Let's Study Revelation (Chapter 22) by E. G. Cook

CHAPTER 22     We come to this last chapter, not only of Revelation, but of the entire Bible with a sense of great awe and responsibility. When we come to think that the next word we shall hear from our dear Lord after this chapter will be that glorious "Come up hither," it makes us want to hang upon every precious word. In the last two chapters in Revelation we get a glimpse and a little foretaste of the eternal ages to come. The rest of the Bible deals more or less with time as we know it, but these chapters go beyond time as we know it to give us what our Lord wants us to know about eternity.
    It just might have been better if the first five verses of this chapter had been left in chapter 21 since these verses are still dealing with the holy city. There is a slight break, however, between these two chapters. Chapter 21 has to do more with the outward aspects of the city, its size and make up and of the wall around the city. But here in the first five verses of this chapter we are permitted to peep, so to speak, into the city itself.
    In verse 1 John tells us that he was shown a pure river of water of life. This lovely river flows down the middle of the broad avenues of the city. No city is complete without its water supply, so here in this glorious city the water as clear as crystal flows down the middle of the streets. There is so much we do not know about this wonderful river. We are persuaded that the occupants of this city will never thirst for this water of life. However, the Psalmist says (36:8) "They shall be abundantly satisfied with the fatness of thy house; and thou shalt make them drink of the river of thy pleasures" And in Psalms 46:4 we read, "There is a river, the streams whereof shall make glad the city of God." We can rest assured that this river is for the Bride's pleasure and enjoyment. Nothing is so soothing to the nerves as sitting or standing by the river's brink and watching the waters flow by.
    Ezekiel saw a river (47:1-12) that in some ways resembles this one. There were trees on either side of Ezekiel's river that bore food to eat and whose leaves were for medicine. But this river issued out from under the threshold of the sanctuary and flowed down through the desert to the sea. This river is seen flowing through the countryside. But the river in the holy Jerusalem issues from the very throne of God which is located in this city, and so far as the record goes, it never flows outside the city. Someone may be saying, "That will be a mighty short river." But let us remember, this city is 1500 miles long, 1500 miles wide and 1500 miles high. If it should just flow down one street from one side of the city to the other it would be as long as the great Euphrates River and longer than the mighty Mississippi. If it flows around through all the streets of this glorious city, this old world has never dreamed of a river as long as that one will be.
    In verse 2 we see trees on either side of this wonderful river. In other words we see tree lined streets in the holy city. People who live all their lives on the great plains of our country and who have never visited other parts of the country probably have a hard time trying to visualize what we have here. One of the beautiful things about our Eastern cities is a street lined on either side with lovely trees. But the most beautiful street in our cities lined on either side with the most beautiful trees known to man is but a poor foretaste of the beautiful streets that await the Bride in that coming day. These trees are not only a thing of beauty, they bear a different kind of fruit each month. For a long time I thought that when the thousand year reign of our Lord was finished there would be no more time as we know it. In my younger days I would misread Scriptures like Revelation 21:23 where it says "the city had no need of the sun, neither of the moon" and in verse 25 "there shall be no night there" and then jump to a wrong conclusion. It seems that I just assumed that all that would be left after the great white throne judgment would be this holy city with its occupants. If some of us were as good at the broad jump as we are at the conclusion jump, we would break all Olympic records overnight. I have long since come to see that the above Scriptures have to do only with the holy city. They have absolutely nothing to do with the earth. Even here in the holy city itself the months of the year are distinguishable, for we see here in verse 2 that these trees bear a different fruit each month.
    These trees are called the tree of life. They are a species of trees like the apple tree or the peach tree. And though it reads "the tree of life" you notice they are on both sides of the river. So when it says "the tree of life" it speaks of a species of trees. In Genesis 3:22-23 we see that Adam was driven out of the garden of Eden lest he eat of this tree of life and live for ever. In Proverbs 3:13-18 wisdom is said to be the tree of life. And in Revelation 2:7 our Lord says "To him that overcometh (I John 5:5) will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God." It would seem that this overcoming carries along with it the privilege of being in the Bride of Christ. We shall (D.V.) deal more fully with this when we come to verse 19.
    We have been dealing with the trees and the fruit, but we also see that the leaves of these trees are for the healing of the nations. So we see that not only will there be months in the eternal ages, but there will also be nations upon the new earth. Just how these leaves will heal the nations, and in what way the nations will need healing, I simply do not know. We do know that when this time comes old Satan will be serving his time in the lake of fire for ever and ever. So he will not be around to deceive these nations, but there will in some way be a need for their healing.
    In verses 3 and 4 we see that there is to be no more curse. Whether the leaves play a part in there being no more curse we do not know. We do know that when Adam and Eve sinned they brought a curse upon the earth and everything on it. But when this time comes that curse will be gone forever. Won't it be wonderful for those who live in the flesh in that day when all that curse is gone, no curse upon man, none upon the lower creatures and none upon the earth itself? We today just simply cannot conceive of how wonderful that will be. There won't even be any briars and thorns in that wonderful time, Isaiah 55:13.
    Then we see that the throne of God and of the Lamb are in this city. The time was when I thought the saints would spend eternity up in the third heaven with God. But I have long since come to see that God will spend eternity on the new earth with men (21:3). His servants will serve Him, and His servants will include not only the occupants of the holy city and the other heavenly people who are not a part of the Bride, but the earth dwellers of that day as well. Not only are they to serve Him, but they are to see His face and have His precious name in their foreheads. Even those who live on the other side of the earth will be able to go to Jerusalem from year to year where they can see our Lord's face. We think we have wonderful means of transportation today, and we do compared with that of fifty years ago, but what we have today is but a foretaste of what they will have in that wonderful day.
    In verse 5 we see a repetition of what we saw in 21:23 and 25. There will be no night in the holy city simply because to the glory of God is the light of it, and the glory of God never goes down like the sun. But let us remember, day and night will still be around for a long, long time. In 20:10 we see the beast, the false prophet and old Satan being tormented day and night for ever and for ever. And believe me, that's a mighty long time. So, let us not throw away the sun and the moon just yet. The people who will be living upon the new earth will need them.
    Then we see in the latter part of this verse that which may startle some people. In Revelation 5:10 we saw that those whom our Lord redeemed are to reign upon the earth. Then in 20:6 we see that we are to reign with Christ a thousand years. It is not hard for Bible believers to see that we are to reign with our Lord during His wonderful thousand year reign here on this earth. But here in 22:5 we see that out beyond that thousand year reign, that out in the new earth in the eternal ages to come, we are to reign for ever and for ever. Now I do not know how long that will be, but if you will tell me just how long old Satan and his buddies are to be tormented in the lake of fire, I will tell you just how long we will be reigning with our Lord. We have exactly the same expression here in 22:5 that we have in 20:10. So I conclude, we will reign as long as they are tormented. And I assure you that will be a long, long time with no end to it.
    When we come to the last section of the wonderful Book of Revelation beginning with verse 6 the Challoner-Rheima (Catholic) version gives it the caption "Epilogue." But since an epilogue is something added to a literary work as a sort of an excuse for the work, I am by the Book of Revelation like Shakespeare was by the play he was discussing in "A Midsummer Night's Dream" when he said "No epilogue, I pray you; for your play needs no excuse." Most certainly, the Book of Revelation needs no excuse. These last two chapters of the Book are, to me, a wonderful climax, not only to the Book of Revelation, but to the entire Bible. I realize that the part of the Bible that tells us how Christ saves lost sinners and then keeps them saved forms a mighty crescendo, but still, to me, these chapters are a fitting climax to the wonderful Book we call our Bible. If a speaker, or a writer fails to build up to a fitting climax at the close of his message, both he and his message will soon be forgotten. But we should never forget the writer (author) and the message in Revelation, because the fitting climax is evident.
    In this verse 6 we see that which, in a sense is pathetic. Were it not for our slowness in believing all that is written in the Book of Revelation there would have been no need for our Lord to tell us "These sayings are faithful and true." Then we are told that "the Lord God of the holy prophets sent His angel to show unto His servants the things which must shortly be done." The expression "Lord God of the prophets" in the Greek is "The Lord God of the spirits of the prophets." He is the One who had complete control over the spirits of the prophets who spoke and wrote for Him, therefore, what they wrote was faithful and true. Then He speaks of "the things which must shortly be done." In the first verse in Revelation it is "things which must shortly come to pass." The expression really means that these things will be done, or come to pass rapidly when their time comes. And how fast these things are being done today. If some great Baptist who has been dead for some twenty-five years were permitted to come back here today (1969) he would not be able to recognize most Baptists by what they preach and practice.
    But when we come to verse 7 we see that which should cause great rejoicing on the part of our Lord's faithful few. Here He says "Behold, I come quickly." Three times do we see this precious expression in this last chapter, verses 7, 12, and 20. Since He could say that nineteen hundred years ago, how wonderfully true it is today. When our Lord repeats some thing in His Book that He has already said, He does it to emphasize the importance of what He has said. And when we see it repeated again we may know that it is done to make all the more emphatic that emphasis. How important it is that we be expecting Him to come quickly. I have been working on this book when I could spare the time now for more than five years. And I have been very desirous of getting it printed in the hope that our dear Lord might see fit to use it in some little way to be of help to some of His precious saints. But how I do hope He comes for us before this book is off the press. What little this unworthy servant of His can teach any one concerning the precious Word would not be so much as a drop in the bucket compared to what we will learn from Him in that wonderful day.
    Then in this verse we see the promise of a blessing to those who "keep the sayings of the prophecy of this book." In the first chapter and verse 3 we read, "Blessed is he that readeth and they that hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written therein: for the time is at hand." I can only pity any of our Lord's saints who have allowed old Satan to convince them that the Book of Revelation cannot be understood and that it would be a waste of time to read it. Many of the saints seem to be losing wondrous blessings by their failure to read and heed the things written in this wonderful Book.
    Then too, we see in this verse another refutation of the teaching that the Book of Revelation is not a Book of prophecy. Even books have been written giving this wonderful Book an historical interpretation. And I must admit that some of Revelation has become history. For example, chapters 2 and 3 are now history, but for any one to fail to see that Revelation is a Book of prophecy he simply has to play hopscotch with verses like 1:3, 22:7, 10, 18, 19. Five times our Lord calls Revelation a Book of prophecy. And, beloved, I believe Him.
    In verses 8 and 9 we see the beloved John so enthralled, so taken over by all these wonderful things he had seen and heard that he becomes beside himself with joy at the prospect of all the glorious things that awaits, not only him, but all the Lord's saints. He knew that it was his dear Lord upon whose breast he had leaned that was showing him and telling him all these wonderful things, but for the moment he seemed to forget that his Lord is doing all this through the angel. So in ecstasy he fails down to worship the angel. Sometimes it seems that some of the Lord's saints today come very close to worshipping some preacher. But we should profit by John's mistake here and remember that our preacher is but a man, and not God. Let us remember, God alone is worthy of worship.
    In verse 10 we see another refutation of another erroneous teaching concerning Revelation. When someone tells you that Revelation cannot be understood, he is saying, in essence, that Revelation is a sealed book. But here the angel tells John not to seal this book. And the reason the angel gave for not sealing this Book was the time was at hand. By this the angel meant that the time was already here for the things written in this Book to start being fulfilled. In Daniel 12:9 Daniel was told that the words of his book were closed up and sealed till the time of the end. I am persuaded that no one understood the Book of Daniel until the Book of Revelation was written. As the warm sun of the spring time causes the flowers to open up so the light of the Book of Revelation shined upon the Book of Daniel and caused it to open up and give out its glorious message.
    In verse 11 it would seem that we see man's permissibility set forth. Throughout the Bible his responsibility has been held up before him. Now after God's laws, His precepts, and His warnings have been presented to man. He is now told to go ahead and do whatever his heart desires to do. Even the lost man has been told that he will be judged according to his works (20:12). God is not sanctioning unjust and filthy living here in this Scripture. Neither is He condemning it. People are not condemned because they live a wicked life. They are judged according to it, but they are condemned because they have "not believed in the name of the only be gotten Son of God" (John 3:18). The saved people have a part in this verse also. Our translation says, "he that is holy, let him be holy still." But another translation says, "let the saints grow ever more holy."
    In verse 12 we see a repetition of what we saw in verse 7 and since we dealt at length with the fact of our Lord's soon coming, in connection with that verse, may we consider the remainder of the verse. Here our Lord tells us that His reward is with Him to give every man according to his works. How important it is that we come to see this fact. We see it set forth in I Corinthians 3:11-15 and in II Corinthians 5:10 and now again here in Revelation 22:12. So it behooves us to take heed as to what we do for our Lord, and as to why we do it. When He comes He will make known the motives of men's hearts. So it also behooves us to see to it that what we do for Him is for His glory and not for our own.
    In verse 13 we see a repetition of 1:8 so we refer you to our comments on that verse.
    In verse 14 we see another glaring error in translation. Our version says "do His commandments," but the Greek says, "wash their robes." This we do by our trusting in the shed blood of the Lord Jesus Christ after He has quickened us and given us the faith with which we can trust. Our doing this gives us access to the city and to the tree of life.
    In verse 15 we find that on the outside are the wicked. The first of these wicked to be mentioned are the dogs. These dogs are not the animal with four legs. Rather it is the false preacher, Isaiah 56:10-11. And if you notice, the false preacher is listed before the whore monger or the murderer. Just who can be worse in our Lord's sight than a false preacher? If you notice the last statement in the verse reads, "whosoever loveth and maketh a lie." This applies to the murderers, etc. David was guilty of murder, still he is with our Lord today. Samson committed mass murder and even suicide and still he made our Lord's honor roll (Hebrews 11:32). They did not murder just because they loved to kill. They were not murderers at heart.
    In verse 16 we see something that we do not see in connection with any other Book in the Bible. Here it seems that our Lord literally signs His name to this wonderful Book of Revelation. There are so many things about this precious Book to endear it to our hearts, and still so many of the saints seem to utterly ignore it. Then He tells us that He was the root and offspring of David. As the maker of man He was the root from which David came. As the man Christ Jesus He was the offspring, or the seed of David. He also tells us that lie is "The bright and morning star." In Numbers 24:17 Balaam said, "I shall see Him, but not now: I shall behold Him, but not nigh: there shall come a star out of Jacob, and a Sceptre shall rise out of Israel." Now He says He is "the bright and morning star." The morning star is the one that shines as the night gives way to the glorious millennial reign of our Lord.
    In verse 17 we hear the Spirit and the Bride saying come. Then they that hear are to say come. But let us notice who it is that is being invited to come. First, it is the thirsty. Dead people, that is, the dead body cannot thirst. There must be life before there can be thirst. We are not talking about the Spirit of the wicked in Hades, They do thirst, but they are also very much alive. The spirit of man never dies. It is always conscious of the surroundings. But anything that is dead does not have the ability to thirst. So these thirsty ones in this verse are those whom the Son has quickened. Then we are told "And whosoever will, let him take of the water of life freely." Arminians make much of the statement "whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely." We must admit that on the surface this statement might be given a rather universal meaning. But in John 5:40 Jesus said to some lost people "ye will not come to me, that ye might have life." And in Philippians 2:13 the Williams version says, "For it is God Himself who is at work in you to help you desire it as well as do it." So this Scripture teaches that God is the One who makes us willing to come to Christ and also the One who helps us to come to Him. Just one short step before that light shined upon Paul he most certainly was not willing to come to Christ. Just one short step back from that light Paul actually hated Jesus Christ. So those who will come back and drink of the water of life freely are the ones whom God has made willing.
    In verses 18-19 we see the plagues that are written in this Book being added to anyone who adds to what has been written in this Book. We also see that those who take away from what is written in this Book are to have some things taken away from them. Our King James version says, "God shall take away his part out of the book of life." If that be true, then we must admit that a person may lose his salvation. Taking a person's name out of the book of life could not possibly mean anything else. Any one whose name is not in the book of life is a lost person. But the fact is, the word "book" is not in the original Greek at all. The original says, "out of the tree of life and out of the holy city which is described in this book." A person can never lose his salvation because it is in the hands of God, but he can lose his reward or his place in the Bride of Christ. We would like to say these people are lost people, but we cannot do that simply because you cannot take away from a person that which he never had. So these are saved people who are in danger of losing something which they have. Let us notice, this tree of life and this holy city are the ones that are described in this Book. In 21:9-10 the angel tells John he will show him "the Bride, the Lamb's wife," but when he looked, he saw the holy city which is definitely the dwelling place of the Bride. Then in 22:2 we see the tree of life in this holy city. So, to me, our Lord is saying that those who take away from the things written in the wonderful Book of Revelation will be deprived of the privilege of being in the Bride.
    In verses 20 and 21 we come to the end of the most wonderful and the most glorious Book this old world has ever known, the Bible. Here our dear Lord for the third time in this last chapter says, "I come quickly." How it does behoove both the writer and reader to be looking for that quick coming. In I Corinthians 15:52 we learn that it is to be in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye.
    In verse 22, which is the final verse of the final chapter of the final Book of the Bible, we see it ending with a prayer that "the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all." No Book of the Bible presents a clearer contrast between God's grace toward His elect people set over against His righteous judgment of the wicked.
    In closing may we plead with our precious Lord to add His blessings to our feeble effort that it all may be to His honor and glory, and that it be to the edification of at least a few of His precious saints.