If I were to summarize my personal study of the book of Revelation I would use the song title “Blessed Assurance Jesus is mine oh what a foretaste of glory divine.” It’s been great discovering what Jesus planned to do and His amazing mercy that He offers all the way through the book. The book even ends that way, God offers grace to all unto the last day! Well, we’ve covered a lot of information this last year plus and I hope you learned and grown spiritually as we journeyed. Now literally it’s the end… of our study that is!
In this last message, I want you to think about preparing for a wedding with me. You also know a wedding has expectations and anticipations. An anticipation that I have for our church is when we will see a wedding between two of our people. But today we are talking about Jesus’ return which I compared to a wedding!
In almost all formal weddings there is suspense as the groom waits on the bride to present herself and stand at his side.
A question for each of us this morning. How are we preparing as we wait for Jesus Christ? Maybe this message can help you with your preparations for Jesus’ return!
Revelation 22:12 “behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to give to every one according to his work.”
I.) Preparing for the Wedding 8-9
Weddings call for preparation and planning. Even the night before there is a rehearsal so that mistakes are minimal and people know what they should do. And yet seldom is there a wedding without some hiccups even after all that planning.
The Apostle John had a mistake in verse 8. John bowed in worship to this messenger. Oops! For all the exposure to Jesus Christ’ you would think John wouldn’t make such a mistake. In fact, the main premise of the Book of Revelation declares that Jesus Christ is God. Jesus is the only acceptable person to worship and this is one of the key sins addressed in this book.
In particular a warning in verses 18-19 given to those who do not “keep the Words” but “add” or “take away”.
The book of Revelation is given for all people to prepare for the coming of the King of kings. It is written so that people will not make a mistake and fail to miss the truth of Jesus Christ’s return. We do not want to make a mistake on the wedding day like the parable of the ten virgins in Matthew 25 who did not take extra oil for their lamps and the groom arrived and they missed him.
So then the bride is to be prepared…We are to be ready…
II.) The Charge to the Bride. 10-11
In many weddings there is a charge to the couple. Often there is reminder of the purpose of Marriage, and the stipulations of marriage. “To love one another like Christ loved the church, to honor one another, for richer or poorer health or sickness, until death do you part.”
The bride has three underlining commands given in verses 10-11.
- To proclaim the Gospel.
- To persevere and be undeterred by wickedness.
- To purify ourselves by being holy and righteous!
Jesus’ apostles had similar commands. They are embedded in Matthew 28 allow me to read that to you. “Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth.
“Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, “teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen.”
The name of this book is “Revelation,” the word Revelation means to make known. Note that now that the message of Revelation is given we are told in verse 10. “Do not seal the Words of this book.”
The command not to seal the book means the contents of the whole book has a divine prophetic purpose. That purpose is to reveal truth to all people so that all people may know Jesus is LORD and the truth about eternity.
That means that the church i.e. His bride is charged to proclaim the message of Jesus Christ’s return“for the time is near.”
While we studied the book of Revelation, we found that some people will refuse to heed its message and even worse persist in their ungodly ways.
No one will be able to escape from God’s evaluation of every person.
Because of God’s coming judgement, our job as His bride is to proclaim Jesus Christ’ salvation and honor Jesus while we wait for Him. Notice in verse 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.”
God desires that we keep our vow to Him… and Jesus made a vow to us…
III.) The Vows of the Marriage 12-19
The moment in the wedding ceremony when the Bride and Groom face one another to say their wedding vows. This is the central focus of a wedding. During the vows, the couple makes a promise to one another publicly, before God and the witnesses present, to do everything within their power to help each other grow in becoming what God has created them to be, despite all adversities, as long as they both live. It is a vow, expressing the entrance into a covenant relationship.
Jesus made ten separate, yet connected vows:
I am coming quickly
My reward is with me
I am the Alpha and the Omega
Beginning and the End,
The First and the Last
Blessed are those who do His commandments
I am the root and offspring of David
The bright and morning star
Take the water of life
Obey the words of this book
It is important that we know that the phrases of verses 12 and 13, “I am coming quickly…” “My reward is with me” are addressed to the church, the bride!
The statements in verses 12 and 13 go all the way back to the introduction of the book. Revelation 1:4-8 “John, to the seven churches which are in Asia: Grace to you and peace from Him who is and who was and who is to come, and from the seven Spirits who are before His throne, and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler over the kings of the earth. To Him who loved us and washed us from our sins in His own blood, and has made us kings and priests to His God and Father, to Him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen. 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. “I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End,” says the Lord, “who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.”
The point of verses 12 and 13 is that Jesus could return at any moment. Therefore we should be diligent and obedient. We must not be like 6 of the seven churches in chapters 2-3! Six of those churches made concessions for the work of God and compromised the truth that was invested in them.
Notice the reminder and warning in verses 14-15. “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. But outside are dogs and sorcerers and sexually immoral and murderers and idolaters, and whoever loves and practices a lie.”
The words in verse 15 talk about practicing the lie? What is that? It’s living for this world, without any regard for the Revelation that Jesus is Lord. It’s obvious that people can be caught up in deception and distraction. However notice verse 14 “blessed are those who do His commands.” This phrase explains the bride’s wedding vows.
Now the groom’s vows in verse 16, uses two key phrases. These phrases show Jesus Christ’s commitment. They are spoken in covenant terms.
- “Jesus is the root and offspring of David.” That phrase means Jesus is king David’s root and cause of existence and He is his descendant and ancestor. As the root, He is David’s God and Creator. By virtue of the incarnation He is also the son of David. This all means that Jesus Christ is the promised royal deliverer. In other words He is both truly God and truly Man who is the King and kinsman/redeemer. (see 2 Tim 2:5ff).
Throughout the book of Revelation God’s purpose of the end has been disclosed, and we see His glorious fulfillment of all since the beginning of creation. The book declares that Jesus will see everything through.
- The second phrase is the bright and morning star. This phrase announces that Jesus is the brightness of God Himself. However, this phrase is a self-description of His assurance, i.e. His vow that the long night will soon end and the dawn of the eternal day is approaching. Jesus promises He is coming for our redemption and it is described like the bright morning star that is the assurance that the day is about to dawn.
The bright morning star also grants a promise that it is still the season for an appeal to men and women for salvation. The day has not broken yet and there is time to repent that He is Lord and Savior! Therefore the Church has a commitment to proclaim Jesus Christ until He comes.
So Jesus made the church able to share the gospel with the world. This is embedded in verse 17! “The Spirit and the bride are now working together for the salvation of people. The Spirit’s Salvation message is proclaimed by the people, the church! COME heed God’s gracious call to salvation.
The great news is that anyone can come and be a part if this wedding…but there also bad news, a warning if the church doesn’t proclaim the truth of Gods’ Word.
There are people that make vows but do not mean them or want to keep them. (Illustration Paul and Canada). Wedding vows are a commitment to your spouse. Our vow to God is to proclaim His salvation and judgement!
Revelation 22:18-19 I warn everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: if anyone adds to them, God will add to him the plagues described in this book, and if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God will take away his share in the tree of life and in the holy city, which are described in this book.
Living life without critical instruction also causes a person to fall into a ditch so to speak. The Bible is our guide and will help us reach the future God intended for each of us.
A sentence or words are missed, the result is deadly! So it is when we take anything away from the Bible or add to it. The result is deadly not just in this life, but for eternity.
Some people might not like what the Bible says about sin and judgment. Or people might wish that the Bible only taught health, wealth and prosperity. But if we add to or take anything away from God’s Word to make it fit what we like, we lead ourselves and others into spiritual ruin.
Verses 18-19 convey that the Revelation account is true and it will all happen in the near future.
IV.) The Wedding Pronouncement. 20-21
The Groom will soon appear and is going to usher in His kingdom. Notice the major emphasis of the whole epilogue is found repeated once again in verse 20 “surely I’m coming soon!”
Revelation is not to be taught that the end is the event! It’s about the coming of Jesus Christ from whom the world owes allegiance. I wish to point out how the apostle John realizes this and recites one of the oldest and shortest prayer of Christianity at the end of verse 20.
In fact this Aramaic word “Maranatha” is the language the people used in Jesus Christ’s day! This is the English phrase “Come Lord Jesus.” It goes all the way back to the day the disciples watched His ascension into glory. Let me read to you that event. It’s in Acts 1:6-11 “When they had come together, they asked Him, saying, “Lord, will You at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?” And He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or seasons which the Father has put in His own authority. “But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” Now when He had spoken these things, while they watched, He was taken up, and a cloud received Him out of their sight. And while they looked steadfastly toward heaven as He went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel, who also said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand gazing up into heaven? This same Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will so come in like manner as you saw Him go into heaven.”
We end our study of the book as it began. It’s an address to the churches and plea to do His work. (Revelation 1) We’ve also read in the book of Acts how Jesus’ promises the power of the Holy Spirit to the disciples and thus to all believers until His return. It’s a promise to all readers so they can obey, persevere and proclaim Him even though there might be some difficult days until His return.
The book of Revelation ends declaring Jesus’ grace in verse 21“The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.” He offers His grace even to the end!
The book of Revelation began by declaring Jesus’ salvation Revelation 1:5-8 “Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler over the kings of the earth. To Him who loved us and washed us from our sins in His own blood, and has made us kings and priests to His God and Father, to Him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen. 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. “I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End,” says the Lord, “who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.”
The end of the book of Revelation says the same invitation. Notice in verse 17 how the church and the Holy Spirit call people to repent and believe! “the Spirit and the bride says come!” Come to JESUS CHRIST for salvation! Come, so you will be ready for the Wedding day! The spirit proclaims Whoever desires, let him take the water of life freely.
If you are already part of the bride of Christ them keep your vows. Revelation 22:14 “Blessed are those who do His commandments.” That means… serve His people and share His Word.