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08142016GodsFinalDeclarationRev22.6-21DonRuhl

 

God’s Final Declaration 

Revelation 22.6–21

Don Ruhl • Savage Street, Grants Pass, Oregon • August 14, In the year of our Lord, 2016

Scripture Reader and Reading: Wayne Duncan – Psalm 62.9–12

Song Leader and Song Suggestions: Jerry Thomas

Prelude: 

  1. What do you think of sad endings? 
    1. Yes, sometimes we need sadness, but
    2. when I sit down to watch a movie,
      1. I do not want it to end on a depressing note.
      2. Gone with the End has to be king in this regard.
        1. The movie lasts 3 hours and 45 minutes, and
        2. ends on a depressing note.
          1. I did not sit there for that long to be depressed at the end.
  2. I don’t think God likes sad endings either. 
    1. Sad things exist in the Book of Revelation.
    2. However, what was the last thing that He showed John?
      1. The Lord showed John images of the heavenly city and of Heaven.
      2. Then in the closing words of Revelation,
        1. the Lord said some wonderful things.
        2. What then did the Spirit want John to write
          1. as the last recorded words for humanity on the Earth?

Persuasion: 

  1. Worship God 
    1. Imagine yourself as John receiving the signs of the Book of Revelation.
      1. Remember what you have seen.
        1. You have seen Jesus in His glory.
      2. Remember what you have heard.
        1. You heard the Seven Thunders say something that no one else can hear.
    2. A glorious angel of God has shown you these things.
      1. His appearance and what he has shown you has been awesome!
      2. A natural response to such events and to such a being would be worship.
        1. In Revelation 22, John confesses that he worshiped the angel,

          8 Now I, John, saw and heard these things. And when I heard and saw, I fell down to worship before the feet of the angel who showed me these things (Rev 22.8).
        2. John had worshiped the angel earlier,

          10 And I fell at his feet to worship him. But he said to me, “See that you do not do that! I am your fellow servant, and of your brethren who have the testimony of Jesus. Worship God! For the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy” (Rev 19.10).
        3. However, the next verse shows the angel forbidding John,

          9 Then he said to me, “See that you do not do that. For I am your fellow servant, and of your brethren the prophets, and of those who keep the words of this book. Worship God” (Rev 22.9).

          1. The angel told John that
            1. angels,
            2. prophets, and
            3. disciples of Christ
              1. are fellow-servants!
              2. We stand should-to-shoulder
                1. with Michael and Gabriel,
                2. with Isaiah and Jeremiah,
                3. with John and Paul, and
                4. with all who have gone before us!
          2. Therefore all of us worship God!
            1. He created us, and
            2. the creature worships the Creator.
          3. I cannot say it any better than Psalm 100,

            1 Make a joyful shout to the LORD, all you lands!
            2 Serve the LORD with gladness;
            Come before His presence with singing.
            3 Know that the LORD, He is God;
            It is He who has made us, and not we ourselves;
            We are His people and the sheep of His pasture.
            4 Enter into His gates with thanksgiving,
            And into His courts with praise.
            Be thankful to Him, and bless His name.
            5 For the LORD is good;
            His mercy is everlasting,
            And His truth endures to all generations.
            (Psalm 100.1–5)
    3. Therefore, keep this in mind:
      1. Do not get so caught up in trying to understand everything in Revelation
      2. that you forget to worship God.
        1. Worship draws our attention back to the Father and to the Son.
        2. Therefore, we should assemble with the saints every week.
          1. It is also why you should worship God on your own.
          2. Worship is not so much an escape from the world
            1. as it is a reminder of who runs the world.
            2. Do we not need that reminder right now?
  2. Urgency 
    1. The Book of Revelation begins and ends on similar notes.
      1. Revelation 1.1 shows how the Book began,

        1 The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave Him to show His servants—things which must shortly take place. And He sent and signified it by His angel to His servant John… (Rev 1.1).
      2. Revelation 22.6 shows how the Book ends,

        6 Then he said to me, “These words are faithful and true.” And the Lord God of the holy prophets sent His angel to show His servants the things which must shortly take place” (Rev 22.6).

        1. The message is urgent, but
        2. that does not mean God is in a hurry.
          1. See how He operates in nature.
            1. Nature rushes nothing.
            2. God has everything on a schedule.
          2. See how He operated in Scripture,
            1. taking thousands of years before
            2. the completion of the plan.
              1. Therefore, apparent delay does not mean
              2. that He has forgotten.
    2. Jesus will return:
      1. Revelation 1 shows how the Book began,

        7 Behold, He is coming with clouds, and every eye will see Him, even they who pierced Him. And all the tribes of the earth will mourn because of Him. Even so, Amen (Rev 1.7).
      2. Jesus reminded the Sardis Church,

        3 “Remember therefore how you have received and heard; hold fast and repent. Therefore if you will not watch, I will come upon you as a thief, and you will not know what hour I will come upon you” (Rev 3.3).
      3. Later He said to everyone,

        15 “Behold, I am coming as a thief. Blessed is he who watches, and keeps his garments, lest he walk naked and they see his shame” (Rev 16.15).
      4. First Thessalonians teaches something on the Second Coming of Christ,
        1. at the end of every chapter and
        2. the beginning of chapter 5 as well.
      5. Second Thessalonians 2 is mostly devoted to the Second Coming.
    3. The Lord is urgent, because
      1. He want us to be urgent.
      2. Our own end could happen suddenly.
    4. Jesus ends the Book of Revelation,
      1. promising that He shall return.
      2. He gets our attention with these words,

        7 “Behold, I am coming quickly! Blessed is he who keeps the words of the prophecy of this book” (Rev 22.7).
      3. He repeated yet again before putting the final touches on His word,

        12 “And behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to give to every one according to his work” (Rev 22.12).
      4. The Spirit, the bride, and anyone listening with an obedient heart,
        1. tells Jesus to come.
        2. We are ready to escape this world, and
          1. to enter into what He has shown us,

            17 And the Spirit and the bride say, “Come!” And let him who hears say, “Come!” And let him who thirsts come. Whoever desires, let him take the water of life freely (Rev 22.17).
          2. We also invite anyone who is thirsty to come.
            1. Drink the water of life.
            2. It is free!
      5. The last quoted words of Jesus is His promise to return,

        20 He who testifies to these things says, “Surely I am coming quickly.”  Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus!  (Rev 22:20).

        1. John can only say, “Even so, come, Lord Jesus!” or
        2. as some translations will have the Greek, Maranatha.
    5. Then the very last words that come from the Bible are these,

      21 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen (Rev 22.21).

      1. John by the Holy Spirit
      2. puts the grace our Lord Jesus Christ upon all of us.
        1. God has not spoken to man since that last Amen.
        2. He said what He needed to say.
          1. Why ramble on?
          2. He has said all that needs to be said to change sinners.
            1. If what He has said will not change a sinners,
            2. He cannot say anything more that would change them.
              1. Therefore, the angel representing the Lord said,

                11 “He who is unjust, let him be unjust still; he who is filthy, let him be filthy still; he who is righteous, let him be righteous still; he who is holy, let him be holy still” (Rev 22.11).
              2. There you have it.

Exhortation: 

  1. How now shall we live? 
    1. Revelation 21 had shown the kind of people excluded from heaven,

      27 But there shall by no means enter it anything that defiles, or causes an abomination or a lie, but only those who are written in the Lamb’s Book of Life (Rev 21.27).
    2. Then almost at the end, he said more,

      15 But outside are dogs and sorcerers and sexually immoral and murderers and idolaters, and whoever loves and practices a lie (Rev 22.15).
    3. Here is what we want to hear,

      14 Blessed are those who do His commandments, that they may have the right to the tree of life, and may enter through the gates into the city (Rev 22.14).
  2. If you want to eat from the tree of life, 
    1. if you want to enter through the gates into the city,
    2. you simply must do what the Lord says to do.