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At this point in our study of
Revelation, the record of prophecy about the end of the world abruptly comes to
a halt. The apostle has recorded all we
need to prepare for the second coming of Jesus.
A semi-wise pastor once said it’s
Biblical that Christians ought not to think too much about such things, because
it could hinder the return of the Lord:
... the Son of Man is coming at an hour when you do not think He
will. Matthew 24:44
There was a poster outside an
English church at a bus stop that read:
Where will you
be on the Day of Judgment? Someone scribbled on the wall
under the poster: Still here, waiting for a bus.
So much has been written about
the end times and Jesus' return. At
times it becomes important to stop and review the facts. In our text the angel underscores what John has seen in this vision of
visions....namely the revelation of Jesus Christ as the King of Kings and Lord
of Lords. He has seen the Master of all life, death, time and
eternity. He is revealed not only as
King of the universe, but as the embodiment of the Word of God Almighty.
What we are given here are ASSURANCES about that Word. We see two assurances that strengthen us due
to the awesomeness of the facts they represent about the Word. First, the Word of God is:
Eminent Truth
Then the angel
said to me, “Everything you have heard and seen is trustworthy and true. The
Lord God, who inspires his prophets, has sent his angel to tell his
servants what will happen soon.”
Revelation 22:6
There is much truth to be
known. I am a father, a husband, a
son. These are truths. But eminent truth is truth that takes first
place in importance. Note the
word faithful means being
convinced. The truth of God about Jesus
can be put to the test. It will never
fail. But the word "true"
literally means unconcealed. The fact is that God has totally revealed His
nature to us in the being and character of Jesus Christ. And you can depend on Him. So when John says that the Word of God is
faithful and true, he is assuring us that truth revealed from above can be
counted upon.
During the Civil War era Jeb
Stuart, in his communications to General Robert E. Lee, used to sign them yours to count on. It is that way with the Word of God.
Now, what that means for us is
that a God who spoke to the world in creation, and in the ancient prophets, and
eventually in a cross, is a God who is going to live by His Word.
The phrase in verse 6..the things which must shortly be done., tells
us that God confirms a promise that His Word issues. What are those promises? All throughout the scripture there are two
basic promises; and they are as unchanging as the God who issued them:
A -
The redeemed shall be received with great gladness.
B - The enemies of God shall be defeated and silenced
forever.
Now the world may point to the
existence of this world, and the apparent lack of judgment. But the day shall come. It is God who has spoken. On a night in March 140 years ago the great
Niagara Falls stopped flowing. It just
stopped. Anyone who has slept in the
country with the crickets knows how deadly silent it can be when all the night
noise stops. Imagine what it must have
been for the thundering of the mighty Niagara to suddenly cease, like someone
turned off the switch. People were so
startled they ran to the river with torches.
The next morning, and all through the night the nearby churches were
jammed with people praying and trembling over the "end of the
world." A little over 30 hours
after the river ceased movement, just as suddenly it began again. The explanation? A heavy wind had set the Lake Erie ice field
in motion and tons of ice had jammed at the river's entrance near Buffalo. It had dammed the river up, until the ice
shifted and let the water flow once again.
Someday it won't be a natural
explanation, but a supernatural fulfillment of the eminent truth of God, that
He is going to bring time to a standstill; He will end time and begin
eternity. And those who have lived their
lives without God will find that eternity will be the same way. This is eminent truth...
Secondly, Notice that the Word
of God is
Imminent Treasure
“Look, I am
coming soon! Blessed are those who obey
the words of prophecy written in this book.”
Revelation 22:7
The angel quotes Jesus saying I am coming soon, imminently. This news can be either treasure or
tragedy. It depends on the state of the
one for which Jesus comes. I do not want
to be cute with words here. The outcome
is too serious.
Again, the world looks around
(and even some church members) and they say:
Well, it's been 2000 years. Is He really coming soon? The word means effectively, or at the
right moment. G. Campbell Morgan
translates it: Behold, I come on time. I like that translation. God has never missed a deadline. At least, He's never missed one that HE set!
Many times in our prayers we let God know just exactly how and WHEN He
should do something. But God not only
knows what we need; He knows exactly WHEN we need it as well!
What is He coming for? He's coming to be two things: judgment and blessing. Several weeks into a trial, the defendant
came forward to plead guilty. Why didn't you plead guilty at the start and
save us all a lot of time? asked the judge.
The defendant replied: I thought I
was innocent. But that was before I
heard the evidence against me.
How sad that there are so many
good and moral, upstanding, wonderful people who just have never given their
hearts to Jesus who are going to hear in that day: Depart from me, I never knew you.
You see, you don't have to be
a murderer, or a child abuser, or some other heinous type to go to hell. All that’s required is to ignore the call of
God on your life…which is to reject Jesus, the imminent, on-time coming king,
who said:
I am the way, the
truth, and the life. No man, no woman,
no child…nobody comes to God the Father in His heaven, except through me. John 14:6
Blessings, says the angel,
come to the ones who will keep (or obey) these
words of the prophecy. The word keep comes from a military expression,
meaning to keep watch. Having spent some time in the Army I know all
about keeping watch. I can tell you that
there was a difference between guard duty in Fort Gordon, Georgia, and keeping
watch in Kontum, South Vietnam in 1967.
The difference wasn't just in keeping a few rules...it meant the
difference between life and death.
It is that way with what you
do to keep watch over the imminent treasure of Jesus Christ in your life.
Again, G. Campbell Morgan says
this about the words of the book, and what the angel says to assure us:
This…emphasizes the fact that a study of this book is
only of value in so far as the vision of the Lord in His glory, His grace, and
His government reacts upon life in such way as to produce the attitudes and
activities which, recognizing the glory, appropriate the grace, and yield to
the government.
In other words...You square
your life by the words of this book. You
commit yourself. That makes the
imminent, effective, on-time coming of the Lord Jesus a real treasure.
A young man was afraid to make
a commitment to get married. He wrote to
an advice columnist. She answered him: You
fall in love, but you back away before marriage. You say you won't commit because you view
life like a buffet; if you fill up your plate with lettuce at the front of the
line, you may not have room for the boiled shrimp that could be at the
end. My friend, she said, You are going to end up with an empty plate.
What shall we do
with this Palm-Passion Truth?
When you know the divine,
eminent, all-important truth of God's love in Jesus Christ, and you have
experienced the imminent treasure of having Christ in your life, what is the
appropriate, acceptable response? Share
it!
·
Mahatma Gandhi once said: If Christians would really live the teachings
of Christ, as found in the Bible, all of India would be Christian today.
·
Mormons have a commitment that means they give two years of their life
in missionary service....without pay!
·
Members of Alcoholics Anonymous will go anywhere, any time under any
circumstances to help another alcoholic.
It should come as no surprise
to Christians that our mission is more than coming to church and dropping a few
dollars in the offering plate. Our
mission is to receive the eminent truth....the Word of God, and take this
imminent treasure to the ends of the earth, starting with our next-door
neighbor.
The question
is: Will we go around the block to share
this with a neighbor? Or even in our own
home? Behold, says Jesus,
the eminent, imminent One, I come on time...are you satisfied that you're
ready to greet me?
In the name of the Father,
Son, and Holy Spirit, Amen!
