered and must be
received “without price” (17).
Heaven is holy. Chapter 20:15
states that anyone, whose name is not recorded in the Book of Life is cast into
the Lake of Fire. Justice was satisfied and the sentence was served, before
the New Jerusalem came down from God out of heaven. Chapter 21:8 confirmed
again that the ungodly had already found their eternal fate and 21:27 assures
that nothing unclean will enter the city of God. For the third time, the Holy
Spirit confirms that all that is immoral and sacrilegious are outside, on the
condemnation side of eternity.
At the very end of the inerrant
canon, a warning is given, actually for the third time in the holy pages of the
Bible. It concerns adding or taking away from the Holy Spirit authorship of the
Scripture. The first warning came from Moses: "You shall not add to the word that I command you, nor take from
it, that you may keep the commandments of the Lord your God that I command you”
(Dt.4:2). Another word in Proverbs is very clear and inclusive of all that
is considered the Word of God: “Do not
add to his words, lest he rebuke you and you be found a liar” (Pr.30:6). Severe
consequences will come upon those, who dare to add or take from His word. We
see here the fate of every sect that relies upon experiences or writings apart
from the Bible. The Christian must be loyal to the entire inspired word and
nothing outside of that word. It is his absolute and only authority. (18-19).
We are to live and walk in the
light of His coming. This is to be the Christian focus, many times and many
ways repeated in the New Testament. It would add considerably to this
commentary, if I would quote all the passages in full. Instead I will give you
a list for your consideration and meditation: Romans 8:23; 2 Corinthians 5:2; 1
Thessalonians 1:10; Titus 2:13; and Hebrews 9:28. There are more, to be sure,
but these are some, which are most directly related to awaiting His return
(20). None can be more passionate than this one… the Lord promising His soon
return and John responding to it: “Surely
I am coming soon.” “Amen. Come, Lord Jesus!” In the heat of that promise and John’s
longing, he extends a word of grace to all believers, finishing with the
untranslated Hebrew word of unequaled authority, amen (21).
I conclude by quoting the last
paragraph in The Christ of the Apocalypse: “Jesus is the unchanging, eternal I AM. HE IS “the same, yesterday, today and forever” (He.13:8). Jesus still
stands among the golden candlesticks. The water of life still flows. The light
from heaven still shines. All the wonder that graced the land of Israel 2000
years ago is still available to us. All that John viewed in heavenly places is
still current. The blood has not lost its power to redeem. The resurrection
life still quickens dead hearts. The sinner may still come from the world to
the cross. The professing Christian may still rise from dead rituals to
reality. The seduced can still be freed from Satan’s lying power. The hungry
heart may still come from emptiness to find completeness in the Christ of the
Apocalypse.”
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