Transcript

The final words delivered by someone are often their most inspiring words. We come to the closing words of the apostle John as we arrive in the last chapter of Revelation. Of course, what John has to say is not just inspiring; it is divinely inspired.

We begin in verse 6 with a final blessing:

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.”

The speaker here is an angel. And he affirms that John’s vision of the Lord is real—that what the apostle has seen concerning the future will come to pass.

The angel quotes Christ Himself, in verse 7, saying, “Behold, I am coming soon.” If Jesus said that He was coming soon 2,000 years ago, today is sooner than ever! Down in verse 10, the angel says, “The time is near.” And we can say with certainty today that it is nearer than ever!

This perspective creates a timeless principle that if we anticipate our future in heaven, we will begin to live in light of it! Beloved, prophecy about the future was never given to satisfy our curiosity but to develop our character and confidence as we live out our lives in the present.

John is so overwhelmed by all the angel has shown him that he falls down before the angel in worship (verses 8-9). This happened earlier in chapter 19; and as before, the angel reminds John that he is just another fellow servant—that God alone deserves worship.

Next, John receives some final instructions. In verse 10 he is told, “Do not seal up the words of the prophecy of this book, for the time is near.” In other words, “Don’t keep this to yourself. Expound it to the church, and expose it to the world.”

These prophetic words need to be studied. I know there are many people who see Revelation as so hard to understand that they just avoid it. I know of pastors who admit they would never attempt to teach it. But this is God’s Word. Think of what we have learned in our Wisdom Journey through Revelation. Without it, we would have robbed ourselves of the full story of God’s incredible plan. And we would be robbing our world of God’s final warning of the wrath to come.

Yes, people are going to respond differently to the message of Revelation. Verse 11 says, “Let the evildoer still do evil . . . and the holy still be holy.” Put simply, people’s response to God’s Word will determine their eternal destiny.

Jesus speaks in verse 14:

“Blessed are those who wash their robes, so that they may have the right to the tree of life and that they may enter the city by the gates.”

Do not misunderstand this. You do not get into heaven because you did a good job washing your robes; you get into heaven because you trusted the cleansing sacrifice of Christ on the cross for your salvation. That is how you inherit heaven.

The Lord continues in verse 15:

“Outside are the dogs and sorcerers and the sexually immoral and murderers and idolaters, and everyone who loves and practices falsehood.”

“Dogs” here refers to people of low character—it is a term used in Scripture to refer to unbelievers. Dogs, in the days of Christ, were wild and untamed. So, this term describes those who refused to be tamed, as it were, by the Master, the Lord Jesus. Frankly, we are all guilty of lust and lying and hatred. The question is whether we have ask the Lord to forgive us.

Beginning in verse 13, Jesus lays claim to several titles that confirm His deity. He says He is “the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end.” He is declaring that He is eternally preexistent and without end. He spoke the first words, and He will have the last word! These titles can apply only to a non-created, eternally existing God, which means Jesus is claiming to be eternal—God the Son.

Then in verse 16, Jesus calls Himself “the root and the descendant of David.” He is God, but at a point in time, He also entered the human race and into the royal family line of King David. Again, this affirms that Jesus is the Son of God who became the Son of Man. Follow this thought: Only deity could originate—be the “root” of—David’s life, and only humanity could descend from David’s line; so, Jesus is both humanity and deity.

Next, Jesus claims the title of “the bright morning star.” (verse 16). By this title, He is announcing the dawn of a new, eternal day.

In verse 17 we have a final invitation:

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.

We as believers are saying, “Come, Lord Jesus!” But we are also saying to our world, “Come to the Lord Jesus.” If you are thirsty, come to Him for salvation.

If you are hungry and thirsty today for meaning and purpose in life and peace in your heart, Jesus invites you to come to Him and “take the water of life without price.” There is no cost. It is free to you, because Jesus paid it all.

Some final warnings are given in verses 18-19:

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, and if anyone takes aways 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.

So many religions and false teachers in our world today try either to add to the Scriptures or to take away from the meaning of the Scriptures.[1]

This is not a casual warning, and it does not apply only to the book of Revelation but to all of inspired Scripture. God never gave you an eraser to edit out something you do not like, and there is nothing missing in the Bible so that something needs to be added. To add to or subtract from God’s Word is a heaven-or-hell issue.

So, do not tamper with the Word of God. It is complete; it is sufficient. It does not end with a comma; it ends with a period.

Then there is a final promise. Jesus says, “Surely I am coming soon” (verse 20). These are the last recorded words of Jesus: “I am coming soon.” So, remember this closing promise, beloved, and live in light of it. One day, it will come to pass.

To this, John adds the final prayer in the closing words of inspired Scripture. This prayer begins with an “Amen,” and it ends with an “Amen.” And “amen” means “So be it; it is true; I agree!” So, John prays, “Amen [it is true]. “Come, Lord Jesus! The grace of the Lord Jesus be with all. Amen” (verses 20-21).

What a great way to end the Bible—with the word amen! It is all true. The Word of God and the grace of God are true. The grace of God saved us, keeps us, and enables us. And His grace will one day deliver us to our final home, where we will see Him face to face and experience all the delights of this beautiful home—your home and mine—where we will live forever.