Welcome to The MHB Podcast. This is Michael Baun. And welcome to my 170th episode. In this episode I want to continue our study of the book of Revelation. We are in chapter 22. Chapter 22 is the final chapter of Revelation and of the entire Bible. While this chapter marks the end of Scripture, it’s important to remember the Bible doesn’t work like other books. The Bible is more like an entire collection books which work together toward an ultimate aim. All of Scripture is aiming toward Jesus Christ. The Bible is also a hyper-linked text which means it interprets itself. All through the Bible there are verses and passages which unpack other verses and passages. This means the more you read the Bible the easier it becomes to understand it. The more that Scripture resides in you the deeper you’ll grow in your relationship with God. So while this chapter does mark the end of the Bible, it should never mark the end of your time spent reading Scripture. You could spend a lifetime studying this text and still not come to a complete understanding of it. This chapter gives us a further description of the heavenly state of the church as well as a confirmation of John’s revelation. Let’s begin with verses 1-5:
Rev 22:1 And he showed me a river of the water of life, clear as crystal, coming from the throne of God and of the Lamb,
Rev 22:2 in the middle of its street. On either side of the river was the tree of life, bearing twelve kinds of fruit, yielding its fruit every month; and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations.
Rev 22:3 There will no longer be any curse; and the throne of God and of the Lamb will be in it, and His bond-servants will serve Him;
Rev 22:4 they will see His face, and His name will be on their foreheads.
Rev 22:5 And there will no longer be any night; and they will not have need of the light of a lamp nor the light of the sun, because the Lord God will illuminate them; and they will reign forever and ever.
In the previous chapter heaven was described using the framework of a city which was called the new Jerusalem. In this chapter it’s described as a paradise. This is the redeemed creation which is perfectly ordered the way paradise in the Garden of Eden was. As Christians we believe God has created the best of all possible worlds. People outside the faith often challenge Christianity by suggesting an all-loving, all-powerful God would have created a world in which sin, suffering, and evil were not possible. But it is the act of redemption from all these things which culminates in the heavenly state. A cold drink of water feels nice, but a cold drink of water after laboring in the heat of the day is a whole different dimension of good. The highest form of good is not the absence of suffering, the highest form of good is redemption from suffering. There were two human beings in the first paradise (Adam and Eve), but after the redemptive work of Jesus Christ there will be entire nations of people in heaven to enjoy its abundant satisfactions.
In John’s vision this paradise is pictured with a river running through it. The river in the paradise originates at the throne of God Himself. This image represents how all of our graces, comforts, and glory originate in God. The good things we experience in life come from the throne of God and they come to us through the Lamb who is Jesus Christ. The river in heaven is clear as crystal which tells us this everlasting stream of life is purified of all the troubles which we encounter in our broken world. The grace of God in heaven is life-giving and life-sustaining, and it’s so pure that all who reside there will dwell in the presence of perfection forever. John saw the tree of life on either side of the river. The tree of life was also pictured in the Garden of Eden at the beginning of Genesis – but this one John saw was far more magnificent. The tree John saw was being fed by the clear waters which flowed from the throne of God. Heaven is heaven because God is there. Indeed, a good definition for heaven is the presence of God. Since we are fallen humans abiding in a fallen creation we can’t really think of anything as heavenly as the presence of God Himself. We have nothing with which to compare it.
The tree of life brought fourth twelve different kinds of fruit. When we get to heaven the goodness found therein will be perfectly aligned to our holiest desires. But it’s not that God has tailored heaven to our individual yearnings, rather the Spirit of God will have sanctified our hearts so that our yearnings are tailored to heaven. The tree of life is pictured as yielding fresh fruit every month. This shows us that in heaven there is no end to pure and satisfying pleasures. There will be a great variety of satisfactions in heaven and the presence of God will always feel fresh to us for all eternity. The leaves on the tree of life are described as life-sustaining. Not only is the presence of God continually satisfying, but it’s also beneficial for our well-being. On earth there are plenty of substances and sins which make us feel good in the moment. Often these temporary pleasures carry with them a price of pain or deterioration. But in heaven the presence of God will provide for our health as well as our happiness. In Jesus there is remedy for all of our spiritual maladies, and to be with Him in heaven means every struggle and every difficulty we’ve endured on earth will be gone. To be with our Lord means to be preserved in the most vital and healthful condition we can imagine.
One of the key differences between the first paradise and the heavenly paradise is that in the heavenly paradise there will be no evil. The serpent existed in the Garden of Eden but he will be gone forever in heaven. We will finally be free from the curse that was brought upon us all those generations ago. With Satan gone there will be no temptation to sin in heaven. When we get to heaven there will never be anything which can draw us away from the service of God. Perhaps the most amazing aspect of heaven will be what is called the beatific vision. The beatific vision is the most direct face-to-face communication between God and the human individual. No one has ever seen God face-to-face like this. When you hear Christians talk about experiencing God or communing with God, what they’re trying to describe is the Spirit of God moving in their hearts. But when we get to heaven we will be entirely sanctified and we will stand directly in the presence of God.
Every person in heaven will belong to God as if they carry the seal of His name on their foreheads. Scripture says we will reign with God in heaven. Often people mistake heaven as an eternity of us serving God in something like an employment relationship. You’re not an employee or slave of God, rather you are a child of God, and your heavenly reign with God will be motivated by your own love for Him. The entire relationship is founded on perfect love. Serving God is the highest form of freedom, and such a station imbues you with honor and dominion. Part of being a child of God in heaven also means you will be full of wisdom and comfort. To walk in the light of the Lord means to finally have the answers to all the questions which trouble our spirits in this life. Imagine the knowledge and joy which attends a perfect relationship to the truth. In this life – even if we do our best to be honest – our own simple ignorance obscures our relationship to the truth. Sometimes we just don’t have the right answers. But in heaven we will understand the full counsel of God and we will walk in His perfect light forever. Let’s read verses 6-19:
Rev 22:6 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 His bond-servants the things which must soon take place.
Rev 22:7 “And behold, I am coming quickly. Blessed is the one who keeps the words of the prophecy of this book.”
Rev 22:8 I, John, am the one who heard and saw these things. And when I heard and saw them, I fell down to worship at the feet of the angel who showed me these things.
Rev 22:9 And he *said to me, “Do not do that; I am a fellow servant of yours and of your brothers the prophets, and of those who keep the words of this book. Worship God!”
Rev 22:10 And he *said to me, “Do not seal up the words of the prophecy of this book, for the time is near.
Rev 22:11 “Let the one who does wrong still do wrong, and the one who is filthy still be filthy; and let the one who is righteous still practice righteousness, and the one who is holy still keep himself holy.”
Rev 22:12 “Behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to reward each one as his work deserves.
Rev 22:13 “I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end.”
Rev 22:14 Blessed are those who wash their robes, so that they will have the right to the tree of life, and may enter the city by the gates.
Rev 22:15 Outside are the dogs, the sorcerers, the sexually immoral persons, the murderers, the idolaters, and everyone who loves and practices lying.
Rev 22:16 “I, Jesus, have sent My angel to testify to you of these things for the churches. I am the root and the descendant of David, the bright morning star.”
Rev 22:17 The Spirit and the bride say, “Come.” And let the one who hears say, “Come.” And let the one who is thirsty come; let the one who desires, take the water of life without cost.
Rev 22:18 I testify to everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: if anyone adds to them, God will add to him the plagues that are written in this book;
Rev 22:19 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.
This passage is an authoritative ratification of the entire canon of Scripture. Jesus is faithful and true, and so His word is also faithful and true. In its original form every word of the Bible is breathed out by God. God employed angels and human beings to deliver this revelation to us. The grand theme of Scripture is to show humanity who we are, why we’re here, and where we’re going. The purpose of Scripture is to reveal to us who we are in relationship to God. By His word we can know the character and nature of God and we can be convicted to realize our need for a Savior.
Reading and assimilating the word of God transforms your heart and turns you into the person you were always meant to be. Even the most trustworthy human beings have the capacity to deceive and even the wisest scholars make perceptual mistakes which result in feeling like you’ve been betrayed by reality. But the word of God is utterly trustworthy. Scripture is the one thing you have which you can depend on with all of your being. Building your life on the foundation of God’s word will allow you to make sense of everything else and result in a peace which goes beyond comprehension.
Jesus Himself confirms the veracity of His word by telling us these promises will shortly be accomplished. When Jesus returns He will remove all doubt that He is Lord and those who have been faithful to hold close to Scripture will be proven wise. You’ll notice in this passage how John attempts to worship the angel who had been walking him through the revelation. The angel not only rejects John’s worship but reproves him and encourages him to worship God. This shows us humanity’s proclivity to bow down and worship things which are right in front of us. It shows us that even an apostle like John is not safe from the temptation of idolatry. The accuracy of the text is further supported by John’s willingness to confess such an obvious sin. If John were making all of this up then why would he voluntarily expose his vulnerability like that? John’s temptation to worship the angel also proves the steadfast integrity of the angel – the angel made no hesitation in rejecting John’s religious adoration. If you’re a spiritual leader in your family or in your community you would be wise to do the same. It is a grievous sin to accept worship on behalf of God and to become the stumbling block which leads Christ’s followers into idolatry.
The end of Revelation comes with an open invitation for readers across all generations to scrutinize its contents and compare the prophecies to occurring events. God has held nothing back that we would need to know His nature and to walk in relationship with Him. It’s true that Revelation and much of the rest of Scripture is deeply mysterious. But mystery is not the same as trickery or deception. God’s word is perfectly designed to bring us home to Him – never to lead us astray. Scripture is the acid test by which you should measure the quality of all religious teachers and even your own spiritual considerations.
People often wonder: if God is real then why doesn’t he reveal Himself? To ask this question is to accept the false premise that Jesus is not who He said He is and that the Bible originates with mere human authorship. The truth is God Himself already became human in Jesus Christ and walked among us. We crucified Him. What makes you think our own generation wouldn’t do the same if God walked among us right now? In addition to standing right in front of us, the Spirit of God inspired many authors across a long period of time to weave together written testimony of Himself to us in the Bible. Not only has God revealed Himself in Christ, but He’s even gone so far as to write down everything we need to know about Him in a book. This book, the Bible, is the most published book in the world every year and it’s not even close. The truth is God has gone to great lengths to reveal Himself to us and to bring us into relationship with Him – it’s just that our spiritual blindness prevents us from seeing it.
The word of God is the ultimate divider between good and evil. Truth by its very nature is not inclusive. Objective reality does not capitulate to the subjective whimsy of people. This passage tells us that some will read the word of God and continue on in their sins. Others will read it and be sanctified in it. The difference between these two categories of readers is faith. If you believe God’s promises and warnings are true then your spirit will begin to accommodate them. You won’t be perfect in your avoidance of sin, but that’s why we have Jesus to intercede for us at the throne of the Father. When Jesus returns He will dispense rewards and punishments in accordance to whether or not humanity’s actions were in keeping with His word. The Creator of the universe is the First and the Last – there was none before Him and none will come after Him. Jesus is the Author of life and so we can trust that His revelation about life is accurate.
Those who allow their hearts to be transformed in accordance with the word of God will be given a right to the tree of life in heaven. It’s curious to note how this passage takes such a firm stance against those who love lies and make lies. Lying is a dangerous enterprise because it twists and poisons your relationship to the truth. Practice deception enough and you’ll no longer be able to recognize the truth even if it’s right in front of you. It’s worth remembering that sin and evil entered into the world through a lie told by Satan. I don’t think modern people truly understand the significance of the damage which is caused by lying. Lying opens a gateway for sin, and those who give themselves over to wickedness and evil will be kept out of the kingdom of heaven.
Perhaps the most important reason why Scripture can be trusted is because of Jesus Himself. Jesus came to fulfill the prophets and all of the prophets point toward Him. He the Source of all life itself. Many Christians will tell you they don’t believe in Jesus because of the Bible, rather they believe in the Bible because of Jesus. I think there’s some truth in that sentiment. The resurrection of Christ is the miracle which seals and separates Christianity as fundamentally different from all other known religions. Christianity is the only faith-based worldview which is falsifiable. All you’d have to do to completely terminate the Christian belief system is locate the dead body of Jesus Christ. But no one has ever been able to find it because Jesus is alive.
Jesus is the fountain of all light and through His word He has given light to us even in the darkest of places. If you’re a Christian, no matter how difficult your life becomes, you always have something wonderful to look forward to. A perfect day is approaching and if you rest your faith in Jesus then that day is coming for you. The bright hope of God’s word is the open and general invitation for all people to come and partake in the gospel. The gospel is like a river of life which flows into your soul to quench your thirsting spirit. The gospel will satisfy you in a way that nothing else on earth can do. As wonderful as heaven is, it remains a free gift of God’s grace which you never have to earn or pay for.
The goodness of God testifies to the truth and reliability of His word. So does the goodness of those who follow God. That’s why it’s particularly damaging when a person who professes Jesus acts out great evil. Their faith is exposed as fraudulent and this can do a lot of harm to a Christian if he or she looked up to and idolized that spiritual leader. It’s hard to say how dark the world would be if there were no Christians in it. A tragedy averted almost always goes unnoticed. When Christians act as salt to preserve what is good and light to guide the world, their actions become a testimony to the faithfulness of Scripture.
Like most of what’s found in the Bible, this passage ends with a warning and a promise. The warning is against any and all who might add to or take away from the canon of Scripture. The person who tries to alter Scripture or add to it brings all the curses of Revelation down onto his or her own head. If anyone should try to remove portions of Scripture, that person cuts himself off from the promises found therein. To change the word of God in an effort to lead others astray or to glorify yourself results in you forfeiting your place in heaven. These warnings function as an everlasting guard against the profane attempting to corrupt Scripture. Despite these warnings there have been many who have tried to alter the Bible. Even today there are translations which are dubious at best and malicious at worst. It really is nothing short of miraculous that our good translations match up so well to the texts which have been preserved going all the way back to the time of the authors. God’s providence protects and preserves His word across the ages. The Bible is of final and ultimate importance, so we can rest assured that God will not allow the feeble attempts of humanity to sully it. Let’s read verses 20-21:
Rev 22:20 He who testifies to these things says, “Yes, I am coming quickly.” Amen. Come, Lord Jesus.
Rev 22:21 The grace of the Lord Jesus be with all. Amen.
The final two verses of the Bible. This is the farewell of Jesus as He returns to heaven, coupled with His promise that He will come back quickly. When Christ ascended to heaven after His resurrection He promised the Spirit of God would come to be with humanity. The Spirit of God would counsel them, advocate for them, and comfort them. Jesus never really leaves us and even here at the end of the story He promises a speedy return in His second coming. Critics of Christianity point to these verses and ask why ages have passed since Christ ascended and yet He hasn’t returned. It’s important to remember that God’s timing is not meant to harm His people, but rather to be gracious to the wicked. He’s giving them all the time they need to repent. Even so, the second coming of Jesus Christ will happen sooner than they are prepared for. Christians all over the world should always hold these final words of Christ in their minds: Behold, I am coming quickly. Both the faithful and the godless should do their best to live as if Christ’s return is imminent, because the truth is we just don’t know when it will be.
In this passage the church responds to Christ’s promise of return with a resounding acceptance. They understand the eternal implications of Christ’s return and they have readily come to terms with it. Indeed, many Christians desire the return of Jesus and look forward to that day. I think all who are in relationship with God through Jesus are looking forward to this. When the Spirit of God resides in you your heart will yearn to be in the presence of God. This passage shows us an interesting dynamic which exists between God and His people. When God makes a promise to His people, His people respond with a prayer for the fulfillment of this promise. Jesus promised He would come back quickly, the church makes the second coming of Christ part of their regular prayer request. Followers of Jesus desire more than anything for God to lift His people up out of this world which is full of sin, sorrow, and temptation. We want to see God’s grand design of redemption be complete.
The Bible ends with a benediction for the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ to be with us all. This final verse is one of the many which proves the deity of Jesus and reveals Him as God. The people of God are blessed in the name of Jesus and blessings are sought from Him – which is a clear indication of His position as God. There are many good things which can be had in this world, but by far the best among them is the grace of Jesus Christ. Without the grace of God nothing else matters. It’s by the grace of God that we are even alive at this moment. The grace of God in this life is what prepares us to experience the glory of Jesus in the next. Our joy is maintained by the grace of God and our hearts are preserved by it. The faithful who are ready partakers of God’s grace in this life will welcome His glorious appearance with joy and admiration in heaven.
When we read these final verses we are reminded that we ourselves are welcome to join the chorus of Amen which comes from the hearts of believers across all generations. Life is difficult, but if we pay attention and if we seek the grace of God we will find it. And as we continue to seek greater measures of His gracious influence we will continue to be shaped into His likeness. God is with you, and He wants to walk with you throughout the rest of your days as you make your way home to Him. Jesus brings life to your spirit and a shield to your well-being. He is your fortress. And when you come to the end of all things, you will experience the grace and glory of God in the fullness of perfection that is found in Jesus Christ.
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