Revelation 22 - It Is Never "Too Soon" To Be Ready for Jesus' Return!

Click Here to Read or Listen To Revelation 22

Congratulations! You made it through the New Testament in One Year! Even if you didn't and read a substantial part of the New Testament, Congratulations!

I will be going through the New Testament, five chapters a week, again next year! I have read through the New Testament many times and every time I am blessed greatly. Reading God's Word on a daily basis is like Daily Bread. We need to eat every day right!  

As people often say, "What comes around goes around", or "We end up where we started".  The last book in the bible references the first book when it titles this chapter, "Eden Restored".  If you remember in the Garden of Eden, Adam and Eve had everything they wanted and needed. They had a perfect relationship with God and ach other. They had the perfect marriage to one another. They were naked and unashamed before God!  

In Revelation 22, Eden has been restored. 

Eden Restored

22 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.

What a glorious description of heaven. The curse and effects of sin are gone. We no longer need to confess our sins like I do on a daily basis. The curse of sin was death, and death is gone too! As the day represented the light of Christ, and the night represented the darkness of the evil one, darkness is forever gone. 

The river flowing from the throne of God and the Lamb is clear as crystal. No more need for "environmentalism" because the Creation will never be subject to corruption. Fruit has always been a sign of abundance and prosperity in the bible. Jesus called us to go and bear fruit that will last. The trees in heaven will bear fruit every month. 

The leaves of the tree provide healing from the sin, death, and the power of the devil. There will be no more sickness or disease. There will be no more cancer, depression, disease, or mental illness among other maladies. We will no longer need to watch the news and see the violence and de-moralization of our culture. 

Most importantly, we will see God face to face and reign forever and ever with Him. In the Garden of Eden when God made man in His image after creating the world perfectly, he gave us dominion over it. And again now man will reign over the new creation forever and ever. 

Heaven will be a place where the darkness of this age will be forever gone. The light is not artificial, even from the sun – God Himself is the light.

“As the Bible opens with the story of ‘Paradise Lost,’ so it here closes with the story of ‘Paradise Regained.’” (Erdman) We see the return of Paradise in the ideas of a river, a tree of life, revocation of the curse, intimacy restored, and reigning resumed. It is a perfect consummation:

No more curse Perfect Restoration

Throne in their midst Perfect Administration

Servants shall serve Perfect Subordination

Shall see His face Perfect Transformation

Name on foreheads Perfect Identification

God is the light Perfect Illumination

Reigning forever Perfect Exultation  (Guzik)

John and the Angel

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.”

John is reassured by the angel of the trustworthy nature of the words which have been divinely given to him. They hold the same authority of the words God gave gave to the prophets. It reminds us that the words of the bible, THE WORD of GOD, are equally trustworthy and true. 

John and the Angel

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!”

We can never miss the note of urgency and warning in all what Jesus tells us about His coming. His message is always be ready! (Matthew 24:44) (Guzik)

Epilogue: Invitation and Warning

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.

What about rewards in heaven? Does this mean we are saved by works?

 If Jesus will give to everyone according to his work, does that mean we are saved by our works? No, but it does show that living faith will have works with it (James 2:20, Titus 3:8).

i. “It is the quality of a man’s life which provides the ultimate indication of what he really believes.” (Mounce)

Jesus was the Word who was with God in the beginning and created the world and all that exists. Jesus was the Word made flesh who came to earth to reconcile us with the Father. Jesus will come again at the end to restore all things. 

Jesus is the beginning of the book, the end, and its main character. Jesus is there at kickoff and when the final whistle blows. He is the MVP. Jesus is there when a little baby is born and he is there when it takes its last breath. 

Jesus is the A and he is the Z.  Everything we know and want is found in being in relationship with Him. 

Do you know Him? All you have to do is turn to him and invite him into your heart to be the Lord of your life! 

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.

Our robes are washed through the blood of Christ. Though our sins were as scarlet, he has made us wither than snow. Isaiah 1:18

Those who sat at the feet of the devil, submitted to the devil, and rejected Jesus' offer of eternal life will get what they wished for, eternal separation from God. How sad!

Doing His commandments does not earn us eternal life, but it is evidence that we have been granted eternal life. Besides, there is an inherent blessing in doing His commandments, because they are good and right for us.

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.”

Just as Jesus inspired human authors to write the bible, the words of Revelation are equally inspired and authoritative for the church today. The bible has taken quite a beating over the last several centuries. Liberal theologians and pastors have downgraded the bible as just a picture of what things could be like on earth if we try hard enough. Heaven is just a fairy tale to make us feel good when we or loved ones die. There is no accountability for the life we have lived. When die, "poof" life is over.  

Many heretics over the last several centuries have perverted the gospel from grace to works. They have falsely asserted that Jesus was only a man, albeit a very good and moral teacher. They have diluted the resurrection as just a metaphorical story about the triumph of good over evil. 

Just as Jesus is the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow, so is God's Word! This is why we need to read, teach, and preach the bible in all its purity. This is why you should be congratulated for taking time out of your busy day to make reading the Word of God on a regular basis. 

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.

Jesus' arms are always open, as he bids each one of us to 'Come and follow Him." He has given us the best life possible. He has quenched the unquenchable desires that come with our inherited sinful nature. 

He said in Matthew 11:28, 

"Come to me all you who are weary and burdened and I will give you rest for your souls. My yoke is easy and my burden is light!"

It is not following Jesus which makes life burdensome and heavy. Look at all of the sad stories of those who were successful, rich, and famous whose lives deteriorated into despair. It is not following him which makes life burdensome and heavy. 

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.

This goes back to my earlier comment about those who try and water down the bible to make it mean what they want it to mean. God gives us stern warning about adding or subtracting ONE WORD from God's Word, which he has written primarily to show his love for us by sending His Son. But God's Word is also a perfect guide to all of the decision we will make in our lives. It will never lead us astray when interpreted properly in the power of the Holy Spirit!

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.

Jesus ends the writing of the 66 books of the bible reminding us that He is coming Soon. Jesus then to John, "Look I am coming soon!" We need to keep our eyes open for Jesus who is coming soon. How soon is soon? Soon is soon enough. 

Soon is too soon when there are still friends and family of ours who don't know Jesus.  We pray soon is not to soon for them to come to believe in Him. But soon will be in God's perfect timing. Since we don't know when Jesus will come back, soon should mean we should be ready any day. The bible reminds that Jesus will come like a thief in the night. 

As the great hymn says, "Soon and very soon we are going to see the King!" 

I hope this Daily Bread blog has prepared you a little more for the time Jesus will come. Remember He is coming soon. Let's be ready!