River of the water of life
22
📚And he showed me a pure river of the water 📖 of life, clear as crystal, issuing from the throne 📖 of God and of the Lamb, 2 📚in the middle of the city’s street. And on each side of the river there was the tree of life 📖, producing twelve kinds of fruits 📖 and yielding its fruit every month. And the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations.The glorious future for believers
3 📚And no longer will there be any curse 📖, but the throne of God and of the Lamb will be in the city. And his servants will serve him 📖, 4 📚and they will see his face 📖, and his name will be on their foreheads 📖. 5 📚There will be no night 📖 there, and they will need no lamp or light of the sun, for the Lord God gives them light 📖. And they will reign forever and ever 📖.
The last message of the Bible
6 📚And he said to me, “These words are trustworthy and true 📖, and the Lord God of the holy prophets 📖 sent his angel to show to his servants the things which must quickly take place 📖”.
Jesus is coming
7 📚“Look, I am coming quickly. 📖 Blessed is he who keeps the words of the prophecy 📖 of this book”.
22:7 These are the words of the Lord Jesus – vs 12,20; Rev 3:11. Perhaps the angel was quoting Jesus’ words here, or else the Lord Himself spoke.⚜
8 📚And I, John 📖, saw these things, and heard them. And when I had heard and seen them, I prostrated myself to worship at the feet of the angel 📖 who showed me these things. 9 📚But he said to me, “Look, do not do that 📖, for I am a fellow servant with you, and with your brethren the prophets, and with those who keep the words of this book. Worship God 📖”.
10 📚And he said to me, “Do not seal 📖 up the words of the prophecy of this book, for the time is at hand 📖. 11 📚He who is unjust, let him still be unjust, and he who is vile, let him still be vile, and he who is righteous, let him still be righteous, and he who is holy, let him still be holy”.
22:11 The meaning here seems to be this: in the light of this unsealed book with its descriptions and promises of great glory and its warnings of terrible punishment, if anyone chooses to do wrong and to be vile, then let it be. No compulsion will be brought to bear upon such a person to move him from his determined course. Part of his punishment will be the terrible one of being left to his vileness and wrongdoing. The reverse of this is also true. In the light of this book the holy and righteous should continue on this course.⚜
12 📚“Look, I am coming quickly, 📖 and my reward 📖 will be with me to give to every man according to his work. 13 📚I am the Alpha and Omega, 📖 the Beginning and the End, 📖 the First and the Last 📖.
Two kind of people, two different futures
14 📚Blessed 📖 are those who do according to his commands 📖, so that they may have the right to the tree of life, and may enter through the gates into the city. 15 📚For outside 📖 are dogs, and sorcerers, and whoremongers, 📖 and murderers, and idolaters, and whoever loves or practices a lie. 16 📚I, Jesus, have sent my angel 📖 to testify these things to you in the churches. I am the Root and the Offspring 📖 of David, the bright and morning Star. 📖
The last invitation in the Bible
17 📚“And the Spirit and the bride say, ‘Come.’ And let him who hears say, ‘Come.’ And let him who is thirsty 📖 come. And whoever 📖 will, let him take the water of life 📖 freely 📖.
22:17 This last invitation in the Bible is a great one, and stands as a reminder of all the many promises God has given throughout the Bible. God’s Spirit invites people to come to Him. The Church, the bride of Christ echoes this invitation. Every individual who hears it should repeat it to others.⚜
The last warning in the Bible
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 will take away his part from the book of life, and from the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book”.
22:18-19 This last warning in the Bible is a very severe one. See how important this book is. The emphasis here is on the words. Deliberately adding or taking away any of them would be trying to pervert the truth God has revealed. Compare Deut 12:32; Prov 30:6. Of course, this refers to the sin of willfully doing so, not to copying mistakes or printing errors, etc. God has chosen to convey His truth to men through words, and these words are of the utmost importance. Compare Deut 4:2; 12:32; Ps 12:6; 119:160; Prov 30:6; Jer 1:9; 15:16. New translations of God’s Word may be made, and should be made, as languages and writing styles change, but no one should try to add or take away from the words of the Greek and Hebrew manuscripts which have come down to us. This inspired warning is surely enough to prevent any true believer from meddling with these.⚜
The last prayer in the Bible
20 📚He who testifies these things says, “Surely I am coming quickly”. Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus 📖.
22:20 This is the last doctrine in the Bible. This teaching is referenced in one out of every 25 verses in the New Testament. Jesus will come personally, visibly, triumphantly, and suddenly. The suddenness, the swiftness of His coming is taught three times in the last chapter.⚜
The last word in the Bible – “Amen”
21 📚The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen 📖.
22:21 This last blessing of the Bible is a fitting conclusion to all the Bible teaches. The grace of the Lord Jesus is what overcomes sin and death and alone makes it possible for people to be God’s people and to inherit all God has promised.⚜