blood of the Lamb – walklikejesus

With this last chapter of Revelation, John focuses again on Jesus and his centrality to all of God’s creation and redemption. A recording of this post is available on the Shofar Durbanville YouTube channel.

The Bible begins and ends with the description of a paradise garden in which there is a tree of life and a life-giving river. In this last chapter of John’s Apocalypse, John shows how God’s restoration and renewal of all things are brought to completion. In this final vision of the Revelation of Jesus Christ (1:1), we see the Gospel of God beautifully painted.

Jesus is life (22:1-5). Continuing with the scene of the New Jerusalem (Revelation 21), John describes the River of Life flowing from the throne room of God and the Lamb. The picture of the life-giving river alludes to Eden (Genesis 2:7-10) and Ezekiel’s vision (Ezekiel 47:1-12). This River of Life flows in the middle of the street of this Holy City. On its banks is the Tree of Life, bearing fruit all year long, with “its leaves for the healing of nations” (22:2; Ezekiel 47:7,12).

After Adam and Eve rebelled and ate of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, God removed them from the Garden “lest [they] stretch out [their] hand, and take also from the tree of life, and eat, and live forever” in their fallen state (Genesis 3:22-24). But access to the Tree of Life is a sign that there is no more sin, no more darkness, “for the Lord God will be their light” (22:5), and those who dwell therein will forever reign. This garden image is a compelling picture of Christ’s full redemption and restoration of mankind, where mankind will live in communion with God, share in his life, and reign over his creation with goodness (Genesis 1:26-27). Here, life is as it always should have been.

The symbolism is beautiful and meant to be both hope-giving and instructive to the readers. Christ is the source of all light and life (John 1:4-5; 11:25; 14:6). The Life-giving River “which make glad the city of our God” (Psalm 36:8; 46:4) depicts the nature and work of the Holy Spirit – the “Spirit of Life” (Romans 8:2, 11) who satisfy believers to “never thirst again” (John 4:13; Isaiah 55:1), even to overflow with “rivers of living water” (John 7:38-39). The street in the Holy City is “the Highway of Holiness” (Isaiah 35:8), “the Way” of life Jesus taught of and made possible by his blood (Acts 24:14,22, Hebrews 10:19-20). The Tree of Life is the church, God’s redeemed creation, who in turn is God’s redemptive gift to the world. It is the tree that grows from the Gospel seed (Matthew 13:31-32), that is planted next to the River of Life and therefore “yields its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither” (Psalm 1:3; Jeremiah 17:7-8). Through the reigning of the Lamb and the nourishing of his Spirit, the church now and forever reign (Revelation 5:9-10; Romans 5:17).

Put together, the church is those renewed and sustained by the Spirit of God, who walks in the Way of Holiness as they submit to the reign of God and the Lamb. By drawing from the water of the Spirit, the church bears fruit that gives life and healing to the nations, displacing evil. This is as much a picture of the church today as it points to Christ’s coming kingdom.

Jesus is the judge (22:12). Four times in this chapter, John records the words that Jesus’ return is “soon”, and hears Christ’s admonition to “hear the words of this prophesy and keep it.” (22:7). The angelic warning about the end on the river-bank pictures a strong allusion to Daniel 12. But in contrast to Daniel, who was told to “seal up” and “shut up” the prophecy “until the last days”, John is now instructed to “not seal up the prophecy, for the time is near” – implying the Day of the Lord, the Day of Judgment is near (22:10; Daniel 12:4, 9). Alluding to Daniel’s vision (22:10; Daniel 12:10) the angel says:

“Let the evildoer still do evil, and the filthy still be filthy,

[let] the righteous still do right, and the holy still be holy.”

This does not imply that the time of grace is over. John writes that doing proceeds from being. In keeping with the rest of the prophecy to the seven churches, John urges believers, if indeed they have been redeemed and sanctified by the Blood of the Lamb (5:9-10), that they then act in accordance with their standing. Since you are holy, do righteous deeds! Do not live in the filthy ways of Babylon because Jesus is coming soon as the judge “to repay each one for what he has done” (22:12; Isaiah 40:10).

Jesus is the goal (22:13). [Read the full commentary of Revelation in Faithful to the End]

*Faithful to the End* is a simple commentary that helps make sense of the encouraging message of Revelation.

Quick links to full THE END Revelation Series posts

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In this 19th study of revelation we look at need for salvation and the reality judgment and Hell in chapter 14. A recording of this will be uploaded at the Shofar Durbanville Youtube channel.

“What’s the point of all this hardship? Why push through the pain? Others have given up, and they seem to be having an easier life! What can be worth this much effort?” Whether it’s a marathon, long-term studies, a gruelling project or a start-up initiative – somewhere along the road, you will ask that question in agonizing pain. So, too, in your journey of faith.

The answer to this question is what Revelation 14 offers to struggling churches. The scenes instil courage in the hearts of believers tempted to give in or give up, but it does not shy away from the sober reality of what is at stake. The chapter is divided into three logical sections, revealing the role models, the reason and the reward for endurance.

The role models for endurance (14:1-5). Chapter 14 opens in stark contrast to Chapter 13’s end. Moving from the Beasts and those who receive the mark, John’s attention falls on the Lamb and his army of 144’000 who bear the mark of His Father on their foreheads. In our post on the 144’000 from chapter 7, we concluded that this group represents the fullness of people who remain loyal to Christ’s blood and who are saved by Christ’s blood.

From the contrasting groups, John hears contrasting sounds (14:2-3): God’s voice roars from heaven “like many waters” accompanied by “load thunders” (repeated in 8:5; 11:19; 16:18; refer 4:5), alluding to God’s justice and judgment from his Law (Exodus 19:16). This originates from his judgment on the and his worshiper (14:8ff). John also hears the harpists’ joyful, tranquil music. These come from the believers singing before the throne the song of the redeemed (compare 4:3 with 5:8-10) – a song that only those who have been saved by the blood of the Lamb can faithfully sing.

The redeemed are described as those “who have not defiled themselves with women, for they are virgins… who follow the Lamb wherever he goes”. (14:4). This phrase is not a reference to physical celibacy but spiritual fidelity, as it contrasts God’s faithful people to those seduced into “fornication” with “Babylon the Great, the mother of harlots and abominations of the earth” (14:8; 17:6). Here, drawing from the Old Testament prophets (notably Hosea), John describes idolatry as the Church’s spiritual unfaithfulness to God symbolically with a married person’s immorality and sexual unfaithfulness towards his or her spouse. Paul uses this imagery when he laments the Corinthians’ backsliding: “I betrothed you to one husband, to present you as a pure virgin to Christ. But I am afraid that… your thoughts will be led astray from a sincere and pure devotion to Christ.“ (2 Corinthians 2:11). But the ones before the throne are a bride “without blemish” (4:5; compare Ephesians 5:27).

The reason for endurance (14:6-12). The next section in this chapter outlines the basic theology of judgment, revealed by three angelic messengers. Angel One proclaims… the “eternal gospel: Fear God and give him glory.” God is the creator of all the earth, that he is sovereign over all the nations, and that he will judge all people, everywhere – and that hour is soon (14:6-7). Angel Two announces the destruction of “Babylon” because she leads people everywhere into idolatry and immorality (14:8; compare Isaiah 21, Jeremiah 51). In chapters 18-19, the author returns to this theme, wherein Babylon is described as a city infested by demons and inhabited by the defiled (18:2). Angel three decrees God’s wrath on the beast and all who bears his mark: eternal judgment in “fire and sulfur” (14:9-11) – an allusion to Hell…

[Read the full commentary of Revelation in Faithful to the End]

Quick links to full THE END Revelation Series posts

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Tag: blood of the Lamb

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