The Angel's Second
Visit – Revelation 21:9 –
22:21
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Revelation 21:23-27
And the city had no
need of the sun, neither of the moon,
to shine in it: for the glory of God
did lighten it, and the Lamb is the
light thereof. And the nations of
them which are saved shall walk in
the light of it: and the kings of the
earth do bring their glory and honour
into it. And the gates of it
shall not be shut at all by day: for
there shall be no night there. And
they shall bring the glory and honour
of the nations into it. And there
shall in no wise enter into it any
thing that defileth, neither
whatsoever worketh abomination, or
maketh a lie: but they which are
written in the Lamb’s book of
life.{23} The
city does not need the sun or the
moon to shine on it, for the glory of
God gives it light, and the Lamb is
its lamp.
{24} The
redeemed of all nations will walk by
their light, and the 144,000 (the
kings of the new Earth) will bring
their splendor into it.
{25} The
gates of Heaven will never be closed,
for there will be no darkness or fear
there.
{26} God
will bring the glory and honor of all
the redeemed from every nation,
kindred, tongue, and people into
Heaven.
{27} Nothing
impure will ever enter the Holy City,
and no one who does anything shameful
or deceitful will be permitted to
enter. Only those people whose
names are found written in the
Lamb’s Book of Life will live in
this city.
Revelation 22:1-2
And he showed me a
pure river of water of life, clear as
crystal, proceeding out of the throne
of God and of the Lamb. In the midst
of the street of it, and on either
side of the river, was there the tree
of life, which bare twelve manner of
fruits, and yielded her fruit every
month: and the leaves of the tree
were for the healing of the nations.{22:1} Then
the angel showed me the river of the
water of life that is clear as
crystal. It flows from the throne of
God and of the Lamb,
{2} down
the middle of the great street of the
city. On each side of the river stood
the tree of life, bearing twelve
crops of fruit, yielding its fruit
every month. The leaves of the tree
will be for the healing of the
redeemed from all nations.
Because of rebellion
and sin, God separated mankind at the
Tower of Babel. God imposed
different languages on Noah’s
descendants and language caused the
people to distance themselves from
one another. As time
progressed, differences in cultures
separated the human family and
differences in religion produced a
“wall of separation” that
is very difficult, even to this day,
to overcome. After Jesus
destroys the sin problem, the shade
provided by the leaves on the Tree of
Life will become a joyful meeting
place. A diverse human family
will become acquainted with one
another and united as one family
again.
Revelation 22:3-5
And there shall be no
more curse: but the throne of God and
of the Lamb shall be in it; and his
servants shall serve him: And they
shall see his face; and his name
shall be in their foreheads. And
there shall be no night there; and
they need no candle, neither light of
the sun; for the Lord God giveth them
light: and they shall reign for ever
and ever.{3} The
curse of sin will not exist in the
holy city. Everywhere, there
will be joy and life! The
throne of God and of the Lamb will be
in the city, and His 144,000 servants
will serve Him.
{4} They
will see the face of Jesus,[10] and His name and
the Father’s name[11] will be written
on their foreheads.
{5} Never again
will there be darkness.
God’s people will not need a
lamp or light produced by the Sun,
for the Lord God will give them
light; and they will reign as priests
and kings forever and ever.[12]
Revelation 22:6-7
And he said unto me,
These sayings are faithful and true:
and the Lord God of the holy prophets
sent his angel to show unto his
servants the things which must
shortly be done. Behold, I come
quickly: blessed is he that keepeth
the sayings of the prophecy of this
book.{6} I saw
Jesus standing in Heaven as the
captain of a mighty host.
Appearing as Michael, the archangel,
whom I had seen earlier[13] he said to me,
“The words you have heard and
what you have seen are trustworthy
and true. I am the Lord of
hosts, the God of the spirits of the
prophets, and I have sent my angel to
show you and my servants the events
that must soon occur.
{7} Behold,
I am coming soon! Blessed is he who
keeps the words of the prophecy in
this book in his heart and
mind.”
Revelation 22:8-9
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 showed me these things. 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.{8} When
I heard and saw these things, I fell
down to worship at the feet of the
angel who had come to explain these
things to me.
{9}
But he said, “Do not do it! I am
a fellow servant with you and with
your brothers the prophets and of all
who keep the words of this book.
Worship God!”
Revelation 22:10-11
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.{10}
Then He (Michael, the archangel)
spoke to me again, “Do not seal
up the words of the prophecy of this
book, because the time is near.
{11}
Let him who does wrong continue to do
wrong; let him who is vile continue
to be vile; let him who does right
continue to do right; and let him who
is holy continue to be holy.
Revelation 22:12-13
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.{12}
Behold, I am coming soon! My reward
is with me, and I will give to
everyone according to what he has
done.
{13}
I am the Alpha and the Omega, the
First and the Last, the Beginning and
the End.”
Several times in the
book of Revelation, the return of
Jesus and the end of the age is
described as “near” and
“soon.”[14] At first
glance, Jesus’ use of these two
words seems to indicate an imminent
return and this has puzzled Bible
students for two thousand
years. Because two thousand
years have passed since Jesus uttered
these words, some scholars have
concluded that the words
“near” and “soon”
should be understood from God’s
point of view, that a day is as a
thousand years.[15]
I believe there is a
better explanation. The book of
Revelation was given to benefit
mankind, especially those
who would live at the end of the
age. John was told in A.D. 95,
“Do not seal up the words of the
prophecy of this book,” because
there are many profound truths about
Jesus in the book of Revelation that
are timeless. (See Appendix D)
However, the words “near”
and “soon” do indicate an
imminent return and they should be
taken at face value. When
the time of fulfillment arrives, the
words “soon” and
“near” will mean what they
say. This solution is
timing is supported in verse 11 on
the previous page. Jesus said
to John, “Let him who does wrong
continue to do wrong; let him who is
vile continue to be vile; let him who
does right continue to do right; and
let him who is holy continue to be
holy.” If Jesus’
words are taken at face value
starting with A.D. 95, this means no
one can change his behavior and the
words of Jesus in verse 17 are in
conflict with His words in verse
11. Jesus says in verse 17,
“whoever is thirsty and whoever
wishes, let him come and take the
free gift of the water of
life.” The solution to
the apparent conflict
is simple. If verse 11 is
understood to be a benediction of
redemption’s offer (that is, it
occurs at the end of the 1,260 days
granted to His Two Witnesses), the
benediction makes perfect sense when
the proper time arrives.
Revelation 22:14-21
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. For without are dogs, and
sorcerers, and whoremongers, and
murderers, and idolaters, and
whosoever loveth and maketh a lie. 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. 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. For without are
dogs, and sorcerers, and
whoremongers, and murderers, and
idolaters, and whosoever loveth and
maketh a lie. 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.{14} Michael/Jesus,
the archangel continued to speak,
“Blessed are those who wash
their robes, that they may have the
right to the tree of life and may go
through the gates into the city.
{15}
Outside are the dogs, those who
practice magic arts, the sexually
immoral, the murderers, the idolaters
and everyone who loves and practices
falsehood.
{16}
I have sent my angel to give you this
testimony for the seven
churches. I am the Root and the
Offspring of David, and the bright
Morning Star.
{17} The
Spirit and the bride say,
‘Come!’ And let him who
hears say, ‘Come!’ Whoever
is thirsty, let him come; and whoever
wishes, let him take the free gift of
the water of life.
{18}
I warn everyone who hears the words
of the prophecy of this book: If
anyone adds anything to them, God
will add to him the plagues described
in this book.
{19}
And if anyone takes words away from
this book of prophecy, God will take
away from him his share in the tree
of life and in the holy city, which
are described in this book.”
{20}
He who speaks these things says,
“ Yes, I am coming soon.
Amen.”
“Yes!” John
added, “Come, Lord Jesus.
{21}
The grace of the Lord Jesus be with
God’s people. Amen, so be
it.”
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