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Commentary Index | Return to PrayerRequest.com | DownloadBob Utley You Can Understand the Bible - Revelation 22:6 - 22:6
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This Chapter Verse Commentaries:
NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: Rev_22:6
6And he said to me, "These words are faithful and true"; and the Lord, the God of the spirits of the prophets, sent His angel to show to His bond-servants the things which must soon take place.
Rev_22:6 "he said to me" This refers to the angels who had the seven bowls of judgment (cf. Rev_21:9; Rev_22:1; Rev_22:8-10).
▣ "these words are faithful and true" This phrase is used to describe
1. Jesus (cf. Rev_1:5; Rev_3:7; Rev_3:14; Rev_19:11)
2. Jesus' followers (cf. Rev_17:14)
3. God's word (cf. Rev_19:9; Rev_21:5; Rev_22:6)
Often God is described as "righteous and true" (cf. Rev_15:3; Rev_16:7; Rev_19:2). The Hebrew behind this phrase implies total trustworthiness.
▣ "The Lord, the God of the spirits of the prophets" This is possibly:
1. an allusion to Rev_19:10
2. a reference to the inspiration of the OT (cf. 2Ti_3:16; 2Pe_1:20-21)
3. a reference to the inspiration of the NT (cf. 2Pe_3:15-16)
4. a reference to the gospel preachers of John's day
5. a reference to John's book (visions)
The original Greek texts did not have capitalization. Often the translators or interpreters must decide whether "spirit" refers to the Holy Spirit or the human spirit. This text refers to the human spirit (cf. 1Co_14:32; Heb_12:9).
▣ "sent His angel" This is an allusion to Rev_1:1. These closing verses are very similar in their motifs to chapter 1. The traditional personal letter format used in Revelation 1 is used again in Revelation 22.
▣ "the things which must soon take place" There is a series of allusions to the imminence of the Lord's coming (cf. Rev_1:1; Rev_1:3; Rev_3:11; Rev_22:6 [twice], Rev_22:7; Rev_22:10; Rev_22:12; Rev_22:20). The two-thousand-year delay thus far is somewhat difficult for believers to understand (the delay is revealed in 2 Thessalonians), but it must be seen that every generation of Christians has the hope of the coming of the Lord in their day. There is a real tension in the NT between the any-moment return of the Lord and some things that must occur first. Believers are to remain faithful and active!
Here is a brief quote on this subject from my commentary on Matthew.
"There is theological paradoxical tension between
1. the any moment return (cf. Mat_24:27; Mat_24:44) and the fact that some events in history must occur
2. the Kingdom as future and the Kingdom as present.
The NT states that some events will occur before the Second Coming.
1. the Gospel preached to the whole world (cf. Mat_24:14 : Mar_13:10)
2. the great apostasy (cf. Mat_24:10-13; Mat_24:21; 1Ti_4:1; 2Ti_3:1 ff; 2Th_2:3)
3. the revelation of the "man of sin" (cf. Dan_7:23-26; Dan_9:24-27; 2Th_2:3)
4. removal of the one who restrains (cf. 2Th_2:6-7)
5. Jewish revival (cf. Zec_12:10; Romans 11)"
Those who believe that there is significant parallelism among the seven literary units of the book also assert that each one of them represents the period between the first and second comings of Christ from different perspectives (e.g., William Hendriksen, More Than Conquerors). If this is true then the texts that refer to the imminent coming of Christ (cf. Rev_1:3; Rev_3:11; Rev_22:7; Rev_22:10; Rev_22:12; Rev_22:20) refer to the initiation of these prophecies after the death and resurrection of Christ. The eschatological ball is rolling!