Revelation 22:6-11
6 Then he said to me, “These words are faithful and true.” And the Lord God of the holy prophets sent His angel to show His servants the things which must shortly take place.
7 “Behold, I am coming quickly! Blessed is he who keeps the words of the prophecy of this book.”
8 Now I, John, saw and heard these things. And when I heard and saw, I fell down to worship before the feet of the angel who showed me these things.
9 Then he said to me, “See that you do not do that. For I am your fellow servant, and of your brethren the prophets, and of those who keep the words of this book. Worship God.” 10 And he said to me, “Do not seal the words of the prophecy of this book, for the time is at hand. 11 He who is unjust, let him be unjust still; he who is filthy, let him be filthy still; he who is righteous, let him be righteous still; he who is holy, let him be holy still.”
7 “Behold, I am coming quickly! Blessed is he who keeps the words of the prophecy of this book.”
8 Now I, John, saw and heard these things. And when I heard and saw, I fell down to worship before the feet of the angel who showed me these things.
9 Then he said to me, “See that you do not do that. For I am your fellow servant, and of your brethren the prophets, and of those who keep the words of this book. Worship God.” 10 And he said to me, “Do not seal the words of the prophecy of this book, for the time is at hand. 11 He who is unjust, let him be unjust still; he who is filthy, let him be filthy still; he who is righteous, let him be righteous still; he who is holy, let him be holy still.”
After the angel showed John the judgements, the hope of those written in His Book, and the new dwelling place of life for us in God’s eternal presence, the affirmation is given that all these words of the vision revealed are absolutely true. We were not there as he was, but as a faithful chosen witness we can believe these are God’s words of revelation. By trust in His word, we know these things will certainly happen, and sooner more than later (at least in God’s sense of time). Our Lord is coming quickly, as a thief in the night and as lightning flashing His light of power in judgement on sin and with authority to deliver and keep those who are His, who have repented and believed the only way, truth, and life in the Lamb who is the Christ. We are then happy and blessed in keeping these words of reproof and comfort as they are written, not changing to make it more palatable, not speculating and adding to them, instead accepting as much as is clear and waiting on Him to reveal the rest in due time. We worship the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb on the throne, and do as He says out of loving obedience and infinite thankfulness for opening the eyes and ears of our hearts to know Him, the power of His resurrection, and the sharing of His suffering. We are conformed to His death on the cross, co-crucified that we might live forever in His presence. All we who are made righteous in Christ have this hope and live accordingly. This is a book of joy and hope in Him and also weeping and sadness for those rejecting so great a grace as deliverance from these due judgements. This is motivation to bear witness to His good news that those He calls may hear (Romans 10:14-15).
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