Revelation Chapters 21-22
Well, we finally made it to the end of this book! Seems like it has been forever in some regards and in others, it seems like we started yesterday. I hope you have gotten a blessing from studying this magnificent book that God gave us to prepare us for the days ahead.
When we finished our last lesson, Satan had been thrown into the lake of fire. That was a satisfying moment of reading, wasn’t it?!! What we don’t learn a lot about from reading the book of Revelation is the whole topic of the millennium, what we refer to as the 1000 year reign of Christ on the earth.
Let’s look at what we do know about this time period on the earth:
It is a 1000 year period of time that begins right after Satan is bound and thrown into the abyss.
It will take place on the earth.
The Beast and the False Prophet will already be in the lake of fire when
the 1000 years begin and they will be there for eternity.
TherewillbepeopleinthetribulationwhodidnotworshiptheBeast
and who were not killed. These people will go into the millennium and repopulate the earth.
That’s not a ton of information and as we’ve had to do many times, we must go back to the Old Testament and find out what other details God has given us. First of all, there will be physical changes to the earth during the millennium.
Read Isaiah 35:1-10 and list everything in these verses related to the land:
Now, go back to these same verses and list everything related to any kind of change that will happen to human beings:
The earth as we know it right now is dying, just as our physical bodies are dying. What do you learn from Romans 8:22-23 about the earth?
You see, creation itself is tied to the sins of the people who live upon it. Mankind has shed blood upon the earth from the very first death when Cain killed Abel. This earth as we know it, groans with earthquakes, tsunamis, hurricanes, and other natural disasters. The closer we get to the 2nd coming of Christ, the more frequent and intense the groanings of the earth will be. It is compared to birth pains in Matthew 24, and that is the perfect analogy.
The 2nd thing we learn from the Old Testament is that the curse that was brought upon the earth in Gen. 3 will be lifted during the millennium.
4. Read Is. 11:6-9. What will be different about the animal kingdom? List everything from these verses that will be different about the earth from what it is currently like:
Do you remember that show, The Life and Times of Grizzly Adams? That show premiered in 1974 and I was enamoured with it! I just couldn’t believe that a fella could live with and play around with a grizzly bear. I remember seeingavideoofaguywhohadabigbearasapet. IsaidtoToddonedayas we were watching it, “What an idiot!!! Who in their right mind would let a bear live in their house?!!”. During the millennium, you too can be an idiot! You can have a grizzly bear or an alligator or a lion live in your house without the fear of that animal harming you.
5. The 3rd important distinction about the millennium is that creation will be redeemed. What do you learn in Rom. 8:20-21 about that redemption that is coming?
Have you ever pondered the fact that creation itself has been hostage to the sins that mankind has committed upon it? Well, it has! God will reverse this back to the Garden of Eden scenario.
6. The4thdistinctionisthateveryonewillhaveknowledgeofGod. What does the verse we just read in Is. 4:9 say regarding this?
There will be death during the millennium for people, but just as the earth will return to Eden-like features, so too will the lifespan of people upon the earth. Remember, Adam lived to be 930 years old. Methuselah lived to be 969 years old. Jared lived to be 962 years old. Noah lived to be 950 years old. Seth lived to be 912 years old. When there is no illness or cancer on the earth, the human body can live a long time.
Perhaps my favorite verse about the millennium is Isaiah 65:23 which speaks of children no longer being born for calamity. I know too many parents who have buried children who have died of cancer, or drugs, or alcohol. That kind of calamity will not exist during the millennium. Even now, as I write this, tears are running down my cheeks as I ponder all the calamity my sweet Gabe has suffered because of cancer. I dream of a world free from cancer.
Because the Church will have already been raptured we will always be with Jesus. There will, however, be children born to people who enter into the millennial reign. There will be no Jewish unbelievers. The 1⁄3 Jewish remnant who believed and turned their lives over to Jesus at the end of the tribulation period will all enter the millennium. They will, however, have children and those children will have to accept Jesus just like their parents did. And for those who do not choose to place their faith in Christ, they will face the same fate as the rest of humanity who did not choose Him.
During the millennial reign of Christ, the world will be at peace. Satan and his hoard of demons will not be on the earth. And yet, there will still be those who do not choose Christ. That should tell you a lot about the state of humanity.
Read Isaiah 65. This chapter tells us more than any single chapter in the Bible about the millennium. What will God do for these other nations?
HowwilltheyrespondtoHim?
HowwillGodrespondtothechosenonesinIs.65:8-16?
Big difference there! I know which side I’d want to be on. Keep in mind though that because we were previously raptured, we are already with Jesus and will always be with Him.
10. Read Jer. 31:31-34. How is the covenant spoken of in these verses different from the previous covenant God made with His people, the Jews?
Ezekiel 40-48 tells us a lot of things about the temple during the millennial period. I’m not going to ask you to read all those chapters as they are very technical and detailed. This temple will not be the 3rd temple that will be built and defiled by the Antichrist at the 3 1⁄2 year mark in the tribulation. This temple will be different. We’ll refer to it as the Millennial Temple which is also known as Ezekiel’s Temple. The dimensions of this temple will be far larger than either the tabernacle, the 1st temple (aka, Solomon’s Temple), or the 2nd Temple (aka, Herod’s Temple). We know very little about the tribulation temple. The only reason we even know it will be standing is because Dan. 9 tells us that the Antichrist will commit the abomination of desolation. To commit such a heinous crime against God means that a temple must be standing.
There are some unique things about the Millennial Temple that I want to point out to you:
This temple gets bigger as it goes up. If you follow the directions given to Ezekiel, this temple looks to be in the shape of a V.
There will be no table of shewbread, candlestick, or veil.
It will have steps. In the previous 2 temples, steps were forbidden.
Itwillbesignificantlylargerthananyoftheothertemplesbeforeit.
It will only be open on the Sabbath and on the new moon.
TherewillbewaterthatwillflowfromunderthetempletoJerusalem
and then to the Dead Sea in one direction and to the Mediterranean
Sea in the other direction.
The 12 tribes of Israel will be encamped around this temple in a different
configuration than they camped around the tabernacle in their wilderness days. The tribe of Dan will have land. Remember from an earlier lesson that in Rev. 7 when the 144,000 Jewish witnesses were sealed, there were 12,000 from each tribe and the tribe of Dan was not mentioned. It appears then that the tribe of Dan will be redeemed during the millennium and they will have property in the land of Israel.
There are those who believe that this temple described in the book of Ezekiel is only symbolic. Once again, I have difficulty coming to that conclusion as there are so many details given. There is one final detail about the millennial temple that we’ll look at and that is the observance of one of the feasts.
11. Read Zech. 14:16-20. Who will be expected to come to this temple to worship?
12. What happens if they don’t come?
The millennial reign of Christ is a strange and mysterious period of time to me even though we do have some details in Scripture about it. Obviously, the Feast of Tabernacles/Booths is something that God means for people to celebrate. All nations will be dealt with according to how they have dealt with God. The Feast of Tabernacles was a time when Israel was to celebrate God’s provision for them while wandering in the wilderness. They would construct make-shift abodes to live in during this week. Even now, Jewish people convert their patios and outside areas to resemble what might look like a hut and they’ll have their meals in this place during the Feast of Tabernacles. This is the most joyous of all the feasts.
Think about this....God Himself will tabernacle with us! Truly every day will be a feast for us once we get there!
As we move into Rev. 21-22, the battle of Armageddon is over. Satan has been bound for 1000 years during the millennium. He has been released and is now in the lake of fire forever and ever. The millennial period is over. The judgments are over, and we are ready for eternity in the New Heaven and New Earth and New Jerusalem.
13. Read Rev. 21:1-4. From what you read in these verses, is the current heaven and earth renovated or overhauled, or is it done away with and replaced?
14. In Rev. 21:1, what will be different about the new earth?
71% of the earth’s surface is covered by water. That is the majority of the earth. I don’t think we really think about these things when we consider the earth’s surface, but it is a lot. To the Apostle John, the sea was a great separator. In the New Heaven and New Earth, nothing will be separating us from one another and nothing will be separating us from God. Remember, he was on an island surrounded by water. He was separated from everyone he knew when he wrote this book.
15. There will be some water on the earth. What do you discover in Rev. 22:2?
We are not told a tremendous amount of information in Scripture about the New Heavens and New Earth. Perhaps God wants to surprise us! There are a few references.
16. What do you learn about this from the following verses? Isaiah 65:17 Isaiah 66:22 2 Pet. 3:13
Eternity will have no end. Our human minds cannot fully comprehend the fact that it will continue on forever. God did not make our brains to be able to grasp that concept this side of heaven, but one day, we will.
The earthly Jerusalem and the New Jerusalem are going to be very different. Although Scripture indicates in multiple places that Jerusalem as a city is holy to God, it is also the place where great sin has taken place throughout history.
17. How was Jerusalem referenced in Rev. 11:8?
18. When we studied the letters to the 7 churches in Rev. 2-3, we were given a glimpse of the New Jerusalem in the letter to the church at Philadelphia. Jesus made a promise to this church in Rev. 3:12. What was it?
I have read some Bible commentaries that say the New Jerusalem is hovering over the earth during the millennial period. Scripture doesn’t say this and I don’t think we can infer it, but Scripture also does not say pointedly that the New Jerusalem comes all the way to the earth either. So, it is plausible to think that perhaps it is hovering over the earth. And then others say that the New Jerusalem is only symbolic of the Bride of Christ/the Church and still others say that only the Church will occupy the New Jerusalem. Let’s just stick to what the Scripture says. It is a literal city that will be prepared in heaven and will come down from heaven.
I’ve read that what we could be looking at here in regard to the New Jerusalem is a multi-dimentional vision. When we go to the movies, what we see is a 2-dimentional projection. But, if we go to a 3-D movie, then there is depth in the movie. Generally, those movies require you to wear these 3-D glasses in order to get the 3-D effect. But the physicists who study these dimensional theories suggest that there may be as many as 10-11 dimensions in the universe. We cannot even picture what that would look like, but it is interesting to contemplate.
Rev. 21:3 marks the 21st and final time that John says, “And I heard a great voice out of heaven”. God will be dwelling with us when we get to this point. The word that some of your Bibles use is “tabernacles”. When the Children of Israel escaped from Egypt and God gave Moses the blueprints for the tabernacle, God dwelled with His people. His presence resided over the mercy seat in the Holy of Holies between the cherubim. But at some point, the presence of God left that place and the people didn’t even know it. The prophet, Ezekiel chronicles this in Ezekiel 10 when God’s presence was a slow departure. He moved from the Holy of Holies to the threshold of the temple to the Eastern Gate and finally to the Mt. of Olives.
19. In Rev. 21:4, why do you think there will be any tears in heaven?
We know He says that He will wipe away our tears, but what we are not told is why we’d even have tears in the first place. Here again is another place that we aren’t told exactly why. This reminds me of a time long ago, when my boys were younger. Gabe was a teenager and Colton was still in grade school. There were daily trials with Gabe and I knew he wasn’t a Christian even though he claimed to be. He later gave his life to God when he was 17 years old. But one day, we’d had an especially difficult time dealing with all the stuff that Gabe was caught up in and I laid down on the couch and started crying. Colton came in the room and saw me crying and he just inherently knew that it was related to Gabe. He knelt down beside me and said, “Mom, when me and you and Dad get to heaven one day, do you think God will erase our memory of Gabe so that we won’t have to be sad in heaven?”. I didn’t know what to say. It broke my heart that Colton was so spiritually intuitive that he would ask such a thing at that age. If, indeed, we did have such memories of our loved ones who didn’t make it to heaven to join us, then I imagine there would be a lot of tears in heaven. So, I really have a hard time believing that we will have that kind of knowledge.
I also have a hard time believing that we will have regret when we get to heaven. God will fix that for us. One of the things that we’ve been reminded of is the souls of those under the altar and their cry for vengeance. Therefore, there must be some knowledge of what their fellow martyrs are experiencing and that God has not lowered the boom on wicked humanity just yet. Perhaps these are the tears that God will wipe away. I really don’t know. And perhaps they are tears of joy and gratefulness at the grace which God has extended to all of us.
I have read Rev. 21:3-4 at nearly every funeral I’ve ever conducted for a believer in Christ. Read over these verses and just let them settle into your soul. Is there anything more comforting in all of Scripture than these precious promises? I think about all I’ve mourned about in my life, all I’ve cried over, all I’ve lost. Paradise will be regained and physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual pain will never again be on the radar screens of our lives. It is hard to imagine that, but it is good to dream and hope for. Friends, we have a LOT to look forward to!
20. Read Rev. 21:5-6. Who do you think is sitting upon the throne, God the Father or God the Son?
21. Read 1 Cor. 15:24-26. What do you learn from these verses that will happen when Christ has defeated all the enemies of the world and subjected them under His feet?
We know that once Jesus ascended to the Father and was seated at His right hand, He began the mediator role on our behalf.
22. Once we get to Rev. 21, will there be any need for Him to continue in that role?
Making all things new indicates that we are coming to the end of one thing and the beginning of something else. He will be constructing something for which humanity and the angels in heaven have not ever experienced. I wonder why God told John to “write”. Wasn’t that exactly what he was doing already? There have been times in my life and when I’ve been with others and something so astounding has happened, I’ve just stared into space and kind of lost myself. Then someone says, “Just breathe!”. Perhaps John was so overwhelmed that God had to remind him to snap out of it and write.
23. How does God refer to Himself in Rev. 21:6?
24. We’ve seen this before as well. Look back to Rev. 1:8. Who is speaking in this verse?
I think then that we can assume that Christ is also on His throne with the Father in the earlier verses. The first of 3 promises is in Rev. 21:6:
Promise #1 - “I will give to the one who thirsts from the spring of the water of life without cost.”
25. How does this verse correspond to Rev. 7:17?
26. Read Rev. 21:7-11. Who are the overcomers?
Once we make it to heaven, regardless of when we go, we will be overcomers. Our inheritance as children of God is an abundant inheritance. We cannot really imagine all that is in store for us on the other side.
27. In contrast, Rev. 21:8 lays out the population who will be thrown into the lake of fire. How is this described?
28. The last part of Rev. 21:9 just makes me smile. What is the angel doing here with the Church?
Remember, the marriage supper has already occurred. And here we are, being shown off! When Todd proposed to me, I couldn’t wait to show everyone my ring. But even more than that, I couldn't wait for family and friends who hadn’t met him to meet him and get to know him. He has always told funny stories. I still find myself asking him to tell this story or that story to people who haven’t heard them before. He sometimes tells me that he’s like my monkey and I make him perform! I still think he is so handsome and when he dresses up nice and shiny, I want to show him off to everyone! Friends, our Groom will have bragging rights on His bride, the Church! He prepared a place for us. We have a unique relationship with Him that others through the ages have not had because His Spirit has dwelt within us. He is proud of us and so are the angels in heaven. This angel knew that John would want to see us, His Bride.
There will be those in heaven who have had some of the characteristics of those who will be thrown into the lake of fire. But those in heaven have loved the truth and therefore, those particular sins were washed away because they accepted God. We have another reference to the New Jerusalem in Rev. 21:10.
29. But we learn a little bit more about the details of this new city in Rev. 21:11-21. Describe what John saw?
A city is not a bride. But a bride is adorned for her husband. I remember a wedding I directed years ago for a family member. When the bride's husband-to-be turned and saw his beautiful bride coming down the aisle, he let out a cry of joy filled with tears. The entire church laughed because he was so smitten with his new bride. Perhaps this is the idea here. This new city will be so adorned with beauty that it is like a husband-to-be looking at the end of the aisle and gasping with the beauty of his wife-to-be.
The 12 tribes of Israel and the 12 apostles have super significance in this holy city. Many people ask about why Jerusalem is so important. For one thing, it is the only place on earth that God has claimed for a people whom He has claimed as His own. The land and the people are inseparable. Throughout history, when the people have been out of the land, the land has become desolate. Only when they are in the land is the land productive. John is about to see the most magnificent city that has ever been seen, the New Jerusalem.
30. How many gates are there in this new city and what is written on the gates?
31. What is the foundation laid with?
Have we seen these stones before? These stones are stunningly beautiful! They were on the High Priest’s ephod and are also in heaven around the throne of God. Every single one of these gemstones is anisotropic as opposed to isotropic. Anisotropic gemstones are characterized by their ability to split light into 2 rays. Isotropic gemstones appear opaque under polarized light. Why is this so interesting? Well, according to a website called sketchesontheway.blog, the anisotropic gemstones in the High Priest’s ephod and the foundation of the New Jerusalem are all transparent and translucent under a microscope. Do you think for 1 hot minute that the crafters of Aaron’s ephod (the 1st High Priest) or the 1st Century reader of the book of Revelation had any clue as to the anisotropic quality of these stones? They couldn’t have...but God did. Even a diamond is isotropic under polarized light and would appear dark. Every single thing in the New Jerusalem is designed by God to have beauty and these stones will all have the properties of being translucent when His glorious light hits them.
1 John 1:5 “This then is the message which we have heard of Him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in Him is no darkness at all.”
32. What were each of the 12 gates made of?
Those must have been 12 humungous oysters!!! Did you know that a pearl is a Gentile stone? They do not come from the earth, they come from the sea and are created by the irritation of a piece of sand. This is an analogy of sorts of the Church and how it was created. There are more than a few theologians who claim that these gates each made of one great pearl is an analogy. I don’t know why people feel the need to explain away the miraculous nature of biblical things. If God can speak the earth into existence, then of course He can fashion each gate from one pearl! And the streets of pure gold will actually be a clear iridescent color because gold in its purest form is clear.
33. Do we know what shape the New Jerusalem will be?
Here again, theologians have differing opinions. Some say it will be a cube. Some say it will be a pyramid. We simply cannot know for sure because Scripture is not implicit in this regard.
34. Read Rev. 21:22-27. What will be missing from the city?
Can you imagine being in a place where it is always daytime? I’ve never been to Alaska, but during the winter months from November to early February, Fairbanks has less than 7 hours of sunlight a day and on the winter solstice in late December, they only have 3 hours and 41 minutes of sunlight. Growing up, I loved the winter, but as I’ve gotten older, the days with less sunlight really affect me emotionally. I even have a lamp that gives off a certain luminosity so that I can manage my mood a little better in the winter. In Alaska, about 10% of the population reports having depression during the winter because of the lack of sunlight. The lack of sunlight actually disrupts brain chemistry and can cause high melatonin (sleepiness) and low serotonin (low mood). Friends, we will not have to worry about this in the New Jerusalem because the brightness of God will always be shining!
And just as a candle is not the light source itself, the fire attached to it is the light source, the New Jerusalem is not the light source, but God’s glory is the flame that lights up this great city!
There is also no temple in the city. We have already seen in Scripture a tabernacle, then the 1st temple, then the 2nd temple, then the tribulation temple, and then the millennial temple. These were all shadows of what was in heaven. These temples were fashioned as a dwelling place for the Spirit of God. In the New Jerusalem, God Himself will be there.
35. Will the gates in the New Jerusalem ever be closed and locked? 36. Were the gates in ancient Jerusalem ever closed and locked?
This new place will be very different from the old. The glory and beauty is something that no artist other than God Himself could ever imagine. All who enter this city will be objects of the grace of God and every inhabitant will be eternally morally pure. I can’t imagine that either because I know what goes on in my brain!
37. In Rev. 22:1-2, what tree is mentioned?
38. This tree was first mentioned in Gen. 2. Read Gen. 2:1-18 and record everything you learn about this tree.
The first time humanity is aware of this tree is in the Garden of Eden. When Adam and Eve sinned, they were driven out of the garden. For them to sin and then to eat from this tree would have granted them immortality in their earthly bodies and that would have been a nightmare.
39. But God did something with this tree according to Rev. 2:7. What did He do and where is this tree right now?
There was a movie that came out in 1992 by the name of Death Becomes Her, starring Meryl Streep, Goldie Hawn, and Bruce Willis. I absolutely hated this movie when I saw it. It was about 2 women who were lifelong rivals and they drank a potion that allowed them to have eternal youth. They ended up getting old and shooting each other repeatedly and by the end of the movie, they each had big holes in their bodies and their faces were withered. While the fountain of life may seem to be something that is appealing to us now, attaining that fountain while still in our sinful state would be an eternal disaster! Our bodies are living under the curse, but one day, that curse will be lifted. God knew that only in eternity when believers had sanctified bodies would this kind of eternal fountain of life be profitable. He always knows best.
Some of your translations may use the term healing to describe this tree, but the Greek root for this word actually means health. In other words, this tree is not for healing things that might be wrong with one’s body, but rather for the enjoyment of life.
40. Where will the New Jerusalem be during the millennium?
The Prophet Ezekiel recorded a lot about the millennial reign of Christ. He also speaks of a tree/s.
41. According to Ezekiel 47:7, 12, what will these trees be used for during the millennial reign of Christ?
42. There is also a river he speaks about in v. 12. What does he say about this river?
43. In addition to this, Zechariah the prophet details this river in the millennium. What does he say in Zech. 14:8?
The river coming from the sanctuary in Ezekiel and the one coming out of Jerusalem in Zechariah are both in the millennial reign of Christ. The river in the New Jerusalem is a different river. Both of the ones mentioned in the Old Testament look forward to the day in eternity when we will be living in that heavenly city.
44. In Rev. 22:3, what will be gone?
During the millennium, it will still be possible to be accursed. We know that Satan will be bound during that time, but he will be released at the end of the 1000 years to recruit whoever he can and take them with him to the lake of fire. Misery really does love company. In eternity, in the New Heaven and New Earth and New Jerusalem, the possibility for sin is gone! That ship has sailed! That is great news, because as we’ve already discussed in an earlier lesson, if we have the possibility to sin, we will and in the millennium, those who are born during this time will have that possibility even though Satan and his gang will not even be present but a short time at the end of the 1000 years. Those of us who are believers and who have gone up in the rapture will be sanctified and perfect because He will make us as such.
In Rev. 22:3-4, we have a gift awaiting us, we will finally get to see Him face to face! Oh what joy! In our non-glorified earthly bodies, that is not possible. The man who stands out in Scripture as one who suffered such tremendous loss is Job.
45. He makes a statement of expectation and promise in Job 19:23-25. How does he express this?
That right there friends is when his story flips. Job moves from all of that loss to the clear reality in his soul that this life is not all that exists. Oh what awaits us on the other side is something we cannot even fathom.
46. Where will the name of God be? (Rev. 22:4, 7:3, 14:1)
What’s the big deal about the forehead in Scripture? The marking on the forehead appears to be a sign of identity, kingdom choices, divine protection, or judgment. We just learned that God will put His name on the foreheads of those who belong to Him. But God is not the only one who uses the mark on the forehead.
47. What happened in Rev. 13:16-17?
There could not be a stronger contrast. Once again, what God does, Satan attempts to replicate.
48. God speaks to the prophet Jeremiah, as He paints a picture of their rebellious nature. What does he say in Jer. 3:3?
This marker on the forehead served as a sign of the moral choices that the Jewish people made against their God. The Jewish shema in Deut. 6:8 represents a model of how the people should bear the name of God on their forehead as a symbol of their allegiance to God and to His commandments.
Once we get into eternity, God will give us a permanent mark signifying His protection, love, and ownership of those in His kingdom, and our identity will be sealed forever.
And once we move from the millennium to the eternal reign of God, Jesus’s role as the mediator of humanity is no longer needed because He will have for eternity those who belong to HIm and He will be reigning as King of Kings and Lord of Lords.
Rev. 22:6-7 reinforces what this book started out saying in Rev. 1:1-3. God ties the book of Revelation in a beautiful bow in this last chapter.
49. Why does the angel not allow John to worship him in Rev. 22:8-9?
There was only 1 angel who was okay with being worshiped and that was Satan. With all that John has been witness to on the Isle of Patmos, it does seem strange that he would fall at the feet of an angel to worship him. However, we have no idea what angels look like and the brilliance of this angel and his words might have provoked a natural response to fall down and worship.
50. What was John told not to do in Rev. 22:10? 51. What was Daniel told to do in Dan. 12:9?
52. Why do you think Daniel was instructed to seal up the book and John was specifically told not to seal up the book?
The book of Daniel could not be understood until the time of the end. God did not instruct him to hide the book in a cave somewhere. The book could be read and was read throughout the rest of the Old and New Testament period and it was included in the canon of Scripture. The “sealing” of the book of Daniel was more of a concealing the actual meaning until much later on in time. We learn in Daniel that in the end, knowledge will increase. That is an understatement! Our puny brains cannot conceive of the ways that knowledge has grown exponentially. With past history, we now understand all the visions in the book of Daniel. They make sense to us. They did not make sense to those who were alive at that time and I’m not sure they even made sense to people 100 years ago, but they certainly do now.
John does not seal up the book of Revelation and this signifies that we can indeed grasp the meaning and timing of things in this book even though it is one of the most difficult if not the most difficult book in the Bible to understand. (Note - I actually think the book of Ezekiel is the hardest book in the Bible to decipher.)
Rev. 22:11 seems strange to me. It seems to read that if someone is a crook, they should still continue in their crooking ways! Or if someone is nasty, they should continue in their nasty ways. But to read this verse and come up with this understanding would be contraindicated for the whole of Scripture. What it does mean is that if the prophecies of this book are rejected, then there is no longer anything the wicked can do to redeem themselves.
53. Read Rev. 22:12-16. Which judgment is in focus here in v. 12? 54. In 2 Cor. 5:10, what does Paul say we will be judged for?
Judgment goes 2 ways, for the righteous and for the wicked. I’m so grateful that God will consider me righteous when that day comes even though I’m a scoundrel in many regards right now. The blood of Christ fixed that for those of us who love Him and call Him Lord.
One thing I want you to notice in Rev. 22:13-16 is that although the angel is speaking, he is delivering a direct message straight from the mouth of Christ. Alpha and Omega are the first and last letters in the Greek alphabet.
56. Read the following verses and record beside each one how God identifies Himself?
Isaiah 41:4 Isaiah 44:6 Isaiah 48:12 Rev. 1:8 Rev. 1:17 Rev. 2:8 Rev. 21:6
After reading all of these verses, is there any doubt that Jesus Christ is God? He confirms it Himself in each of these passages and His closing words in Revelation speak of it.
57. Remember, Revelation is the revealing of Jesus Christ. Jesus also identifies Himself in another way in Rev. 22:16. What is it?
The root of any family is the one who began the family. We know from genealogical records that Jesus was not only the root of David’s family, He was also born into this family as a son, as the Son. That is the paradox of it all.
58. Read 2 Sam. 7:12-16. What is the promise?
59. The Apostle Paul referencing the prophet Isaiah speaks of this in Romans 15:8-13. How does he express this in v. 12?
Jesse was the father of David and his name is used in Scripture to define the lineage of Jesus.
60. What is the messianic prophecy in Isaiah 11:1-3?
Jesse was a man of humble origin as he was a shepherd and the father of shepherds. King Saul used the term “son of Jesse” to make fun of David. But we know that instead of the stump of Jesse perishing, a holy branch came forth and bore much fruit.
61. How are the unsaved described in Rev. 22:15?
Rev. 22:17 brings so much joy to my heart when I read it and I’ve been sitting here reading it over and over again. What a glorious promise and this promise belongs to us. The invitation is one of urgency. There is still room, but the urgency of the invitation indicates that time is limited. This should light a fire under all of our butts to share the gospel with any and all who will hear it.
62. Read Rev. 22:18-21. What warning is issued in these verses?
I cannot tell you how many times I’ve quoted vs. 18-19 in regards to texts like the Quran, the Book of Mormon, the New World Translation (Jehovah's Witnesses), ect. All of these books claim extra-biblical revelation. But the really insidious and covert writings often come from those who are within the evangelical movement. All of these people who say, “God told me....” had better be very careful. God has never spoken directly and verbally to me. And for the record, once the canon of Scripture was solidified, there was no need for extra-biblical claims because we have Jesus in writing. When a person claims that God has told them something outside of Scripture, they negate the sufficiency of Scripture.
Sarah Young in her Jesus Calling books is a perfect example of this. She speaks for God in her writings. Below is just a sample of her dangerous take on Scripture:
When you trustingly whisper My name, My aching ears are soothed. When you walk through a day with dependence on Me, My aching heart is soothed. I am aching to hold you in My everlasting arms, to enfold you in My love.
Scripture wasn’t enough for her. She said in her writings that she wanted “more”. Sarah Young states that she is a channel for God. “God told me” is not a focus on God, but on the person sharing the information. And as we’ve been warned here in Rev. 22, it is dangerous to assert oneself in such a way. I shudder for those who are so arrogant as to proclaim that they have revelations apart from the Bible.
Friends, there is nothing worth drinking damnation to yourself and this is exactly what so many people do when they speak on behalf of God without using the Word of God. The assumption in Rev. 22:18-19 is that a true child of God will not tamper with His Word.
Jesus speaks in Rev. 22:20 saying that He is coming quickly. John answers Him by saying, “Amen. Come Lord Jesus”. That should be the cry of our heart every single day. We have to remember here that John was an old man who had been exiled to a forced labor camp on the Isle of Patmos. No doubt that he longed for Jesus to come and get him out of that mess. I long for the same.
John ends this magnificent book with this, “The grace of the Lord Jesus be with you all. Amen.” Amazing grace, God’s riches at Christ’s expense. Isn’t it amazing that Scripture begins with grace in the Garden of Eden and it ends with grace! What a mighty God we serve!
That’s it friends! We are finally finished with our study and I hope you’ve been blessed. Read this book over and over again. Although we are blessed when we read anything in the Bible, the book of Revelation promises a special blessing to those who read and heed its words.
