Behold, I Come Quickly
Book of Revelation Chapter 22
What should we understand about Chapter 22? We must first return to the first Chapter.
Rev 1:1 The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave unto him, to shew unto his servants "things which must shortly come to pass"; and he sent and signified it "by his angel" unto his servant John:
Rev 1:2 Who bare record of the word of God, and of the testimony of Jesus Christ, and of all things that he saw.
This is exactly what the Apostle John has done. John has given to us the "testimony" of the Lord Jesus Christ.
John has given us the truth of the things that will take place just before the Lord returns to take His Church home, and then returns to the Mount of Olives to reclaim this world, and deprive Satan of the things he so greatly desires.
What are we to understand of the Book of Revelation? We are to understand that these words of John are all the exact and the complete truth from our Holy God!
Rev 1:3 Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written therein: for the time is at hand.
Not just a bunch of symbols! Not parables! But the truth of God from an Apostle of Jesus Christ, describing things from the future which he had no idea could exist and become true.
John trusted the Lord Jesus and it is this same Lord Jesus whom we are also to trust!
*****Rev 22:6 And he said unto me, These sayings are faithful and true: and the Lord God of the holy prophets sent his angel to shew unto his servants the things which must shortly be done.
We must understand that all the Word of God is true, and this includes all the Book of Revelation!
2Ti 3:16 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:
2Ti 3:17 That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.
These things do not change when it gets tough to be a Christian!
If we do not wholly believe what the Lord Jesus says, then we are not Christian!
We do not have to discuss who wrote what, and who said what, in these Scriptures because Jehovah sent the Holy Spirit to oversee all the Word of God.
These things are faithful and true!
These things will shortly be done!
Remember we deal with Heavens timetable.
*****Rev 22:7 Behold, I come quickly: blessed is he that keepeth the sayings of the prophecy of this book.
You see, here lies the problem! "We must keep the sayings of the prophecy of this great Book of the Bible"!
We must keep the sayings, rightly divided, of all the Written Word of God.
As Christians, we have become lazy and relegated Jehovah as our great grandfather in the Heavens, and it is no wonder that He has removed His hand of blessing from America.
Jesus Christ is our God!
Jesus Christ is our Savior!
Jesus Christ is our Judge!
Nowhere do we see that our Lord is our grandfather!
If not for His great love, we would all be in a devil's hell right now!
We had better pay attention to that word "Behold" which means we had better open our eyes to the truth of the Bible.
When the Lord has had enough of our playing church, we had better believe He will come quickly!
If we are to have a revival, then we had better get started.
If we are going to remain that sad bunch of "so-called" Christians, then we just keep doing what we are doing and not worry about the world we are leaving behind for our grandchildren.
The Lord has placed these things in our hand, and He is watching and waiting to see what we are going to do.
Why in the world do you believe there will be a "Judgment Seat" of Christ, if He will not JUDGE our actions today?
We must not ever get confused about who is our God!
*****Rev 22:8 And I John saw these things, and heard them. And when I had heard and seen, I fell down to worship before the feet of the angel which shewed me these things.
Rev 22:9 Then saith he unto me, See thou do it not: for I am thy fellowservant, and of thy brethren the prophets, and of them which keep the sayings of this book: worship God.
You see this was not an angel at this certain time who faced John. This was a saint of God who had a glorified body in Heaven. This was a "Born Again" child of God who was giving the Apostle John this part of the Scriptures.
Heaven will be a wonderful place, because we have a Savior who loved us so much, who came and died for us that we might be saved!
Most all of us have loved ones in Heaven. In the time of John, this Saint said, "I am your fellow servant". "I am of your brothers the prophets" and most important of all, he said "I am one of them which keep the sayings of this Book".
We must ask ourselves, "are we of those who keep the sayings of this Book"?
We should not have to hesitate. It is a yes or no answer!
None of us are perfect and we know that, but we certainly are not doing the best we can to obey the Word of God, or our nation would not be in the terrible shape that it is today.
We are weak spiritually!
We are weak morally!
Our nation has become so weak every foolish nation in the world can stand up and slander us without even worrying about retaliation and laugh and mock us.
These things happen because we have left our God out of our lives!
We will bow down to anything that resembles the truth when the truth of God is given to us to keep and not to ignore.
Are we going to pick up our cross and follow the Lord or not?
Mat_16:24 Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.
Mar_8:34 And when he had called the people unto him with his disciples also, he said unto them, Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.
Mar_10:21 Then Jesus beholding him loved him, and said unto him, One thing thou lackest: go thy way, sell whatsoever thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, take up the cross, and follow me.
Luk_9:23 And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.
As we can see, this is a yes or no answer type question!
We may not have much time left to follow the Lord, and it begins with denying ourselves, our wants, our ways, and seeking the ways of Jesus Christ!
*****Rev 22:10 And he saith unto me, Seal not the sayings of the prophecy of this book: for the time is at hand.
You see it was not time for John to write these things down and just place that book on a shelf!
It was time to tell someone else the truth of the Living God.
At this point and on through the future, we are not to seal up any part of the Word of God.
It must be preached!
It must be taught!
It must be expounded!
It must be read!
It must be understood as the truth of God because it is!
When we become ashamed of God, He has already said He will be ashamed of us!
There is only one detail in the Book of Revelation that God keeps to Himself.
Rev 10:4 And when the seven thunders had uttered their voices, I was about to write: and I heard a voice from heaven saying unto me, Seal up those things which the seven thunders uttered, and write them not.
There are somethings during the time of God's wrath that we just do not need to know.
1) Because they are so terrible that we just do not need to know them.
Remember the blood will flow four to five feet deep for over 100 miles for the Lord to cleanse this earth of evil.
2) God does not want these things to have their mark upon our minds. As God told Moses only those who have been "Born Again" can look upon His glory and live and we need to concentrate on the "Glory" of God!
We must admit that all the things of Prophecy have fallen in place just as they have been written, and we would be extremely foolish to not believe that we are in those very last of the last of days!
The only thing that remains is for those last few to choose life rather than death and those few remnants of prophecy to be fulfilled.
*****Rev 22:11 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.
So upon whom are we as the Church to concentrate the resources of the Church?
1) Not those who are unjust!
The unjust are all those who walk contrary to the truth of God and who stand against the truth of God.
It is most of these who seek to change all laws that disagree with their formula of life.
They are seeking death and the Holy Spirit just says leave them alone to travel down that path of death.
They are contrary to all things that are right!
They have already been included in the "woes" of God!
Isa 5:20 Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!
Isa 5:21 Woe unto them that are wise in their own eyes, and prudent in their own sight!
Isa 5:22 Woe unto them that are mighty to drink wine, and men of strength to mingle strong drink:
Isa 5:23 Which justify the wicked for reward, and take away the righteousness of the righteous from him!
Isa 5:24 Therefore as the fire devoureth the stubble, and the flame consumeth the chaff, so their root shall be as rottenness, and their blossom shall go up as dust: because they have cast away the law of the LORD of hosts, and despised the word of the Holy One of Israel.
3 Jn 1:11 Beloved, follow not that which is evil, but that which is good. He that doeth good is of God: but he that doeth evil hath not seen God.
It is not time to worry about the salvation of these people!
2) Not those who are filthy.
Filthy means: dirty, foul, unclean, nasty, polluted, defiled by sinful practices, morally impure. Those who procure by filthy lucre. (dishonest means)
Time is too short for these to ever change their ways!
3) Those that are righteous will remain righteous. We cannot lose the gifts that the Lord died for!
Rom 6:23 For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
4) Those that are Holy will remain Holy!
Eph 1:13 In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise,
Eph 1:14 Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory.
Where should the resources of the Church be applied? To those who have never heard the Word of God.
Those who already know the truth of God should gather more often as these times get closer and closer!
Heb 10:22 Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water.
Heb 10:23 Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised;)
Heb 10:24 And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works:
Heb 10:25 Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.
We must understand that we are near the Coming of the Lord and when the Lord steps out of Heaven, it will be only a short time until He places His feet upon the Mount of Olives.
The Lord will certainly come quickly but He will travel slow enough to be noticed! Every eye will see Him even those who pierced Him!
*****Rev 22:12 And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be.
Rev 22:13 I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last.
We should be very clear, these are the words spoken by the Lord Jesus Christ!
The Lord Jesus does not ever change!
Isa 40:10 Behold, the Lord GOD will come with strong hand, and his arm shall rule for him: behold, his reward is with him, and his work before him.
We already know that there is no one able to stand before the Lord unless He has accepted their call for forgiveness, have repented from their evil ways, and has written their name written down in the Lamb's Book of Life.
This message is written to every human, alive or in the grave!
Rom 2:6 Who will render to every man according to his deeds:
Those deeds are the things done that have not been forgiven by those who have not asked and by those who were not sincere.
Our Lord God will never penalize anyone for doing things that are good, if they are done for the right reasons.
The pure fact is we seldom ever do anything if there is nothing in it for us, which means it was for the wrong reason.
We should have only one reason and that reason is because we want to be found in obedience to the Word of God!
There is no reason greater than this!
Ecc 12:13 Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man.
Ecc 12:14 For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil.
The Lord Jesus Christ died in payment for our sins because we were sentenced to death!
Rom 3:23 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;
Rom 3:24 Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus:
If we do not recognize this truth, and trust the Word of God to be true, then we will suffer for all our deeds from the time of our birth until the day of our death!
Just so we know, the Lord wants us to know it is our Creator that developed this plan of salvation and this reward for our deeds!
**The Alpha:
The first letter of the Greek alphabet denoting our Creator.
When used as a number, it denotes the number One.
**The Omega:
The name of the last letter of the Greek alphabet denoting our Living God, who has no beginning and has no ending.
He exists from everlasting to everlasting and this is the same place he promises to those who love Him!
Isa 44:6 Thus saith the LORD the King of Israel, and his redeemer the LORD of hosts; I am the first, and I am the last; and beside me there is no God.
Isa 44:7 And who, as I, shall call, and shall declare it, and set it in order for me, since I appointed the ancient people? and the things that are coming, and shall come, let them shew unto them.
Isa 44:8 Fear ye not, neither be afraid: have not I told thee from that time, and have declared it? ye are even my witnesses. Is there a God beside me? yea, there is no God; I know not any.
When the everlasting God says there is no God besides Himself, then there is none which makes it real that we have only one way to enter into that realm of everlasting life!
Joh 14:6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.
Joh 14:7 If ye had known me, ye should have known my Father also: and from henceforth ye know him, and have seen him.
There are no blessings for those who oppose the Word of God!
*****Rev 22:14 Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city.
Rev 22:15 For without are dogs, and sorcerers, and whoremongers, and murderers, and idolaters, and whosoever loveth and maketh a lie.
That word blessed may mean many things to many people, but here it means only those whose names are written in the Lamb's Book of Life can be called "Blessed"!
There is no one upon the face of this earth that can give me this title except, the Lord Jesus Christ!
I am "Blessed" because my "Faith" is in the works the Lord Jesus Christ did, to make me "Blessed"!
In other words I am "blessed" because I have been washed in the "Blood of Jesus" and it is His sin cleansing blood that has made me whole!
It is not in the keeping of commandments, it is in the doing of the commandments, which means we understand that we must be "Born Again" according as the Lord Jesus Christ states.
Joh 3:3 Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.
Jesus told Nicodemus listen to the words that come out of my mouth.
Joh 3:6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.
We must be baptized with the Holy Spirit of God. This is the same as being washed in the Blood of Jesus.
The Holy Spirit will not live in anyone who is not washed in the Blood of Jesus!
Joh 3:15 That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life.
Joh 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
Joh 3:17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.
Joh 3:18 He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.
Joh 3:19 And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.
Joh 3:20 For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved.
Joh 3:21 But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God.
This is the "Commandment" that causes blessedness "whosoever believeth in Him (Jesus) should not perish, but have everlasting life!
The keeping of the Ten Commandments will not get you to Heaven, this would be a works doctrine and the Lord Jesus Christ has done all the works.
A blessed one need only have "faith" in the work of the Lord Jesus Christ!
Who are those who got left out because they had no "faith" in the work of Jesus Christ?
Obviously, this word "dogs" does not mean domesticated dogs that are all over the world.
But take the time to see a pack of wild dogs at work. We can better understand this thing as the world!
**The world of the lost are like a pack of wild dogs!
Who are those dogs?
Those who are unjust, spiritually!
Those who filthy, spiritually!
Those who are degraded!
Those who have no value in the eyes of a Righteous God.
Rev 21:7 He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son.
Rev 21:8 But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.
Spiritually wicked people who will never get another opportunity to enter into God's New Heaven, and they do not care while they are alive, but that will change immediately when they wake up in Hell.
Luk 16:22 And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham's bosom: the rich man also died, and was buried;
Luk 16:23 And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom.
Luk 16:24 And he cried and said, Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame.
Luk 16:25 But Abraham said, Son, remember that thou in thy lifetime receivedst thy good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things: but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented.
Luk 16:26 And beside all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed: so that they which would pass from hence to you cannot; neither can they pass to us, that would come from thence.
Luk 16:27 Then he said, I pray thee therefore, father, that thou wouldest send him to my father's house:
Luk 16:28 For I have five brethren; that he may testify unto them, lest they also come into this place of torment.
Luk 16:29 Abraham saith unto him, They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them.
Luk 16:30 And he said, Nay, father Abraham: but if one went unto them from the dead, they will repent.
Luk 16:31 And he said unto him, If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead.
Then these words from our Savior.
*****Rev 22:16 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.
What is the reality of the Book of Revelation? It is the testimony of the Lord Jesus Christ for the days we are living right now!
We should understand that angels can appear in most any form and those angels that are closest to the Lord Jesus Christ can appear in His form just as well as they can appear in our form.
This not deception, it is just who they are!
Those who have left this world and are in Heaven can also give that same appearance even though when we see them, we will know them.
Just as Peter recognized Moses and Elijah.
The one most important thing we need to remember is that it was Jesus who caused the revealing of all these things.
This is the Book of the Reveling of Jesus Christ and not about John the revelator!
Rev 5:3 And no man in heaven, nor in earth, neither under the earth, was able to open the book, neither to look thereon.
Rev 5:4 And I wept much, because no man was found worthy to open and to read the book, neither to look thereon.
Rev 5:5 And one of the elders saith unto me, Weep not: behold, the Lion of the tribe of Juda, the Root of David, hath prevailed to open the book, and to loose the seven seals thereof.
He will be King Jesus on earth because He is the last living relative of His day in the kingly line of David and He will never die.
Israel still flies the "Star of David"!
Jesus Christ is that Star!
Num 24:17 I shall see him, but not now: I shall behold him, but not nigh: "there shall come a Star out of Jacob", and a Sceptre shall rise out of Israel, and shall smite the corners of Moab, and destroy all the children of Sheth.
We should think like Job.
Job 19:25 For I know that my redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth:
Job 19:26 And though after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God:
Job 19:27 Whom I shall see for myself, and mine eyes shall behold, and not another; though my reins be consumed within me.
The Holy Spirit who has made sure that we can have the truth of God now adds a few more words.
*****Rev 22:17 And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely.
Rev 22:18 For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book:
Rev 22:19 And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book.
Most all the Word of God is plain enough to understand if we just have "faith" and just understand it as it is written.
There are places that we need some help with, and the Holy Spirit will provide that help through Holy Ghost filled preachers, Sunday School, and just by Him guiding us as we read the Bible.
These words in this passage are very easily understand.
The Lord Jesus, by the Holy Spirit is the only authority of the written Word of God, and no perceived power upon this earth has the authority to change what the Holy Spirit has preserved for us.
If you go to a place of worship what changes any part of the Word of God, I suggest you leave and find a place where the truth is preached and is known!
2Ti 3:16 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:
2Ti 3:17 That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.
We cannot be furnished to step out into the world with God's Message unless we have God's Holy Ghost Inspired Words within us!
Again whose testimony is this?
*****Rev 22:20 He which testifieth these things saith, Surely I come quickly. Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus.
Rev 22:21 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.
It is "Grace" that keeps the Lord from coming, but we must be aware the Lord could step out of Heaven at any moment and in a moment in time we could hear the sound of the trumpet and things will begin to be set in motion.
1Th 4:16 For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:
1Th 4:17 Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.
1Th 4:18 Wherefore comfort one another with these words.
Immediately after the Church has been called out the Tribulation, then these things will begin, and these seven years will be far worse than we can even imagine.
The Lord will return and there will be no "Grace", there will be no "Mercy", there will only be "WRATH"!
Amen
