246
The Revelation of Jesus Christ
"Behold, I come quickly: blessed is he that keepeth the .sayings of the prophecy of this book." This reminds us of Rev. I :3, where a special blessing is promised to all who read and keep "the words of this proph ecy." Are you claiming this blessing, my Christian friend? 4. Concluding Instructions (22:8-15). ·'And I John saw these things, and heard them. And when I had heard and seen, I fell down to worship before the feet of the angel which shewed me these things. Then saith he unto me, See thou do it not: for I am thy fellowservant, and of thy brethren the prophets, and of them which keep the sayings of this book: worship God. And he saith unto me, Seal not the sayings of the prophecy of this book: for the time is at hand. 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 right eous still : and he that is holy, let him be holy still. And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last. 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. For without are dogs, and sorcerers, and whoremongers, and mur derers, and idolaters, and whosoever loveth and maketh a lie." In these closing verses we have the testimony of John to the truth of these things; the witness of the angel to the right of God alone to receive worship; the reiteration of the state ment that "the time is at hand" for the fulfillment of "the prophecy of this book"; the statement of the eternal destiny of the saved and of the unsaved; the promise of our Lord's soon return to reward "every man according as his work shall be"; and the testimony of the risen Christ to His own eternal deity. What a heart-searching conclusion to the word of God! 5. The Threefold Invitation (22 : 17 ). But the Holy Spirit does not close the message without sending forth to all the world the threefold invitation to "take the water of life freely." The Holy Spirit, the bride, and He who hears the message-each of these says, "Come!" Only by the quickening power of the Spirit of God can the sinner want the Saviour and be born again. It should be the chief delight of the bride to tell forth the glory of the Bridegroom;
Made with FlippingBook flipbook maker