Revelation 22:17-21

In Revelation 22:17-21 John wraps up God’s Word and the story of eternity. He makes it clear that God’s invitation is inclusive for all. “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.” Who can come? He who hears can come to Jesus, but they can’t come unless they hear. He who thirsts can come to Jesus, but they can’t come unless they feel their thirst. Whoever desires can come, but they can’t come unless God works in their heart to desire Him. The offer is to all!

This is an open invitation to receive salvation from Jesus. He will not exclude anyone who comes to Him. An invitation is both an opportunity and a responsibility. If we decline an invitation, we have only ourselves to blame. It’s a free offer. Walvoord wrote “A similar invitation is extended in Isaiah 55:1. The invitation to come is an urgent command, for the day will arrive when it is too late to come. Now is the day of grace. The hour of judgment is impending.” We will all give an account for how we have lived and the choices we have made. God offers us a sure way to know our eternity will be spent with Him – the shed blood of Jesus on the Cross. But we must choose to receive that gift of grace.

It is really this simple: do you desire Jesus and His salvation? Then come. Can you say, “Now, Lord, I desire to be saved, give me a new heart; I desire to give up my sins; I desire to be a Christian; I desire to believe and desire to obey. But I have no strength to do this. I have the desire, give me the power.” If this is your desire, then you are freely invited to come, if you are only willing. There is no barrier between you and Jesus except your stubborn will. This isn’t complicated. It’s not rocket science. It’s a choice of the heart. It’s a willingness to accept the reality that we are sinners in need of a Savior. And Jesus is the solution to our sin problem.

God doesn’t allow anyone to mess with His truth. “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, 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.” There is a high price to pay for tampering with the Book of Revelation specifically, and the Scriptures in general. Jesus is coming again – soon in His eternal timeline. “He who testifies to these things says, “Surely I am coming soon.” Amen. Come, Lord Jesus!” We need to be ready. His grace is available to all. “The grace of the Lord Jesus be with all. Amen.”

Revelation 22:14-16

In Revelation 22:14-16 John talks about those who washed their robes. “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.” In order for us to enter eternity, our sins must be gone. Jesus offered that to us on the Cross. If we accept God’s offer of grace through Christ’s death on the Cross, our sins will be washed away and we will be able to enter heaven. The blood of Jesus can cleanse us from all sin – can wash our robes clean – and give us the right to spend eternity with the Trinity in heaven. There is no other way for us to enter.

Guzik explains “Doing His commandments does not earn us eternal life, but it is evidence that we have been granted eternal life. Besides, there is an inherent blessing in doing His commandments, because they are good and right for us.” Mounce explains we shouldn’t think that outside the walls of heaven multitudes will throng, longing to get in. “The verse does not intend to teach that in the eternal state all manner of wicked men will be living just outside the heavenly city. It simply describes the future with the imagery of the present.” “Outside are the dogs and sorcerers and the sexually immoral and murderers and idolaters, and everyone who loves and practices falsehood.”

With these solemn words, Jesus authenticates the entire book. Much of the Book of Revelation is either fantastic or seems too good to be true, but it is all true. “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.” Seiss wrote “Thus the very God of all inspiration, and of all inspired men, reiterates and affirms the highest authority for all that is herein written. Either, then, this Book is nothing but a base and blasphemous forgery, unworthy of the slightest respect of men, and specially unworthy of a place in the Sacred Canon; or it is one of the most directly inspired and authoritative writings ever given.”

The Book of Revelation is written to the churches. This book is not a private affair, knowable only by an elite – it is for all believers. When Jesus calls Himself the root and descendant of David, He shows that He is both the Creator of King David and His descendent. And referring to Himself as the bright morning star is another Messianic title from the Old Testament (Numbers 24:17) and the New Testament (Revelation 2:28). Just as the Morning Star shines and welcomes the new day, so does Jesus. He is the completion of all things. This book was given so we could see how the end happens and make a choice whether we want to face it with Jesus, or try to stand before God’s judgment on our own.

Revelation 22:12-13

In Revelation 22:12-13 John continues to wrap up the story of eternity as it is revealed to him. Jesus is clear that He’s coming soon. “Behold, I am coming soon, bringing my recompense with me, to repay everyone for what he has done.” We can never miss the note of urgency and warning in all what Jesus tells us about His coming. His message is always be ready! Jesus talking about bringing judgment which will be our standing before Him to be accountable for how we have lived and failed to meet His requirements – which is sin – and that will lead us to spend eternity separated from Him. We will give account for our life.

But when He says He’ll repay us for what we have done, it doesn’t mean we earn eternity by what we do. If Jesus will give to everyone according to his work, does that mean we are saved by our works? No, but it does show that living faith will have works with it. Works result from a saving relationship with Jesus. Works don’t create that relationship and eternal result. But if we are truly Christ Followers, our life will be filled with good works which He has prepared before hand that we can walk in obedience to His will and be an impact in the lives of those in our patch. Works are a result, not a cause for salvation. Mounce wrote “It is the quality of a man’s life which provides the ultimate indication of what he really believes.”

As an added incentive for us to do and be what is right, being ready for Jesus’ return, He reminds us just who He is. If we really know and understood who Jesus is, we will not have any trouble being ready for His return. “I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end.” Jesus is the whole deal. These terms together mean that Jesus is the beginning, middle, and end for the Christian. Jesus is all we need. He was there in the beginning. He will be there at the end. Jesus is and has been everything in between. He’s the complete package and all anyone will ever need.

Spurgeon wrote “Preach orthodoxy, or any form of doxy; if you have left out Christ, there is no manna from heaven, no water from the rock, no refuge from the storm, no healing for the sick, no life for the dead. If you leave out Christ, you have left the sun out of the day, and the moon out of the night, you have left the waters out of the sea, and the foods out of the river, you have left the harvest out of the year, the soul out of the body, you have left joy out of heaven, yea, you have robbed all of its all. There is no gospel worth thinking of, much less worth proclaiming in Jehovah’s name, if Jesus be forgotten.”

Revelation 22:8-11

In Revelation 22:8-11 John makes the same mistake he had made earlier – he worships an angel. “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, 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.” No created being should ever be worshipped. This is in contrast with Jesus, who receives the worship of angels and of men. Jesus is worthy of our praise!

We often look back at scripture and wonder why they forgot what God had said and done and fell into sin. But as humans, we all are short sighted and fail to keep things in proper perspective. It is striking that even someone who had received all these visions could go astray. Supernatural visions and revelations do not mean that someone is correct in their doctrine, teaching, or practice. John got caught up in the moment twice as he was being shown what was to come. We must be careful to keep our eyes on Jesus and remember that He alone is worthy to be praised. Everything else around us can only point to the One true Savior and Lord.

A warning is given that we keep God’s Word open and live. “And he said to me, “Do not seal up the words of the prophecy of this book, for the time is near.” Because the time is at hand, and history now runs parallel to the brink of the consummation of all things, this book isn’t sealed. This is in contrast to Old Testament prophecy which is complete and recorded for all time. And if the words John records here aren’t enough to move man to repent, the enemy will still do his evil while the righteous and holy will continue to do their things. “Let the evildoer still do evil, and the filthy still be filthy, and the righteous still do right, and the holy still be holy.”

Robertson wrote “It is the hopelessness of the final state of the wicked which is here pictured. The states of both the evil and the good are now fixed forever. There is no word here about a ‘second chance’ hereafter.” And Walvoord writes further “If the warnings of this book are not sufficient, there is no more that God has to say.” God has opened the komono on what is to come. He’s detailed the entire story and it should move us to take action whether we know Jesus and have a secure future (obedience to His Word) or we don’t know Jesus and face the eternal outcome John describes for Satan and all those who deny the saving grace God offered through Christ. This should drive all to their knees knowing what is to come!

Revelation 22:5-7

In Revelation 22:5-7 John reminds us that Heaven will be a place where the darkness of this age will be forever gone. The light is not artificial, even from the sun — God Himself is the light. “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.” Heaven will be a place where God’s people enjoy an eternal reign, in contrast to the limited duration of the Millennium. It will never end. Erdman wrote “As the Bible opens with the story of ‘Paradise Lost,’ so it here closes with the story of ‘Paradise Regained.’ ”  We see the return of Paradise in the ideas of a river, a tree of life, revocation of the curse, intimacy restored, and reigning resumed.

Guzik explains where we see the perfection of God’s plan come to life:

• “No more curse – Perfect Restoration
• Throne in their midst – Perfect Administration
• Servants shall serve – Perfect Subordination
• Shall see His face – Perfect Transformation
• Name on foreheads – Perfect Identification
• God is the light – Perfect Illumination
• Reigning forever – Perfect Exultation”

The perfection the world has never seen will come to light when Heaven comes to complete fruition.

In these last few verses of the Book of Revelation, we hear parting words from a variety of persons. It isn’t always easy to know who is speaking, but the themes make sense no matter who speaks: verification, invitation, and warning. “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.” The angel that showed John all this reminds John that it isn’t too good to be true. John is assured that it is in fact faithful and true. It will be overwhelmingly amazing, but it isn’t impossible and God assures us it will be true.

Jesus breaks in with this announcement. “And behold, I am coming soon. Blessed is the one who keeps the words of the prophecy of this book.” When Jesus says He is coming soon, it’s not based on our human expectations. Eternity is a very long time, so ‘soon’ is relative to that reality. But He is clear that obedience to God’s Word is the secret to blessing. Obedience is the expectation and the secret to being blessed. This blessing reminds us that prophecy gives us a Word to keep, not merely material for interesting discussions and debates. The main intent of prophecy is to lead us to trust and obey God, and apply His truth to the way we live.

Revelation 22:3-4

In Revelation 22:3-4 John talks about what things will be like and what the saints will do. “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.” In heaven, the curse is gone. Since the fall, man and creation have lived with the effect of the curse described in Genesis 3. That involved sorrow and pain in childbirth for women, friction between the sexes, the necessity of hard and often futile work for man’s sustenance, and most of all death. But it will be no more. Jesus will be seated at the right hand of God and will remove the curse forever.

Spurgeon describes it this way: “Henceforth, eternal praises to His name, the throne of God is the throne of the Lamb. It is a throne of righteousness, but no less a throne of grace. There, on the throne of the Almighty, mercy reigns. According to the merit of the sacrifice and the virtue of the atonement all the statutes and decrees of the kingdom of heaven are issued. The altar and the throne have become identical. From that throne no fiery bolt can ever again be hurled against the believer, for it is the throne of the Lamb as well as the throne of God.” God has exchanged the curse against mankind for the grace and mercy of the Cross – eternal life in the New Jerusalem!

Heaven will be a place where God’s people see His face, a place of intimate, face to face fellowship with God. “They will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads.” Spurgeon shared “I understand two things: first, that they shall literally and physically, with their risen bodies, actually look into the face of Jesus; and secondly, that spiritually their mental faculties shall be enlarged, so that they shall he enabled to look into the very heart, and soul, and character of Christ, so as to understand him, his work, his love, his all in all, as they never understood him before.” Guzik wrote: “In that day there will be nothing that obscures our vision of Jesus:

• We will see Jesus clearly because sin is done away with.
• We will see Jesus clearly because care and worry are gone.
• We will see Jesus clearly because idols are done away with.”

Heaven will be a place where God’s people will forever be identified with their God, and there will never be any doubt that they belong to Him. We will be marked with God’s special marking. We’ll be with Jesus. Spurgeon wrote that this will be the greatest glory of heaven: to know God, to know Jesus, more intimately and wonderfully than we ever could on earth. “It is the chief blessing of heaven, the cream of heaven, the heaven of heaven, that the saints shall there see Jesus.” It simply doesn’t get any better than this. We’ll have a firehose experience with Jesus. Spurgeon said it this way: “the babe in Christ admitted to heaven discovers more of Christ in a single hour than is known by all the divines of the assemblies of the church on earth.” What a glorious day, what a glorious place it will be!

Revelation 21:7-13

In Revelation 21:7-13 John continues to talk about the last days. If we overcome through our faith in Jesus, we’ll enjoy a special relationship with God. “The one who conquers will have this heritage, and I will be his God and he will be my son.” This is intimate and personal and a very special relationship. But the outcome is very different for those who reject Jesus and deny His deity. “But as for the cowardly, the faithless, the detestable, as for murderers, the sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars, their portion will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death.”

An angel comes that will show John the city in greater detail. “Then came one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls full of the seven last plagues and spoke to me, saying, “Come, I will show you the Bride, the wife of the Lamb.” Guzik writes “This heavenly city is literal, but it is called the bride, the Lamb’s wife because it is the place where all God’s people are gathered. In this sense the New Jerusalem is certainly like the bride; but this association doesn’t diminish the reality behind the image. The city is associated with the bride to awe us with a sense of its beauty.” The plagues are behind and Jesus is the focus.

The angel takes John to a high place to look over the city. “And he carried me away in the Spirit to a great, high mountain, and showed me the holy city Jerusalem coming down out of heaven from God, having the glory of God, its radiance like a most rare jewel, like a jasper, clear as crystal.” John is first impressed by the glory of the city. That was expressed by radiant light shining from it. But it goes on and he sees a high wall. “It had a great, high wall, with twelve gates, and at the gates twelve angels, and on the gates the names of the twelve tribes of the sons of Israel were inscribed—on the east three gates, on the north three gates, on the south three gates, and on the west three gates.”

The wall is not there for protection, because there were no more enemies to worry about. The wall is there to define the city and shows that some will not be able to enter – only the righteous will have that option. There are 12 gates  which contain the names of the twelve tribes. What is written on the gates communicates the unity and heritage that the people of God have with Israel. God will never forget the tribes of Israel, even unto eternity. The planning for the gates may be related to the way things looked back during the Exodus. In any case, God has the twelve tribes prominent and top of mind. He will never forget them.

Revelation 20:11-15

In Revelation 20:11-15 John sees an awesome throne – great in status, power and authority; white in purity and holiness; and a throne fit for a King who was sitting on it. “Then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it. From his presence earth and sky fled away, and no place was found for them.” Guzik explains that “many Bible scholars believe that Christians will never appear before this great white throne. It isn’t because we can hide from it – no one can. The idea is that we are spared from this awesome throne of judgment because our sins are already judged in Jesus at the cross. We don’t escape God’s judgment; we satisfy it in Jesus.”

However, Christians will have to stand before another throne – the judgment seat of Christ. (2 Corinthians 5:10) When we pass from these bodies to the world beyond, we must each give account according to what he has done, whether good or bad. This describes a judgment of works of believers. At the judgment seat of Christ, what we have done will be judged. Our motives for what we have done will be judged. Guzik explains that “what we have done, and our motive for doing it, will be tested by fire, and the purifying fire of God will burn up everything that was not of Him. We won’t be punished for what was not done rightly unto the Lord, it will simply be burned up, and it will be as if we never did those things. We will simply be rewarded for what remains. Sadly, some will get to heaven thinking they have done great things for God, and will find out at the judgment seat of Christ that they really did nothing.”

Walvoord explains This is not a trial, trying to determine what the facts are. The facts are in; here is the sentencing of someone already condemned. “Their standing posture means that they are now about to be sentenced.” “And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Then another book was opened, which is the book of life. And the dead were judged by what was written in the books, according to what they had done.” If people are not listed in the Book of Life, then each one is judged according to his works. Those who refuse to come to God by faith will, by default, be judged (and condemned) by their works.

Everyone is included in the judgment. “And the sea gave up the dead who were in it, Death and Hades gave up the dead who were in them, and they were judged, each one of them, according to what they had done.” The last echoes of sin are now eliminated. Death is the result of sin, and it is gone. Hades is the result of death, and it is gone. “Then Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire.” This is usually what is called hell. Guzik explains that the Bible uses three main words to describe where the ungodly may go when they die.

1. “Sheol is a Hebrew word with the idea of the “place of the dead.”
2. Hades is a Greek word used to describe the “world beyond.” In the Bible, it has generally the same idea as Sheol.
3. Gehenna is a Greek word borrowed from the Hebrew language. Jesus speaks of hell (gehenna). Men only go to this place prepared for the devil and his angels if they reject God’s salvation and condemn themselves.”

“And if anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.” Alford writes “As there is a second and higher life, so there is also a second and deeper death. And as after that life there is no more death, so after that death there is no more life.” To be saved our name needs to be written in the book of life which happens through a relationship with Jesus Christ!

Revelation 20:4-6

In Revelation 20:4-6 John continues to show us what lies ahead as God finalizes eternity. The saints reign with Jesus for the same period of time that Satan is bound. “Then I saw thrones, and seated on them were those to whom the authority to judge was committed. Also I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for the testimony of Jesus and for the word of God, and who had not worshiped the beast or its image and had not received its mark on their foreheads or their hands. They came to life and reigned with Christ for a thousand years.” Martyrs are there and will rule and reign with Him.

These martyrs suffered under the Antichrist who had said, “I will rule the earth;” now they are in authority and Antichrist is destroyed. So, these martyrs are not only literal, but also representative of all that give their lives in faithfulness to Jesus. “The rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were ended. This is the first resurrection.” This first resurrection is the granting of resurrection life in resurrection bodies to all those dead in Jesus. It is a resurrection of blessing (blessed and holy), of power (over a second death), and of privilege (priests who will reign.

“Blessed and holy is the one who shares in the first resurrection! Over such the second death has no power, but they will be priests of God and of Christ, and they will reign with him for a thousand years.” Those who do not have part in the first resurrection are not blessed, they are under the power of the second death, and they are without privilege. Walvoord wrote “‘The ‘first resurrection’ is not an event but an order of resurrection including all the righteous who are raised from the dead before the millennial kingdom begins.” These verses bring up the pre, post, or mid tribulation concepts.

Guzik explains these two views on the millennial:

1. “If the first resurrection is a singular event, it argues well for a post-tribulation rapture, because it implies that all saints receive their resurrection bodies at the same time, immediately before the rule and reign of Jesus Christ.”
2. “If the first resurrection is an order or class encompassing previously dead believers (who are at once with the Lord), the raptured church (already in heaven), and saints from the Great Tribulation, then the idea fits in a pre-tribulation framework.”

Revelation 19:12-15

In Revelation 19:12-15 John describes Jesus as He enters on His white horse. “His eyes are like a flame of fire, and on his head are many diadems, and he has a name written that no one knows but himself.” Spurgeon writes “Why are they like flames of fire? Why, first, to discern the secrets of all hearts. There are no secrets here that Christ does not see. There is no lewd thought, there is no unbelieving scepticism, that Christ does not read. There is no hypocrisy, no formalism, no deceit, that he does not scan as easily as a man reads a page in a book. His eyes are like a flame of fire to read us through and through, and know us to our inmost soul.”

Remember that the last time Jesus was on earth He was wearing a crown of thorns. Now He wears many crowns (diadems). The ancient Greek word used for crowns here is the diadema, the crown of royalty and authority, not the stephanos, the crown of achievement. Guzik explains “The fact that there are many crowns means that Jesus is the ultimate in royal authority and power. It is a visible manifestation of what we mean when we say King of Kings. It is an expression of unlimited sovereignty.” John next goes on to describe Jesus’ wardrope and the armies that accompany Him as He returns.

“He is clothed in a robe dipped in blood, and the name by which he is called is The Word of God. And the armies of heaven, arrayed in fine linen, white and pure, were following him on white horses.” Theologians debate whether this is His own blood (reminding us of the cross) or the blood of His enemies. Either is quite possible. The armies of heaven are God’s people. There is little doubt that angels will also accompany Jesus and His people, but the main idea is that the Son of God leads the people of God from heaven against earth. There are no weapons described – only their clothing and the Leader they will follow.

John describes the power of Jesus’ Word in a dramatic way. Johnson wrote “Christ conquers by the power of His Word”. “From his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations, and he will rule them with a rod of iron. He will tread the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God the Almighty.” Jesus comes to rule and to reign in triumph. He comes as King of Kings to displace every king reigning on this earth. Seiss writes “It does not mean the leavening of existing governments with Christian principles, the spiritual conversion of countries and empires, leaving them in existence, and simply Christianizing them so as to exhibit something of Christ’s spirit in their administrations; but the total displacement of all this world’s sovereigns and governments, the taking of all dominion and authority out of their hands and putting it in the hands of Christ, as the true and only King of the world.”