So to the last chapter of the last book of the Bible, and it is one of contrasts; we see old and new, concealed and revealed, bringing and taking, cursing and blessing.
6 And 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.”
7 “And behold, I am coming soon. Blessed is the one who keeps the words of the prophecy of this book.”
8 I, John, am the one who heard and saw these things. And when I heard and saw them, I fell down to worship at the feet of the angel who showed them to me, 9 but he said to me,
“You must not do that! I am a fellow servant with you and your brothers the prophets, and with those who keep the words of this book. Worship God.”
10 And he said to me,
“Do not seal up the words of the prophecy of this book, for the time is near. 11 Let the evildoer still do evil, and the filthy still be filthy, and the righteous still do right, and the holy still be holy.”
12 “Behold, I am coming soon, bringing my recompense with me, to repay each one for what he has done. 13 I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end.”
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. 15 Outside are the dogs and sorcerers and the sexually immoral and murderers and idolaters, and everyone who loves and practices falsehood.
16 “I, Jesus, have sent my angel to testify to you about these things for the churches. I am the root and the descendant of David, the bright morning star.”
17 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. 18 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, 19 and if anyone takes away 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, which are described in this book. 20 He who testifies to these things says,
“Surely I am coming soon.”
Amen. Come, Lord Jesus!
21 The grace of the Lord Jesus be with all. Amen.
In Daniel 8.26 we read that the vision he received was to be sealed for the future, but the words of Revelation are not to be sealed, “Do not seal up the words of the prophecy of this book, for the time is near.”. This tells us that Revelation is a word for today, 11 Let the evildoer still do evil, and the filthy still be filthy, and the righteous still do right, and the holy still be holy.”
John falls to worship the angel, again, I fell down to worship at the feet of the angel, as in 19.10, but, as there, John is told to worship God. God and God alone, Jesus, the Holy Spirit, our triune Godhead alone is to be the object of our worship, never the created, only the creator.
We read And let the one who is thirsty come; let the one who desires take the water of life without price, and this stands in stark contrast to every other world religion around today, or that ever was around, or that ever will be around.
Religions say bring, Jesus says take. Religions say do, Jesus says done.
Then, the bigger picture contrast.
The last verse of the Old Testament, God dealing with His people under the old covenant, ends in a curse with things being stored up for destruction;
6 And he will turn the hearts of fathers to their children and the hearts of children to their fathers, lest I come and strike the land with a decree of utter destruction.” (Malachi 4.6).
The last verse of the New Testament, God dealing with His people under the new covenant of grace by faith, speaks of this very grace, a huge blessing to us, isn’t it, when we get what we don’t deserve, when we get rich at Christ’s expense;
21 The grace of the Lord Jesus be with all. Amen.
What a huge contrast, and what a huge privilege we have to be living now, under the new covenant of grace.
Jesus authenticates the whole book in v.16, and it is now our wonderful opportunity, and serious responsibility to live in the light of the truths, both present and future, of this book…because, in His own words, He is coming soon.
To which we say, Amen. Come, Lord Jesus!
