The End...the Beginning

We have reached the final chapter of Revelation. I will break it down into sections.

¹ Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, as clear as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb ² down the middle of the great street of the city. On each side of the river stood the tree of life, bearing twelve crops of fruit, yielding its fruit every month. And the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations. ³ No longer will there be any curse. The throne of God and of the Lamb will be in the city, and his servants will serve him. ⁴ They will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads. ⁵ There will be no more night. They will not need the light of a lamp or the light of the sun, for the Lord God will give them light. And they will reign for ever and ever.


At the beginning of this chapter, we are still with John as the angel is showing him the New Jerusalem. John sees a river of the water of life flowing from God's throne. This is eternal life that comes from knowing God. There will be a tree of Life on each side of this river bearing twelve crops of fruit. Since we will no longer rely on the sun in the sky to show us the changing months of the year. The crops of the tree will designate the months. The leaves of the tree will be for the healing of nations, unlike the leaves Adam used to cover himself after eating from the original tree. No longer will there be any curse, the curse that Adam brought down on mankind is gone. All those in the city will serve God and reign forever.

John and the Angel

 ⁶ The angel said to me, “These words are trustworthy and true. The Lord, the God who inspires the prophets, sent his angel to show his servants the things that must soon take place.”   ⁷ “Look, I am coming soon! Blessed is the one who keeps the words of the prophecy written in this scroll.”
 ⁸ I, John, am the one who heard and saw these things. And when I had heard and seen them, I fell down to worship at the feet of the angel who had been showing them to me. ⁹ But he said to me, “Don’t do that! I am a fellow servant with you and with your fellow prophets and with all who keep the words of this scroll. Worship God!”
 ¹⁰ Then he told me, “Do not seal up the words of the prophecy of this scroll, because the time is near. ¹¹ Let the one who does wrong continue to do wrong; let the vile person continue to be vile; let the one who does right continue to do right; and let the holy person continue to be holy.”


The angel speaks to John and tells him that these words are true and he has been tasked with showing John the events that would transpire soon. "Look, I am coming soon" Jesus will return. "Blessed is the one that keeps the words of the prophecy written in this scroll" this is a call to faithfulness. John, feeling overwhelmed, falls at the feet of the angel to worship him, but the angel stops him and directs him to worship only God. Unlike earlier, John is told not to seal up the words of prophecy written on the scroll. He is told that the time is near when the prophecies in the scroll will come to pass. He is also told that sinners will continue to sin and believers will continue to believe, even with the words of this prophecy available.

Epilogue: Invitation and Warning

    ¹² “Look, I am coming soon! My reward is with me, and I will give to each person according to what they have done. ¹³ I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End.   ¹⁴ “Blessed are those who wash their robes, that they may have the right to the tree of life and may go through the gates into the city. ¹⁵ Outside are the dogs, those who practice magic arts, the sexually immoral, the murderers, the idolaters and everyone who loves and practices falsehood.
   ¹⁶ “I, Jesus, have sent my angel to give you^[a] this testimony for the churches. I am the Root and the Offspring of David, and the bright Morning Star.”
 ¹⁷ The Spirit and the bride say, “Come!” And let the one who hears say, “Come!” Let the one who is thirsty come; and let the one who wishes take the free gift of the water of life.
 ¹⁸ I warn everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this scroll: If anyone adds anything to them, God will add to that person the plagues described in this scroll. ¹⁹ And if anyone takes words away from this scroll of prophecy, God will take away from that person any share in the tree of life and in the Holy City, which are described in this scroll.
 ²⁰ He who testifies to these things says, “Yes, I am coming soon.”
   Amen. Come, Lord Jesus.
 ²¹ The grace of the Lord Jesus be with God’s people. Amen.


Now we see the words of Jesus saying that He is coming soon. He will come in a blink of an eye
 ⁵¹Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed— ⁵² in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed 1Corinthians 15:51-52
He will bring to each believer their reward, their crowns according to what they have done.
Crown of Righteousness 
⁷ I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. ⁸ Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day—and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing. 2 Timothy 4:7-8
Incorruptible Crown (Victor's Crown)
²⁴ Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. ²⁵ Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last, but we do it to get a crown that will last forever. 1 Corinthians 9:24-25
Crown of Life (Martyr's Crown)
¹⁰ Do not be afraid of what you are about to suffer. I tell you, the devil will put some of you in prison to test you, and you will suffer persecution for ten days. Be faithful, even to the point of death, and I will give you life as your victor’s crown. Revelation 2:10
Crown of Rejoicing (Soul Winner's Crown)
¹⁹ For what is our hope, our joy, or the crown in which we will glory in the presence of our Lord Jesus when he comes? Is it not you? ²⁰ Indeed, you are our glory and joy. 1 Thessalonians 2:19-20
Crown of Glory (Shepherd's Crown)
 ¹ To the elders among you, I appeal as a fellow elder and a witness of Christ’s sufferings who also will share in the glory to be revealed: ² Be shepherds of God’s flock that is under your care, watching over them—not because you must, but because you are willing, as God wants you to be; not pursuing dishonest gain, but eager to serve; ³ not lording it over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock. ⁴ And when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that will never fade away. 1 Peter 5:1-4
Jesus then reiterates that He is the first and last, the Alpha and Omega, He is sovereign. 
Those that wish to enter the Holy city and have eternal life must wash their robes. They must become followers of Jesus and be made pure. Jesus tells John that He has sent the angel to give John this revelation. Jesus names Himself as the Jewish Messiah.
Now the reader is beckoned to become a believer and accept the gift of eternal life that has been paid for by the blood of Jesus for you.
Now there is a warning not to add or take away from the words written in this prophecy. Those who preach it or write commentaries or the readers themselves have a responsibility to keep the words of this prophecy whole. They are not to add things to it and they are not to take parts out. 
As a final exhortation to the reader, Jesus reminds them that He is coming soon. Amen or so be it. The writer ends with a plea to Jesus to return..."Come Lord Jesus" the Aramaic word is Maranatha. The grace of our Lord Jesus be with us all. Amen. 


Maranatha!