A Bible School Manual: Studies in the Book of Revelation / An introduction, analysis, and notes, containing a concise interpretation according to the symbolic view, numerous references to authorities, and general mention of other interpretations, with the text of the American revised version edited in paragraphs, for the use of Bible students

III THE EPILOGUE, Ch. 22:6-21

The epilogue consists of a recapitulation of the authority and contents of the book, instructions for its use, and an enforcement of its lessons. It is a brief but [pg 234] impressive conclusion, giving the final words of the angel, with the promise of Christ to the victors, and the closing testimony of John.

A The Final Words of the Angel, with the Promise of Christ, Ch. 22:6-16

These words should be regarded as spoken for Christ, and the promise to the victors as made in his name, by the angel that he sent to testify these things unto John, the interpreting angel of chapter one (v. 1), who now looks back over the entire revelation that has been given, returning from the series of visions revealing the future to the standpoint of the introductory vision.583

1 The Message Reaffirmed, Ch. 22:6-9

The importance of the message is recognized and its trustworthiness emphasized by repeated affirmation. An effort is thereby made to impress indelibly its lessons upon the heart of the church.

(1) The Witness of the Angel, Ch. 22:6-7

The sayings of the book are declared to be true and faithful, and of divine authority; the speedy coming of Christ is announced,584 i. e. “quickly” in the divine view which covers all eternity, but not to be understood as at once or soon from the ordinary or human point of view; and a blessing is pronounced upon those who keep the words of the prophecy of this book in anticipation of their complete fulfilment.

(2) The Witness Confirmed by John, Ch. 22:8a

To the declaration of the angel is added the direct testimony of John that he saw and heard these things, a parenthetical remark, strengthening the statement of the angel and confirming the words of the book.

(3) Worship from John again Refused, Ch. 22:8b-9

The form and presence and message of the angel overwhelm John with awe, and he tenders his worship; [pg 235] but the angel, as before (ch. 19:10), acknowledges himself a fellow-servant with John, and bids the Apostle worship God—probably a protest against angel worship which may already have begun.

2 The Book Not to be Sealed, Ch. 22:10-11

The words of the prophecy are not to be sealed, i. e. they are not to be kept secret, evidently not even their deeper meaning, so far as it was known, was to be veiled in secrecy, but was to be openly communicated to the churches, for the time of inevitable reward is declared to be at hand (v. 10-11) both for the righteous and the wicked, when the present opportunity shall be ended.585 The opposite direction, it will be noticed, was given concerning the Book of Daniel (ch. 12:4, 9), which was commanded to be “shut up and sealed till the time of the end”, because as had been previously explained, “it belongeth to many days to come” (Dan. 8:26). But this book is to be given at once to men, an evident indication that its contents were not regarded as secret or veiled, but were intended to be read and understood by all.

3 The Promise of Christ to the Victors, Ch. 22:12-16

“Behold, I come quickly;586 and my reward is with me,” is the gracious promise of recompense to be given to the faithful, for he will “render to each man according as his work is”—a fundamental principle of the final judgment that is everywhere emphasized throughout the book. “I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End”, is a recapitulation of these three comprehensive titles descriptive of Christ which have hitherto been used separately (chs. 1:8, 17; 2:8; 21:6), but are now massed together in impressive solemnity. It is the equivalent of saying, “I am the Source, and through me will be the Consummation, of all that which is and was and shall be the ages through”—an affirmation of absolute supremacy in the universe.587 The declaration of the next verse (v. 14), [pg 236] “Blessed are they that wash their robes, that they may have the right to come to the tree of life, and may enter in by the gates into the city”, is the seventh and last of the wonderful Benedictions of the book (see App'x C). In contrast with these that are blessed, are all the wicked of every class who are left without, including “every one that loveth and maketh a lie”. He who sent his angel to testify to these things is Jesus (v. 16), once born of the family of David, the bright and morning star, the glorious harbinger of the day of redemption.588 The words are in the form of direct address, and are undoubtedly from Christ himself, though as there is no apparent indication of a change of speaker from verse six, where the voice is clearly that of the angel, we may regard them either as given by the angel who repeats what Christ has said, or as personally spoken by Christ himself.589 It is well for us at this point to remember the interesting fact, generally known by students of the Greek Testament, that in verse sixteen, “at the word ‘David’, the manuscript 1, from which Erasmus compiled the Textus Receptus, ends. In order to supply the remainder, which is deficient, Erasmus retranslated the Vulgate Version into Greek. The Greek, therefore, of the Textus Receptus from this point onwards is the Greek of Erasmus”,590 and hence lacks the authority of the original text.

B The Closing Testimony of John, Ch. 22:17-20

These verses contain the final witness, warning, and exhortation of the Apostle, which is given to the churches before the book is closed, concerning all the things which are written therein.

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1 A Last Universal Invitation of Grace, Ch. 22:17

“Come!” “Come!” “Come!” A thrice repeated call to all men to come to Christ for the free gift of life eternal, is fervently uttered before the book is closed forever. The beloved disciple with ardent zeal sends out this final call to the unsaved, and thus the message of judgment throughout the book reaches a fitting close in a full, free, and urgent invitation to all men of every class to accept the offer of salvation. This certainly appears to be the natural meaning of the passage, as is made clear by the appeal in the latter part of the verse, which would otherwise lack coherence, viz. “And he that is athirst let him come: he that will, let him take of the water of life freely.” The verse is, however, regarded by many as belonging to the words of Christ just preceding (v. 12-16), though it is more likely, but we cannot say certainly, spoken by John. Either connection is possible, and does not materially affect the sense. Another, perhaps the more common though less likely interpretation, makes the word “Come”, repeated in the first half of the verse, a call to Christ to come again, referring to his promise in the twelfth verse; and regards the passage either as the words of Christ affirming the witness of the Spirit and the Bride who entreat him to come, or as an answering cry from John on behalf of the church.591

2 A Last Impressive Warning of Exhortation, Ch. 22:18-19

“If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues which are written in this book: and if any man shall take away ... God shall take away his part from the tree of life, and out of the holy city.” These are the authoritative words of a messenger conscious of divine authority, and are intended to preserve the integrity of his message.592 They are similar in form to the warning given in Deuteronomy (Deut. 4:2; [pg 238] 12:32), guarding against the deliberate falsification, or misinterpretation, of a divine message.

3 A Last Assuring Promise of Hope, Ch. 22:20a

“Yea: I come quickly” is the final and repeated assurance of Christ to the church of his personal coming. The promise of the Lord Jesus that he will come again quickly, which was introduced almost at the beginning of the book, and which recurs at intervals throughout, is thus solemnly emphasized and repeated once more at the close, a clear indication of the place which it occupied in the mind of the Apostle. As before it is not “quickly” in the earthly sense, else Christ would have come long since, but from the divine point of view, for God's plan is never slow in its accomplishment.593

4 A last Ecstatic Prayer of Yearning, Ch. 22:20b

“Amen: come, Lord Jesus”, is the Apostle's closing rejoinder of rapturous faith and hope. “In this final assurance of the Lord, ‘I come quickly’, the Book of Revelation finds its keynote again, and so sinks to rest with the acquiescent [and triumphant] reply of faith, ‘Amen: come, Lord Jesus.’ ”594

C The Author's Benediction, Ch. 22:21

The apostolic blessing of the human author of the Apocalypse is added as a final word to the message of the book, invoking the grace or favor of the Lord Jesus, the divine Saviour, upon all the saints, the usual closing words of the New Testament Epistles. The benediction, though unusual in apocalypses, is here no doubt added because the book was intended to be read in the churches. And thus in words familiar to every believer is brought to a close the great Apocalyptic writing of the Christian church, the last message of the glorified Christ to his faithful disciples upon earth, a deep and soul-inspiring view of the past, the present, and the future, beheld in the light of Apocalyptic vision. Moved by its manifold lessons of faith and hope, we surely cannot but join with fervent accord and repetition in its last word of appeal and blessing,

AMEN AND AMEN.

(The Conditions of the Present Age)

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