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Revelation 22 Commentary
by Brad Boyles
Tree of Life
The final chapter of the Bible bookends the story that God started in the Garden of Eden. There, we saw a glimpse of the plan He had for mankind which was stifled by sin. Back in Genesis, we are introduced to the tree of life which was planted in the middle of the garden. Its fruit was forbidden. Now, in Revelation, we read of the tree of life which produces fruit and leaves of healing.
In Genesis, we also read that Adam and Eve were banished from the garden and forced to work the ground in order to survive; it was a result of sin. Here in chapter 22, humanity is again able to see God’s face and serve Him with joy because their sin has been removed forever.
It’s hard to comprehend exactly what Heaven will be like. In some ways, we tend to think it will be one giant church service that goes on forever. For some of us, that seems like a compromise. But this is simply not true.
From the beginning of time, God’s will for us has been to experience life the way He intended. The life we live today on Earth is a tiny slice of the glory we will experience once we are reunited with our Savior. Heaven will fulfill our greatest desire – to truly live in harmony with our Creator. There is no greater plan or joyous truth that can be imagined!
Just consider that in heaven we will experience….
- Perfect joy (Ps 16:11)
- Perfect knowledge (1 Cor 13:12)
- Perfect comfort (Rev 21:4-5)
- Perfect bodies (2 Cor 5:4-5)
Heaven is a place of perfection that is incomprehensible to the human mind! It is the definition of life as God intended and it goes on forever and ever!
Jesus Is Coming
“And behold, I am coming quickly. Blessed is he who heeds the words of the prophecy of this book.”
Revelation 22:7 NASB
And he *said to me, “Do not seal up the words of the prophecy of this book, for the time is near.
Revelation 22:10 NASB
“Behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to render to every man according to what he has done.
Revelation 22:12 NASB
He who testifies to these things says, “Yes, I am coming quickly.” Amen. Come, Lord Jesus.
Revelation 22:20 NASB
The overwhelming theme that closes out Revelation is the fact that Jesus is coming back. This is both a comfort and a threat. Like a line drawn in the sand, Jesus reiterates that we will either welcome Him or fear Him when He comes. The latter part of Rev 22 is a potent dose of the larger theme contained in the overall book. We are either with Jesus or we are against Him. We are either longing for His return or indulging in the pleasure of the world. We cannot read this book seriously and then go on living the same complacent and compromised lives.
As believers, we know that fear does not have the last word. For those covered by the blood of the Lamb, we eagerly await Christ’s return knowing that because of His sacrifice and victory we too will have victory.