As we close out our study of the book of Revelation, we come to what some call the ‘divine postscript.’ The message to the churches has come and gone, the rapture has occurred, the tribulation has taken place, the wedding of the Lamb has come, the millennium period is past, the great white throne judgment has occurred, the unbelievers, Satan and his host of demons have been thrown into the lake of fire, the present world and universe has been uncreated and the new heaven and earth revealed, the saints are forever with the Lord their God, and now a final word from Jesus. These verses reveal the end of the vision that John sees and gives his stamp of authencity to it and it gives one more gracious invitation from Jesus to the readers before the events of this book occur.
Vs 6 The angel said to me, “These words are trustworthy and true. The Lord, the God who inspires the prophets, sent His angel to show His servants the things that must soon take place.”
The angel speaking to John assures him that all he has seen and heard is true. He was not hallucinating or dreaming. He has seen and heard the very word of God. The vision was given to John not to entertain him but as a revelation of what will take place.
“Remember the former things long past,
For I am God, and there is no other;
I am God, and there is no one like Me,
Declaring the end from the beginning,
And from ancient times things which have not been done,
Saying, “My purpose will be established
And I will accomplish all My good pleasure”…
Truly I have spoken; truly I will bring it to pass,
I have planned it, surely I will do it.”
Isaiah 46:9-11
Vs 7 “Behold, I am coming soon! Blessed is he who keeps the words of the prophecy in this book.”
First we had the angel speaking to John, now we have Jesus Himself speaking. He speaks with urgency. The word ‘soon’ means quickly – not with speed of distance but with speed of time. Each generation since then has felt the urgency but I believe that our present generation should be all called to urgency. We are witnessing the unveiling of prophesy almost daily. World and current events give evidence to that. Jesus reiterated what was spoken in Revelation 1:3, “Blessed is the one who reads aloud the word of this prophecy, and blessed are those who hear it and take to heart what is written in it, because the time is near.”
We are to “guard what has been entrusted to you… Retain the standard of sound words which you have heard from me, in the faith and love which are in Christ Jesus. Guard through the Holy Spirit who dwells in us, the treasure which has been entrusted to you.” 1 Tim 6:20; 2 Tim 1:13-14.
Vs 8 I, John, am the one who heard and saw these things. And when I had heard and seen them, I fell down to worship at the feet of the angel who had been showing them to me.
John emphatically stamps his signature on this writing. He is saying “I saw it, I heard it!” He is an eye witness. He was so overwhelmed at what he saw that he felt an overpowering need to worship and fell down before the angel who had been showing him these things. He had made this same error back in Revelation 19:10
Vs 9 But he said to me, “Do not do it! I am a fellow servant with you and with your brothers the prophets and all who keep the words of this book. Worship God!”
The angel rebukes John and reminds him that he is a fellow servant. The angel reminds him to worship God alone.
Vs 10 Then he told me, “Do not seal up the words of the prophecy of this book, because the time is near.
John is told to not seal the words, unlike Daniel. This prophecy is to be proclaimed not hidden. There is no secret hidden code. This book is written differently than others and contains much imagery but the meaning is not hidden. It is first and foremost a revelation of Jesus Christ. It is a documentary of the final chapter of man and it also contains a final invitation to come to Him. This book was meant to be preached, taught, studied and read by all. It is not to be ignored or skipped.
Vs 11 Let him who does wrong continue to do wrong; let him who is vile continue to be vile, let him who does right continue to do right, and let him who is holy continue to be holy.”
This is an almost odd sounding statement. But it is a statement that drives home the fact that Jesus could return at any moment. There will be those who continue on their way. The wicked continuing to do wicked and the righteous continuing to do the works Him who redeemed them. People’s response to this book will fix their eternal destinies. To those who believe- life. To those who refuse – death.
Hosea 4:17: “Ephraim is joined to idols; let him alone” and Matthew 15:14 “Let them alone; there are blind guides of the blind.” God’s wrath of abandonment is real. Romans 1:18-32 states that. MacArthur says “Preaching Revelation draws the line. Its truth will melt the hearts of the repentant and harden the hearts of the unrepentant. Those same truths thus become either an instrument of salvation or an instrument of damnation.”
Vs 12 “Behold, I am coming soon! My reward is with me, and I will give to everyone according to what he has done.
Now we have Jesus speaking again. He reiterates with even more urgency that He is coming soon! That is an exclamation not a period. He is bringing His reward with Him to His children. He will reward us according to what we have done. This should encourage us to work all the more for Him in service. He is watching, He is keeping track, He is bringing our reward. This is to us believers. We are not judged for sin – that was done on the cross. This reward is for the service to Him.
Vs 13 I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End.
He is the Alpha and Omega – the beginning and ending of the Greek alphabet. He has the first word and He will have the last word. He is before all things and after all things. He is before time and after time. We are the parenthesis in the Divine.
Vs 14 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.
Soiled clothes represent sin and He is telling us that we are blessed if we are washed in Him. He is the One who cleans us. Apart from Him we are nothing but dirty filthy rags. With a clean heart we may have access to the tree of life and eat thereof. We can enter His holy city without shame or rebuke.
Vs 15 Outside are the dogs, those who practice magic arts, the sexually immoral, the murderers, the idolaters and everyone who loves and practices falsehood.
Dogs in reference here are not cute puppies but rather scavengers and wild. Those who practice magic arts comes from the root word of sorcery which is also where we get the word pharmacy and includes drug abuse. The sexually immoral comes from the root word where we get the word pornography. It includes all forms of sexual activity of the mind or body that is apart from the purity of Godly relationships. Murders are those who kill the body and idolaters are those who put anything above God. Those who practice lying are speaking the language of the devil Those who refused to be cleansed by the blood will forever remain outside. Those who loved their sin more than Jesus. Those who refused Him.
Vs 16 “I, Jesus, have sent my angel to give you this testimony for the churches. I am the Root and the Offspring of David, and the bright Morning Star.”
Jesus gives His stamp of authorship. This is the only place in scripture where He says: “I, Jesus”. He has given this testimony for the churches. He is the Root – that is where a tree begins, He is the offspring – that is the fruit, He is the morning star – the first light – He is the beginning and the end. The morning star is the beginning of a new day – He is the new day – Behold I make all things new!
Vs 17 The Spirit and the bride say, “Come!” Whoever is thirsty, let him come, and whoever wishes, let him take the free gift of the water of life.
Now the Spirit and the bride – the Spirit of God and the church gives an invitation. The Spirit uses His church to invite those who need Jesus to come. The thirsty are invited. Only a drink will quench thirst. Food can’t quench it, activity can’t quench it, riches can’t; only water will do that. And Jesus is the Living Water that quenches the thirst of the human soul. Nothing will satisfy that thirst but Jesus and He is freely offering a drink to all who come.
Vs 18 I warn everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: If anyone adds anything to them, God will add to him the plagues described in this book.
Here we have a solemn warning concerning this book. Do not add anything to it. Joseph Smith added to it, others have added and that is messing with God’s word.
Vs 19 And if anyone takes words away from this book of prophecy, God will take away from him his share in the tree of life and in the holy city, which are described in this book.
We are not take away from it either. The cross is offensive to many, the gospel turns many away, it is not a seeker loving message, the world does not want to hear it – but none the less it is Truth and God says to proclaim it. We don’t get to pick and choose the words of the bible. It is all His word.
MacAurthur: Revelation and the rest of Scripture are true, and the redeemed will believe the Bible, guard the Bible, love the Bible, and obey the Bible. That Scripture speaks truly when it describes the joys of heaven and the terrors of hell should motivate sinners to heed god’s gracious call to salvation.
Vs 20 He who testifies of these things says, “Yes, I am coming soon.” Amen. Come, Lord Jesus.
His coming is imminent! The final invitation is given. He is coming soon. And our response can only be “Amen, Come, Lord Jesus.” Yes, come.
2 Tim 4: 8 “not only to me, but also to all who have longed for His appearing.”
Vs 21 The grace of the Lord Jesus be with God’s people. Amen.
The grace of Jesus which is so loving, so gracious, so merciful is with us. He has been with us and will continue to be with us. I can only think of one way to close. Listen to the words of this song by Don Moen and worship the One who was, who is, and who is to come. The one who created us, redeemed us, sustains us, sanctifies us, and is coming for us- Jesus, the One and Only.
