“Look, I am coming soon! Blessed is the one who keeps the words of the prophecy written in this scroll.” Revelation 22:7
“Blessed are those who wash their robes, that they may have the right to the tree of life and may go through the gates into the city.” Revelation 22:14
The sixth and seventh Blessing. This is the final chapter of this study. My hope is that through studying this with me you have grown your faith and realize how much real faith means to God.
Let’s begin, but before we do, let’s pray.
Lord Jesus, we made it! Through and with You we made it to the best of the best news in the book of Revelation. Come, lead us and guide us to glean every precious morsel we can from this final lesson on this book. Grow our faith and ignite our imagination to believe all You reveal here is completely and totally true. All for Your glory and honor. In Your Name I pray. Amen.
Before we start reading, scan through here and notice the headlines.
1) The Perfect Life
2) You Are Invited to be Blessed
3) The Final Invitation
Reread those. Which one speaks the most to you?
Please read Revelation 22:1-5
The Perfect Life
1 Then the angel showed me a river of the water of life, clear as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb (Christ), 2 in the middle of its street. On either side of the river was the tree of life, bearing twelve kinds of fruit, yielding its fruit every month; and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. 3 There will no longer exist anything that is cursed [because sin and illness and death are gone]; and the throne of God and of the Lamb will be in it, and His bond-servants will serve and worship Him [with great awe and joy and loving devotion]; 4 they will [be privileged to] see His face, and His name will be on their foreheads. 5 And there will no longer be night; they have no need for lamplight or sunlight, because the Lord God will illumine them; and they will reign [as kings] forever and ever.
Can you picture it as you read it?
His bond-servants will serve and worship Him…and they will reign as kings forever and ever. Truly like Him.
bond-servants: A person bound in service without wages.
This is the only slave you could ever want to be. The words I keep hearing are from Paul…
Romans 1:1-4 NIV: Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle and set apart for the gospel of God—the gospel he promised beforehand through his prophets in the Holy Scriptures regarding his Son, who as to his earthly life was a descendant of David, and who through the Spirit of holiness was appointed the Son of God in power by his resurrection from the dead: Jesus Christ our Lord.
But he’s not the only one, in Colossians 4:12: Epaphras, who is one of you and a servant of Christ Jesus, sends greetings.
Jude 1: Jude, a servant of Jesus Christ and a brother of James.
James 1: James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ.
1 Corinthians 4:1: This, then, is how you ought to regard us: as servants of Christ and as those entrusted with the mysteries God has revealed.
Jude 1:3 Dear friends, although I was very eager to write to you about the salvation we share, I felt compelled to write and urge you to contend for the faith that was once for all entrusted to God’s holy people.
God’s holy people have been entrusted with the message of salvation and therefore we too can be bond-servants of Christ.
Kind of the back way to get to the fact that in Christ, His name is on you too.
Please read Revelation 22:6-7
You Are Invited to be Blessed
6 Then he said to me, “These words are faithful and true.” And the Lord, the God of the spirits of the prophets, has sent His angel [as a representative] to show His bond-servants the things that must soon take place.
7 “And behold, I am coming quickly. [a]Blessed (happy, prosperous, to be admired) is the one who heeds and takes to heart and remembers the words of the prophecy [that is, the predictions, consolations, and warnings] contained in this book (scroll).”
Time is ending soon. He’s coming quickly. Remember, heed, take to heart the words written in this letter. Go back and reread the book if you can’t remember. Keep reading it if you must to keep it memorable. Take them to heart, “These words are faithful and true.”
Please read Revelation 22:8-11
8 I, John, am the one who heard and saw these things. And when I heard and saw them, I fell down to worship before the feet of the angel who showed me these things. 9 But he said to me, “Do not do that. I am a fellow servant with you and your brothers the prophets and with those who heed and remember [the truths contained in] the words of this book. Worship God.”
10 And he said to me, “Do not seal up the words of the prophecy of this book, for the time [of their fulfillment] is [b]near. 11 Let the one who does wrong, still do wrong; and the one who is filthy (vile, impure), still be filthy; and the one who is righteous (just, upright), still be righteous; and the one who is holy, still be holy.”
Because it’s happening soon, concentrate on drawing closer to Him, and being faithful to Him.
Please read Revelation 22:12-13
12 “Behold, I (Jesus) am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, [c]to give to each one [d]according to the merit of his deeds (earthly works, faithfulness). 13 I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End [the Eternal One].”
‘The merit of his deeds’. Yes, that is why your deeds are all recorded. So he can reward you for the deeds you do. Every choice you make, every word you say, how you obey, all of it is recorded.
Please read Revelation 22:14-15
14 [e]Blessed (happy, prosperous, to be admired) are those who wash their robes [in the blood of Christ by believing and trusting in Him—the righteous who do His commandments], so that they may have the right to the tree of life, and may enter by the gates into the city. 15 Outside are the dogs [the godless, the impure, those of low moral character] and the sorcerers [with their intoxicating drugs, and magic arts], and the immoral persons [the perverted, the molesters, and the adulterers], and the murderers, and the idolaters, and everyone who loves and practices lying (deception, cheating).
Today, in this time is the only time, before time ends, that these ‘dogs’ have to do what they choose to do. There will be a day when they will be in the lake of fire and not in the new Eden or new Jerusalem. For only those with faith will make it to the next age. If only they would take to heart the words written in the Scriptures…“Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts…” He alone is God.
Please read Revelation 22:16
The Final Invitation
16 “I, Jesus, have sent My angel to testify to you and to give you assurance of these things for the churches. I am the Root (the Source, the Life) and the Offspring of David, the radiant and bright Morning Star.”
“To give you the assurance of these things for the churches.”
Please read Revelation 22:17-19
17 The [Holy] Spirit and the bride (the church, believers) say, “Come.” And let the one who hears say, “Come.” And let the one who is thirsty come; let the one who wishes take and drink the water of life without cost.
18 I testify and warn everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book [its predictions, consolations, and admonitions]: if anyone adds [anything] to them, God will add to him the plagues (afflictions, calamities) which are written in this book; 19 and if anyone takes away from or distorts the words of the book of this prophecy, God will take away [from that one] his share from the tree of life and from the holy city (new Jerusalem), which are written in this book.
Come, Lord Jesus. Come.
Please read Revelation 22:20-21
20 He who testifies and affirms these things says, “Yes, I am coming quickly.” Amen. Come, Lord Jesus.
21 The grace of the Lord Jesus (the Christ, the Messiah) be with all [the saints—all believers, those set apart for God]. Amen.
Until He comes, Grace be with you. Grace is with you. Because He is with you until He rescues us from this world. Until the end of time comes He is faithful.
Footnotes
- Revelation 22:7 This is the sixth of the seven promised blessings. See note 1:3.
- Revelation 22:10 While Daniel was instructed to seal his prophecy, John was now told to reveal his (see Dan 12:4).
- Revelation 22:12 I.e. the final judgment for the believer will occur when he stands before Christ to have his fidelity and service judged, and the appropriate reward determined.
- Revelation 22:12 Lit as his work is.
- Revelation 22:14 This is the seventh and last of the promised blessings. See note 1:3.