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"And he said to me, These words are faithful and true; and the Lord, the God of the spirits of the prophets, has sent His angel to show to His slaves the things which must quickly take place."
"These words" refer to the words in the previous verses concerning the New Jerusalem. "These words are faithful and true."
Twice in this book the angel declares that these words are faithful and true (21:5; 22:6). "The Lord, the God of the spirits of the prophets" means that the Lord is the God of the spirits of those who are the prophets. Note that the word "spirits" here is plural. See also 1 Corinthians 14:12, where "spiritual gifts" (KJV) should be translated "spirits." The word "spirits" in its plural form always refers to the spiritual gifts which build up the church. These spirits are also spiritual gifts. See also 1 Corinthians 14:32, where "prophets" and "spirits" are both plural: "The spirits of prophets." Here the spirits of the prophets in both the Old and New Testament times are included. "The Lord, the God" here refers to the Lord Jesus. Compare this with Revelation 1:1: "And He..., sending it by His angel." "He" here refers to the Lord Jesus. In 22:6 the Lord God who sends His angel is likewise the Lord Jesus (see also 22:16).
Although beginning from 22:6 we have the epilogue, this verse brings us all the way back to the first chapter of Revelation. "To show to His slaves." This book focuses on our individual responsibility before God as slaves, not as children. "The things which must quickly take place." Some may think that over the past two thousand years God has delayed very long, but what is really long or short is determined by God's "clock," not by our concept of time.
"And behold, I come quickly. Blessed is he who keeps the words of the prophecy of this scroll."
The angel speaks in verse 6; the Lord Jesus speaks in verse 7. The phrase "I come quickly" is mentioned three times in verses 6 through 21 (vv. 7, 12, 20) for emphasis, so that man would realize that "blessed is he who keeps the words of the prophecy of this scroll." This book is given to man for him to keep; it is for him to put into practice. Chapter one says to read, hear, and keep, but here only keep is mentioned because, at this point, everything has already been read and heard. Now what remains to be done is keep.
"And I John am he who hears and sees these things. And when I heard and saw, I fell to worship before the feet of the angel who showed me these things."
John was moved by the Holy Spirit to see and hear these things. The Lord had instructed him by His angel. Now he has a conclusion. The "angel" here probably is the same angel in 19:9-10 and 21:9. "I fell to worship before the feet of the angel who showed me these things." This is the second time John failed (19:10 records the first time). John only fell down and was about to worship; he had not yet uttered any praises. The angel stopped him. This shows that Christians should not involve themselves in any prostration which expresses an attitude of worship.
"And he said to me, Do not do that! I am your fellow slave and a fellow slave of your brothers the prophets and of those who keep the words of this scroll. Worship God."
The Lord forbids man to worship anyone other than God. In the Old Testament as well as in this book, the Lord often appeared as an angel. But after the millennium, He will no longer appear as an angel.
"And he said to me, Do not seal the words of the prophecy of this scroll, for the time is near."
This verse clearly indicates that this is a book of prophecy and that it should not be sealed. Daniel 8:26 and 12:9 say that what was written should be sealed because the book of Daniel is a book of signs. It covers a long period of time, and it was to be sealed till the end of the age. The book of Revelation, however, exists at the end of the age. It is here to help man understand and, therefore, should not be sealed.
In the parable of the nobleman who went into a far country, the Lord says that when He comes back, He will meet the same servants. This indicates that the Lord will return soon (Luke 19:12-26).
What does "seal" mean? From Matthew 13:10-11 and 13-17 we see that to speak in parables is to seal. The phrase "Do not seal" here shows that this is not a parable, an illustration, or a sign. Revelation is not a book of signs or a sealed book, but an open book.
(A serious mistake of the historical school of interpretation is to regard the book of Revelation as only a book of signs. Some in the futurist school also consider parts of this book to be signs. Actually, this book has only about twenty-eight signs, fourteen of which are explained, such as the golden lampstands, the seven stars, and so forth. The remaining fourteen are minor points and are easily understood. Besides these, there are no other signs in this book. Of what use would this book be if all the things in it were merely signs?)
"For the time is near." Truly, the time is near!
"Let him who does unrighteousness do unrighteousness still; and let him who is filthy be filthy still; and let him who is righteous do righteousness still; and let him who is holy be holy still."
This sentence is a continuation of the words "the time is near" in the preceding verse. It implies two things:
(1)Since the time is near, there will be no opportunity to turn if one does not turn now.
(2)Within this short period of time, those who would turn will turn, but those who would not turn will remain the same forever.
It is hard to say whether this word is spoken by the Lord Jesus or by the angels.
"Behold, I come quickly, and My reward is with Me to render to each one as his work is."
"Behold, I come quickly." This, along with verse 7, is said to draw our attention. This verse corresponds to verse 11. The reward will be given according to man's deeds. Therefore, let him who does unrighteousness do unrighteousness still, and let him who is filthy be filthy still, for the Lord is coming soon!
"I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End."
This expression is mentioned a few times in this book (1:8, 17; 2:8; 21:6; 22:13). The Lord Jesus says this because He wants us to see that Jehovah in the Old Testament is Jesus in the New Testament. Whether it is the age of the patriarchs, the age of the law, or the age of grace, regardless of the method He uses, God Himself remains the same from the beginning to the end. There is only one God.
"Blessed are those who wash their robes that they may have right to the tree of life and may enter by the gates into the city."
This verse declares today's situation. Those who wash their robes are blessed in two ways: (1) "They may have right to the tree of life" and (2) "may enter by the gates into the city." Entering into the city does not refer to being a visitor to the city. According to verse 19 the holy city is the portion of those who have washed their robes.
"Wash their robes" means to let the effectiveness of the blood of the Lord Jesus be applied to them all the time (7:14).
"Outside are the dogs and the sorcerers and the fornicators and the murderers and the idolaters and everyone who loves and makes a lie."
This refers to those who perish. Here we need to consider one thing. Do not the nations live outside the new city? If so, how can we explain this? "Outside" here does not refer to the place where the nations live. If we compare verse 15 with 21:8, we will find that this place "outside" the city is the lake of fire. The new heaven and new earth replace the old heaven and old earth, the New Jerusalem replaces the old Jerusalem, and the lake of fire in the new heaven and new earth replaces today's sea. Hence, the lake of fire outside the new city corresponds to Topheth outside of the old Jerusalem (2 Kings 23:10; Isa. 30:33). A "lake" implies a place of limitation.
"The dogs." This is a sign. This sign is not very important, and its meaning is not hard to understand. Matthew 7:6 and Philippians 3:2 explain what "the dogs" signify. "The sorcerers" are those who communicate with demons. Saul died because he communicated with demons (1 Sam. 28:8). God delivered Saul to his enemy to be killed. God hates those who communicate with demons the most; He does not want man to find things out from the dead (Lev. 19:31; Deut. 18:11-12). He allows man to understand only the matters that are included within the sphere of this book.
"I Jesus have sent My angel to testify to you these things for the churches. I am the Root and the Offspring of David, the bright morning star."
This book is written for the church. Fearing that man may not listen, God sends His angel to testify. This verse speaks of God's relationship with man in two aspects. First, it speaks of His relationship to the Jews and to the kingdom. "I am the Root...of David." (According to His divinity, He is the source of David.) This shows that He is Jehovah in the Old Testament. As David was the first king chosen by God to satisfy His heart's desire, so also the Lord Jesus in the millennium is the chosen King to satisfy God. "And the Offspring of David." (According to His humanity, the Lord Jesus was born of King David.) This speaks of the aspect of His humanity. As Solomon was the son of David and was the king of peace, so the Lord Jesus is the King of peace in the millennium. These two statements answer the question posed in Matthew 22:45, "If then David calls Him Lord, how is He his son?"
Second, it speaks of His relationship to the church and to the rapture. "The bright morning star." The "morning star" appears before dawn in the dark hour. The Lord Jesus is the morning star to the watchful believers that they may be raptured. (The dark hour before dawn is the great tribulation, and dawn is the coming of the kingdom.)
"And the Spirit and the bride say, Come! And let him who hears say, Come! And let him who is thirsty come; let him who wills take the water of life freely."
This is the last time that "the Spirit" is mentioned in this book. We do not know why the Spirit is not mentioned in connection with the new heaven and new earth.
The "bride" here is not the same as the wife mentioned in 19:7. The bride of prophecy ends at 22:5. The bride here is the bride mentioned in the epistles of Paul. "And the Spirit and the bride say, Come!" This is the prayer of the Holy Spirit and the church. Verse 16 is spoken specifically to the church, and verse 17 is the reply.
"And let him who hears." This has been mentioned in 1:3, 13:9, and many times in chapters two and three. "Him who hears" always refers to individual persons. "And let him who is thirsty come." This points back to the situation of the church. "Thirsty" means to be thirsty in the soul. "Come" here is the same as "come" in Matthew 11:28. "Let him who wills take the water of life freely." This does not refer to the water of life in 22:1, but speaks of the eternal life which the believers receive, enabling them to be satisfied with Christ and no longer thirst for the world. No one who yearns for the Lord's soon return is indifferent toward the souls of the sinners. On the one hand, they beg the Lord to come soon, and on the other hand, they desire that the sinners would be saved.
"I testify to everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this scroll: If anyone adds to them, God will add to him the plagues which are written in this scroll; and if anyone takes away from the words of the scroll of this prophecy, God will take away his part from the tree of life and out of the holy city, which are written in this scroll."
The tree of life and the holy city are the same as those in verse 14. The difference is that verse 14 speaks only of entering into the city, whereas verse 19 speaks of having the holy city as one's portion. This means that one not only enters into the city, but has the city as his portion as well.
No one should intentionally add to or take away from the words of this book. Many books which were written two or three hundred years later have also been called books of revelation. These can easily diminish the value of the book of Revelation written by John. That is why the warning here is so serious.
"He who testifies these things says, Yes, I come quickly. Amen. Come, Lord Jesus!"
Here the Lord Jesus Himself testifies. Before, He said, "Behold, I come quickly"; now He says, "Yes, I come quickly."
"Come, Lord Jesus!" is John's prayer. We need not ask what people think about the Lord's coming back. Rather, we need only to ask whether or not their hearts want the Lord to come back, whether or not they are like those who wait for the Lord's coming, those who say to Him, "Come, Lord Jesus!" The very last prayer in the Bible is "Come, Lord Jesus!" This prayer will eventually be answered one day. This is a prayer that many faithful believers have uttered countless times for nearly two thousand years.
"The grace of the Lord Jesus be with all the saints. Amen."
This is John's blessing. Without the grace of the Lord Jesus, sinners cannot be saved, and the saints cannot stand. The grace of our Lord Jesus has the power to prepare us for the rapture and bring us into the kingdom.
