The Word This Week

Revelation 22:1...

It never ends.

One can tend to think of the final chapter in God’s Word as the end, but it is only the beginning of all God has planned for each of us. It never ends.

Once again, we see John is in such awe his knees buckle in worship of the angel showing him these marvelous things. And once again, we are reminded angels are servants of God as we are, and not to be worshiped.

This is all so far beyond our comprehension, yet I think John does a very good job of recording what he sees  – even when it is so obviously beyond his comprehension as well.

Our view of the river of life, the tree of life, and the throne of God reminds us of the true value of placing our faith in Christ. This is where each and every one of us shall reside for all eternity. To know the value of the faith we have the opportunity to place in Christ is fully realized here, and it serves as a great counterbalance to whatever suffering, mockery, or persecution we may experience in this world.

God wants us to be fully informed there is no comparison between time and eternity, and this is where we learn all He wants us to know about it. It might not be all we desire to know now, but He knows it is all we need to know – and all we can know - since He knows what we are capable of knowing.

This is all going to happen very suddenly, more suddenly than we may think. We can get so accustomed to this earthly life and some of the joys found here we might even wish eternity could be pushed off for a while - even while still desiring to learn of its blessings. But God says we need to be ready at any moment to be caught up in the clouds to meet the Lord Jesus in the air. When Jesus says He is coming “quickly” He means it will be sudden – when we may least expect it.

We may think it difficult to be ready for anything so sudden in its appearance when it has seemingly been so long in coming. But God in His graciousness knows all who will place their faith in Christ, and He is patiently waiting for all those who will to come to repentance.

I love this revelation ends with a warning against anyone who may attempt to subvert it or pervert it or even deny its absolute authenticity. Just as Jesus had promised a blessing to all those who teach and study the words of this Book, we end with a curse upon anyone who would handle these words capriciously, as if it was up to any man to determine what to do with these words.

With the gravity if this warning we understand Gods says what He means and He means what He says. We do well to take that to heart.

Pastor Bill