Soul-Stirring Promises

THE REVELATION OF JESUS CHRIST

REVELATION 22:1-21

SUBJECT: HEAVEN & THE RAPTURE

THEME: Believers should hold the hope of heaven in their hearts and believe the promise of Christ’s return.  Such believers will be marked by faithfulness, service, and spiritual motivation as we anticipate Christ’s return in the Rapture. 

INTRODUCTION:

There are four things John points out as He focuses the seven churches on the immanent return of Christ in the Rapture. We will only consider the third point mentioned in chapter twenty-two in this article. 

MESSAGE:

I.  He Completes the Stunning Previews (Rev. 22:1-5). 

In Rev 22:1-5, we move inside the city to see additional facts about the New Jerusalem and discover that it is like a beautiful garden, reminiscent of the Garden of Eden. We are given a preview of the river of life, the tree of life, and eternal life with God. Secondly....

II. He Certifies these Serious Prophecies (Rev. 22:6-10).

John now seeks to assure the seven churches that the things revealed in the book of the Revelation can be trusted and relied upon.  Understand the vision of the future is now complete and John moves to point believers to the Word, and the Hope of the Rapture.  Likewise we too are to rely on the Word and look forward to the Rapture when Christ returns for us.  

III. He Communicates With Stirring Promises (Rev. 22:11-17).

It is important to understand the revealing of the future–The Revelation– is completed and John is still addressing believers in the seven churches directly.  He is trying to give them hope, to stir them to service and faithfulness to the Lord until He returns to receive us unto Himself in the Rapture.  It is important to understand that John is no longer talking to nor about tribulation conditions and saints, he has already exposed us to “the things which shall be hereafter” (Rev. 1:19).  Instead, he is talking directly to believers of that time down to the present age. Including you and me!  He wants to stir us to be watchful regarding the Lord’s return in the Rapture. He wanted them and us to be stirred by the following realities....

A.  STIRRED BY OUR CONTINUING STATUS (Rev. 22:11).

   1.  Whether One is Still Unjust and Filthy.    “He that is unjust, let him be unjust still: and he which is filthy, let him be filthy still”

       A.  Does Rev 22:11 Suggest That God Does Not Want Men to Repent and Change Their Ways?

             1.  No, because that would be contrary to the message of Revelation and of the Gospel itself.

             2.  The point here is not to condone what is evil, but to point out that if people do not heed this prophecy, they will continue in their wickedness.

       B.  The Angel's Words must Be Understood in Light of the Repeated Statement, "Behold, I come quickly" (Rev 22:7,12), as well as his statement, "For the time is at hand" (Rev 22:10).

Indeed, it may be so near that there would be no time for people to alter their lifestyles.

       C.  Jesus Christ's Coming Will Occur So Quickly That Men Will Not Have Time to Change Their Characters. 

               1.  Relatively speaking, the time of the Lord’s return is near and no major changes in mankind’s conduct can be expected.

                2.  “In verse 11 we have a solemn truth, sometimes referred to as "the permanence of character." I must once more at this point bring to my readers the concise and solemn lines of Swete. "It is not only true," he says, "that the troubles of the last days will tend to fix the character of each individual according to the habits which he has already formed, but there will come a time when change will be impossible-when no further opportunity will be given for repentance on the one hand or for apostasy on the other."”  — (from The Wycliffe Bible Commentary)

       D.  Rev 22:11, Therefore, Is a Solemn Warning That Decision Determines Character, and Character Determines Destiny.

            1.  “The intention seems to be to stir men up to a realization of the nature of their conduct in continuing to reject the warnings of God. Note that the words immediately succeeding, as well as those immediately preceding, are connected with the judgment.” — (from The Pulpit Commentary)

            2.  “The angel is showing how our choices lead to consequences. Like a train running down a track, the consequences will ultimately come for the choices we make. God is always calling people to repent, but when Christ returns, the opportunity will have passed. This is a call to the readers to make up their minds now and live for God.”  — (from The Life Application Commentary Series)

   2.  Whether One is Still Righteous and Holy.  “and he that is righteous, let him be righteous still: and he that is holy, let him be holy still.”

       A.  On the Other Hand Those Who Do Heed the Prophecy Will Continue to Do What Is Right.

              — “People will reap the consequences for the kinds of lives they have led; those who have done wrong and who have been vile will face that in eternity, and those who have done good and have been holy will be rewarded accordingly, as noted in 22:12.”  — (from The Life Application Commentary Series)

       B.  Suffering Believers Might Ask, "Is it Worth it to Live a Godly Life?" John's reply is, "Yes! Jesus is returning, and He will reward you!" Next comes John's second admonition.

B.  STIRRED BY OUR COMING SAVIOR (Rev. 22:12-16).

Clearly the coming of Christ in the Rapture is a stirring promise to be embraced by every child of God.

   1.  The Promise of His Return (Rev. 22:12-13). (This seems to be related more to the Rapture then the Revelation.)

        A.  It Will Be Quickly (Rev. 22:12).  “And, Behold, I come quickly”

              1.  “The coming of Christ is the preeminent theme of both the Prologue and the Epilogue (Rev 1:7; 22:7,12,20). By quickly (v. 12) is not meant that the Second Advent would occur soon after John completed the writing of this book. Rather, it means that the events of the Second Coming will occur so fast, one event quickly following another, that many will be taken completely by surprise.”   — (from The Wycliffe Bible Commentary)

              2.  Bear in Mind that the Second Coming Has Two aspects The Rapture and The Revelation.

The first is before the Tribulation and the second is after the Tribulation. The next event on God’s prophetic calendar is the Rapture of the saints.

        B.  It Will Be Rewarding (Rev. 22:12).  "My reward is with Me"

              1.  At the Judgment Seat of Christ!

Believers will be judged according to their works; and rewards will be given to those who have been faithful. This implies that God is mindful of our sufferings, and our service, and nothing will ever be done in vain if it is done for Him.

The Bible records God rewarding his people for good works according to his justice. No act of mercy will be forgotten; no true believer will be abandoned. (For more on rewards, see Matt 16:27; 19:27-30; Luke 6:23,35; 1 Cor 3:8,13-15; 9:25; James 1:12.)

              2.  We Have the Responsibility of Serving the Lord. 

Throughout church history, there have been those who have (to use Dwight L. Moody's words) become "so heavenly minded that they were no earthly good." They quit their jobs, sold their property, and sat and waited for Jesus to return. All of them have been embarrassed, of course, because it is unbiblical to set dates for His coming. It is also unbiblical to become careless and lazy just because we believe Jesus is coming soon. Paul faced this problem with some of the believers in Thessalonica, (2 Thess 3).

              3.  There Will Also Be Rewards in the Kingdom.

Christ here spoke, reiterating that He would bring a reward that would be given to his people, according to what each had done (Rev. 20:12-13.) Our reward will include a place in God's kingdom (see Matt 25:34-40; Mark 9:47; 10:29-30), not on the basis of merit (good deeds) but because of God's gracious promise to people of faith (Luke 12:31-32).

               4.  Some Rewards Will be Personal and Individual.

Although all God's people will be saved and will enjoy the reward of eternity with him, a number of rewards seem to be given to individuals, according to what they have done. God will look at each individual's heart; thus, it may be that a quiet saint praying daily beside her bed will receive even greater reward than a flamboyant, well-known preacher. It may be that the woman who used her gifts to the fullest extent will be rewarded more greatly than the one who believed, but was too afraid to reach her potential. God will not bestow his rewards in ways that we humans might. Each believer's job is to serve God to his or her fullest potential with a heart that is right with him.

        C.  It Will Be Personal (Rev. 22:13). He will Personally Complete what He began in your heart!

Next, Christ repeated the words he had spoken at the beginning of the Revelation: "I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End, the First and the Last" (see Rev. 1:8,17).

                1.  Creator. (Alpha, Beginning, First)

The Creator began and will end time itself. Alpha and Omega are the first and last letters of the Greek alphabet; it's like saying he is the A and the Z, or even A-to-Z.

               2. Completer. (Omega, End, Last) 

Rev 22:13 is a great encouragement to anyone who seeks to serve the Lord. Whatever God starts, He will finish; for He is the Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, the first and the last.

Philip. 1:6,  Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ:

Philip. 2:12-13, Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. [13] For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.

   2.  The Provisions of His Return (Rev. 22:14-15).

Notice John added, "Blessed are they that do His commandments" (Rev 22:14). Once again God associates blessing with a call to obedience!  If we really believe that Jesus is coming soon, we will watch and be faithful (Luke 12:35).

        A.  Access to the Tree of Life (Rev. 22:14).

             1.  Practice.

                    A.  This picture symbolizes the necessity to remain pure in practice and free of a sinful way of life as we wait on the Lord to return.

                           — We do not need to earn salvation; but we are to continue to “do His commandments” and so remain clean, faithful, and ready.  Works are always the fruit of genuine salvation.

                           — God is issuing a call to believers to strive daily to remain faithful, obedient, and ready for Christ's return.

                   B.  Christ said that he would reward his followers–believers–for their deeds–“according as his work shall be.”

                            — This means that we will give an account of our faithfulness. Jesus is coming back -- we know this is true.

                            — Does this mean we must quit our jobs in order to serve God?

                            — No, it means we are to use our time, talents, and treasures diligently in order to serve God completely in whatever we do. For a few people, this may mean changing professions.

                            — For most, however, it means doing daily work out of love for God. Be faithful in what you have been given.  Keep on working for God's glory!

             2.  Privilege. (Rev. 22:14).

                  A.  The word “right” points to the privilege or access of the saints to eat from “the tree of life” in heaven when we finally arrive there.

                           — The word “right” means authority, privilege, jurisdiction, liberty, freedom, power, capacity, and strength (See Matt. 28:18; Mk. 1:22, 27; 6:7; John 20:22).

                           — “That they may be entitled to approach the tree of life; that this privilege may be granted to them. It is not a right in the sense that they have merited it, but in the sense that the privilege is conferred on them as one of the rewards of God, and that, in virtue of the divine arrangements, they will be entitled to this honor. So the word used here-exousia (NT:1849)-means in John 1:12, rendered "power." The reason why this right or privilege is conferred is not implied in the use of the word. In this case it is by grace, and all the right which they have to the tree of life is founded on the fact that God has been pleased graciously to confer it on them.”   — (from Barnes' Notes)

                  B.  Those who do so can exercise their privilege to eat the fruit from “the tree of life.”

                          — In Eden, Adam and Eve had been barred from any access to “the tree of life” because of their sin (Gen 3:22-24).

                          — In the New Jerusalem, God's people will eat from “the tree of life” because their sins have been removed by Christ's death and resurrection. Those who eat the fruit of this tree will live forever.

                  C.  Since the “tree of life” is literal, though sometimes presented figuratively (see Prov. 3:18; 11:30; 13:12; 15:4), it suggests a quality of life involving an intimate fellowship with Jesus Christ forever.  This may be a fulfillment of Christ’s provision of eternal life, and more abundant life (see John 10:10).

        B.  Access to the City of New Jerusalem (Rev. 22:14).  “May enter in through the gates into the city”

              1.  Entering the city indicates joining the redeemed people in eternity by entering through the gates of the city!  All citizens are welcome home and have free access!

              2.  No one can enter into the city unless their name is written in “the Lamb’s Book of Life” (Rev. 21:27; 13:8; Jn. 1:29). 

              3.  This “blessing” is refferring to those justified by faith who express that faith in obedience (see Eph. 2:8–10).

              4.  The obedient overcomer is promised the reward of entering through the gates of the city, possibly a privilege reserved for those who share in the Lord’s victory procession.

        C.  Acceptance in the City of New Jerusalem.  (Rev. 22:15).  “For without are dogs, and sorcerers”  We will be Living in an Environment totally Free of all Sinners!

              1. The contrast here is between those who do God's commandments and enter the city, and those who reject His Word and are excluded from the city (see Rev 21:8,27).

              2. “By contrast, judgment is pronounced on those who are unsaved . . .  As in the similar description of the unsaved in 21:8, 27, the wicked works which characterize the unsaved are described. Though some saints have been guilty of these same practices, they have been washed in the blood of the Lamb and are acceptable to God. But those who refuse to come to the Lord receive the just reward for their sins. Though the world is excessively wicked, God will bring every sin into judgment. And the time for Christ’s return may be drawing near, when this will be effected. ”  — John Walvoord

3.      It is not likely that those who "do His commandments" are a special or an elite group of saints.                                  

4.      The phrase is similar to "them that overcome" and characterizes all the people of God. Obedience to God's Word is a mark of true salvation.

5.      We must keep our lives clean, faithful and committed.

   3.  The Person of His Return (Rev. 22:16).  “I Jesus have sent mine angel to testify unto you these things in the churches.”

The entire Book of Revelation was delivered by Christ through His angel, and its message is for the churches. Our Lord's titles in Rev 22:16 are most interesting because the Lord identifies Himself in unmistakable terms.

       A.  Jesus.

           1.  Jesus Means Jehovah Savior.

           2.  Jesus is the Name of His Humiliation.

                 A.  From the glory of heaven as God to a life of love, obedience, and humility as man, a life fully and mysteriously human and divine, to death as a capital criminal on a Roman cross-this is the story of Jesus, our savior; Jesus, the one who offers Himself fully as the sacrifice that gives us life.

                 B.  Children have such a difficult time grasping what their parents sacrifice for them. In fact, it usually isn't until they perform similar sacrifices for their own children that they begin to grasp how much their parents loved them. The time, emotional energy, money, physical strength, personal desires, all sacrificed for the sake of the child, are often taken for granted, as though it is all owed to him. He may not be mature enough to take it any other way. (Source Unknown)

                 C.  We face a similar danger as Christians, not being able to grasp all that Jesus has done for us. We risk taking it all for granted, thinking that what Jesus has done for us is owed us, or that it was of little consequence.

                 D.  Ted Engstrom, in his book The Fine Art of Friendship, tells a story which helps us grasp some of what Jesus has done for us. A young husband with a crippling, terminal neurological disease writes a letter to the unborn child in his wife's womb which he may never live to see:

Your mother is very special. Few men know what it is like to receive appreciation for taking their wives out to dinner when it entails what it does for us. It means that she has to dress me, shave me, brush my teeth, comb my hair; wheel me out of the house and down the steps, open the garage and put me in the car, take the pedals off the chair, stand me up, sit me in the seat of the car, twist me around so that I'm comfortable, fold the wheelchair, put it in the car, go around to the other side of the car, start it up, back it out, get out of the car, pull the garage door down, get back into the car, and drive off to the restaurant. And then, it starts all over again: she gets out of the car, unfolds the wheelchair, opens the door, spins me around, stands me up, seats me in the wheelchair, pushes the pedals out, closes and locks the car, wheels me into the restaurant, then takes the pedals off the wheelchair so I won't be uncomfortable. We sit down to have dinner, and she feeds me throughout the entire meal. And when it's over she pays the bill, pushes the wheelchair out to the car again, and reverses the same routine. And when it's over-finished-with real warmth she'll say, “Honey, thank you for taking me out to dinner.” I never quite know what to answer (103–104).

When I read this story, I felt I ought to take off my shoes … that I was standing on holy ground. That dear wife is a saint. She has the thumbprint of God deep in her soul. Even so, without in any way diminishing what she did, it pales in comparison to what Jesus has done for us. If we truly grasped what Jesus has done for us, we wouldn't know quite what to answer. The Person of the return of Christ is of course Jesus!

       B.  The Root–Divinity.

            1.  As "the Root ... of David," Jesus Christ brought David into existence.

            2.  Jesus is the Source of David. Jesus is greater than David

Isaiah 11:1,  And there shall come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse, and a Branch shall grow out of his roots: 

Isaiah 11:10, And in that day there shall be a root of Jesse, which shall stand for an ensign of the people; to it shall the Gentiles seek: and his rest shall be glorious.

       C.  The Offspring–Humanity.

            1.  As "the Offspring of David," Jesus came into this world, born a Jew from David's line.

            2.  Jesus is the Son of David, and the rightful heir to the throne of David.

            3.  Both the deity and the humanity of Jesus are evidently set forth. For a parallel, see Matt 22:41-46.

       D.  The Bright and Morning Star–Majesty.

            1.  Historically Christ comes from David (Matt. 1:1; Isa. 11:11; Rev. 5:5).

            2.  Prophetically, His coming is like the morning star, the beginning of a bright new day.

                   A.  The "root" is buried in the ground where no one can see it, but the "star" - is in the heavens where everyone can see it.

                   B.  In "the Root and Offspring of David" we have Jesus' Jewish, national name, but in "the Bright and Morning Star" we have His universal name. One speaks of humility, the other of majesty and glory.

            3.  The "morning star" announces dawn's soon arrival. Jesus Christ will come for His saints as "the Morning Star." But when He returns to judge, it will be as "the Sun of righteousness" in burning fury (Mal 4:1-3).

            4.  Because God's people look for their Lord's return, they keep their lives clean and dedicated to Him (1 John 2:28-3:3).

C.  STIRRED BY OUR COMPELLING SUMMONS (Rev. 22:17).

As we await the Lord’s return we should maintain a call to salvation by proclaiming the Gospel with zeal.

   1.  The Invitation from the Spirit and Bride.  “And the Spirit and the bride say, Come.”

In the meantime, the Spirit of God, through the church (the bride), calls for Jesus to come; for the bride wants to meet her Bridegroom and enter into her home. "Even so, come, Lord Jesus" (Rev 22:20).

   2.  The Invitation from the Listener.  “And let him that heareth say, Come.”

      A.  In Fact, it Seems God's Favorite Word Is Come.

            — Come, let us talk about these things. Though our sins are like scarlet, they can be as white as snow. (Isa. 1:18).

            — All you who are thirsty, come and drink. (Jn. 7:37)

            — Come to me, all of you who are tired and have heavy loads, and I will give you rest.

            — Come to the wedding feast.

            — Come follow me, and I will make you fish for people.

            — Let anyone who is thirsty come to me and drink.

      B.  God Is a God Who Invites. God is a God who calls. God is a God who opens the door and waves his hand pointing pilgrims to a full table. His invitation is not just for a meal, however; it is for life. An invitation to come into his kingdom and take up residence in a tearless, graveless, painless world. Who can come? Whosoever wishes. The invitation is at once universal and personal.

   3.  The Invitation to the Thirsty Soul.  “And let him that is athirst come.”

      A.  This invitation by the Spirit remains open to anyone who will come by faith to Christ to accept the Lord’s gracious offer of eternal life.

      B.  Those who hear are encouraged to respond and also to extend the invitation to others. The wonderful promise is given that all those who are thirsty may come and will receive God’s free gift of salvation.

   4.  The Invitation is to Whosoever Will.  (Rev. 22:17) “And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely.”

       A.  Believers ought also to invite lost sinners to trust Christ and drink the water of life. Indeed, when churches live in expectancy of Christ's return, such an attitude provokes ministry and evangelism as well as purity of heart.

       B.  We want to tell others of the grace of God. A true understanding of Bible prophecy should both motivate us to obey God's Word and to share God's invitation with a lost world. What will you do with these great promises that stir the soul in the most profound ways?