Bible Commentaries
Revelation 22

Verses 1-5

Rev 22:1-5

4. THE FINAL VISION

Revelation 22:1-5

1 And he showed me a river of water of life, bright as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb, --This paragraph completes the vision of the new Jerusalem as the angel presented it to John. Attention was called to a river proceeding from the throne of God and Christ. Water is necessary to physical life; hence, the appearance of a river fits into a symbol that portrays life and happiness. Being bright as crystal and coming from the throne of God show that all genuinely pure blessings come from God. In harmony with his will heavenly mansions are being prepared by Jesus. (John 14:2.) The throne in this glorious city is said to be "of God and of the Lamb." Paul tells us that in the final state even Christ shall be subject to the Father "that God may be all in all." (1 Corinthians 15:28.) This will be after Christ has turned the reigning power back to God. Notwithstanding that fact it is said that in heaven it will be the "throne of God and of the Lamb." This is said, doubtless, because God and Christ are one in providing the salvation. Question: If in the final state the throne (reign or rulership) can be called that of both God and Christ, though it strictly belongs to God, why cannot the kingdom in which Christ reigns now also be called God’s? It can and is as the following passages show: (Luke 8:1; Luke 8:10; Mark 1:15; John 3:5; John 18:36; Colossians 1:13.) Paul speaks of the inheritance as being in the "kingdom of Christ and God." This use of the words "throne" and "kingdom" proves that Christ is now reigning, even though his throne is also the throne of God.

2 in the midst of the street thereof.--This completes the description of the river. Their reference to a river may be an allusion to Genesis 2:10 which speaks of a river flowing from the original Paradise of God. In the restored Paradise there will be a river of divine blessing--here called the water of life.

And on this side of the river and on that was the tree of life. --Probably the most simple view here is that the word "tree" is not used to signify just one, but generically to mean that the "tree of life" is a class or kind of tree. This will allow for the streets and both sides of the river to be lined with this tree. Such a vision would indicate abundant life for all throughout the whole city. Twelve manner or twelve crops--one every month--would symbolically represent a perpetual abundance of spiritual blessings. Of course, months and years are inconceivable in a state where there is nothing but continuous light, but all unseen states must be presented through the medium of what is seen. Healing, of course, implies disease, but that happensto be one of the things that will be unknown in heaven. (Rev 21 :4.) The meaning is that the tree of life has supplied just the things that have healed people of all nations and will then protect them against disease. No tears or crying does not mean that there will be occasions for such things in heaven, and God will then wipe the tears away, but rather that nothing will come to produce them.

3 And there shall be no curse any more.--When man sinned in Eden he was driven out from the tree of life under a curse, including pain, sickness, sorrow, and death. In the final city of God, these curses can never come. The reason assigned is that the throne (reign of God and the Lamb) is there. A perpetual service by the saved will guarantee a perpetual freedom from all curses.

4 And they shall see his face and his name shall be on their foreheads.--They will never be driven from his presence nor disowned, for his name will be upon them.

5 And there shall be night no more.--See notes on Revelation 21:23-25. And they shall reign for ever and ever.--There is absolutely nothing in this verse to indicate any special class as those who will reign over others. There will be no wicked in that heavenly place; the whole tenor of these two chapters is against that. The redeemed are represented as "his servants." (Verse 6.) So whatever the meaning given the word "reign," here it applies to all the saved in heaven. It cannot be understood literally as exercising authority over others for two reasons: (1) That prerogative, in whatever way it may be necessary, will belong primarily to God, and secondarily to Christ; and both will be present. (2) All the saved will be in the reigning and have no others but themselves to reign over. The language must be taken figuratively. It is not possible for one in the flesh to describe accurately a purely spiritual state. Nothing seems more reasonable than the thought that through the ceaseless age then to begin redeemed humanity will truly and completely submit to God’s rule, and thus figuratively rule with him by a loving submission to his authority.

This completes the emblematic description of the new Jerusalem, and the ultimate blessings that await the faithful in God’s spiritual family. It also brings to a close the symbolic part of the book of Revelation. The remainder of this chapter is a brief conclusion, in which the last warnings and promises of a loving Father are laid before a sinful race.

Commentary on Revelation 22:1-5 by Foy E. Wallace

(1) The river of life—Revelation 22:1.

The symbols of flowing rivers and streams of water run through the entire body of the scriptures. Literally, for a source of supply and security a great city was situated on the river; and figuratively it was applied to the needs of the soul and the source of all spiritual blessing. The mention of the flowing stream was in the description of the garden of Eden in Genesis 2:10. When God planted the garden for the abode of the first pair it was said that “a river went out of Eden to water the garden”; and its waters were parted into four streams which formed the mighty rivers which compassed the later inhabited land and upon the banks of which great cities were built. The name of the first river was Pison “which compasseth the whole land of Havilah, where there was gold.” The second river was Gihon, which encompassed Ethiopia. The third river was Hiddekel, which bordered Syria; and the fourth river was the famed Euphrates which was called “the great river” (Genesis 15:18; Deuteronomy 1:7); and which formed the eastern boundary of the Promised Land (Deuteronomy 11:24), and of David’s conquests (2 Samuel 8:3 -- 1 Chronicles 18:1-3), and beside which the captive Jew wept in Babylon ( Psalms 137:1 ). It was the river associated with the prophecies of Jeremiah (Jeremiah 13:4-7; Jeremiah 46:2-10; Jeremiah 51:63) concerning the fortunes of Israel, and in the apocalypses of Revelation (chapters 9:14; 16:12) in connection with the events pertaining to the tribulation period of the church.

The beauty and blessing of the church was made the object of prophetic psalmody by the singer of Israel in the figurative cadence of Psalms 46:1-11 : “There is a river, the streams whereof shall make glad the city of God, the holy place of the tabernacles of the most High. God is in the midst of her; she shall not be moved: God shall help her, and that right early. The heathen raged, the kingdoms were moved: he uttered his voice, the earth melted.” This sublime psalm blends into the visions of Revelation. The Psalmist identified this “city of God” by his reference to the holy place of the tabernacles--the old and the new tabernacles-and the holy place of the old was the type of the new. It was a thousand years before the establishment of the church that David swept the harp of psalm-prophecy and sang of this city of God. It was the new Zion, the new Jerusalem, His church of the new covenant, in which the river of divine love should perpetually flow; the streams whereof--the channels of his love--should distribute the benefits which make glad the people of God.

The breadth and length and depth and height of infinite love (Ephesians 3:18) cannot be finitely comprehended, but in the symbolism of the New Jerusalem, with its ever widening and deepening stream, it flows through the church to bring blessings abundant.

The pure river of the New Jerusalem had no pollution. It was clear as crystal, without mingled elements to obscure its entrancing brightness. It proceeded out of the throne of God, its source was perennial and no force of man could stop its flow.

It was in the midst of the street, where without respect of persons it was accessible all to drink of its water freely. It was symbolic of the fullness of life and salvation in which the redeemed shared with unhindered and unrestrained access.

(2) The tree of life—Revelation 22:2.

The word tree in the text is in singular number, but it must of necessity be considered collectively for the verse reads: On either side of the river was there the tree of life. The phrase either side means each side, as in the crucifixion of Christ (John 20:18) with the thieves, “on either side one.” It was evidently the collective use of the word tree, as it was of the street also of the great and grand city, described a streetway, or a passage system; otherwise there was a vision of traffic congestion in the New Jerusalem!

The tree of life was envisioned as bordering the banks of the river of life--on either side of it--affording to all inhabitants the source of perpetual spiritual blessings. It is not uncommon for a species of tree peculiar to a certain geography to be described in the singular term, but referring to its collective growth. The balsam tree of Gilead was not one tree but rather a kind that flourished in Gilead. So the reference to the tree of life on each side of the river of life was not intended to limit the picture to one tree, but rather to make known its kind--it was the tree of life, to be found only in the New Jerusalem. Its fruit was life-giving, and its balm was soul-healing. The concept adds to the force of these figures and enlarges the range of their truths.

The tree of life was further described as bearing twelve manner of fruits and its yield was every month. The numeral twelve in its use in chapter twenty-one was applied to the apostles, which must also be true here, to symbolize that apostolic teaching, or doctrine, was the allsufficient source of spiritual sustenance. The yieldingof the fruit every month, or the whole twelve months of the year, indicated that there were no seasons in this fruit-bearing, no unyielding intervals--the spiritual supply was perrennial and perpetual.

The spiritual vision was extended in the description: the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. As there will be no imperfections in heaven, and consequently no need of healing there, here is another proof that this whole vision was the symbolic description of the church in the state of triumph and victory over the persecutions.

The healing of the nations meant the source of salvation for all of every tongue or clime or race of man. The prophet Jeremiah used a similar figure (Jeremiah 8:22) in reference to Israel: “Is there no balm in Gilead; is there no physician there? why then is not the health of the daughter of my people recovered?” The substance of the vision was that in the New Jerusalem, the church of the Redeemer and of the redeemed, there was an all-provident tree which produced the fruit of all spiritual blessings (Ephesians 1:3), and which was the remedy for every ill or want (1 John 1:7; John 2:1-25 : l-2) That balsam tree that grew only in the choice land of Gilead, which produced the balm known as balsamodendron Gileadense, was the similar and appropriate symbol of spiritual healing in the message of the prophet Jeremiah to the nation of Israel. This balm was highly esteemed for its healing properties (Ezekiel 27:17), and was once an important article of merchandise among the eastern people. The language of Jeremiah (Jeremiah 8:22; Jeremiah 46:11; Jeremiah 51:8) cannot be exceeded in eloquence and tenderness in the expression of disappointment that “the daughter of Zion,” the chosen people of God, should remain spiritually wounded and diseased, when there was healing balm of unfailing remedy within their reach. There could have been no finer figure of divine grace than the leaves of the tree for the healing of the nations in the delineations of the New Jerusalem.

(3) The throne of God and of the Lamb—Revelation 22:3.

The divine rule of God and of Christ together in the “kingdom of Christ and God” (Ephesians 5:5) removed the penal judgment for sin from the inhabitants of the redeemed city--and there shall be no more curse--that is, no more of anything that was accursed, no accursed person or thing should have a place in the Holy City. The curse of sin was removed by Jesus Christ. The apostle declared that “Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law (Galatians 3:13), being made a curse for us; for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree.” It was this death of ignominy on the cross, as declared in the following verse (14) that brought “the blessing of Abraham . . . on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ; that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.” In the Holy City Jerusalem there should be no more curse of sin to the redeemed inhabitants.

There was also a dual meaning attached to this symbol of the curse. In the period of the tribulation there had been the edict for the worship of the emperor in bowing to the Caesar-image, and all who refused submission were placed under the imperial curse. Having come out of the tribulation, the persecutors cast into the brimstone lake, the victors over oppression were symbolized as delivered from the curse of the imperial edict. From this setting which remains always in the background of Revelation, and much of the time in the foreground, the progressive application was made to the spiritual state of the New Jerusalem church.

In the environment of the new state the constituency of the ransomed city should not only pay homage of worship to Him who was on the throne, but should also do service--his servants shall serve him (verse 3). At the beginning of the Revelation (Revelation 1:6) John said that Jesus Christ hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father in his church and kingdom here; and in Revelation 5:10 the Seer said that this kingly and priestly character of the saints redeemed from persecution is further indication that the descriptions were of the church, and not of heaven. It is full harmony with the general teaching of the New Testament that Christians are priests in the church now (1 Peter 2:5; 1 Peter 2:9) and the church therefore is “a holy priesthood.”

(4) The mark of recognition and approval—Revelation 22:4.

The citizenry should see his face in the sense of having the recognition and approval of the One whom they served. The face of the Lord was said to be against them that do evil (1 Peter 3:12); and the wicked rulers of the nations (Revelation 6:16) implored the mountains and the rocks to fall upon them for a cover to hide them from the face of the One on the throne. But the righteous see his face in acceptable and approved service rendered to him. “Make thy face to shine upon thy servant: save me for thy mercies sake’ (Psalms 31:16); and, “Cause thy face to shine; and we shall be saved.” To see the face of God meant to bask under the smile of his approval. It therefore denoted the love and the favor of God. The receiving of his name in their foreheads--and his name shall be in their foreheads --was the mark of submission and subservience to Christ the Lamb in contrast with the mark of the beast in the hand or on the foreheads of the devotees of emperor-worship, so frequently mentioned in the previous chapters of this Revelation.

The persecuting beast had “caused all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads: and that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name” (Revelation 13:16-17); and, “If any man worship the beast and his image, and receive his mark in his forehead, or in his hand, the same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God” (Revelation 14:9-10); but the victors “over the beast, and over his image, and over his mark, and over the number of his name” were among the throng standing on the sea of glass (Revelation 15:2-3) singing “the song of Moses, the servant God, and the song of the Lamb; and it was this throng which had the name of the Father written in their foreheads” (Revelation 15:2). So the name in the foreheads of Revelation 22:4 was the symbolic designation that they were the servants of God.

(5) The reigning saints—Revelation 22:5.

In repetition of previous statements in the context, Revelation 22:5 is a rephrasing of the words repeated: And there shall be no night there; and they need no candle, neither light of the sun, for the Lord God giveth them light. (See comments on Revelation 21:3). The use of the word night has application to the darkness of the whole heathen world, as so used in other epistles (2 Corinthians 6:14-16), in contrast with the truth of the gospel (Acts 26:18) sent to all dark nations concerning which Jesus said to Saul: “to open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith in me.” The same Saul, after becoming the apostle of Christ to the world of heathen darkness, exhorted the Gentile church (Ephesians 5:11-14) to “have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness (heathenism), but rather reprove them . . . it is a shame to even speak of those things which are done in secret . . . for whatsoever doth make manifest is light . . . wherefore he saith, Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead (the state of darkness), and Christ shall give thee light.” So the words of the Seer in verse five of this chapter--for the Lord God giveth them light--had specific reference to the absolute absence of any element of heathen darkness in the new and renovated state of the Holy City, the bride of the Lamb.

The apocalypse proper ended with this verse, as verse six was the beginning of the Seer’s own concluding comments on the vision which he had received. The apocalyptic descriptions were all completed, and the terse finale of the grand and majestic pageant was clothed in the crowning declaration: AND THEY SHALL REIGN FOREVER AND EVER.

The prophet Daniel foretold in the interpretation of king Nebuchadnezzar’s dream (Daniel 2:44) that in the days of the Roman kings the God of heaven would “set up a kingdom which shall never be destroyed”; and he added in the words of the apocalypse that “it shall stand forever.” The prophet envisioned in this interpretation the rise and fall of Babylonia, Media and Persia, and Macedonia or Grecia, and clearly indicated the reign of the Caesar’s of the Roman empire as the fourth monarchy in the succession of kings. It was in the days of these kings, in fulfillment of Daniel’s prophecy, that Jesus made the announcement (Mark 1:14-15) “the time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand.” In the record of Matthew 4:17 it is stated that “from that time Jesus began to preach and to say: repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. It was named the kingdom of God because “the God of heaven” set it up; but it was called the kingdom of heaven because of its spiritual character-- it was from heaven. The people of that day understood the meaning of the word kingdom; they had lived under no other form of government from the Babylonians to the Romans; but Jesus distinguished his kingdom from all others in origin and in nature when he named it the kingdom of heaven. Before Pontius Pilate (John 18:36) he declared: Now is my kingdom not from hence. The phrase from hence means from here; it is here but it is not from here--because it is the kingdom of heaven, and therefore from heaven. And the word now, the first word of the sentence--now is my kingdom not from hence-- meant that it would be established then, at that time, for Jesus had announced that the time is fulfilled.

References to the kingdom which Jesus Christ came to establish all point either forward or backward to the Day of Pentecost, of Acts the second chapter, as the time of its establishment. The prophecy of Daniel 7:13-14 connected its beginning with the ascension of Christ to heaven when it was given him “dominion, and glory, and a kingdom”: and in description of the same ascension scenes by the apostle of Hebrews (Hebrews 1:8) he declared that it was done. The gospel of Mark (Mark 9:1) records the statement of Jesus that some standing in his presence should not “taste of death” (would not die) until this kingdom had come “with power--they would be the living witnesses to its establishment. After his ascension, in conversation with his future apostles, he made the explanation to them (Acts 1:8) that the coming of the kingdom would accompany the descent of the Spirit and the power, and it is a matter of gospel record (Acts 2:1-47) that the Spirit and the power were received on the Day of Pentecost. It follows therefore as an inescapable scriptural conclusion that the kingdom of God and Christ, otherwise designated the kingdom of heaven, came on that day of Acts the second chapter;; and that it was in fulfillment of the time prophecies of the Old Testament.

After Pentecost all references to the existence and presence of the kingdom pointed back to the second chapter of Acts, to the Day of Pentecost. The preaching of the kingdom was the subject of repeated references in the book of Acts; and in the epistles to the churches the members were told that they had been translated into it (Colossians 1:13-14); and that the church to which they belonged is itself the kingdom of Christ and of God (Ephesians 5:5); and that this kingdom had been received (Hebrews 12:22-28) simultaneously with the church, and that it is the church.

Finally, the Seer of Revelation made his signatory to the churches (Revelation 1:9) in the words: “I John, who also am your brother, and companion in tribulation, and in the kingdom and patience of Jesus Christ.” Therefore, when the apocalypse of John was composed the kingdom of Christ was a present existing thing, and John the apostle was in it with his companions in tribulation.

The high note with which the apocalypse ended (Revelation 22:5)--and they shall reign forever and ever--meant therefore-- in the light of the textual and contextual teaching, and precept upon precept from other portions of the Old and the New scriptures--that the victorious saints reigned with Christ in the kingdom which would stand forever here, and forever and ever hereafter. Entrance into it here is entrance into the church. (Matthew 16:18-20); and there will be no exit from it for the faithful hereafter (2 Peter 1:11, for the eternal state is but an abundant entrance into an everlasting kingdom already received and possessed, which cannot be moved (Hebrews 12:28); and of which heaven will be the final and abundant fruition of its glorified realm.

Here ended the vision of the New Jerusalem, the Bride of the Lamb, the church of Christ. The remainder of the chapter is in the character of a conclusion to the apocalyptic disclosures. The complete symbolic picture of the fortunes of the church, standing on the threshold of the tribulation, had passed before John’s enraptured view, to the vindication of the cause for which they were soon to suffer. The ending of the vision demonstrated that the church cannot die, as the believer himself who lives in Jesus Christ never dies. (John 11:26) The New Testament concept of the believer’s life in Christ minimizes death and magnifies the transition to where he is: “That where I am, there ye may be also” (John 14:3) and, “for me to live is Christ (to preach), but to die is gain . . . and to be with Christ; which is far better.” (Philippians 1:21-23) In this world death has no more dominion (Romans 6:7-9) over the risen believer (Colossians 3:1-4), whose affections have been set on the things above where Christ is enthroned with God; for he views this life as a pilgrimage and as a place of sojourning (Hebrews 11:13), knowing that his abiding citizenship is in heaven. (Philippians 3:20-21)

The New Jerusalem was envisioned as the home of the saints; but it was not in heaven--it descended out of heaven from God; it was descriptive of the new surroundings of the church with Judaism removed and heathenism overcome.

The apocalypse completed, John proceeded to his concluding observations concerning things both retrospective and prospective which were related to this wonderful visional panorama.

Commentary on Revelation 22:1-5 by Walter Scott

CONCLUDING VISION (Revelation 22:1-5)

AND TESTIMONIES (Revelation 22:6-21).

THE RIVER AND TREE OF LIFE.

Revelation 22:1-2. — “And he showed me a river of water of life, bright as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb. In the midst of its street, and of the river, on this side and on that side, (the) tree of life, producing twelve fruits, in each month yielding its fruit: and the leaves of the tree for healing of the nations.” The throne is the prominent object in this concluding vision. It is the public millennial government of God, of which the whole passage (Revelation 22:1-5) treats, and of which the throne is the symbol. The previous portion (Revelation 21:9-27) was introduced similarly to the one before us; there it was the bride (v. 9); here it is the river of life. Thus the whole section, from Revelation 21:9 to Revelation 22:5, consists of two distinct yet closely related visions; compare the two introductory statements, “I will show thee the bride, the Lamb’s wife,” and “he showed me a river of water of life.”

As showing how God puts His seal and stamp upon the older Revelation, and authenticates the two Testaments as one, it is interesting to note that the reference in the opening words of the previous chapter to the “first Heaven” and “first earth” is necessarily connected with the first chapter of Genesis; whilst the opening references in the last chapter of the Apocalypse to the river and tree of life link themselves with chapter 2 of the first book of the Bible. Thus Moses and John bridge sixteen centuries, and clasp hands in one united testimony to the truth of Holy Scripture.

Revelation 22:1 — “A river of water of life” signifies fullness of life and blessing (Psalms 36:8). “It is the beautiful symbol of life in its gladness, purity, activity, and fullness.” It is no muddy nor turgid stream, but bright (as everything is in the holy city) and pellucid as the beautiful crystal. The river of gladness ever flows through the heavenly city. The joy of the bride knows no cessation, no diminution; it rather augments as the river flows and deepens in its course. The reference to Genesis 2:1-25 is undoubted. “And a river went out of Eden to water the garden” (Genesis 2:10). There is no parting of the river in the celestial city “into four heads,” as in the Edenic river; nor into east and west, as the living waters of Zechariah (Zechariah 14:8). It is one river which flows throughout the city; one joy common to all, just as there is but one tree of life, not two trees specially named, as in the earthly garden (Genesis 2:9). Moses first mentions the tree of life. John first refers to the river of life.

Revelation 22:1 — “Proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb.” Here God and the Lamb are associated in the government of the world. The might and majesty of the One, combined with the grace and meekness of the other, secure a character of government in which the Church rejoices, and under which the nations dwell in peace. It is one throne. God is supreme, but the Lamb administers the power and authority of the throne. This, then, is the source from whence the river of grace flows.

Jerusalem below is in many respects the counterpart of Jerusalem above. Both cities are seats of government. Both have living waters, and both have trees of fruit and healing. In the earthly millennial Jerusalem the living waters issue from under the temple (Ezekiel 47:1); whereas in the holy city the river flows from the throne.

Revelation 22:2. — Then in the midst of the street, or broad public pathway, flows the river, on either side of which is the tree of life. (“Thus, then, as it appears, will at last be unfolded the great ‘mystery of God,’ and thus at last will the way be once more opened to THE TREE OF LIFE. Remarkable indeed is the mention of this TREE OF LIFE, occurring as it does in two places only of the Word of God, viz., at the beginning of the mystery of God, and again at its accomplishment.” — “The Tree of Life; or, Redemption and its Fruits in Grace and Glory,” p. 297. — Rev. H. Shepherd.) Neither man, innocent nor sinful, eat of the tree of life in Eden, we do not say paradise.(*See remarks on Revelation 2:7.) The cherubim and flaming sword stood in the way of access to the tree of life in the garden (Genesis 3:24), and well that it was so, for if sinful man had eaten of its fruit he would have lived for ever a life of misery in this world. But in the city of gold and glory “the way of life is free,” neither cherubim nor sword barring it. The two symbolic trees of Eden were the tree of life and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. The former is the first and last named in the Scriptures. Life in the one and responsibility in the other are the respective principles set forth by these trees.

Revelation 22:2 — “Producing twelve fruits.” This is the last instance of the employment of the governmental and administrative numeral — twelve. The saints of the heavenly city eat of its fruits — so rich and abundant that the tree yields them monthly — whilst the leaves are for the healing and blessing of the nations. We eat its fruit; they use its leaves for healing. The millennial nations are dependent on the city above for light, for government, and for healing. All this has its counterpart in that remarkable chapter, Ezekiel 47:1-23, “The fruit thereof shall be for meat, and the leaf thereof for medicine” (v. 12). Both the scene above (Revelation 22:1-21) and the scene below (Ezekiel 47:1-23) are millennial, and both exist at the same time, but the blessing of the former infinitely transcends that of the latter. The tree of life sustains; the river of life gladdens.

MAGNIFICENT DECLARATIONS

Revelation 22:3-5. — “And no curse shall be any more; and the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it; and His servants shall serve Him. And they shall see His face; and His Name (is) on their foreheads. And night shall not be any more, and no need of a lamp, and light of (the) sun; for (the) Lord God shall shine upon them, and they shall reign to the ages of ages.” On the entrance of sin into the world the serpent, the source of it, was cursed (Genesis 3:14), and the ground too (Genesis 3:17). Cain, who added to the sin of his father, completing it, so to speak, was also cursed (Genesis 4:11). All under the works of the law are under the curse (Galatians 3:10). But in the heavenly Jerusalem there is no more curse with its attendant train of ills and miseries. Neither the curse nor its direful effects can ever enter the holy city of God, environed by His glory. (Again we find the counterpart to “no more curse” in Zechariah 14:11, which refers to the removal of the curse from the earthly Jerusalem.)

Once again the unity of God and the Lamb is proclaimed — a unity exercised in governmental power and action — “the throne of God and of the Lamb,” twice repeated (Revelation 22:1; Revelation 22:3). But it is set up in the midst of the Church itself, for we read the throne “shall be in it.” Thus the throne is the strength and upholder of the city.

Revelation 22:3 — “His servants shall serve Him.” God and the Lamb are so united in thought and action that the personal pronoun is here employed. God will be revealed in the Lamb; we shall serve Him. Ours will be a service without cessation, without weariness, without flagging energy. In joy and freedom our service then will be one of pure love; without a flaw, and without one legal thought. How varied the character of service! How gladly the whole being enters upon an eternal life of service to Him!

Revelation 22:4 — “They shall see His face,” that face once so vilely covered by the spittle of man, now radiant with the glory of God. The best wine of the kingdom is being poured out. We shall see His face.

Revelation 22:4 — “His Name (is) on their foreheads.” This signifies that we publicly, openly, belong to Him, but inasmuch as the name represents the person, so we bear His moral likeness, and give expression to all — who and what He is. (His NAME ON THE FOREHEAD. — “Perfect reflection of Himself” (1 John 3:2; compare Revelation 13:16). — From that useful little book, “The Symbols of the Apocalypse Briefly Defined,” page 21.)

Revelation 22:5. — “And night shall not be any more.” This statement is verbally repeated in Revelation 21:25, but incidentally, and as a reason why the gates of the heavenly city are open perpetually; but here the statement is not contingent upon nor explanatory of any other truth, but is an absolute declaration by itself. There shall be no night and no darkness. It is one eternal day. No artificial light as a lamp nor created light as the sun is needed. The city is not dependent upon the lights of this world. She needs them not, for the “Lord God shall shine upon them.” The saints in glory will bask under the direct light of God Himself.

Revelation 22:5 — “They shall reign to the ages of ages.” The millennium and the eternal ages are here embraced. The saints on high shall never cease to reign. So long as Christ is on the throne, so long as He wears the crown, that determines the duration of the reign of the saints, for we “shall reign in life by One, Jesus Christ ” (Romans 5:17). This character of reign is necessarily eternal, and is quite independent of economic or other change. The kingdom given up to God (1 Corinthians 15:24) is set up on the earth for a specified time, and to manifest the accomplishment of the counsels of God. The thousand years’ reign comes in between the history of the world as it now exists and the eternal state. It is the kingdom of that period which the Lord delivers up, but His reign over all creatures never ceases; so long as there are angels and men — creatures of God — so long is government necessarily required. The throne is eternal, and the thrones and crowns of the saints, too, are eternal. We understand therefore the expression, “they shall reign to the ages of ages,” to signify the eternal reign of the heavenly saints. Both our service and reigning are for ever and ever, or eternal.

What a glorious and triumphant close to this section of the book! How full and magnificent are the declarations, and how true! They will soon be resolved into fact in our happy experience.

May God grant grace to walk worthy of Him, and of these prophetic truths and glories so soon to be realized.

Commentary on Revelation 22:1-5 by E.M. Zerr

Revelation 22:1. The pronoun he refers to the angel who has been with John all through the vision of this book. There is nothing more pleasing to the eye than a flowing body of water. It signifies something that is constant and moving with majestic procedure. But many rivers are attractive from these standpoints only, while within them may be vicious creatures that would devour helpless victims that came within reach. Also there may be much that is vile and foul, carrying with them the waste materials of the cities. But the river John saw had nothing of that kind because it had not been in contact with any place containing filth. Instead, its source is the throne of God and the Lamb where there can be nothing vile. For this reason the river is pure and also clear as crystal because there are no materials to becloud the stream. It is called water of life because it is always moving (never stagnant) and because of the quality and purity described in the foregoing comments.

Revelation 22:2. In the midst of the street of it means the street of the city, and the river of life flowed down the center of the street. This description will give us no difficulty if we will think of the "divided highways" that grace our country in many places. Let us think of a river flowing from an inexhaustible fountain and proceeding on through a beautiful city. On each bank is a row of fruit trees that serve a double purpose, namely, furnish ornamentation for the crystal stream, and a source of food for those who are walking upon the section of the "divided highway" that one may be using. To clarify the description we think of it in this manner. First is a section of the street, next a row of trees, next the river, next another row of trees and then the other section of the street. Tree of life. This tree is promised to all who overcome the contests of life (Revelation 2:7). The phraseology is based on the tree of life that was in the garden of Eden. It will be well for us again to remember we are still in a book of symbols, where the Lord is giving us a picture of Heaven in as strong terms as our human mind can grasp. The tree is spoken of in the singular number because there was but one in the garden. But the varieties are not limited to one, because this tree is pictured in connection with spiritual things. Here we have another instance of the numeral that has been so prominent throughout this book. That is twelve which is a multiple of four (the four creatures), and the number each of the two organized systems of salvation that God has given the world. The special significance of the twelve here is to show the fruitbearing season is continuous and perennial, but a different kind of fruit will be produced each month, so that no occasion will exist for longing after a change; there will be one coming each month. Many kinds of fruit trees not only produce fruit, but also their leaves have medicinal value in them. Thus we are told that the leaves of this tree have healing qualities. Not that any citizens will become sick, but it is on the same principle of wiping away all tears (Revelation 21:4). The leaves of the tree will heal the people by keeping them in such a condition that sickness will be impossible.

Revelation 22:3. No more curse is an allusion to the curse pronounced upon the ground because of the sin of Adam (Genesis 3:17). Instead of a curse there will be endless blessings because not only will the tree of life be in the city (as it was in the garden), but God and the Lamb will themselves be there. Also all creatures who would tempt the righteous will have been consigned to their eternal place in the lake of fire. Servants shall serve him. It is sometimes asked if the saved are to be entirely free in that city, since it is spoken of as the place of rest for God’s people. The word serve does not necessarily mean labor or toil. The word is from LATREUO and at this place Thayer’s definition (the words in italics) is as follows: "To render religious service or homage, to worship." It certainly will be only unspeakable pleasure to engage in such employment as worshipping God in his immediate presence, when faithful disciples have taken real happiness from their orship of Him while in the world. In the words of one of the old songs of the church, it will be a service in a time and place "Where congregations ne’er break up, and rest days have no end."

Revelation 22:4. Shall see his face is mentioned to indicate the great intimacy that will exist between God and the creatures that have been redeemed by the blood of the Lamb. Persons spending some time in a city where many others are present, may be seen with pennants attached to their clothing for the purpose of identification. In this celestial city the name will be on the person, on the most conspicuous part of it, the forehead. How different this is from the condition of the members of the apostate church; they had the mark of the beast in their forehead (Revelation 14:9).

Revelation 22:5. Shall be no night there. (See the comments at Revelation 21:25.) Need no candle neither light of the sun. This is one of the most significant symbols used in this series, because it includes the two extremes on the subject. A candle is an artificial light and the weakest that man has devised. The sun is God’s own direct work and is the strongest light in all the natural creation. In saying that neither will be needed in the celestial city, John is giving us the greatest possible picture of the strength of the light that will radiate from the throne of God; although he was to be the lawgiver, Moses was a natural man. And 1 Timothy 6:16 says God is "dwelling in the light which no man can approach unto; whom no man hath seen, nor can see." They shall reign for ever and ever, The word reign may raise a question in connection with the truth that even Jesus is said to reign only until death has been conquored (1 Corinthians 15:25-26). The explanation lies in the definitions of the original word. The Greek original is BASILEUO, which means "to reign," but in our passage Thayer explains it to mean "to denote the supreme moral dignity, liberty, blessedness, which will be enjoyed by Christ’s redeemed ones." Hence the word does not necessarily mean to rule as a king. It is a figurative term and denotes a situation where a certain condition prevails. It is like saying that "all difficulties were removed and peace again reigned." We have the blessed assurance from the apostle that the condition of such a reign will continue for ever and ever.

Commentary on Revelation 22:1-5 by Burton Coffman

Revelation 22:1

"The vision in this last chapter of Revelation is directly continuous with what has preceded."^[1] There are many things in this glorious vision which lie beyond our total comprehension; but so it was with the ancient prophecies of the Old Testament. What could have been more incomprehensible than the prophecies that a holy virgin would conceive and bear a son, that a man should die and not see corruption in the grave, or that one despised and rejected by man should be established forever upon the throne of David? "Yet the pious Jew preserved his faith amidst all these wonderful, and in appearance, contradictory intimations."^[2] Just so, Christians should receive the great prophecies of the New Testament in the fullest confidence that, despite having no accurate knowledge of how these things shall all be fulfilled, they shall nevertheless come to pass exactly as God has said. The ultimate triumph of Christianity over all the corruptions of earth is the will of God; and nothing can stand in the way of that.

In this chapter, for the first time, "The imagery of the paradise of Eden, linking the end of history with its beginning, appears."^[3] John took the motif of the Fall in Genesis 3 and described the complete reversal of it to convey the ultimate glory of man in Christ Jesus."^[4]

Those scholars are wrong who connect the imagery of these glorious chapters with pagan myths, folklore, apocryphal writings, and the literature of classical paganism. The apostles of Christ knew nothing of such things. It is likely true that certain vestiges of ancient truth handed down through Adam’s posterity in a garbled, distorted, and perverted condition might indeed have been preserved and referred to in pagan myths of folklore; "But our apocalyptist and the Old Testament writers from whom his imagery is taken are without doubt unconscious of such primitive connections, if they exist."^[5] Even the Old Testament prophecies which seem to be reflected in much of the terminology of Revelation must not be thought of as determining John’s meaning here. Those interpreters who take the obvious reference of certain Old Testament prophecies to the literal Jerusalem as proof that the visions in Revelation must also be applied to literal Jerusalem have missed the point altogether. These final chapters do not refer to a return of Jews to Jerusalem (literally). "That interpretation is far-fetched and is not borne out in the scriptures."^[6] Many have simply overlooked the truth that John did not receive this vision from a study of the Old Testament, nor from pagan or secular literature. The vision came from God through Jesus Christ to the apostle John. "He (the apostle), not the Old Testament prophets, determined what the content and meaning of his words should be."^[7]

^[1] George Eldon Ladd, A Commentary on the Revelation of John (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1972), p. 286.

^[2] Floyd Myers, Difficult Passages in Revelation Examined (Pekin, Indiana: Floyd Myers, 1960), p. 170.

^[3] G. R. Beasley-Murray, The Book of Revelation (Greenwood, South Carolina: The Attic Press, 1974), p. 330.

^[4] Douglas Ezell, Revelations on Revelation (Waco: Word Books, 1977), p. 109.

^[5] Isbon T. Beckwith, The Apocalypse of John (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Book House, 1919), p. 764.

^[6] Joseph M. Gettys, How to Study Revelation (Philadelphia: John Knox Press, 1955), p. 111.

^[7] Ibid., p. 112.

And he showed me a river of water of life, bright as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb, (Revelation 22:1)

River ... water of life ... This metaphor was used by Jesus himself in his conversation with the woman of Samaria (John 4:10), and in his reference to "living water" (John 7:37-38). This is in no sense a literal river. Ponce de Leon’s search for "the fountain of youth" was a wild goose chase; he did not find it, nor will it be in heaven, literally. However, the reality symbolized by it will be there. Therefore, all of the arguments about where, precisely, this river is located in the city of God are unnecessary. The point is that eternal life will belong to those who enter it.

Proceeding out of the throne ... This is the throne of God and of the Lamb, so Beasley-Murray is right in saying, "The river flows from Christ."^[8] However, he is wrong in the view that "Christ took the place of the temple."^[9] Just the opposite is true: secular Israel had permitted the temple to take the place of Christ who is the true temple.

The throne of God and of the Lamb ... In the fact of the eternal throne of God being here identified also as the throne of the Lamb is also the inherent truth that, "The kingdom in which Christ now reigns may be called also the kingdom of God."^[10] There are not two kingdoms any more than there are two thrones.

^[8] G. R. Beasley-Murray, op. cit., p. 331

^[9] Ibid.

^[10] John T. Hinds, A Commentary on the Book of Revelation (Nashville: Gospel Advocate Company, 1962), p. 307.

Revelation 22:2

in the midst of the street thereof. And on this side of the river and on that was the tree of life, bearing twelve manner of fruits, yielding its fruit every month: and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations.

In the midst of the street ... "This may be taken, not as the end of the first sentence, but as the beginning of the second."^[11] As a matter of fact, the phrase may be applied: (1) to the river of life; (2) the throne of God; or (3) the tree of life. It does not make the slightest difference which view is taken. No literal description of heaven is here intended. These are symbols, not literal thrones, rivers, streets, and trees. Note too that "street" is not a reference to one street but to all streets. See comment under Revelation 21:21.

The tree of life ... This is not one tree, but stands either for many trees of one variety, or even many varieties of trees.^[12] "The tree of life is apparently used collectively to include a number of trees."^[13] "Tree seems intended to be understood generically of that whole class of trees."^[14] We still use this idiom, for example, when we remark that, "The date palm grows in southern California." Lenski correctly observed that all these terms: avenue, river, and wood (tree) are comprehensive and collective."^[15]

But what does it mean? The tree of life has the same inherent meaning as the "river of life." Those who have access to it will enjoy all the rights, blessings, and privileges of eternal life. The words of Ezekiel 47:12 are used here almost verbatim. The account in Genesis shows that Adam and Eve’s expulsion from Eden deprived them of access to the tree of life; but in heaven redeemed mankind shall have this privilege restored. Could this be some literal tree with visible fruit? We believe it to be a beautiful symbol of a far greater reality.

Bearing twelve manner of fruits ... every month ... This should take care of any notion that this is a literal tree.

Leaves ... for the healing of the nations ... Here, too, literalism is impossible. "Healing, of course, implies disease;" but, "That will be one of the things that will be unknown in heaven."^[16]

As throughout the vision, John uses present terminology to describe future conditions. In a spiritual sense, the leaves of the tree of life, in this present age, are the healing of the nations. The realities of the word of God always bless and honor the peoples who receive and obey it. What our world needs now is to catch a new vision of the realities of the Christian gospel; and, if it should happen, "the leaves of the tree of life" would indeed be the healing of the nations.

^[11] William Barclay, The Revelation of John (Philadelphia: Westminster Press, 1976), p. 221.

^[12] John Wesley, Notes on the New Testament (London: Epworth Press, n.d.), in loco.

^[13] Martin Rist, The Interpreter’s Bible, Vol. XI1 (New York-Nashville: Abingdon Press, 1957), p. 542.

^[14] A. Plummer, The Pulpit Commentary, Vol. 22, Revelation (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1950), p. 545.

^[15] R. C. H. Lenski, The Interpretation of St. John’s Revelation (Minneapolis, Minnesota: Augsburg Publishing House, 1943), p. 650.

^[16] John T. Hinds, op. cit., p. 308.

Revelation 22:3

And there shall be no curse any more: and the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be therein: and his servants shall serve him;

And there shall be no curse any more ... "This is an allusion to the curse pronounced upon the Ground because of the sin of Adam (Genesis 3:17)."^[17] In the final city of God, such curses can never come.

And the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be there ... The oneness of the Father and the Son are dramatically and forcefully stated in the visions of Revelation, no less than in the dogmatic propositions of the Fourth Gospel. See John 1:1-14; John 14:1-10; John 5:17 ff.

And his servants shall serve him ... Heaven is never depicted as a place of leisure or idleness, but always as a place of activity. Even the angels which Jacob saw on the ladder reaching to heaven were "ascending and descending" upon it.

ENDNOTE:

^[17] E. M. Zerr, Bible Commentary, Vol. 6 (Marion, Indiana: The Cogdill Foundation, 1954), p. 352.

Revelation 22:4

and they shall see his face; and his name shall be on their foreheads.

And they shall see his face ... This is a privilege that man has never had, not even the saints of the Old Testament; but the final joys of the redeemed shall surpass all the joys of the Old Covenant.

And his name shall be on their foreheads ... God’s "mark" will be upon his children eternally; and this must be understood in the sense of their bearing a spiritual likeness to Christ and God. "The supreme felicity (of the saints) is revealed in the immediate presence with God and the Lamb."^[18] Just as, "The worshippers of the beast had his mark upon their foreheads, thus bearing the moral and spiritual image of their master (Revelation 13:17),"^[19] just so, God’s children entering heaven shall bear a spiritual and moral likeness of God and of the Lamb.

^[18] Isbon T. Beckwith, op. cit., p. 766.

^[19] J. W. Roberts, The Revelation of John (Austin, R. B. Sweet Company, 1974), p. 194.

Revelation 22:5

And there shall be night no more; and they need no light of lamp, neither light of sun; for the Lord God shall give them light; and they shall reign for ever and ever.

And there shall be night no more ... All of the dread and fear of the darkness which have dogged the steps of humanity through the ages shall disappear in the light and bliss of heaven. "The saved will need no sun nor lamp, because of the light of the divine glory with them."^[20]

And they shall reign for ever and ever ... "It is not said that they shall reign over anyone."^[21] The millennial notion of the saints reigning over people is carnal, secular, and unbiblical. The reigning will be over themselves in perfect control of all their abilities and powers in the true service of God in whatever activity God may assign to them, exactly the same kind of reigning they are doing now. When taken with the statement in Revelation 22:3 that, "His servants shall serve him," it is clear enough that, "Paradise is not only the absence of evil but the privilege of serving God in his presence forever."^[22] It is a false view that looks upon heaven as a place of idleness and inactivity, as some have imagined:

I go where the loud Hallelujah’s are ringing, But I shall not take part in the singing. Then weep not for me, friends, if death do us sever, For I’m going to do nothing forever and ever.^[23]

Maybe such a view has comfort in it for people who are oppressed and overworked, but it is nevertheless a false view.

This verse concludes the vision of the new Jerusalem, the Paradise of the redeemed. The wonders and glories of it surpass all imagination and leave the mind numb in the contemplation of it.

Let us leave it here in all its glory; for there are times when silence is better than speech, when worship and wonder should supplant the words of men. Here is the final glory.^[24]

^[20] Isbon T. Beckwith, op. cit., p. 767.

^[21] Leon Morris, Tyndale Commentaries, Vol. 20, Revelation (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1969), p. 257.

^[22] Charles Caldwell Ryrie, Revelation (Chicago: Moody Press, 1968), p. 123.

^[23] Donald W. Richardson, The Revelation of Jesus Christ (New York: Pillar Books, 1964), p. 140.

^[24] Charles M. Laymond, The Book of Revelation (New York-Nashville: Abingdon Press, 1960), p. 146.

Commentary on Revelation 22:1-5 by Manly Luscombe

Introduction. Those who are faithful in the church will be rewarded with eternal life with God and with Jesus in Heaven. The preceding chapter describes the church, the holy city, the New Jerusalem. Now we move to view Heaven itself.

1 And he showed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding from the throne of God and of the Lamb. The water of life is symbolic of the gospel. Jesus promised that all who drink of this water would never thirst. (John 4:14). The gospel of Jesus Christ comes form the throne of God in Heaven.

2 In the middle of its street, and on either side of the river, was the tree of life, which bore twelve fruits, each tree yielding its fruit every month. The leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. In the Garden of Eden, Adam and Eve had access to the Tree of Life. (Genesis 2:9) Eating of this tree would allow them to live a physical life forever. Now, the Tree of Life offers spiritual life for eternity. What does the Tree of Life represent? I make two observations.

Christ is our Tree of Life. Christ is represented by several different symbols in the book of Revelation. He is the Lion of Judah, the Lamb of God, the Alpha and Omega, the morning star, and the Tree of Life. Each of these symbols, and several others, are used to emphasize a different aspect of our Lord. This tree is in the church. This Tree of Life is present now - in the church. Notice these points.

1. The number 12 represents organized religion. This tree yields 12 fruits. As people obey the gospel the tree is producing fruit.

2. The leaves were for the healing of the nations. If John is describing our eternal state in Heaven, how can it heal the nations? The nations will end when this world ends at the second coming. The healing of nations must take place while the nations still exist. The leaves of this tree represent the healing power of the gospel in individual lives and in the nations of the world.

3. The Tree of Life is Christ. He is healing the nations. He is yielding fruit for God as people obey the gospel. This tree is described in Ezekiel 47:12.

Today, right now, we have access to the Tree of Life. We can drink of the water of life. We, the faithful Christians, are on this street (the narrow way that leads to life) and we have access to the water and tree.

3 And there shall be no more curse, but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it, and His servants shall serve Him. It is clear to me that the curse was the curse of the Law of Moses. This law was one of sin and death. There was a curse on all under this law. Only by living a perfect life could one find righteousness. Christ came to earth, lived a perfect, sinless life, and removed the curse. (Galatians 3:23-26). The throne of Jesus is in the hearts of Christians. (2 Corinthians 6:16) God promised to dwell in us, walk in us, and be our God. When the Lamb of God is on the throne of our heart, we will serve Him. (Revelation 7:15)

4 They shall see His face, and His name shall be on their foreheads. There are two general views on the idea of us being able to “see His face.” Some believe that this refers to when we are in Heaven and are with Jesus in a personal, face-to-face, able to see what is now invisible. (1 Corinthians 13:12). I believe this is also to be understood in a symbolic way. When we sin we are separated from God. God hides his face from us. (Isaiah 59:2) But when we obey the gospel and are forgiven, we are restored to a face-to-face relationship with our God. He knows us and hears our prayers. (1 Peter 3:12). Those who see His face are those who wear His name. They have the seal of God. The seal of God identifies them as His.

5 There shall be no night there: They need no lamp nor light of the sun, for the Lord God gives them light. And they shall reign forever and ever. Jesus promised that those who walk in the light would never walk in darkness because we are in the light of Christ. (1 John 1:7; John 8:12). We are also promised that we will reign forever. Certainly our presence with Christ will continue in eternity. But the reign is with Christ in His Kingdom. It is clear that at the second coming, Christ will turn over the kingdom to God. (1 Corinthians 15:24). This fits what is stated in Revelation 20:4 about our living and reigning with Christ during the Christian Age.

Verses 6-7

Rev 22:6-7

PART SIXTH

PRACTICAL WARNINGS, COMMANDS,

AND PROMISES

Revelation 22:6-21

1. THE ANGEL’S ATTESTATION

Revelation 22:6-7

6 These words are faithful and true.--As the symbolic images are now completed the angel comes directly to John with the assurance that the words (visions and spoken words) are true that there has been no deception and all things will come to pass just as disclosed. That an angel was the speaker is evident from verse 8 compared with Revelation 21:9. John had already been commanded to write that the sayings were true. (Revelation 21:5.) He further assures John that the God who inspired the prophets of old had sent his angel to make these revelations; hence, the same proof that they were divine and properly classed as prophetic sayings.

The things which must shortly come to pass.--This is the same statement with which the hook opens. See notes on Revelation 1:1. It is appropriate, after the symbols had been finished, that John should again be assured that the revealed things would shortly come to pass. Of course, the natural meaning for this expression is that the things revealed would soon begin to transpire, not that all of them would soon begin. If these symbols contain a series of events, however few, then all of them could not begin at the same time. If the series is long, then some could be in distant centuries. Since the millennium and the judgment are a part of the imagery, it is unquestionably a fact that all did not begin soon; therefore, the beginning of the series must be the meaning.

7 And behold, I come quickly. Blessed is he that keepeth the words of the prophecy of this book.--Apparently the angel is here repeating the words of Jesus, or Jesus is speaking through the angel. The expression "I come quickly" evidently is intended to encourage saints to keep "the words of the prophecy of this book." Of course, it cannot mean that he promised to come personally in a short time or soon from the time John received these revelations; for more than eighteen hundred years have passed and he has not come yet. If it means that he would come figuratively in blessings and punishments during the time covered by the symbols of the book, then he did come soon and the words are equivalent to "shortly come to pass" in the preceding verse. In a similar way he did come to those who faithfully suffered during the time signified; for eachindividual’s death was a virtual coining of the Lord to him--it meant his sufferings would soon be over. If it refers to his actual coming at the judgment, then "quickly" must be understood as God views time, not as men do. In a practical sense the encouragement would apply to each individual with the assurance that his efforts would not be very long in comparison with the length of his reward. We have here the statement that the symbols of this hook are a prophecy.

Commentary on Revelation 22:6-7 by Foy E. Wallace

(1) The confirmation of the testimony of the angel –Revelation 22:6-11.

Revelation 22:6 : These sayings are faithful and true: the Lord God of the holy prophets sent his angel to show unto his servants the things which must shortly be done.

This is the verification of the truth of the whole apocalypse by John after the vision was ended. Here the epilogue corresponded with the prologue. It was the reiteration and the reaffirmation of Revelation 1:1-5. It corresponded to the introduction and reverted to the same theme. It was the claim of the authorship of the Revelation repeated in the expression I John in both Revelation 1:8 and Revelation 22:8. It was the seal of its being a revelation from God--John heard and saw these things. His epilogue was in verbal agreement with the prologue, and ends with the affirmation of direct communication with God and Jesus Christ.

1. These sayings are faithful and true. This unequivocal claim of integrity has parallel in the postulation of Hebrews 1:1, that the God who had spoken unto the fathers by the prophets had shown unto his servants these things by John, The same God who had inspired John and Revelation therefore possessed the same credentials of inspiration.

2. The things which must shortly be done. The verbal agreement with Revelation 1:1 here emphasized that the things revealed were of high importance and attention to them was imperative because of the shortness of time. It again supports the main thesis of this treatise that the events belonged to this period of time.

Revelation 22:7 : Behold I come quickly: blessed is he that keepeth the sayings of the prophecy of this book.

Here again John reverted to the first chapter of the book in order to affirm the truth of what had there been said prior to the beginning of the vision.

1. Behold, I come quickly. At this point Jesus himself was not speaking, as when these words were first uttered by him; but John was here quoting the words of Jesus which had previously been spoken. Here the person sent was speaking for the Sender.

There are three keys words in the context: signify and shortly and quickly. These words were significant of the method of conveying the revelation through signs; and the time for the fulfillment was impending; and the coming of the Lord would be in relation to the events and concurrent with them. The three words together meant that everything relevant to the catastrophe and calamities predicted and depicted were about to come to pass. Verily I say unto you, all these things shall come upon this generation--Jesus in Matthew 23:36.

2. Blessed is he that keepeth the sayings of the prophecy of this book. But the book had not yet been written, yet its message was imperative and the reading of it to his servants was urgent. The fact that this somewhat ominous statement was made in the first chapter and repeated in the last chapter, thus before and after the vision was received, accentuates the immediacy of its contents. Why the urgency of this command if the events were so remote as the future theory represents?

Commentary on Revelation 22:6-7 by Walter Scott

Closing Testimonies.

THE ANGEL AUTHENTICATES THE PROPHECY.

Revelation 22:6-7. — “And he said to me, These words (are) faithful and true; and (the) Lord God of the spirits of the prophets has sent His angel to show to His bondmen the things which must soon come to pass. And behold, I come quickly. Blessed (is) he who keeps the words of the prophecy of this book.” We have several solemn affirmations as to the faithfulness and truth of God in His words and ways: by saints (Revelation 15:3; Revelation 19:2); by the altar (Revelation 16:7); by God Himself (Revelation 21:5); and here by an angel. (Not the greatness and glory of the Revelations, but their faithfulness and truth are the testimony of the angel. It has been remarked that a book is valuable in proportion to its truth.) These prophetic visions separately and as a whole demand our closest, our most profound consideration, not because of their bearing upon us, but rather because the glory of our Master and the blessing of the world are involved in the faithfulness and truth of these divine unfoldings of the future (see Daniel 8:26).

The Lord God “of the spirits of the prophets” (R.V.). The feelings, the hopes, the varied experiences of the prophets of old were directed by and under the control of the Lord God. He was with them, as He is with us. This unity of moral action links us up with the prophets of old in a walk and realization of the hopes revealed then and now. Then in the words which follow we read, “hast sent His angel to show to His bondmen the things which must soon come to pass.” The opening (Revelation 1:1) and close of the book are thus connected. The utmost care has been taken by the divine author of the book that these revelations of things, which must soon come to pass, should reach the servants, or bondmen. He counts upon their interest. The certainty of the Lord’s speedy Coming, and gravity and imminence of the numerous events foretold, should surely lead to increased, prayerful, and painstaking study of this book, the only one specially addressed to servants of God as such.

COMING QUICKLY.

Revelation 22:7. — “And behold, I come quickly.” The constant repetition of the conjunction and must not be regarded as necessarily connecting preceding statements with the immediate subject on hand. The word in the great majority of instances simply marks a new beginning without any direct reference to what has gone before.

“Behold, I come quickly.” It is the voice of Christ we hear. It is not the announcement of a prophetic event, but the authoritative word of the Lord Himself. Three times and in different connections does He announce His Coming (Revelation 22:7; Revelation 22:12; Revelation 22:20). In each instance the word quickly is found as intimating how near we are to the realization of that blessed hope.

BLESSED.

7. — “He” (not they, as in Revelation 1:3) “who keeps the words of the prophecy of this book” is pronounced “blessed.” Thus the blessing at the beginning is repeated at the close, only it seems more individual here. The completion of the book is also contemplated in the promised blessing at the close. Compare “the words of this prophecy” (Revelation 1:3) with “the words of the prophecy of this book” (Book, as applied to the completed Revelation, occurs seven times in this last and closing part (Revelation 22:7; Revelation 22:9-10; Revelation 22:18-19). The Revelation is complete both in its promises and threats. Nothing to be added.) (Revelation 22:7). To keep these words is to treasure them, to prize them, and act upon them.

Commentary on Revelation 22:6-7 by E.M. Zerr

Revelation 22:6. He said means the angel said it to John. Faithful and true. These words are virtually the same in their fundamental meaning, and either could properly be used in place of the other for general purposes. Technically they mean the words or sayings just delivered by the angel are worthy of being relied on because they are true. Of the holy prophets is referred to as an evidence that His sayings are worthy of being relied on, for the predictions that God enabled the prophets to make were fulfilled in the proper time. For that reason there should be no doubt concerning the predictions that He has authorized his servants to make in the present book. Sent his angel. This refers to the angel who has been with John from the beginning of his vision on the isle. Must shortly be done. The Englishman’s Greek New Testament renders this phrase, "must come to pass soon." The word in question is a relative term, for even a number of centuries would be short when compared with the endlessness of what will come after the judgment day. However, since this period in the vision of John is at the near approach of the last day (as to the events predicted), the end is literally close at hand.

Revelation 22:7. Quickly is from the same word as "shortly" in the preceding verse. Blessed means happy, denoting a condition entirely satisfactory. Keepeth is from TEREO and in the King James Version it is translated hold fast 1 time, keep 57, observe 4, preserve 2, reserve 8, watch 2. It is a word with many shades of meaning which must be determined in each place according to the connection-- If it is used in relation to things a man is required to do, then it means he must understand and do them. If used only of things stated as truths, whether they are predictions or otherwise, then the word means we are to believe them and keep them in respectful remembrance. The present verse applies the word to the prophecy of this book, hence it has the meaning just described. However, it would imply some activities on the part of man, for among the things predicted is the judgment day on which men will be judged according to their deeds. Hence if a man believes and respects that prediction, he will not forget it but will fashion his life in such a way as to be adjudged worthy of everlasting life. This explains why the angel said those were blessed or happy who keepeth the sayings.

Commentary on Revelation 22:6-7 by Burton Coffman

Revelation 22:6

And he said unto me, These words are faithful and true: and the Lord, the God of the spirits of the prophets, sent his angel to show unto his servants the things which must shortly come to pass.

These words are faithful and true .... Apparently, an angel is the speaker here, but Christ is behind all that he said. "This whole book is represented by John as the Revelation of Jesus Christ, through the angel."^[25] The divine authority of the entire Revelation is affirmed. "The primary purpose of this epilogue (Revelation 22:6-21) is to affirm the authority of John’s book.^[26] The meaning of this whole verse is: "The words of the Christian prophets do not speak their own minds, but God’s."^[27] Lenski’s outline of this epilogue is:

God’s attestation (Revelation 22:6-15).

Jesus’ attestation (Revelation 22:16-19).

John is dismissed (Revelation 22:20).

John’s farewell greeting (Revelation 22:21).^[28]

We acutely need this divine attestation, for the most glaring error in most of the books one reads on this prophecy is that of making the "source" of these visions to be everything or anything except what it is; namely, a revelation from God (Revelation 1:1). As far as this writer is concerned, if people do not believe that God authored this book, they could spare themselves the trouble of studying it, much more the labor of writing their comments on it.

"The angel" here does not say that God commissioned "me," his angel, but that, "God commissioned his angel." "Angel is used here generically to designate whatever angel acted at any time in the vision."^[29] Thus the angel here speaks for God himself.

The God of the spirits of the prophets ... The "prophets" here are those of both the Old and the New Testaments; God spoke through all of them. This is the message of God’s deputy angel in this passage.

To show the things that must shortly come to pass ... As Wesley put it, "which will begin to be performed immediately."^[30] "The adverb shortly modifies the verb come to pass, telling how it is to occur, suddenly."^[31] The false idea that John expected all of the things in this prophecy to appear within a few years should be rejected. The present dispensation was described as "a thousand years" in Revelation 20; and that proves that our prophecy takes a long view of the ages; and yet many of the things in it were in the process of happening at the very time it was written.

^[25] G. R. Beasley-Murray, op. cit., p. 334.

^[26] George Eldon Ladd, op. cit., p. 289.

^[27] J. R. Dummelow, Commentary on the Holy Bible (New York: Macmillan Company, 1937), p. 1092.

^[28] R. C. H. Lenski, op. cit., p. 655.

^[29] Ibid., p. 657.

^[30] John Wesley, op. cit., in loco.

^[31] James D. Strauss, The Seer, the Saviour, and the Saved (Joplin, Missouri: College Press, 1972), p. 288.

Revelation 22:7

And behold, I come quickly. Blessed is he that keepeth the words of the prophecy of this book.

And behold, I come quickly ... "It is no longer possible to believe that John had a naive attitude toward this promise."^[32] He did not believe that all things in Revelation would come to pass in his generation. If so, how could he have envisioned 1,000 years before the final judgment (Revelation 20:5)? It is not John who is mixed up on this but some of the interpreters.

Quickly ... can mean "soon"; but it may also mean "suddenly" or "unexpectedly"; and, "The ambiguity is no doubt purposeful in order to provide for all generations a spiritual and moral tension of expectancy and perspective."^[33] No Christian should live in any other way than in a consciousness that the Lord may come at any time.

It is irreligious to ask, Who is the speaker here? Angels are the envoys and mouthpieces of God here, as in the Old Testament, and therefore entitled to speak either in their own name or that of the Lord.^[34] The words, "I am coming" show that Jesus is being quoted.^[35]

Blessed is he that keepeth the words of the prophecy of this book ... "In principle, this applies to all of God’s book (the Bible)."^[36] The book of Revelation, however, is primarily in view.

Before leaving this verse, we wish to emphasize that, "In the Christian doctrine of the last things, the imminence of the end is moral rather than chronological."^[37] Each successive Christian generation, for anything that is known to the contrary, could be the last generation. "In that sense, the time is always near."^[38] The achievement of this state of expectancy and uncertainty was evidently God’s design in the language chosen, not only here, but throughout the whole New Testament.

"I come quickly" need not mean "I come soon," though that meaning is possible. The expression may also mean, "I come suddenly."^[39]

Since some nineteen centuries have already passed since these words were written, we know that the second meaning cited here is the correct one.

^[32] G. B. Caird, The Revelation of St. John the Divine (New York: Harper and Row, 1966), p. 283.

^[33] George Eldon Ladd, op. cit., p. 290.

^[34] James Moffatt, Expositor’s Greek New Testament, Vol. V (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1967). p. 488.

^[35] R. C. H. Lenski, op. cit., p. 659.

^[36] James D. Strauss, op. cit., p. 288.

^[37] F. F. Bruce, A New Testament Commentary (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan Publishing House, 1969), p. 665.

^[38] Ibid.

^[39] Edward A. McDowell, The Meaning and Message of Revelation (Nashville: Broadman Press, 1951), p. 218.

Commentary on Revelation 22:6-7 by Manly Luscombe

6 Then he said to me, “These words are faithful and true.” And the Lord God of the holy prophets sent His angel to show His servants the things which must shortly take place. The angel assures John that what he has seen is assured. It is true. It will happen. God keeps His promises. (2 Corinthians 1:20). As we near the end of Revelation we are reminded of the promise at the beginning, these are things that MUST shortly come to pass. (Revelation 1:1). It is clear that the vision of Revelation was to begin shortly. It does not mean that all would be completed in a year or two. It does mean that they would begin to happen.

7 “Behold, I am coming quickly! Blessed is he who keeps the words of the prophecy of this book.” Some try to argue that the angel and not Jesus spoke these words. In my view, it does not matter, because angels were messengers who spoke what was given them by Jesus. Many find a difficulty with the term “shortly” when it has been 2,000 years since this promise was given.

I believe there are two issues that must be discussed as shown here:

1. Meaning of “shortly” - In our understanding of time, measured in days, months and years, 2,000 years is a long time. We must remember that God does not work on our clock and calendar. A day is like a thousand years. There fore, to God, it has been a couple of days. No time at all.

2. Meaning of “coming” - Is this the second coming in which the world ends? Is this a promise of Jesus to come again and end the world, as we know it?
OR Could this coming be the coming in answer to prayers? Could it be that Jesus will come into the hearts of the obedient to give them protection and guide them providentially? The preceding verse promised that these were “things which must shortly take place.” I believe the “coming” here is the coming to work out the matters promised and predicted in this book.

Verses 8-11

Rev 22:8-11

2. JOHN’S CONFIRMATION

Revelation 22:8-11

8 And I John am he that heard and saw these things. --This is a plain declaration from John that he heard the revelations in the words and saw the symbols; he wrote what occurred or he misrepresented facts and that would destroy his veracity. When the angel had shown these things the apostle, after the ancient custom, fell at his feet thinking he should be worshiped.

9 See thou do it not.--The angel promptly forbade it and offered reasons for his refusal. He declared he was a "fellow-servant" with John and other prophets. Angels, prophets of old, and the apostles were all moved by the same Spirit, and were therefore "brethren" in prophetic labors. John should no more worship the angel than the angel worship John. Moreover, the angel was a fellow servant with those who "keep the words of this book"; he obeyed God in revealing the prophecies and they obey in keeping them.

10 Seal not up the words of the prophecy of this book.--The angel further instructed John not to seal up the words of this prophecy, the reason assigned being that "the time is at hand." That is, the time was near when the series of symbols would begin to be fulfilled, and the saints would need their instruction to aid them in successfully overcoming temptations. Regarding the seven thunders the opposite command was given, and John was told to seal them up. See notes on Revelation 9:4. The explanation there of what is meant by sealing up is that be was not to write them. "Seal not up" would then mean that John was promptly to write them so the churches then in existence would have a knowledge of what they would receive for faithfulness amid trials.

11 He that is unrighteous, let him do unrighteousness still.----The same is entioned for the filthy, and the opposite side for both characters is stated. This part of the book is not dealing with the inability of either saint or sinner to change his state after reaching the judgment, but with warnings and commands that can be heeded during the time covered by the symbols. In that period men can change, if they will; but will be lost, if they persist in sin. The only plausible application of these expressions seems to be this: with these prophecies and promises before him, if one cannot be influenced to serve God, then the truth will not reach him and he will have to continue wicked still and be lost; for, God offers to save none against his will. Do not "cast your pearls before swine" is just as appropriate now as when uttered. Those desirous of being righteous can continue to do so. The word "still" in the margin of the Revised Version is exchanged for yet more. Whatever either character determines to do, let him continue "yet more"--the only course that vindicates the justice of God and makes man responsible for his deeds.

Commentary on Revelation 22:8-11 by Foy E. Wallace

Revelation 22:8-9 : And when I had heard and seen, I fell down to worship before the feet of the angel which showed me these things.

John had been previously commanded not to worship the angel, but God only. (Revelation 19:10) It is inconceivable that he would disobey the order by doing so here. It has been explained that John was mistaken in the identity of the angel in this instance, believing him to be Jesus. But there is no such intimation in the context. John’s memory was not so short as to have forgotten, even under the overwhelming circumstances of an angel’s appearance, the so recent prohibition against the worship of the angel. To the contrary, a reappearance of the angel would have reminded him of the previous command. The obviously correct view therefore is that John was here restating what had previously occurred for a necessary emphasis, just as he had quoted the words of Jesus in verse 7.

In the restatement of what had occurred in the record of chapter 19:10, John added that the angel had said: I am thy fellow-servant, and of thy brethen the prophets. This word of the angel links the apocalypse of John with those of the Old Testament, and as being of the same character, content and source; and of the same application as to their respective periods in their current history. A prophetic spiritual brotherhood had been displayed by the apocalypse, inspired by the same Spirit; even in the repeated use of the same words and phrases and the employment of the same symbols. The visions of the Old Testament prophets related to the judgments on Babylon and Egypt and to Israel’s deliverance from exile; and the visions of John in like manner pertained to the destruction of Jerusalem and the victory of the church over Judaism and heathenism. But the statement of the angel exalted John’s inspired credentials and authority as the author of Revelation to that of the prophets of the old dispensation.

The words of the angel further included them which keep the sayings of this book. This number included all to whom John had addressed the letters and this apocalypse and who were exhorted to read, heed and keep the things written in it. The angel classed himself as being among them all, therefore was not the object of their worship. It meant that no man or angel is to be revered or worshiped: worship God. The Son of God said to Satan, the head of the diabolical realm who was commanding his worship: “It is written, thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.”

Revelation 22:10 : Seal not the sayings of the prophecy of this book: for the time is at hand.

The metaphor of sealing in respect to visions denoted secrecy, or that which was not ready to be disclosed. The prophet Daniel was instructed to “shut up the words, and seal the book” (Daniel 9:24; Daniel 12:4; Daniel 12:9) for the events prophesied were far distant and were not at hand nor shortly to come to pass; therefore the prophet was commanded to “seal up the vision”; and he was told that the words of it were “closed up and sealed till the time of the end.” So it was with the vision of John in Revelation 10:4 --the things which were not intended for disclosure he was commanded to seal up and write them not.

But in Revelation 22:10 the angel enjoined John to seal not the contents of this book; and the reason was stated--for the time is at hand. For comparison again, in Daniel 8:26, the prophet was directed to shut up the vision for it shall be many days; but in Revelation 22:10 John was ordered to seal not . . . for the time is at hand. The time had come for the public announcement of the things enfolded in the seals and the trumpets-therefore, let it be known. This is the obvious distinction in the significance of the two commands in the phrases seal up and seal not up.

The use of the phrase the time is at hand before the visions were introduced, and in exactly the same words following so closely the order to seal not up the sayings of the vision, certainly implied with necessary inference the immediate importance of the visions; and it undeniably has the same import of immediacy as the announcement of Jesus (Mark 1:15) that the kingdom of God is at hand. The uses of this phrase in several other passages bear the same meaning and are subject to the same application. The statement of Paul (Romans 13:12) that “the night is far spent, the day is at hand” must be considered with his further statement (Romans 16:20) that “the God of peace shall bruise Satan under your feet shortly,” both of which declarations were the anticipations of the impending events.

To the Philippians (Philippians 4:5) he said: The Lord is at hand; and Peter said (1 Peter 4:7) that “the end of all things is at hand”--that is, the end of the Jewish state and all things pertaining to it. To impart any other meaning to the phrase at hand in these passages, and apply them to the end of time, would amount to convicting the inspired apostles of contradictions and of teaching error on the second coming of the Lord, which was not at hand (2 Thessalonians 2:2)--for he did not so come, neither as yet has done so. And if at hand can be stretched to the end of time in these instances, it obliterates the meaning of the same expressions in reference to his kingdom. It adds up to one conclusion: the siege and destruction of Jerusalem, the demolition of the temple and termination of the Jewish theocracy, together with the end of the Jewish state with its attendant tribulations, were the impending ominous events before the New Testament churches and the object of many references in the epistles of the apostles.

Admonishing the Jews of the Dispersion, James exhorted : “Be ye also patient; stablish your hearts: for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh.” The Lord’s second coming was not nigh--it did not occur; so it is evident that the apostle’s monitory declaration referred to the imminent events envisioned in John’s apocalypse. (James 4:7-8)

Revelation 22:11 : He that is unjust, let him be unjust still: and he which is filthy, l e t him be filthy still: and he that is righteous, let him be righteous still: and he that is holy, let him be holy still.

These admonitions were coupled with the warnings that the time was at hand; and the events being so near, so shortly to come to pass, no change in the characters of the wicked devotees of the imperial beast or of conditions in the heathen world could be expected; but all others were exhorted to maintain their state of righteousness and holiness, as the storm approached.

The words of this category of characters were significant. The unjust were the unbelievers in general; the filthy were those who were defiled by heathen practices; the righteous were the justified, who had obeyed the gospel; and the added term holy implied the maintaining of the life of separation from sin into which they had entered by justification. They had become righteous through justification by obedience to the gospel; they would remain holy by living apart from sin and its defilements.

The passage contains a judicial declaration upon the incorrigible heathen enemies and was indicative of the ultimate destiny where there can be no reformation; combined with an appeal to the righteous and the holy to pass through tribulation with washed robes and undefiled garments, for the threat of heathen influence would continue to be a reality, after the persecution itself had ceased. John had reverted to a pre-persecution exhortation based on what he had heard and seen in the vision; and he was obeying the command to seal not the sayings of the prophecy of this book. The purpose of the admonition was to ready and steady them for the impending onslaught.

There is an extended and continuous application of the solemn words of Revelation 22:11. When all of the events of time shall have transpired, and the judgments shall have descended and shall have been executed on all of the forces of evil; the conditions of men respectively shall have been unchangeably fixed for eternity. Here may be the proper application to the everlasting state of all people in the world that has no end. The basis of the apocalyptic warning is that eternal truth.

Commentary on Revelation 22:8-11 by Walter Scott

WORSHIP OF ANGELS FORBIDDEN.

GOD ALONE TO BE WORSHIPPED.

Revelation 22:8-9. — “And I, John (was), he who heard and saw these things. And when I heard and saw, I fell down to worship before the feet of the angel who showed me these things. And he says to me, See (thou do it) not. I am thy fellow-bondman, and (the fellow-bondman) of thy brethren the prophets, and of those who keep the words of this book. Worship God.” The name, John, occurs five times (Revelation 1:1; Revelation 1:4; Revelation 1:9; Revelation 21:2; Revelation 22:8), three times at the commencement, and twice near the close of the book. Between these, however, personal pronouns referring to the Seer are of frequent occurrence. It seems foolish to raise any question as to the John of the Apocalypse. There is but one John. (“An unknown John,” remarks Hilgenfield, “whose name has disappeared from history, leaving hardly any trace behind it, can scarcely have given commands in the name of Christ and the Spirit to the seven Churches.”) Instinctively the Christian heart turns to the beloved apostle, the disciple whom Jesus loved. There was but one such, and without doubt he is the one to whom these visions and communications were vouchsafed. John is the writer of the book.

The wonderful words heard and the marvelous visions beheld, coupled with the glory and dignity of the speaker, invested the angel in the eyes of John with a right to be worshipped. But the most exalted of God’s creatures themselves worship God. No angel, however exalted his standing, but would refuse divine worship. “All the angels of God worship Him” (Hebrews 1:6). John would have fallen at the feet of the angel to worship, but the attempted action is instantly checked, for angels are very jealous in the maintenance of the rights of God and of Christ. The angel takes, even in his more exalted sphere, the place of a fellow-servant with John, with the prophets, and with “those who keep the words of this book.” This is the second occasion on which one of the most distinguished of men and servants failed in the presence of these glorious scenes (Revelation 19:10). “Worship God” is the emphatic declaration of the angel. Creature worship is a sin against God, an affront to the Majesty of the Lord of hosts.

CONCLUSION OF THE ANGEL’S ADDRESS TO JOHN.

Revelation 22:10-11. — “And he says to me, Seal not the words of the prophecy of this book. The time is near. Let him that does unrighteously do unrighteously still; and let the filthy make himself filthy still; and let him that is righteous practise righteousness still; and he that is holy, let him be sanctified still.” The command here given does not refer to any one prophecy, but to all contained in the book. There is a purposed contrast in the command to Daniel, “Shut up the words, and seal the book, to the time of the end” (Revelation 12:4). Here it is “seal not the words;” there, “seal the book.” The reason given by Daniel why the words were to be shut up and the book sealed is that the time of the end was then far off. The reason given by John why he was not to seal the words of the prophecy is that “the time is near.” The immediate Return of the Lord was without doubt the general expectation of Christians for the first three centuries. From the moment that the Hope was revealed the time of the end is ever regarded as at hand, as near. We are living in the time of the end, and hence all prophecy lies open. What was sealed is now open for our inspection, and for our profit and learning.

Then Revelation 22:11 shows the permanent condition, the immutability of the state fixed and determined at the Coming of Christ. There are two classes of bad, as opposed to two classes of good. The unrighteous as a class are contrasted with the righteous, and the filthy with the holy. Habits fix character, and character fixes destiny. Every one acts according to the truth of his nature; in this there is universal consistency. Death, or the Coming of the Lord, fixes character and destiny. The wicked remain wicked, and continue adding to their wickedness. The righteous continue righteous, and practice righteousness. In eternity sinning and suffering are united, equally so holiness and happiness. Even in the lake of fire the lost of men and angels act according to their nature; sinning and suffering goes on without cessation.

Commentary on Revelation 22:8-11 by E.M. Zerr

Revelation 22:8. These things refer to the vision of the celestial city and what the angel said about it. In Revelation 19:10 John attempted to worship the angel but was prevented. Hence the things of our verse would have to apply to what had come before him since that time. The word worship is one of the terms in the Greek New Testament that have many shades of meaning, because it is from a dozen original words with about that many different definitions. Hence not every form or kind of worship would be condemned. The word as used in our verse and the following one, also in Revelation 19:10, means to prostrate oneself before another as a recognition of superiority in rank. Such an attitude is due only to God and his Son. Angels are not superior to men as to their personal merit nor even in authority. In the great sphere of service to God the angels are only some of His servants. That is the reason that the angel assigned for his instructions to John in this place and also in Revelation 19:10 refused to be worshipped. And it is the same reason why Peter refused the worship from Cornelius in Acts 10:25-26 saying, "Stand up; I myself also am a man." This does not condemn the acts of homage that are paid to kings or other dignitaries as was the custom in old time and is yet in some countries. Those performances pertain to matters of social or legal standing, while the word under consideration in our passages has to do with authority in religion. For a complete analysis of this word according to the lexicon and concordance, see the comments at Matthew 2:2 in the first volume of the New Testament Commentary.

Revelation 22:9. Many comments that would be suggested on this verse were made on the preceding one. There were two phases of devotion to God in which John and the angel were in the same class, namely, fellowservant and prophet. The first will apply to all of the Lord’s disciples while the second pertains to their work in predicting future events. But neither of these services entitles a man to receive worship from another, so the angel told John to worship God.

Revelation 22:10. Seal is from SPHRAGIZO, which Thayer defines at the passage, "keep in silence, keep secret." In the beginning of our study of this book, we were told that the future experiences of the church in its relations with the governments were unrevealed. That was indicated by a book (containing visions of the future) that was sealed, and it required the inspiration of Christ to reveal it. At some time before the Christian Dispensation (we know not how long) God composed the subject matter that makes up the book of Revelation, but since the events were not to be fulfilled "for many days" as Daniel was told (Daniel 12:1-4), He sealed them up in the book we are studying. When the time came to begin making them known He enabled the "Lion of the tribe of Judah" to break the seals. But at the point reached by us in the vision there is nothing depending on future developments-- the time is at hand--hence there is no reason for sealing it up.

Revelation 22:11. The preceding verse must be remembered in connection with this one in order to get the full meaning of the passage--it is very vital. We are arrived at the judgment day (in the vision) when the final and eternal lot of all intelligent creatures will be announced for good. After this there will never be any change either for better or worse with anyone. The unjust and filthy will always be so, and the righteous and holy likewise will remain so. That is why there will never be any sin committed in Heaven by angel or man after the judgment. Neither will there be any chance for reformation on the part of the creatures in the lake of fire.

Commentary on Revelation 22:8-11 by Burton Coffman

Revelation 22:8

And I John am he that heard and saw these things. And when I heard and saw, I fell down to worship before the feet of the angel that showed me these things.

And I John ... Who is this John who writes with such assurance and authority? It is foolish to raise such a question, because there is but one John. Instinctively the Christian heart turns to the blessed apostle, that disciple whom the Lord loved.^[40] As Hilgenfield remarked:

An unknown John whose name has disappeared from history, leaving hardly any trace behind it, can scarcely have given commands in the name of Christ and of the Spirit to the seven churches.^[41]

I fell down to worship before the feet of the angel ... Notice the startling difference between this passage and that of Revelation 19:10. There, John fell down to worship the angel; here he fell down to "worship God" in the presence of the angel. One may only be astounded at the scholarly blindness to this astounding difference in the two incidents. It is not recorded here that John fell down to "worship the angel"; therefore, it must be concluded that John intended to "worship God" before the feet of the angel. Otherwise, we would have to suppose that John deliberately disobeyed the prohibition mentioned on the first occasion. John did not merely forget what he had been commanded. No! this was something different. In this event, he was directing the worship to God, but doing so "before the feet of the angel." We deplore the fact that all of the writers whose works we have examined missed this completely. Note:

John repeats the curious incident of Revelation 19:10.^[42] This is the same incident which is here related again.^[43] John failed to learn his lesson from the heavenly messenger in Revelation 19:10.^[44] This is a duplication.^[45] John twice mistook an angel for the Lord Jesus Christ.^[46] Either John would have removed this passage as a needless repetition, if he had had opportunity fully to revise his book, or he thought it necessary to give the same warning twice.^[47]

All such views do not even see the corral, much less the mule! The overwhelming importance of these two different episodes is that they show the utter sinfulness of bowing down in the presence of even the highest angel in order to worship God.

The derivative teaching from this is that it is likewise sinful to bow down before a man, or before an image in order to worship God. The specious reasoning by which it is pretended that people bow down before images and religious prelates "to worship God" in so doing is dramatically refuted by this.

The prompt action of God’s angel in forbidding John to bow down before an angel while in the act of "worshipping God" also forbids the notion that one may bow down before men or images (both of which are far less than an angel) while in the act of worshipping God. "A Christian should assume no prostrating position"^[48] before any being, or any thing, in such a manner as to suggest worship. People should worship God only through Christ; but more, they must not assume any kind of position that could suggest worship of any other being, or object. The failure to discern this truth was the basis for the justification of idol worship by the ancient pagans themselves.

Robert H. Charles, Archdeacon of Westminster, said: "The golden calves in Dan, Bethel, and Samaria were treated as outward symbols of deity, and not as deity itself."^[49] Most significantly, this is exactly the line of reasoning followed by those who seek to justify the consecration and use of sacred images in the worship of Jesus Christ today. These marvelous passages (both of them) show that it is not merely the worship of an angel (or a man, or an image) that is proscribed and forbidden to Christians, it is the bowing down before them that is also sinful, even though the purpose might be alleged as being to worship God in such a position. What a tragedy that so much of current scholarship seems totally blind to this truth. In the light of this blindness, one may wonder if a move to consecrate sacred images in many Protestant churches today would be resisted.

^[40] Walter Scott, Exposition of the Revelation of Jesus Christ (Old Tappan, New Jersey: Fleming H. Revell Company, n.d.), p. 444.

^[41] Hilgenfield as quoted by Walter Scott, op. cit., p. 444.

^[42] G. B. Caird, op. cit., p. 283.

^[43] John Wesley, op. cit., in loco.

^[44] James D. Strauss, op. cit., p. 289.

^[45] Martin Rist, op. cit., p. 545.

^[46] R. C. H. Lenski, op. cit., p. 661.

^[47] William Barclay, op. cit., p. 224.

^[48] Watchman Nee, "Come, Lord Jesus" (New York: Christian Fellowship Publishers, 1976), p. 252.

^[49] Robert H. Charles, The Decalogue (Edinburgh: T. and T. Clark, 1923). p. 54.

Revelation 22:9

And he saith unto me, See thou do it not: I am a fellow-servant with thee and with thy brethren the prophets, and with them that keep the words of this book: worship God.

See thou do it not ... worship God ... No matter how John intended it, his bowing down before the angel was sinful, and was in itself an action that was contrary to the heavenly edict, "Worship God."

Revelation 22:10

And he saith unto me, Seal not up the words of the prophecy of this book; for the time is at hand.

Seal not up the words of the prophecy of this book ... "The contents of John’s prophecy have a twofold perspective.^[50] "Some of the events foretold are to occur many centuries in the future";^[51] but parts of Revelation deal with events that confront John’s generation. The savage sea-beast is about to turn upon the helpless Christians. In a Roman courtroom, at the headsman’s block, or in the brutal arena, the saints are about to be called upon to face their own Calvary; and the courage to face such a trial would be immeasurably aided by the knowledge of the final victory which in God’s good time would crown the efforts of the faithful. This was what sent Paul himself to the block shouting the immortal words of 2 Timothy 4:8.

For the time is at hand ... "The impending coming here is not the parousia, but the beginning of the persecutions."^[52]

^[50] George Eldon Ladd, op. cit., p. 291.

^[51] G. B. Caird, op. cit., p. 284.

^[52] J. W. Roberts, op. cit., p. 198.

Revelation 22:11

He that is unrighteous, let him do unrighteousness still: and he that is filthy, let him be made filthy still: and he that is righteous, let him do righteousness still: and he that is holy, let him be made holy still.

He that is unrighteous, let him do unrighteousness still ... Apparently, John recognized that this prophecy would complete the New Testament, providing the finality of God’s revelation to man. That having been completed, "No greater power could be brought to bear upon them before He comes again.^[53] This thought is that of Christ himself who said that one rising from the dead would not be any more convincing than the Scriptures (Luke 16:31). Therefore, for those who will not heed the holy Scriptures, let them go on in their wickedness. "This is a plain call for the reader to put his life in order while there is still opportunity for change."^[54] Many writers quote Swete in this context. He said, "There will come a time when change will be impossible, when no further opportunity will be given for repentance on the one hand, or apostasy on the other."^[55] However, it is probably the judicial hardening of willful and habitual sinners that best answers to what is here meant. As others have expressed it:

John is saying that there will be no opportunity for last-minute repentance.^[56] Do not hinder the man who has completely hardened himself in his wickedness.^[57] This is a clear refutation of the doctrine of purgatory and second chance-ism.^[58] A man can so long refuse the way of Christ that in the end he cannot take it. That is the sin against the Holy Spirit.^[59]

^[53] J. R. Dummelow, op. cit., p. 1091.

^[54] G. B. Caird, op. cit., p. 284.

^[55] H. B. Swete, The Apocalypse of St. John (London: Macmillan, 1917), p. 305.

^[56] Leon Morris, op. cit., p. 259.

^[57] William Hendriksen, More than Conquerors (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Book House, 1956), p. 252.

^[58] James D. Strauss, op. cit., p. 291.

^[59] William Barclay, op. cit., p. 225.

Commentary on Revelation 22:8-11 by Manly Luscombe

8 Now I, John, saw and heard these things. And when I heard and saw, I fell down to worship before the feet of the angel who showed me these things. 9 Then he said to me, “See that you do not do that. For I am your fellow servant, and of your brethren the prophets, and of those who keep the words of this book. Worship God.” As the vision comes to an end, John assures us that he has recorded what he saw and heard. John was there. Revelation is not a figment of John’s imagination. John began to worship the angel who delivered the message. He is immediately told to arise. Angels are not to be worshipped. They worship and serve the same God we do. Angels are fellow servants. (See also Revelation 19:10)

10 And he said to me, “Do not seal the words of the prophecy of this book, for the time is at hand…” It is clear to me that John is told not close and seal this book. It is not God’s intention to record this vision and them keep it hidden and closed. God intended that the book be read publicly. (Revelation 1:3) Things will be starting to happen soon. God is ready to begin fulfilling these things.

11 “He who is unjust, let him be unjust still; he who is filthy, let him be filthy still; he who is righteous, let him be righteous still; he who is holy, let him be holy still.” There are several explanations of this verse. I think the key is to keep it in the context of the previous verse. Verse 10 told John not to seal the book. In the statement that follows God explains that there will be no change in those who read this book. Woodruff states, “Those who are unjust will still be unjust; those who are filthy will continue to be filthy; those who are righteous will remain righteous, and those who are holy will still be holy.” (1, 414). Woodruff also comments, “Those who were unjust before this revelation was given to John would still be unjust after is was given. The same would be true for those who were filthy, righteous, or holy. This revelation did nothing to change the way one renders obedience to God’s will.” (1, 414). This book does not introduce a new plan of salvation. All who obey the gospel as taught in Acts and the epistles will be saved. God has not given a new message, a new method of salvation.

Verses 12-16

Rev 22:12-16

3. THE TESTIMONY OF JESUS

Revelation 22:12-16

12 And my reward is with me.--This verse is a repetition of verse 7 with assurance that each one will be rewarded according to his works. See notes on verse 7. On being judged according to works compare 2 Corinthians 5:10.

13 I am the Alpha and the Omega.--The text explains these words as first and last, beginning and end. Christ was with the Father in the creation (Colossians 1:15-17), has been in the plan of salvation, and will be at the judgment, and in the new Jerusalem. It is wonderfully encouraging to know we have one with such power to make us promises of rewards he will make no mistakes.

14 Blessed are they that wash their robes.--The promise made to such is that they may have the right to the tree of life, and may enter through the gates into the city. Adam because of disobedience was denied this right; through Christ man by obedience may come to it. Washing robes means to be pardoned through the merits of Jesus’ blood. Other texts show that the blessings of the eternal city depend upon faithfulness unto death. (Revelation 2:11.)

15 Without are the dogs.--This verse contains substantially the same thought as Revelation 21:8. To the Jews the dog was an unclean animal and was a fit emblem of the abominable characters here named. "Without" means that such persons will not be allowed admittance to the heavenly city.

16 I Jesus have sent mine angel.--In these words Jesus directly confirms the testimony of the angel as being his own. His words were sent to churches then existing--the seven named --but are intended for all others in like conditions or subject to the same sins.

I am the root and the offspring of David.--Being a descendant of David, he was what the prophecies demanded he should be; without this lineage he could not have occupied the throne of authority. This fact was mentioned in the first chapter of the New Testament and confirmed by Jesus here in the last chapter. As the offspring of David, he now rules at the right hand of God; at the judgment he will be sitting on the same throne; in eternity he will still be in association with the Father. (Verse 2.)

Commentary on Revelation 22:12-16 by Foy E. Wallace

(2) The corroborative testimony of Jesus to that of John and of the angel—Revelation 22:12-13.

Revelation 22:12 : And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be.

The imminence of the things envisioned was here reemphasized in the word quickly to the degree of having become repetitious, but for that precise purpose--the alerting of the saints in every part of the Roman world.

The reminder that my reward is with me was a dual pronouncement of threat and promise. There would be the execution of judgment on the characters represented by the beasts and their followers; and the bestowal of the trophies of victory and reward to the saints of the tribulation. This distribution of reward and retribution was announced in the words: to give every man according as his work shall be. Here again was the statement of an eternal principle with an everlasting application, the basis of which was in the fact as applied to the visional circumstances; but was nevertheless indicative of the truth couched in numerous epistolary references (Romans 2:6-29; Romans 3:1-31; Romans 4:1-25; Romans 5:1-21; Romans 6:1-23; Romans 7:1-25; Romans 8:1-39; Romans 9:1-33; Romans 10:1-21; Romans 11:1-36; Romans 12:1-21; Romans 13:1-14; Romans 14:1-12; 1 Corinthians 3:8; 1 Corinthians 5:10)--that judgment by works is not subject to a single judicial decision, but is a continual process in the lives of men.

Revelation 22:13 : I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last.

The title of this verse, Alpha and Omega, belonged to Christ alone in this connection, and represented the finality of the sayings of the vision--the first and the last, the beginning and the end, were the words of his authority--the yea and the amen from which there could be no appeal and for which there could be no repeal.

The vision, as previous shown, had closed and these words of Christ were being quoted by John to corroborate and verify his post-vision sayings of this last chapter, and to vindicate all of the claims of credibility. The words of verse thirteen meant--so be it, all in all as here recorded, for it came from Christ the All In All of divine jurisprudence and justice.

(3) The seven apocalyptic beatitudes of the bride of the Lamb, the victorious church—Revelation 22:14-16.

Revelation 22:14 : Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city.

This beautiful beatitude was the last of a cluster of the blessed passages of Revelation, and it rises to the highest heights of the mountain ranges of the visions of the blessed in the descriptions of their trials. After the first pronouncement of blessing in chapter one, their contexts appear as a sort of parentheses in the subject matter of the visions.

There are seven of these beatitudes in Revelation, which deserve to be listed as a parenthesis here:

The first beatitude was the blessing for them that read, heard and kept the words of the Seer, because the time was so near--Revelation 1:3.

The second was the benedictory for the future martyrs who should die in the cause of the Lord from henceforth-- Revelation 14:13.

The third was in praise of the state of grace for those who were aware of the imminence of ominous events and who lived in sustained preparation to meet the crisis-- Revelation 16:15.

The fourth included the faithful saints who survived the persecutions and participated in the renewed and continuous fellowship of the victorious Bride in the marriage supper of the Lamb--Revelation 19:9.

The fifth was the blessed state of victory shared by the martyrs who “lived and reigned with Christ” in complete victory, which was symbolized by elevating the souls under the altar (chapter 6) to positions on the throne (chapter 20) and which symbolized the resurrection of the cause for which they died, and therefore figuratively designated the first resurrection in which the enthroned souls had part--Revelation 20:6.

The sixth was exhortatory to all who had received the completed apocalypse, and maintained faithful adherence to all of the sayings embodied in the visions--Revelation 22:7.

The seventh was the blessing of reward for all, after the scenes of persecution had been accomplished, and the trials of the tribulation were ended, who through obedience entered the opened gates into the city of the new Jerusalem, the redeemed Bride of the Lamb, the victorious church of Christ--Revelation 22:14.

This high note of hope in the form of beatitudes permeated the apocalypse from the first chapter to the last, and the character of them adds to the accumulation of evidence that the visions of Revelation belonged to the tribulation period of the early churches.

Returning to the text of Revelation 22:14, the important words do his commandments constitute an imperative command. The condition of entering this City of God, the church, was obedience to the gospel.

The revisions that have changed the phrase “do his commandments” to “wash their robes” have served only to weaken the text and obscure its meaning. It is a specific gospel text which should not be generalized by a tampering with its words, a thing that all of the late so-called revisions appear to be specializing in doing. The text is sublime as it reads and it means that the gospel must be obeyed.

The clause that they may have right to the tree of life meant the title to it. The word right does not here merely mean a right or privilege of entering the city--but indicates the title of inheritance. The one who enters “through the gates into the city” has right to the tree of life--to the inheritance of the life which is the fruit of the tree, as set forth in the comments on verse three of this chapter. It is an edifying concept of the source of spiritual life in the church of God and of Christ.

Revelation 22:15 : For without are dogs, and sorcerers, and whoremongers, and murderers, and idolaters, and whosoever loveth and maketh a lie.

These all were the aggregation of the enemies of Christ and the saints and the persecutors of the church and their followers. The characters of all who were without the city were in contrast with all who were within it. The expression without are dogs had the implication that all who were without were of that classification, a term of various connotations. It was descriptive of the evil and impious characters that inhabit the outside.

Among the Jews the dog was typical of that which was unclean and vile. The Mosaic law decreed that the hire of a harlot and the price of a dog were abominable to God and were not acceptable for the offerings and the vows of the law. (Deuteronomy 23:18) Paul warned the Philippians to beware of the dogs (Philippians 3:2) which meant the cautious avoidance of Gentile influence and affiliation. The Jews called the Gentiles dogs; but here the unbelieving Jews had so classified themselves and the term had boomeranged and fallen back upon them. Jesus said to his disciples; “Give not that which is holy to the dogs,” meaning that the pure principles of his teaching should not be compromised or mixed with the inferior philosophies and practices of the heathen world surrounding them. None of these evil things could enter the city of God--all dogs were without.

For comments on the terms sorcerers, whoremongers and liars turn to Revelation 21:8; Revelation 21:27. These were terms to designate heathenism and to define their practices; and these words of John constituted a pronouncement for the eternal exclusion of all classes which these evils represented, and of all who do not obey his commandments--the gospel which Jesus Christ had commissioned his ambassadors to preach to all the world.

Revelation 22:16 : I Jesus have sent mine angel to testify unto you these things in the churches. I am the root and the offspring of David, and the bright and morning star.

This passage is one of the pinnacles of John’s utterances in the book of Revelation, of which there had been many. It affirmed that He who had commissioned his angel to testify the things of the apocalypse was the rightful heir to the kingdom and throne of Judah’s sceptre as the legal and regal descendant of David. The statement forms an epexegetical insertion of a leading point for special emphasis--that is, an additional explanatory point, put or set in the text for extra accent; and in this instance the purpose was to focus the attention on who had spoken in the visions. He who was the Son of David according to flesh, the fulfillment of all Davidic prophecies and promises, was in these visions the Bright And Morning Star to herald the dawn for the persecuted church. In numerous other passages he was said to occupy the throne of David (Acts 2:29-33); and to bring the blessings and mercies of David (Acts 13:34); and to set up the tabernacle of David (Acts 15:13-17); and to hold the key of David (Isaiah 22:22 - Revelation 3:7).

All of the prophecies relating to David’s throne have been fulfilled in the ascendancy of Jesus Christ to the throne in heaven; from which throne He had been the Speaker of the apocalypse. As the Root and Offspring of David, he had spoken with a sovereign and royal authority above kings of the nations or the emperors of the imperial dynasty; the throne of David was greater than the throne of Caesar; and kingdom of heaven was superior to the dominions of any earthly government. He was the victorious Rider of the white horse and his Cause had triumphed. Christ was the Victor; the persecutors were the vanquished; and the saints of tribulation were the rewarded in the visions that had been concluded.

Commentary on Revelation 22:12-16 by Walter Scott

THE DIVINE SPEAKER.

Revelation 22:12-13. — “Behold, I come quickly, and My reward is with Me, to render to every one as his work shall be. I (am) the Alpha and the Omega, (the) first and (the) last, the beginning and the end.” Once again does the divine Speaker proclaim the certainty and nearness of His Return, not simply as a cheer to His waiting and expectant saints (Revelation 22:7), but with rewards, many and varied, to be bestowed according to the quality and character of service rendered. The least service shall be fittingly rewarded by the Lord when He comes, not into the air for us (1 Thessalonians 4:17), but into the kingdom with us. Not the Father’s house into which we are first removed (John 14:2-3), but the kingdom is the sphere and scene where rewards are bestowed according to service and faithfulness.

Then follows the announcement of titles essentially divine. As the book draws to a close, even as it opened, these same grand titles are asserted by Christ. None other can claim them but He (compare with Revelation 1:8; Revelation 21:6; Revelation 1:17).

THE GROUND OF RIGHT TO THE CITY’S BLESSEDNESS.

Revelation 22:14-15. — “Blessed (are) they that wash their robes, that they may have right to the tree of life, and that they should go in by the gates into the city. Without (are) the dogs, and the sorcerers, and the fornicators, and the murderers, and the idolaters, and every one that loves and makes a lie.” The Authorized Version reads, “Blessed are they that do His commandments.” But every critical scholar of note rejects the reading in our English Bibles. Obedience to commandments is not the ground on which eternal life is bestowed. It is God’s gift to all who believe (John 5:24). The reading, “that wash their robes,” is in accord with Revelation 7:14, where a similar expression is employed. In both cases the mystic robes of the redeemed could alone be washed in the blood of the Lamb. In the earlier reference the application of the blood gave the saved Gentile crowd right to stand before the throne (Revelation 7:15); in the latter reference it is the title to the tree of life and entrance into the golden city (Revelation 22:14).

The classes who are debarred from entering into the city are each introduced by the definite article the. It is not the ungodly in general, but specific, easily defined, classes of Men who are in question. Substantially the list here is the same as in Revelation 21:8. Here the fact of their exclusion from the holy city is stated, whereas the same characters are seen in the previous chapter as in the lake of fire — from the city of gold in Revelation 22:15; in the lake of fire in Revelation 21:8. In both lists special sin against God, and against others, is in the main that which distinguishes the sinners here enumerated.

JESUS IN THE DIGNITY OF HIS PERSON;

JESUS IN HIS RELATION TO ISRAEL

AND TO THE CHURCH.

Revelation 22:16-17. — “I, Jesus, have sent Mine angel to testify these things to you in the assemblies. I am the Root and Offspring of David, the Bright (and) Morning Star. And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that hears say, Come. And let him that is athirst come; he that will, let him take (the) water of life freely.” The calm, quiet, yet emphatic assertion of His dignity, “I, Jesus,” is admirable, coming as it does at the close of the numerous revelations of grace, glory, and judgment in which He prominently figures. The Revelation is over now, and it simply remains to add the finishing touches to this remarkable book. Who but Jesus, Who opened it, can close it? The medium of communication between Jesus and John is an angel (compare with Revelation 1:1). “These things” were to be testified in the assemblies. What things? The whole contents of the book; nothing is to be omitted.

“I am the Root and Offspring of David.” The “I” is emphatic. His connection with Israel in royalty is here asserted. As divine He is the Root of David’s house. As man He is the Offspring of David. He is David’s Lord and David’s Son. The crown of Israel is His in virtue of Who He is, and His, too, by promise and prophecy. He was born King of the Jews (Matthew 2:2). He died as King of the Jews (Matthew 27:37). He shall reign as King of the Jews (Zechariah 9:9).

But He adds that which is our special portion, which connects us with Himself in a special and endearing relation, “the Bright (and) Morning Star.” Before the millennial day dawns, before the judgments preceding it desolate the prophetic scene, before, too, the glories of the kingdom lift up the earth nearer Heaven, Jesus appears as the Bright and Morning Star to His bride. As the Sun of Righteousness He arises to Israel in noon-day splendor (Malachi 4:2), but that is subsequent to His Coming for us. The star is in the early morning, and precedes the shining of the sun by at least seven years.

This revelation, not of glory, but of Himself, the Bridegroom of the bride, at once stirs up her slumbering affections. Her heart is roused. Jesus has kindled a fire in her soul which cannot be put out. She hears Him say “I am the Bright and Morning Star.” It is the voice of her Beloved, and at once the appeal is answered, “The Spirit and the bride say, Come,” that is, to Him. The first two clauses of Revelation 22:17 are the answer to the last clause of Revelation 22:16. We have not the response of the Spirit only, but that of the bride jointly with the Spirit. It is not the Spirit in the bride, but both who unite in the cry to Him, Come. Then each individual hearer is invited to join in the glad welcome, Come. This is the day when the midnight cry has gone forth, “Behold the Bridegroom,” (Authorities omit the word “cometh” from Matthew 25:6.) the day of grace, of God’s long-suffering mercy. So now the call goes out to every thirsty soul. Is anyone wearied, disappointed? Here is a word which covers all need. “Let him that is athirst come.” Again we meet with a word which is sufficiently comprehensive to embrace every willing soul on earth, for none is forgotten, “He that will, let him take (the) water of life freely.”

Commentary on Revelation 22:12-16 by E.M. Zerr

Revelation 22:12. I come quickly is explained at Revelation 22:7 . My reward is with me. When Jesus comes again it will not be for the purpose of setting up another reign on the earth, for all of His reign will then come to a close (1 Corinthians 15:24-26 ). The lot of both just and unjust will have been decided at that time, and Christ will be coming to bestow the reward according to that decision. It is in that sense that the reward will be with Him--not coming merely to announce what it is going to be. He will at that time recompense either "tribulation" or "rest" upon mankind (2 Thessalonians 1:6-7 ), which is the meaning of the present passage. The basis on which the rewards will be distributed is according as his work shall be.

Revelation 22:13. This is virtually the same as Revelation 1:8 ; see those comments.

Revelation 22:14. Blessed is from MAKARIOS, and in the King James Version it has been rendered "blessed" 43 times and "happy" 6 times. The reason for their blessedness or happiness is their right to the tree of life. The word right is from the word EXOUSIA, which also means power or authority. It is a very serious passage in view of the notions of many people as to the lot of the unsaved. As an outburst of sentiment or emotion it is said, "How could God refuse to admit any person to the eternal happiness when He has it within his power to grant it." But the last part of the statement is not true, for God cannot do that which is not right. (Titus 1:2 ; 2 Timothy 2:13 .) If those who do the commandments are the ones who have the right to the tree of life, then it would not be right for others to have access to it. And if they would not have a right to it, it would be wrong for them to have it. And since God cannot do wrong it follows that He cannot admit any person to the city who has not done the commandments. It is clear that having right to the tree of life requires the right for entrance into the city, for we learned at Revelation 22:2 that the tree is growing inside the city.

Revelation 22:15. Without means on the outside of the eternal city. The preceding verse reveals who will be permitted to enter the city and this one tells some of the kind that will not enter. Dogs. It would be foolish to think this is used with reference to the dumb brute, for it would not be more true of the dog than of all others of the animal kingdom. 2 Peter 2:12 informs us that the beasts are destined to be destroyed; there will be no "hereafter" for them. The word is from KUON and Thayer says that some authorities define it to mean "sodomites." The word corresponding to it in the Old Testament is keleb which Strong defines, "A dog; hence (by euphemism) [substitution of a milder word as being less offensive to the ear] a male prostitute." In Deuteronomy 23:18 the word is used in that sense where it is associated with an immoral woman in designating "tainted money." The "hire of a whore" means money an immoral woman receives from her male patrons. While on that subject it was appropriate to name another immoral person and that is a man who practices unnatural immorality for money, and that is what is meant by "the price of a dog." It seems very fitting to call a Sodomite a dog, for that animal is the only creature of the brute creation that is inclined to gratify his lust on one of his own sex. And we have the same appropriateness of the two kinds of immoral characters that the Old Testament passage showed, namely, the dogs and very soon the whoremongers. The dogs are men who have immoral relations with other men, and whoremongers are men who patronize women who are immoral as an occupation. Thayer says a sorcerer is "one who prepares or uses magical remedies." It is similar to those who are engaged in the "dope" business today. The scriptures tell us that medicine does good (Proverbs 17:22 ), but any kind of drugs or narcotics that produce unnatural feelings of gaiety, or the opposite one of abandonment to lasciviousness, will damage the body and that will bring the curse of God upon the guilty. (1 Corinthians 6:18-20 .) The first sin committed by man against man was murder (Genesis 4:8 ). That crime is so great that God finally gave the decree of capital punishment against all who commit it (Genesis 9:6 ). But literal murder is not the only kind that can be committed. 1 John 3:15 says a man who hates his brother is a murderer, and of course all such persons will be on the outside of the holy city. Idolaters are those who worship anything or any person besides the true God. It may be images made with hands or the works of creation such as the planets or animals, etc. Also Paul says that covetousness is idolatry (Colossians 3:5 ), hence there will be no covetous persons in Heaven. Revelation 21:8 shows that liars of all kinds will be cast into the lake of fire. Our verse expresses the same thought as to its comprehensiveness by taking in all who love the liars.

Revelation 22:16. This book starts out by telling us that it is the revelation of Jesus Christ (not of "Saint John the Divine" as the heading title erroneously states), and this verse reveals Him introducing himself directly. However, He does not overlook the services of the angel, but faithfully backs up his work by saying that He sent him. To testify means to transmit the testimony to the churches. That is, to bear testimony to the things that have been showed him throughout the vision of this book. Root and offspring of David. This means that Jesus was in the direct line of genealogy that came down from Abraham through David. That great man was not the only prominent Hebrew in the line, but ?there was a distinction in his case. David had two sons by the same woman, Bathsheba, and those sons were Solomon and Nathan (1 Chronicles 3:5 ). At this place the blood line divides and on Solomon’s side it comes down to Joseph the husband of Mary. On Nathan’s side it comes down to Mary the mother of Jesus. (See Matthew 1 and Luke 3 .) There is another fact that makes David of special importance. He was the first king of the Israelites from the tribe of Judah, and it had been predicted (Genesis 49:10 ) that the tribe of Judah was to give law to God’s people in latter times. The Mosaic law was of the tribe of Levi (Exodus 2:1-10 ). David was the first king of the tribe of Judah to sit upon the throne of God’s ancient people. That kingdom was destined to be set aside and replaced by another. But God assured David that his throne would not always be vacant. There was to be one of his descendants who would reign on the throne, only by that time it would be spiritual and not one with temporal government as its purpose. Such a king was worthy of coming to John with an authoritative commission such as this vision. Bright and morning star is what He says of himself in Revelation 2:28 . The significance of this phrase is due to its brightness as it precedes the sun in rising, thus announcing that a new day is beginning. (See 2 Peter 1:19 .) And truly did the rising of Jesus come as a star to announce that a new day was about to come, the day of the Christian Dispensation.

Commentary on Revelation 22:12-16 by Burton Coffman

Revelation 22:12

Behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to render to each man according as his work is.

Behold, I come quickly For discussion of this, see under Revelation 22:7.

And my reward is with me, to render to each man ... The coming of Christ in the New Testament is invariably associated with the final judgment of the good and bad alike, the good to receive eternal life, and the wicked to receive the second death.

In this verse, "The words take the first person and become the very words of Christ."^[60] Although Roberts understood the "coming" here to be not the Second Coming, but his coming in the great ordeal the church was confronting, such views do not take into account the rewards and punishments clearly associated with it in the text. These indicate the Second Coming of Christ in glory to judge the living and the dead. Limiting this to the period of the persecutions coming upon the church when John wrote comes from the acceptance of a narrow preterist system of interpreting this prophecy. The people who passed through that persecution did not receive their rewards then; at least Paul didn’t (2 Timothy 2:4).

The usual knee-jerk response to a verse such as this may be illustrated by, "John had no expectation that this age of human history would last even a generation, to say nothing of centuries."^[61] Such a dictum flows out of a comprehensive misunderstanding of this whole prophecy, to say nothing of the entire New Testament. See the "Speedy Return of Christ," in my Commentary on 1Thessalonians, pp. 18-20.

According as his work is ... That the final judgment will be related to the deeds of men is so clear and so often repeated in the New Testament that the interpretative denials of it are continuously refuted and checkmated.

^[60] J. W. Roberts, op. cit., p. 196.

^[61] Martin Rist, op. cit., p. 546.

Revelation 22:13

I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end.

I am the Alpha and the Omega ... These are the first and last letters of the Greek alphabet used idiomatically to express comprehensive completeness. In this prophecy it is found in Revelation 1:8; Revelation 1:10-11; Revelation 21:5-6; Revelation 22:13. We agree with Barclay that, "There is more than one idea here. There is the idea of completeness, of eternity and of authority.^[62] Actually, all three statements in this verse are parallel aspects of one great truth.

CHRIST; THE ALPHA AND THE OMEGA

"I am the Alpha and the Omega." This is one of the most intriguing things Christ ever said. Of course, the idiom of so using the first and last letters of the alphabet is perhaps as old as language itself. A similar use was made of the letters of the Hebrew alphabet, as when Abraham was said to have kept the law from Aleph to Tav; and Psalms 119 is written on the pattern of the same alphabet from Aleph to Tav. Colonial literature in America had the expression one still hears now and then, "From A to Izzard," Izzard, of course, being the old name for Z.

I. Christ is the Alpha and the Omega with reference to his eternal existence. He said, "Before Abraham was, I AM" (John 8:58). Christ is "before all things" (Colossians 1:17), and was "in the beginning" (John 1:1 f). He is the same "yesterday, today, and for ever" (Hebrews 13:8).

II. He is the Alpha and the Omega with reference to the atonement for man’s sin. The sins of Abel, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and of all the pre-Christian world, their sins, no less than ours, are forgiven only through the blood of Christ. He is the Alpha and the Omega concerning human redemption.

III. He is the Alpha and the Omega with reference to the word of God. He was the first to declare fully God’s word to people. In a very real sense, Jesus was God’s first complete word to men. But if the word in Jesus is first, it is also the last. He revealed that, "The word that I speak, the same shall judge him (man) in the last day" (John 12:48). People shall never be through with the word of Christ; it shall confront them in the final judgment.

IV. He is the Alpha and the Omega of the Christian faith. As the writer of Hebrews said, "He is the author and finisher of our faith (KJV)" (Hebrews 12:2). Regarding the personal redemption of every man, Jesus is the all in all, the first and the last, the Alpha and the Omega.

V. He is the Alpha and the Omega as regards the resurrection of the dead. Paul wrote the Colossians that Christ was the "firstborn from the dead," which does not mean that his was the first resurrection of a mortal, but that Christ was the first to be raised from the dead upon whom death would have no further power. Lazarus and others who were "raised" died again, but not so with Christ. He shall be the last in this regard, because it is his word that shall summon all the dead to the final judgment.

VI. He is the Alpha and the Omega in the New Testament. His name is in the first verse and in the last. His titles mark the opening words, and his blessing closes the sacred canon of the New Testament.

VII. He is the Alpha and the Omega in the final judgment. The eternal judgment shall begin with the body of Christ (the church), as indicated by 1 Peter 4:17; and the final word of it shall be pronounced by the Son of God because the father hath committed judgment to the Son (John 5:27). Christ will be the Alpha and the Omega in the eternal judgment.

ENDNOTE:

^[62] William Barclay, op. cit., p. 225.

Revelation 22:14

Blessed are they that wash their robes, that they may have the right to come to the tree of life, and may enter in by the gates into the city.

Blessed are they that wash their robes, that they may have the right ... Some scholars still prefer the KJV rendition of this as, "Blessed are they that do his commandments," which could well be correct. Recent generations of Bible translators are allergic to any mention of "doing" God’s commandments. However, as regards this verse, it could not make the slightest difference. "Washing one’s robes" and "doing his commandments" are synonymous terms. Either way, there’s a lot of doing for the sinner who hopes to be saved. Oh no; he does not thereby earn or merit salvation; but there are nevertheless things to be "done" by the sinner before God will save him. This is one of the seven great beatitudes of Revelation. They are:

I. Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the words of this prophecy, and keep the things that are written therein (Revelation 1:3).

II. Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord (Revelation 14:13).

III. Blessed is he that watcheth and keepeth his garments, lest he walk naked, and they see his shame (Revelation 16:15).

IV. Blessed are they that are bidden to the marriage supper of the Lamb (Revelation 19:9).

V. Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection (Revelation 10:6).

VI. Blessed is he that keepeth the words of the prophecy of this book (Revelation 22:7).

VII. Blessed are they that wash their robes, that they may have the right to come to the tree of life, and to enter in through the gates into the city (Revelation 22:14).

Barclay’s comment on this seventh beatitude is excellent:

This shows man’s part in salvation. It is Jesus Christ who in his Cross has provided the grace by which alone man can be forgiven; but man has to appropriate that sacrifice ... We can supply soap and water, but we cannot compel a person to use them.^[63]

Mounce pointed out that, "The participle, they that wash is in the present tense, suggesting continuous action."^[64] One is never through with washing his robes and striving to achieve through Christ that degree of holiness without which no man shall see the Lord. When all that Christ does for people is considered, man’s part in redemption is not worthy to be compared with Christ’s; but still, Christ has given man a role to play in his salvation; he must wash his robes. He gives the holy bride the glorious garments; but she must put them on (See under Revelation 19:7 ff). Free grace gives the white robes to the sinner, but he must take care of the laundering!

^[63] William Barclay, op. cit., p. 227.

^[64] Robert H. Mounce, Commentaries on the New Testament, Revelation (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1977), p. 393.

Revelation 22:15

Without are the dogs, and the sorcerers, and the fornicators, and the murderers, and the idolaters, and every one that loveth and maketh a lie.

Dogs ... "This can denote a thoroughly immoral person, and that may be its meaning here."^[65] Male prostitutes in the old pagan temples were commonly called "dogs." The attitude toward dogs in the ancient culture was quite different from that in America today. Dogs were generally wild, vicious, dirty, cowardly, and disgusting. They were the scavengers of ancient cities.

Sorcerers ... The black arts were common in John’s day, and they have again become so in our own. Satan still operates in the same old ways; he has not invented a new sin in thousands of years.

Fornicators ... See full comment on this in my Commentary on Hebrews, p. 325.

Murderers ... The Christian view of this is more strict than that of the natural man. In the sermon on the mount, Jesus made the antecedent attitudes of contempt and hatred to be murder "in principle."

Idolaters ... The ancient idolatry was enshrined in the temples of paganism; but the modern idolatry is more subtle, and is identified with self-love and the selfish disregard of others. The old temples with their idol gods are no more, except in some backward nations; but people still worship power, fame, wealth, gold, science, themselves, or humanity anything except the one true and Almighty God.

Every one that loveth and maketh a lie ... Most commentators stress the broad implications of this, noting that it does not say, "anyone who ever told a lie." True as this is, we may not suppose that God takes a light view of any falsehood, however inoffensive it may appear to people.

Without ... This is actually the big word in the whole verse. It does not mean that just outside of God’s city such characters as these are lurking and trying to enter. "Their doom is not mere exclusion from the city but is the lake of fire (Revelation 21:8)."^[66] "Outside, or without, therefore involves a reference to the lake of fire."^[67]

^[65] William Barclay, op. cit., p. 227.

^[66] George Eldon Ladd, op. cit., p. 293.

^[67] Martin Rist, op. cit., p. 547.

Revelation 22:16

I Jesus have sent mine angel to testify unto you these things for the churches. I am the root and offspring of David, the bright, the morning star.

Up to this verse, we have been studying God’s authentication of this prophecy (Revelation 22:6-15). See outline under Revelation 22:6. This verse through Revelation 22:19 is the authentication of Jesus the Lord. "Revelation again takes on the aspect of a legal document. Note the legal formula, "I Jesus,’ showing that Jesus is bearing witness that his angel was divinely commissioned to show the visions to John."^[68] Thus God and Christ attest the authenticity of Revelation; "Two witnesses are wholly sufficient."^[69] Thus, this book and all of its words are established as faithful and true (Revelation 22:6) by two witnesses and two attestations, that of God by his angel, and that of Christ himself.

I Jesus have sent mine angel to testify ... We may therefore place infinite trust in what is here revealed. In order that the full weight of just who is testifying here may be seen, Jesus further identified himself in the next lines.

These things for the churches ... This requires that we understand the brief individual messages to the seven churches in the beginning of Revelation as an introduction; the whole book is intended for all of them.

I am the root and the offspring of David ... the morning star ... This ties the end of the New Testament with the very first verse of it (Matthew 1:1); and the mention of the star recalls the light that led the wise men to the manger in Bethlehem (Matthew 2:10 f).

The bright, the morning star ... "Christ is the Star of the Dawn, and what James Stewart once in a convocation at Edinburgh called "The Star of the Eschaton.’"^[70] This particular pair of metaphors, the root and the star, occurs together nowhere else in the Bible. Perhaps a little closer look at them will prove helpful.

CHRIST; THE ROOT AND THE STAR

Can anyone imagine two things more unlike than a root and a star? This proves that the Holy Spirit gave these words, for no man would ever have dared to describe the Lord in one breath as a root and a star. Yet, both terms are frequently applied to Christ in Scripture. The metaphor of the root appears in Revelation 5:8; Romans 15:12; Isaiah 11:1-2; and in this passage. That of the star is in Numbers 24:17; Matthew 2:2; 2 Peter 1:19. It is the contrast in these metaphors which we shall emphasize.

I. Here is the contrast between the near and the far. A root is near, but a star’s distance is measured in light years! Is it not so with Christ? Where two or three are gathered together in his name, there is he; and yet he is at the right hand of the Majesty on High.

II. Here is the contrast between the visible and the invisible. The root is hidden beneath our feet, but the star blazes forth in the sky. That is the way it is with Christ. His influence is hidden and works secretly like leaven in the three measures of meal; but it also blazes forth in all creation. The influence of Christ is so universal and extensive that a fool can see it.

III. Here is a contrast between the earthly and the heavenly. Jesus Christ is both perfect man and perfect God. The New Testament has many examples of the humanity of Christ. He was hungry, tired, sorrowful, etc., like all men; but his miracles proclaim him as God of every God.

IV. Here is the contrast between the local and the universal. A root is fixed. It cannot move, except to creep a short distance from its humble beginning; but a star sweeps through the outer reaches of the universe in an orbit of incomprehensible distances. Its light travels 186,200 miles per second, and that for one million years at a time! A root may be localized and contained in an earthen jar; but a star rises for the whole world to see and hangs a blazing lantern in the sky where none can miss it. Is not also Christ like this? To individuals, Christ is "my Saviour," "my shepherd," etc.; but to the world he is the Christ of the Ages, the Christ of the first century and of the last; he is the Christ of Damascus Road, and the Christ of Every Road. He is the Christ of a little child’s bedside and the Christ of all races and conditions of man. He is here; he is also everywhere.

V. Here is the contrast with that which is small and that which is big. A root may be so small that an eye can hardly see it; but a star may be so large that a million worlds cannot be compared with it. Jesus Christ is so great that time and space cannot contain him; but he was also wrapped in swaddling clothes and laid in a manger. Mary clutched him to her breast" and little children sing of the "Little Lord Jesus"; but multitudes of the heavenly host fall down in his presence.

VI. Here is the contrast between the high and the low. A star is high; a root is low. Christ is both:

There’s not a friend like the lowly Jesus;

No friend like him is so high and holy;

And yet no friend is so meek and lowly!^[71]

VII. Here is the contrast between that which needs man’s care and that which needs nothing. A root must be watered and cultivated; a star needs absolutely nothing from man. Just so, Christ is above and beyond all people. Nothing that men can do can either cause or prevent the everlasting glory that pertains to him; and yet Christ needs people. There are certain phases of his work that cannot get on without men. Christ works through his human children, and their labors are important to the Eternal. "For it is God who worketh in you both and to will and to work for his good pleasure" (Philippians 2:13).

^[68] Olivia Crouch, All Things New (Austin, Texas: Firm Foundation Publishing House, 1976), p. 230.

^[69] R. C. H. Lenski, op. cit., p. 663.

^[70] Ralph Earle, Beacon Bible Commentary, Vol. 10 (Kansas City: Beacon Hill Press, 1967), p. 625.

^[71] Johnson Oatman, Jr., There’s Not a Friend, Hymn No. 267, Great Songs of the Church (Cincinnati, Ohio: Standard Publishing Company).

Commentary on Revelation 22:12-16 by Manly Luscombe

12 “And behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to give to every one according to his work. Keep the faith. Remain faithful even in times of persecution. Here is the reason. When Christ comes for the second time, he will bring the reward with him. You will be judged by the deeds done in your body, good or bad. (2 Corinthians 5:10). When Christ comes again, this world and the things done in this life will end.

13 I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End, the First and the Last.” Christ uses the same description at the beginning and the end of this book. Alpha and Omega - are the first and last letters in the Greek alphabet. With our alphabet we would say, “Everything from A to Z.” Beginning and end - Christ was before the beginning of creation. He will continue when this planet melts with fervent heat and the elements are burned up. (See Revelation 1:8)

14 Blessed are those who do His commandments, that they may have the right to the tree of life, and may enter through the gates into the city. Again, similar statements were made at the beginning of the book. (Revelation 1:3) The first of the “blessed” statements was to pronounce a blessing on all who read, heed and obey the commands of this book. The obedient have the Tree of Life. The obedient are allowed to enter the city (the church). Heaven (the reward that Christ will bring) will be given to those who are in the holy city, the New Jerusalem.

15 But outside are dogs and sorcerers and sexually immoral and murderers and idolaters, and whoever loves and practices a lie. In the city are the obedient. Outside are all others. John gives another short list similar to Revelation 21:8.

16 “I, Jesus, have sent My angel to testify to you these things in the churches. I am the Root and the Offspring of David, the Bright and Morning Star.” Jesus explain that he sent his angel to reveal these things to the churches. Jesus identifies himself as the Root and Offspring of David. Jesus was involved in the creation of man. Therefore, Jesus was the root, the origin, of David. In his earthly blood line, Jesus was of the offspring of David. Christ is both the origin and the descendent of David. Jesus is also the bright and morning star. The morning star is the bright star that can still be seen as the day dawns. Even though the sky has become light, this star is still visible.

Verses 17-19

Rev 22:17-19

4. AN INVITATION AND A WARNING

Revelation 22:17-19

17 And the Spirit and the bride say, Come.--The invitation is to come to Christ, and is based upon his right to our devotion and service. This right rests upon his character as Creator and the legal Ruler in the "tabernacle of David." The Holy Spirit entreats us to come by the teachings of the apostles and prophets. These contain the motives of mercy and rewards, as found in this book and other parts of the sacred record. The church, which is the wife (Revelation 21:9), invites by preaching the word and proper Christian living. Those that hear (heed) are authorized to say, Come. Those who desire and are willing may take the water of life freely--that is, can have an abundant "entrance into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ." (2 Peter 1:11.) With such invitations no earnest and honest soul need be lost.

18 If any man shall add unto them, God shall add unto him the plagues which are written in this book.--This is probably the language of John himself. He warns of the disasters that will come upon those who tamper with the divine record of this book. The same principle applies to all God’s laws at whatever time they are in force. (Deuteronomy 4:2; Galatians 1:6-9.) John, however, is here speaking of Revelation; the expression this book is sufficient proof. Being a prophetic book with the fulfillment of its symbols yet future when John wrote, there would be more temptations to change its words to fit supposed fulfillments. The desire to add other predictions would need to be curbed.

The opposite danger--leaving out what might seem to conflict with views already taken--would also be strong. Those rejecting any part of the book would lose their inheritance in the heavenly city. This will condemn not only actual mutilation of the book, but also its perversion through teaching to support a false theory. No book should be studied with more caution or care.

Commentary on Revelation 22:17-19 by Foy E. Wallace

II. THE INVITATIONAL AND BENEDICTORY CONCLUSION

Revelation 22:17 : And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely.

As heretofore mentioned, these concluding admonitory words were the sayings of John himself, not of Jesus, in which he sounded the note of an unlimited invitation, but not an unconditional one. This seventeenth verse of the last chapter of Revelation has had a first place in gospel preaching for centuries. It has been proclaimed the high note of redemption and has been compared to ringing the bells of heaven. It was the call to all men to come to the river and the tree of life within the wonderful city of verse fourteen. The city was the New Jerusalem, which has been specifically and repeatedly designated the Lamb’s Bride--the church of Christ.

The Spirit which joined in this invitation was the One Spirit before the apocalyptic throne, from which the seven spirits of the vision had proceeded. Joined with the Spirit in this great invitation was the Bride, bidding all to come within her walls. And the Seer himself exhorted any one who heareth--who had heard the Spirit and the Bride say, Come--to ring the bell and join the refrain by saying, Come. And all who would thereafter hear this book of Revelation read in the churches (Revelation 1:3) should join the glad chorus and say, Come. All who were athirst, without the water of salvation, were entreated to come, to the river which flowed the thirst--quenching water of life, to drink of which one would never thirst again. (John 4:14) And to make this gospel call all inclusive John said: whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely. Salvation full and free was offered to all, but within the sphere of salvation-- the church. And it was made conditional by in saying whosoever will, and in the accompanying word take. These words expressed conditions. They required that the will of man shall yield to the will of God in the doing of the commandments of Revelation 22:14. The phrase let himcome implies that the gospel is persuasive, not coercive. No one can shoot the gospel into a sinner nor machine-gun Christianity into a heathen--but he that will, whosoever or wheresoever he may be, can come without hindrance or restraint.

Revelation 22:18-19 : If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book: and if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book.

These verses were prefaced by the statement of John for I testify unto every man. The preposition for connects this verse with the preceding Revelation 22:17. It conveys the meaning: in view of which, or in consideration of which, or with reference to which--that is, the universal invitation brought forth a universal admonition, a caution and a warning: the fateful consequences of adding to or taking from the Word of God. Though the restriction in itself was limited to these things and this book, the other portions of the Word of God in the other epistles are not less important than the book of Revelation, and the injunction therefore applies with equal appeal and penalty to all of the inspired scriptures. It means that any alteration of them in any degree is criminal in the sight of God.

The same injunction was included in the Mosaic law (Deuteronomy 4:2); and the principle was embodied in the apostolic epistles (1 Corinthians 4:6 ; 2 John 1:9-11). The effect in its application of all scripture would be the same (2 Timothy 3:16-17) and the consequences therefore the same. An instance of the evil results of presumptuous men changing the truth was put into the record in the cases of Hymenaeus, Alexander and Philetus (1 Timothy 1:19-20 -- 2 Timothy 2:17-18); and the direful end of such presumption is damnation. (Romans 1:22-25;-2 Thessalonians 2:8-12)

The consequences of such interpolation and deduction were the anathemas of the plagues and forfeiture of all portion in the book of life, the holy city, or the promised rewards. The names of all who would thus divert and pervert divine revelation would be erased from the registry of the citizens of the city of God.

Commentary on Revelation 22:17-19 by Walter Scott

This revelation, not of glory, but of Himself, the Bridegroom of the bride, at once stirs up her slumbering affections. Her heart is roused. Jesus has kindled a fire in her soul which cannot be put out. She hears Him say “I am the Bright and Morning Star.” It is the voice of her Beloved, and at once the appeal is answered, “The Spirit and the bride say, Come,” that is, to Him. The first two clauses of Revelation 22:17 are the answer to the last clause of Revelation 22:16. We have not the response of the Spirit only, but that of the bride jointly with the Spirit. It is not the Spirit in the bride, but both who unite in the cry to Him, Come. Then each individual hearer is invited to join in the glad welcome, Come. This is the day when the midnight cry has gone forth, “Behold the Bridegroom,” (Authorities omit the word “cometh” from Matthew 25:6.) the day of grace, of God’s long-suffering mercy. So now the call goes out to every thirsty soul. Is anyone wearied, disappointed? Here is a word which covers all need. “Let him that is athirst come.” Again we meet with a word which is sufficiently comprehensive to embrace every willing soul on earth, for none is forgotten, “He that will, let him take (the) water of life freely.”

A SOLEMN WARNING.

Revelation 22:18-19 — “I testify to every one who hears the words of the prophecy of this book. If any one shall add to these things, God shall add to him the plagues which are written in this book. And if any one take from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part from the tree of life, and out of the holy city, which are written in this book.” Wherever the words of this prophecy are read or heard this deeply solemn warning applies. It is stern denunciation by the Lord. He testifies of the awful sin, of the ruinous consequences to every soul who adds to or takes from this verbally inspired book. To tamper with the words of the prophecy of the book is to bring oneself under the divine lash. The plagues of the book, which are many and varied, are added in righteous retribution to those who add to its words. Those who take from the words of the prophecy shall have their part taken from the tree of life, and from the holy city. It is thus that God guards the book which above all others in the sacred canon is treated with neglect and by many with contempt. (“Yet the writer has transcribers of his book especially in view, and wishes to prevent them from making any arbitrary alterations, as was then often done, especially in writings of the same prophetic kind; so Grotius, Vitringa, etc.” — “Bleek’s Lectures an the Apocalypse,” p. 355.)

Commentary on Revelation 22:17-19 by E.M Zerr

Revelation 22:17. The subject running through this verse is along the line of invitations. It has been stated more than once that as to the relative place of the items in the over-all vision of this book, the time of the judgment has been reached. From that standpoint there would be no reason to give anyone an invitation to come for salvation--that opportunity has passed. Yet in reality, aside from the symbolized feature of the book, the basic purpose of the book of Revelation is to give the world a final document from Heaven as an incentive for preparing to meet the day of all days, the second coming of Christ and the judgment of the world. Otherwise there would be no point in inviting men to come and drink of the water of life. Nor would there be any call for the warning sounded in the two verses following this. Hence we shall consider the important phrases of this combined invitation. The bride is the (espoused) church (2 Corinthians 11:2) and the Spirit is in the church (Ephesians 2:22). The church of Christ has a standing invitation to people of the world, wishing them to accept the salvation offered so freely. In truth, it is the only organization that has any right to make such an offer (Ephesians 3:21 and 1 Timothy 3:15). But others as individuals have the right to repeat the invitation, hence the verse says for those who hear to repeat the call. That makes it the duty of every individual to be active in the salvation of souls. Let him that is athirst come. This is in line with the statement of Jesus in Matthew 5:6 that they who hunger and thirst after righteousness shall be filled. That is logical, for unless a man is thirsty he will not be interested in the opportunity to drink. Whosoever will signifies the same as the preceding comment, that unless a man is willing it would do him no good to go through the formality of obeying the Gospel. Let it be observed also that the blessing is to those who come. Man must come to the fountain for it will not be moved towards him for his convenience. The water of life is the same that Jesus made known to the woman of Samaria (John 4:10-14). This water is the word of God and it will be in man "a well of water springing up into everlasting life." It is offered freely which means abundantly and without the price such as silver and gold.

Revelation 22:18. It is asked if the phrase this book refers to the book of Revelation or to the whole Bible. Its direct application is to this book for it is the one that John was engaged to write. But the principle applies to the entire word of God, for 1 Peter 4:11 commands "any man" who speaks to do so as the oracles of God. That would not be done were he to make any change in the Sacred Text, either by adding to it or by taking from it. To add unto these things would not be done only by literally writing some uninspired words to the document; no person is apt to do that. But when a man assumes the privilege of practicing things not authorized in the book,he thereby adds to it in principle. The plagues were symbolized and were repeated in various forms. The idea is that such a man will be plagued as severely as those described.

Revelation 22:19. There is nothing put in the book of God that is not necessary, therefore it is sinful to take any of it out. That would be done by rejecting any of its requirement. (See Hebrews 2:2.) Take away his part. No man actually has possession of any part of the things in the holy city, but God has prepared a part for each person who will prepare himself for it by faithfulness to the word.

Commentary on Revelation 22:17-19 by Burton Coffman

Revelation 22:17

And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And he that heareth, let him say, Come. And he that is athirst, let him come: he that will, let him take the water of life freely.

The Spirit and the bride say, Come ... "The Spirit is the Holy Spirit, and the bride is the church (Revelation 21:2; Revelation 21:9). It is the testimony of the church empowered by the Holy Spirit."^[72] Note that there are four invitations in this verse, yet there is only one. "It is not as though the Spirit says, Come; and then also the bride says, Come; but the Spirit moves in her, and she is moved by him."^[73]

Come ... This is what people have to do if they wish to be saved. This verb implies that unless men shall "come," they shall continue to be lost. This means that God in Christ has already done everything that even God can do to save people, and that the next move is up to them. This also inherently teaches that it is possible for people to do this. No enabling act on God’s part is necessary; it is the human will that must respond to this call.

And he that heareth, let him say, Come ... Roberts tells us that, "There is evidence from early sources (Didache 10:6-7), that this was a liturgical prayer used in the ritual of the Lord’s supper."^[74] This is no doubt correct; and it is most important in determining the meaning of "come" in this passage and elsewhere in the New Testament. The word maranatha, transliterated from the Aramaic was commonly used in such rituals, and it may be written either marana tha, or as maran atha (The old manuscripts did not divide between words.). Note the discussion of these two ways of dividing this word in 1 Corinthians 16:2, and see the discussion in my Commentary on 1Corinthians, pp. 284,285. Remember that there is just as much authority for rendering "Come, Lord Jesus" as "The Lord has come,"^[75] as there is for understanding it as a petition for him to come. In fact, there is a double meaning in it. It means, "Come Lord, and be with us in the communion, as thou hast promised"; but it also means, "Lord, come in the Second Advent." The Supper itself was observed with reference to that future event as well as a reference to the crucifixion. What better way could there have been to preserve this mystical implication than by using one word that gathered up multiple meanings in itself, maranatha? The late great Christian scholar, J. W. Roberts, left us this priceless comment:

At the table (of the Lord’s Supper) they saw his presence with the eye of faith and took it as a pledge of his ultimate manifestation at the parousia ... (John) knows that the church will join in saying of Christ, Come.^[76]

The double meaning here extends even further than this, for the saying of "Come" by the Spirit and by the church also refers to the invitation for men to accept the gospel, as already pointed out.

The key word in this passage should be rendered maranatha, as a single word with two meanings. It is a tragedy that the usual scholarly bias to the effect that all of the first century Christians believed the Second Advent to be scheduled for their immediate future has caused them to edit out of the word one of its legitimate meanings by writing it marana tha. We defy anyone to deny that there is just as much authority for writing it maran atha. To divide the word at all is to impose an interpretation upon it. The true meaning is that, "The Christians prayed for the Lord to come in whatever manner of visitation he should choose."^[77]

And let him that heareth say, Come ... This is directed not to the Lord but to sinners to accept the gospel. "The personal responsibility of each Christian to bear testimony to the lordship of Christ is here asserted."^[78] We also agree with Strauss that many Christians are not living up to this trust, because, "The contemporary church is snarled up in the clergy system."^[79]

It will be noted here that we construe the first two "Comes" as directed to Christ, and the latter two as directed to sinners. Beasley-Murray also concurred: "It is more likely that John intends us to view the call in the first two sentences as directed to the Lord."^[80] H. B. Swete also took this view.^[81]

^[72] Robert H. Mounce, op. cit., p. 395.

^[73] R. C. H. Lenski, op. cit., p. 670.

^[74] J. W. Roberts, op. cit., p. 201.

^[75] F. F. Bruce, Answers to Questions (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan Publishing House, 1973), p. 100.

^[76] J. W. Roberts, op. cit., p. 201.

^[77] Ibid., p. 202.

^[78] James D. Strauss, op. cit., p. 293.

^[79] Ibid.

^[80] G. R. Beasley-Murray, op. cit., p. 344.

^[81] H. B. Swete, as quoted by William Barclay, op. cit., p. 229.

Revelation 22:18-19

I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto them, God shall add unto him the plagues which are written in this book: and if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part from the tree of life, and out of the holy city, which are written in this book.

The sacred prohibition against either adding to or taking from the word of God may not be restricted to the book of Revelation. We have already noted that John was conscious of this book’s being the last of the sacred canon (see under 5:11); and it should be observed here that John tailored his words to include both his prophecy and the canon. "Prophecy of this book" (Revelation 22:18), means the book of Revelation; "book of this prophecy" (Revelation 22:19) means the entire Bible. There is the additional fact that the prohibition against adding to or taking from, is here identical with the warning in the Old Testament to the same effect (Deuteronomy 4:2; Deuteronomy 12:32). John was not conscious merely of writing Scripture, but of writing the final Scripture.

The solemn prohibitions here are not directed solely against copyists, but against all perverters of sacred truth.^[82] We view these two verses as the words of Jesus." Swete says, "The speaker is surely Jesus."^[83] Why should John have appended this here when he did not do so in the case of his gospel? This action here, signaling the end of the New Testament, was not taken by John, but by Jesus.

The prophecy of this book ... "The Apocalypse is a book of prophecy; four times it is called that in Revelation (Revelation 1:3; Revelation 22:10; Revelation 22:18-19 and here)."^[84]

If any man shall add unto them ... "Those who allow this book to form a basis of unbridled fancy, or a ground of bitter dispute and controversy cannot be excused from serious blame and fault."^[85] Certainly the importing of whole systems of theological speculations must be seen as forbidden. Wesley understood the prohibitions "as applicable to the whole New Testament."^[86] "God’s word is neither a human discovery, nor a human invention."^[87] We should recognize such truth in all our studies of the word of God.

If any man shall take away from the words ...

Inasmuch as this portion of the word of God is rooted in, interwoven with, and is the completion of, all the word of God, it becomes impossible to tamper with this final book without maltreating what had been given by God before.^[88]

"These words are a solemn protest against the spirit which handles rashly or deceitfully God’s word."^[89] Any violation of God’s word, whether by adding to it, or taking from it, or by making one’s wishes the parent of his interpretation, is strictly prohibited. The tendency of people to violate the word of God evidently underlies the efforts of some to make these verses not the words of the apostle, but of "some later scribe, anxious that none should alter the book in the days to come."^[90] Alford noted that, "This is an awful warning to those who add to it by irreverent and trifling interpretations."^[91]

It is the humble prayer of this student of the Scriptures that none of the interpretations presented either add to or subtract from what is written. Any view, or any interpretation that violates what the text says should be rejected.

^[82] Isbon T. Beckwith, op. cit., p. 779.

^[83] H. B. Swete, op. cit., p. 311.

^[84] W. A. Criswell, Expository Sermons on Revelation (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan Publishing House, 1962). IV. p. 166.

^[85] Charles R. Erdman, The Revelation of John (Philadelphia: The Westminster Press, 1966), p. 180.

^[86] John Wesley, op. cit., in loco.

^[87] George Eldon Ladd. op. cit., p. 296.

^[88] G. H. Lang, The Revelation of Jesus Christ (London: Portsmouth Press, 1945), p. 385.

^[89] W. Boyd Carpenter, Ellicott’s Bible Commentary, Vol. VIII (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan Publishing Company, 1959), p. 636.

^[90] William Barclay, op. cit., p. 232.

^[91] Alford as quoted by Lenski, op. cit., p. 673

Commentary on Revelation 22:17-19 by Manly Luscombe

17 And the Spirit and the bride say, “Come!” And let him who hears say, “Come!” And let him who thirsts come. Whoever desires, let him take the water of life freely. The door to the city is always open. The invitation to come to Christ is not closed here on earth. Jesus stands at the door of our heart and knocks, waiting for us to open. (Revelation 3:20) Jesus invites all to accept the invitation for salvation. (Matthew 11:28-30). Are you thirsty? Jesus offers the water of life. Are you hungry? Jesus is the bread of life. Are you facing death? Jesus offers the Tree of Life. Are you weary? Jesus offers spiritual rest.

18 For I testify to everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: If anyone adds to these things, God will add to him the plagues that are written in this book; 19 and if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part from the Book of Life, from the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book. NOTE: This warning is specific to the book of Revelation. However, similar statements are made elsewhere in the Scriptures. They are inspired of God. We, finite humans, do not have the knowledge or power to alter, revise, add to, take from, or substitute anything written here. (Deuteronomy 4:2; Deuteronomy 12:32; Proverbs 30:6). With the warning comes a promise. If you add to the things written here, God will add the plagues that are recorded in this book.

Verses 20-21

Rev 22:20-21

5. A FINAL PROMISE AND BENEDICTION

Revelation 22:20-21

20 He who testifieth these things saith, Yea.--Regardless of how or by whom these things were made known to John, Jesus was the real source of the revelation. He here places the stamp of approval upon them by saying "Yea"--that is, they are true. On the promise "I come quickly" see note on verse 7. As already noted, Jesus could not have meant that he would come soon after talking to John, for centuries have passed since then and he has not come yet. To God it may be "quickly," but to us the point of importance is the element of certainty that the promise carries, regardless of its actual time. To these words John replied: "Come, Lord Jesus." The meaning is this "Come, Lord, in your own time and for the purpose in view." Truly a pious wish that should fulfill every contrite heart.

21 The usual benediction closes this book, and with it ends God’s written revelation to men.

This study of Revelation has been pursued with both pleasure and profit to the author. It is hoped that the results of his labors may prove helpful to the readers. With a prayer for the "grace of the Lord Jesus" to rest upon these comments upon the sublime symbols of man’s duty and destiny, this book is submitted to the candid consideration of "honest and good hearts."

Commentary on Revelation 22:20-21 by Foy E. Wallace

Revelation 22:20 : He which testifieth these things saith, Surely I come quickly. Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus. Since John was here writing the epilogue to the apocalypse, and the vision had been completed, the reference to these words of Jesus was the quotation of what he had said to John in the vision. And the words, surely, I come quickly, were not in reference to the second coming of the Christ; but rather the promise to the churches in tribulation. He had so promised, and that repeatedly, to come in the events ready to occur; and the promise had been repeated to each of the seven churches in various forms. These events were shortly to take place and Jesus would therefore in keeping with his promise come quickly. John had testified that Jesus had so promised--and he consistently, believingly and confidently responded, Even so, come, Lord Jesus. And it is the recorded fact that their Lord Jesus did come in the events of that generation to which John belonged, the words of Jesus himself being true (Matthew 23:36; Matthew 24:34 --and He whose very name was THE FAITHFUL AND TRUE and THE WORD OF GOD (Revelation 19:11-13) was the surety for their fulfillment at that time. The word amen meant so may it be; and even so meant, exactly in that manner. The word evenconnected with so meant “precisely,” and precise means minutely exact, not varying in the slightest degree from truth and accuracy; and so is an adverb of manner--therefore, the words amen, even so, come, Lord Jesus, meant “so may it be in this manner, come Lord Jesus.” This was the apostle’s six-word closing prayer to the Lord who had testified to him these things on the Aegean island.

Revelation 22:21 : The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.

They all to whom John addressed this benediction were standing on the threshold of all that had been envisioned and disclosed to John. They were the same events described in the words of Jesus (Matthew 24:21), “such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be”- -and in a pathos which even the reader of his words can feel, the Seer of Patmos invoked the grace of Christ to be with them all. And to this benediction of grace, he added Amen.

Thus ends the greatest pageantry ever envisioned for disclosure to mortal man. Nineteen full centuries have faded into the pale nations of the past since John’s Amen, and there has been nothing in all history to replace the events of that generation to which this apocalypse belonged. The effort to stage the re-enactment of these scenes of Revelation is scripturally unexegetical and historically anachronistic.

The continuous-historical theory is biblically non-scientific, not in the occult meaning of the word, but in the sense of its inconsistent exegetics.

The future theory is non-historical because its whole thesis consists in anachronisms, the taking of events out of the period to which they belong and assigning them to the wrong periods of time, or errors in the order of time.

As an end of the world theory this continuous-history view is non-philosophical in its millennial phases in that it presents a pessimistic concept requiring the same conditions of tribulation which surrounded the church in the Roman empire to be re-enacted, bringing back into existence the empires of heathenism necessary to fulfill the symbolic delineations of the apocalypse; and a further than that millennial contention that the gospel of the Great Commission is not competent for the conversion of the world and, therefore, this dispensation in a failure to accomplish the purpose of redemption must culminate in another earthly age called the millennium.

And the future history theory is non-scriptural in its disharmony with the purposes and plan of redemption revealed throughout the New Testament. Withal, the future theory is little short of the nonsensical in the assertions necessary to bring it down through the dark ages, and is comparable to the efforts of the Roman Catholics to establish the calendar of popes from the apostle Peter to the present pope Paul; and of the Baptists to maintain their claim of an unbroken chain of church succession from John the Baptist. But from one generation to another the links fall out of both these Catholic and Protestant unhistorical chains; and the continuous-history theory of Revelation has never had a chain.

When the book of Revelation is placed where it belongs in the canon of all the other apostolic epistles, in proper chronology before the Destruction of Jerusalem; and as being an apocalyptic vision of the struggle and triumph of the Church with the existing power of Judaism and heathenism, its contents fall into complete harmony and all the parts fit--and when things fit it is a sort of prima facie evidence that they are in the right place.

In conclusion, the book of Revelation unrolls in a series of images the sublime panorama of the victory of the church over the great powers of Judaism and Romanism and Heathenism set to the theme of the promise and providence of God in the protection of his Cause and his Church, summed up in the initial divine assurance, I come quickly, and in the concluding human prayer of response, even so, come, Lord Jesus. It is between this beginning and ending that the visional message of the angels was communicated--the epistles to the seven churches signalling the approach of tribulation; the apocalypses of the conquering Christ and of the victorious church; and the vision of the glorious New Jerusalem--all of which were interspersed with lyric anthems and choral doxologies, which all together impart to the Patmos apocalypse its unique position as the apex of all revelation, and sufficient in itself to vindicate the claim of divine inspiration for all the Scriptures.

Finally, notwithstanding its apocalyptic character in reference to its historical period, and all of the obscurities which have given rise to the legion of speculations, it answers an important practical purpose--by implanting and increasing unwavering faith in the integrity of the Word of God; by engendering hope in the unfailing promises of God; by inducing patience in extreme suffering and sorrow; and by infixing implicit trust in him who is able to save to the uttermost all who believe in him, and come to him, and obey him

THE END

Commentary on Revelation 22:20-21 by Walter Scott

THE LORD’S FINAL MESSAGE TO THE CHURCH.

Revelation 22:20. — “He that testifies these things says, Yea, I come quickly. Amen; come, Lord Jesus.” In the preceding message, which is one of a stern character, the Lord speaks in the first person; here the change to the third person is to be noted, but in both messages Christ is the testifier. “These things” refer to all contained in the Apocalypse. Thus the whole contents of the book are vouched for by the Lord Himself.

“Yea, I come quickly.” It is the final message to the Church. It is the last word from Heaven till He come. The Old Testament was closed by the announcement of His Coming. The New Testament is closed by the intimation of the same grand event. But whilst the Coming is equally applied to the descent into the air (1 Thessalonians 4:1-18) as to His return to Mount Olivet (Zechariah 14:1-21), yet the connection is very different. Grace and judgment respectively stand related to these two comings, or rather to the two stages of the one Coming. The Old Testament closes with a threatened curse. The New Testament closes with a benediction of grace. Compare the last verse in each book.

“Yea” is the confirmation, the absolute certainty, of the truth stated, “I come quickly.” This is His last spoken word. He has kept silence now for about two thousand years. But the event for which the Church prays and hopes is about to be fulfilled. The Lord is at hand. It has been a weary time, a waiting time, a suffering time, but His Coming, or presence, shall turn the gloom of night into gladness and everlasting joy. The shadows of time are passing away, and the first faint streaks of an eternal day, which knows neither evening nor tears, are almost discernible. Hold on, ye wearied pilgrim host! Joy cometh in the morning. We wait for Him, not for the fulfilment of prophecy. Is His Coming a reality in our souls? Does it influence the life, and shape the conduct, and impart vigor as we press on?

THE ANSWERING VOICE OF THE CHURCH.

Revelation 22:20 — John, as the representative of the Church, answers the Lord’s declaration. Doubtless his words formed the expression of his own desire. The aged Seer had witnessed visions and sights; had been the spectator and actor in scenes overwhelmingly grand, but on the fulfilment of this great fact they all repose: the personal return of the Lord. This was announced by the coming One Himself, and the heart of the aged apostle is thrilled. But led and controlled by the ever-present Holy Ghost he not only gives expression to his own feelings, but voices those of the whole Church, “Amen; come, Lord Jesus.” The Yea and Amen, Greek and Hebrew affirmatives, are united in the introduction to the book (Revelation 1:7). Here they are separated. The Lord assures us of the certainty of His Coming, “Yea, I come.” The Church rejoices in the immutability of His word, “Amen; come.” Can this word fail? Impossible. Will the Lord not keep His tryst with His people? Surely. “Quickly” He comes. Ah! it seems long. But according to divine reckoning the Lord has not been away quite two full days (2 Peter 3:8). “The Lord is not slack concerning His promise.” The persecutions and sorrows of Israel, the sins and griefs of a stricken earth, and the hopelessness and distractions of the professing Church call aloud for a Deliverer. All is the merest patchwork in political government and social legislation. A strong governing hand is needed, and this need will soon be met in Christ Jesus. But we have a personal interest in Him Who is Coming. For us He died, for us He lives, and for us He comes. “Amen; come, Lord Jesus,” is the ardent exclamation of the Church of God.

A CLOSING BENEDICTION.

Revelation 22:21. — “The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ (be) with ALL THE SAINTS.” This is the reading generally adopted by competent authorities. It is just like the heart of Christ. His unclouded favor rests upon “all the saints.” The strongest and the weakest, the father and the babe, are equally objects of His grace. Irrespective, too, of the ways of His people, His grace rests upon them. Through clouds and sunshine, by night and by day, in all times and circumstances, His unfailing grace is their support and strength. It is grace from beginning to end, from otherwise hopeless ruin till complete redemption.

The Amen closing the book is a doubtful reading.

We bring to a close these comments on this marvelous book, which have been a source of personal profit and blessing, in the earnest desire, moreover, that when He comes He will find a people morally prepared to greet Him.

“He that testifies these things says, yea, I come quickly. Amen, come, Lord Jesus.”

Commentary on Revelation 22:20-21 by E.M. Zerr

Revelation 2:20. He which testifieth these things means Christ according to the statement in Revelation 1:1. I come quickly is also stated in Revelation 22:7; Revelation 22:12 and explained in connection with those passages. The word surely is added at this place for the sake of emphasis. The attitude of John to that announcement is that which every faithful disciple will have. In 2 Timothy 4:8 the apostle Paul is speaking of the crown to be given him at the coming of Christ. He says it will be for him but not for him only; it will be unto all them also that love his appearing. If a man is living a rightous life he will not dread to think either of death or the judgment.

Revelation 22:21. The grace of the Lord is the favor that is bestowed upon all who are living in faithful service to Him. All can be faithful regardless of human weaknesses, hence no reason exists why anyone should be rejected when He comes. John lovingly thinks of his brethren to whom he is to commit this book and wishes for the favor of Christ to be with them. When Amen is used at the close of a sentence or composition, it means "so be it, may it be fulfilled." John has no regrets about anything he has been told to write, and hence closes the great book with the sincere endorsement.

Commentary on Revelation 22:20-21 by Burton Coffman

Revelation 22:20

He who testifieth these things saith, Yea: I come quickly. Amen: come, Lord Jesus.

In this terse statement, "Christ sums up the book."^[92] This also has the utility of revealing Christ as the author of the two previous verses. They are Christ’s words, not even John’s, much less the words of some nameless scribe.

Yea; I come quickly. Amen: come, Lord Jesus ... See under Revelation 22:17 for further discussion of the use of these expressions in the New Testament church. As Caird summed it up:

No one who has ever read John’s book can have any doubt about what the prayer is asking. It is a prayer that Christ will come again to win in the faith of his servants the victory which is both Calvary and Armageddon.^[93]

Caird also pointed out the responsive nature of this verse, indicating "its standing in the liturgical setting of the eucharist, answered by the eucharistic prayer maranatha (1 Corinthians 16:22)."^[94] Beckwith also identified these last words with the maranatha of 1 Corinthians 16:22.^[95] See under Revelation 22:17 for the mystical double meaning of this expression. Any argument from this that the early Christians expected the literal return of Christ in their generation is absolutely untenable. Many scholars do not understand how the church of all ages prays, "Oh, Lord come," without any sense of failure due to his not having come in his Second Advent, even yet; but the answer is right here in the double meaning of this passage.

As Criswell said:

It is hard for us finite creatures of the dust and of time to realize, that there is no such thing as "time" with God. He sees the beginning; he sees the end; he sees the present; and all are alike to him. Even to us the coming of the Lord "is near," as near as the length of our life away.^[96]

^[92] J. R. Dummelow, op. cit., p. 1092.

^[93] G. B. Caird, op. cit., p. 288.

^[94] Ibid.

^[95] Isbon T. Beckwith, op. cit., p. 780.

^[96] W. A. Criswell, op. cit., IV, p. 180.

Revelation 22:21

The grace of the Lord Jesus be with the saints, Amen.

This conclusion stands in the same category as the precious benedictions of Paul in the rest of the New Testament. "It is surely symbolical, and it is surely fitting, that the last words of the Bible should be GRACE!"^[97]

Revelation is written for the saints, to them alone it is spoken; they alone can keep it. Let no man think that if he has not already found Christ that he may find him here. Here indeed, faith and love are the key to knowledge.^[98]

Strauss made the similar observation that, "Revelation is not for the curiosity seeker or for religious fanatics, but for all those who would continue to the end."^[99]

As we meditate upon this, the last verse of the New Testament, we feel something of the emotions of many others who have concluded similar studies in the word of God. Carpenter concluded with this prayer:

May He (who alone can) open our eyes to see the shining towers of the Heavenly Jerusalem; and may he unseal our ears, and bind us by his love to that sweet service and citizenship which are perfect freedom, and bring us to that spiritual city which is full of divine enchantment.^[100]

Adam Clarke composed a few lines of poetry, the first two (lines) regarding himself, and the last four for his readers:

Like travelers when they see their native soil, Writers rejoice to terminate their toil. My latest labour’s end at length is gained, My longest journey’s welcome goal attained, By God’s assistance has the work been wrought, By his direction to your dwellings brought.^[101]

Our own thoughts area strange mingling of joy and sorrow. We praise God that, through some twelve years of intensive New Testament study, life, vigor, and health have been graciously preserved by the Lord, and that my precious wife, Thelma, has likewise been preserved and blessed as a sharer in these labors. But no joy of completion can equal that of having been permitted to think God’s thoughts after him and to pursue the sacred writings with invariable purpose for so long. The conclusion of any worthy effort of such duration is necessarily also an occasion of melancholy. An era in our lives is over; and through our tears we write, "Blessed be the name of the Lord." Houston, Texas, March 17,1979.

^[97] William Barclay, op. cit., p. 232.

^[98] Charles H. Roberson, Studies in Revelation (Tyler, Texas: P. D. Wilmeth, P.O. Box 3305,1957), p. 198.

^[99] James D. Strauss, op. cit., p. 295.

^[100] W. Boyd Carpenter, op. cit., p. 637.

^[101] Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Holy Bible (London: Carlton and Porter, 1829), VI, p. 170.

Commentary on Revelation 22:20-21 by Manly Luscombe

20 He who testifies to these things says, “Surely I am coming quickly.” Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus! Again Jesus promises to come quickly. He knows that Christians are suffering. He will respond with speed and in accordance with the plan of God. Just as Jesus promises to begin fulfilling the prophesies of this book, the prayer of the first century Christians was, “Come, Lord Jesus.” In 1 Corinthians 16:22, Paul ends this letter to the church at Corinth with the word “Maranatha.” Maranatha is a transliteration of an idiomatic expression. This phrase means - Come now. Come quickly. I am ready, come and get me. This word was a common prayer of the persecuted church.

The implication of the prayer was to say -

1. Lord, I am tired of the suffering and pain.

2. Lord, I am ready for you to come and take me away from this evil world.

3. Lord, come with vengeance on these wicked persecutors.

4. Lord, come with love for your faithful servant.

5. Lord, come with your arms open for me.

21 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen. God will bless us as we read publicly this book. God’s grace will shine on us as we listen, study and understand this book. Christ will be with you as you obey the commands of this book. Amen and Amen.

Concluding Remarks

“The pageant is over, and the final curtain has been drawn. John has seen and has shown his audience the picture of God’s care over them in their conflict, the certainty of their triumph over the terrible conditions of the day, and the glory which is beyond the grave which is opening before them.” (2, 217)

We have reached the end of the Revelation of God. With the close of this book of prophecy, the pen of inspiration is laid down. We now have the will, the mind, and the plan of God. It has been revealed. Now the task is ours. We must read, study, listen, understand and then obey the teachings contained in this volume. We must review our notes and continually try to make the application of the principles taught.

“But in the days of the voice of the seventh angel, when he shall begin to sound, the mystery of God should be finished, as he hath declared to his servants the prophets.” (Revelation 10:7) The things that were a mystery, matters not clearly understood, are now unambiguous. We have been reminded that God knows about our pain and suffering. God is aware of the evil and wickedness in the world. God will not allow this human suffering to continue forever. There will come a time when the patience of God will end. There will come a point where longer delay would not help. When the world refuses to repent; when God warns about judgment; when man is made aware of the terror of an eternal Hell; AND he refuses to repent - God has no choice but to bring this world to an end.

I concur with the conclusion of Woodruff. “Revelation is written in beautiful symbolic language which is the culmination of symbolism used throughout the Scripture. I sincerely believe the book can be understood if we always remember to let the Bible be the final authority for interpretation.” (1, 436)

Ray Summers ends his commentary with these words. “Who can read this book which breathes the atmosphere of victorious faith and courageous trust in God, with the unfailing assurance in the fulfillment of his purpose and the victory of the Christ of the cross and the empty tomb, without shouting with the people of the book -

Worthy is the Lamb that was slain,

And has redeemed us to God by his blood,

To receive power, and riches, and wisdom,

And might, and honor, and glory,

And blessing, and dominion,

Forever and ever,

Amen.” (2, 218)

NOTE: The praise of the Lamb of God is from Rev 5:12.

Sermon on Revelation 22:1-21

The Tree of Life

Brent Kercheville

In the first five verses of chapter 22 belong with the description of the bride, New Jerusalem coming down from heaven, recorded in Revelation 21:9-27. New Jerusalem is a picture of the people of God in their perfected state, receiving the eternal rewards and final blessings promised for their faithfulness to God (cf. Revelation 19:7-8).

The River of the Water of Life (Revelation 22:1-5)

The angel shows John the river of the water of life. This river of living water is pictured as being as bright as crystal. Near the campus of Florida College runs the Hillsborough River. It is not a beautiful river. It is dark, full of tree limbs and moss. There is nothing about that river that calls for a person to jump in. The river flowing through the New Jerusalem is desirable and beautiful. These are the flowing waters that bring life. These are pure waters. The river of the water of life flows from the throne of God and the Lamb. Remember that there is no temple in the city. God and the Lamb are on the throne and the river of life is flowing from the throne through the middle of the street of the city. All who belong to this city have access to the river of the water of life for it flows through the middle of the city right down its main street. Zechariah and Ezekiel use the same imagery for this glorious time.

On that day living waters shall flow out from Jerusalem, half of them to the eastern sea and half of them to the western sea. It shall continue in summer as in winter. (Zechariah 14:8 ESV)

Then he brought me back to the door of the temple, and behold, water was issuing from below the threshold of the temple toward the east (for the temple faced east). The water was flowing down from below the south end of the threshold of the temple, south of the altar. Then he brought me out by way of the north gate and led me around on the outside to the outer gate that faces toward the east; and behold, the water was trickling out on the south side. (Ezekiel 47:1-2 ESV; cf. 47:8-9)

On either side of the river of the water of life is the tree of life. The tree of life yields fruit each month and the leaves bring healing to the nations. This imagery also comes from Ezekiel’s prophecy.

As I went back, I saw on the bank of the river very many trees on the one side and on the other. (Ezekiel 47:7 ESV)

And on the banks, on both sides of the river, there will grow all kinds of trees for food. Their leaves will not wither, nor their fruit fail, but they will bear fresh fruit every month, because the water for them flows from the sanctuary. Their fruit will be for food, and their leaves for healing.” (Ezekiel 47:12 ESV)

What an inviting picture! Come to God for healing. Healing is made available for all seasons. Life is available for all seasons. God has offered healing to the world. The river of the water of life and the tree of life represent the life of eternal fellowship with God and Christ. The last time we read about the tree of life was in the garden of Eden in Genesis. The tree of life was put in the midst of the garden (Genesis 2:9). When Adam and Eve sinned, they had to be cast out of the garden. This symbolized their separation from God. They could not be in eternal fellowship with God nor be in the presence of God because of sin. Eternal separation from God is the second death, as we saw in Revelation 20:6; Revelation 20:10; Revelation 20:14-15 and Revelation 21:8. The tree of life is now in the midst of New Jerusalem, representing God’s people having full fellowship with God and full access to God forever. This access and this healing is available to all people, not a select group. Anyone can be part of God’s people and join in this eternal fellowship to come.

Revelation 22:3-5 explain the effects of the tree of life and the river of water of life. There is nothing accursed, unlike what happened to Adam and Eve because of their sin and they experienced curses. There is no sin and therefore there is nothing accursed. The throne of God and the Lamb are in the midst of this city and his servants worship God. Verse 4 is simply staggering if we let it the words sink into our hearts. The servants of God and the Lamb will see his face and his name will be on their foreheads. The hope of God’s people is finally realized: seeing God face to face. We even sing songs in our hymnals now longing for that time when we can see God’s face. The godly are pictured as priests, worshiping God in his presence, seeing his face. His name on the foreheads of the servants continues to picture the intimate fellowship between God and his people. God recognizes his people. These are the faithful who have not succumb to worshiping things that are false gods and idols. This picture shows the fulfillment of God’s promise made to the Christians at Philadelphia.

The one who conquers, I will make him a pillar in the temple of my God. Never shall he go out of it, and I will write on him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, the new Jerusalem, which comes down from my God out of heaven, and my own new name. (Revelation 3:12 ESV)

Finally, we are reminded that there is no night there as we will live in the light and the glory of God. Everything is now perfect. There is no more evil, no more death, and no more pain.

The sun shall be no more your light by day, nor for brightness shall the moon give you light; but the LORD will be your everlasting light, and your God will be your glory. Your sun shall no more go down, nor your moon withdraw itself; for the LORD will be your everlasting light, and your days of mourning shall be ended. (Isaiah 60:19-20 ESV)

The servants of God reign forever and ever with the Lord, just as Daniel prophesied and Jesus promised.

And the kingdom and the dominion and the greatness of the kingdoms under the whole heaven shall be given to the people of the saints of the Most High; their kingdom shall be an everlasting kingdom, and all dominions shall serve and obey them (Daniel 7:27 ESV)

The one who conquers, I will grant him to sit with me on my throne, as I also conquered and sat down with my Father on his throne. (Revelation 3:21 ESV)

Final Encouragement (Revelation 22:6-21)

The timeline and the images have concluded. John seems to be left with the angel as the angel gives his final directions to John and the readers of the book. The words of this prophecy given in the book of Revelation are trustworthy and true. The Lord who inspires the prophets has sent his angel to show his servants what must soon take place. This statement reiterates what we read in the very first verse of the book of Revelation.

The revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show to his servants the things that must soon take place. He made it known by sending his angel to his servant John…. (Revelation 1:1 ESV)

Jesus then adds more to this message. “And behold, I am coming soon.” We have learned that the coming of Christ is found in a sequence of events. The book of Revelation has revealed the fall of the Jewish nation and the destruction of Jerusalem. The book of Revelation has also revealed the fall of the Roman Empire. Further, the book has revealed the calamity of the world after the fall of the Roman Empire. Finally, Revelation revealed the final judgment against Satan. The beginning of the book of Revelation stated that these “things must soon take place” (Revelation 1:1) and “the time is near” (Revelation 1:3). The end of the book of Revelation states the same. These things “must soon take place” (Revelation 22:6) and our Lord “is coming soon” (Revelation 22:7). None of these things can be said to be happening soon if the book is all about things that will happen at the second coming of Christ. None of the things were soon if the book is referring to things that have not happened yet. Let me challenge you also that there is nothing soon about the message of the book if Revelation is only about the fall of the Roman Empire, which would occur hundreds of years after this book was written. However, the book can be said to be happening soon if we see the book as a chronologyof events that began within one year after the book was written. Christ is coming in a series of judgments the Jewish nation, the Roman Empire, and Satan. The fall of Jerusalem was described by Jesus as the coming of the Son of Man in the clouds (Matthew 24:29-31). The judgment of the Jewish nation was the first event of the coming of Christ and the city’s fall would happen very shortly after the writing of this book. Any other interpretation of Revelation cannot deal with the time markers given at the beginning and end of this book.

Revelation 22:7 concludes with another call for faithfulness and endurance. Blessed are those who keep the words of the prophecy of this book. The message has been to be faithful even to death and not to worship the false idols of the world.

John is so overcome at the message that he again falls down to worship at the feet of the angel. The angel again tells John not to do this for only God must be worshiped. Do not worship any form of idolatry, not even angels. God is the only one deserving of worship.

The angel then tells John not to seal up the words of the prophecy found in this book because the time is near (Revelation 22:10). This is a parallel to the end of Daniel’s prophecy. However, at the end of Daniel’s prophecy the angel tells Daniel to seal up the book until the time of the end because the time was not near (Daniel 12:4; Daniel 12:9). It was going to be a time, times, and half a time before all these things would be finished (Daniel 12:6-7).

Revelation 22:11 also shows a direct connection to Daniel 12. Notice the parallel.

Let the evildoer still do evil, and the filthy still be filthy, and the righteous still do right, and the holy still be holy. (Revelation 22:11 ESV)

Many shall purify themselves and make themselves white and be refined, but the wicked shall act wickedly. And none of the wicked shall understand, but those who are wise shall understand. (Daniel 12:10 ESV)

Daniel’s prophecy is the best explanation of what the angel is saying to John. The wicked are not going to understand that their doom is predicted and sealed. The wise, that is the righteous, will understand and remain faithful through the prophesied tribulations. The dye is cast. The end is determine. Preach this prophecy understanding that many of the wicked are going to remain wicked. I see this truth from Revelation still in the preaching of the gospel. The righteous learn from the preaching of God’s word and are strengthened and encouraged. The wicked do not care, take God’s word flippantly, and continue in their evil ways. This does not mean we stop preaching. It means we understand that in the face of the glory of God’s blessings and revelation, the wicked will continue to be wicked.

Revelation 22:12 reminds all the readers that as the Lord comes in these judgments he is bringing recompense with him. Christ will repay everyone according to what they have done. The wicked will be repaid and the righteous will be repaid. Christ is the sum of all things. He is the beginning and the end. Blessed are those who wash their robes. They will have the right to the tree of life and may enter the city of God. The imagery of washing robes was introduced to us in Revelation 7:14. The picture is not merely being baptized, though that is certainly included in being faithful to God. Washing our robes in the blood of the Lamb means following him to our death for him even as he went to the death for us. Our robes are washed when we have fully given every ounce of our lives to the Lord in obedience and submission. Those who have fully given their lives to Jesus are on the outside of this glorious city. Dogs were regarded as despised creatures throughout the scriptures and is used metaphorically of unbelievers (cf. Matthew 7:6).

Jesus has given his testimony assuring that these events will certainly come (Revelation 22:16). Christ is the fulfillment of the previous promises concerning the Messiah and his kingdom. Now the Messiah promises that the things you have read in the book of Revelation will certainly happen. The Holy Spirit through this prophecy, God’s holy word, says, “Come!” The people of God, the bride, also says come. Join with the rest of the victorious servants of the Lamb. Let those who are thirsty seek the Lord and receive the water of life freely (cf. Isaiah 55:1-2). Come to the Lord and find life. Come to the Lord and receive the eternal blessings.

The book of Revelation concludes with one final warning. If anyone adds to the prophecy of this book, God will add to that person the plagues described in the book. If anyone takes away from the words of the prophecy of the book of Revelation, God will take away his share in the tree of life and in the holy city. Do not tinker and torture this message. Do not change the message of the book. I fear that many will suffer the consequence described in Revelation 22:18-19 because they have falsely taught from this book. They have distorted and perverted the message of Revelation for their own financial gain and notoriety. God will judge anyone who adds or takes from God’s holy word.

There are some things in them that are hard to understand, which the ignorant and unstable twist to their own destruction, as they do the other Scriptures. (2 Peter 3:16 ESV)

The result is destruction to those who twist the scriptures. God’s word is holy and must not be altered in any way. Our Lord testifies that his judgments are coming. Be ready for the fulfillment of these words found in the book of Revelation. The grace of the Lord Jesus be with all. Amen.

LESSON 26.

THE LAST WARNINGS, COMMANDS, AND PROMISES

Read Revelation 22:6-21

1. What assurance was given of no deception in the words of the; Revelation? Ans. Revelation 22:6.

2. What had John already been commanded to write regarding these words? Ans. Revelation 21:5.

3. By whom was the angel sent to reveal these things? Ans. Revelation 22:6; Revelation 22:16.

4. When were these things to come to pass? Ans. Revelation 22:6; Revelation 1:1.

5. At the time John wrote the symbols of this book were they a prophecy or history? Ans. Revelation 22:7.

6. What did John attempt to do when he had heard and seen these things. Ans. Revelation 22:8.

7. Why did the angel prevent him? Ans. Revelation 22:9.

8. What was he told not to seal up and why? Ans. Revelation 22:10.

9. What is meant by "sealing up" a book or event? Ans. Revelation 10:4.

10. What is said of the unrighteous, the filthy and their opposites? Ans. Revelation 22:11.

11. How will each person be rewarded at the coming of Christ? Ans. Revelation 22:12.

12. What is meant by Alpha and Omega? Ans. Revelation 22:13.

13. On what does the reception of the blessings of the eternal city depend? Ans. Revelation 22:14.

14. What classes of persons will not be allowed admittance? Ans. Revelation 22:15.

15. To what are all invited by the Spirit and the bride? Ans. Revelation 22:17.

16. What warning is given to all who would add to the record of this Book? Ans. Revelation 22:18.

17. What of those who would take away from the words of this Book? Ans. Revelation 22:19.

18. Does this principle apply to the rest of the Bible? Ans. Deuteronomy 4:2; Galatians 1:6-9.

19. How does Jesus place his stamp of approval upon the book of Revelation? Ans. Revelation 22:20.

20. Repeat the benediction which ends God’s written revelation to man. Ans. Revelation 22:21.

E.M. Zerr

Questions on Revelation

Revelation Chapter Twenty-Two

1. What object was shown to John?

2. Describe its appearance.

3. From where did it flow?

4. Where did the tree of life flow?

5. How many varieties of fruit on it?

6. When did it bear fruit?

7. Tell what use is made of the foliage.

8. What shall be no more?

9. Ten what shan be in the city.

10. What win God’s servants do?

11. What vision will be permitted to them?

12. By what will their foreheads be adorned?

13. Why will not any candles be needed?

14. How long will the inhabitants reign?

15. What was said unto John?

16. Why did God send his angel?

17. When will the Lord come?

18. Who is here said to be blessed?

19. What did John see and hear?

20. At this what position did he take?

21. For what purpose did he do so?

22. What did the angel say not do?

23. State his reason.

24. What was John then told to do?

25. What was he then told not to do?

26. State the reason for this command.

27. What conditions were to remain unchanged?

28. When he comes what will he have with him?

29. On what basis will it be given?

30. Repeat the next declaration.

31. What must be done to receive the blessing?

32. To what will this give them a right?

33. Into what place may they enter?

34. Where will be the dogs?

35. Who will be with them?

36. Who sent the angel?

37. For what did he send him?

38. State his relation to David.

39. Repeat his further description.

40. What do the Spirit and bride say?

41. Tell what the hearer must do after hearing.

42. What about the thirsty?

43. Who else joins in this invitation to service?

44. To whom does Christ testify?

45. On what subject does he testify?

46. State the lot of those who add to the Word.

47. And to those who take from.

48. What does the Lord say about his coming?

49. State John’s response to this.

50. Repeat the closing benediction.

Revelation Chapter Twenty-Two

Ralph Starling

Jesus promised a place of retirement that would suit,

And John sees the water of life & the tree bearing fruit.

He is told there would be no more curse,

For all their needs the Lord would serve.

There would be no need for sun by day or candle by night.

For God will be there to provide the light.

And God is faithul and true in it all.

And there will be no darkness in heaven at all.

And John on Patmos and perhaps at times sickly,

He may be encouraged by the Lord saying, "I come quickly."

And blessed is he that His word he is keeping,

For then heaven will be the place he is seeking.

The angel tells John not to seal this prophecy,

For all need to make preparation properly.

And blessed are they that keep His commandments,

For the shall inherit the promised retirement.

The invitation and opportunity is open to all

Who will respond and give Him a call.

But others who neglect or refuse to obey

When the Lord comes wil be turned away.