revelation 22 commentary
And he shewed me a pure river of water of life. If you leave out Christ, you have left the sun out of the day, and the moon out of the night, you have left the waters out of the sea, and the foods out of the river, you have left the harvest out of the year, the soul out of the body, you have left joy out of heaven, yea, you have robbed all of its all. Much of the Book of Revelation is either fantastic or seems too good to be true, but it is all true. The word quickly in the ancient Greek isnt exactly the same as our word for quickly. The word quickly might with accuracy be rendered suddenly. (Morgan). In heaven there is not only a variety of pure and satisfying pleasures, but a continuance of them, and always fresh. This is how John Walvoord sees it: The visual picture presented is that the river of life flows down through the middle of the city, and the tree is large enough to span the river, so that the river is in the midst of the street, and the tree is on both sides of the river., iii. Declaring her firm belief of it: Amen, so it is, so it shall be. But in the new heaven and new earth they are done away with forever. Then come! And this Jesus, as God, is the root of David, though, as man, his offspringa person in whom all uncreated and created excellencies meet, too great and too good to deceive his churches and the world. Error: Passwords should have at least 6 characters, Error: Usernames should only contain letters, numbers, dots, dashes, or underscores. The title the First and the Last is also irrefutable proof that Jesus is Yahweh, the LORD: I, the LORD, am the first; and with the last I am He. These aspects of the curse will even be present during the Millennium, though they will be greatly mitigated by the perfect rule of Jesus. c. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End, the First and the Last: As an added incentive for us to do and be what is right, being ready for Jesus return, He reminds us just who He is. i. Ezekiel saw a glorious river (Ezekiel 47) flow down from the temple in Jerusalem and into the sea, but that river belongs to the millennial earth. Not at all; they were not wrong and they were not misled by Jesus. (Revelation 22:6-7) The angel and Jesus add words of verification, Then he said to me, These words are faithful and true. And the Lord God of the holy prophets sent His angel to show His servants the things which must shortly take place. They conceive these verses the seal of all canonical Scripture, and that God here denounces a curse to those who shall pretend any new revelations of his will as also against all those who shall deny, corrupt, or deprave any part of them. (Poole). of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb. Luke-Acts I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End, the First and the Last., a. The solemnity of the injunction suggests that the speaker is Christ Himself. (Mounce). Such a tree there was in the earthly paradise, Gen 2 9. If the warnings of this book are not sufficient, there is no more that God has to say. (Walvoord). This tree of life is fed by the pure waters of the river that comes from the throne of God. Heaven is not a place of indolent leisure, but a place where service is done, centering on God. (L. Morris). The earthly paradise was well watered: no place can be pleasant or fruitful that is not so. Supernatural visions and revelations do not mean that someone is correct in their doctrine, teaching, or practice. Revelation 1:8, 17; Revelation 2:8; Revelation 21:6). Amen. They are given not to help people work out a timetable of future events, but to strengthen Christians so that they will be obedient and not . Copyright 2023, Bible Study Tools. conservative Christian faith, which includes a firm belief in the inerrancy Poole wrote that this idea of this river was To let us know, that in heaven there shall be no want of any thing that can make the saints happy., b. What John saw may or may not be exactly like a river on earth, but when we see it we will also say, That looks like a river., i. Check to enable permanent hiding of message bar and refuse all cookies if you do not opt in. 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.. Why does it seem that it has been so long? iv. And now, as to this tree, observe, 1. For I am your fellow servant, and of your brethren the prophets, and of those who keep the words of this book. (Revelation 22:12-13) Jesus declares: I am coming quickly. Prophets There shall be no night there: They need no lamp nor light of the sun, for the Lord God gives them light. Even though man fell by what he ate, God will still allow us to eat in heaven. i. 3 And there shall be no more curse: but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it; and his servants shall serve him: 4 And they shall see his face; and his name shall be in their foreheads. With this phrase, John used an idea related to an Aramaic expression that was well known in the ancient church: Maranatha! I am the Root and the Offspring of David, the Bright and Morning Star.. Get Your Bible Minute in Your Inbox Every Morning. Recognizing the value of consistent reflection upon the Word of God in order to refocus one's mind and heart upon Christ and His Gospel of peace, we provide several reading plans designed to cover the entire Bible in a year. All three titles are here combined, as if to finally gather up into one impressive assertion the titles hitherto used separately (cf. 3. Anyone who desires salvation in Jesus Christ can come to Him and take the water of life freely. We will see Jesus clearly because care and worry are gone. It is really this simple: do you desire Jesus and His salvation? Prophets Blue Letter Bible offers several daily devotional readings in order to help you refocus on Christ and the Gospel of His peace and righteousness. i. a. b. And they shall reign forever and ever. Amen: The book (and the Bible) ends with a word of grace, and grace for all. All our springs of grace, comfort, and glory, are in God; and all our streams from him are through the mediation of the Lamb. d. Whoever desires, let him take the water of life freely: This is an invitation so great that we can glory in it. Either sense is certainly true. But outside are dogs and sorcerers and sexually immoral and murderers and idolaters, and whoever loves and practices a lie. 4. b. All of this worlds religion can be summed up in the idea that you must bring something to give unto the gods. The presence and perfections of God furnish out all the glory and blessedness of heaven. d. Blessed is he who keeps the words of the prophecy of this book: This blessing reminds us that prophecy gives us a word to keep, not merely material for interesting discussions and debates. God wants to keep all generations expectant, watching, and ready for His return. They shall reign with him for ever; their service shall be not only freedom but honour and dominion. Pauline Epistles Pauline Epistles The supreme felicity of this paradisiacal state. 11. Then come! Email / username or password was incorrect! (Revelation 22:18-19) Someone brings a warning either Jesus, or an angel, or John. The word for healing is therapeian, from which the English word therapeutic is derived, almost directly transliterated from the Greek. Johannine Writings A symbol of the eternal life flowing from the Son of God as a fountain, which has been bestowed upon all who dwell in the heavenly city. 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. c. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End, the First and the Last: As an added incentive for us to do and be what is right, being ready for Jesus return, He reminds us just who He is. (Read all of Revelation 22) This chapter contains a further account of the above city, a confirmation of the visions of this book, and the conclusion of it. i. Regarding the phrase those who do His commandments some translations have those who have washed their robes instead. 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; 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. (22-27) Commentary on Revelation 21:1-8 (Read Revelation 21:1-8) The new heaven and the new earth will not be separate from each other; the earth of the saints, their glorified, bodies, will be heavenly. On each side of the river stood the tree of life, bearing twelve crops of fruit, yielding its fruit every month. He is the Lord God faithful and true. The tension of imminence is endemic to that span of redemptive history lying between the cross and the parousia. (Mounce). We will see Jesus clearly because idols are done away with. Whoever desires, let him take the water of life freely. c. They shall see His face: Heaven will be a place where Gods people see His face, a place of intimate, face to face fellowship with God. The Spirit and the bride say, Come! Is this an invitation to Jesus, asking Him to return? The devil has nothing to do there; he cannot draw the saints from serving God to be subject to himself, as he did our first parents, nor can he so much as disturb them in the service of God. You cant bring anything to save or justify or commend yourself before God, but you can take the salvation He offers. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. i. In that day there will be nothing that obscures our vision of Jesus: iv. 9. As the Bible opens with the story of Paradise Lost, so it here closes with the story of Paradise Regained. (Erdman) We see the return of Paradise in the ideas of a river, a tree of life, revocation of the curse, intimacy restored, and reigning resumed. The Bibles Tab is found in the Tools feature on Bible pages: Note: MLA no longer requires the URL as part of their citation standard. The main intent of prophecy is to lead us to trust and obey God, and apply His truth to the way we live. Whoever desires can come, but they cant come unless God works in their heart to desire Him. If anyone adds if anyone takes away: This means that there is a high price to pay for tampering with the Book of Revelation specifically, and the Scriptures in general. Jesus spoke to this same idea in Matthew 22:41-46. d. Bright and Morning Star: This is another Messianic title from the Old Testament (Numbers 24:17) and the New Testament (Revelation 2:28). 10 And he saith unto me, Seal not the sayings of the prophecy of this book: for the time is at hand. Or is it an invitation to those with a spiritual thirst to come to Jesus? ii. By proceeding, you consent to our cookie usage. One river from one God. b. vi. 9 Then saith he unto me, See thou do it not: for I am thy fellowservant, and of thy brethren the prophets, and of them which keep the sayings of this book: worship God. 2. The New Testament This book is not a private affair, knowable only by an elite it is for all believers. This will be the greatest glory of heaven: to know God, to know Jesus, more intimately and wonderfully than we ever could on earth. We shouldnt think that outside the walls of heaven multitudes will throng, longing to get in. III. Behold, I am coming quickly! There is no barrier between you and Jesus except your stubborn will. His message is always be ready! 7. A similar invitation is extended in Isaiah 55:1. It isnt always easy to know who is speaking, but the themes make sense no matter who speaks: verification, invitation, and warning. Its also worth noting that this is the first reference to the church since the letters to the seven churches in Revelation 2-3. c. The Root and offspring of David: This is a precious Messianic title (Isaiah 11:1). He who testifies to these things says, Surely I am coming quickly. Amen. My heart is hard and I cant even weep over my sins or feel bad over them as I should come anyway, because it doesnt say whoever feels, let him take the water of life freely. ii. Some people wonder if we will eat in heaven. Instead of the curse, the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it. The throne of God and of the Lamb: Henceforth, eternal praises to his name, the throne of God is the throne of the Lamb. But outside are dogs and sorcerers and sexually immoral and murderers: What about those outside? They shall be full of wisdom and comfort, continually walking in the light of the Lord; and this not for a time, but for ever and ever. Thus the time has always been at hand. One. d. Whoever desires, let him take the water of life freely: This is an invitation so great that we can glory in it. Would you prayerfully consider a gift of support today? Or is it an invitation to those with a spiritual thirst to come to Jesus? iii. Then come. i. ii. No, but it does show that living faith will have works with it (James 2:20, Titus 3:8). Divines generally do further extend the sense of these two verses, considering this as the last portion of holy writ, not only placed last in our Bibles, but revealed and written last. God is in the midst of her, she shall not be moved; God shall help her, just at the break of dawn. d. His name shall be on their foreheads: Heaven will be a place where Gods people will forever be identified with their God, and there will never be any doubt that they belong to Him. 4 They will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads. Blue Letter Bible study tools make reading, searching and studying the Bible easy and rewarding. On each side of the river stood the tree of life, bearing twelve crops of fruit, yielding its fruit every month. You always can block or delete cookies by changing your browser settings and force blocking all cookies on this website. e. There shall be no more night there: Heaven will be a place where the darkness of this age will be forever gone. John Gill's Exposition of the Bible. The city is further described by the river that ran by it, or through it, called a river of water of life, said to . It is a throne of righteousness, but no less a throne of grace. These terms together mean that Jesus is the beginning, middle, and end for the Christian. It is the chief blessing of heaven, the cream of heaven, the heaven of heaven, that the saints shall there see Jesus. (Spurgeon), v. To look into the face of Christ signifies to be well acquainted with his person, his office, his character, his work. He who was so tender of the honour of God, and so displeased with what was a wrong to God, would never come in his name to lead the people of God into mere dreams and delusions; and it is a still further confirmation of the sincerity of this apostle that he confesses his own sin and folly, into which he had now again relapsed, and he leaves this his failing on perpetual record: this shows he was a faithful and an impartial writer. All the streams of earthly comfort are muddy; but these are clear, salutary, and refreshing, giving life, and preserving life, to those who drink of them. Surely I am coming quickly: To the very end, the Book of Revelation emphasizes readiness and watchfulness. The tension of imminence is endemic to that span of redemptive history lying between the cross and the parousia. (Mounce). It simply describes the future with the imagery of the present. (Mounce), i. The title the First and the Last is also irrefutable proof that Jesus is Yahweh, the LORD: I, the LORD, am the first; and with the last I am He. 3. (1.) Why does it say that all dogs will be outside? If any say, "Where is the promise of his coming, when so many ages have passed since this was written?" If you do not want that we track your visit to our site you can disable tracking in your browser here: We also use different external services like Google Webfonts, Google Maps, and external Video providers. 2 down the middle of the great street of the city. If we really know and understood who Jesus is, we will not have any trouble being ready for His return. The fruitfulness of this tree. Apparently, heaven will still mark time, but not be subject to it in the same way we are on this side of eternity. i. II. God will own them, as having his seal and name on their foreheads. It shows that Jesus is both the Creator of King David and His descendent. In the middle of its street, and on either side of the river, was the tree of life, which bore twelve fruits, each tree yielding its fruit every month. 2. The leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. Come! i. a. And the Spirit and the bride say, Come! And let him who hears say, Come! And let him who thirsts come. Regarding the phrase those who do His commandments some translations have those who have washed their robes instead. So the saints in heaven shall have more knowledge of Christ than the most advanced below. i. a. << Revelation 21 | Revelation 22. Not at all; they were not wrong and they were not misled by Jesus. You cant bring anything to save or justify or commend yourself before God, but you can take the salvation He offers. Revelation 22:1 In the previous chapter, John was shown a new order of things. i. Bright as crystal. In the middle of its street, and on either side of the river, was the tree of life, which bore twelve fruits, each tree yielding its fruit every month. Even so, come, Lord Jesus! The essence of Christianity is summed up in the idea that God invites us to take the water of life freely. Paul also used this phrase as a final word in some of his letters (1 Corinthians 16:23, 2 Corinthians 13:14, 1 Thessalonians 5:28, 2 Thessalonians 3:18). Or, as expressed by the Psalmist in Psalm 46:4-5: There is a river whose streams shall make glad the city of God, the holy place of the tabernacle of the Most High. Blessed is he that keepeth the sayings of the prophecy of this book - That receives them as a divine communication; that makes use of them to comfort himself in the days of darkness, persecution, and trial; and that is obedient to the precepts here enjoined. i. We need 2 cookies to store this setting. 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revelation 22 commentary
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