XXII. THE RESTORED PARADISE (Revelation 22:1). — These five verses complete the description of the new heavens and new earth. The features of this last section reflect those of the first and forfeited paradise: the tree of life and the river that flows by the trees are here, and the happy and willi... [ Continue Reading ]
AND HE SHEWED ME A PURE RIVER... — The adjective “pure” must be omitted, as it is wanting in the best MSS. The river is full of water, and that water is the emblem of life: it is the beautiful symbol of life in its gladness, purity, activity, and fulness. The garden of Eden (Genesis 2:10) had its ri... [ Continue Reading ]
IN THE MIDST OF THE STREET OF IT... — Or rather, _In the midst of the street of it, and of the river, on one side and on the other_ (_was_)_ a tree of life, yielding twelve fruits, according to each month giving its fruit; and the leaves of the tree are for healing of the nations._ The hunger as wel... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THERE SHALL BE NO MORE CURSE... Better, _And every curse, or accursed thing, shall not be any longer._ There may be an allusion to Joshua 7:12; there is certainly a borrowing, of language from Zechariah (Zechariah 14:11). All accursed things are removed, and with them passes the curse. The bless... [ Continue Reading ]
AND HIS SERVANTS SHALL SERVE HIM... — We turn from the city to the inhabitants. They are described as serving Him, seeing Him, and resembling Him. They shall serve Him: they shall offer Him the service of the priesthood — the word employed is that used of temple service. The word translated “servant... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THERE SHALL BE NO NIGHT THERE... — Rather, _And night shall not be any more, and_ (_they shall not have_)_ need of the light of lamp, and of light of sun, because the Lord God shall give light upon them, and they shall reign unto the ages of ages._ There shall be no night. Twice is it said (Reve... [ Continue Reading ]
WORDS OF CONFIRMATION AND WARNING. (6) AND HE SAID UNTO ME... — It is the angel who speaks. (Comp. Revelation 21 and Revelation 22:9 of this chapter.) In Revelation 22:7 we hear the words of Christ Himself. _These sayings_ (or, _words_)_ are faithful and true._ The reference is to the whole book. Th... [ Continue Reading ]
(6-21) These verses contain the concluding words. It is the Epilogue of the Book; it deals with practical exhortations, warnings, and blessings.... [ Continue Reading ]
BEHOLD, I COME QUICKLY. — The words of Christ Himself follow (perhaps quoted by the angel), to confirm the declaration of the last verse. These confirming words are an embodiment of the spirit of the whole Apocalypse. _And behold I am coming quickly!_ The Apocalypse is the revelation of the coming O... [ Continue Reading ]
AND I JOHN SAW THESE THINGS... — Or rather, _And I John am he who hears and sees these things._ The words of the angel are confirmed by the words of Christ. Now we have the confirmatory testimony of the seer to the truth of the vision. The declaration reminds us of the opening of the Epistle of St.... [ Continue Reading ]
THEN SAITH HE UNTO ME... — Better, _And he saith to me, See_ (or, _Take heed_)_ not. I am a fellow servant of thee and of thy brethren the prophets, and of those who keep the words of this book; worship God_ (or, _to God give worship_). This rebuke is similar to that given in Revelation 19. It is a... [ Continue Reading ]
AND HE SAITH TO ME... — The angel, in contrast to the injunctions given to Daniel (Daniel 12:9), bids the prophet “Seal not the words of the prophecy”: the reason is added, “for the time is near.” “Such is ever the difference between the prophecy of the old, and the prophecy of the new dispensation.... [ Continue Reading ]
HE THAT IS UNJUST, LET HIM BE UNJUST... — Better, _Let him that is unjust, do injustice still; and let the foul pollute himself still; and let the righteous do righteousness still; and let the holy sanctify himself still._ Two pairs are selected to stand as representatives of the good and of the bad... [ Continue Reading ]
AND, BEHOLD, I COME QUICKLY... — Rather, _Behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me to give back to each one as his work is._ To give back to each: here we have the truth declared by St. Paul uttered in words borrowed from Isaiah (Isaiah 40:10). “Whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he al... [ Continue Reading ]
I AM ALPHA... — Here (as in Revelation 21:6) we should render, _I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end._ (See Note as above, and comp. John 1:1; Isaiah 44:6.) The repetition of these glorious titles is not a mere idle repetition, or designed to give a rhetori... [ Continue Reading ]
BLESSED ARE THEY THAT DO HIS COMMANDMENTS... — The reading of two of the best MSS. is, “Blessed are they that wash their robes.” If we adopt, as we probably ought, this reading, the line of thought suggested above is helped forward: there is in Him who is the First and the Last, refuge from the powe... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR WITHOUT ARE DOGS AND SORCERERS... — Better, _Outside are the dogs, and the sorcerers, and the fornicators, and the murderers, and the idolators, and every one loving and doing falsehood._ The language is again an echo of earlier words. (See Revelation 21:8.) The allusion to the dogs outside the... [ Continue Reading ]
I JESUS HAVE SENT MINE ANGEL... — The warning is followed by the voice of our Lord Himself testifying to the truth of the revelation made, _I Jesus sent_ (not “have sent,” as in the English version) _my angel to testify to you these things to the churches._ But it is not merely a message, or the con... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THE SPIRIT AND THE BRIDE SAY, COME... — The cry of all creation is for its true Lord; the cry of the Spirit in prophecies and in the hearts of God’s people is for the coming Lord — the bride waiting for the bridegroom cries “Come.” The Apocalypse is the book of the coming One; it ends with the c... [ Continue Reading ]
(18-19) I TESTIFY UNTO EVERY MAN THAT HEARETH. — Omit “For,” and read, _I testify to every one that hears_... The “I” is emphatic; it introduces the final warning; the revelation must not be tampered with. _If any one shall have added to them, God shall add to him the plagues which are written in th... [ Continue Reading ]
HE WHICH TESTIFIETH THESE THINGS... — Better, _He saith, who testifieth these things, Yea, I am coming quickly._ We have here the final witness; it is in the words of the faithful and true witness Himself. It is the answer to the repeated cry, “Come;” it is the warning to those who forget Him; it is... [ Continue Reading ]
THE GRACE OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST... — There is some variety of reading among the MSS. We ought probably to read, _The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with all_ (or else, following the Sinaitic MS., _be with the saints_)_. Amen._ In any case, it is the grace or free pardon of the Lord Jesus which... [ Continue Reading ]