- So, continuing our description of the city, what else do we see?
- The river of life
- The river is as bright as crystal (suggesting in is perfectly clean)
- It is in the middle of a broad street in the city
- It originates from the throne of God and of the Lamb
- The tree of life
- It is so broad that it reaches both sides of the river
- The tree was in the garden prior but after the fall you could not eat of it. Eating of it allowed you to live forever. Now you can again eat of the fruit (Note: there are still 12 months)
- The leaves provide healing for the nations (Gentiles). Possibly the tree is what renews your body (the word translated healing is therapeutic)
- Raises an interesting question -- What if you do not have access to the tree of life, like those in the Lake of Fire?
- The curse will be completely gone
- The world will be as God originally intended it (no more weeds)
- We will worship God through our lives, not just in a worship service
- God's glory will reside in the city
- No need of night, lamp, or sun
- God will be the light in the city (New Jerusalem)
- The worshippers will reign (positions of authority and work) under God's authority
- APPLICATION: This world is not the way God intended it. Our lives are not the way God intended it. Somehow, we forget God when life is going well, and then we curse him when something bad happens. We want him to control our life so that nothing bad happens, but we don't want him in our life when things are okay. We pray and go to him in bad times, but we completely forget to read his word or pray in the good times, and then wonder why he allows things to go wrong with our lives
- A lot of these last verses repeat messages from the first chapter, this is what we commonly call the Epilogue
- Observations from Angel and / or Jesus?
- Angel reiterates the trustworthiness and truthfulness of the message
- God (it was his idea) sent his angel to show his servant what must soon take place. Fits with purpose in chapter 1 (also why I see churches as also prophetic)
- Jesus, inserts or is quoted, reiterates the blessing but with a slight difference
- Assumes you read it to get this far
- Now, you must heed it
- Observations from John?
- I heard, I saw, and implied I wrote it down
- John falls down at the angel's feet
- Second time that John is rebuked for falling down at a "fellow" servant's feet (19:10)
- Angels are fellow servants to John, other prophets, and those who keep the words of the book
- Angel reiterates the truth: worship God
- APPLICATION: Error of Satan, an angel, was to take worship from God. It is always a grave error to take worship away from God
- Why the command "not to seal up?"
- The time is near (in contrast to Daniel)
- Also, coming soon in verse 12
- The book is applicable even back in 90 AD (the church sections were applicable whether or not they recognized the prophetic aspect, they would have seen their church in the typical or universal application) -- although, the prophetic interpretation makes it even more applicable
- Verse 11 is interesting, why?
- God does not force behavior
- Christianity cannot be forced upon someone, unlike Islam or (religion)
- Sin will be judged
- What does it mean to wash your robes?
- It is an indication of believing in Christ
- Access to the tree of life -- eternal life
- Can enter the eternal city by the gates (freedom to live with God)
- Outside of God's promises are those who deny God's rule
- Dogs is also used in scripture for many impure and immoral sins, to include homosexuality (Deut 23:17, 18)
- You do wonder if there will still be original sin even in the eternal age or if the comment was a present day quote extended into the future
- APPLICATION: We don't have to be afraid to talk about the end times (don't seal it up). Actually, it can be a great opportunity to witness. You can even use the idea of rapture to make people think. Who knows--we could be raptured in their lifetimes, and that event may cause them to seek God.
- Only place in scripture where we have the phrase "I, Jesus"
- Stresses Jesus' role in this particular book
- "My angel" is the person who does most of the relating to John. He works for Jesus
- The spirit is the HS and the bride is the church of Jesus Christ
- The message is "come"
- We, who are reading, need to invite people to come
- The message is written to what type of people? to the "thirsty"
- Recognized they have a need
- Recognized that they are not satisfied
- The water of life is without price (and yet also priceless)
- Huge warning
- Don't add or take away--will be visited with the plagues described in the book
- Unbeliever will lose a chance for salvation
- Believer will lose some reward in the future (only possibility)
- Salvation is a gift but rewards are a payment
- Closing is the reminder, "I am coming soon"
- It has been almost 2000 years, which is but a day or two in God's eyes
- APPLICATION: We should live as if Jesus was coming in our lifetimes
Review: Previous
chapter, Rev 21, describes 7 of 11 major aspects of the New Jerusalem in the
eternal order
EPILOGUE
Rev
22:6-9 (ESV) And he said to me, "These words are trustworthy and true.
And the Lord, the God of the spirits of the prophets, has sent his angel to
show his servants what must soon take place."7 "And behold, I am coming soon. Blessed is the one who keeps the words of the prophecy of this book."
8 I, John, am the one who heard and saw these things. And when I heard and saw them, I fell down to worship at the feet of the angel who showed them to me, 9 but he said to me, "You must not do that! I am a fellow servant with you and your brothers the prophets, and with those who keep the words of this book. Worship God."
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Origin of the
prophecy: God & Jesus
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1:1
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22:6
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Subject of the
prophecy: coming events
|
1:1
|
22:6
|
|
Mediator of the
prophecy: an angel
|
1:1
|
22:6,8,16
|
|
Writer of the
prophecy: John
|
1:1,4,9
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22:8
|
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Genuineness of
the prophecy: true prophecy
|
1:3
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22:6,7,9,10,18-19
|
|
Vehicle of the
prophecy: a prophet
|
1:1,9-11
|
22:8,9,10
|
|
Addressees of the
prophecy: bond-servants
|
1:1
|
22:6
|
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Destination of
the prophecy: churches
|
1:3,11
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22:16,18
|
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Blessing of the
prophecy: for obedience
|
1:3
|
22:7,12,14
|
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Warning of the
prophecy: for unfaithfulness
|
1:7
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22:11,12,18-19
|
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Center of the
prophecy: Christ
|
1:2,5,9
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22:16,18,20
|
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God of the
prophecy: Alpha & Omega
|
1:17
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22:13
|
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Chief character
of the prophecy: God
|
1:5,7
|
22:12,13,16
|
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Hope of the
prophecy: soon return
|
1:3,7
|
22:7,10,12,20
|
(from Thomas
Constable's Notes on the Bible. Copyright © March 4, 2014 by Thomas L.
Constable. All rights reserved. Used by permission.)
12 "Behold, I am coming soon, bringing my recompense with me, to repay everyone for what he has done. 13 I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end."
14 Blessed are those who wash their robes, so that they may have the right to the tree of life and that they may enter the city by the gates. 15 Outside are the dogs and sorcerers and the sexually immoral and murderers and idolaters, and everyone who loves and practices falsehood.
17 The Spirit and the Bride say, "Come." And let the one who hears say, "Come." And let the one who is thirsty come; let the one who desires take the water of life without price.
18 I warn everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: if anyone adds to them, God will add to him the plagues described in this book, 19 and if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God will take away his share in the tree of life and in the holy city, which are described in this book.
20 He who testifies to these things says, "Surely I am coming soon." Amen. Come, Lord Jesus!
21 The grace of the Lord Jesus be with you all. Amen.
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