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Commentary Index | Return to PrayerRequest.com | DownloadPaul Kretzmann Commentary - Revelation 22:10 - 22:15
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This Chapter Verse Commentaries:
Christ's announcement as to sharing in the blessings of heaven:
v. 10. And he saith unto me, Seal not the sayings of the prophecy of this book; for the time is at hand.
v. 11. He that is unjust, let him be unjust still; and he which is filthy, let him be filthy still; and he that is righteous, let him be righteous still; and he that is holy, let him be holy still.
v. 12. And, behold, I come quickly; and My reward is with Me, to give every man according as his work shall be.
v. 13. I am Alpha and Omega, the Beginning and the End, the First and the Last.
v. 14. Blessed are they that do His commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life and may enter in through the gates into the city.
v. 15. For without are dogs and sorcerers and whoremongers and murderers and idolaters, and whosoever loveth and maketh a lie.
Here the Lord Himself lifts up His voice in words of admonition and warning: And He says to me, Do not seal the words of the prophecy of this book; for the time is near. In the case of Daniel the opposite command was given, namely, to seal up his prophecy. But the revelations that had been made to John were to be fulfilled very soon, and the believers would be able to recognize their fulfillment within a short time. See Rev. l: 3. It is true, of course, that men abuse this book, and therefore the Lord adds at once: Let the wicked still be wicked, and let the filthy still be filthy, and let the righteous still practice righteousness, and let the holy still be holy. There has been warning enough given to the unbelievers, to all the enemies of Christ, to all the wicked and filthy. If they persist in their course, then their course will finally lead them into eternal damnation; the more they harden their hearts, the smaller will be their chances of salvation, and their latter end will be a matter of weeping and of gnashing of teeth. But those that are righteous and holy through their acceptance of the righteousness of Christ shall not permit themselves to be led aside from this path of holiness in the power of God. It is the Lord that will strengthen them and bring them to the goal, to the salvation of their souls.
The Lord now repeats His solemn call: Behold, I am coming very soon, and My reward is with Me, to pay out to every one as his work is. I am Alpha and Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End. It is the last hour of this world, and the return of the Lord to judgment may be expected at any time. He is the just and righteous Judge, who can and will reward every one according to the works that he has done in this life, as these works indicate a state of faith or a state of unbelief. He is the almighty, eternal God, who has the world and all that is in it in the hollow of His hand; He is a source of unfailing comfort to the believers, but one of terror to all those that have rejected His salvation.
Like an antiphonal chant the voice of the angel here chimed in: Blessed are they that wash their garments, that they may have a right to the tree of life and to enter through the gates into the city; without are the dogs and the sorcerers and the adulterers and the murderers and the idolaters, and every one that practices and loves falsehood. That is the glorious privilege of the believers, to wash their sin-stained garments in the blood of the Lamb, and thus to appear before the throne of God in the pure white garments of the righteousness of Christ. These are the ones that have a right to eat of the fruit of the tree of life; they are the ones whom God invites to enter into the gates of the heavenly Jerusalem. There eternal joy will rest upon them, and pain and sighing will be a thing of the past. But of the unbelievers and the deliberate transgressors of God's commandments, of the false teachers and blasphemers, of those that beguile men of their faith, of those that delight in spiritual adultery, of those that indulge in hatred and persecution against the Church of God, of those that practice idolatry in any form, in short, of all those that love falsehood and practice it in any form, it is said that they are outside of the heavenly Jerusalem and shall not enter. They have chosen their lot, and they shall be given their preference, in the abyss that burns with fire and brimstone.