God's Final Words (Chapter 22:6-21

Chapter 17

In 22:6 John reiterates that

“the Lord, the God of the spirit of the prophets, sent His angel to show His bond-servants the things which must soon take place.” Here Jesus once again states, “I am coming quickly. Blessed is he who heeds the words of the prophecy of this book.” (v. 7)

Obviously, the words of the prophecy of this book are heedable. In other words, it is obvious God expects His church to understand this book; otherwise it would be impossible to heed the instructions contained within it.

In verse 10 John is told, “Do not seal up the words of the prophecy of this book, for the time is near.” It’s an interesting study in antitheses to compare this statement to the statement in chapter 10 where John is told to “Seal up the things which the seven peals of thunder have spoken and do not write them.” It should seem clear that God expects us to understand and apply the truths contained in the things that are not sealed up. Generally speaking, it seems obvious that for centuries the church has ignored these repeated warnings and admonitions. Throughout those centuries it also seems clear God has provided an abundance of prophets who He ordained to warn His church of their faithlessness regarding this book of the Revelation. I believe we are now in the final hours of the church age as proclaimed by John in the book of the Revelation. I guess the question each one must ask himself now is whether or not he is ready to seriously pursue reading, hearing, and heeding the things of the Revelation delivered to John by an angel about things soon to come. The fact that you are reading this page of this commentary indicates you have at least a cursory interest in understanding it. I trust the warning of Chapter 22 finds you practicing righteousness and keeping yourself holy.

“Let the one who does wrong, still do wrong; and the one who is filthy, still be filthy; and let the one who practices righteousness, still practice righteousness; and the one who is holy, still keep himself holy.” (22:11) Jesus is coming and His reward is with him to render to every man according to what he has done. This is probably the most appropriate time and place to deal with this doctrine of rewards. It would indeed be sad if you were to read this commentary and choose to enter eternity without accepting God’s provision for your sin. It would also be sad if you were to enter eternity having lived for the dot rather than the line.

Allow me to explain. A few months back I heard a really good explanation about the concept of rewards. The speaker used to numerous verses of scripture to confirm in the mind of most of those attending the bible study that we will indeed be rewarded in eternity for those works we do in the name of Jesus during this lifetime. It is a concept called investing in eternity. He compared those who get saved who basically live their lives as if the short time we have on this planet should be spent getting all we can out of it with those who spend this life doing all we can to prepare for eternity. The dot represented this life while the line represented eternity. The line is drawn from the dot and extends of the page into the unending universe. Those living for the dot may enter heaven, but they will do so with the smell of the fire on their clothing (I Cor. 3:15).

I urge you not to be sucked into believing that works during this lifetime done in the name of our Lord don’t matter. In eternity, you will be rewarded according to what you have done. This is a scriptural truth declared over and over in God’s word (I Pet. 1:17; I Cor. 3:8, 12-14; II Cor. 5:10; II Jn. 8; and Rom. 14:10-12). Only those who have washed their robes (accepted God’s provision for sin and done the commandments), will receive the “Well done good and faithful servant,” words of praise from Jesus when He returns. I believe the clearest teaching Jesus provided on the subject is found in the parable he spoke as recorded by Luke in chapter 19 and verses 11-27.

It’s the story of the nobleman who went on a journey leaving ten minas for ten of his slaves (one mina each). When he returned, the story indicates he called the slaves and asked them what business each had done with His mina. There are other parables that have to do with receiving minas and using them faithfully. In this particular parable, each of the slaves was given the same amount with which to do business (one mina); so the point of the parable is not the same as those parables where the servants were given different amounts with which to do business. This parable speaks to the issue of direct accountability for deeds done as believers (faithful slaves) in the name of Jesus. The focus is on what each servant did with what he had, not how much each servant was originally given.

The key to interpreting the parable lies in understanding that each slave was given one mina; and each slave was rewarded indirect proportion to his faithfulness with that mina. The one whose one mina earned ten was given charge over ten cities. The one whose one mina earned five was given charge over five cities. Of course the wicked slave represented the other seven who are not mentioned until the judgment portion of the parable because they are all included in that judgment. The third slave did nothing of eternal consequence with his talent (he hid it away) so he was slaughtered with them (v. 27). This parable makes it abundantly clear everyone’s eternal reward will be directly related and proportional to his faithfulness with what God has given him during this lifetime. And please, don’t swallow the incredibly inept preaching that these parables suggest we should have good portfolios with some Wall Street broker. How utterly absurd to think God gives us money so we can make Him more money. While I won’t take the time to address the foolishness of investing in the stock market in this commentary, I will state categorically that was the furthest thing from the mind of God when he gave us these parables. They are about investing our lives in those things which are of eternal significance, i.e., leading others to the saving knowledge of Christ, training them to do the same in their spheres of influence, and administering our gift(s) to the body of Christ. I’m not suggesting you will go to hell for investing in stocks. I am stating without apology, your earnings in such investments are of little interest to God. If giving a portion or all of it to Christian ministry makes you fee warm and fuzzy all over, so be it. I’m simply advising you it won’t get you any reward in heaven. Giving of those finances to Christian ministry which we have worked hard to earn is another story all together. Gambling on someone else’s ability to run a mega-corporation and make money is not work. It is gambling.

Lets suppose God gives two men jobs where each makes $100,000 per year. The first man gives away fifty-thousand dollars of his income directly to missionaries, the poor, blind, sick, lame, orphans, and widows and ekes out a living on the rest; the second man gives $10,000 a year to his church and lives quite comfortably on the rest. This second man has no idea what his church does with the money, and he really doesn’t care. The church leadership uses the $10,000 given by the second man to buy a beautiful new podium and a couple of incredibly plush new church pews. The man’s name is engraved on a plaque that is attached to the end of each pew and the podium indicating he was the donor. If this were the end of the story, the first man would be like the first slave of the parable. He would be given charge over ten cities, while the second man might be given charge over one city, and then again, the second man might be in charge of street maintenance in ten cities. The man who gave ten percent gave a tithe of what he had earned. I’ll not argue that point. The question I will ask is, “Based on the parable of Luke 19, which man was more faithful?” Tithing is not a bad thing unless we do it to soothe our conscience for our failure to do all the other things we should be doing as followers of Jesus. Matthew 5:23-26 make speaks to that issue rather pointedly.

Jesus tells us he is not interested in our gifts if we have not done all we can possibly do to make sure our relationships with our brothers in Christ are not good. Romans 12:18 tells us the same thing, “So far as it depends on you, be at peace with all men.” An extra fifty under the table might get a congressman to vote so your company might get awarded a multi-million dollar contract, but placed in the offering plate, it won’t get God to look the other way for our to apply His word faithfully to our lives.

Jesus’ final invitations comes with the words, “The Spirit and the bride say, ‘Come.’ And let the one who hears (that’s us) say, ‘Come.’ And let the one who is thirsty say come; let the one who wishes take the water of life without cost.” I suppose one could write a twenty page exposition on those four instructions alone. I know preachers who can preach three one hour sermons on one verse. I suppose that’s a gift, but I’m not sure it’s one for which I have much appreciation. The Spirit and the bride (that’s the church),the one who has ears to hear and does so, the one who is thirsty, and the one who wishes to drink for free, all invite you to come to the altar of God and get on your knees and confess your sins, repent of them, accept God’s provision for your sins in His Son Jesus Christ, be baptized, and join us for all eternity as we enjoy fellowship with one another and our God on the new heavens and new earth.

Jesus makes it clear in verse 18 that the exposition of this book (the Revelation) should only be taken up by those who are led to do so by His Holy Spirit because adding to or subtracting from its meaning will reap dire consequences. When John returns to prophesy, he will not be adding to this book; he will be fulfilling its prophecy about him as given in Chapter 10. Finally, John this Revelation with the salutation, “He who testifies of these things says, ‘Yes, I am coming quickly,’ Amen. Come Lord Jesus (Maranatha). The grace of the Lord Jesus be with all. Amen.”