Revelation 22

Revelation 22:1

According to Zechariah 14, as Jesus comes back to earth, He will set foot upon the Mount of Oliveswhich will usher in a radical topographical change in Israel. The Mount of Olives will split in two from north to south, causing a river to flow to both the Dead Sea and the Mediterranean Sea. The infusion of fresh water into the Dead Sea will, in turn, cause it to come back to life to such a degree that a fishing industry will thrive in the region (Ezekiel 47). It is fascinating to me that Ezekiel’s account provides not only prophetic information, but practical application… As Ezekiel was given this vision, a man appeared to him, saying, “Step into the river.” Ezekiel did, and the water was up to his ankles. “Come out,” said the man and took Ezekiel downriver one thousand cubits or so, where Ezekiel was told to go into the river once more. This time the water was up to his knees. “Come out,” said the man and took Ezekiel one thousand cubits farther downriver, where he told Ezekiel to go into the river yet again. This time the water was up to Ezekiel’s waist. When he was told a fourth time to go into the river, the water was over his head, and Ezekiel was caught up in its flow. Dear saint, the Lord won’t force us to go any deeper in Him than we choosebut He will take us as deep as we wish… Some get their feet wet up to their ankles. They are standing on the promises, born again, saved. Others, wanting to go deeper, go up to their kneesthat speaks of prayer. “I want to do more than get my feet wet, Lord,” they say. “I want to be part of what You are doing. Use me in prayer.” And they get involved in intercessory ministrypraying in the Spirit. Others, wanting to go deeper still, wade in to their waistssignifying reproduction. Not only are they standing on the promises, or up to their knees in intercessory ministry, they are adding to the kingdom by witnessing to their family, friends, and neighbors. But there comes a point where some are just over their heads, saying, “Lord, I’m going to just let go. Have Your way in my life. I’m giving it to You without reservation. I don’t know where this will take me, but I’m Yours totally. Do what You want to do in and through me for Your glory.” Maybe right now you’re in the doldrums in your walk. If so, I encourage you to launch out into the deeper waters of faith. Oh, maybe your kayak will get overturned in the rapids a few times and maybe you won’t know exactly where you’ll land. But I guarantee you won’t regret it. I’m so glad that the water of life flows right through heaven because it means that the Lord’s Spirit is on the move even there and that we can continue going deeper and deeper in Him throughout eternity.

Revelation 22:2

Is this good news or what? People ask, “Are we going to eat in heaven?” My answer is, “I am!” “Have you any meat?” asked the resurrected Jesus of His disciples. When they gave Him a piece of fish and some honey, and saw Him eat it, they knew He was not a phantom (Luk_24:37-43). Following His Resurrection, Jesus ate. Therefore, I believe we’ll be eating the fruits of this amazing evergreen, twelve-fruit-bearing tree in heaven. “Wait a minute,” you say, “if the leaves are for healing, does that mean there will be sickness in heaven?” No. The Greek word translated “healing” is literally therapeia, from which we get our word “therapy.” It doesn’t mean healing from sickness, but rather a maintaining of health. In fact, the original language also implies exhilaration and invigoration. Do you ever get tired of being tired? I do. What a grand day it will be when we are in heaven, shooting the rapids of the river of life, eating of the fruit of the Spirit, revived eternally by the leaves of the Tree of Life. The Tree of Life A Topical Study of Rev_22:2 It could rightly be said that the Bible is an account of three trees… The Tree of Life The Tree of Life was seen at the beginning of human history. It will be seen again at the end of human history. It was originally planted in the Garden of Eden. It will be transplanted into the gardenlike city of the New Jerusalem. Man chose not to eat of the Tree of Life in the Garden of Eden. Man will eat freely of the Tree of Life in the New Jerusalem. The Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil Also introduced in the opening chapters of Genesis, the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil was the one tree of which Adam and Eve were not to partake. When they disobeyed and ate of the forbidden tree, death and damnation were the result. The question arises as to why God would place a forbidden tree in the Garden in the first place. I suggest the following reasons… Choice. Because God is love, He wants a loving relationship with humanity. But true love always demands a choice. Therefore, God said to Adam and Eve, “Because I want to live with you in a love relationship, I will provide you the opportunity to reject Me, to turn your back on Me. Eating from the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil will be a sign to you and to Me that you don’t want to maintain a loving relationship with Me.” Simply put, without the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil, there would be no choice. And without choice love is questionable. Dependence. Before they ate of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil, Adam and Eve knew only good, because any time they had a question, they went directly to God for the answer. This is the way God created themnot because He wanted to cripple man, but because He wanted to bless man. Yet when man ate of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil, he knew good and evil apart from God. He no longer realized he needed a moment-by-moment reliance on the Father. Thus, he became independentcut off from all the resources and blessings of his Creator. The same thing happens to us. Even we who love the Lord are vulnerable to saying, “I don’t need to be in close communication with the Lord because I’ve walked with Him for years. I know my Bible; I understand theology; I have experience. Such was recently the case with me. Feeling I had already heard the word of the Lord regarding an upcoming decision, I was already moving in a certain direction when the Lord stopped me dead in my tracks with the account found in Genesis 22… Surely you’re not that kind of God, Abraham must have thought when he was told to sacrifice his son Isaac on Mount Moriah. But knowing he had heard the word of the Lord, Abraham did, indeed, lay Isaac on the altar and take knife in hand, ready to plunge it into his son’s chest. Suddenly, “The angel of the Lord called unto him out of heaven and said, Lay not thine hand upon the lad…” (see Rev_22:11-12). Perhaps, like me, a number of you have heard the word of the Lord clearly in a Bible study or prayer meeting, through corporate worship, or private devotions. You wrote it in your journal and are now moving in a certain direction in obedience to His word to you. But you must realize that what the Lord wants from you is constant communion with Him. You see, if Abraham hadn’t heeded the second word of the Lordif he had stubbornly sacrificed his son in obedience to the first word of the Lordhe would have made a bloody mess and a very grave mistake. “Got the word. I’m on my way,” we so often say, failing to realize it might change the very next day. How many unnecessary grave mistakes I’ve made that could have been avoided had I said, “Lord it’s not enough to act on what You spoke to me three days ago. I must hear from you constantly.” “But what if I’ve already made a grave mistake?” you ask. Go to the third tree… The Tree of Calvary The Tree of Calvary covers my mistakes, washes away my arrogance, and cleanses my sin. You see, after offering the sacrifice of His own body for the bloody messes I have made, Jesus arose from the grave to obliterate the grave mistakes I have made. The word of the Lord for us today is this, precious people: On the path to heaven, we must keep current with the Lord. We can’t rely on what we heard yesterday, last week, or a year ago. If you’re not receiving what the Spirit says to you today, like Abraham, you could end up making a big mistake. Turn away from the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evilfrom what you think you knowand begin to feast on the Tree of Life by saying, “Before I make my plans for the afternoon, what’s Your agenda, Lord?” “Lord, how do You want me to parent my five-year-old son today?” “Lord, what do You want me to do about the situation at work this morning?” Let us who love the Bible be those who seek the Lord intimately even as we take in knowledge intellectually. Because of the Tree of Calvary, when we get to heaven, we won’t see the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evilonly the Tree of Life, from which we will partake freely, enjoying the fruit that will keep us in perfect health and total harmony with our King, our Savior, our Lord Jesus. But you don’t have to wait until then, saint. Heaven can be in your heart today if you’ll choose to eat daily from the tree of His direction.

Revelation 22:3

The fallout of Adam’s bomb in the Garden of Eden is felt to this day as a result of the curse that followed (Gen_3:17-19). In heaven, however, the curse is gone, replaced by the throne of God and of the Lamb. The interests and inclinations that the Lord built into each of us will at last be fully utilized in heaven, where, free from time limitations or financial obligations, we’ll use them to serve the Lord. Ours will not be the service of one who drags into work at the last moment, dreading the day ahead. No, ours will be the service of one who says, “Oh, boy! This is what I always wanted to do!”

Revelation 22:4

What will happen when we see His face? Like David, we shall at last be truly satisfied (Psa_17:15) because when we see Him, we’ll be like Him (1Jn_3:2). I’ll see the Lord’s name on all of youbut not on myself because no one can see his own forehead. That’s the way it should be here on earth as well. “I know no man after the flesh,” said Paul (see 2Co_5:16). In other words, he chose to see past the fleshly tendencies of others and, instead, saw others positioned in Christ. What do I do? All too often, just the opposite. Far too frequently, I see myself as forgiven and robed in God’s righteousness but others as a disgrace to the body of Christ.

Revelation 22:5

There will be no need for the sun because warmth and illumination will come from the Son.

Revelation 22:6

The glorious garden city, the time when things are right at last, the pure river that flows, the fruit-bearing treesthey’re not too good to be true. They are true! “Shortly? This was written two thousand years ago!” you might say to yourself. “Things which must shortly be” doesn’t mean these things would transpire in John’s day. Rather, it means once the end-time events begin, they will rev up like an engine and increase in speed. In New York City, you can stand on the street for a relatively long period of time hailing a taxi as cab after cab passes you by. But once one stops and you get inhold on, because once you’re in, you’re on your way! Folks, we’ve seen Israel become a nation again. We’re in the taxi. Hold on! We’re on our way!

Revelation 22:7

To us, a period of two thousand years doesn’t seem “quickly,” but since to the Lord, one thousand years is as a day (2Pe_3:8), according to His timetable, He’s only been gone two days.

Revelation 22:8

I find it interesting that the same thing happened just a couple pages earlier in chapter 19. After he fell down and worshiped an angel, the angel said to John, “See thou do it not.” So how could John worship an angel again? The same way we make the same mistakes and commit the same sins over and over and over again. But the good news is that the Lord taught us to forgive so many times that we lose count (Mat_18:22). And if He taught us to forgive to that degree, how much more will He! “Oh, Lord, I blew it again,” I cry. “Again?” He says. “What are you talking about? I don’t remember you blowing it before” (see Heb_8:12). If someone suddenly charged up the platform steps and punched me in the nose while I was preaching, that I could forgive that person is within the realm of possibility. But I would never, ever forget it. I don’t have that capability. Only God can say, “I’ll not only forgive you, but I won’t remember your sin.” You see, so precious, so powerful is the blood of Jesus to the Father, that it obliterates every trace and memory of sin. I love that! It’s what gives me such boldness to come before the throne of grace so that I may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need (Heb_4:16).

Revelation 22:10

There are preachers, professors, authors, commentators, and sincere brothers and sisters who say, “Don’t read Revelation. It’s too complicated. There are too many interpretations. Seal it up.” But here is a direct command from heaven: “Don’t shut it.” People think Revelation is a hard book to understand. But if you follow the divine outline given in chapter 1, verse Rev_1:19, it becomes crystal clear… Chapter 1 Jesus resurrected Chapters 2-3 Church History Chapters 4-5 The Rapture Chapters 6-19 The Tribulation Chapter 20 The Millennium Chapters 21-22 The new heaven and new earth This book is to be kept open. And the same holds true for us. When you’re done reading it, don’t say, “Well, that about wraps up the Book of Revelation for the next fourteen years…” Because this book has a unique blessing attached to it that says, “Blessed are they that hear these words of this prophecy” (see Rev_1:3), if we seal it up, or put it aside, we will be the poorer for it.

Revelation 22:11

If you choose to be unjust after reading this prophecy, be unjust still. If you choose to be filthy after reading this prophecy, be filthy still. In other words, if you cannot be convinced of the truth of the Word by the revelation of Jesus Christ and the fulfilling of Bible prophecy, what could possibly convince you? After reading this book, you have no other logical option, no other rational recourse than to say, “Jesus is Lord, and I’m going to live for His kingdom.”

Revelation 22:12

“What must we do to do the works of God?” the multitude asked Jesus. “You’re asking about works,” Jesus answered, “but this is the singular work: That you believe on Him whom the Father hath sent” (see Joh_6:28-29). People make following the Lord so complicated. “You gotta do this,” they say, “and keep away from that. Wear these clothes and don’t eat those foods.” But that’s not what Scripture teaches… Nine simple words is all it took for a death-row thief to enter the kingdom: “Lord, remember me when You come into Your kingdom” (see Luk_23:42-43). But it’s even simpler than that. Peter expressed the same thing in only three words: “Lord, save me” (Mat_14:30). But it’s even simpler than that. John says only one word is necessary to assure an eternity in heaven: “Lord” (Rom_10:9).

Revelation 22:15

The word “dogs” refers to legalists (Php_3:2). The Greek word translated “sorcerers” is literally “drug-takers.”

Revelation 22:16

Jesus says, “I am both root and offspring of David. David comes from Me, and I from Him.” How can this be? As the babe of Bethlehem, Jesus was the offspring of David; but as the Christ of eternity, He existed before David.

Revelation 22:17

The invitation to come is given to a world that is lost and dying, doomed and damned. It is the Spirit who woos people to Jesus; but we, as the bride, have the privilege of issuing the invitation. Throughout Scripture, “Come” has always been the invitation… “Come now, and let us reason together, saith the Lord…” (Isa_1:18). “Ho everyone that thirsteth, come ye to the waters…” (Isa_55:1). “Come unto Me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden…” (Mat_11:28). “Suffer the little children to come unto Me…” (Mar_10:14). “Come and see…” (Joh_1:39).

Revelation 22:18

If you’re tempted to add to this book, you might want to review “the plagues that are written” in chapters 6 through 19.

Revelation 22:19

The last phrase in the Old Testament is, “Lest I come and smite the earth with a curse” (Mal_4:6). That’s the law. “God is upset. You should be doing more. What’s wrong with you?” But the New Testament ends this way: “The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all.” Grace is the final word of the New Testament. Seek first the kingdom, gang. Set your heart on things above. His coming is nigh. And I can’t wait!