I AM Coming Quickly, Revelation 22:7-21

 

Welcome back.

Hope you’re enjoying our chapter 22, tour of heaven. Did you relax during our picnic by the River of Life?  Were you awestruck as we looked toward Him who sits on the Throne? Were you amazed as we examined the beautiful healing Trees of Life?  

Now, we come to the end of our year long journey, through the book of Revelation. This is also the end of the New Testament, and the end of the Holy Bible.

Final words are important.

As the Lord wraps this up, He reveals what’s most pressing on His heart; what’s vital for us to remember. He does this by repeating over and over, a simple four-word phrase.

Let’s listen in, to see if we can hear it.

 “Behold, I am coming quickly! Blessed is he who keeps the words of the prophecy of this book.” Revelation 22:7

In Bibles that have the words of Jesus in red, this is the first time we see red since the sixth bowl of chapter sixteen; before that, not again until the letters to the Churches, in chapter three.

But now, Jesus breaks His silence to say, “I am coming quickly.” This is good news, said with joy. His very next word is, “Blessed” which means, happy, fortunate, and to be envied.

The book of Revelation, begins and ends with a promise of blessing to those who read, hear and keep the words of this prophecy. Revelation 1:3; 22:7.

Just think of how far folks go in the pursuit of happiness. And yet, right here before our very eyes is a blessed, happy, fortunate and to be envied, God-guaranteed promise.  

⁸ Now I, John, saw and heard these things. And when I heard and saw, I fell down to worship before the feet of the angel who showed me these things.

⁹ Then he said to me, “See that you do not do that. For I am your fellow servant, and of your brethren the prophets, and of those who keep the words of this book. Worship God

You can’t blame him for dropping to his knees; after hearing the words of Jesus.

Notice, the “angel” which in the original text means “messenger,” says that he’s a fellow servant, and of your brethren the prophets. Makes me wonder if he is one of the prophets of old in his glorified body. But that’s another study, for another day.

The important thing, is his last two words. Worship God. Period.

We’d do well, and be blessed, to heed that powerful two-word sentence.

Worship God.

Amen.

¹⁰ And he said to me, “Do not seal the words of the prophecy of this book, for the time is at hand.  ¹¹ He who is unjust, let him be unjust still; he who is filthy, let him be filthy still; he who is righteous, let him be righteous still; he who is holy, let him be holy still.”

John is told, do not seal up the words of this prophecy, because the time for fulfillment is near, “the time is at hand.”

However, remember, about six hundred years earlier, Daniel was told to seal up the words of the book, until the time of the end; when folks run to and fro and knowledge is increased.

“But you, Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book until the time of the end; many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall increase.” Daniel 12:4 

Speaking of running to and fro; did you know, currently, there are about one-hundred-thousand flights per day?  

And then, regarding an increase in knowledge; before you can finish this sentence, there will be about three or four hundred-thousand google searches (depending on how fast you read).

 Statics indicate that every second there are 99,000 google searches; that’s more than 8.5 billion per day.

Does that sound like the days Daniel wrote about? The last days; the time of the end, when many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall increase.

Daniel goes on to say that the wicked shall do wickedly, the wise will do wisely.

Many shall be purified, made white, and refined, but the wicked shall do wickedly; and none of the wicked shall understand, but the wise shall understand. Dan. 12:10 

Notice how scripture is prophetically woven together in perfect harmony. John writes in our text (Rev. 22:11) about how the unjust will be unjust, the filthy, will be filthy, the righteous, righteous, the holy, holy.

But why?

Why would the Bible say, let the filthy be filthy? Letting the wicked do whatever they want without saying a word, sounds like the politically correct mantra of the day. 

That can’t be right.

Remember, the best commentary on the Bible is the Bible and context is king.

Daniel, states that the wicked will do wickedly. Period. There’s nothing more that can be said or done. These, wicked, unjust, filthy, have passed the point of no return.

Jesus shares in Matthew 15:14: Let them alone: they be blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into the ditch.

Theologian, Walvoord said of this verse: “If the warnings of this book are not sufficient, there is no more that God has to say.”

To hesitate, even one second, from responding to the Lord’s call, is like pulling the trigger in Russian roulette for your soul. The heart grows harder with each pull, until that fatal time…and it’s too late.

¹² “And behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to give to every one according to his work. ¹³ I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End, the First and the Last.”

¹⁴ Blessed are those who do His commandments, that they may have the right to the tree of life, and may enter through the gates into the city. 

 

There it is again, “I am coming quickly.”

At first, He followed the phrase with the beautiful word, “blessed.” This time He follows it by talking about rewards.

Award Ceremony

For those ready and waiting for His return, this is not a time of judgement, but an award ceremony.

My reward is with Me…

As a kid, around Christmas, on the day Grandma Daisy, and Grandpa Bill, were coming, we’d watch out the window, eagerly watching and waiting. Yes, of course, to see them…but our hearts beat a little faster as they opened the trunk, and pulled out the presents.

Jesus sees your labor of love. The whole world may overlook you. They may not notice your hard work, your gifts, your talents. But Jesus sees, what no one else notices. Your kind word, your love, your good deed, especially the ones that go unnoticed, are highlighted in the eyes of the Lord. And He’s coming with His reward, picked out just for you.

“Weary not in well doing, for you shall reap in due season, if you faint not.” Galatians 6:9.

If you don’t quit, you win.

 

¹⁵ But outside are dogs and sorcerers and sexually immoral and murderers and idolaters, and whoever loves and practices a lie.

Wait. What?

We’re in Revelation 22. This is about heaven. What in the world is this verse doing here?

So, is it true; all dogs go to heaven?

And bad guys?  Outside, the pearly gates?  Huh?

In context and throughout scripture, “dogs” are referred to as those outside the Christian faith, those that are described in the rest of the verse; ungodly, immoral, evil, people.

Regarding the people, “outside” we need to look at the original text to gain understanding.

Outside: exó, means without. Same word used throughout scripture to describe those outside the Church.

Jesus paints a picture to help explain.

“Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a dragnet that was cast into the sea and gathered some of every kind, which, when it was full, they drew to shore; and they sat down and gathered the good into vessels, but threw the bad away (exó). So it will be at the end of the age. The angels will come forth, separate the wicked from among the just, and cast them into the furnace of fire. There will be wailing and gnashing of teeth.” Matthew 13:47-50.

 

Back in that day, all the filth of the old Jerusalem was carried outside the walls and burned.

There are no evil doers loitering outside the pearly gates. They are, exó, cast out, into the lake of fire, forever.

Although, this verse may seem out of place, it is an act of God’s grace. One more time He explains, that Salvation is a Gift, but requires repentance (turning away from sinful lifestyle).

 We cannot continue in sin, and enter His Kingdom.

¹⁶ “I, Jesus, have sent My angel to testify to you these things in the churches. I am the Root and the Offspring of David, the Bright and Morning Star.”

Verification.

We’ll now see a verification an invitation and a warning.

This verse is a verification directly from Jesus.

It’s like He’s saying: I AM, Jesus, and I approve this message.

Then, He follows up with just a couple of His credentials: the Root and Offspring of David and the Bright and Morning Star; both are Messianic titles.

Don’t you love that the Bright and Morning Star comes at the darkest part of the night, just before the dawn?

Come quickly Lord Jesus.

Did you notice, this is the first mention of the Church, (Ekklésia), since the letters in chapters two and three. A comforting, confirming, reminder that His Church, (His Bride) is caught up, to be with Him, prior to the tribulation of chapters six through eighteen. Which makes perfect sense, since, no Good Groom, would appoint His Bride, to wrath. 1 Thessalonians 5:9.

Thank You, Jesus.

And the Spirit and the bride say, “Come!” And let him who hears say, “Come!” And let him who thirsts come. Whoever desires, let him take the water of life freely. Revelation 22:17.

Invitation.

God’s heart is on display from beginning to end. This is the great and grand, final, all-inclusive invitation.

“All the prophets of the Bible, all the apostles of the Bible, all the threatenings of the Bible, all the promises of the Bible, gather themselves up, and focus themselves into this one burning ray, ‘Come to Jesus. Come, and take the water of life freely.’” (Charles Spurgeon).

 

¹⁸ For I testify to everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: If anyone adds to these things, God will add to him the plagues that are written in this book; ¹⁹ and if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part from the Book of Life, from the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book.

Warning.

The warning is not ambiguous. God’s Word, is forever, settled. Psalm 119:89. Period.

Folks will rewrite anything, to accommodate their lust driven agenda. Including the US Constitution, the definition of marriage, gender…even Aunt Jemima Pancake Syrup, for crying out loud.  

They even try to rewrite, HIStory.

Legalism, is religion on steroids. It adds restrictions and rules, never found in the Bible.

Liberalism, swings the other way, and is grace on steroids. It dismisses the absolutes found in the Bible.

No matter what they say or do, God’s Word is Rock Solid Absolute Truth. It has stood the test of time, and will stand for eternity. Its anchor holds, through every storm, in any situation, during any time, in HIStory. Not one jot, or one tittle, of God’s Word, will fail. Ever.

This is His final, irrefutable, unchangeable, immutable, living will and testament, forever.  

²⁰ He who testifies to these things says, “Surely I am coming quickly.”

There’s that wonderful phrase again. I am coming quickly. It’s only mentioned four times in the Bible. All in Revelation. Once in, Revelation 3:11, to the faithful Church in Philadelphia. We’ve just read the other three, here in chapter twenty-two. Take note; every time it’s spoken, directly to the Church.

This time, He adds an emphasis on both ends. He begins with “Surely…” and immediately after, we have an, “Amen…”

It’s like the famous verse, John 3:16. It doesn’t just say, “For God loved the world…” but says, For God ssssooooooooooooooo, loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever, believes in Him, should not perish, but have everlasting life.

His heart is revealed, perfectly clear, by His last words.

What will be, your last words?

Lord, help us finish well.

Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus!

The answer, to all the world’s woes: come, Lord Jesus.

²¹ The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.

Whatever you may miss, may the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be always with you. In whatsoever points you or any of us may fail, may we never come short of the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ.” (Charles Spurgeon).

 

Lord Jesus,

Come quickly, find us, watching, waiting, longing, for Your return.