We’ve come a long way in the Book of Revelation.
We’ve heard about the Seven Churches, the Four Living Creatures, the 24 Elders, the Seven Angels, the Throne Room of Heaven, the Seven Seals, the Seven Trumpets, the Seven Bowls, the Dragon, the Woman, two Beasts, the Lamb, Babylon the Great, the Holy City, the New Jerusalem, and more!
Here we are at the end, the final chapter, Revelation 22.
Today, in Revelation 22, we’re going to conclude by realizing the blessings of God in Jesus.
Before we go into this chapter, let’s go to God in prayer and ask Him to speak to us.
(prayer)
What I’d like to do is walk through this passage today and talk about it, then focus on five blessings that are realized in this chapter.
Let’s look at the entire passage together:
1 Then he showed me the river of the water of life, clear as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb 2 down the middle of the city’s main street. The tree of life was on each side of the river, bearing twelve kinds of fruit, producing its fruit every month. The leaves of the tree are for healing the nations, 3 and there will no longer be any curse. The throne of God and of the Lamb will be in the city, and his servants will worship him. 4 They will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads. 5 Night will be no more; people will not need the light of a lamp or the light of the sun, because the Lord God will give them light, and they will reign forever and ever.
6 Then he said to me, “These words are faithful and true. The Lord, the God of the spirits of the prophets, has sent his angel to show his servants what must soon take place.”
7 “Look, I am coming soon! Blessed is the one who keeps the words of the prophecy of this book.”
8 I, John, am the one who heard and saw these things. When I heard and saw them, I fell down to worship at the feet of the angel who had shown them to me. 9 But he said to me, “Don’t do that! I am a fellow servant with you, your brothers the prophets, and those who keep the words of this book. Worship God!”
10 Then he said to me, “Don’t seal up the words of the prophecy of this book, because the time is near. 11 Let the unrighteous go on in unrighteousness; let the filthy still be filthy; let the righteous go on in righteousness; let the holy still be holy.”
12 “Look, I am coming soon, and my reward is with me to repay each person according to his work. 13 I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end.
14 “Blessed are those who wash their robes, so that they may have the right to the tree of life and may enter the city by the gates. 15 Outside are the dogs, the sorcerers, the sexually immoral, the murderers, the idolaters, and everyone who loves and practices falsehood.
16 “I, Jesus, have sent my angel to attest these things to you for the churches. I am the root and descendant of David, the bright morning star.”
17 Both the Spirit and the bride say, “Come!” Let anyone who hears, say, “Come!” Let the one who is thirsty come. Let the one who desires take the water of life freely.
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. 19 And if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God will take away his share of the tree of life and the holy city, which are written about in this book.
20 He who testifies about these things says, “Yes, I am coming soon.”
Amen! Come, Lord Jesus!
21 The grace of the Lord Jesus be with everyone. Amen.
Ok, so let’s discover a few treasures from this passage, then dive into the five blessings.
First, John says, “then he showed me.”
The he here is one of the seven angels who has shown John different aspects of a vision of the future holy city in the new heaven and new earth. The angel continues to show the vision to John in chapter 22.
Then, we hear this beautiful description of the city, including a river, more about the street, and the tree of life. More on these in a moment.
Notice the reminder that God’s dwelling will be with His people. Verse 3 says, “The throne of God and of the Lamb will be in the city, and his servants will worship him.”
Verse 4 mentions that God’s name will be on the foreheads of His servants.
As we’ve seen already in Revelation, a name or mark on someone’s forehead signifies allegiance to the one whose name is on the head.
So, those who bear the name of God on their heads belong to God and are loyal to God.
Verse 5 reminds us that the Lord God will provide the light for the new earth, and God’s people will be with Him and reign with Him.
Verse 6 emphasizes the value of the Book of Revelation.
Church, we must realize the absolute blessing of God giving us the Book of Revelation.
God has spoken to His people what He wants them to know regarding this revelation. By the way, He has not spoken that which He doesn’t want us to know.
In verses 8 and 9, John was so moved by all of this that he initially started to worship at the feet of the angel who delivered it to him. However, the angel quickly corrected John and told him to worship God.
In verse 10, the angel says not to seal up the words of the Book of Revelation. Revelation is not to remain a mystery; it’s to be shared with everyone so they can know what is coming soon.
Verse 11 is a little tricky. Look at it again. It says:
Let the unrighteous go on in unrighteousness; let the filthy still be filthy; let the righteous go on in righteousness; let the holy still be holy.
This verse likely means that from the time the angel delivered this message to John, some would continue to be unrighteous, some would continue to be filthy, and some would continue to be righteous and holy.
These things will continue until the words of the prophecy of this book are fulfilled. At that point, the righteous will go to the new heaven and new earth, and the wicked will go to the lake of fire.
Skip down to verse 16. Jesus is referred to as “the root and descendant of David” and the “bright morning star.”
Both of these references refer back to titles for Jesus that we heard earlier in the Book of Revelation. These sort of serve as reminders of what we’ve already learned.
In verses 18 and 19, we hear a warning. No one is to add or take away anything from the words or prophecies of the Book of Revelation.
By the way, it’s important to recognize that the angel says we should not add or take away from these words.
Church, we must remember that God has included in this prophecy what He wanted to include, and He has left out what He wanted to leave out.
We should not take away anything that is difficult, and we should not impose any of our theories and preferences upon it.
Ok, those are just a few tidbits of information. Now, let’s look at these five blessings that are realized in this chapter.
First, realize the . . .
I. Blessing of coming to the home Jesus prepared.
We’ve already spoken of how wonderful this city is when we looked at Revelation 21. However, the description goes on:
We hear of the river of the water of life, clear as crystal, that flows from the throne of God. This river goes down the middle of the city’s main street.
Also, we hear of the tree of life that is on each side of the river. This tree bears twelve kinds of fruit.
Notice that the tree brings healing to the nations.
What all of God’s people from all the nations will need when they get to heaven are the blessings and nourishment of God. We need His healing, and He will offer it freely and abundantly.
There are blessings that await us in our heavenly home that Jesus has prepared for us.
Second, realize the . . .
II. Blessing of receiving the life Jesus purchased.
Ok, help me now if you know this verse that I’m about to say: Romans 6:23:
“For the wages of sin is _____
death but the gift of God is eternal ____
life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
What we earn in our sin is death, eternal death. We earn a horrible death, punishment, and judgment; horrors which the Book of Revelation reveals to us.
However, Jesus offers us life. What awaits those who are in Jesus is life.
Revelation 22 tells us that the river of life awaits us. We’re told the tree of life awaits us.
John 10:10 says:
“A thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I have come so that they may have life and have it in abundance.”
In John 14:6, Jesus said:
“I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”
This life was purchased by Jesus laying down His life for us.
1 Peter 1:18–19 says:
“For you know that you were redeemed . . . not with perishable things like silver or gold, but with the precious blood of Christ . . . ”
We were redeemed; we were bought back; we were purchased; we were given life by Jesus giving His life for us.
Revelation 22 helps us recognize the blessing of the life that Jesus purchased for us.
Third, realize the . . .
III. Blessing of being washed in the blood Jesus poured out.
Not only were we given life through the death of Jesus, we were given a holy life. We were washed in the blood of the Lamb.
Look at verse 14:
“Blessed are those who wash their robes, so that they may have the right to the tree of life and may enter the city by the gates.”
We’ve heard something about this already in the Book of Revelation, haven’t we?
Revelation 7:14 says:
“They washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.”
In our sin, we are dirty and stained with guilt and shame.
In Jesus, we are clothed with righteousness and holiness. We are made new! It’s a miracle!
Revelation 22 reminds us that through the work of Jesus, not only can we live a holy life now on this earth, but we will walk in holiness and righteousness for all eternity because we’ve been washed white by the blood of Jesus.
No more temptation! No more sin! No more unfaithfulness! No more regrets! Only goodness and holiness for all eternity!
What a blessing!
Fourth, realize the . . .
IV. Blessing of drinking the water Jesus provided.
Look at verse 17:
Both the Spirit and the bride say, “Come!” Let anyone who hears, say, “Come!” Let the one who is thirsty come. Let the one who desires take the water of life freely.
Revelation ends with the Spirit of God and the church of God (the bride) inviting people who are thirsty to come drink the water that Jesus provides.
Jesus said to the woman at the well in John 4:14:
“But whoever drinks from the water that I will give him will never get thirsty again. In fact, the water I will give him will become a well of water springing up in him for eternal life.”
Jesus said in John 7:37–38:
“If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink. The one who believes in me . . . will have streams of living water flow from deep within him.”
Earlier, we heard in Revelation 7:17:
“For the Lamb who is at the center of the throne will shepherd them; he will guide them to springs of the waters of life . . . ”
We were once thirsty, but we came to Jesus for life.
In Jesus, we can continue to go back and drink freely from the water of life.
Are you tired? Drink from the water of life!
Are you scared? Drink from the water of life!
Are you in guilt? Drink from the water of life!
Are you discouraged? Drink from the water of life!
Are you confused? Drink from the water of life!
Are you lonely? Drink from the water of life!
Are you grieving? Drink from the water of life!
Are you angry? Drink from the water of life!
Are you in need? Drink from the water of life!
Are you heartbroken? Drink from the water of life!
Christians, come to Jesus for living water! Keep coming back! The spring never runs dry!
Those who are not followers of Jesus, are you thirsty? Come! Can you hear the call? Come! Come to Jesus, the water of life.
Finally, realize the . . .
V. Blessing of the return Jesus promised.
Jesus is coming again. Revelation continues to point us to that reality.
In verse 12, Jesus says, “Look, I am coming soon, and my reward is with me.”
In verse 20, John concludes the book with the words of Jesus again, then his own words. It says:
“Yes, I am coming soon.”
Amen! Come, Lord Jesus!
That should be our prayer, church: “Come, Lord Jesus!”
There are blessings that await the return of Jesus; blessings which we’ve learned so much about in this beautiful book of the Bible.
Don’t forget about all the blessings in this chapter, including the promise that Jesus is coming soon.
Let all that we’ve learned in this chapter and in the entire Book of Revelation be summed up in this bottom line:
Bottom Line: The blessings of God find their fulfillment in Jesus.
All of Revelation points to the blessings of Jesus.
Does anyone remember my bottom line from my first sermon in Revelation? Not likely, right? Here it is: “Revelation is all about pointing the church to Jesus.”
That’s where we started, and that’s where we will end. Revelation is all about Jesus. All the blessings of God find their fulfillment in Jesus, in who He is and what He has done!
In 2 Corinthians 1:20, the Apostle Paul says this:
“For every one of God’s promises is ‘Yes’ in him. Therefore, through him we also say ‘Amen’ to the glory of God.”
In Jesus, God says “Yes” to His promises for our good.
In Jesus, we can say “Amen” for God’s glory.
Challenge yourself this week in this one way:
Weekly Challenge: Count your many blessings.
God’s blessings are found in Jesus. Count your blessings this week.
(Gospel presentation)
(closing prayer)
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