Revelation 22 Studies

For those who may wish to ‘study’ this chapter, the following simple resources are provided for you. Each chapter is divided into a number of studies and each study or passage has a simple four-Part, verse-by-verse approach, to help you take in and think further about what you have read.

Passage: Rev 22:1-6

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.

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.’

A. Find Out:

1. From where does the river flow? v.1
2. Where does it flow? v.2a
3. What is growing either side of it? v.2b
4. Where does God now dwell? v.3
5. What is there no longer and why? v.5
6. How are the servants of God described & what are they doing? v.3-5

B. Think:

1. What is the implication of what is flowing in the city?
2. How is the city shown here different from the world we know?
3. What activity is shown in this passage?

C. Comment:

     Here in the midst of the city is the throne of God. It is as if to say this is where God is established, His throne is in the midst of His people. From the throne flows life and the life flows right down the centre of the city and that flow of life brings life to two trees which also bring life. The picture is of abundant fruitfulness so that there is constantly good provision for everyone, the provision of life giving fruit for whoever will take it. In the garden of Eden there had been a tree of life but that had been denied to mankind after the Fall. Now there is double provision of that same tree of life for redeemed mankind. Not only that the leaves of the trees bring healing to peoples from all nations; there is a coming together in reconciliation brought here.

     There is strong emphasis on the presence of God in the midst of the city, for His glory shines throughout the city so there is no need of artificial light. The Lord is with His people and He is all that is needed; His very presence reveals everything, and nothing is hidden before Him.

     These words in Revelation were recorded nineteen hundred years ago and yet they are for our blessing today. They bring a wonderful sense of God’s bountiful provision for His people.

D. Application:

1. Take joy in the wonderful provision of God for you.
2. God’s provision is for you today as well as in eternity.

Passage: Rev 22:7-13

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.’

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.

A. Find Out:

1. What was John’s response when he saw and heard these things? v.8
2. But what was he told? v.9
3. What was he told not to do and why? v.10
4. What overall instruction was stated? v.11
5. What did Jesus say about His coming? v.12
6. How did he describe himself? v.13

B. Think:

1. How is a sense of immediacy created in this passage?
2. Yet how is a sense of continuation also conveyed?
3. How therefore should we be viewing this book?

C. Comment:

     First of all in this passage comes a SENSE OF IMMEDIACY as Jesus declares that he will be coming soon. Now that was recorded nineteen hundred years ago and the church has expected Him to come back at any moment throughout that time, yet we still wait! What is the meaning of this? Perhaps it is that Jesus simply wants us to be constantly living as if He is about to come back at any moment. Are we prepared to be found by Him doing what we should be doing? For God a thousand years is but a day and so in heavenly terms only two days have passed; His coming is still “soon”!

     But then there is a SENSE OF ONGOING LIFE seen in verse 11, as if to say, let the world just carry on, I’ll come when I’ll come.

     There is always a tension to be held between these two.  It may be that the Lord will not return for many years but we should always be living as if he will return any minute. If we do that we will keep alert to what is happening, what Jesus is doing in the earth, what He requires of us in all of it. We as Christians should never settle down in who we are and what we are doing, we should be constantly looking forward to the return of the Lord and ensuring we are ready for it, so that we not found in any state that could earn the Lord’s rebuke.

D. Application:

1. I need to be ready for the Lord’s return, as if tomorrow.
2. I need to also live as if He may not return for a long time.

Passage: Rev 22:14-21

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 practise 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 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.

A. Find Out:

1. Who go into the city? v.14
2. Who remain outside? v.15
3. Who receives the water of life? v.17
4. What will happen if you add to this book? v.18
5. What happens if you take away from it? v.19
6. What was Jesus’ last words? v.20

B. Think:

1. How do you think someone can add to this book?
2. How might they take away from it?
3. What is to be our heart response to it?

C. Comment:

      First, observe the qualifications for being a part of God’s eternal city: that we are washed in the blood of the Lamb, who is Jesus, that we receive His atoning work on the Cross to our lives, and that we thirst for the life that only He can bring.

     Second, observe those who are excluded from it: anyone who is evil, whose life is given over to unrighteousness and godlessness. Such people clearly will have no part in it.

     Third, consider the warnings about rightly handling this book. We can add to this book by bringing additional (and false) revelations that would change the content. We can take away from it by writing it off, or bits of it off. As with so much long-term prophecy some of it may have been fulfilled in one sense yet still has to be fulfilled in another sense. This IS God’s word and from the other side of eternity (if we are allowed to look back) it will suddenly be clear, and we will see how it all was worked out. We’ll see what was literal and what was symbolic and how it was all fulfilled. In the meantime, our response is to simply say, “Yes Lord, come as you have said you will come, do what you have said you will do, and help us to flow in your plans and purposes to do your will”.

D. Application:

1. Will I let this book hold my attention to watch for Jesus’ coming?
2. Is my heart response, “Come Lord Jesus”?