Revelation chapter 22 shows the persecuted Church something that they cannot imagine, God directing the worldwide spread of the gospel from his heavenly throne countering the curse and bringing healing, renewal, and peace to the nations.
Revelation 22:1 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 who inspires the prophets, sent his angel to show his servants the things that must soon take place.”
7 “Look, I am coming soon! Blessed is the one who keeps the words of the prophecy written in this scroll.”
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, “Don’t do that! I am a fellow servant with you and with your fellow prophets and with all who keep the words of this scroll. Worship God!”
10 Then he told me, “Do not seal up the words of the prophecy of this scroll, because the time is near. 11 Let the one who does wrong continue to do wrong; let the vile person continue to be vile; let the one who does right continue to do right; and let the holy person continue to be holy.”
12 “Look, I am coming soon! My reward is with me, and I will give to each person according to what they have 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.
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 the one who hears say, “Come!” Let the one who is thirsty come; and let the one who wishes take the free gift of the water of life.
18 I warn everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this scroll: If anyone adds anything to them, God will add to that person the plagues described in this scroll. 19 And if anyone takes words away from this scroll of prophecy, God will take away from that person any share in the tree of life and in the Holy City, which are described in this scroll.
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.
John’s Final Vision
I. The Water of Life
Revelation 22:1 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.
The image of the River takes us back to Eden: In the Paradise of Eden, springs of water came out of the ground forming the headwaters of four rivers that flowed out to water the earth. Genesis 2:6, 10-14
As we have seen, in the Old Covenant Temple there was a great bronze Laver, a basin of water between the altar and the Holy of Holies. 2 Chronicles 4:10 reminding the priests that they needed cleansing before approaching God.
Ezekiel 47:1-9 combines these two images, the Laver is tipped over and a river of grace and life flows out of the temple to renew the entire world.
Then he brought me back to the door of the temple; and there was water, flowing from under the threshold of the temple toward the east, for the front of the temple faced east; the water was flowing from under the right side of the temple, south of the altar. 2 He brought me out by way of the north gate, and led me around on the outside to the outer gateway that faces east; and there was water, running out on the right side.
3 And when the man went out to the east with the line in his hand, he measured one thousand cubits, and he brought me through the waters; the water came up to my ankles. 4 Again he measured one thousand and brought me through the waters; the water came up to my knees. Again he measured one thousand and brought me through; the water came up to my waist. 5 Again he measured one thousand, and it was a river that I could not cross; for the water was too deep, water in which one must swim, a river that could not be crossed. 6 He said to me, “Son of man, have you seen this?” Then he brought me and returned me to the bank of the river.
7 When I returned, there, along the bank of the river, were very many trees on one side and the other. 8 Then he said to me: “This water flows toward the eastern region, goes down into the valley, and enters the sea. When it reaches the sea, its waters are healed. 9 And it shall be that every living thing that moves, wherever the rivers go, will live. There will be a very great multitude of fish, because these waters go there; for they will be healed, and everything will live wherever the river goes.
The paradise that Adam lost is in the process of being restored in Christ’s victory as the Church frees captives, repossessing the nations from the now bound Satan.
Paradise Regained
I, Who erewhile the happy Garden sung, By one man’s disobedience lost, now sing Recovered Paradise to all mankind, By one man’s firm obedience fully tried. Through all temptation, and the Tempter foiled, in all his wiles, defeated and repulsed, And Eden restored in the waste Wilderness.” John Milton, 1671
II. The Tree of Life
Revelation 22:2 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.
Tree of life: The crucifixion of Christ made possible the offer of life to the people of the world. The God of our fathers raised up Jesus, whom ye slew and hanged on a tree. Acts 5:30
See also: Acts 10:39, 13:29, I Peter 2:24
Fruit trees of all kinds will grow on both banks of the river. Their leaves will not wither, nor will their fruit fail. Every month they will bear fruit, because the water from the sanctuary flows to them. Their fruit will serve for food and their leaves for healing. Ezekiel 47:12
III. Redeemed From the Curse
Revelation 22:3 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.
No longer any Curse: Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law: Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us. Galatians 3:13-14
The Son of God was manifest to destroy the work of the devil. 1 John 3:8
But the gift is not like the trespass. For if the many died by the trespass of the one man, how much more did God’s grace and the gift that came by the grace of the one man, Jesus Christ, overflow to the many! Romans 5:15
IV. The Light has Driven back the Night
Revelation 22:5 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.
Night has passed: Satan has been bound and is no longer able to deceive the nations. The dawn of the gospel is about to breakout across the earth. The hour has already come for you to wake up from your slumber, because our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed. 12 The night is nearly over; the day is almost here. So let us put aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light. Romans 13:11-12
“The era of the Old Covenant was the time of the world’s dark night; with the Advent of Jesus Christ has come the age of Light, the great Day of The Lord, established at His Ascension and his full inauguration of the New Covenant.” David Chilton, “Days of Vengeance”
Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord rises upon you. 2 See, darkness covers the earth and thick darkness is over the peoples, but the Lord rises upon you and his glory appears over you. 3 Nations will come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your dawn. Isaiah 60:1-3
In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. 5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. John 1:4-5
V. Fulfillment of These Promises Began in the First Century
Revelation 22:6 The angel said to me, “These words are trustworthy and true. The Lord, the God who inspires the prophets, sent his angel to show his servants the things that must soon take place.” 7 “Look, I am coming soon! Blessed is the one who keeps the words of the prophecy written in this scroll.”
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, “Don’t do that! I am a fellow servant with you and with your fellow prophets and with all who keep the words of this scroll. Worship God!” 10 Then he told me, “Do not seal up the words of the prophecy of this scroll, because the time is near. 11 Let the one who does wrong continue to do wrong; let the vile person continue to be vile; let the one who does right continue to do right; and let the holy person continue to be holy.”
12 “Look, I am coming soon! My reward is with me, and I will give to each person according to what they have done. 13 I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End.
Coming Soon: The Old Covenant structures, the Temple, the priesthood, and Jerusalem herself are about to come to an end as the New Covenant breaks forth. Revelation 1:1 The revelation from Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show his servants what must soon take place… Blessed is the one who reads aloud the words of this prophecy, and blessed are those who hear it and keep what is written in it, because the time is near.
1. Revelation: unveiling, the disclosure of God’s plan for his ‘servants’ I Corinthians 6:20
2. Soon ‘tachei’ take place: haste, speed, quickly: Luke 18:8,Acts 12:7, 22:18, 25:4, Romans 16:20
‘because the time is near’ and in case we missed this point John uses the same language in conclusion: Revelation 22:6 “Do not seal up the words of the prophecy of this scroll, because the time is near:
In Daniel 12:4, Daniel is told to seal up some of the vision that he saw because it was not to be revealed until the time of the end. In contrast, John is told, do not seal up. In other words, the vision that Daniel sealed up has now been revealed to John. “Indeed, these are the very days for which Daniel wrote, and St. John has been inspired to ‘unseal’ him.” AustinFarrer, “The Revelation of St. John the Divine”
This coming is not Christ’s coming at the end of time for the judgment of the living and the dead before his Throne. This is the promised coming in judgment on the dragon, Satan, the beast, Rome, and apostate Israel, this wicked generation.
Matthew 24, Truly I tell you, this generation will certainly not pass away until all these things have happened. Matthew 12:41-42
VI. The City is the Church
Revelation 22:14 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.
The city of God is none other than the Church; those who have membership in the Body of Christ.
1 John 1:7 – But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanses us from all sin.
Matthew 26:28 – For this is my blood of the New Covenant, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.
Hebrews 9:22 – And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission.
Hebrews 9:12 – Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us.
Who is excluded from the city, the Church of Christ?
Mark 7:26-28, the unclean, those still embracing their sin, sorcerers, fornicators, murders, idolaters, liars… As we saw in Revelation 21:8 But the cowardly, the unbelieving, the vile, the murderers, the sexually immoral, those who practice magic arts, the idolaters and all liars—they will be consigned to the fiery lake of burning sulfur. This is the second death. See also: Romans 1:18-32, I Corinthians 6:9-11, Galatians 5:19-21,
Notice that this passage is speaking of those still alive on earth and not heaven. Just like in our time today, although the Church is growing exponentially, there are still those outside the Church who embrace their sin.
VII. The Free Gift
Revelation 22:16 “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 the one who hears say, “Come!” Let the one who is thirsty come; and let the one who wishes take the free gift of the water of life.
Salvation is a Free Gift offered to the world: Let the one who is thirsty come; and let the one who wishes take the free gift of the water of life.
Romans 6:23, For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord… Romans 3:24… All are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.
Because Salvation must be a free gift, Christ issues a warning:
Revelation 22:18 I warn everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this scroll: If anyone adds anything to them, God will add to that person the plagues described in this scroll. 19 And if anyone takes words away from this scroll of prophecy, God will take away from that person any share in the tree of life and in the Holy City, which are described in this scroll.
There is no other gospel; no other way of salvation than Christ. But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach a gospel contrary to the one we preached to you, let him be under a divine curse. Galatians 1:8
Revelation presents Christ, the Lamb, and his gospel victory over Satan. No one is to alter or change, for any reason, this message of truth.
Deuteronomy 4:2, Do not add to the word which I command you and do not subtract from it, keep the commandments of the Lord your God which I command you.
Come, Lord Jesus, ride out, with the free offer of salvation. Set the prisoners free.
Revelation 22:20 Amen. Come, Lord Jesus. The grace of the Lord Jesus be with God’s people. Amen.
In keeping with the context of Revelation the prayer, come, Lord Jesus, is similar to the prayer of the martyred saints under the altar. They are asking Christ to come in judgment on apostate Israel and on Rome, paving the way for the New Covenant community, the Church to fill the earth. They are asking for Christ to ride out with his saints carrying the Gospel, the Sword of his Word, to the four corners of the earth.
In Genesis 3:15, after Adam sinned, God initiated a rescue operation. God promised that one day in the future, a child, born of woman, would undue the damage done when Adam chose to listen to Satan rather than obey God. The Bible unfolds God’s plan until its culmination in Revelation 22. Here in the closing chapter of Revelation we see that Christ is the long awaited child, born of woman, who took our curse upon himself on the tree. The victorious Savior has bound Satan, so that he may no longer deceive the nations, holding them in darkness. Christ extends this free gift of salvation to everyone, like a river of living water flowing out to the nations of the earth, inviting them into the City of God, the Church.
Isaac Watts expertly summarized the message of Revelation in his hymn:
Joy to the World.
Joy to the world! the Lord is come;
Let earth receive her King;
Let every heart prepare him room,
And heaven and nature sing,
And heaven and nature sing,
And heaven, and heaven, and nature sing.
Joy to the world! the Savior reigns;
Let men their songs employ;
While fields and floods, rocks, hills, and plains
Repeat the sounding joy,
Repeat the sounding joy,
Repeat, repeat the sounding joy.
No more let sins and sorrows grow,
Nor thorns infest the ground;
He comes to make His blessings flow
Far as the curse is found,
Far as the curse is found,
Far as, far as, the curse is found.
He rules the world with truth and grace,
And makes the nations prove
The glories of His righteousness,
And wonders of His love,
And wonders of His love,
And wonders, wonders, of His love.
Christ makes His blessings flow far as the curse is found! This is the message that the First Century Christians needed to hear and Twenty First Century Christians need to understand and reclaim.
The Lord has come. The Savior reigns. The curse is broken. The wonder of God’s love is available to all. His blessings flow out to the earth. Paradise is already being restored.
Hear the word of the Lord, you nations; proclaim it in the coastlands… No longer will they teach their neighbor, or say to one another, ‘know the Lord,’ because they will all know Me, from the least to the greatest, declares the Lord. For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more. The prophesy of Jeremiah 31:31-34 is now fulfilled. Hebrews 8:10.
The nations rejoice.
Join with the heavenly host in praise.
“‘Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty,’ who was, and is, and is to come.”
“You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they were created and have their being.” Revelation 4:8-11
Praise God, from whom all blessings flow; Praise Him, all creatures here below; Praise Him above, ye heavenly host; Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost!
Hallelujah!