Mar. 20, 2024

Dear Friends,

I hope that you can attend our Bible study this evening. We are continuing to study the last chapter of the Bible, Revelation 22. One cannot do so without being uplifted and challenged to live for Christ each day with all that we are and have. There is much to come!

I hope you can join us. Notes are attached.

LIVING THE CHRISTLIFE

WAYNE BARRETT

HILLTOP LAKES CHAPEL

MARCH 20, 2024

Revelation 22:6-21

Pt 2

6 And he said to me, “These words are trustworthy and true. And the Lord, the God of the spirits of the 

prophets, has sent his angel to show his servants what must soon take place.”

7 “And behold, 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. And when I heard and saw them, I fell down to 

worship at the feet of the angel who showed them to me, 9 but he said to me, “You must not do that! I 

am a fellow servant with you and your brothers the prophets, and with those who keep the words of this 

book. Worship God.”

10 And he said to me, “Do not seal up the words of the prophecy of this book, for the time is near. 11 Let 

the evildoer still do evil, and the filthy still be filthy, and the righteous still do right, and the holy still be 

holy.”

12 “Behold, I am coming soon, bringing my recompense with me, to repay each one for what he has 

done. 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,a so that they may have the right to the tree of life and that 

they may enter the city by the gates. 15 Outside are the dogs and sorcerers and the sexually immoral and 

murderers and idolaters, and everyone who loves and practices falsehood.

16 “I, Jesus, have sent my angel to testify to you about these things for the churches. I am the root and the 

descendant of David, the bright morning star.”

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 price.

18 I warn everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: if anyone adds to them, God will 

add to him the plagues described in this book, 19 and if anyone takes away from the words of the book of 

this prophecy, God will take away his share in the tree of life and in the holy city, which are described in 

this book.

20 He who testifies to these things says, “Surely I am coming soon.” Amen. Come, Lord Jesus!

21 The grace of the Lord Jesus be with all.b Amen.

_______________________

(Reminder—I believe these Scripture are referring ultimately to what will happen at the end of time as 

we know it, including the Second Coming of Christ, the Judgment of all people, and God’s creation of 

new heavens and a new earth.)

v 10 – “And he said to me…”

“Do not seal up…”

This book, and all of God’s word, is not to be “sealed up,” it is to be proclaimed, because God’s 

word is urgent, all people need it right now, the time is short.

a Some manuscripts do his commandments

b Some manuscripts all the saints

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“for the time is near.”

time – kairos, season, appointed time, as in “these are difficult times.” It is based on kara (head), 

as in “things coming to a head.”c

The other word for time, referring to “clock” time, time of measured duration, is chronos

(as in chronology). “Then said Jesus unto them, Yet a little while [chronos] am I with 

you, and then I go unto him that sent me.”—John 7:33

“is near [eggýs]”

From the very beginning of the preaching of the Gospel, the tone is one of urgency, that the 

kingdom is upon us, that Jesus is coming quickly—like a thief, and that people should not 

delay or resist repentance and God’s deliverance.

“Now after John was arrested, Jesus came into Galilee, proclaiming the gospel of God, and 

saying, “The time [kairos] is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God has drawn near [eggízō];

repent and believe in the gospel.”—Mark 1:14-15

“Besides this you know the time [kairos], that the hour has come for you to wake from sleep. For 

salvation is nearer [eggyteronto] us now than when we first believed.”—Romans 13:1-11

v 11 – “Let the evildoer still do evil…”

This may seem to be a surprising word!

This is a prophetic word, one with both a stinging judgment upon those who defy God, and a 

word of encouragement for those who follow Him.

As in, “You’re determined to do evil. Go ahead and do it then. The time is short, and 

judgment is coming. It will all be over soon.”

This (and what follows) highlights the great division that exists on earth among people

v 12 – “Behold I am coming soon…”

“soon” – tachy; Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance- “shortly, i.e. Without delay, soon, or (by 

surprise) suddenly, or (by implication, of ease) readily — lightly, quickly.” Discussed last 

week.

“bringing my recompense…”

To try and separate Jesus from his own teachings about judgment, and moreover, the judgment

that he himself will make, is a misrepresentation of him and is not faithful to the New 

Testament.

“For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive what is 

due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil.”—2 Corinthians 5:10

“For the Son of Man is going to come with his angels in the glory of his Father, and then he will 

repay each person according to what he has done.”—Matthew 13:41

“For whoever is ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him 

will the Son of Man also be ashamed when he comes in the glory of his Father with the holy 

angels.”—Mark 8:38

Deserving of further consideration but while the clear teaching of the NT is that salvation is by 

God’s grace through faith, judgment is (always?) presented regarding how we lived

“to repay each one…”

The promise in this is that good, faithful living is rewarded by Christ—not that we deserve it, but 

He has decided to do so.

More lit. “Behold I am coming quickly, and my reward [payment] is with me, to give to each as 

is his work.”

c HELPS Word-studies, Discovery Bible, 2021.

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v 13 – “I am the Alpha and the Omega…”

Jesus Christ is the eternal God

All creation was made through Him (John 1)

There is nothing before Him, there is nothing to follow Him

Christ has no peers.

v 14 – “Blessed are those who wash their robes…”

See Revelation 7:9-17—one of the most marvelous passages in all of Scripture

Our robes must be white! And our robes can only be made white by the “blood of the Lamb”

(7:14).

Regarding the footnote: some manuscripts read “do his commandments” rather than “wash their 

robes.” We do not know what these variations sometimes occur—a great miracle of the 

Biblical manuscripts is that there are not more variations! 

“that they will have the right to the tree of life”

Referring back to v 2

representing that these will be given eternal life upon the new earth

“and that they may enter the city by the gates”

Referring back to ch. 21, particularly vv 12-14

The gates provide the only entrances to the city—and entering through them also indicates a 

welcome to those who are allowed

the twelve angels – who guard against any unapproved admittance—only the elect

the twelve tribes – representing God’s election that began with the patriarchs

twelve foundations with names of twelve apostles – representing the new covenant, the Gospel, 

which is the foundation of Christ