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Pastor Scott L. Harris
Grace Bible Church, NY
March 29, 2026
*Final Affirmations, Invitations & Warnings
Revelation 22:7-21
Introduction
Please turn to Revelation 22. This morning we will be examining verses 7-21 as we come to the end of the book and our study of the Apocalypse. Since this study has been spread out over a year and three months, I may do one more sermon as a survey review just so that you can see how the message of the whole book flows together.
*We have worked through all the details of the tribulation period covered in chapters 6-19. After the removal of the church in the rapture, the seven years of the tribulation will be horrible as the world experiences life under God’s wrath. Much of that wrath will be due to God removing His hand of merciful restraint as in Romans 1 resulting in man experiencing the fullness of evil that men bring can upon each other. Added to that will be the supernatural judgments of the seals, trumpets and bowls in which the earth and heavens will be severely affected. The degree of destruction is like nothing that has ever occurred since the flood or will again until the destruction of the heavens and earth in preparation for the new heaven and earth after the millennium. Those claiming these events have somehow already occurred must resort to fanciful allegory in order to avoid the plain meaning of the text.
*The tribulation ends with the second advent of Jesus Christ who physically returns with the armies of heaven to conquer the earth and destroy all those in rebellion against God. Revelation 20 describes Satan being bound and thrown into the abyss for a thousand years. *It then continues to describe aspects of the millennial kingdom. The descriptions in other prophecies are of a restored earth that will be a wonderful place of previously unknown abundance and also of peace. Only the redeemed who survived the tribulation will populate it at first, and Jesus shall reign over the world from Jerusalem. *At the end of the thousand years, Satan is released for a short time during which he deceives those born during the millennium that have not been redeemed. Their rebellion is quickly put down and they are destroyed. Satan will be captured and thrown into the eternal lake of fire. The unrighteous from all the ages will then be brought before the Great White Throne and condemned based on the sins they have done. Only those whose names are written in the Lamb’s books of life will avoid being cast into the eternal lake of fire and brimstone.
*The millennial kingdom will be wonderful, but what will follow it as described in Revelation 21:1-22:5 will be even better. The present heaven and earth will be destroyed and a new heaven, new earth and new Jerusalem will be created. (See: The New Heaven, Earth & Jerusalem) The new Jerusalem will be absolutely beautiful being made of pure gold transparent like glass, have foundation stones of precious and semi precious stones and adorned by even more and light will radiate from it for it will be illumined by the glory of God and the Lamb. It will be extremely large – 12,000 stadia long, wide and high which works out to be a cube between 1,288 and 1,465 miles (2,072 – 2,357 kilometers) on each side (vs. 16). It will be plenty large enough to hold all who will dwell there. (See: The Second View of the New Jerusalem) It will be the location of both the river of the water of life and the tree of life which bears each of its twelve fruits in its month. There will be no more curse or any of the effects of the curse – death, mourning or pain. But the most wonderful thing about the new Jerusalem is that God and the Lamb will be its temple for they will dwell there, and all of God’s slaves, the people He has redeemed, will dwell with and serve Him there. We who are saved by God’s grace through faith in the person and work of the Lord Jesus Christ will in that future time have direct access to God in His full glory and not be destroyed for we will be sinless and holy having been conformed completely to the image of Christ. (See: The Third View of the New Jerusalem)
*As I pointed out last week, verse 5 ends the description of what was revealed to John about the new Jerusalem and “all the things which must soon take place” that constitute this prophecy. Verse 6 begins the book’s conclusion of affirmations, testimonies, blessings and warnings. It ends in much the same way it started. These last fifteen verses point out the source of the revelation, affirm its truthfulness, pronounce a blessing on those who read and heed it, and proclaim the promise of the nearness of the Lord’s coming. All of these are based on the prophecies of the previous chapters.
*Angelic Affirmation – Revelation 22:6
I covered verse 6 last week, so I will brief here. 6 And he said to me, “These words are faithful and true”; and the Lord, the God of the spirits of the prophets, sent His angel to show to His slaves the things which must soon take place. *This is the same angel that has been speaking and showing things to John since Revelation 21:9. He affirms the veracity of all of the prophecy about “the things which must soon take place.” The affirmation is based on it being from “the Lord, the God of the spirits of the prophets.” That title emphasizes that it is a prophecy like what has been given to all true prophets. In this case the prophecy is given through an angel to God’s slave, which Revelation 1 states is the apostle John, who wrote down what he was told and observed in order to send it to the seven churches in Asia, and from them to all Christians and all people from that time forward.
*First Declaration of Jesus – Revelation 22:7
Verse 7 is the first declaration of Jesus in this chapter. This one is prompted by this prophecy being about “the things which must soon take place.” Jesus proclaims, 7 “And behold, I am coming quickly. Blessed is he who keeps the words of the prophecy of this book.”
* I AM Coming Quickly – Rev. 22:7a. In the first sentence of this declaration, Jesus calls attention to His promised return. 7 “And behold, I am coming quickly.” Last week I detailed the Biblical evidence for this to be imminent, i.e. Jesus could come at anytime, so I am not going to do that again today. While there are many things that could happen before the Lord’s return, there is nothing that must happen. The expectation of the early church was that He could return at anytime for the apostles instructed them to eagerly anticipate it and always be ready for it. (See: Imminence of the Rapture – 12/3/2023)
*Blessed is He Who Heeds – Rev. 22:7b. The second sentence of Jesus’ declaration is a beatitude – a promised blessing. “Blessed is he who keeps the words of the prophecy of this book.” In essence, this same beatitude was given in Revelation 1:3, “Blessed is he who reads and those who hear the words of the prophecy, and heed the things which are written in it; for the time is near.” *To be blessed is much more than just to be made happy for the word was first used to denote the state of the gods in having an existence beyond care, labor and death. Even when common usage degenerated it to describeing the state of the wealthy, it still retained its sense of something more than just having a happy circumstance. The sense here is that those who will meet the condition of this beatitude will be able to live in a state in which the joy of the soul transcends the troubles of this current life.
*The condition of this blessing is to “keep” or “heed” (threvw / t re ) “the words of the prophecy of this book.” Which then would mean here to keep in view in order to obey what has been decreed in the prophecies. The blessing in reading or hearing the words of the book of Revelation is then being careful to live in a manner with these prophecies in mind. The specific motive for doing that is pointed out in the last phrase, “for the time is near.” *That is another statement pointing to the imminence of the Lord’s return. Paul refers to that as the “blessed hope” in Titus 2:13 which is a motivation to live in godliness in the present. 2 Peter 3:11-14 makes the same point. Even from a purely pragmatic standpoint, since I know that all the things of this earth are going to eventually be destroyed, then it is foolish to store up treasures on earth, and it is wise to instead store them in heaven just as Jesus admonished in Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 6:19-21. If you are living in the hope of what is coming with Jesus’ return and then the future establishment of the new heaven and new earth, then you can join with Paul in declaring as he did in Romans 8:18, “For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed to us.”
*Apostolic Affirmation & Angelic Correction – Revelation 22:8-9
In verses 8-9 John makes an affirmation and then responds in a way that has to be corrected by the angel. Revelation 22:8–9 (LSB) 8 I, John, am the one who was hearing and seeing these things. And when I heard and saw, I fell down to worship at the feet of the angel who showed me these things. 9 But he said to me, “Do not do that! I am a fellow slave with you and your brothers the prophets and with those who keep the words of this book. Worship God!”
*Apostolic Affirmation – Rev. 22:8. Those that claim someone other than John wrote the apocalypse must purposely deny this verse for John gives an emphatic identification of himself, “I, John,” as the one that heard and saw all the things contained in this prophecy. He wrote it all down just as he had been instructed back in Rev. 1:19.
It appears that he was overwhelmed by all that he experienced, for he states, “I fell down to worship at the feet of the angel who showed me these things.” Perhaps he may have been confused about the identity of this angel for angels can also appear as glorious supernatural beings, and he had done this before in Revelation 19:10 after the declaration of the marriage supper of the Lamb.
*Angelic Correction – Rev. 22:9. The angel immediately corrected John telling him, “Do not do that! I am a fellow slave with you and your brothers the prophets and with those who keep the words of this book. Worship God!” That statement reveals something about angels, John, the prophets and those heeding the words of the Apocalypse. *First, the angel states he is a “fellow slave.” The angel does not place himself in a superior position, instead, he puts himself in parity, as just having an equal standing with all of God’s other slaves. *Second, the angel affirms John’s position as a brother to the prophets which in turn is another statement that what John has written down from all he has seen and heard is prophecy. *Third, it affirms that all who “keep the words of this book” are slaves of God, and Revelation 22:3 places them in the new Jerusalem, and three verses later, states they are the ones to whom this prophecy about what is to soon take place is being given. Every true Christian is a slave of Christ, so that means we are also fellow slaves of the angels.
*The last statement by the angel is an emphatic command contrasted with the beginning admonition not to worship him, “Worship God!” That is a command that goes back to the first of the Ten Commandments (Exodus 20:3-5) and repeated by Jesus in His rebuke of Satan in Matthew 4:10, “Go, Satan! For it is written, ‘You shall worship the Lord your God, and serve Him only.’ “ God is a jealous God and He will not tolerate the worship of anyone or anything other than Himself, and those that do bring His wrath upon themselves. A stern warning that applies to the vast majority of even our own society.
*Instructions to John – Revelation 22:10-11
The angel gives further instruction and a declaration to John in verses 10-11. 10 And he said to me, “Do not seal up the words of the prophecy of this book, for the time is near. 11 “Let the one who does unrighteousness, still do unrighteousness; and the one who is filthy, still be filthy; and let the one who is righteous, still do righteousness; and the one who is holy, still keep himself holy.”
*Do Not Seal the Book – Rev. 22:10. Back in Revelation 7:10 John was commanded to “seal up the things which the seven peals of thunder have spoken.” This angel now gives the opposite instruction concerning the whole book. “Do not seal up the words of the prophecy of this book.” *Everything written in it was to be open to be read and disseminated so that the prophecy would be spread widely by going first to the seven churches in Asia and from them to the rest of humanity. The book is open and does not have a hidden message for God wants people to know what the future will bring. This was an urgent task for the angel ends the instruction by pointing out yet again that “the time was near.” It is still near. Are you ready?
*Confirmed Responses – Revelation 22:11. The commands in verse 11 are the effects from the cause of verse 10. The time is near for the prophecy of this book to be fulfilled, so people are to be left to go their own way.“Let the one who does unrighteousness, still do unrighteousness; and the one who is filthy, still be filthy; and let the one who is righteous, still do righteousness; and the one who is holy, still keep himself holy.” *The command of “let” (ajdikevw / adikeó) is in the sense of allow them to continue in their course.
In the case of the unrighteous, a general statement of those who do wrong, and the one who is filthy, a word pointing to moral pollution, this is in the same sense as Romans 1 when God continues to withdraw His hand from them as they descend down into lower levels of depravity. God gives them over. They have received a full warning of what judgment awaits them if they do not repent to acknowledge and follow God, but they continue on their own wicked path anyway.
*For the righteous, those who do what is right before God, and for the holy, those who pursue being separated unto God, they will be motivated by this prophecy to continue their pursuit of both. The righteous will pursue holiness, and those who are holy will do what is righteous. The separate mention of each balances the two opposite qualities of unrighteousness and filthy at the beginning of the verse.
*Second Declaration of Jesus – Revelation 22:12–13
Jesus makes a second declaration in this section of Scripture in verses 12-13. 12 “Behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to render to every man according to his work. 13 “I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end.”
*Return – The first declaration is a repeat of Jesus’ statement in verse 7, “Behold, I am coming quickly.” This is another statement of His imminent return and points back as a confirmation of the statement at the end of verse 10 that “the time is near.”
*Reward / Render – Jesus’ second declaration in this verse is “and My reward is with Me, to render to every man according to his work.” This two sided statement is tied to verse 11. The term reward (misqovV / misthos) refers to give recompense to a person based on what they have done and therefore deserve whether it be negative or positive. Render (ajpodidvdwmi / apodid mi) refers to the same thing. It is to give to someone according to obligation incurred by what they have done. For those who are righteous and holy, this will be blessing. For the unrighteous and filthy, this will result in condemnation. What is rendered will be according to what has been done. That is exactly the basis for the condemnation at the Great White Throne judgment. It will be according to their deeds. For the righteous and holy, their evil deeds are forgiven because Jesus has already performed the deed of atonement necessary to redeem them and write their names in the book of life. The righteous are assured of heaven, but they will also be judged in the sense of determining whether their deeds will bring a reward in heaven or not (1 Corinthians 3:12-15).
*Identity – In verse 13 Jesus uses three closely related titles to identify Himself. First, “I am the Alpha and the Omega.” This title is used for God the Father in Rev. 1:8 and 21:6, so it points to Jesus’ deity as co-equal with the father. The title itself is from the first and last letters of the Greek alphabet and so the first and last in a series. In Greek literature the alpha and omega came to designate the entire universe, so the title may also point to Jesus’ dominion encompassing the universe.
*The Second title, “the first and the last” (oJ prw:toV kai oJ e[scatoV / ho protos kai ho eschatos) probably points back to its use in the Septuagint in passages such as Isaiah 41:4, 44:6 and 48:12 in which God states, “I am He, I am the first, I am also the last. Surely My hand founded the earth, And my right hand spread out the heavens.” This then would point to Jesus as starting creation and bringing it to its conclusion.
*The third title, “the beginning and the end” (ajrch; – tevloV / arch – telos) is applied to the Father in Revelation 21:6. The concept also shows up in a similar usage in Hebrews 12:2, “fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith . . .”. Jesus is the one that begins all things and He is the one that completes them. That concept shows up on Philippians 1:6 in Paul stating his confidence in God’s work in the Christian that “He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus,” and which point the Christian will be perfected.
*The Seventh Beatitude – Revelation 22:14–15
Revelation 22:14–15 has the seventh and last beatitude in the book. 14 “Blessed are those who wash their robes, so that they may have the authority to the tree of life and may enter by the gates into the city. 15 Outside are the dogs and the sorcerers and the sexually immoral persons and the murderers and the idolaters, and everyone who loves and practices lying.”
*The Blessing – Those who receive the blessing are “those who wash their robes.” Those of you using translations such as the NKJV that are based on late Greek manuscripts (tenth century and later) have “those who do His commandments.” This difference comes from scribal emendation due to following that phrase which is frequently used in the gospel of John and in 1 John. However, all early Greek manuscripts have “those who wash their robes.” That phrase points back to Rev. 7:14 in describing the martyrs from the great tribulation who “washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the lamb” and therefore are before the throne of God and serving Him.
*The blessing received is having “the authority to the tree of life and may enter by the gates into the city,” which is a reference to the new Jerusalem of eternity just described. As previously pointed out and made clear throughout the gospels and epistles, the only way to get to heaven is by God’s grace by being justified and made righteous through faith in the person and atoning sacrifice of the Lord Jesus Christ (Rom. 3:21-26; Eph. 2:8-9). No one can earn their way to heaven for even the righteous deeds a person might do are filthy rags before our holy creator (Isaiah 64:6; Titus 3:5). The redeemed, those whose robes have been washed, will obey God because they have been converted to believe Him and now have the Holy Spirit, but no one who is redeemed gets to heaven because they obey.
*The Exclusion – A second blessing of being in the new Jerusalem is that those whose robes are not washed are excluded from it. Verse 15 gives a list of examples of the sinful disobedience of the wicked that keeps them outside of God’s blessings. The similar list in Revelation 21:8 states such people will be in “the lake that burns with fire and brimstone which is the second death.” Sorcerers, immoral persons, murders, idolaters, and liars are included in both lists. Added to this one are “the dogs” which in that culture was a metaphor for the morally impure of various types and is the equivalent of “abominable” in the earlier list.
*Third Declaration of Jesus – Revelation 22:16
Verse 16 brings the third declaration of Jesus which is an emphatic testimony that He is the authoritative origin of what John has seen and heard and written down. “I, Jesus, sent My angel to bear witness to you of these things for the churches. I am the root and the descendant of David, the bright morning star.” Jesus claimed the same thing back in chapter 1. This revelation came from Jesus through His angel to John who wrote it down for the churches, both to the seven churches to start and from them to all churches.
*Jesus’ identification of Himself at the end of the verse is His claim to be the Messiah, the Christ, for only He could be both the root and descendant of David. Jesus is the Creator (Rev. 4:11) and so the origin for David. Jesus is also David’s descendant (Matthew 1:1-17; Luke 3:23-38) who fulfills the Davidic covenant (2 Samuel 7:12-13). The title, “the bright morning star,” points back to the prophecy of Numbers 24:17 and its fulfillment when the wise men saw “His star in the east” (Matthew 2:2, 10). 2 Peter 1:19 also refers to Jesus as the “morning star.”
*The Invitations to Come – Revelation 22:17
Jesus continues in verse 17 with a series of invitations. The first two concern Jesus’ return and the fulfillment of the prophecies in the book. And the Spirit and the bride say, “Come.” And let the one who hears say, “Come.” *The Spirit is the Holy Spirit and the bride is the church (Rev. 19:7), and Jesus points out that both desire His return to fulfill the prophecies. Those who hear these prophecies should also long for their fulfillment, so they are directed to join in the call for Jesus to “come” and bring about their fulfillment.
*The last invitation is directed to those who are not yet part of the church. “And let the one who is thirsty come. Let the one who wishes receive the water of life without cost.” That comes from Rev. 21:6 in which Jesus promises to give without cost to the one who thirsts from the spring of water which is in the new Jerusalem (Rev. 22:1). It matches the invitation in Isaiah 55. It still applies today. If your soul is dry and thirsts for life giving spiritual truth, it is found in Jesus and He already paid with His own blood the cost of offering eternal life. Or to use the phrasing of Isaiah 55:6–7, 6 “Seek Yahweh while He may be found; Call upon Him while He is near. 7 Let the wicked forsake his way And the unrighteous man his thoughts; And let him return to Yahweh, And He will have compassion on him, And to our God, For He will abundantly pardon.”
*Final Warnings – Revelation 22:18-19
Two final and very serious warnings are given in verses 18-19 that the prophecies of this book are sacrosanct. They are not to be changed, altered or adulterated in any way.
Adding to the Prophecy – vs. 18. The first warning is to those that would add to this prophecy. “I bear witness to everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: If anyone adds to them, God will add to him the plagues which are written in this book.” Jesus is still the speaker here with the emphatic statement, “I bear witness.” *Those who add to the prophecy will suffer the penalty of having the plagues of it added to him. That simply means they will be subject to going through the tribulation since nearly all the plagues described cannot be suffered as just an individual outside the tribulation period.
*What does it mean to add to the prophecy? Certainly it would include adding text, additional prophecy to it. That is a greater danger to false teachers and those who are mystical that think God is still giving prophetic words today. There are plenty of people that claim God has given them some new revelation. However, there is also danger for those that follow methods of interpretation that allow them to add to it the musings of man to the text. They read the text, but their explanation of it may have little actual connection to it as their imaginations run far beyond it to add new meanings to it.
*Taking Away from the Prophecy – The second warning in verse 19 is to those that would take away from this prophecy. “And if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God will take away his part from the tree of life and from the holy city, which are written in this book.” *The penalty described here is parallel to the first. Altering the word of God is an abomination that excludes them from the new Jerusalem and the tree of life. These actions demonstrate they are not among the redeemed.
*How can the words of the book be taken away? Certainly that includes physically erasing them in copying or quoting, or skipping words or sections if reading to others. That would be a danger for those that think they can change Biblical text as they desire. *However, the more common application here are to teachers who by their interpretations remove or obscure the truth in the text. Those who follow mystical, mythological or allegorical methods are in grave danger of this because their approach to Scripture is to explain its meaning according to their own thoughts, ideas and musings.
*The warnings here reflect the warnings and corrections given in the letters to the seven churches in Revelation 2 and 3 regarding the Nicolaitans, Judaizers, teachers of Balaam, and the self proclaimed prophetess Jezebel. There are plenty of false teachers in our own time who are of the same nature. *But be careful here, Jesus gives this testimony “to everyone that hears the words of the prophecy of this book.” The danger is not just to the false teachers, but also to those who would listen to and believe them. The warnings in the letters to the seven churches were to those that would follow the false teachings and not just those teaching the heresy.
*James 3:1 warns, “Do not, many of you, become teachers, my brothers, knowing that we will receive a stricter judgment.” The purpose of every Bible teacher is to study to understand the Scriptures as God has given them and then to proclaim them without adulterating them. The method of interpretation will either be an aide or a detriment to that purpose. *Mystical and allegorical methods are a severe detriment because they allow the infusion of the musing of man into the interpretation which easily results in aberrations, error and heresy. Sticking to interpreting according to the grammar and historical context is a great aide because it keeps forcing you back into figuring out the meaning of the writer being conveyed to those to whom he was first writing.
*One additional quick note to add here is that this principle applies to all Biblical texts and not just to Revelation. Adulterating any of the sixty-six books of the word of God is serious in itself even if unintentional. But deliberate falsification, distortion and corruption of the Scriptures is to invite God’s wrath whether you are the teacher or follower of it. Don’t adulterate God’s word!
*Final Declarations – Revelation 22:20
Jesus makes a final declaration in verse 20. He who bears witness to these things says, “Yes, I am coming quickly.” *This is the third testimony that Jesus is the origin of the prophecies and declarations of this book. First by the angel in verse 6, and by Jesus both here in verse 20 and earlier in verse 16. That adds weight to the reasons to believe all that is written in the apocalypse whether it makes sense to you are not. Don’t distort it trying to make it fit into some scheme that makes sense to you. It is all true for the source for it all is Jesus who is the way, the truth and the life (John 14:6), and that includes what is supernatural and confusing to us. *It also means that you can believe His declarative promise that He is making here for the third time in this last section of Revelation, “Yes, I am coming quickly.” That does not need to fit into a time scheme demanded by a pre-conceived theological system. The promise proves Jesus’ return is still imminent though it has been nearly 2,000 years since He proclaimed it.
*At the end of the verse John adds his own conclusion and prayer. “Amen. Come, Lord Jesus.” Amen is a strong affirmation that what has been said is true, and for that reason John can confidently proclaim his petition, “Come, Lord Jesus.” Though it will mean horrible things will occur during the seven years of tribulation including the martyrdom of countless saints, it is the heartfelt desire of every believer for it vindicates Jesus’ righteousness and justice, brings about the establishment of His millennial reign, brings to an end all that is evil in just condemnation and eternal punishment, and concludes in the establishment of the eternal state in which there is no sin and God’s glory shines its full glory.
*Benediction – Revelation 22:21
The book ends with a benediction common to letters to God’s people, “The grace of the Lord Jesus be with all. Amen.” While we wait for the events to occur that conclude in the consummation of the ages, the Christian can be confident it will be lived with God’s grace – His unmerited favor – abiding upon us, and it is the desire that His grace will be extended to those who do not yet believe to bring them to conversion and the blessed hope. Amen, so let it be.
*So the book of Revelation concludes, and with it the New Testament cannon, as John is the last prophet, and the gift of prophecy did not continue past him as shown by history itself. Amen.
Sermon Notes – 3/29/2026
Final Affirmations, Invitations & Warnings – Revelation 22:7-21
Introduction
We have studied the details of the seven year __________period in Revelation 6-19
The tribulation ends & the ______________begins when Jesus returns & conquers the world
The millennial kingdom will be an incredible time of ______________& peace
Satan’s release brings deception & a final rebellion that Jesus quickly squashes, followed by final ________
The millennium will be wonderful, but the ____________, earth & Jerusalem of eternity will be even better
Rev. 22:5 ends the _______________of the new Jerusalem & “all the things which must soon take place”
Angelic Affirmation – Revelation 22:6
The angel affirms the ________of the prophecy for it is from the Lord, the God of the spirits of the prophets.
First Declaration of Jesus – Revelation 22:7
I Am Coming Quickly – Rev. 22:7a. Jesus’ return is imminent – it could happen at ______________
Blessed is He Who Heeds – Rev. 22:7b. The blest can live in a state of _____that transcends circumstances
The blessing is conditioned on ___________- knowing & obeying – the words of the prophecy of the book
Those holding to the blessed hope of Jesus’ return pursue ___________storing their treasure in heaven
Apostolic Affirmation & Angelic Correction – Revelation 22:8-9
Apostolic Affirmation – Rev. 22:8. __________affirms he is the one that heard & saw all that is written
Angelic Correction – Rev. 22:9. John fell before the angel to worship, but the angel quickly _________him
The angel is a “____________” – John is a brother to the prophets – all who keep the words are fellow slaves
The emphatic command is to Worship _________! – Exodus 20:3-5; Matthew 4:10
Instructions to John – Revelation 22:10-11
Do Not Seal the Book – Rev. 22:10. The book is to be read & disseminated – _________to all
Confirmed Responses – Rev. 22:11. The command, “__ ” is in the sense of allow to continue in their course
For the unrighteous & filthy this parallels the descent into depravity as God “gives them over” (_________)
Those who are righteous & holy are motivated by the _____________to continue in the pursuit of both
Second Declaration of Jesus – Revelation 22:12–13
Return – Jesus declares again, “Behold, I am coming quickly,” which confirms “the time is _____” (vs. 10)
Reward / Render – recompense based on what the person has __________whether good or bad
Identity – Alpha & Omega: used of the Father (Rev. 1:8 & 21:6) – dominion over the ____________
First & Last – Isaiah 41:44; 44:6; 48:12 – start of ___________and its conclusion
Beginning & End – Begins all things and __________them (Hebr. 12:22)
The Seventh Beatitude – Revelation 22:14–15
The Blessing – goes to “those who wash their robes” (Rev. 7:14) those ___________by faith in Christ
They gain ____________to the tree of life & the new Jerusalem of eternity
The Exclusion – The _____________are excluded from heaven (Rev. 21:8)
Third Declaration of Jesus – Revelation 22:16
An emphatic testimony from Jesus that He is the authoritative ___________of what is written in the book
Jesus is the ____________- both the root (origin) of David & his descendant, and the bright morning star
The Invitations to Come – Revelation 22:17
The Spirit & the bride (the church) as well as those that hear the prophecies want Jesus to ___________
Those thirsting for the water of life are invited to ___________to Jesus (Rev. 21:6; Isaiah 55)
Final Warnings – Revelation 22:18-19
Adding to the Prophecy. An emphatic statement. Those who add to the prophecy will get its __________
Adding to it includes claims of new prophecy and interpretations that add ______________beyond the text
Taking Away from the Prophecy. Their penalty will be __________from the new Jerusalem & tree of life
Physical removal / skipping in copying, quoting. Interpreting that removes / _______the meaning of the text
These warnings ________those given to the 7 churches – Nicolaitans, Balaam, Judaizers, prophetess Jezebel
The warnings extend to both the false teachers and their ______________
James 3:1 – ___________beware for you receive a stricter judgment.
Mystical, allegorical methods ________interpretation. Grammatical-historical methods ______interpretation
The principles apply to _________Biblical text – not just Revelation. Don’t adulterate God’s word!
Final Declarations – Revelation 22:20
The third testimony that Jesus is the origin of the prophecies & declarations – this prophecy is _________
Third testimony Jesus is “coming quickly” – a promise of ___________return whether understood or not
John adds his own affirmation the ______has been said – Amen, & gives is own petition – Come, Lord Jesus
Benediction – Revelation 22:21. The grace of the Lord Jesus be with all. Amen
A common benediction in ____________to God’s people. Amen – so let it be
Revelation concludes & with it the N.T. cannon. John is the last prophet & the gift of prophecy ____________
KIDS KORNER
Parents, you are responsible to apply God’s Word to your children’s lives. Here is some help. Young Children – draw a picture about something you hear during the sermon. Explain your picture(s) to your parents. Older Children – Do one or more of the following: 1) Count how many times is Jesus mentioned. 2) Discuss with your parents the importance of believing that Revelation is true prophecy.
THINK ABOUT IT!
Questions to consider in discussing the sermon with others. What will be wonderful about the millennium? What will be more wonderful about the new Jerusalem? How does this last section (Rev. 22:6-21) support the doctrine of the imminent return of Jesus? What affirmations are made in this section to the veracity of the prophecies in Revelation? What is the importance that Revelation is not “sealed”? How are the unrighteous confirmed in their wickedness? How will God judge them? How will God reward the righteous? What do Jesus’ titles in vs. 13 signify? Who gains access to the tree of life & the new Jerusalem? Why? Who is excluded? Who desires the prophecies to be fulfilled and petitions Jesus to come? How can something be added to or taken away from the prophecies, & what judgments come upon those that do? How does the book end?
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