The Closing Remarks of the Book of Revelation
IN OUR STUDY OF THE BOOK OF REVELATION we have come to the last section, which consists of 22:6-21. In these verses are practical, plain exhortations and information given.
"These words are faithful and true"
At the conclusion of the last vision the interpreting angel said to John that the words which he had spoken and showed him were faithful and true. This statement is correct regarding everything that God has said. The psalmist David declared:
"6 The words of Jehovah are pure words;
As silver tried in a furnace on the earth,
purified seven times" (Ps. 12:6).
The statement regarding the faithfulness and the truthfulness of the words of God is followed by a prophecy that the Lord will come quickly. Following this prediction is the exhortation: "Blessed is he that keepeth the words of the prophecy of this book." The promise of blessing to those who keep the words of the Book of Revelation shows positively that it can be understood by those who really are seeking to know and to do the will of God. To hold out a special blessing for keeping the things in the Book of Revelation, if it were impossible for anyone to understand its message, would be mere mockery. God, of course, is not party to such deception. We therefore conclude that the Book of Revelation can be understood, and that the things therein can be kept.
Worship God Alone
John declared that he is the one who saw and heard the things that are written in the Book of Revelation. When the Apostle heard and saw the things that are written, he fell down before the angel that showed him the revelation. When he did this, the angel said that he should refrain from worshiping him, because, said he, "I am a fellow-servant with thee and with thy brethren the prophets, and with them that keep the words of this book." He concluded his words with the exhortation that men should worship God--and, I may add, worship God alone.
Prophecy Is Not Sealed Today
In verse 10 we have this language: "And he saith unto me, Seal not up the words of the prophecy of this book; for the time is at hand."
When Daniel was given the revelations recorded in his book, he was urged: "But thou, 0 Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book, even to the time of the end: many shall run to and fro and knowledge shall he increased" (Dan. 12:4). The expression, "shut up the words, and seal the book," indicates that the revelation given to Daniel was a closed book for the people of that day and time. It becomes an open book in the time of the end, as the verse declares. That we are in the end of the age, there can be no doubt. God has, figuratively speaking, removed the veil, and anyone who wishes to know the message of the Book of Daniel can do so, provided he will seek diligently for the truth and will ask God to open his eyes.
The Lord said that John was not to seal up the Book of Revelation. In other words, he was to put it in such a form that men can understand it, who desire to do so.
Prophecy can be understood, if people will have the proper idea and attitude towards it. If a person thinks that prophecy cannot be understood, and that it is enigmatical, he, of course, cannot comprehend it. The impression that prophecy cannot be understood is absolutely false. If one will study the prophecies that are quoted in the New Testament from the Old, will examine carefully the context in the Old Testament, and will take everything at its primary, ordinary, usual, literal meaning unless the facts of the context point to the conclusion that the words are not used literally, but are employed figuratively or symbolically, then he can understand the message. The same thing is true with reference to prophecy in the New Testament. A person can understand history as it is recorded in the Old Testament, as well as in the New. If a person can understand how to study the historical portions of the Old Testament, if he realizes that prophecy is but history prewritten, and if he approaches the study of prophecy from that point of view, he can very easily come to a correct understanding of the predictions in both the Old and New Testaments.
Christ and His Message
In verses 11-15 we have a message that centers around Christ, who is set forth in verse 13 in the following words: "I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end." This statement reminds one of similar ones in the Book of Isaiah. The words, Alpha and Omega, are the names of the first and last letters of the Greek alphabet. Jesus speaks of Himself as being the Alpha and the Omega. By this language He is simply saying that He is the first and the last. There was none before Him, and He will continue on forever and ever. He is the beginning of all creation, in that He created all things, and by Him all things hold together (Col. 1:9-17).
Statements with reference to the Trinity must be understood in the light of the fundamental passage of the Old Testament, namely, Deuteronomy 6:4, which, when properly rendered, reads thus: "Hear, 0 Israel, Jehovah our Gods is Jehovah a unity." There is but one Divine Substance or Essence, but three Persons subsisting in that one Divine Essence. These great truths are fundamental and underlie all the teaching of the Word of God, both in the Old and the New Testaments. Christ was God, and was co-equal and co-eternal with the Father and with the Holy Spirit. Since He took the initiative, laid aside the glory that He had with the Father before the world began and came here as the God-man to redeem man, He is the central figure around whom all things revolve. ". . . The testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy" (Rev. 19:10).
Christ, "the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end," urges people to continue in the way that they have chosen, and are determined to go. Thus He said: "He that is unrighteous, let him do unrighteousness still: and he that is filthy, let him be made filthy still: and he that is righteous, let him do righteousness still: and he that is holy, let him be made holy still" (22:11). The Almighty has never forced anyone's will. He uses moral suasion to influence people to choose and to do the correct thing, but He stops short of passing over the threshold of anyone's personality in an effort to force or coerce him to do the right. If a person deliberately chooses unrighteousness, or filthiness, or anything of that nature, the Lord will not force him away from the choices which he has made, but will allow him to go on in the same bent of his mind. On the other hand, if there is any righteous one--someone who loves truth, righteousness, and justice--he is urged to pursue that kind of life still, in accordance with the true fundamental principles of righteousness and justice.
According to verse 12, Jesus will come quickly. When He comes the second time, He will bring His reward with Him and render to everyone according to his work. When Christ came nineteen hundred years ago, He appeared upon earth as the Lamb of God that takes away the sin of the world. He worked out God's scheme of redemption of mankind and made it possible that everyone who desires light might have the opportunity and the privilege of becoming sons of God. When He returns, He will come with His reward and with His recompense and will render to every man according to his works. Men are saved by the grace of God through faith, but are to be rewarded according to their works. We are urged to stop laying up our treasures upon earth, but continually to lay up our treasures in heaven.
The Lord gave a message concerning those who are saved. Hear Him: "Blessed are they that wash their robes, that they may have the right to come to the tree of life, and may enter in by the gates into the city" (22:14). Those people who come voluntarily in faith to the Lord Jesus Christ wash their robes and make them white in the blood of the Lamb. Regardless of how sinful a person may be, if he will only come to Christ and allow Him to do so, the Lord will wash him and make him whiter than snow.
Those who are washed in the blood of the Lamb will have access to the tree of life and will be permitted to enter the holy, eternal city, where they will be with God, Christ, and the Holy Spirit and loved ones throughout all eternity. Hence, the saved are indeed in a blessed and happy condition!
In contrast with those who enter the eternal Jerusalem, are those who are denied that privilege. They are spoken of as being "without" the city. This word is not to be understood as implying that immediately outside the eternal Jerusalem will be the wicked, that is "the dogs, and the sorcerers, and the fornicators, and the murderers, and the idolaters, and everyone that loveth and maketh a lie." In contrast with the saved who will be "within" the city, the evil, reprobate ones will be "without." They will be in the place that is called "the lake of fire," which burns with fire and brimstone, forever and ever. Just where perdition will be, no one can tell. But it is in a certain locality in the universe, where all the wicked and unsaved will be. From that place they will never be able to depart. This is what is meant by Revelation 22:15; "Without are the dogs, and the sorcerers, and the fornicators, and the murderers, and the idolaters, and every one that loveth and maketh a lie."
The Angel Sent by Christ to Testify
In, verse 16 we read: "I Jesus have sent mine angel to testify unto you these things for the churches. I am the root and the offspring of David, the bright, the morning star."
The Lord sent His special angel to testify the things that are written in the Book of Revelation to the churches. Why to the churches? There is but one answer: That they might know what is contained in the revelation appearing in the book, and that they might conform their lives thereto. "Every scripture inspired of God is also profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for instruction which is in righteousness: 17 that the man of God may be complete, furnished completely unto every good work" (II Tim. 3:16, 17).
Christ speaks of Himself again as the "root and the offspring of David." By this expression He meant that He is descendant of David, humanly speaking. Christ is great David's "Greater Son"--the God-man.
However, He calls Himself "the bright, the morning star." The morning star appears just before daybreak. As it rises before the break of day, so will Christ appear as "the bright, the morning star." When we consider the comparison that is introduced by this language, we can understand this statement to refer to but one thing, namely, that it speaks of Christ's appearing before the dawn of the great and bright Millennial Day. In other words, Christ will appear as "the bright, the morning star" at the time of the rapture, which will occur immediately before the Tribulation breaks upon the world. The Lord Jesus Christ will himself "descend from heaven, with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: 17 then we that are alive, that are left, shall together with them be caught up in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air." The saints who are left upon the earth will be snatched away, being caught up to meet the Lord in the air, ". . . and so shall we ever be with the Lord" (I Thess. 4:13--5:11).
Christ's Invitation to All Thirsty, Weary Souls
In Revelation 22:17 we have one of the three great invitations that appear in the Bible. The first one to which I wish to call attention is found in Psalm 2:10-12. This is extended to the atheists and unbelievers of the end time. They are admonished not to do what they contemplate, but to turn to God and worship Him and accept the Lord Jesus Christ as their Saviour.
The second great invitation is that which was extended by the Lord Jesus Christ to all who labor and are heavy laden. It is such a wonderful passage that I am quoting it: "28 Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light" (Matt. 11:28-30).
The last of the three great invitations to which I have referred is found, as stated above, in Revelation 22:17, and is as follows: "And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And he that heareth, let him say, Come. And he that is athirst, let him come: and he that will, let him take the water of life freely." The "Spirit" is the Holy Spirit. The "bride" is the Church. Both of them extend the invitation to the sinner to come and accept Christ. The one who hears and accepts the invitation should sound forth the message to others that they too may come to Christ and be saved. The one who is thirsty, let him come also. Whosoever will may come and partake of the "water of life" freely and be saved. Thus the Bible ends with this marvelous invitation to all who will to come.
Warning Against Adding to or Taking From the Scripture
In one of his final orations Moses, immediately before his death, warned the people not to add to anything that God had said, nor to take from it: "2 Ye shall not add unto the word which I command you, neither shall ye diminish from it, that ye may keep the commandments of Jehovah your God which I command you" (Deut. 4:2).
In Revelation 22:18,19 the Lord concludes the Book of Revelation, and at the same time the Bible, with the same warning that men must not take from the Scriptures nor add to them, or mutilate or change them in any way. The Scriptures are the infallibly inspired Word of God. They say what they mean, and they mean exactly what they say. People should be careful how they change, warp, distort, or modify what God has said! If one takes from the Book, "God shall take away his part from the tree of life, and out of the holy city." If he adds to it, God will "add unto him the plagues which are written in this book"--the Book of Revelation. The only safe course to pursue is to take the Word of God at it is written, and to follow the letter and the spirit of the instructions.
The Lord in verse 20 promises that He is coming: "Yea: I come quickly." The Apostle John then chimes in and says: "Amen: come, Lord Jesus." Every true heart who recognizes the truthfulness of the Christian religion and the blessedness of the eternal home, prays with John, "0 Lord, come! Come, Lord Jesus!"
The Bible ends with the apostolic prayer: "The grace of the Lord Jesus be with the saints. Amen." (Rev. 22:21.)
