Feast of Tabernacles: The New Jerusalem – The Bride of Christ
“Behold, I will create a new heavens and a new earth. The former things will not be remembered, nor will they come to mind. But be glad and rejoice forever in what I will create, for I will create Jerusalem to be a delight and its people a joy. I will rejoice over Jerusalem and take delight in my people; the sound of weeping and of crying will be heard in it no more.”
– Isaiah 65: 17-19
Background
The feast of Tabernacles, also called the feast of Booths, was the third and last feast of the final festival, the seventh of the annual feasts. To tabernacle with a people is to dwell, or be present with them. In the desert, the Lord dwelt with Israel in the tent of the tabernacle, and later in the temple in Jerusalem. The feast of Tabernacles was a joyful commemoration of the Presence of the Lord accompanying the Israelites to the Promised Land. In remembrance of their journey, the people were commanded to build temporary shelters made of willow branches and live outdoors for a week in communal celebration.
The feast of Tabernacles started several days after the Day of Atonement and lasted eight days. The entire week of the feast of Tabernacles was a time of rejoicing and rest, celebrating the completion of the year's harvest and the Presence of the Lord with his people. It was a time of meditating on God's provision for all their needs: past, present and future. The seventh day of the feast of Tabernacles, a Sabbath day of rest, prefigures the reign of Christ during the seventh millennium. The eighth day was also a Sabbath. This day symbolizes eternal rejoicing and rest in the Presence of the Lord, forever abiding among men in the Kingdom of God on earth. (In Scripture, the number eight represents eternity; in higher math, eternity is symbolized by an “8” lying on its side.)
Every fifty years, the nation celebrated the year of Jubilee, the Year of the Lord’s Favor. It was a special time of rejoicing and restoration, because captives and indebted servants were set free and all property reverted to its owner of record. No planting or harvesting was to be done this year. The Year of Jubilee also prefigured the seventh millennium and the eternal state of freedom and rejoicing that would one day be established on earth in the Kingdom of God. Although the feast of Tabernacles normally started on the fifteenth of the month, during the year of Jubilee it started immediately after the conclusion of the rites on the Day of Atonement.
The feast of Tabernacles, with its emphasis on God’s Presence, is related to the seventh tabernacle furnishing, the Atonement cover. The Presence of the Lord dwelt between the two Cherubim on the atonement cover resting atop the ark. The sacrifice most closely associated with the feast of Tabernacles was the voluntary fellowship offering. This was an opportunity for individuals and families to offer a sacrifice that was not required, a ‘free will offering’ in thanksgiving for God’s blessings received through the year. Those who could afford to bought a lamb to sacrifice at the temple, sharing the meal with family and neighbors in communal fellowship.
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Revelation 21 & 22 – The Feast of Tabernacles
Theme: Rejoicing and Rest in the Presence of God — The Bride of Christ
Due to Revelation’s thematic organization, the final two chapters include both the seventh millennium and eternity that follows. It can therefore be difficult to discern which events apply to the millennium and which to eternity or perhaps to both. Such questions as whether the New Jerusalem comes down from heaven at the beginning or the end of the seventh millennium are at best difficult to resolve. Discovering a definitive answer to these questions is not as important as appreciating the great reward God has prepared for those who love him.
As a prelude to eternal rejoicing and fellowship with God, the seventh millennium is the penultimate fulfillment of the year of Jubilee. The earth is returned to its rightful owner, and the redeemed are finally freed from the long bondage of sin and death. These two chapters complete the drama of the redemption of the earth set in motion in Revelation 5. At the end of the seventh millennium, the fellowship, joy, and righteousness of the bride of Christ and the Kingdom of God will continue into eternity, fulfilling the eighth day of the feast of Tabernacles. The thousand-year Jubilee will become eternal.
Chapter 21 describes the New Jerusalem coming down from heaven when the new earth replaces the former creation. The city of New Jerusalem is both a physical place and a spiritual depiction of the bride of Christ. This great city will be the capital of the King of Kings, the center of worship and authority on earth. The earthly glory of all past kingdoms will be surpassed by the grandeur of the city of New Jerusalem, infused with the same Shekinah glory of God that tabernacled in the Holy of Holies above the cherubim.
The first five verses of chapter 22 belong with the subject matter of chapter 21, so they are included here. They depict the essence and function of the New Jerusalem as the earth’s capital city. The remaining verses form the epilogue.
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Revelation 21
And I saw a new Heaven and a new earth; for the first Heaven and the first earth were gone, and the sea no longer exists. And I saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of Heaven from God and made ready like a bride attired to meet her husband. And I heard a loud voice, which came from the throne, say, “God’s dwelling place is among men and He will dwell among them and they shall be His peoples. Yes, God Himself will be among them. He will wipe every tear from their eyes. Death shall be no more; nor sorrow, nor wail of woe, nor pain; for the first things have passed away.”
Then He who was seated on the throne said, “I am re-creating all things.” And He added, “Write down these words, for they are trustworthy and true.” He also said, “They have now been fulfilled. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. To those who are thirsty I will give the privilege of drinking from the well of the Water of Life without payment. All this shall be the heritage of him who overcomes, and I will be his God and he shall be one of My sons. But as for cowards and the unfaithful, and the polluted, and murderers, fornicators, and those who practice magic or worship idols, and all liars—the portion allotted to them shall be in the Lake which burns with fire and sulphur. This is the Second Death.”
Then there came one of the seven angels who were carrying the seven bowls full of the seven last plagues. “Come with me,” he said, “and I will show you the Bride, the Lamb’s wife.” So in the Spirit he carried me to the top of a vast, lofty mountain, and showed me the holy city, Jerusalem, coming down out of Heaven from God, and bringing with it the glory of God. It shone with a radiance like that of a very precious stone—such as a jasper, bright and transparent. It has a wall, massive and high, with twelve large gates, and in charge of the gates were twelve angels. And overhead, above the gates, names were inscribed which are those of the twelve tribes of the descendants of Israel. There were three gates on the east, three on the north, three on the south, and three on the west. The wall of the city had twelve foundation stones, and engraved upon them were twelve names—the names of the twelve Apostles of the Lamb.
Now he who was speaking to me had a measuring-rod of gold, with which to measure the city and its gates and its wall. The plan of the city is a square, the length being the same as the breadth; and he measured the city furlong by furlong, with his measuring rod—it is twelve hundred miles long, and the length and the breadth and the height of it are equal. And he measured the wall of it—a wall of a hundred and forty-four cubits, according to human measure, which was also that of the angel. The solid fabric of the wall was jasper; and the city itself was made of gold, resembling transparent glass. As for the foundation-stones of the city wall, which were beautified with various kinds of precious stones, the first was jasper, the second sapphire, the third chalcedony, the fourth emerald, the fifth sardonyx, the sixth sardius, the seventh chrysolite, the eighth beryl, the ninth topaz, the tenth chrysoprase, the eleventh jacinth, the twelfth amethyst. And the twelve gates were twelve pearls; each of them consisting of a single pearl. And the main street of the city was made of pure gold, resembling transparent glass.
I saw no sanctuary in the city, for the Lord God, the Ruler of all, is its Sanctuary, and so is the Lamb. Nor has the city any need of the sun or of the moon, to give it light; for the glory of God has shone upon it and its lamp is the Lamb. The nations will live their lives by its light; and the kings of the earth are to bring their glory into it. And in the daytime (for there will be no night there) the gates will never be closed; and the glory and honor of the nations shall be brought into it. And no unclean thing shall ever enter it, nor any one who is guilty of base conduct or tells lies, but only they whose names stand recorded in the Lamb’s Book of Life.
Revelation 22 v. 1 – 5
Then he showed me the river of the Water of Life, bright as crystal, issuing from the throne of God and of the Lamb. On either side of the river, midway between it and the main street of the city, was the Tree of Life. It produced twelve kinds of fruit, yielding a fresh crop month by month, and the leaves of the tree served as medicine for the nations. “In future there will be no curse,” he said, “but the throne of God and of the Lamb will be in that city. And His servants will render Him holy service and will see His face, and His name will be on their foreheads. And there will be no night there; and they have no need of lamplight or sunlight, for the Lord God will shine upon them, and they will be kings until the Ages of the Ages.”
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Revelation 21 & 22: 1-5 Commentary
v. 1 And I saw a new Heaven and a new earth; for the first Heaven and the first earth were gone, and the sea no longer exists. The old creation will someday be destroyed by fire in order for a glorious new order of creation to take its place, one that will be worthy of the New Jerusalem.
“But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in which the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will melt with fervent heat; both the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up. Therefore, since all these things will be dissolved, what manner of persons ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness, looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be dissolved, being on fire, and the elements will melt with fervent heat? Nevertheless we, according to His promise, look for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells.” 2Pet. 3:10-13
The question of whether the new earth is created at the beginning of the seventh millennium or at the end of it cannot be resolved with absolute certainty, because God does not reveal all the details of his salvation plan to us. Peter states that on the day of the Lord the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will melt with fervent heat. This verse may only beg the question, as one may apply the verse “a day with the lord is as a thousand years” to include the entire Millennium in the “Day” of the Lord. Does this great conflagration occur at the beginning of the Day or at its end? In his letter to the Thessalonians, Paul seems to be stating that a purifying fire occurs when Jesus returns with his angels to be glorified in his saints. However, this language may be symbolic, describing the battle of good versus evil and the judgment that follows. Rabbinic writings hold that the new heavens and earth will be created at the end of the seventh millennium rather than at its beginning. The statement that there will be no more sea may in fact be symbolic, meaning that there will no longer be a ‘Gentile world’ living without the knowledge of God. During the Millennium, the whole world will know that the earth belongs to the Lord and to his Christ.
“For the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord as the waters cover the sea.” Hab. 2:14 “We were saved with this hope in mind. If we hope for something we already see, it’s not really hope. Who hopes for what can be seen? But if we hope for what we don’t see, we eagerly wait for it with perseverance.” Rom. 8:24-25 God’s Word
v. 2-4 And I saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of Heaven from God and made ready like a bride attired to meet her husband. And I heard a loud voice, which came from the throne, say, “God’s dwelling place is among men and He will dwell among them and they shall be His peoples. Yes, God Himself will be among them. He will wipe every tear from their eyes. Death shall be no more; nor sorrow, nor wail of woe, nor pain; for the first things have passed away.”
The New Jerusalem will be a city, the physical location of God’s Presence on earth and the source of all spiritual and earthly blessings. As a city takes its character not just from its ruler but from the people who live there, the New Jerusalem is also the bride of Christ, having come down from heaven with him. Although many in the church believe this city is created just for Christians, it was originally promised to Abraham and his spiritual descendants through Isaac and Jacob. (Heb. 11:8-10) Paul warns the elect against pride in this matter. The church shares in this promised inheritance only through the Mystery of God, the grafting in of the Gentiles to the tree of salvation to receive the spiritual inheritance of Abraham through Christ. Scripture is clear that the Jews will also be grafted back onto this tree. (Rom. 11:24)
v. 5-8 Then He who was seated on the throne said, “I am re-creating all things.” And He added, “Write down these words, for they are trustworthy and true.” He also said, “They have now been fulfilled. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. To those who are thirsty I will give the privilege of drinking from the well of the Water of Life without payment. All this shall be the heritage of him who overcomes, and I will be his God and he shall be one of My sons. But as for cowards and the unfaithful, and the polluted, and murderers, fornicators, and those who practice magic or worship idols, and all liars—the portion allotted to them shall be in the Lake which burns with fire and sulphur. This is the Second Death.” For the first time, the One on the throne is identified as Christ, the Alpha and Omega. The beginning and the end of God’s salvation plan are fulfilled in him. The fact that Jesus has revealed his plan to the church assures that it will come to pass as it is written, because it is given in the spirit of prophecy. He reminds his listeners of the same message he gave at the beginning, that the full rewards described here are given those who overcome the world to serve him.
v. 9-14 Then there came one of the seven angels who were carrying the seven bowls full of the seven last plagues. “Come with me,” he said, “and I will show you the Bride, the Lamb’s wife.” So in the Spirit he carried me to the top of a vast, lofty mountain, and showed me the holy city, Jerusalem, coming down out of Heaven from God, and bringing with it the glory of God. It shone with a radiance like that of a very precious stone—such as a jasper, bright and transparent. It has a wall, massive and high, with twelve large gates, and in charge of the gates were twelve angels. And overhead, above the gates, names were inscribed which are those of the twelve tribes of the descendants of Israel. There were three gates on the east, three on the north, three on the south, and three on the west. The wall of the city had twelve foundation stones, and engraved upon them were twelve names—the names of the twelve Apostles of the Lamb.
John is given a closer look at the heavenly city of New Jerusalem from which the Lord will rule over the earth for eternity. Its physical features reflect the spiritual qualities of the righteous bride of Christ, both Jew and Gentile believers. It shines with the glorious light of God’s Presence, and its 12 gates are placed in the same geometric manner as the 12 tribes of Israel were arranged around the tabernacle in the desert. Representing the saints of the Old Testament church, the names of the 12 tribes are written above the gates. The New Testament church is represented in the foundations stones of New Jerusalem, one for each of the 12 apostles. The redeemed will no longer recognize the barrier between Gentile and Jew for there will not be one, and those who lived thousands of years and miles and cultures apart will be together as one family.
v. 15-21 Now he who was speaking to me had a measuring-rod of gold, with which to measure the city and its gates and its wall. The plan of the city is a square, the length being the same as the breadth; and he measured the city furlong by furlong, with his measuring rod—it is twelve hundred miles long, and the length and the breadth and the height of it are equal. And he measured the wall of it—a wall of a hundred and forty-four cubits, according to human measure, which was also that of the angel. The solid fabric of the wall was jasper; and the city itself was made of gold, resembling transparent glass.
As for the foundation-stones of the city wall, which were beautified with various kinds of precious stones, the first was jasper, the second sapphire, the third chalcedony, the fourth emerald, the fifth sardonyx, the sixth sardius, the seventh chrysolite, the eighth beryl, the ninth topaz, the tenth chrysoprase, the eleventh jacinth, the twelfth amethyst. And the twelve gates were twelve pearls; each of them consisting of a single pearl. And the main street of the city was made of pure gold, resembling transparent glass.
The angel measures the city of New Jerusalem, which is laid out “as a square, the length being the same as the breadth.” In the original Greek, the measurements are given in stadia, the distance of the elliptical racetrack in a Greek stadium, just over a tenth of a mile. The length and width of New Jerusalem in the original Greek as 12,000 stadia is symbolic, the number being a thousand times twelve. This extraordinary number is probably indicative of the great number of people from the time of Adam saved by faith in the promised Redeemer. The height of the New Jerusalem of 12,000 stadia has another symbolic dimension. The word height here (Gr: hypsos) is applied in every other instance in the New Testament as relating to power, for example to the dwelling of God on high, or the height and breadth of Christ’s love for us. In its literal application, when this word is applied to elevation it is translated as sky. This is applied to the power of a city rather than its actual physical height, and is encountered in Jeremiah’s warning to Babylon: “Even if Babylon reaches the sky and fortifies her lofty stronghold, I will send destroyers against her.” (Jer. 51:53)
In Scripture, all actual measurements of God’s dwelling and its surrounding districts are given in cubits, so the measurement of the wall is probably literal, although even the number 144 is the square of twelve, the number representing foundation. This is confirmed by the notation that the 144 cubits is “according to human measure,” indicating that the other measurements, given in stadia, are in fact symbolic. The precious stones appear to be the Greek equivalent of the gems that were set in the high priest’s breastplate. While nine of them match exactly, the discrepancy in the other three is likely due to language or cultural differences. The appearance of the gates as a single pearl presents an image of an unbroken, shimmering surface. The golden city and streets of New Jerusalem are transparent because in its purest form, gold is transparent. It is the minuscule impurities man is unable to remove that give gold its opaque appearance.
v. 22-27 I saw no sanctuary [temple] in the city, for the Lord God, the Ruler of all, is its Sanctuary, and so is the Lamb. Nor has the city any need of the sun or of the moon, to give it light; for the glory of God has shone upon it and its lamp is the Lamb. The nations will live their lives by its light; and the kings of the earth are to bring their glory into it. And in the daytime (for there will be no night there) the gates will never be closed; and the glory and honor of the nations shall be brought into it. And no unclean thing shall ever enter it, nor any one who is guilty of base conduct or tells lies, but only they whose names stand recorded in the Lamb’s Book of Life.
In Old Testament worship, the tabernacle was patterned after God’s temple in heaven. The visible Presence of God’s glory in the Holy of Holies was the fulfillment of his promise to Israel to dwell with them as their God. In the New Covenant, God is present with us spiritually, his Holy Spirit indwelling every believer. In the seventh millennium and throughout eternity, God is present both physically and spiritually, as spiritual truths take on physical reality. There is therefore no need for a temple, since the whole earth belongs to God, physically dwelling on earth.
The fact that the city of New Jerusalem has no need of any light source does not mean that the new heavens and earth are without a sun, but that the light of God’s glory shines as bright as or brighter than sunlight both day and night. The statement that the nations will live by this light is a reference to God’s standard of righteousness extending out from Jerusalem to the whole earth. The gates, though standing always open, also prohibit entry to those “whose names are not recorded in the Lamb’s Book of Life.” The intended meaning appears to be that they are always open to those who can pass through them, or those who are allowed in by the angels standing guard. The tribute of the nations coming into Jerusalem may be some form of tithe for the administration of Christ’s government. This is an indication that nations will continue during the Millennium, especially in light of the next two verses.
Revelation 22: v. 1-2 Then he showed me the river of the Water of Life, bright as crystal, issuing from the throne of God and of the Lamb. On either side of the river, midway between it and the main street of the city, was the Tree of Life. It produced twelve kinds of fruit, yielding a fresh crop month by month, and the leaves of the tree served as medicine for the nations.
The Water of Life is not symbolic, but a physical and spiritual reality. The water has the appearance of liquid crystal, similar to the solid crystal sea in front of God’s throne (Rev. 4), testifying to its purity. The description of Ezekiel’s temple (chapters 40-48) mentions this stream issuing from under the temple foundation and growing deeper as it proceeds into the Jordan valley until it becomes a stream emptying into the Dead Sea. This enables the sea to once again support life and even become a fertile fishing ground. What water does for physical thirst, this water will do for spirit, soul, and body.
Ezekiel states that there will be many trees lining both sides of the river. This may indicate that the Tree of Life mentioned here is not limited to just one tree, as New Jerusalem’s main street is likely to be rather long. Like the Water of Life, the fruit of the Tree of Life provides life giving spiritual and physical nourishment, and its leaves have healing properties. Verse 2 may imply that the fruit is reserved for those who have access to the city of New Jerusalem, i.e., those with glorified bodies, while the leaves may be taken out of the city and distributed to the nations. (Those with resurrected bodies would not need to be healed of anything.) The healing properties of the leaves would make them highly prized, with nations willingly paying tribute to obtain them.
“Along the bank of the river, on this side and that, will grow all kinds of trees used for food; their leaves will not wither, and their fruit will not fail. They will bear fruit every month, because their water flows from the sanctuary. Their fruit will be for food, and their leaves for medicine.” Ezek. 47:12
v. 3-5 “In future there will be no curse,” he said, “but the throne of God and of the Lamb will be in that city. And His servants will render Him holy service and will see His face, and His name will be on their foreheads. And there will be no night there; and they have no need of lamplight or sunlight, for the Lord God will shine upon them, and they will be kings until the Ages of the Ages.” This passage continues to relate the details of the New Jerusalem and the joyous state of God’s servants, confirming the promises made to overcomers in Revelation 2 & 3. The NTMS translation of “will be kings until the ages of the ages” is better rendered in the KJV and NIV as “they shall reign for ever and ever,” confirming Christ’s promise to overcomers of sharing in his rule. This era of the Lord’s rule from Jerusalem was prophesied long ago to include both Jew and Gentile.
“Shout and be glad, O daughter of Zion. For I am coming, and I will live among you.” Declares the Lord. “Many nations will be joined with the Lord in that day and will become my people. I will live among you and you will know that the Lord Almighty has sent me to you. The Lord will inherit Judah as his portion in the holy land and will again choose Jerusalem.” Zech. 2:10-12
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Epilogue
An epilogue is defined as a short speech that an actor addresses directly to the audience at the end of a play. The prologue was written by John to introduce Jesus and his message to the seven churches. In these final verses, John testifies that he actually saw and heard all these things himself. Jesus, the true author of Revelation, closes with some words of advice to the churches, and in fact to anyone who hears or reads the words of this book.
Revelation 22: 6-21
And he said to me, “These words are trustworthy and true; and the Lord, the God of the spirits of the Prophets, sent His angel to make known to His servants the things which must soon happen. I am coming quickly. Blessed is he who is mindful of the predictions contained in this book.”
I John heard and saw these things; and when I had heard and seen them, I fell at the feet of the angel who was showing me them—to worship him. But he said to me, “Oh, do not do that. I am a fellow bondservant of yours, and a fellow bondservant of your brethren the Prophets and of those who are mindful of the teachings of this book. Worship God.”
“Make no secret,” he added, “of the meaning of the predictions contained in this book; for the time for their fulfillment is now close at hand. Let the dishonest man act dishonestly still; let the filthy make himself filthy still; let the righteous practice righteousness still; and let the holy be made holy still. I am coming quickly; and My reward is with Me, that I may requite every man in accordance with what his conduct has been. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End.”
“Blessed are those who wash their robes clean, that they may have a right to the Tree of Life, and may go through the gates into the city. The unclean are shut out, and so are all who practice magic, all fornicators, all murderers, and those who worship idols, and every one who loves falsehood and tells lies. I Jesus have sent My angel for him solemnly to declare these things to you among the Churches. I am the Root and the offspring of David, the bright Morning Star. The Spirit and the Bride say, ‘Come;’ and whoever hears, let him say, ‘Come;’ and let those who are thirsty come. Whoever will, let him take the Water of Life, without payment.”
“I solemnly declare to every one who hears the words of the prophecy contained in this book, that if any one adds to those words, God will add to him the plagues spoken of in this book; and that if any one takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God will take from him his share in the Tree of Life and in the holy city—the things described in this book.”
He who solemnly declares all this says, “Yes, I am coming quickly.” Amen. Come, Lord Jesus. The grace of the Lord Jesus be with God’s people.
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Revelation 22: 6-21 Commentary
v. 6-7 And he said to me, “These words are trustworthy and true; and the Lord, the God of the spirits of the Prophets, sent His angel to make known to His servants the things which must soon happen. ‘I am coming quickly.’ Blessed is he who is mindful of the predictions contained in this book.” The remainder of this chapter forms an epilogue to the central drama of the book of Revelation, complementing and completing the prologue of chapters 1-3. Just as the first three verses of the prologue contained a statement that the vision would soon come to pass, the epilogue begins with the same statement. The complete message in both cases is nearly identical, having the same three components.
The three parts of the message are: 1) the events are true: These words are trustworthy and true; 2) An assurance that the events of Revelation will not be unduly delayed: to make known to His servants the things which must soon happen; and 3) There is a blessing involved for taking it seriously and responding in obedience: Blessed is he who is mindful of the predictions contained in this book. The point is the same as it was in the Prologue: Heed the message. Since the church is living in the last days, Jesus could return at any time. From Christ’s point of view the time of his return is near, and the need for motivation to keep our eternal destiny in mind is great. We are too often caught up in the worries and desires of this world, neglecting our salvation and our relationship with Christ and the Father. We are in the last days, and one of the salient characteristics of the last days is that it is an indefinite period that can end at any time. The times of the Gentiles end when the last Gentile comes to a saving faith in Christ. Even the name, The Last Days, denotes that the end of the ages is near.
v. 8-9 I John heard and saw these things; and when I had heard and seen them, I fell at the feet of the angel who was showing me them—to worship him. But he said to me, “Oh, do not do that. I am a fellow bondservant of yours, and a fellow bondservant of your brethren the Prophets and of those who are mindful of the teachings of this book. Worship God.” For the second time, John’s sense of reverence is so strong that he is overcome, and he responds by attempting to worship his angelic guide. John realizes that the apocalyptic vision is over, perhaps because the New Jerusalem fades from sight as the angel attests to the truth of the vision. The angel once again corrects him and redirects his worship towards God.
v. 10-11 And he saith unto me, “Seal not the sayings of the prophecy of this book: for the time is at hand. He that is unjust, let him be unjust still: and he which is filthy, let him be filthy still: and he that is righteous, let him be righteous still: and he that is holy, let him be holy still.” Having dealt with John’s interruption, the angel continues with his remarks. He instructs John to reveal the vision to others, because the time is at hand, confirming the message to take its words to heart. The angel’s advice to continue in one’s current spiritual state confirms that the primary purpose of Revelation is not to evangelize. It was given by Jesus Christ “to his servants.” (Rev 1:1) Therefore the angel does not show an interest in converting the unjust. His message is to the saints, to continue walking in holiness.
v. 12-13 “And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last.” (KJV) This passage might be a little confusing as the narrator is suddenly no longer the angel but Jesus. He confirms this by asserting his identity as Alpha and Omega. These are the very first words of Jesus in the Prologue, identifying its true author, and the first words spoken by Jesus when he addresses John directly in Rev. 1: 8. He is the Creator of the first earth and the last one. He is the author our salvation (Heb. 5:9, 12:2) and the one who brings our salvation to completeness (Phil. 1:6). Jesus is not just the first and last letters of the alphabet, he is all the letters in between, helping us work out our salvation on a daily basis. “For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.” (Phil. 2: 13 KJV)
We were saved in large measure so that through obedience to God’s will we could fulfill two great commissions, one in this life, and the other in the next. The first is to be the voice and hands and feet of Christ to the nations, testifying to the Gospel in word and deed. The second commission proceeds from the first. We are being prepared by the trial of our faith to reign with Christ in the Resurrection, to take up the crown of spiritual dominion over the earth lost by Adam through disobedience. Our faithfulness in fulfilling the first commission determines the manner in which we will fulfill the second. Because the essence of judgment is reaping consequences for our actions, judgment for believers at the end of the age is a matter of blessing and reward, not punishment. Having given up our lives to serve God, the only question is how much blessing we will receive. The larger our heart, the more it will be filled with God’s glory. The parable of the talents (Mt. 25) teaches that our millennial estate will be based on our faithfulness to do what Jesus has asked us to do in this life.
v. 14-15 Blessed are those who wash their robes clean, that they may have a right to the Tree of Life, and may go through the gates into the city. The unclean are shut out, and so are all who practice magic, all fornicators, all murderers, and those who worship idols, and every one who loves falsehood and tells lies. Only those who have washed their robes in the blood of the Lamb, i.e., come to a saving faith in Christ through his atoning sacrifice, will be redeemed from sin and death. Only they will be able to enter New Jerusalem to eat from the Tree of Life. The saga that began in the Garden of Eden will come full circle to completion; mankind and the earth will finally be restored to the glorious state of spiritual and physical life that existed before the Fall.
v. 16 “I Jesus have sent mine angel to testify unto you these things in the churches. I am the root and the offspring of David, and the bright and morning star. (KJV) As he did in Revelation 1: 1, Jesus identifies the angel that spoke to John as his messenger, validating the truth of the vision and indicating that it is to be given to the churches. Jesus again confirms that he is the one speaking by identifying himself as the root and the offspring of David (the Eternal Kinsman), and the Morning Star (of Hope) promised to those who overcome.
v. 17 The Spirit and the Bride say, ‘Come;’ and whoever hears, let him say, ‘Come;’ and let those who are thirsty come. Whoever will, let him take the Water of Life, without payment. Although Revelation is written to the servants of God, the offer of salvation is still available to all men. As the Alpha and Omega of salvation, Jesus reiterates this point. The Spirit, whose ministry it is to draw men to Jesus; and the Bride of Christ, many of whom were in heaven when this was written, send this invitation in their earnest desire that all men everywhere come to saving faith in Christ.
“He who believes in me, from within him—as the Scripture has said—rivers of living water shall flow.” He referred to the Spirit which those who believed in Him were to receive…” Jn. 7:38-39
v. 18-19 “I solemnly declare to every one who hears the words of the prophecy contained in this book, that if any one adds to those words, God will add to him the plagues spoken of in this book; and that if any one takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God will take from him his share in the Tree of Life and in the holy city—the things described in this book. This note appears to be directed to those entrusted with copying the Revelation scroll. Since so much of it is symbolic, the temptation to change the wording to make it more understandable must have been great. The penalty for violation of this injunction is severe: denial of entry into the city of New Jerusalem is equated with the loss of Eternal Life. The warning seems to have had its intended effect. The only issue raised about its textual integrity seems to be the variant reading of 616 for the 666 of the beast’s mark.
v. 20-21 He who solemnly declares all this says, “Yes, I am coming quickly.” Amen. Come, Lord Jesus. The grace of the Lord Jesus be with God’s people.
Revelation 21 - 22
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