THE END OF THE END (REVELATION 22)
Here is how scholars and sages see the book of Revelation:
“The book of Revelation is a very dark, mysterious book.”
“The book of Revelation is a very complicated book.”
“Revelation is a breathtaking book.”
“Revelation is a curious one; there is none other like it in the Bible.”
“Revelation is a book of symbols.”
“Revelation is the strangest book in the Bible. It's the most controversial.”
“Revelation is the most misunderstood book in the whole Bible.”
“Revelation is the worst Greek of the New Testament.”
“Revelation is the most remarkable text you will ever read.”
The end of earth life for believers is eternal life. There’s more “life” (vv 1, 2, 14, 17, 19) in last chapter of Revelation than any chapter in the book – from the water of life (vv 1, 17), to the tree of life (vv 2, 14) and the book of life (v 19). Also, there’s no mention of the “dead” and “death” and dying. The purpose (hina) of the chapter is to assure the blessed doers of His commandments that they have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city. (Rev 22:14). We are blessed when we keep the words of the prophecy in the book (v 7) and also when we observe His commandments (v 14).
Welcome to the Caring King
1 Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, as clear as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb 2 down the middle of the great street of the city. On each side of the river stood the tree of life, bearing twelve crops of fruit, yielding its fruit every month. And the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations. 3 No longer will there be any curse. The throne of God and of the Lamb will be in the city, and his servants will serve him. 4 They will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads. 5 There will be no more night. They will not need the light of a lamp or the light of the sun, for the Lord God will give them light. And they will reign for ever and ever. 6 The angel said to me, "These words are trustworthy and true. The Lord, the God of the spirits of the prophets, sent his angel to show his servants the things that must soon take place." 7 "Behold, I am coming soon! Blessed is he who keeps the words of the prophecy in this book."
These last two years have been more than a shock for me as I was surrounded by death and diseases. Last year in October 2022, I flew to Los Angeles for my vacation. As I stayed at my wedding best man’s home, I asked his wife, “How are you doing?” She said calmly, “I have cancer.” I replied, “What stage? She answered, “Fourth stage.” The next few days I was the only one crying while they showed the utmost calm. She passed away the next month.
My immediate family was not spared. Last year my mother had Covid at the end of the year. As a result, she had amnesia and was paralyzed. I asked her, “Who am I?” she replied, “David.” Then in May this year, my sister’s kidneys failed her and now she’s on dialysis three times a week. She asked my brother to donate to her a kidney. Two months ago, another close relative had colon cancer, so I have been flying back and forth to visit them when I can because they’re all over from Kuala Lumpur and Singapore to Los Angeles.
More to come. My former coworker returned to Hong Kong because his mother had died. Then my best man himself had skin cancer last month!
Life on earth as we know it is fallible, fragile and fractious.
The biggest feature in the first section is the throne of God (vv 1, 3). The throne of God is not new in the Bible (Matt 23:22, Heb 12:2, Rev 7:15, 14:5), but it is now revealed as “the throne of God and of the Lamb.”
The progression of nature in the first two verses is a beauty. Water of life (v1) produces tree of life (v 2), trees in turn produces fruits (v 2), and fruits produces leaves (v2). There are four objects directly associated with the phrase “of life,” including “the tree of life” (Rev 2:7, 22:2, 14), crown of life (Rev 2:10), the book of life (Rev 3:5, 13:8, 17:8, 20:12, 15, 21:27, 22:19) and the water of life (Rev 21:6, 22:1). Healing is define as “no more curse” (v 4, kata-thema). Closest to the Greek word of “curse” is “against-placed” or “apart-placed.” Cursed by death, disease, depravit and decay.
Water is the essence of life. Everything alive needs water? People, animals and plants.
It’s been said, “Around 60 percent of our body is made up of water and we can only live three to five days without fluids.” No such thing as death in chapter 22.
Water supports cell functions. All organisms are made of cells, from microbes to the largest animals. Life needs chemical reactions to take place in order to gain energy, grow, and get rid of waste. Water is a liquid which allows the chemistry of life to take place. https://astrobiology.nasa.gov/education/alp/water-so-important-for-life/
There are three “come quickly” in the last chapter (vv 7, 12, 20). The first and the frst section.
Water (v 1) is humankind’s hope and heritage - creation, the tree (v 2) offers our habitat and homecoming - care, the fruit (v 2) offers harvest and health - continuity, and the leaves (v 2) for the healing and harmony - cure.
Verse 3’s “curse” is related to the curse from eating of the tree (Gen 3:17, 22). The water of life is the antidote to the curse.
There are five future tenses in the section:
Rev 22:3 there shall be no more curse Redeemed by Him Atoned by Him
Ownership
Rev 22:3 the throne of God and of e Lamb shall be in it Reverence of Him Affinity with Him
Fellowship
Rev 22:3 his servants shall serve him: Responsibility to Him Attend to Him Stewardship
Rev 22:5 there shall be no night there Rest in Him Assured by Him
Companionship
Rev 22:5 they shall reign for ever and ever. Reign with Him Authority in Him
Kingship
Verse 6 and 7 “soon” are the same root, but verse 6 is the noun and verse 7 is the adverb, translated as shortly (v 6) and quickly (v 7) in KJV, but the important thing is the that verse 6 comes with a “must” – “the things that must soon take place”(v 6).
Verse 7 ends the section because the curse (v 3) is replaced by a blessing (v 7) – the blessing of God’s favor to us, His fellowship with us and His face upon us.
Worship to the Conquering King
8 I, John, am the one who heard and saw these things. And when I had heard and seen them, I fell down to worship at the feet of the angel who had been showing them to me. 9 But he said to me, "Do not do it! I am a fellow servant with you and with your brothers the prophets and of all who keep the words of this book. Worship God!" 10 Then he told me, "Do not seal up the words of the prophecy of this book, because the time is near. 11 Let him who does wrong continue to do wrong; let him who is vile continue to be vile; let him who does right continue to do right; and let him who is holy continue to be holy." 12 "Behold, I am coming soon! My reward is with me, and I will give to everyone according to what he has done. 13 I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End. 14 "Blessed are those who wash their robes, that they may have the right to the tree of life and may go through the gates into the city. 15 Outside are the dogs, those who practice magic arts, the sexually immoral, the murderers, the idolaters and everyone who loves and practices falsehood.
Deeply immersed in meditation during a church service, famed Italian poet Dante Alighieri failed to kneel at the appropriate moment. His enemies hurried to the bishop and demanded that Dante be punished for his sacrilege. Dante defended himself by saying, “If those who accuse me had of had their eyes and minds on God, as I had, they too would have failed to have noticed what I was doing.” (Today in the Word, March 10, 1993)
Worship (v 9) God is contrasted with angel (v 8), “fellow servant,” “your brothers,” “the prophets” and all who keep the words of the book (v 9). The verb “worship (proskuneo) occurs 60 times in the Bible, 24 of it is in Revelation. Not only that, the imperative “worship!” appears four times only in the New Testament, once in the introduction of Hebrews (Heb 1:6) and the rest of the three times in Revelation (14:7, 19:10, 22:9), including an imperative the last chapter of Revelation (22:9). Worship is not only to respect Him but to revere Him, not only to recognize Him but receive Him, not only to but to reveal Him but to resemble Him..
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The clause “because (v 10, gar) the time is near” is purposely written to interchange with the introduction of the book (1:3). The adverb “near” (v 10, “the time is near”), while it seems familiar to readers, occurs only twice in the book, in the first chapter introduction (Rev 1:3) perfectly interchanged with the last chapter’s ending, but this is the only time the all-important conclusive, commanding and certain “because” (gar, because ) added. Time is not “chronos” but “kairos,” also translated as due season (Matt 24:45), convenient season (Acts 24:25), due time (Rom 5:6, 1 Peter 5:6) and more importantly as “opportunity” (Gal 6:10, Heb 11:15). Men see time as an obstacle, an oppression and an obsession, but God sets time for an opportunity, an opening and an outreach. Romans 5:6 says, “At just the RIGHT TIME, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly.” The classic illustration is God’s promise to Sarah: “At the APPOINTED TIME I will return, and Sarah will have a son.” (Rom 9:9, Gen 18:10) The time of God’s coming is as dramatic as pregnancy and childbirth.
Reward (v 12, “Behold, I am coming soon! My reward is with me, and I will give to everyone according to what he has done”) is a sensitive topic and sticky thing among many Christian circles. God did not call us to serve him for the purpose of rewards. Reward is the outcome or result not the motivation or purpose of ministry.
Few earn it anyway. The reward Is no other than be blessed (v 14) and “may have the right to the tree of life and may go through the gates into the city.” It is to be rich in Christ, rather than to have riches in Christ. It means inclusion, admission and possession, not exclusion, omission or expulsion.
The Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, and the beginning and the end (v 13) refer to His sovereignty, His supremacy and His sufficiency. He is the source of life, the significance in life and the sunshine of life. Without Him, life is meaningless, messy and mundane.
There are four “still” (v 11) with the four imperatives “continue to do wrong, continue to be vile, continue to do right and continue to be holy). True change is not spontaneous, sensational or superficial, but self-conscious, steady and serious. The bigger purpose (v 14) is “that they may have the RIGHT to the tree of life and may GO THROUGH the gates into the city.”
Verse 11 and the benediction “for ever and ever” occurs 13 times in Revelation, more than the nine times throughout other books added together. The last benediction in Revelation is an interchange with the first benediction in the book, where readers who read the words of this prophecy, who hear it and take to heart what is written are pronounced “blessed” (Rev 1:3). Now the person is to “do.”
Witness to the Coming King
16 "I, Jesus, have sent my angel to give you this testimony for the churches. I am the Root and the Offspring of David, and the bright Morning Star." 17 The Spirit and the bride say, "Come!" And let him who hears say, "Come!" Whoever is thirsty, let him come; and whoever wishes, let him take the free gift of the water of life. 18 I warn everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: If anyone adds anything to them, God will add to him the plagues described in this book. 19 And if anyone takes words away from this book of prophecy, God will take away from him his share in the tree of life and in the holy city, which are described in this book. 20 He who testifies to these things says, "Yes, I am coming soon." Amen. Come, Lord Jesus. 21 The grace of the Lord Jesus be with God's people. Amen.
The best final lines from movies:
“After all, tomorrow is another day.” (Scarlett O’Hara in “Gone With the Wind”
“Roads? Where we’re going we don’t need roads” (Doc Brown in “Back to the Future”
“I’ll be right here.” (E.T. in “E.T.”)
“The truth is, I am Iron Man.” (Iron Man in “Iron Man”)
"So Long, Partner." (Toy Story 3)
"Where We Go From There Is A Choice I Leave To You." (The Matrix)
"Auntie Em, There's No Place Like Home!" (The Wizard of Oz)
“I hope the Pacific is as blue as it has been in my dreams. I hope.” (The Shawshank Redemption)
if the lord comes today I don't have to go to work tomorrow. Amen.”
“No stress, I always tell -- if the Lord comes today, it would spare me paying the mortgage of the church of $3.4 million!”
What if the Lord were to come today? Surely a scrubbed floor wouldn't matter then.
Martin Luther said, “If the Lord comes tomorrow, I shall still plant a tree
GOD INTERCHANGE REPETITION
V 16 "I, Jesus, have sent my angel to give you this testimony for the churches. I am the Root and the Offspring of David, and the bright Morning Star." Jesus Testify
V 17 The Spirit and the bride say, "Come!" And let him who hears say, "Come!" Whoever is thirsty, let him come; and whoever wishes, let him take the free gift of the water of life. Come
Come
V 18 I warn everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: If anyone adds anything to them, God will add to him the plagues described in this book. Book
Book Testify
19 And if anyone takes words away from this book of prophecy, God will take away from him his share in the tree of life and in the holy city, which are described in this book. Book
Book
Book
20 He who testifies to these things says, "Yes, I am coming soon." Amen. Come, Lord Jesus. Yes, I am coming soon
Amen. Come, Lord Jesus.
Testify
21 The grace of the Lord Jesus be with God's people. Amen. Lord Jesus
Lord Jesus (vv 20, 21) is the last title of Jesus in the Bible and it only appears in Revelation, appropriately for the first time in its last chapter. The Lord’s title has been “Jesus Christ” or “Jesus” through 12 times in Revelation but climaxed as “Lord Jesus” twice in the last two verses of the last chapter. Lord means He is powerful, preeminent and perfect. He is the Maker of heaven and earth, the Mediator between God and men, and the Master of all, from the heady winds to the heavy rains and the high waters, from the hottest weather to the harshest winters, hungry famines to hazardous fires, hilly slopes and harmful plagues, from thunders, and lightnings and earthquake (16:18), to hail (16:21), sore (16;2), and famine (18:8). From great earthquake (Rev 6:12) t great heat (Rev 16:9) and great hail (Rev 16:21).
What is to testify (martureo)? From the Greek word “martureo,” we get the English noun “martyr” and “martyrdom” (martus). Wikipedia says, “A martyr is someone who suffers persecution and death for advocating, renouncing, or refusing to renounce or advocate, a religious belief or other cause as demanded by an external party.” John the author was the first to testify (Rev 1:3) of the word of God and the testimony of Jesus Christ in the book, but now we are to testify Him in the churches (v 16), more than just the seven churches in Asia (1:7). Revelation is for believers not unbelievers because they are vital, visible, valiant, vigilant and victorious in the coming battle, beginning with the “prayers of saints” (Rev 5:8, 8:3), their patience and faith (Rev 13:10, 14:12) and their righteousness (Rev 19:8). From testify and testimony, we get the related words of testament, testimonial and even test! The title for believers is saints, more than brethren.
The last section ends and climaxes with seven “come” spoken in the most unique way. It is the verb most repeated in the chapter:
V 7 "Behold, I am coming soon! Behold (Idou, imperative) I am coming soon!
V 12 "Behold, I am coming soon! Behold (Idou, imperative) I am coming soon!
V 17 The Spirit and the bride say, "Come!" Come! (Imperative) The SPIRIT and the bride say, "Come!"
V 17 And let him who hears say, "Come!" Come! (Imperative) And let HIM who hears say, "Come!"
NIV Hear
V 17 Whoever is thirsty, let him come Come! (Imperative) Whoever is thirsty, let HIM come;
Hunger
V 20 He who testifies to these things says, "Yes, I am coming soon." Yes/surely (Nai), I am coming soon. Amen "Yes, I am coming soon
V 20 Come, Lord Jesus.
Come! (Imperative) Surely
Come is the last three imperatives in the Bible (vv 17 twice, 20) and is repeated seven times and the most repeated verb in the last chapter of the Bible.1 show 3x
The imperative means it is important, intense and indispensable. It’s all in the present tense, meaning it is a demand, a decree and a directive, not up for discussion, debate or deliberation. The motive is to be ready, revived instruction and river 2x
Conclusion: Benjamin Franklin: “By failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail." Are you ready for His coming? Are you resilient? Are you resourceful?
Here are six things we can do to prepare ourselves His coming:
Consecrate your life
Obey
Make things right
Nourish your faith
Glorify the Lord
