Chapter 22
v1-5: It seems John can’t see detail from his vantage point
so the angel shows him the “river of the water of life” – picking up that
flowing from Eden and Ezekiel’s temple with life for the world. Again, its
purity and the wonder of the place is noted by it being as “clear as crystal.”
It flows from the place of God’s power and rule, showing its source is in his
will and the atoning work of the Lamb. And it flows down the middle of the
great street (mentioned above), presumably for easy access to all walking there
and because it is the centre of the city. On each side and fed by the river is
“the tree of life.” Although one is mentioned, we presume it is many trees
aligning the river. Now access to the tree Adam and his descendants were barred
from is regained. It’s 12 crops of fruit alludes to being sufficient for all
God’s people (12 tribes), but the focus is on availability throughout the year.
There is never a season when this fruit can’t be eaten. And “the leaves” are
for the healing of the nations. Interesting it is not the fruit. Perhaps it is
simply that leaves were used in healing. It’s not impossible that pain and
suffering will be theoretically possible in the new creation, but held at bay
as people access the fruit of the tree. But the language is sure figurative
above all else. The point is that sickness, aging and death will be no more,
because “no longer will there be any curse.” The fall of Adam will have been
dealt with.
If we hadn’t
already picked it up, we now focus on God’s rule. He and the Lamb will “be in
the city.” The Lamb will be visible as the Lord Jesus, and the Father perhaps
in the glorious light which might emanating from the throne, or maybe
manifesting himself forever in the image of the ancient of days or the vision
of 4v2-3. The presence of the forever embodied Christ again implies a literal
fulfilling of the vision in an actual city as he must be located somewhere. The
city is therefore the seat and centre of God’s rule of the universe. The
kingdom has come on earth as it was in heaven. The “he” picks up the oneness of
Father and Son. And it is there, in the city that they will be served by the
redeemed. If a literal city this doesn’t mean there will be no venturing out in
service, but that it is from the throne in the city that they will be served
(1) as kings (v5), reigning over the new creation (5v10), and (2) as priests
(v4), offering themselves in that role and in caring for the city and wider
creation as Adam and Eve were to care for Eden and the priests were to care for
the temple.
And what intimacy. What was once reserved
only for Moses will now be the experience of all – face to face communion with
God. No more curtain. No more barred access. No more distance. The name on the
forehead alludes to 3v12 as a sign of belonging to God and this city,
contrasting 13v17 where unbelievers bear the name of the beast. But there is
more to it. The High Priest had “holy to the LORD” engraved on the front of his
turban for when he entered the most holy place as a sign that he was bearing Israel’s
guilt so they could be acceptable to God (Ex 28v36-38). The name on the
forehead therefore signifies that all God’s people then will have High Priestly
access, having been made fully acceptable “in” Christ as their High Priest.
Once more we read
there will be no more night, and so no more need of light, lamp or sun, because
the brilliance of God’s glory will be their light. This is about more than
luminescence. There will be no more of the evil or threat that night signifies,
because God’s glory will have driven away all darkness and lit everything up in
goodness. And it is in this context that we as the redeemed will “reign forever
and ever” (3v21). In the context of the Eden imagery this denotes our
fulfilling the role for which we were originally intended. As a great multitude
we will then fill the earth, and subdue it in a way that truly images God
(1v26-28). The current creation groans with its thorns, thistles, floods,
famines and earthquakes, longing for its “liberation from decay” when brought
into the glorious freedom of the children of God (Gen 3, Mat 13v8, Rom 8v20).
It seems at its renewal something of the fabric of creation will therefore change
so it is no longer subject to decay. However a tendency to disorderliness may
remain, requiring a human hand just as Eden did before the fall (Gen 2v5ff). If
so, it is the rule of God’s children as vice-regents under the second Adam who
will ensure it flourishes to its full potential, and who will organize
themselves as the sort of godly society the prophets spoke of (Is 65v17ff). If
we have already exercised our God-given creativity to the point we have with
exploration to the depths of the sea and the heights of the solar system, who
knows what technology we might develop and what discoveries we might make when
sinless and immortal – all to the glory and praise of God.
22v6-21 The conclusion
v6-7: Its been a fantastical vision. So John’s angelic guide
speaks again to affirm that it is all true. “Trustworthy” says more, stressing
we can rely on it by responding as it urges us to. The angel is sent from God
who rules as Lord and who inspired the prophets – so the book is in the same
category as his word. And the reason is to “show” or reveal to his servants
(you and I as believers) what must “soon” take place. We have seen this “soon”
is prophetic, implying not that they should arrive within a few years of the
vision, but that the church is in the last days between the two advents of
Christ, so the end of history is always near and could come in any generation.
Then as if a voice of one listening in, Jesus himself speaks in immediate
support of this, affirming he is “coming” soon, and that joy from God is to be
found in keeping the words of the book.
v8: John now
affirms the trustworthiness. He didn’t make it all up. He heard and saw these
things. The nature of visions is that what is perceived is as if actually seen
or heard. He describes his response on doing so was to fall down to worship the
angel, overwhelmed by the wonder of it all. It might be he mistook the angel
for Jesus. It might be that it was just an act of someone in awe of a mighty
being. Either way, the angel is very aware that only God is worthy and so
charges him not to do that, as the angel is only a “fellow servant” to John and
his “fellow prophets” – which seems to be a description of the apostles or
Christian preachers, and with all believers who are defined as “those who keep
the words of this book” by their perseverance. It is astonishing to think that
we serve alongside angels. But we should not miss the point. We are to worship
God for what he is doing, for his coming justice, salvation and vindication of
his purposes and people.
v10-11: The
implication is then spelled out. As a prophet John is not to seal up the prophecy
so it is not known, as “the time is near.” This contrasts Daniel 12v4 where
Daniel is told to seal up his until the end. The point is that the time of “the
end” has arrived with the ascension of Christ. So the events outlined in Daniel
12 are prophetically “near.” Perhaps the two destinies of Daniel 12v2 are in
mind in what follows. The sense is of the angel saying, let those who choose to
do wrong as vile people, continue in that and face the just consequences, and
let those who choose to do right as holy people, continue or persevere in that
and receive all that is promised. This shouldn’t be read as telling people not
to repent, or as implying a fatalism in which none can. It’s a rhetorical
device reassuring the faithful that God governs all, reminding them that the
wicked are not better off as they will be punished, and urging the righteous to
continue as they are in certain hope of what is to come. We have seen they are
those who are “holy” because they are set-apart for God’s service as his
kingdom of priests.
v12-13: These
truths are confirmed as Jesus interjects again. “Look” he says, “I am coming
soon” – the prophetic soon of immanence in the light of eternity. And when he
comes he will recompense everyone for what is revealed in the books of deeds. Moreover,
he will do so as the beginning and end of history – the one who is sovereign
over all and who will therefore ensure these things come to fruition. What encouragement
as world leaders presume to govern people’s destinies.
v14-15: Again, we
see the two responses. Those who wash their robes (as we’ve seen, in the “blood
of the lamb”) and so make their tainted deeds clean in God’s sight – they will
have “the right” to tree of life, implying a certain legal right to the inheritance
of everlasting paradise in Eden rebooted (2v7). They will therefore enter the
city gates because their names are written in “the book of life” – becoming part
of the new Jerusalem being prepared to descend to earth. But “outside” the city
are the wicked. “Dogs” is a metaphor in scripture for people as despised, beast-like,
and concerned with none but themselves. The sins of magic, sexual immorality,
murder, idolatry and falsehood are mentioned. These are sins associate with the
beast in Revelation, and may here be listed to describe false-believers who
turn from Christ to worship the things of the state, and so don’t endure. It is
these sins that will mark them. The “outside” here cannot be outside in the new
creation (as 21v24-26) but ultimate exclusion from that new creation as the
place from which the city can be accessed (21v27). In other words, it is a
reference to hell or the lake of fire. These verses should cause us to examine
ourselves.
v16: More affirmation
of the trustworthiness of what we’ve studied. These are the words of Jesus. It
is his angel that has testified on his command. And not primarily for the
world, but for the churches – those first and foremost in chapters 1-3. The purpose
of the book is their endurance. Jesus identifies himself as the “root” and “descendent”
of David. The former probably refers to the latter, portraying Jesus as a shoot
of a new kingly tree in which the world can find shade (5v5, Is 11v1, 10). As
such he is also “the bright morning star” (2v28, Num 24v17) ,who heralds a new
dawn – here that of the world to come. He is the one who both brings it about
and achieves access to it through his blood. In every sense we are dependent on
him.
v17: The focus of
this verse needs consideration. “The Spirit” representing perhaps God’s intercessory
presence through his people, and “the bride” representing the church, both say “come.”
The immediate context is that they are calling those who have read but not yet
responded to “come” as Isaiah 55 outlines, and receive the “water of life” that
is the Spirit of God, and all for free through Christ. This seems confirmed by
the fact that “the one who hears” is urged to take up the call, contrasting
those who haven’t yet been enabled to. The book is therefore ending on a
somewhat evangelistic note, urging those caught up in the tribulations of
history but who thirst for the life God gives, to receive it.
v18: the final
note, however, is one of warning. Again it stresses the truth of what’s been
read. Those who “hear” are not to add or take from the words of the prophecy
contained in Revelation. It’s a striking affirmation of the trustworthiness of
scripture down to the individual words of prophecy. Those who add to the words
of this book are warned that its plagues will be added to them, and those who
take from them, that their share in everlasting life and the new Jerusalem will
be removed. Obviously, we’ve seen the names written in the book of life to be
fixed. But the point is again rhetorical. It is unbelievers who miss out on the
life to come and suffer the “plagues” of torment in this life. And so those who
add to or take from the book are being portrayed as those who have turned from
the faith and so from the blessings they once presumed were theirs. Today, a
whole number of Christians and even ministers will dismiss the warnings of
judgment within the book, or extend salvation to pretty much all. This is a
stark warning to them, that such distortion implies they have turned from
Christ himself.
v20: The focus of
the book is affirmed at its conclusion. As we have suggested throughout it is a
book about the end and how that should encourage us in the present. It’s focus
is the day of wrath leading up to and encompassing the return of Christ and inauguration
of the age to come. And the one who has testified to it all through his angel
reassures us in whatever we suffer, that he is “surely” coming “soon” – that from
the perspective of God’s purposes in history, the tribulations of history will
soon pass and be superseded by a glory that is incomparable by comparison (Rom
8v17). And John replies “Amen” (truly), “come Lord Jesus – our prayer of
longing in trials that this will indeed take place “soon.”
v21: John ends as
Paul so often does, with a prayer for “grace” to be with all his readers. It’s
fitting, as it is grace that enables all this. God’s free favour chooses the
names for the book of life, and washes clean those who look to the Lamb. It is
grace that therefore saves and keeps his people for eternal life. And so we can
affirm the final “Amen.” May the grace of the Lord Jesus be with us all.