(In paradise. This chapter of Revelation allows us to get a glimpse of the eternal city, and life within that New Jerusalem, as John is escorted to that period of time by a messenger of God. When this new city is presented to the bride of Christ, no other person, or angel in any form will be in existence that has not been saveD under the blood of Lord Jesus Christ.
God set the standard and form for worshipping Him, and having our sins forgiven. When Jesus Christ shed blood on the cross, and came out of that tomb victorious over death, the price was paid for the sins of all mankind who would repent of their sins.)
Revelation 22:1 And he shewed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb.
(The "pure river of water of life" is more of a rain of the substance as seen in Strong's Greek Dictionary #5204, "Hudatos" (as if rainy). The "water of life", or "Zoe" [#2222 in Strong's Greek dictionary] takes us to the root of word #5590 meaning "psyche", which is merely "vitality". This vitality is extended even to plant life; and extends to mankind to heart, life, mind, soul, you and I.
The the Throne of the great Priest-King [Zech. 6:13] of the "thousand years" now gives place to the glorious "throne of God and of the Lamb", for God now is "all in all". Contrast Ezek. 47:1-11, where the river proceeds from the "house" associated with the altar; here from the throne.
Is God a hateful God? Never! God is a loving God who has the ability far beyond what any human mind can comprehend, to give repentance and salvation to all who will hear His word, see their sins, and repent. He even set up a kingdom on earth, for 1,000 years of teaching and testing, just so every living soul can have a fair opportunity to understand and choose.
Now if anyone perishes in hell, that soul chose it of his own free choice.)
2 In the midst of the street of it, and on either side of the river, was there the tree of life, which bare twelve manner of fruits, and yielded her fruit every month: and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations.
(It is difficult to capture the meaning from the Greek; however, the leaves from this tree prevent boredom and sadness. The palm tree is a type for the Tree of Life. The date palm is capable of sustaining life. Belief on Jesus Christ is capable of sustaining eternal life. He is capable of providing your every need. See Ezek. 47:12)
3 And there shall be no more curse: but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it; and his servants shall serve him:
4 And they shall see his face; and his name shall be in their foreheads.
(There will no longer be any cursed thing, for all cursed things and peoples' souls which were against God are ashes. Even their memory is gone. The only thing on the minds of God's children will be to love and serve God, and praise Our Lord Jesus Christ. Both will be in person, living and talking with the saints.
Whatever questions you will have about the trinity, eternity, or any other subject will be clear at this time, for there will be no confusion.
In verse 4, we see the same marking you have in your forehead will be here following the Millennium age and the great white throne judgment. This marking will not allow you to worship Antichrist, for Satan will not have any part in the eternal age. That marking in your forehead is in your mind. You know Jesus Christ comes at the seventh trump, following Satan's reign on earth, and that no flesh can stand in Christ's kingdom. God has given us His truths in His word (Bible), and all of God's children will know Him. It's sealed in their memory.)
5 And there shall be no night there; and they need no candle, neither light of the sun; for the Lord God giveth them light:
(I.e. the Shekinah glory.)
and they shall reign for ever and ever.
(Cp. the reign of the saints with Messiah for 1,000 years and the reign here with God "for ever and ever".)
6 And he said unto me, "These sayings are faithful and true:
(You can count on it.)
and the Lord God of the holy prophets sent His angel
(= His Spirit.)
to shew unto His servants the things which must shortly be done.
("He" is the angel showing John the sights of the holy city. This angel is telling John that the "Words", or Holy Bible you are studying now are "faithful and true". You can count on it, my Christian friend.
It was the Lord God that personally sent His messengers to His holy prophets to give you record of the truth, in advance. And He allowed His messengers (angels) to show His servants, such as John, Paul, Ezekiel, and in every other record of the Bible, a glimpse of what is to come.
If you have a Bible and the tools to read it, you have no excuse for being ignorant in this final generation. Call on the Lord, and pray for the Holy Spirit of God to open your mind, and He will.
In this, the final generation, you may never die in the flesh, but be changed as we saw in I Corinthians 15:50-54. Once you're changed to your incorruptible body and immortal soul, you are as you will be for eternity. Your soul receives immortality when Christ comes into you heart. Then, at the sounding of the seventh trump, which may be measured in month, or at the most, a few years, you will reign eternally as joint heirs with Christ.)
7 Behold, I come quickly:
(The words of the angels pass into the words of Christ; see vv.12,20; 3:11. Cp 1:7 and v.16 below. Jesus is saying, "Behold, I come quickly:... ". Though it be quickly, we can still watch the happenings on the news and see the world around us, to know this one world system will collapse with a lack of political credibility, and guts. When the world sees the United Nations is used only to advance the causes of a few Kenites, international banking and industrial-commercial families' interest, it will fall as a political beast. The mortal wound to the head of a government means it ceases as a governing unit.)
blessed is he that keepeth the sayings of the prophecy of this book."
(And ALL of the Bible. See John 17:6. Antichrist comes on the scene, and the seventh trump is five months away [see Revelation 9:5]. "Blessed is he that keepeth the sayings . . ." of the Bible, for you will be an overcomer. Know the prophecies, and be a watchman. Jesus said in Matthew 24:32-25 to learn these prophecies that you not be deceived, for Antichrist will come first.
Now in the next verse, John taken back to 95 A.D.)
8 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.
(After John had been allowed to see and hear all that we have studied in this Book of Revelation, he was going to fall down and worship this angel. Sort of like many people today, ready to worship anything or one that performs wonders for them.)
9 Then saith he unto me, "See thou do it not:
(Cp. 19:10.)
for I am thy fellowservant, and of thy brethren the prophets, and of them which keep the sayings of this book: worship God."
(DO NOT WORSHIP ANGELS)
10 And he saith unto me, "Seal not the sayings of the prophecy of this book:
(See 1:3. We are to learn them, and seal them in our minds, that we are not deceived.)
for the time is at hand.
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.
(You can't change people. God is telling John through the angel, not to be concerned, for the deception coming upon the world, but to learn and know in your own mind that each of us not be deceived. It's an individual message to you and to me personally. Get your own soul right with God, and your mind prepared, or you will be deceived.)
12 And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be.
(No gender intended.)
13 I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last.
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.
15 For without are dogs,
(The word "dog" appears in Phoenician remains, as applied to a class of servants attached to a temple of Ashtoreth in Cyprus.)
and sorcerers, and whoremongers, and murderers, and idolaters, and whosoever loveth and maketh a lie.
16 I Jesus have sent mine angel to testify unto you these things in the churches.
(The "assemblies" of chapters 2 & 3 specifically, during the fulfillment of "the prophecy of this book".)
I am the root and the offspring of David, and the bright and morning star."
(Lucifer, the fake morning star, uses this title to deceive many.)
17 And the Spirit and the bride say, "Come. And let him that heareth
(I.e. hear with understanding.)
say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely.
(The Holy Spirit, and the church are drawing you to Christ. To be part of the bride of Christ which will be a partakers in the beautiful eternal New Jerusalem. The only one holding you back is you. However, there is only one way, and that is through the blood of Jesus Christ, who has paid the very expensive price of His holy blood. You get the forgiveness by asking for it, through repentance to God for all your sins. Then He will lead you and change you as you study His word (the Bible])
18 For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, "If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues
(I.e. deception.)
that are written in this book:
19 And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book.
(God wrote the scripture through His prophets, to you and me. Though I write these comments about the scriptures to you, or if any teacher, you are to read and verify what any teacher teaches. Does it say what He says it says? This is an important responsibility for any Bible teacher to be clear and accurate.)
20 He which testifieth these things saith, "Surely I come quickly."
(The seventh and last solemn warning by the LORD Himself. It is the one great subject of the whole book, which is all prophecy. Amen. See 3:14 and 2 Cor. 1:20.)
Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus.
(The use of the word "Lord" shows the utterance to be John's. None of His People, when He was on earth, were never so irreverent as to address Him as "Jesus" [see appendix 98 section 10 in the Companion Bible to see an explanation of this])
21 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.
(= THAT'S THE WAY IT IS. It is God, and Our Lord Jesus Christ that testifieth of the promises and prophecies. This is the seventh and last testimony that Jesus Christ said, "Behold, I come Quickly".
Grace is given to "you all", meaning "all the saints". Grace is the riches, the unmerited favor of God given to you freely for accepting it, and claiming those promises from God's Word which gives us our salvation.)