Revelation Chapter 22

Rev 22:1 And he showed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb.

The interior of the New Jerusalem. The river: The picture of a river is powerful; being a prophet's symbol of richness (particularly in the Judean climate) - see Zechariah 14:8; Ezekiel 47:1-9. Or, as expressed by the Psalmist in Psalm 46:4-5: There is a river whose streams shall make glad the city of God, The holy place of the tabernacle of the Most High. God is in the midst of her, she shall not be moved; God shall help her, just at the break of dawn. Clear as crystal - referring to pure, absolutely unpolluted waters.

Rev 22:2 In the midst of the street of it, and on either side of the river, [was there] the tree of life, which bare twelve [manner of] fruits, [and] yielded her fruit every month: and the leaves of the tree [were] for the healing of the nations.

The tree of life: The Bible begins with a tree of life (Genesis 3:22-24) which man was not allowed to eat from after the sin at the tree of the knowledge of good and evil; now we see the tree of life again. "Now at last, almost at the end of the great drama of the Bible, man may return and legitimately enjoy the blessing which he was banished for illegitimately desiring".

Why do the nations need healing? "Rather than specifically meaning 'healing,' it should be understood as 'health-giving' as the word in its root meaning has the idea of serving or ministering. In other words, the leaves of the tree promote the enjoyment of life in the new Jerusalem, and are not for correcting ills which do not exist".

Are these pictures of heaven literal or symbolic? Descriptions of another world must be symbols; but when God says "river" we will say "river" when we see it; not "that seems like a rabbit, not a river!"; even if it doesn't match perfectly with what we call a river on earth. Symbols? Yes, but not disassociated ones.

Rev 22:3 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:
Rev 22:4 And they shall see his face; and his name [shall be] in their foreheads.
Rev 22:5 And there shall be no night there; and they need no candle, neither light of the sun; for the Lord God giveth them light: and they shall reign for ever and ever.

What it will be like and what the saints will do? Heaven will be a place where there shall be no more curse; since the fall, man and creation has lived with the effect of the curse described in Genesis 3:16-19 - sorrow and pain in childbirth for women; friction between the sexes; the necessity of hard, often futile work for man's sustenance; and most of all, death. These things will even be present during the Millennium, though greatly mitigated by the perfect rule of Jesus. But now, they are done away with forever.

Heaven will be a place where His servants shall serve Him; there will be work and service for us to do in heaven. However, this is a picture of the pure blessedness of service rather than arduous, curse-stained toil. "Heaven is not a place of indolent leisure, but a place where service is done, centering on God." Heaven will be a place where we shall see His face; it will be a place of intimate, face to face fellowship with God. Moses was denied the privilege of seeing God face to face (Exodus 33:20,23); but all in heaven do. Because of Jesus, we can know something of the face of God right now: For it is the God who commanded light to shine out of darkness, who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. (2 Corinthians 4:6).Yet, Paul also anticipated a greater fulfillment of our seeing the face of God: For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I shall know just as I am also known (1 Corinthians 13:12).

Heaven will be a place where His name shall be on their foreheads; we will forever be identified with our God, and there will never be any doubt that we belong to Him. Heaven will be a place where there shall be no more night there; the darkness of this age will be forever gone. The light is not artificial, even from the sun - God Himself is the light. Heaven will be a place where they shall reign forever and ever; there is an eternal reign in contrast to the limited duration of the Millennium. It will never end.

Observations:   "As the Bible opens with the story of 'Paradise Lost,' so it here closes with the story of 'Paradise Regained.'" Paradise in regained in terms of a river, a tree of life, revocation of the curse, intimacy restored, reigning resumed.

It is a perfect consummation:

No more curse: perfect restoration

Throne in their midst: perfect administration

Servants shall serve: perfect subordination

Shall see His face: perfect transformation

Name on foreheads: perfect identification

God is the light: perfect illumination

Reigning forever: perfect exultation

Parting words: In these last verses, we hear the parting words from a variety of persons; it isn't always easy to know who is speaking. The themes are verification, invitation, and warning.

Rev 22:6 And he said unto me, These sayings [are] faithful and true: and the Lord God of the holy prophets sent his angel to show unto his servants the things which must shortly be done.
Rev 22:7 Behold, I come quickly: blessed [is] he that keepeth the sayings of the prophecy of this book.

The angel and Jesus add words of verification. The angel that has been showing these things to John declares that these words are faithful and true; if it all seemed too good to be true, John is assured that it is in fact true and certain.

Jesus breaks in with a reminder to all that He is coming quickly; why does it seem that it has been so long? Was Jesus wrong here? The word quickly in the Greek isn't exactly the same as our word for "quickly." "The word 'quickly' might with accuracy be rendered 'suddenly.'" Still, the early church expected Jesus' return soon - were they just wrong, or were they misled by Jesus?  No! They were not wrong; they were not misled by Jesus. God wants to keep all generations expectant, watching, and ready for His return. We are not rushing towards a distant brink of the consummation of all things; we are running parallel along the edge of that brink, and have been since the time of the apostles. "Thus the time has always been at hand. The tension of imminence is endemic to that span of redemptive history lying between the cross and the parousia".

Jesus pronounces a blessing on he who keeps the words of the prophecy of this book; prophecy gives us a word to keep, not merely material for interesting discussions and debates. The main intent of prophecy is to lead us to trust and obey God, and apply His truth to our living.

Rev 22:8 And I John saw these things, and heard [them]. And when I had heard and seen, I fell down to worship before the feet of the angel which showed me these things.
Rev 22:9 Then said he unto me, See [thou do it] not: for I am thy fellow servant, and of thy brethren the prophets, and of them which keep the sayings of this book: worship God.

John is corrected for worshipping an angel again. As he did in Revelation 19:10, John is overwhelmed, and bows before an angel in worship again. In the same way, the angel reminds John that only God is to be worshipped, and that they are both "players" on the same "team" - along with all who keep the words of this book. No created being is to be worshipped; this is in contrast with Jesus, who receives the worship of angels (Hebrews 1:6) and of men (Matthew 8:2; 14:33; John 9:38). It is striking that even someone who has received all these visions may go astray - supernatural visions and revelations do not mean that someone is right on in their doctrine, teaching, or practice.

Rev 22:10 And he saith unto me, Seal not the sayings of the prophecy of this book: for the time is at hand.
Rev 22:11 He that is unjust, let him be unjust still: and he which is filthy, let him be filthy still: and he that is righteous, let him be righteous still: and he that is holy, let him be holy still.

A warning is given, either by the same angel or by Jesus. Because the time is at hand, and history now runs parallel to the brink of the consummation of all things, his book isn't sealed (in contrast to Old Testament prophecy, Daniel 8:26); men seal it in defiance of God's command. In verse 11, the thought is probably "since Jesus is coming so suddenly, there won't be time for change" - there will be no time for last minute repentance, but there is time now. If what you have read in Revelation hasn't changed you, there isn't much hope! "It is the hopelessness of the final state of the wicked which is here pictured. The states of both the evil and the good are now fixed forever. There is no word here about a 'second chance' hereafter." "If the warnings of this book are not sufficient, there is no more that God has to say."

Rev 22:12 And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward [is] with me, to give every man according as his work shall be.
Rev 22:13 I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last.

Jesus declares: I am coming quickly! We can never miss the note of urgency and warning in all what Jesus tells us about His coming; His message is always be ready! (Matthew 24:44). If Jesus will give to everyone according to his work, does that mean we are saved by our works? No; but it does show that living faith will have works with it (James 2:20; Titus 3:8). "It is the quality of a man's life which provides the ultimate indication of what he really believes".

As an added incentive for us to do and be what is right, being ready for Jesus' return, He reminds us just who He is: the Alpha and Omega, the Beginning and the End, the First and the Last. If we really knew and understood who Jesus is, we would not have any trouble living for Him as we should. The term Alpha and Omega is "Applied to God in 1:8; 21:6; and here alone to Christ, crowning proof in this book of Christ's deity" (Robertson).   That Jesus claims to be the First and the Last is also a irrefutable proof that He claims to be Yahweh, the LORD: I, the LORD, am the first; And with the last I am He.'" (Isaiah 41:4).

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

A blessing and a curse is pronounced by someone (perhaps John, perhaps the angel, perhaps Jesus Himself). Doing His commandments does not earn us eternal life, but it is evidence that we have been granted eternal life. There is a textual dispute with the phrase those who do His commandments; some translations have those who have washed their robes instead. The difference is between HOIPLUNONTESTASSTOLAS (washed their robes) and HOIPOIOUNTESTASENTOLAS (do His commandments). This is a good example of how a copyist's error can cloud a text in rather minor ways, without effecting the essential meaning of the context.

What about those outside? "The verse does not intend to teach that in the eternal state all manner of wicked men will be living just outside the heavenly city. It simply describes the future with the imagery of the present." Why does it say that all dogs will be outside? Is this is a refutation of the idea of "doggie heaven"? No; what is meant here is "Not literal dogs, but the morally impure . . . Dogs in the Oriental cities are scavengers and excite unspeakable contempt   (Matthew 7:6; Philippians 3:2)".

Rev 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.

Jesus brings a word of verification. Jesus is authenticating the entire book: "Thus the very God of all inspiration, and of all inspired men, reiterates and affirms the highest authority for all that is herein written. Either, then, this Book is nothing but a base and blasphemous forgery, unworthy of the slightest respect of men, and specially unworthy of a place in the Sacred Canon; or it is one of the most directly inspired and authoritative writings ever given."  It is written to the churches; this book is not a private affair, knowable only by an elite, but for all believers. Root and offspring of David is a precious Messianic title; Jesus is both the Creator of King David and His descendent. Jesus played on this same idea in Matthew 22:41-46.

Rev 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.

The Spirit and the Bride say to all: Come! Is this an invitation to Jesus, asking Him to return? Or is it an invitation to those with a spiritual thirst to come? Why not both? Remember, an invitation is both an opportunity and a responsibility; if we decline an invitation, we have only ourselves to blame.

Rev 22:18 For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book:
Rev 22:19 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.

A warning is brought by someone, either Jesus, or an angel, or John. In most red-letter editions, these words are in black, but "The solemnity of the injunction suggests that the speaker is Christ Himself". "What a solemn warning this is to critics who have tampered with this book and other portions of Scripture in arrogant self-confidence that they are equipped intellectually and spiritually to determine what is true and what is not true in the Word of God."  These verses speak specifically of this book; but the principle applies to all of the Bible. We need all the Bible (don't take away from it), and we need only the Bible (don't add to it).

Rev 22:20 He which testifieth these things saith, Surely I come quickly. Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus.
Rev 22:21 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ [be] with you all. Amen.

Last words: To the very end, we see the emphasis on readiness and watchfulness remaining. If we miss this practical lesson from Revelation, the lesson of readiness, then we have missed the essential message of the book. John says Maranatha!, or come, Lord Jesus! Revelation concerns many prophetic events; but the book closes with John's desiring Jesus' return for the church - the rapture.  "At the very close of the book is the confession that the answers to the problems of life do not lie in man's ability to create a better world but in the return of the One whose sovereign power controls the course of human affairs."

The book (and the Bible) ends with a word of grace. "It is a good word for the close of this marvelous picture of God's gracious provision for his people in earth and heaven." The last verse of the Old Testament contains a curse: Lest I come and strike the earth with a curse. (Malachi 4:6). The last words of the New Testament speak of grace.

Timing of the Rapture

Greek, harpazo, Latin, rapturo.

1) 70th Week is defined by the enforcement of a covenant with the Coming World Leader (Dan 9:27). 2) The Leader cannot "enforce the covenant" until after he appears in power. 3) He cannot even appear until after the Restrainer (the Holy Spirit as He indwells the Church) is removed (2 Thess 2:7-9). There must be some interval?a day, or possibly several decades? between his initial appearance and ascending to the power implied in his "enforcing the covenant." 4) Therefore, the rapture of the Church precedes (by an indeterminate amount) the entire 70th Week, not just the Great Tribulation. There is some basis (Mt 24:32-34) that the entire series of events?from the rapture to the close of the 70th Week?occur within one generation: less than 40 years.

Why Now?

Why the "70th Week" is apparently on the near horizon: Israel Now Regathered as a Nation: On May 14, 1948, Israel was re-established exactly as the Bible predicted. On June 6, 1967, Israel regained control of Biblical Jerusalem, the "Old City." Jerusalem: Zechariah 12 indicates that Jerusalem will become "a cup of trembling" and a "burdensome stone" to all nations of the world. (That would seem to be ridiculous: here is a city with no harbor, no rivers, no natural resources. Significant to a few Jews, of historical interest to Christians, and significant to Islam only since it is to Jews?all told, hardly of serious interest to a materialistic, pragmatic, atheistic world?yet Zechariah, and other passages, predicts that the entire world will go to war over this irrelevant little religious location! Just watch your newspapers! It?s all heading toward the Biblical climax.

Temple Preparations Have Begun: This is explicitly predicted three times in the New Testament. (Mt 24:15; 2 Thess 2:4; Rev 11:1,2.) This Temple is a prerequisite for the desecration described by Daniel and Jesus as the "Abomination of Desolation." After 1900 years a Temple is now being prepared to be built in Jerusalem.

Babylon Being Rebuilt: Isaiah 13 & 14, Jeremiah 50 & 51, and Revelation 17 & 18 all describe the destruction of the city of Babylon as a climactic event at the end of the "70th Week." Although Babylon was conquered by the Persians, it was never destroyed in the manner that the Bible has detailed. Saddam Hussein spent over 20 years and over $900 million rebuilding the city of Babylon on its traditional site.

European Superstate Emerging: The confederation of almost 30 European countries (not just the 12 EC nations) is setting the stage for the very scenarios predicted in Daniel 2 and 7. Russia and the Islamic Invasion Imminent: Russia ("Magog" of Ezekiel 38 & 39) and the Moslem republics of Iran and those of Central Asia (which this passage has detailed) now appear to be setting the stage for the very events that Ezekiel so clearly described. The apparent use of nuclear weapons in Ezekiel 39 is also descriptive of current technology. It is our view that this battle could happen at any time, and would thus set up the need for the famous "peace treaty" of the Biblical scenario.

How does your interpretation affect YOUR life? Does it do anything for you? If your view has no effect on your life, then you might reconsider what you really believe...if your not sure that you are saved, or you have never made a true commitment, then click on the cross below.