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Download The Revelation 22 Notes

He is Coming Quickly!

The Revelation, chapter 22

Introduction:

No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love Him (1 Cor. 2:9 NIV).

Verses 1-2

And he showed me a river of the water of life, clear as crystal, coming from the throne of God and of the Lamb, in the middle of its street. And 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.

Corollary readings: Revelation 21:6, Zechariah 14:8, Joel 3:18-21

Gregg, in his commentary, suggests that we should take this river to be symbolic, because if we take it literally, and if we assume it is the same river as that mentioned in Joel 3, it would require the Jordan River to cease to be, since this river would flow from Jerusalem out eastward to Moab, and nowhere in Scripture do we have even the suggestion that the Jordan would cease. Also, if we take this to be the same river described in Ezekiel 47, the water would literally have to multiply by itself, since there are no other tributaries listed, and that just doesn’t happen.

I think Gregg has made an erroneous presumption, and I have no problem taking this river as being literal. Do you know why? Because this river of the water of life is not part of this present earth, but of the new heavens and the new earth. The “city” spoken of in Rev. 22 is not the present Jerusalem, but the New Jerusalem, which bears little resemblance to it. The New Jerusalem, for example, is 1,500 miles in every direction! That’s not possible either in this present universe. If we insist on the New Heavens and New Earth being subject to the same physical laws governing this present universe, none of it is possible. But the New Heavens and the New Earth are beyond space and time as we understand them. It doesn’t follow, then, that they are not real; only that they are supernatural. Perhaps he insists on the word “street” being understood as a city street, and that locks him into thinking of the present Jerusalem. The Greek word translated “street” here is πλατείας which ordinarily means a wide or broad street, but it could just as easily mean “pavement” or a wide, flat area. Even if it is to be understood as the same street as mentioned in 21:21, that street is supernatural as well, certainly not of this earth.

Reading: Exodus 24:9-11 (Moses, Aaron, Nadab, Abihu and the 70 get a glimpse of God in His supernatural realm)

How did John know that this was the tree of life? He hadn’t been in Eden. We may presume the angel informed him of it, or else that when he saw this extraordinary tree, he recalled Yeshua’s words to him (and us) in chapter 2, verse 7:

He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes, I will grant to eat of the tree of life, which is in the Paradise of God.

What we are witnessing, therefore, is not Jerusalem on this earth, but the paradise of God!

So magnificent is this tree, that even the leaves themselves have healing properties. The difficulty here is to understand how the nations are in need of healing when this is not a Millennial city, but the Paradise of God. Certainly after the battle of Armageddon the nations will be in dire need of healing: physical, emotional and spiritual, and those who come to Jerusalem for Sukkot will experience healing. But in what sense are the nations in need of healing in Paradise? While we are promised that the former things will not come to mind anymore (the bliss of heaven obliterating the memory of pain), perhaps it is through eating of the tree of life in Paradise that erases the pain of those memories.

Another possibility is that the “nations” refers, not to geopolitical entities, but simply to the saints who are non-Jews from among the various nations in this present world. There are references to nations in the New Earth (cf. 21:10, 24-26), and it seems to mean nations the way we normally understand it. In any case, you can see that definitive interpretation is difficult in this literary genre.

Verses 3-5

And there shall no longer be any curse; and the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it, and His bond-servants shall serve Him; and they shall see His face, and His name shall be on their foreheads. And there shall no longer be any night; and they shall not have need of the light of a lamp nor the light of the sun, because the Lord God shall illumine them; and they shall reign forever and ever.

Just as Genesis chapter 2 recaps the events of chapter 1, so Revelation chapter 22 repeats some of the same themes as chapter 21. Again, my suggestion is that the first three chapters of the Bible and the last three form a chiasm, and are the ‘bookends’ as it were, for the entire Revelation of God. The repetition includes the absence of any curse paralleling 21:1-5. The mention of God and of the Lamb parallels 21:22-23 as well. The description of there being no need of lamps or of the sun parallels verse 23-25. Okay, that’s the technical stuff. Let’s not miss all the joy and the glory, though. Let’s let the incredible imagery sink in to our minds.

And there shall no longer be any curse…

Our existence in heaven will be what it was meant to be from all eternity: unbroken and unpretentious fellowship with God and with one another. There will be nothing preventing us from seeing the face of God Himself! These mortal bodies could not last a microsecond in the unbridled glory of God, but we will have new bodies.

the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it, and His bond-servants shall serve Him…

We will see the Father and the Messiah in all their glory, and joyfully serve them! This is not drudgery, or servitude by compulsion. We will be so enveloped in His love as to jump at every chance to serve Him! A throne, after all, implies kingship, and don’t we, in nearly every prayer, speak of His kingship? We call Him Avinu Malkaynu (our Father and our King), we begin many of our prayers Baruch Atah Adonai Elohaynu MELECH HaOLAM. (Blessed are You, O Lord our God, King of the Universe).

And there shall no longer be any night…

What is your favorite time of day? Mine is the late afternoon; when night time is still hours away, but we’re well beyond the heat of the midday sun. It’s the perfect time for bike rides and barbeques and sitting and talking on the porch. Imagine an eternity where there is no oncoming night to curtail the fun, and where there is no oppressive heat from the sun, because there is no sun – the Lord and the Lamb are themselves the source of light!

and they shall reign forever and ever….

In no way should we suppose that eternity will be spent idly, or merely in fun but otherwise innocuous activities. We will have both opportunity and responsibility. We will reign. Over whom or over what jurisdiction I do not know. We are told that we will judge angels (1 Cor. 6:3), and that we will be given greater governance if we have been faithful in little areas of governance (Matt. 25:21, Luke 16:10). Whatever you imagine to be the perfect balance of service and meaningful work, coupled with joyful worship and outright fun, heaven will be better. You cannot begin to imagine what is in store for those who love Yeshua.

Verses 6-7

And he said to me, “These words are faithful and true”; and the Lord, the God of the spirits of the prophets, sent His angel to show to His bond-servants the things which must shortly take place. “And behold, I am coming quickly. Blessed is he who heeds the words of the prophecy of this book.”

I don’t know about you, but I am not about to give my life for what is mere symbolism. As if anticipating human difficulty believing the supernatural descriptions of the New Heavens, New Earth and New Jerusalem, the angel assures us along with Yochanan our brother, that everything he heard and saw was genuine. If The Revelation was given us to show us the trials that shortly must take place, it follows that the promises therein are trustworthy. You can absolutely count on trials and tribulation, and if you are faithful and endure to the end, you can absolutely count on eating from the fruit of the tree of life in the Paradise of God.

These verses are almost a verbatim repetition of chapter 1, verses 1-3 (read it together). This shows the chiastic structure, not only of the Bible, but of The Revelation itself. Yeshua is coming quickly. In every generation we are to expect the momentary return of Yeshua, and pattern our lives according to that expectation. Blessed is the servant whom his Master finds so doing when He returns…

Did you notice the name by which the Lord is called here? …the Lord, the God of the spirits of the prophets… When prophets of old prophesied, they did so under God’s superintending. Did they write or speak in their own words? Yes. Does that mean they decided on their own to write or proclaim these things? Absolutely not! Most of the ancient prophets were reluctant to pronounce judgment on those whom they loved, their fellow Jews, but were constrained to obey God in warning the people. Prophets were asked to do strange and very difficult things. The prophets of Israel, nearly every one of them, suffered horribly at the hands of their people. The author of Hebrews wrote, And what more shall I say? For time will fail me if I tell of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, of David and Samuel and the prophets, who by faith conquered kingdoms, performed acts of righteousness, obtained promises, shut the mouths of lions,…others were tortured, not accepting their release, in order that they might obtain a better resurrection; and others experienced mockings and scourgings, yes, also chains and imprisonment. They were stoned, they were sawn in two, they were tempted, they were put to death with the sword; they went about in sheepskins, in goatskins, being destitute, afflicted, ill-treated (men of whom the world was not worthy), wandering in deserts and mountains and caves and holes in the ground…(Hebrews 11:32-33, 36-38)

So perhaps you can understand my consternation at hearing words like “prophecy” and “anointing” being bandied about so carelessly over the past few years; it has all but robbed them of their significance. We should not go around calling people “anointed” just because they preached a lively message or sang a song that moved us emotionally. And watch out for those who proclaim themselves to be “prophets”.

Verses 8-9

And I, John, am the one who heard and saw these things. And when I heard and saw, I fell down to worship at the feet of the angel who showed me these things. And he said to me, “Do not do that; I am a fellow servant of yours and of your brethren the prophets and of those who heed the words of this book; worship God.”

Once again, John is so overwhelmed at the mighty voice, the luminescence and power emanating from the angel, that he falls down to worship him, and is again admonished not to do that. Angels inspire awe and fear in those who have beheld them. They are not cute little cherubs like those portrayed in paintings, and they are not like Monica or Andrew in Touched by an Angel. They are immense and mighty beings!

Notice that Yochanan is in the company of saints and prophets and all who are obedient to heed the words of this Revelation of Messiah Yeshua. If you are Yeshua’s follower, you are in that company, too. What a privilege! What a high calling!

Verses 10-13

And he said to me, “Do not seal up the words of the prophecy of this book, for the time is near. Let the one who does wrong, still do wrong; and let the one who is filthy, still be filthy; and let the one who is righteous, still practice righteousness; and let the one who is holy, still keep himself holy.” ‘Behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to render to every man according to what he has done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end.”

Once again we find themes from chapter 21 (verse 5) repeated here in chapter 22, including the admonition NOT to seal up the words of this prophecy/apocalypse, as had been the case with Daniel (12:4), but to write them down and publish them, because now it was the End of Days. Now is not the time to hide things, but to reveal them. Απoκαλυψις means to unveil, to make known, to reveal – hence Revelation.

Next we are presented with something of human nature. People will do what they are intent on doing. …let the one who does wrong, still do wrong; and let the one who is filthy, still be filthy; and let the one who is righteous, still practice righteousness; and let the one who is holy, still keep himself holy.

In fact, it may be argued that the tribulation that is to come will refine and purify those who love Yeshua, and the same circumstances will only further harden those who hate Him.

Readings: Rev. 9:20-21, 16:9-11

Thus people determine to conduct themselves a certain way, and we’re told they will do what they will do. It reminds me of Jeremiah’s proverb, Can the Ethiopian change his skin or the leopard his spots? Then you also can do good who are accustomed to do evil (Jer. 13:23). Nothing inherently wrong with Ethiopians or with leopards; they are merely the two examples the Lord chose, but they can no more change their coloring than habitually wicked men can suddenly start doing good. People may do as they like, but they had better remember that they will reap consequences, as Yeshua affirms,

‘Behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to render to every man according to what he has done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end.”

We are not to be judged on our intentions. Good intentions count for nothing. The saying goes, “The smallest good deed is better than the grandest good intention.” Neither does a good end justify the employment of evil means to achieve it.

Yeshua now tells us four things:

1. He is coming quickly (do you believe Him?)
2. He is coming to judge every human being (for reward or punishment)
3. What He metes out will be commensurate with what you have done
4. He is very God of very God – ascribes to Himself the same titles as the Father

Verses 14-16

Blessed are those who wash their robes, that they may have the right to the tree of life, and may enter by the gates into the city. Outside are the dogs and the sorcerers and the immoral persons and the murderers and the idolaters, and everyone who loves and practices lying. “I Jesus, have sent My angel to testify to you these things for the churches. I am the root and the offspring of David, the bright morning star.”

If your robes aren’t washed, it means you have not brought them to the Launderer. You are not capable of washing your robes to the satisfaction of One who is infinitely holy. I would remind you of Isaiah’s reaction when he came face-to-face with the Living God. He was terrified! He was sure he was a dead man – this, arguably the most righteous man on earth in his generation. If Isaiah needed Divine cleansing and mercy, so do you and so do I. To have our robes washed means to surrender our lives to Yeshua and receive His shed blood as the full and final atonement for all our sins.

But there is human volition involved in all this as well. We need to come to Yeshua, and we need to not kid ourselves. Holiness is what God wants of us. Nothing less will be admitted into heaven and no one whose robes are inappropriate or filthy will eat of the tree of life. Do not mistake the word outside to mean that the gates of the New Jerusalem are protecting us from evil persons. Outside means hell. More specifically, outside means the lake of fire and brimstone.

And look at the list of the outsiders, dogs (male prostitutes), sorcerers, immoral persons, murderers, idolaters, and everyone who loves and practices lying. This again reflects parallels between chapters 21 and 22. There is some repetition between this list and the list in chapter 21, verse 8, including the extra emphasis on lying.

Yeshua affirms His Messiahship through the lineage of David, upon whose throne He will rule, but also affirms He is much more than merely an earthly descendant of David. He is the bright morning star – the Co-Creator of the world!

Verse 17

And the Spirit and the bride say, “Come.” And let the one who hears say, come; let the one who wishes take the water of life without cost.

Those who hear this prophecy are blessed, if they heed it. By all means men and women are invited to God’s Kingdom. Unbelievers complain and criticize us for insisting that those who reject Yeshua forfeit heaven and incur the eternal wrath of God. But let’s be fair about this. It’s not like we’re blocking the doorway. You and I are to urge people to come to Yeshua. In fact, the Holy Spirit Himself beckons people to put aside their fears or pride or concern over the opinions of others or whatever is otherwise impeding them, and to come and forever enjoy the presence of God and of the Lamb, and to drink of that mayim chayim – living water!

Verses 18-21

I testify to everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: if anyone adds to them, God shall add to him the plagues which are written in this book; and if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part from the tree of life and from the holy city, which are written in this book. He who testifies to these things says, “Yes, I am coming quickly.” Amen. Come, Lord Jesus. The grace of the Lord Jesus be with all. Amen.

We are finally given a stern warning not to tamper with the text! If we add to it, God will add something to us – the very plagues recorded in the Book. If we delete anything from it, our names will be deleted from the roll call of New Jerusalem citizens.

Yeshua, for the third time in this chapter, affirms that He is coming quickly. Dire times will precede His return for us, and we shouldn’t deceive ourselves into thinking we will not suffer some of them. Comfort comes shortly before slumber, and the entire purpose of this apocalypse is that we be spiritually ready and be found faithfully about His work when He returns. If in the very last chapter of the very last book of the Bible He tells us He is coming quickly, I guess He means it, and we’d better be ready. So stand firm in your faith, and look up – your redemption, your Redeemer, draws nigh!