The Source Of Life

INTRO

It’s hard to believe this is the last lesson of Revive School. We have gone through 730 lessons. I’m feeling very emotional about this today. This team has worked so hard for two years as we have plowed through the Word of God together. Hebrews 4:12 says, “For the word of God is living and effective and sharper than any double-edged sword, penetrating as far as the separation of soul and spirit, joints and marrow. It is able to judge the ideas and thoughts of the heart.” The Bible is so alive and active, and when we started Revive School we wanted it to become active and alive in our work, in our churches, and in our people.

Jesus said, “Don’t assume I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill” (Matthew 5:17). Revelation 22 is all that fulfillment. Revelation and the coming of Christ is literally about overcoming sin and death. I feel like God told us at Time to Revive to slow down and spend time in His Word. I honestly never thought I would be changed so much in the process. The entire Bible is life-changing, and it’s all about Christ. This two-year process has been the toughest time of ministry that I have had—being obedient enough to stay in the Word long enough to begin to see the bigger picture of the Messiah.

TEACHING

Revelation 22:1-5: John was shown a river of living water flowing from the throne of God and the Lamb down the middle of the street (v. 1). MacArthur states, “This river is unlike any on earth because no hydrological cycle exists.”¹ The idea of living water is seen throughout Scripture (Ezekiel 47; John 7:38-39). The tree of life was on both sides of the river, producing twelve kinds of fruit, producing fruit every month (v. 2). The tree of life is first presented in Genesis 3:22-24. No one has access to the tree of life until it’s shown in Revelation 22. The leaves of the tree of life will be used for healing (restoring) the nations (Ezekiel 47:12). The throne of God and the Lamb will be in the city and His slaves (us, as His servants) will serve Him (v. 3). I am not sure what all this means except that we will be worshipping the Lord continually. His servants will see His face, and His name will be on their foreheads (v. 4). Our goal as believers is to see Him face-to-face (1 Corinthians 13:12). This is describing the new heaven and the new earth. There will be no night or darkness, because God will provide the light, and they will reign forever (v. 5). Nelson’s Commentary points out that “no night . . . no lamp” fulfills Christ’s proclamation of Himself as the “light of the world”² (John 8:12; 9:5; 12:46). This is a picture of paradise being restored.

Revelation 22:6-7: The angel said the words were “faithful and true” (v. 6), using the language of the “Faithful and True” Lord returning on a white horse (Revelation 19:11). The Lord will come quickly, so “the one who keeps the prophetic words of this book is blessed” (v. 7). The book of Revelation refers to being “blessed” seven times; this is the sixth. The blessings of God are found in the book of Revelation and in learning how to walk out the promises of God.

Revelation 22:8-11: John stated he was the one who heard and saw all these things, and when he did, he fell at the feet of the angel to worship (v. 8). This was the second time John mistakenly fell before the angel to worship him (Revelation 19:10). The angel reminded John that he was a fellow servant with him, the prophets, and those who keep the words of the book of Revelation. Only God is to be worshipped (v. 9). The angel also told John not to seal up the words of his vision because the time was near (v. 10). In Revelation 10:4, John was told to keep certain prophecies sealed up. MacArthur explains, “These prophesies are to be proclaimed so they can produce obedience and worship.”³ MacArthur also states, “Those who reject God’s warnings will fix their eternal destiny in hell, where they will retain their evil and filthy natures for all eternity.”⁴ However, those who are righteous will remain righteous, and the holy will remain holy (v. 11).

Revelation 22:12-14: John was reminded that the Lord was coming quickly (v. 12a) (Revelation 3:11; 22:7). God will reward the works that each has done that survive His testing eternally (v. 12b) (1 Corinthians 9:24–27). We have experienced the discipline in Revive School that caused our faith and maturity in the Lord to grow. I believe people can get spiritually apathetic by soaking up His Word and then doing nothing with it. The I AM is “the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End” (v. 13). As believers, we must stand up for the Word of God and for who Jesus is. The church is becoming soft when it does not stand up for the Lord. We must remember we have been forgiven by the blood of the Lamb and given access to the heavenly Father. We have been given eternal life, access to the tree of life, and can enter the city by the gates (v. 14). Our access to the Garden has been restored by God.

Revelation 22:15-21: Verse 15 states those who are immorally impure and of poor character will be left outside the gates. They are not walking with the Lord and will not get in. Verse 16 gives several titles for Jesus: the Root of David, the Offspring of David, and the Bright Morning Star. MacArthur explains, “Christ is the source (root) of David’s life and line of descendants, which establishes His deity. He is also a descendant of David (offspring), which establishes His humanity.”⁵ MacArthur, also explains, the “Bright and Morning Star” is “the brightest star announcing the arrival of the day.”⁶ Jesus will be so bright that everything else will be illuminated by Him. In verse 17 both the Holy Spirit and the bride, which at this point includes the Old Testament saints as well as Jesus’ followers, say “Come!” MacArthur shares, “This is an unlimited offer of grace and salvation to all who desire to have their thirsts quenched.”⁷ Verse 18 includes a warning to everyone not to add to the book of Revelation or God will punish them with the plagues described in the book. Verse 19 includes a warning not to take away from the prophecy of Revelation or God will take away eternal life. Revelation concludes with the reminder to testify that the Lord is coming quickly (v. 20). And then this closing: “The grace of the Lord Jesus be with all the saints. Amen.”

CLOSING

Wiersbe states, “We must keep our lives clean” as we wait for Christ to return.⁸ We have studied 66 books of the Bible in Revive School to equip us to get ready for His return. I hope you’re one step closer to being ready.