Revelation

Lesson 15

Revelation Chapter 22

Comments, Questions and Discussions

COMMENTS

Introduction

This lesson concludes this series on Revelation. It should not conclude our studies in this informative and awesome book. It was given by Jesus from heaven to his servants through John.

We haven't always reached conclusions about the things mentioned. Indeed some of the things are difficult for us in this generation to see because they were written to those in John's generation. As we learn more about those times, we continue to be impressed with the beauty of John's record of our Master's revelation.

In this chapter we are shown the final description of the New Jerusalem, the Lamb's wife, and the closing teachings, promises and warnings.

22:1 & 17 - "water of life"

In John 4, Jesus talked with the woman at the well about the water of life that he would give. In Verses 13 and 14, Jesus says:

Whoever drinks of this water will thirst again, but whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him will never thirst. But the water that I shall give him will become in him a fountain of water springing up into everlasting life.

Surely all can see that this cannot be after earth has ended. If the water of life means we never thirst again, then why would it be needed in heaven? No, the bride isn't heaven, it is the church and the holy city isn't heaven, it is the city of the kingdom of God, which was promised and now delivered. It is the kingdom that was then at hand, Matthew 4:17. It is the people of God, the delivered Kingdom of Christ, I Corinthians 15:24, and the faithful from the beginning of creation. The water of life continues to go out to all who will come and drink of it in every generation.

As we dwell here in the flesh, we can have it now, if we will come and drink. When we drink the water of life and eat of the tree of life, we can then be filled with the hope that when our fleshly life has ended, we will then live in our incorruptible, immortal spiritual bodies. Only by drinking the water of life can we shed our natural body and receive the spiritual body. This is life that was and continues to be promised. This life is what Adam lost. It is part of the promise that the faithful in Hebrews 11 had not yet received, verse 39.

Verses 44-46 of I Corinthians 15 say:

It is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body. There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body. And so it is written, "The first man Adam became a living being." The last Adam became a life-giving spirit. However, the spiritual is not first, but the natural, and afterward the spiritual.

II Corinthians 5:10 says:

For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad.

Romans 8:10-13:

And if Christ is in you, the body is dead because of sin, but the Spirit is life because of righteousness. But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you. Therefore, brethren, we are debtors -- not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh. For if you live according to the flesh you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live.

And finally Colossians 2:11-13:

In Him you were also circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, by putting off the body of the sins of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ, buried with Him in baptism, in which you also were raised with Him through faith in the working of God, who raised Him from the dead. And you, being dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He has made alive together with Him, having forgiven you all trespasses.

So we see in these passages that we must make the change while in our physical body. The physical body will die, but that which is given life will live. If we do not do this while in the flesh, before our physical death, then we will face judgment without life and have no hope. It is by being baptized for the remission of sins that we put off the body of sins of the flesh to be made alive. During the time the apostles wrote, this judgment was awaited. In Revelation we find the completion and the judgment detailed in awesome and magnificent language.

Accepting or rejecting Jesus as Christ is the criteria for judgment. In I Thessalonians 1:7-9, note for whom the everlasting destruction is designated.

and to give you who are troubled rest with us when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with His mighty angels, in flaming fire taking vengeance on those who do not know God, and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. These shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power.

It was this great judgment that was awaited in the apostles' generation and that to which the book of Jesus' revelation points. It occurred with the destruction of the earthly Jerusalem and with that destruction the abolishment of the earthly kingdom whose subjects continued to live according to the flesh and not according to the spirit of life in Christ Jesus. This is why at that judgment all those, such as Abel, who waited from the beginning were joined with those who came with Christ, having been made alive together with him. It is why we, those of us who have put to death the deeds of the flesh, are now joined with all those in that heavenly city. It is by our obedience to the gospel of Christ, our drinking the water of life, that we are part of that number. We remain part of that number as long as we do not turn again to live in the flesh. If we remain faithful until we leave this physical body, we will be joined in the spiritual plane with all the faithful who have gone before.

Once the criteria for judgment was made and the judgment given, we no longer must wait for it. This is why Death and Hades have been destroyed as places of waiting. When we physically die, if we have not put to death the deeds of the flesh, we are joined into the second death. But, if we have put to death the deeds of the flesh and have so lived in Him when we physically die, we continue to be in God's kingdom and we live eternally in our spiritual bodies.

Putting to death the deeds of the flesh, as in all other teaching about our salvation, emphasizes our choice. The doctrine of individual predestination is foreign to God's word. Predestination is taught, but it is not that God has determined on an individual basis those who will be saved. All those who are part of the body of believers, those who through the ages have accepted Christ and remained faithful, are saved. This is God's predetermined plan. If we choose to accept it, it is our salvation. We accept it by believing in Jesus as Lord and Christ, repenting of our sins, being baptized into His death for the remission of our sins and then by living faithfully, walking in the light where there is continuing forgiveness, I John 1:6-8. What the world needs now is thirst for the living water. Whoever is thirsty, may he drink abundantly.

22:2 & 14- the tree of life

What had been blocked is now restored. For any who have not seen the symbolism in the Genesis account of man's fall, surely must not have read this passage. This is not to say that the garden, tree or Adam and Eve were not real, but if the symbolism is not seen, then much significance is lost in the simple mind. This tree is part of God's plan. It was what gave eternal life in the garden and because of sin was taken away. Sin brings death and without the tree of life, all would die forever. The tree of life was taken away, Genesis 3:22-24, until, in the fulness of time, it could be restored. Note in the Revelation text, it provides the healing for the nations.

"The tree of life" mentioned three times in Genesis and three times in Revelation, represents what was lost. When Adam sinned, he died just as God said he would. Physically, after eating the fruit, he would live several hundred years, but God said he would die in the day that he ate of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, Genesis 2:17. Since being denied the tree of life is associated with sin, we must associate forgiveness with once again having access to it. So we ask, "Wasn't the tree of life restored by Jesus bringing life and forgiveness?"

You might well ask why this happened in conjunction with the destruction of Jerusalem and not at the cross. First, it was Jesus' death on the cross that brought forgiveness; no one disputes this. The consideration is when did it occur not how or why. This is a good question but I believe the answer is found in the fact that all was not completed until the destruction of Jerusalem. Note the following:

1. The gospel was to be preached first, Matthew 24:14. This preaching of the gospel allowed the Jews of that age to avoid the judgment against them associated with the destruction of Jerusalem. The Gentiles, those who accepted and believed the gospel, could be part of those who believed and accepted Jesus as Messiah or Christ. This was according to prophecy.

2. Jesus promised to return in judgment against Jerusalem as recorded in Matthew 24 and other places.

3. This return, as has been noted in previous lessons, was anticipated by most, if not all, of the writers of the New Testament letters and books.

4. Christ was to come in his kingdom, Matthew 16:28, before some to whom He was speaking died. He could not return in His kingdom, until his kingdom was established; therefore, it had to be after the beginning of His kingdom recorded in Acts 2. It would, however, be in that generation. Would anyone affirm that someone from that generation is still alive now?

5. Jesus was to be received in heaven until the restoration of all things spoken by the prophets since the world began. - Acts 3:21

6. This restoration was associated with the destruction of Jerusalem. - Luke 21:22

7. The law and prophets would not pass until all was fulfilled. - Matthew 5:17-18

8. Jesus was expected to return, apart from (without) sin, for salvation, Hebrew 9:27-28. This was also in accordance with the Law. As specified in Leviticus 16:14-24, the High Priest sprinkled blood of the bull on the mercy seat and before the mercy seat. He then killed the goat of the sin offering and did the same again for the mercy seat. None were allowed into the tabernacle of meeting while this atonement was taking place. (See Revelation 15:8) He then took the live goat and confessed all the iniquities and transgressions of the children of Israel over the goat and sent it into the wilderness. It was only after this that he came out and offered the burnt offering for himself and for the people to make atonement. Jesus was to return, apart from sin. This was part of the procedure.

21:2 - "for the healing of the nations"

I do not know of another place where this expression is used. I do believe that it is applicable to the first century situations of God's people and God's former people. When the gospel was preached, families were divided; hostilities reached maximum limits of endurance. Friends that once met in love in the synagogue became bitter enemies. Good people were lied to in the misconception that it was in the name of the God of Israel. Brothers and sisters were hostile to each other. As Jesus had prophesied, a man's foes were of his own household. Yes some healing was in order. Life was still possible for the Jews who had not been destroyed. Perhaps this was Paul's hope recorded in Romans 11:11 when he said:

I say then, have they (Israel - MCS) stumbled that they should fall? Certainly not! But through their fall, to provoke them to jealousy, salvation has come to the Gentiles.

This separation of good people could be reconciled in the one body of Christ, Ephesians 2:16. The river of life flows freely, Revelation 22:17. The prophecies of Jesus had come true. He was a true prophet. See Deuteronomy 18:18-22. Moses prophesied about the coming of Christ as a prophet. His prophecies and their warnings came true. Many Jews lost both their physical and spiritual lives. John sees a healing. No doubt there is comfort and hope in the aftermath of the terrible and awesome destruction that came upon those who did not believe. No doubt a few precious soul were spared. Those in Asia who had not traveled to Jerusalem for the final battle and had not been killed because they were Jews or in the civil wars of the empire were perhaps ready to accept Jesus as Lord.

Over the years we have gotten sick again and certainly we can look to the common hope of everlasting life to unite all who desire to serve God. Life was important. Jesus said, John 10:10, "I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly." This is what reconciliation is all about. Life is important. Do we take it for granted? Do we just assume we have it? Many never consider it while others think everybody is going to have it. Jesus died that all might be reconciled to God, yet many have not and will not listen to the good news of salvation, turned to be healed and drink of the water of life.

22:3 - "no more curse"

It's impossible to escape the influence of the Jewish scriptures. After coming into the promised land, the Israelites stood half in front of Mount Ebal and half in front of Mount Gerizim, Joshua 8:33. (See also Deuteronomy chapters 27 and 28.) The instructions had been given by Moses prior to his death. The curses were to be read, then those on the curse side would say, "Amen." Now, coming into the heavenly kingdom, there is no curse; this kingdom is everlasting. Those of the heavenly kingdom are those who have chosen to be there; they have chosen to be children of God. Some or maybe many may fall and not be among the saved of the earth, but the kingdom does not fall. It continues to be made up of the faithful of all generations. There is a sizable number who have passed from this life into the heavenly realm, the everlasting realm. This kingdom, the kingdom of God exists and will never be destroyed. If we make the correct choices while in the flesh, we overcome the flesh and by our faithfulness we leave this life to receive our spiritual bodies in which we dwell in the heavenly realm with God and the Lamb forever. This kingdom can never be cursed, it is beyond the control of human frailty.

22:4 - "shall see His face"

I believe this refers to the restored personal relationship. When Adam sinned, he was cast out of the garden. Until that time he was in the presence of the Lord God who appears to have spoken directly with him. No man, not even Moses, was allowed to see the face of God. Exodus 33:20-23 says:

But He said, "You cannot see My face; for no man shall see Me, and live." 21 And the Lord said, "Here is a place by Me, and you shall stand on the rock. 22 "So it shall be, while My glory passes by, that I will put you in the cleft of the rock, and will cover you with My hand while I pass by.

Now we find that the face is seen (once again). The relationship has been restored.

22:4- "name on their foreheads"

This is generally thought to express that these belonged to God/Christ. They were in and of the city and they had their identity with He who sat on the throne.

22:6&7 - "must shortly take place" "coming quickly"

One more time an indication of the nearness of the fulfillment of these prophecies. See the notes on 1:1 and 3:3.

22:8&9 - The angel who was a fellow servant

This angel identifies himself, "I am your fellow servant, and of your brethren the prophets, and of those who keep the words of this book." My thought is that he is one of those of the first resurrection, 20:4. Maybe he was in the number of those under the altar who cried, "How long?" - 6:9&10.

This calls our mind to the statement of Jesus in Matthew 22:30:

For in the resurrection they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are like angels of God in heaven.

This being the case, it shows that Revelation was written after the beginning of the 1000 years. John prophesied concerning the end of the 1000 years and he was told that what he prophesied about, "must shortly take place." If not, why not?

22:10 - "Do not seal the words of the prophecy of this book, for the time is at hand."

A closing reminder that which Daniel sealed is now revealed and ready to come to pass. See the notes on 5:5-7.

22:11&12 - "I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me."

As told to John, the situation is: the unjust be unjust still, the filthy be filthy still, the righteous be righteous still and the holy be holy still. The time for accepting or rejecting Jesus as Christ was nearing an end. He had promised to come and he revealed to John that at that time he was on the verge of coming. His coming testifies that he indeed is the Messiah or Christ. It is the proof. Whatever was associated with that special event of his coming would be received only by the faithful. Those who rejected Him would forever be lost and their religious practices destroyed forever.

After that event, salvation remains for those who accept the Christ as God's provision for salvation. There is no doubt that Jesus was the Messiah of the Jews and that he came to bring salvation to all of every age. But before that event, many doubted who should have believed the prophets, but instead rejected their teachings. It was on these that judgment came. Isn't it amazing that in today's times many do not believe that he came bringing judgment and salvation? Accepting or rejecting Christ is the criteria for judgment from the beginning with Adam until this present time. Ephesians 2:4-7 says:

But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, 5 even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), 6 and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, 7 that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.

At the coming of Jesus the plan of God for man's salvation was complete. If not, then the law still exists, all things have not been restored and we still wait for salvation. Revelation 10:7 says:

but in the days of the sounding of the seventh angel, when he is about to sound, the mystery of God would be finished, as He declared to His servants the prophets.

The association with the prophets is inescapable. The fulfillment of the prophecies has been stressed many times. This was to complete God's plan. Christ came to do that. Did God fail? Did Jesus fail? No! What do the actions of those who still look for the kingdom of God say about the completion of God's plan? Do they deny His power? Do they deny the reign and dominion of Jesus?

22:13 Alpha and Omega

I have consistently not commented on this phrase. At the present I don't know of anything new, different or challenging to add to any discussion.

22.15 - outside are dogs and sorcerers and sexually immoral and murderers and idolaters, and whoever loves and practices a lie.

We have mentioned this in connection with the city not being heaven. It is the spiritual city of Christians. Specifically in this passage it is those who have a right to the tree of life. They awaited that city. But according to the correct understanding of the prophecies, it has now come. When Jerusalem was destroyed, New Jerusalem came down from heaven. It is this city of which we are citizens. We have left the world of sin and take solace in the city with the righteous of all ages.

22:16 - the root and offspring of David

See notes on 5:5

22:16 - bright and morning star

Maybe this refers to the beginning of a new age. Peter's statement, II Peter 1:19 comes to mind.

And so we have the prophetic word confirmed, which you do well to heed as a light that shines in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts;

22:20 - come, Lord Jesus

Did John mean this? Did he understand that it was going to happen soon? Yes, Yes he did.

Revelation Lesson 15

Chapter 22 Questions

1. What would the water of life be for? Why was/is it needed?

2. Describe the tree of life. The leaves were for what? Why was this necessary?

3. What was the curse? Consider Deuteronomy 11:26-28, Nehemiah 10:28-29 and Daniel 9:11-19. Was Daniel's prayer answered? Why was there no curse?

4. What does a mark on the forehead indicate?

5. Why did they not need a light? What light did they have? Is there any significance in "no night?"

6. What angel is spoken of in verse 6? Check out Revelation 1:1, 10:5-11:10, 16:5, 17:7, 19:17, 20:1, 21:17.

7. Is there any significance to mentioning the prophets in verses 6 & 9?

8. To what can we contrast the "Do not seal the words of this prophecy?" (See Daniel 12:9) How long was the time from Daniel's visions until the Revelation was seen by John? How long from Revelation until now? When was Revelation fulfilled?

9. Does verse 11 have anything to do with the shortness of the time before the fulfillment of Revelation?

10. Who is speaking in verse 12? Has this been said before?

11. What is outside the city?

12. What was not to be done to the book?

13. To whom was the testimony made?