June 11, 2017
Evening Service

It begins with “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.”  Tonight we continue to look at how our Bible ends.  Chapter 21 provides beautiful picture of the home we have been promised for eternity. Let me read this part again:

 Revelation 21:1-5  And I saw a new heaven and a new earth. For the first heaven and the first earth had passed away. And the sea no longer is.  (2)  And I, John, saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down from God out of Heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her Husband.  (3)  And I heard a great voice out of Heaven saying, “Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they will be His people, and God Himself will be with them and be their God.  (4)  And God will wipe away all tears from their eyes. And there will be no more death, nor mourning, nor crying out, nor will there be any more pain; for the first things passed away.”  (5)  And He sitting on the throne said, “Behold, I make all things new. And He said to me, Write, for these words are true and faithful.”

·         It doesn’t get old to hear those words and to hold onto to them tightly as our hope of His calling and the riches of our inheritance.

 

John also gave us the fate of those whose names were not written in the Book of Life or had never truly accepted the gift of salvation.  They would have their part in the Lake of Fire and experience the second death.  He then gave us as good of an explanation as possible of what heaven will look like.  That description continues into where we will start today in chapter 22.

 

Revelation 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.

·         This river of life is a symbol for eternal life.  Remember Jesus ask the Samaritan woman at the well if she wanted a drink of “living water.”  She asked Him how He could draw any water because He had no way to draw it from the well. 

John 4:13-14  Jesus answered and said to her, “Whoever drinks of this water shall thirst again,  (14)  but whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst, but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life.”

·         This river is a picture of the fullness of life with God and the eternal blessing that continue to flow forever.  No one who drinks of this river will ever thirst again but will be eternally satisfied.  It is offered to “whosoever will.”

 

Revelation 22:2 In the middle of its street, and either side of the river was the Tree of Life, which bore twelve fruits, each yielding its fruit according to one month. And the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations.

·         This is like the Tree of Life that was in the Garden of Eden.  After the fall of sin it was forbidden for anyone to eat of it.  But now because the cross and the forgiveness of sins through the blood of Jesus, all will be able to eat freely from it for eternity.

·         Ezekiel also saw a vision of the river and the tree of life in chapter 47.

 

Revelation 22:3-5 And every curse will no longer be; but the throne of God and of the Lamb will be in it, and His servants will serve Him.  (4)  And they will see His face, and His name will be in their foreheads.  (5)  And there will be no night there. And they need no lamp, or light of the sun; for the Lord God gives them light. And they will reign forever and ever.

·         The curses placed on mankind after their fall to sin in the Garden will not apply here.  There will be nothing cursed allowed in God’s presence.

·         My commentary summarized this verse like this.  “There will be no more curse; perfect sinlessness.  The throne of the God and the Lamb will be there; perfect government.  His servants will serve Him; perfect service.  They shall see His face; perfect communion.  His name will be on their foreheads; perfect resemblance.  There shall be no night there; perfect blessedness.  They shall reign forever and ever; perfect glory.

 

Revelation 22:6-9 And he said to me, “These sayings are faithful and true. And the Lord God of the holy prophets sent His angel to show to His servants the things which must shortly be done.  (7)  Behold, I come quickly. Blessed is he who keeps the Words of the prophecy of this Book.”  (8)  And I, John, saw and heard these things. And when I heard and saw, I fell down to worship before the feet of the angel showing me these things.  (9)  Then he said to me, “Behold! See, do not do it! For I am your fellow-servant, and of your brothers the prophets, and of those who keep the Words of this Book. Do worship to God.”

·         God has chosen to give us this revelation through John’s eyes.  The things he tells us are “faithful and true;” this is what is going to come to pass.

·         With all this beauty and majesty John again is reminded to stay focused on what God gave Moses as the first commandment.  You must not worship any other gods before Him.  He alone is worthy of our praise and our worship; “Worship God.”

 

Revelation 22:10-13  And he said to me, Do not seal the Words of the prophecy of this Book; for the time is at hand.  (11)  He acting unjustly, let him still act unjustly. And the filthy, let him be filthy still. And the righteous, let him be righteous still. And the holy, let him be holy still.  (12)  And behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to give to each according as his work is.  (13)  I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the Ending, the First and the Last.

·         Daniel was asked to seal up his prophecy so the people of his time would not know what was coming.  John is not given that directive because “the time is at hand.”  All need to know that He is coming quickly. 

 

Revelation 22:14-16  Blessed are they who do His commandments, that their authority will be over the Tree of Life, and they may enter in by the gates into the city.  (15)  But outside are the dogs, and the sorcerers, and the fornicators, and the murderers, and the idolaters, and everyone who loves and makes a lie.  (16)  I, Jesus, have sent My angel to testify these things to you over the churches. I am the Root and the Offspring of David, the bright and Morning Star.

 

·         The NLT translates the first part of verse 14 as “blessed are those who wash their robes.”  They will be blessed who have taken their call from Jesus to “Follow Me” seriously, kept His commands and been faithful living a life that is consistently seeking His kingdom first.  They will be given the right to come and dwell in this wonderful city.

·         Jesus again reaffirms who He is; the creator of David and his heir also the “bright and morning star” representing our salvation.

 

Revelation 22:17 And the Spirit and the bride say, “Come! And let the one hearing say, Come! And let the one who is thirsty come. Let them come and drink of the Water of Life freely.”

·         This has been a kind of theme verse or mission statement for our fellowship here.  We want to give the invitation to all those who are thirsty to come and drink.  We try to preach salvations message out to this thirsty and hurting world.  We have the only thing that will ever truly satisfy you; come and try it for yourself.

·         It is very important that we teach it as it is written; look now at the warning given to all:

 

Revelation 22:18-19  For I testify together to everyone who hears the Words of the prophecy of this Book: If anyone adds to these things, God will add on him the plagues that have been written in this Book.  (19)  And if anyone takes away from the Words of the Book of this prophecy, God will take away his part out of the Book of Life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which have been written in this Book.

·         The Holy Spirit is so important in the interpretation of the scriptures.  We cannot add or subtract anything from His Holy Word.  I know this lays heavy on my heart as I prepare a message to be given.  I want to portray only what God says and not change it in any way.  Why would I, it is already perfect as it is.

·         Our Bible ends with a promise to us or maybe just more of a fact.

 

Revelation 22:20-21  He who testifies these things says, “Yes, I am coming quickly, Amen.” Yes, come, Lord Jesus.  (21)  The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with all of you. Amen.

·         Yes come, Lord Jesus.  Your bride waits with great anticipation.

 

Lord, thank you for Your Word, and the hope that it brings to us.  Come quickly Lord Jesus!