1 00:00:12,800 --> 00:00:16,560 Revelation chapter 22 and beginning at verse 1. 2 00:00:18,160 --> 00:00:21,960 Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, bright 3 00:00:21,960 --> 00:00:26,360 as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb through 4 00:00:26,360 --> 00:00:28,160 the middle of the street of the city. 5 00:00:29,000 --> 00:00:31,880 Also on either side of the river, the tree of life, with its 6 00:00:31,960 --> 00:00:34,760 12 kinds of fruit yielding its fruit each month. 7 00:00:35,320 --> 00:00:38,200 The leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. 8 00:00:38,520 --> 00:00:42,600 No longer will there be anything accursed but the throne 9 00:00:42,600 --> 00:00:46,880 of God and of the Lamb will be in it, and his servants will worship 10 00:00:46,880 --> 00:00:47,240 him. 11 00:00:47,800 --> 00:00:51,480 They will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads, 12 00:00:51,880 --> 00:00:53,480 and night will be no more. 13 00:00:54,210 --> 00:00:57,890 They will need no light of lamp or sun, for the Lord God will 14 00:00:57,890 --> 00:01:01,890 be their light, and they will reign forever and ever. 15 00:01:02,850 --> 00:01:07,090 And he said to me, these words are trustworthy and true. 16 00:01:08,050 --> 00:01:11,170 And the Lord, the God of the spirits of the prophets, has sent 17 00:01:11,170 --> 00:01:15,410 his angel to show his servants what must soon take place. 18 00:01:16,930 --> 00:01:19,090 And behold, I am coming soon. 19 00:01:19,900 --> 00:01:23,820 Blessed is the one who keeps the words of the prophecy of this 20 00:01:23,820 --> 00:01:24,140 book. 21 00:01:25,420 --> 00:01:29,060 I, John, am the one who heard and saw these things. 22 00:01:29,060 --> 00:01:31,900 And when I heard and saw them, I fell down to worship at the feet 23 00:01:31,900 --> 00:01:33,540 of the angel who showed them to me. 24 00:01:33,540 --> 00:01:35,980 But he said to me, you must not do that. 25 00:01:36,300 --> 00:01:40,140 I am a fellow servant with you and your brothers, the prophets, 26 00:01:40,380 --> 00:01:45,040 and with those who keep the words of this book, worship God. 27 00:01:47,110 --> 00:01:50,950 And he said to me, do not seal up the words of the prophecy of this 28 00:01:50,950 --> 00:01:52,870 book, for the time is near. 29 00:01:53,590 --> 00:01:57,390 Let the evildoer still do evil and the filthy still be filthy, and 30 00:01:57,390 --> 00:02:01,750 the righteous still do right, and the holy still be holy. 31 00:02:03,030 --> 00:02:09,510 Behold, I am coming soon, bringing my recompense with me to 32 00:02:09,510 --> 00:02:11,510 repay each one for what he has done. 33 00:02:12,640 --> 00:02:18,720 I am the alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning 34 00:02:19,360 --> 00:02:20,240 and the end. 35 00:02:21,840 --> 00:02:25,480 Blessed are those who wash their robes so that they may have 36 00:02:25,480 --> 00:02:28,960 the right to the tree of life and that they may enter the city 37 00:02:29,120 --> 00:02:30,000 by the gates. 38 00:02:30,880 --> 00:02:34,720 Outside are the dogs and sorcerers and the sexually immoral 39 00:02:34,800 --> 00:02:39,520 and murderers and adulterers and everyone who loves and practices 40 00:02:39,600 --> 00:02:40,320 falsehood. 41 00:02:41,830 --> 00:02:46,990 I, Jesus, have sent my angel to testify to you about these things 42 00:02:46,990 --> 00:02:47,990 for the churches. 43 00:02:48,630 --> 00:02:53,190 I am the root and the descendant of David, the bright morning 44 00:02:53,350 --> 00:02:53,750 star. 45 00:02:54,790 --> 00:02:56,869 The spirit and the bride say, come. 46 00:02:57,590 --> 00:03:00,470 And let the one who hears say, come. 47 00:03:01,190 --> 00:03:03,910 And let the one who is thirsty come. 48 00:03:04,950 --> 00:03:09,760 Let the one who desires take the water of life without price. 49 00:03:11,040 --> 00:03:15,120 I warn everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book. 50 00:03:15,520 --> 00:03:19,200 If anyone adds to them, God will add to him the plagues described 51 00:03:19,200 --> 00:03:19,840 in this book. 52 00:03:20,000 --> 00:03:23,480 And if Anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, 53 00:03:23,480 --> 00:03:27,760 God will take away his share in the tree of life and in the holy 54 00:03:27,760 --> 00:03:30,000 city which are described in this book. 55 00:03:30,880 --> 00:03:35,840 He who testifies to these things says, surely I am coming soon. 56 00:03:37,490 --> 00:03:37,970 Amen. 57 00:03:39,090 --> 00:03:41,250 Come, Lord Jesus. 58 00:03:42,290 --> 00:03:46,130 The grace of the Lord Jesus be with us all. 59 00:03:47,250 --> 00:03:47,890 Amen. 60 00:03:49,490 --> 00:03:54,170 After 33 sermons, we have come to the end of our studies. 61 00:03:54,170 --> 00:03:59,970 In Revelation, it was similar with Romans, when I promised you 62 00:03:59,970 --> 00:04:01,730 a cake whenever we finished. 63 00:04:02,230 --> 00:04:06,750 I don't think there's a cake this evening, but we have come to 64 00:04:06,750 --> 00:04:07,190 the end. 65 00:04:08,070 --> 00:04:11,990 And I've often described this as the greatest book in Scripture, 66 00:04:11,990 --> 00:04:14,910 but that's maybe a little bit unfair because we should treat the 67 00:04:14,910 --> 00:04:18,070 full canon of Scripture as one great book. 68 00:04:18,870 --> 00:04:23,270 But I hope that after these months, God's vision to John isn't 69 00:04:23,270 --> 00:04:27,670 as daunting as it perhaps felt whenever we started it a year ago. 70 00:04:29,050 --> 00:04:32,610 Like the rest of Scripture, its purpose has been to show us the 71 00:04:32,610 --> 00:04:37,610 glory of God and his sovereign reign over all the world. 72 00:04:38,810 --> 00:04:42,970 This has been a book that has shown us some truly wonderful things, 73 00:04:43,930 --> 00:04:47,690 as well as things that are beyond our full comprehension. 74 00:04:48,810 --> 00:04:52,930 It's repeated key themes and it's also drawn strongly on the Old 75 00:04:52,930 --> 00:04:56,750 Testament to show us what God's intention for his people is. 76 00:04:56,750 --> 00:05:00,590 And we should only expect that because for the original hearers, 77 00:05:00,590 --> 00:05:04,750 that's all they had, the knowledge of what was promised and 78 00:05:04,750 --> 00:05:06,470 how it was fulfilled in Jesus. 79 00:05:08,790 --> 00:05:12,950 But this, of course, has been a book written for the church. 80 00:05:13,910 --> 00:05:17,870 In his prologue, in chapter one, there in verse three, John says 81 00:05:17,870 --> 00:05:22,130 that it is to be read aloud, which we would understand is to be 82 00:05:22,130 --> 00:05:24,890 read in a group such as the church. 83 00:05:26,250 --> 00:05:30,730 Chapters two and three then detailed a letter specifically written 84 00:05:30,730 --> 00:05:35,210 to specific churches in the ancient world, all given by vision 85 00:05:35,210 --> 00:05:35,650 to John. 86 00:05:35,650 --> 00:05:39,250 And in chapter four, he doesn't even take a breath, but continues 87 00:05:39,250 --> 00:05:41,850 detailing the vision that he is given. 88 00:05:42,010 --> 00:05:47,780 So there is no division between verse three or, sorry, chapter 89 00:05:47,780 --> 00:05:49,300 three and chapter four. 90 00:05:50,260 --> 00:05:52,820 We take it as one book. 91 00:05:53,780 --> 00:05:58,020 And now, having preached through it, I feel sorry for many 92 00:05:58,020 --> 00:06:01,819 ministers who simply stop at the end of chapter three after the 93 00:06:01,819 --> 00:06:04,580 seven letters to the seven, or the letters to the seven churches. 94 00:06:04,820 --> 00:06:06,220 They don't want to go any further. 95 00:06:06,220 --> 00:06:09,860 But yet, whenever you look at the very next words of chapter four, 96 00:06:09,940 --> 00:06:11,220 the vision continues. 97 00:06:11,850 --> 00:06:12,730 There's no break. 98 00:06:13,610 --> 00:06:16,650 John continues to tell us what he sees. 99 00:06:18,250 --> 00:06:23,090 You see, the glory of God for the church is the hope we have that 100 00:06:23,090 --> 00:06:25,770 one day all will be okay. 101 00:06:27,610 --> 00:06:31,650 The hope that we have is that sin and its consequences will be 102 00:06:31,650 --> 00:06:35,930 defeated and evil will have no more say on our lives. 103 00:06:37,140 --> 00:06:42,420 And to this we should say Hallelujah as we await the day when 104 00:06:42,420 --> 00:06:44,900 all will become new. 105 00:06:48,100 --> 00:06:55,140 If you take a walk down by the harbour here in Anna Long, I feel 106 00:06:55,140 --> 00:06:56,100 a need to say this. 107 00:06:56,660 --> 00:06:58,500 You'll not find a rope bridge. 108 00:07:00,180 --> 00:07:04,020 It came to my attention at tea time this evening that one or two 109 00:07:04,020 --> 00:07:08,240 people may have believed that there actually was rope bridge. 110 00:07:09,200 --> 00:07:12,480 If you weren't here this morning, you don't know what I'm 111 00:07:12,480 --> 00:07:17,240 talking about, but I had an AI image from the Internet that I created 112 00:07:17,240 --> 00:07:21,000 with a rope bridge across our harbor, asking the girls and boys 113 00:07:21,000 --> 00:07:22,720 if they would be brave enough to cross it. 114 00:07:23,200 --> 00:07:26,120 So if you thought of going down this afternoon or later tonight 115 00:07:26,120 --> 00:07:29,400 to walk across that rope bridge, I'm sorry, you'll be deeply 116 00:07:29,400 --> 00:07:30,160 disappointed. 117 00:07:30,480 --> 00:07:33,520 But I would encourage you to go down to the harbour and look for 118 00:07:33,520 --> 00:07:34,240 something else. 119 00:07:34,870 --> 00:07:36,230 I want you to look for a boat. 120 00:07:36,870 --> 00:07:41,030 Because there, sitting in the harbor, is glorious hope. 121 00:07:42,950 --> 00:07:46,590 Now, my understanding is that the owner, as he said to me about 122 00:07:46,590 --> 00:07:51,430 it, gave it its name after this sermon series that we're looking 123 00:07:51,430 --> 00:07:51,750 at. 124 00:07:53,190 --> 00:07:57,190 And I thought this was a wonderful thing for no other reason 125 00:07:57,590 --> 00:08:01,390 but that the truth of revelation must be taken beyond the 126 00:08:01,390 --> 00:08:05,560 pages of this book and into an understanding of the reality that 127 00:08:05,560 --> 00:08:08,320 is yet to come for God's people. 128 00:08:10,240 --> 00:08:15,760 For if we simply just allow revelation to sit on the pages, then 129 00:08:15,760 --> 00:08:20,160 that's all it is, words printed on paper. 130 00:08:21,520 --> 00:08:25,280 We must take it beyond Scripture to live it as we understand 131 00:08:25,440 --> 00:08:29,760 it, so that it will be our glorious hope beyond this building 132 00:08:30,620 --> 00:08:32,780 as we look to the days that are ahead. 133 00:08:33,740 --> 00:08:36,780 And although I've said it's written for the church and for Christians 134 00:08:36,780 --> 00:08:40,220 to give them this eternal perspective and this glorious hope, 135 00:08:40,540 --> 00:08:44,220 it isn't and hasn't been without its challenge to the lost. 136 00:08:45,100 --> 00:08:47,580 Now, the lost are those who don't know Christ. 137 00:08:48,460 --> 00:08:52,820 And if they don't know Christ, then they will face the truth of 138 00:08:52,820 --> 00:08:54,460 what this book speaks of. 139 00:08:55,260 --> 00:09:03,210 As John sees evil, sinful, the rebellious and mockers of God punished 140 00:09:03,210 --> 00:09:03,930 for their sin. 141 00:09:04,810 --> 00:09:07,970 So a book of hope for God's people and a book of warning for 142 00:09:07,970 --> 00:09:09,770 those who do not yet know him. 143 00:09:10,890 --> 00:09:14,570 But the graciousness of God throughout it has been that while 144 00:09:14,570 --> 00:09:18,130 there is yet time, there is a call for repentance. 145 00:09:18,130 --> 00:09:22,970 And no more so pointedly than as we come to this final chapter. 146 00:09:22,970 --> 00:09:27,220 And I want you to already notice that there's three times two 147 00:09:27,220 --> 00:09:27,940 things are said. 148 00:09:27,940 --> 00:09:30,860 And in Scripture, when something is said three times, it 149 00:09:30,860 --> 00:09:32,380 is said there for emphasis. 150 00:09:32,380 --> 00:09:35,580 We've already said that the invitation come is mentioned three 151 00:09:35,580 --> 00:09:35,860 times. 152 00:09:35,860 --> 00:09:39,300 But Jesus also tells us that he is coming soon. 153 00:09:39,860 --> 00:09:40,740 Three times. 154 00:09:41,620 --> 00:09:44,900 Therefore, we are told this following the rest of Scripture, 155 00:09:45,220 --> 00:09:47,460 or what is the pattern of Scripture? 156 00:09:48,020 --> 00:09:51,610 To know that this is of deep meaning that must be paid attention 157 00:09:51,610 --> 00:09:54,290 to, that Jesus is coming soon. 158 00:09:54,290 --> 00:09:57,130 But yet he offers the invitation that while there is yet 159 00:09:57,130 --> 00:09:59,970 time to come unto him for salvation. 160 00:10:01,250 --> 00:10:04,890 And so, as we come to the last chapter, we're once again shown an 161 00:10:04,890 --> 00:10:06,770 image that we have seen before. 162 00:10:08,130 --> 00:10:11,410 Now John has just seen the new heaven and the new earth and the 163 00:10:11,410 --> 00:10:13,090 new Jerusalem coming down. 164 00:10:13,570 --> 00:10:16,970 And now we're told that he sees something else in that city. 165 00:10:16,970 --> 00:10:18,410 It's not about the dimensions. 166 00:10:18,410 --> 00:10:18,850 It's. 167 00:10:19,170 --> 00:10:22,690 It's not about the fabric of the walls and the precious jewels 168 00:10:22,690 --> 00:10:23,330 that are there. 169 00:10:23,650 --> 00:10:26,290 But this is what we read in verses 1 and 2. 170 00:10:26,610 --> 00:10:29,410 Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life. 171 00:10:29,410 --> 00:10:32,530 And by the way, did you pick up in our hymn that we've just sung, 172 00:10:32,770 --> 00:10:37,730 Come on to me all who thirst, another of the I ams of Jesus. 173 00:10:37,730 --> 00:10:40,410 And now we hear, we have it fulfilled in revelation. 174 00:10:40,410 --> 00:10:43,730 The river of the water of life, bright as crystal, flowing 175 00:10:43,730 --> 00:10:46,450 from the throne of God and of the Lamb through the middle of the 176 00:10:46,450 --> 00:10:47,330 street of the city. 177 00:10:48,030 --> 00:10:51,270 Also on either side of the river, the tree of life, with its 178 00:10:51,270 --> 00:10:54,750 12 kinds of fruit yielding its fruit each month. 179 00:10:55,550 --> 00:10:59,870 The leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. 180 00:11:00,350 --> 00:11:05,030 And so the image given to us here is of a river, and it's used 181 00:11:05,030 --> 00:11:09,470 to describe replenishment and refreshment for God's people. 182 00:11:10,030 --> 00:11:12,750 And this idea is seen throughout Scripture. 183 00:11:13,480 --> 00:11:17,360 The Old Testament prophets of Zechariah and Ezekiel prophesied 184 00:11:17,360 --> 00:11:21,400 that a river will flow from Jerusalem and from the temple in 185 00:11:21,400 --> 00:11:22,200 the last days. 186 00:11:23,240 --> 00:11:27,040 The great songbook of God's people, the Psalms, also tells US 187 00:11:27,040 --> 00:11:31,880 In Psalm 46, 4, there is a river whose streams make glad the 188 00:11:31,880 --> 00:11:34,760 city of God, the holy habitation of the Most High. 189 00:11:35,240 --> 00:11:41,050 And so this foretold river of life, the living waters, has been 190 00:11:41,050 --> 00:11:43,970 known by the people of God throughout all of their generations 191 00:11:44,610 --> 00:11:46,490 through song and through prophecy. 192 00:11:46,490 --> 00:11:50,850 And now we see fulfilled in the new Jerusalem coming down from 193 00:11:50,850 --> 00:11:51,330 heaven. 194 00:11:52,210 --> 00:11:56,970 So John now sees this ultimate fulfillment of these prophecies here 195 00:11:56,970 --> 00:11:57,570 in Revelation. 196 00:11:57,570 --> 00:11:58,970 And this is no ordinary river. 197 00:11:58,970 --> 00:12:02,730 It has the water of life, a commodity that Jesus himself said 198 00:12:02,730 --> 00:12:04,690 he had in John 4. 199 00:12:05,740 --> 00:12:09,740 And you know, it's a river that is as clean and bright as crystal. 200 00:12:10,220 --> 00:12:13,260 There's no contamination in it whatsoever. 201 00:12:13,740 --> 00:12:18,420 And it flows from God's throne and from the Lamb and runs down the 202 00:12:18,420 --> 00:12:21,780 middle of the great street of the City, showing that life comes 203 00:12:21,780 --> 00:12:24,140 from God and the Lamb. 204 00:12:25,980 --> 00:12:30,380 And so here, the tree of life standing on either side of the river, 205 00:12:31,590 --> 00:12:35,870 bringing us back to Eden, and the tree of life in the middle of 206 00:12:35,870 --> 00:12:36,350 the garden. 207 00:12:36,350 --> 00:12:40,110 And isn't that what we saw just a matter of weeks ago, that 208 00:12:40,110 --> 00:12:46,430 the whole point of Revelation is Eden, a return to Eden, knowing 209 00:12:46,430 --> 00:12:50,870 that what was perfect in the beginning will become perfect again 210 00:12:50,870 --> 00:12:51,670 at the end. 211 00:12:52,310 --> 00:12:53,990 A city and a garden. 212 00:12:54,310 --> 00:12:57,670 And so this tree of life is there, right in the middle. 213 00:12:58,310 --> 00:13:01,030 And this tree yields 12 kinds of fruit. 214 00:13:01,190 --> 00:13:03,190 Its leaves are for the healing of the nations. 215 00:13:03,190 --> 00:13:07,070 Again echoing what Ezekiel says in chapter 47 and verse 12. 216 00:13:07,070 --> 00:13:10,550 On the banks on both sides of the river, there will grow all kinds 217 00:13:10,550 --> 00:13:11,670 of trees for food. 218 00:13:11,910 --> 00:13:14,470 Their leaves will not wither, nor their fruit fail. 219 00:13:14,630 --> 00:13:18,190 But they will bear fresh fruit every month because the water for 220 00:13:18,190 --> 00:13:19,830 them flows from the sanctuary. 221 00:13:20,070 --> 00:13:24,070 Their fruit will be for food and their leaves for healing. 222 00:13:25,700 --> 00:13:28,980 Whenever we were missionaries, or my friend and I were missionaries 223 00:13:28,980 --> 00:13:32,420 in Ivory Coast, West Africa, we were told that we should plant 224 00:13:32,420 --> 00:13:33,700 a papaya tree. 225 00:13:33,940 --> 00:13:37,140 In fact, we should plant 12 of them, spaced a month apart, because 226 00:13:37,140 --> 00:13:42,220 a papaya tree will only produce fruit once a year, and if 227 00:13:42,220 --> 00:13:45,540 you produce them once every month, then you will have a full 228 00:13:45,540 --> 00:13:46,820 year's worth of fruit. 229 00:13:47,540 --> 00:13:51,630 And this is the sense we have, a sense of plenty. 230 00:13:52,670 --> 00:13:53,070 12. 231 00:13:54,270 --> 00:13:55,390 We have 12 months. 232 00:13:56,590 --> 00:13:57,390 What does it say? 233 00:13:57,390 --> 00:13:57,750 It's. 234 00:13:57,750 --> 00:13:59,790 It's food that will never. 235 00:13:59,790 --> 00:14:01,150 Its fruit will never fail. 236 00:14:01,630 --> 00:14:05,950 A constant supply for us, so that we will know in this great city 237 00:14:05,950 --> 00:14:10,190 of God that we will be well cared for and well provided. 238 00:14:10,750 --> 00:14:15,070 And so what Ezekiel is saying here in his prophecy, where it is 239 00:14:15,830 --> 00:14:18,590 especially significant, is that it comes from a chapter where 240 00:14:18,590 --> 00:14:20,310 he is describing the new temple. 241 00:14:20,550 --> 00:14:23,470 And we see again that the temple prophecy in Ezekiel refers 242 00:14:23,470 --> 00:14:27,670 to the new heavens and the new Earth, where there is no literal 243 00:14:27,670 --> 00:14:29,750 temple in the new creation. 244 00:14:29,910 --> 00:14:30,710 It's full. 245 00:14:31,830 --> 00:14:34,310 It's a constant replenishment. 246 00:14:34,790 --> 00:14:39,070 A river to refresh, a river to enliven, and a tree of life that 247 00:14:39,070 --> 00:14:43,140 never grows old or rotten, whose leaves reinvigorate the people 248 00:14:43,140 --> 00:14:45,820 of God from whatever part of this world they come from. 249 00:14:46,780 --> 00:14:49,900 And isn't that such a contrast to what's the world around us? 250 00:14:50,620 --> 00:14:53,620 If you've grown tomatoes, you're seeing that we're coming to 251 00:14:53,620 --> 00:14:57,420 the end of the harvest, where the tomato vines are starting to 252 00:14:57,420 --> 00:15:00,580 wither, and no matter how much you water them, how much heat you 253 00:15:00,580 --> 00:15:03,180 try to get into your greenhouse, they simply will not 254 00:15:03,180 --> 00:15:05,740 thrive, for their time has come. 255 00:15:06,380 --> 00:15:10,400 We're heading into autumn and winter, but here we have somewhere 256 00:15:10,400 --> 00:15:12,000 different from what is around us. 257 00:15:12,240 --> 00:15:16,880 We have a place that is truly alive and there will be no more death. 258 00:15:17,280 --> 00:15:21,520 We are assured that in this life, yes, God provides for us in 259 00:15:21,520 --> 00:15:21,960 every way. 260 00:15:21,960 --> 00:15:25,280 But in eternity, that provision will be more than we can 261 00:15:25,280 --> 00:15:26,480 ever imagine. 262 00:15:28,000 --> 00:15:30,560 And it will be Eden restored. 263 00:15:31,600 --> 00:15:34,680 And verse three repeats what we learned in chapter 21. 264 00:15:34,680 --> 00:15:38,080 This time it's a summary telling us that nothing that is sinful 265 00:15:38,080 --> 00:15:41,100 or accursed will be found in the new Jerusalem. 266 00:15:41,340 --> 00:15:45,300 Instead of what is common here and now in this sinful world, there 267 00:15:45,300 --> 00:15:48,220 will be a place of worship to God and the Lamb. 268 00:15:48,460 --> 00:15:52,340 And look at how intimate this will be for God's people, because 269 00:15:52,340 --> 00:15:56,340 verse four says they will see his face and his name will be on 270 00:15:56,340 --> 00:15:57,340 their foreheads. 271 00:15:57,980 --> 00:16:01,020 Now this is a completely upside down view of what we know 272 00:16:01,020 --> 00:16:01,820 Scripture to say. 273 00:16:01,820 --> 00:16:04,660 Because throughout the Old Testament, anyone who was in the 274 00:16:04,660 --> 00:16:07,820 presence of God had to hide their face because they could not 275 00:16:07,820 --> 00:16:08,620 look upon him. 276 00:16:08,700 --> 00:16:13,030 Because of his Shekinah glory, they could not look upon him or they 277 00:16:13,030 --> 00:16:13,750 would die. 278 00:16:14,310 --> 00:16:16,070 Moses had to turn his back. 279 00:16:16,310 --> 00:16:18,550 Elijah in the cleft of the rock. 280 00:16:19,910 --> 00:16:21,990 But what will it be in heaven? 281 00:16:22,710 --> 00:16:29,910 No more hiding, but looking and looking fully in his face. 282 00:16:31,990 --> 00:16:34,950 Do you know, this is impossible to describe. 283 00:16:35,990 --> 00:16:39,310 We don't know what this is going to be like because none of 284 00:16:39,310 --> 00:16:41,930 us has ever experienced it. 285 00:16:43,130 --> 00:16:49,050 As Psalm 17 and verse 15 says, I shall behold your face in righteousness 286 00:16:49,770 --> 00:16:50,810 when I awake. 287 00:16:51,050 --> 00:16:54,330 I shall be satisfied with your likeness. 288 00:16:56,250 --> 00:17:01,050 You see, the greatest agony in this life is to be separated from 289 00:17:01,050 --> 00:17:04,970 God, where we cannot look upon him because of our sin. 290 00:17:06,500 --> 00:17:11,020 But remember what Jesus taught in the Sermon on the mount in Matthew 291 00:17:11,020 --> 00:17:12,180 5:8. 292 00:17:12,900 --> 00:17:17,540 Blessed are the pure in heart, because what will happen to them? 293 00:17:19,460 --> 00:17:21,700 They will see God. 294 00:17:22,420 --> 00:17:25,420 And how many times have we simply brushed over that statement 295 00:17:25,420 --> 00:17:26,540 in the Beatitudes? 296 00:17:26,540 --> 00:17:31,060 And now here in Revelation 22, it becomes alive and full of meaning 297 00:17:31,060 --> 00:17:31,860 for us. 298 00:17:32,260 --> 00:17:36,980 Because no longer will we have to hide but those who seek after 299 00:17:36,980 --> 00:17:43,300 the Lord and His ways, well, we shall see God in all his beautiful 300 00:17:43,380 --> 00:17:43,940 glory. 301 00:17:43,940 --> 00:17:45,940 What a promise fulfilled. 302 00:17:46,500 --> 00:17:50,700 The created who have not been able to gaze on the Creator will 303 00:17:50,700 --> 00:17:52,020 be able to do so. 304 00:17:52,820 --> 00:17:55,700 And God's name will be imprinted on the foreheads of those 305 00:17:55,700 --> 00:17:59,300 who are his, just as the mark of the beast is on the forehead and 306 00:17:59,300 --> 00:18:02,190 hands of those who give themselves to each evil. 307 00:18:03,310 --> 00:18:07,590 You see, the point that has been made here is that God's servants 308 00:18:07,590 --> 00:18:09,550 are identifiably his. 309 00:18:10,350 --> 00:18:12,190 There'll be no getting away from it. 310 00:18:12,910 --> 00:18:17,070 They are gods and they will enjoy him forever. 311 00:18:18,270 --> 00:18:21,550 And in verse five, John circles back to the theme of light. 312 00:18:22,030 --> 00:18:26,070 And since there will be no night in the city, there'll be no 313 00:18:26,070 --> 00:18:31,720 smidgen of evil, any corner, so there's no need for lamp or sun. 314 00:18:31,960 --> 00:18:32,680 For the Lord. 315 00:18:32,680 --> 00:18:36,360 God will be the light of his people and for his people. 316 00:18:36,680 --> 00:18:40,600 And God's people will fulfill what was intended from the beginning. 317 00:18:40,840 --> 00:18:44,160 They will reign forever, fulfilling the mandate originally 318 00:18:44,160 --> 00:18:45,080 given to Adam. 319 00:18:45,160 --> 00:18:48,520 They will be kings and priests over the new creation. 320 00:18:49,400 --> 00:18:53,240 And so the coming new world transcends our understanding and 321 00:18:53,320 --> 00:18:56,760 our experience because none of us have ever experienced it. 322 00:18:57,310 --> 00:19:02,030 But John now here tries to describe what is indescribable. 323 00:19:03,550 --> 00:19:06,830 And so, even though we may not fully comprehend everything that 324 00:19:06,830 --> 00:19:10,350 is awaiting God's people, the most important feature of the new 325 00:19:10,350 --> 00:19:15,310 world is not what we will do, but whom we will see. 326 00:19:16,430 --> 00:19:20,270 The greatest joy in the new creation will be fellowship with 327 00:19:20,350 --> 00:19:22,030 God and the Lamb. 328 00:19:23,240 --> 00:19:27,520 John doesn't concentrate on our seeing and enjoying one another, 329 00:19:27,520 --> 00:19:28,920 though doubtless that will happen. 330 00:19:29,480 --> 00:19:32,680 He fixes our attention on the beauty of the city. 331 00:19:33,160 --> 00:19:37,080 And the city is lovely because the Lord is there. 332 00:19:37,720 --> 00:19:41,240 And if our hearts do not thrill at the prospect of seeing 333 00:19:41,240 --> 00:19:44,920 God and the Lamb, then we need to know God better, we need to follow 334 00:19:44,920 --> 00:19:47,720 him more nearly, and we need to love him more dearly. 335 00:19:48,610 --> 00:19:52,210 The psalmist knew the emptiness and ache and loneliness 336 00:19:52,210 --> 00:19:56,530 of the human heart that can be filled only with God. 337 00:19:57,090 --> 00:20:00,690 He is our true satisfaction and joy. 338 00:20:01,650 --> 00:20:06,050 But as we have seen before in Revelation, there is a word to take 339 00:20:06,050 --> 00:20:06,610 heed of. 340 00:20:07,490 --> 00:20:11,050 Verse 6 affirms that the words of this revelation are trustworthy 341 00:20:11,050 --> 00:20:11,570 and true. 342 00:20:11,890 --> 00:20:14,840 And returning to what was said at the beginning of these books or 343 00:20:14,840 --> 00:20:17,520 this book, these things must soon take place. 344 00:20:18,400 --> 00:20:22,800 So there's an urgency for each generation to sit up and to pay attention. 345 00:20:24,240 --> 00:20:26,920 And so this is what Jesus says in verse seven. 346 00:20:26,920 --> 00:20:28,720 And behold, I am coming soon. 347 00:20:29,120 --> 00:20:32,960 Blessed is the one who keeps the words of the prophecy of this 348 00:20:32,960 --> 00:20:33,280 book. 349 00:20:33,920 --> 00:20:37,200 See, the warning given to us is to be on our guard. 350 00:20:38,560 --> 00:20:39,680 Be on your guard. 351 00:20:40,160 --> 00:20:41,400 Jesus is coming back. 352 00:20:41,400 --> 00:20:45,400 And just because he hasn't returned in 2000 years doesn't mean 353 00:20:45,400 --> 00:20:47,820 that this statement is any less true. 354 00:20:48,700 --> 00:20:52,540 And because Jesus is coming soon, those who keep the words of 355 00:20:52,540 --> 00:20:54,300 the prophecy will be blessed. 356 00:20:54,700 --> 00:20:56,700 They will gain an eternal reward. 357 00:20:57,260 --> 00:21:01,300 That's why Nancy Guthrie, in writing her book on Revelation, called 358 00:21:01,300 --> 00:21:02,540 it blessed. 359 00:21:03,180 --> 00:21:06,700 Because ultimately, revelation points us to the greatest blessing, 360 00:21:07,260 --> 00:21:09,100 to know life eternal. 361 00:21:09,820 --> 00:21:13,980 Nothing in this life is more important than receiving that reward. 362 00:21:15,210 --> 00:21:17,930 Merely hearing the prophecies does not suffice. 363 00:21:18,570 --> 00:21:22,570 We must observe and we must keep what is Written here in this 364 00:21:22,570 --> 00:21:26,570 book, we're told in Revelation to place our hope only in Christ, 365 00:21:26,810 --> 00:21:30,490 for He is the only one who will be the victor over sin and death. 366 00:21:30,970 --> 00:21:35,050 And John has seen that and revealed it to us in this Revelation. 367 00:21:35,850 --> 00:21:39,970 And so to keep them, to keep these prophecies, the truth of this 368 00:21:39,970 --> 00:21:42,490 book looks like what John tells us in verse 8. 369 00:21:43,120 --> 00:21:43,760 What does he do? 370 00:21:43,760 --> 00:21:45,280 He falls down in worship. 371 00:21:45,600 --> 00:21:49,400 But just like he has done before, he falls down to worship 372 00:21:49,400 --> 00:21:50,400 the wrong object. 373 00:21:50,720 --> 00:21:54,400 He falls down to worship the angel, and the angel describes himself 374 00:21:54,400 --> 00:21:57,440 as a fellow servant as he chastises John for that. 375 00:21:58,479 --> 00:22:03,080 Instead, the message comes that it is appropriate and it is 376 00:22:03,080 --> 00:22:09,200 a command to worship God in response to this book. 377 00:22:11,010 --> 00:22:16,090 And in keeping what it says, worship of God, after all, is submitting 378 00:22:16,090 --> 00:22:19,970 ourselves to his lordship and his authority, meaning that we are 379 00:22:19,970 --> 00:22:21,890 his, and we are his alone. 380 00:22:22,690 --> 00:22:25,490 And so verse 10 and 11 then goes on to command. 381 00:22:25,890 --> 00:22:29,850 John says, and he said to me, do not seal up the words of the prophecy 382 00:22:29,850 --> 00:22:32,050 of this book, for the time is near. 383 00:22:32,450 --> 00:22:36,370 Let the evildoers still do evil, and the filthy still be filthy, 384 00:22:36,620 --> 00:22:40,940 and the righteous still do right, and the holy still be holy. 385 00:22:42,060 --> 00:22:44,220 So we know that the time is near. 386 00:22:44,620 --> 00:22:48,700 And what John is saying is told here that he mustn't seal up 387 00:22:48,700 --> 00:22:51,580 or hide the words of this prophecy recorded in the book. 388 00:22:52,060 --> 00:22:55,820 They are to go to the churches, to be read and to be heard 389 00:22:55,820 --> 00:22:56,300 aloud. 390 00:22:57,180 --> 00:22:59,980 And you see, we're reminded again that the book of Revelation 391 00:22:59,980 --> 00:23:03,620 is not merely apocalyptic speaking of end times, but it's also 392 00:23:03,620 --> 00:23:04,300 prophetic. 393 00:23:05,680 --> 00:23:08,880 See, there's a contrast here, because as we've paralleled Revelation 394 00:23:08,880 --> 00:23:13,040 with Daniel, Daniel was told to seal up his prophecy for the end 395 00:23:13,040 --> 00:23:13,600 of time. 396 00:23:13,840 --> 00:23:18,880 But John must not seal up what he has written, for the end is at 397 00:23:18,880 --> 00:23:19,200 hand. 398 00:23:20,319 --> 00:23:23,840 The words that we have in verse 11 are certainly among the 399 00:23:23,840 --> 00:23:26,080 most unexpected in the book. 400 00:23:26,400 --> 00:23:30,200 For here, the unrighteous and the filthy are told to continue in 401 00:23:30,200 --> 00:23:33,030 their unrighteousness and their filthiness, while the righteous 402 00:23:33,030 --> 00:23:35,910 and the holy are to continue to be righteous and holy. 403 00:23:36,230 --> 00:23:39,350 Now, this does not mean that people should not repent of evil. 404 00:23:39,750 --> 00:23:41,990 John clearly thinks that people should. 405 00:23:43,030 --> 00:23:46,470 The shock of the statement is meant to prompt repentance. 406 00:23:47,030 --> 00:23:51,070 Those who are evil are invited to come and drink freely of the water 407 00:23:51,070 --> 00:23:51,470 of life. 408 00:23:51,470 --> 00:23:56,870 And so the Command of verse 11 is not some fatalistic word, as if 409 00:23:56,870 --> 00:24:00,580 the evil should in fact pursue the wicked ways. 410 00:24:01,300 --> 00:24:05,020 It's Daniel, chapter 12, verse 10, that helps us understand what 411 00:24:05,020 --> 00:24:05,700 John means. 412 00:24:06,420 --> 00:24:09,740 And that's not surprising, because John has alluded to Daniel 413 00:24:09,740 --> 00:24:11,620 12 in the previous verse. 414 00:24:12,260 --> 00:24:16,540 This is what we read there back in Daniel 12:10 Many shall purify 415 00:24:16,540 --> 00:24:19,140 themselves, and make themselves white, and be refined, 416 00:24:19,140 --> 00:24:22,540 but the wicked shall act wickedly, and none of the wicked 417 00:24:22,540 --> 00:24:26,430 shall understand, but those who are wise shall understand. 418 00:24:27,470 --> 00:24:29,950 And so here we have the clue to John's intention. 419 00:24:30,670 --> 00:24:33,630 The point is that Daniel's prophecy is being fulfilled. 420 00:24:34,190 --> 00:24:38,470 Many of the wicked will never understand, but will continue in 421 00:24:38,470 --> 00:24:39,310 their wickedness. 422 00:24:40,110 --> 00:24:40,990 But not all. 423 00:24:42,430 --> 00:24:46,670 You see, the incomprehension of those who remain in their evil 424 00:24:47,070 --> 00:24:48,830 seems baffling to the righteous. 425 00:24:49,960 --> 00:24:54,160 It can even sow doubts in the hearts of the saints as to whether 426 00:24:54,160 --> 00:24:56,000 they are right in following the Lord. 427 00:24:56,000 --> 00:24:58,680 And there are people who have spoken to me about that. 428 00:24:59,400 --> 00:25:02,680 The problem, though, is not with any lack of clarity of truth. 429 00:25:03,480 --> 00:25:05,240 The problem is with wicked hearts. 430 00:25:06,040 --> 00:25:09,440 The godly should not be deterred by the disobedience of the 431 00:25:09,440 --> 00:25:13,720 wicked, but should continue to pursue righteousness and holiness. 432 00:25:14,850 --> 00:25:17,410 Paul expresses the same thought when he writes in 2nd Timothy 433 00:25:17,410 --> 00:25:22,730 3:13 Evil people and imposters will go on from bad to worse, deceiving 434 00:25:22,730 --> 00:25:23,890 and being deceived. 435 00:25:24,210 --> 00:25:27,370 And so the righteous should heed this warning and remain true 436 00:25:27,370 --> 00:25:31,570 to the Lord, trusting in what he says and what he has shown will 437 00:25:31,570 --> 00:25:32,210 take place. 438 00:25:34,690 --> 00:25:38,530 Even though the wicked are told to continue in their rebellion, 439 00:25:39,010 --> 00:25:40,450 they are not without hope. 440 00:25:41,320 --> 00:25:45,800 For as the Spirit of God moves to convince and convict of salvation, 441 00:25:46,680 --> 00:25:50,200 so they will turn and come unto Christ. 442 00:25:51,400 --> 00:25:54,920 This is the truth, and this is the hope of what this book has been 443 00:25:54,920 --> 00:26:00,000 telling us, a warning that while there is yet time to come to 444 00:26:00,000 --> 00:26:02,840 the Savior and find rest in Him. 445 00:26:05,320 --> 00:26:09,340 Now, I said we'd be done by 9 o' clock and we've only got to verse 446 00:26:09,420 --> 00:26:09,820 11. 447 00:26:11,020 --> 00:26:14,380 So I think we'll have our tea and coffee and then we'll come back. 448 00:26:16,540 --> 00:26:20,740 We'll be done well before 9 o' clock because we are going to turn 449 00:26:20,740 --> 00:26:22,860 to verses 12 through to 21. 450 00:26:23,580 --> 00:26:27,980 And these verses are unique in the whole of the book because what 451 00:26:27,980 --> 00:26:29,740 they do is give us a conclusion. 452 00:26:30,780 --> 00:26:32,060 They give us a summary. 453 00:26:33,040 --> 00:26:37,520 Just as John has given us a prologue to prepare us, so he now 454 00:26:37,520 --> 00:26:43,040 gives us a conclusion as a way to remember what has been said throughout 455 00:26:43,040 --> 00:26:43,520 the book. 456 00:26:45,120 --> 00:26:48,960 In verse 12 we're reminded that Jesus again is coming soon, 457 00:26:49,280 --> 00:26:52,160 and he will punish those who do not repent of their sin. 458 00:26:52,720 --> 00:26:55,880 And that punishment is eternity in the lake of fire. 459 00:26:55,880 --> 00:26:59,000 But for those who are redeemed by Christ's blood, they will receive 460 00:26:59,000 --> 00:26:59,560 their reward. 461 00:26:59,560 --> 00:27:04,780 Verse 14 tells us, Blessed are those who wash their robes so that 462 00:27:04,780 --> 00:27:08,540 they may have the right to the Tree of Life and that they may enter 463 00:27:08,540 --> 00:27:10,180 the city by the gates. 464 00:27:11,460 --> 00:27:14,820 Those who wash their robes, who are clean from evil have the 465 00:27:14,820 --> 00:27:17,860 right to eat from the tree of Life and enter the gates of the city 466 00:27:18,420 --> 00:27:21,060 to find refuge, to find safety. 467 00:27:21,700 --> 00:27:25,460 The tree of life and entering the city are two different images, 468 00:27:26,020 --> 00:27:28,820 but they speak of the life of the age to come. 469 00:27:29,990 --> 00:27:33,270 The Tree of Life was withheld from Adam and Eve because of their 470 00:27:33,270 --> 00:27:37,310 sin, but now it is given to those who enjoy life in the garden 471 00:27:37,310 --> 00:27:39,110 to come, the paradise of God. 472 00:27:39,430 --> 00:27:43,110 And in this paradise, there will be no evil telling us that the 473 00:27:43,110 --> 00:27:44,310 evil stays outside. 474 00:27:45,430 --> 00:27:48,590 Now, this is not to say that evil will flourish outside of the 475 00:27:48,590 --> 00:27:52,310 city, but rather it has no part in the new creation. 476 00:27:55,440 --> 00:27:58,400 But it goes against what the world wants us to believe. 477 00:28:00,160 --> 00:28:05,320 The world wants us to believe that everyone will go to heaven except 478 00:28:05,320 --> 00:28:06,800 the really, really bad people. 479 00:28:07,600 --> 00:28:11,600 And everyone will have their own measure of who a really, really 480 00:28:11,600 --> 00:28:13,600 bad person is. 481 00:28:15,040 --> 00:28:19,520 That's why in popular culture you will hear much said of heaven. 482 00:28:20,890 --> 00:28:24,210 You will hear it in songs or you'll see it in cartoons. 483 00:28:24,210 --> 00:28:28,810 And as we've referred to before, at a lot of funerals, there's 484 00:28:28,810 --> 00:28:33,770 always a poem that just assumes that people will be in heaven 485 00:28:33,770 --> 00:28:35,770 because of their good works. 486 00:28:37,770 --> 00:28:41,490 If that's how you think about heaven, that everyone goes to heaven, 487 00:28:41,490 --> 00:28:43,370 then please pay attention. 488 00:28:44,650 --> 00:28:46,810 That's not what God's word tells us. 489 00:28:48,390 --> 00:28:51,750 In fact, God's word tells us the exact opposite. 490 00:28:52,390 --> 00:28:57,670 Unless we are in Christ, we will be on the outside of the city, 491 00:28:58,630 --> 00:29:03,430 we will be on the outside of heaven and face the punishment we 492 00:29:03,430 --> 00:29:04,870 so rightly deserve. 493 00:29:05,670 --> 00:29:07,910 Eternity in the lake of fire. 494 00:29:10,630 --> 00:29:15,360 And in verse 16, Jesus confirms who he is in human terms 495 00:29:15,840 --> 00:29:17,560 as the fulfillment of prophecy. 496 00:29:17,560 --> 00:29:22,200 And now in verse 17, we're told of the Spirit of God along with 497 00:29:22,200 --> 00:29:22,720 the bride. 498 00:29:22,720 --> 00:29:26,120 The Spirit and the bride present an invitation to come, the 499 00:29:26,120 --> 00:29:31,000 first of those invitations, so that even though at this moment we 500 00:29:31,000 --> 00:29:34,320 may feel that we will be one of those outside of the kingdom, 501 00:29:34,640 --> 00:29:37,920 there is still time for this invitation to come, an invitation 502 00:29:37,920 --> 00:29:41,200 to come to Jesus to satisfy the thirst of our souls. 503 00:29:42,140 --> 00:29:45,100 The urgency of the invitation is communicated by its threefold 504 00:29:45,100 --> 00:29:45,740 repetition. 505 00:29:46,140 --> 00:29:49,900 John pleads with his audience to come to Jesus before it's too 506 00:29:49,900 --> 00:29:50,220 late. 507 00:29:50,780 --> 00:29:52,540 And so who is invited to come? 508 00:29:53,180 --> 00:29:58,020 Well, those who are thirsty, those who long to be filled with 509 00:29:58,020 --> 00:30:02,500 something more than all of the trivial things of this world, all 510 00:30:02,500 --> 00:30:07,790 those who feel that their greatest need is for Jesus and to 511 00:30:07,790 --> 00:30:13,510 respond to the call is to come and to give our lives to Jesus. 512 00:30:13,670 --> 00:30:15,910 To crown him as our Lord. 513 00:30:16,470 --> 00:30:20,310 And to those who do so, then life is offered freely and openly 514 00:30:20,790 --> 00:30:26,550 where you too can walk into the city and know that refreshment 515 00:30:26,550 --> 00:30:30,230 and that replenishment that is given in plenty by God. 516 00:30:32,640 --> 00:30:35,680 See, nothing hinders anyone but their own desires. 517 00:30:36,240 --> 00:30:40,800 And those who come will find his deepest longing satisfied, the 518 00:30:40,800 --> 00:30:45,600 thirst and ache in their heart filled by Jesus. 519 00:30:47,360 --> 00:30:49,280 Isn't that a wonderful invitation? 520 00:30:49,920 --> 00:30:51,840 Why would any of us want to reject it? 521 00:30:51,840 --> 00:30:55,600 Why would any of us want to convince ourselves otherwise? 522 00:30:57,040 --> 00:30:59,840 Why would we want to believe what the world says? 523 00:31:00,000 --> 00:31:05,970 You'll be okay because you won't unless you are found in Christ. 524 00:31:07,410 --> 00:31:11,170 And so your deepest longing needs to be for Christ. 525 00:31:12,130 --> 00:31:15,970 And it's verses 18 to 19 that present this warning on how to deal 526 00:31:15,970 --> 00:31:17,490 with this book and what is written. 527 00:31:17,730 --> 00:31:21,010 So you cannot simply go out of here tonight and ignore it. 528 00:31:21,890 --> 00:31:26,170 Those who hear the prophetic words must not add to them or take 529 00:31:26,170 --> 00:31:27,090 away from them. 530 00:31:28,040 --> 00:31:31,160 And we see Revelation again, described as prophecy. 531 00:31:31,160 --> 00:31:33,080 And it must not be tampered with. 532 00:31:33,880 --> 00:31:37,800 Adding to the book will change the content of the prophecy and alters 533 00:31:37,800 --> 00:31:38,520 its message. 534 00:31:38,600 --> 00:31:41,720 And to do so is to distort the word of God. 535 00:31:42,440 --> 00:31:46,360 To remove things means that we satisfy ourselves and what we're 536 00:31:46,360 --> 00:31:49,880 happy with, rather than submitting to the authority of God. 537 00:31:51,400 --> 00:31:53,640 This book is no trivial matter. 538 00:31:54,250 --> 00:31:58,090 And so it must be taken as it has been given, even if we don't 539 00:31:58,090 --> 00:31:59,930 like what it has been saying to us. 540 00:32:00,570 --> 00:32:05,010 The punishment for this distortion of the book is severe. 541 00:32:05,010 --> 00:32:08,690 And so we study this book to take it seriously for what it tells 542 00:32:08,690 --> 00:32:11,370 us by how we are to live in these last days. 543 00:32:12,330 --> 00:32:13,730 And now for a third time. 544 00:32:13,730 --> 00:32:16,890 In this chapter, we read the hope and the warning. 545 00:32:17,290 --> 00:32:21,770 For it's Jesus who now says in verse 20, he who testifies to these 546 00:32:21,770 --> 00:32:24,010 things says, surely I am coming soon. 547 00:32:24,840 --> 00:32:25,560 Amen. 548 00:32:26,200 --> 00:32:28,440 Come, Lord Jesus. 549 00:32:29,560 --> 00:32:32,840 Jesus reminds us of the urgency of these times. 550 00:32:33,480 --> 00:32:35,800 He tells us again that he is coming soon. 551 00:32:36,040 --> 00:32:37,400 The end is near. 552 00:32:38,280 --> 00:32:40,880 The message at the beginning of the book is reaffirmed. 553 00:32:40,880 --> 00:32:46,600 Now at the end, history is short and Jesus is at the door. 554 00:32:47,480 --> 00:32:51,560 And John now speaks, affirming with his own voice, Amen. 555 00:32:52,630 --> 00:32:56,630 The near coming of Jesus and adding his own prayer, the prayer 556 00:32:56,630 --> 00:32:58,470 of every true believer. 557 00:32:58,870 --> 00:33:01,270 Come, Lord Jesus. 558 00:33:02,790 --> 00:33:08,470 If this is not the cry of our own hearts, then you have not truly 559 00:33:09,270 --> 00:33:12,950 understood this book or the message of the New Testament. 560 00:33:14,230 --> 00:33:18,720 For the desire of every believer should be this cry, Come, 561 00:33:19,200 --> 00:33:20,080 Lord Jesus. 562 00:33:22,800 --> 00:33:27,320 And it is truly amazing that this book closes with these words 563 00:33:27,320 --> 00:33:32,120 of blessing to encourage the church as it lives out its life. 564 00:33:32,120 --> 00:33:37,840 In Christ and waits in hope for the return of the Saviour. 565 00:33:38,880 --> 00:33:41,840 It concludes by saying the grace of the Lord Jesus. 566 00:33:43,600 --> 00:33:44,400 Be with all. 567 00:33:44,890 --> 00:33:45,370 Amen. 568 00:33:46,170 --> 00:33:47,210 What wonderful words. 569 00:33:47,690 --> 00:33:51,130 Wonderful words to receive, but also wonderful words to believe. 570 00:33:52,170 --> 00:33:54,890 And so we return to our boat in the harbor. 571 00:33:55,690 --> 00:33:59,290 It's the message of Revelation that Jesus is coming back soon. 572 00:33:59,450 --> 00:34:01,050 Your glorious hope. 573 00:34:02,410 --> 00:34:07,850 Do you delight in these words of these 22 chapters and know them 574 00:34:07,850 --> 00:34:09,770 to be the reward of your faith in Christ? 575 00:34:10,740 --> 00:34:14,580 If so, rejoice and live the hope that you have. 576 00:34:16,020 --> 00:34:18,420 Cry with the voice of scripture. 577 00:34:18,500 --> 00:34:19,940 Come, Lord Jesus. 578 00:34:21,060 --> 00:34:22,900 But maybe that's not your cry. 579 00:34:24,660 --> 00:34:27,060 If it's not, it means you're not in Christ. 580 00:34:27,300 --> 00:34:31,620 And you cannot ignore the warning given of trusting in Jesus 581 00:34:31,620 --> 00:34:33,220 while there is still time. 582 00:34:33,700 --> 00:34:37,260 The desire of all believers is that you will be in the city and 583 00:34:37,260 --> 00:34:42,670 not outside, not counted among the impure, the sinful, and the accursed. 584 00:34:43,470 --> 00:34:48,430 Trust in the One who has made it clear what you need to do to know 585 00:34:48,430 --> 00:34:52,350 life eternal and hope now and forevermore. 586 00:34:52,910 --> 00:34:54,909 And what does that hope do for you? 587 00:34:55,150 --> 00:34:58,990 How does that hope move you from now to cry those words? 588 00:34:58,990 --> 00:35:00,590 Come, Lord Jesus. 589 00:35:01,550 --> 00:35:05,920 Well, that hope means that we can face tomorrow, no matter what 590 00:35:05,920 --> 00:35:10,240 it throws at us, no matter the hurt, no matter the pain. 591 00:35:10,800 --> 00:35:13,600 It's not insignificant or it's not to be belittled. 592 00:35:13,840 --> 00:35:17,440 But we view it differently because we view it from the perspective 593 00:35:17,840 --> 00:35:24,400 of eternity, knowing that one day, as Revelation has told us, everything 594 00:35:24,480 --> 00:35:26,080 will truly be okay. 595 00:35:26,640 --> 00:35:28,320 Because of the Savior. 596 00:35:30,330 --> 00:35:33,210 Jesus warns each and every one of us as we close. 597 00:35:33,690 --> 00:35:36,890 Surely I am coming soon. 598 00:35:37,770 --> 00:35:41,570 He is the one who bears testimony to everything that has 599 00:35:41,570 --> 00:35:44,890 been written in this book, and it is not to be taken lightly. 600 00:35:45,530 --> 00:35:47,690 Will your response be tonight? 601 00:35:48,010 --> 00:35:48,890 Amen. 602 00:35:49,210 --> 00:35:55,290 Come, Lord Jesus, because if you desire to be in heaven, then 603 00:35:55,290 --> 00:36:00,370 it needs to be so that we demonstrate our full trust in a Savior 604 00:36:01,010 --> 00:36:05,650 who has gone to make ready a home in heaven for us and who is 605 00:36:05,890 --> 00:36:06,930 coming again. 606 00:36:11,010 --> 00:36:14,210 Revelation is truly a book of glorious hope. 607 00:36:15,490 --> 00:36:17,490 It's not without its controversy. 608 00:36:18,130 --> 00:36:22,130 It's not without its issues of understanding. 609 00:36:22,860 --> 00:36:26,060 Nor is it without its controversies of interpretation, 610 00:36:27,420 --> 00:36:29,660 all of which can be led before us. 611 00:36:30,620 --> 00:36:35,660 But at the end of the day, we must know that Jesus is coming back. 612 00:36:37,020 --> 00:36:41,900 Are we each ready for that day, a day that could be imminent 613 00:36:42,700 --> 00:36:46,220 and a day that we must believe will take place? 614 00:36:48,310 --> 00:36:53,430 This prophecy has been read aloud from chapter one to 22. 615 00:36:54,310 --> 00:36:57,430 Do not distort it by walking away and not believing it. 616 00:36:57,590 --> 00:37:00,670 Do not distort it by only taking the things you like and throwing 617 00:37:00,670 --> 00:37:01,990 away the things you don't like. 618 00:37:02,950 --> 00:37:07,350 Take it at its word, for it is true and trustworthy. 619 00:37:07,670 --> 00:37:13,070 And it must be believed this night so that you can have that wonderful 620 00:37:13,070 --> 00:37:20,150 assurance of salvation and know that life forever is yours with 621 00:37:20,150 --> 00:37:20,510 Christ. 622 00:37:21,470 --> 00:37:22,270 Let's pray. 623 00:37:23,230 --> 00:37:24,870 Our Father, we thank you for this. 624 00:37:24,870 --> 00:37:25,550 Your word. 625 00:37:26,030 --> 00:37:29,710 Minister it unto us that we will not forget it or ignore it, 626 00:37:29,790 --> 00:37:35,630 but that we will respond well and we will know you as our Savior 627 00:37:35,630 --> 00:37:38,910 who is coming soon to take us home. 628 00:37:40,110 --> 00:37:45,280 May we be a people who are found in in the city, not on the 629 00:37:45,280 --> 00:37:50,040 outside in eternal punishment, but in the presence of your glory, 630 00:37:50,760 --> 00:37:55,520 where we will look upon the face of the Almighty, and we will 631 00:37:55,520 --> 00:37:57,640 delight in his goodness towards us. 632 00:37:58,519 --> 00:38:00,120 And we ask it in Jesus name. 633 00:38:01,000 --> 00:38:01,640 Amen. 634 00:38:08,390 --> 00:38:18,020 Sam.