The Pure River of the Water of Life
The subject of the heavenly city is continued in this chapter; but as the reader will notice, there is a distinct feature here introduced, and this is shown by the words with which it commences, “And he showed me.” (Ch. 22:1) We pass on now more especially to what characterizes the interior of the city, both in relation to its inhabitants and to the nations on the millennial earth.
John thus proceeds, “And he showed me a pure [This word should probably be omitted, as it is not found in the best MSS.] river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb” (vs. 1). The tabernacle in the wilderness was made, as we are distinctly told, after the pattern of heavenly things; and it would seem that the earthly Jerusalem also, in the coming day of her glory, will in some respects be the counterpart of the heavenly city. We thus read, “There is a river, the streams whereof shall make glad the city of God, the holy place of the tabernacles of the Most High” (Psa. 46:44There is a river, the streams whereof shall make glad the city of God, the holy place of the tabernacles of the most High. (Psalm 46:4)). And so too Ezekiel speaks of the waters that will issue “out from under the threshold of the house eastward,” and of the fact that the waters become a river; and he further says, “And it shall come to pass, that everything that liveth, which moveth, whithersoever the rivers shall come, shall live... and everything shall live whither the river cometh” (Ezek. 47:1,91Afterward he brought me again unto the door of the house; and, behold, waters issued out from under the threshold of the house eastward: for the forefront of the house stood toward the east, and the waters came down from under from the right side of the house, at the south side of the altar. (Ezekiel 47:1)
9And it shall come to pass, that every thing that liveth, which moveth, whithersoever the rivers shall come, shall live: and there shall be a very great multitude of fish, because these waters shall come thither: for they shall be healed; and every thing shall live whither the river cometh. (Ezekiel 47:9)). In both cases therefore, it is “a river of water of life;” only it must be remembered that in the heavenly Jerusalem it is vivifying and refreshing rather than life-giving, inasmuch as all there are in the possession and enjoyment of eternal life. It proceeds “out of the throne of God and of the Lamb,” (vs. 1) and it will thus represent the blessed streams of grace, of life, which will forever flow out from God and the Lamb, in the “heavenly kingdom,” to gladden the hearts of the redeemed in glory. This river is secured for them through the eternal government of God on the ground of accomplished redemption; for this would seem to be the purport of the words, “proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb.” (vs. 1)
In connection with this river of the water of life it is added, “In the midst of the street of it, and on either side of the river, was there the tree of life, which bare twelve fruits, [The words “manner of” are omitted because they misrepresent the fact stated. It is not twelve manner of fruits, but, as the succeeding clause shows, twelve fruits, one crop gathered every month, a figure of perpetual fruitfulness.] and yielded her fruit every month: and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations” (vs. 2). A similar feature is also described by Ezekiel as marking the earthly city, “And by the river upon the bank thereof, on this side and on that side, shall grow all trees for meat, whose leaf shall not fade, neither shall the fruit thereof be consumed: it shall bring forth new fruit according to his months, because their waters they issued out of the sanctuary: and the fruit thereof shall be for meat, and the leaf thereof for medicine”
The tree of life in the holy city is, of course, a symbol, a symbol which immediately carries us back to Eden, and which as plainly speaks of Christ. Both the trees in Paradise indeed, that of the knowledge of good and evil, the tree of responsibility as it is sometimes termed, and the tree of life, find their answer and conciliation in Christ. For it was He who took up and settled forever, according to the claims of God’s glory, the question of man’s responsibility on the cross, and then, as risen out of death, became the tree of life for all His people; of life, it may be added, in a new condition, as shown out in Christ’s own risen state in glory.
The tree of life then, in the heavenly Jerusalem, is Christ in glory, and Christ in glory as the life of the redeemed; and we are thus reminded that in the glorified state, even as here, the saints do not possess life independently of Christ. “This is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in His Son,” (1 John 5:1111And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. (1 John 5:11)), and this will be eternally true. The character of the heavenly life, the proper portion of the saints of God, will thus remain the same; only it must be added that in our perfected condition, as entirely conformed to Christ, it will be enjoyed to the full, without let or hindrance of any kind. We shall then know what it is, in full measure, (to borrow the language of the bride) to sit down under His shadow with great delight, and find that His fruit is sweet to our taste.
“The leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations.” (vs. 2) This statement very plainly teaches that the heavenly city sustains, during the millennial period, a relationship to the earth, and that the nations will receive of the healing virtues of the tree of life. As has been written by another, “Only the glorified ever ate the fruit of constant growth; but what was manifested and displayed without, as the leaves of a tree, was blessing to those on earth” (Synopsis, J. N. Darby. 5:564). In some way, therefore— in what way is not revealed—grace, either mediately or immediately, will flow out from the assembly in glory. What an insight is thus afforded into the heart of God! And what an expansion is given to the understanding of “the riches of His grace” even outside of the assembly!
The next three verses go together: “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: and they shall see His face; and His name shall be in their foreheads. And there shall be no night there; and they need no candle, neither light of the sun; for the Lord God giveth them light: and they shall reign forever and ever” (vss. 3-5). Everything being constituted in the holy city according to God’s righteousness, there could be no more curse; for God will repose in the whole scene with infinite delight, for all His people, through the riches of His grace, will be there according to His own mind. Curse belongs to a state of sin and transgression, and that now has forever passed away. The reason however, here given is in the fact of the throne of God and of the Lamb being in it, in its absolute supremacy and recognition, and thus securing in its perfect government a state according to God. God’s holiness as expressed in His throne will be the eternal guarantee of the happiness of the redeemed, even as His love, and that of the Lamb, will be their eternal and satisfying portion.
It is for this reason that we pass at once in our scripture to the positive character of the blessedness of the redeemed, the inhabitants of the heavenly city. When considering the eternal state, as described in Revelation 21:1-71And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea. 2And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. 3And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God. 4And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away. 5And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And he said unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful. 6And he said unto me, It is done. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely. 7He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son. (Revelation 21:1‑7), we pointed out that there it was the negative side of this blessedness which was prominent, that is, it was rather the absence of the evils that afflict us here, that was indicated; [We refer to verse 4; in the fact that the new Jerusalem becomes the tabernacle of God is a very positive aspect of the blessedness of the redeemed.] but here it is the positive side, what we shall do, enjoy, and be. The first thing noted is, “His servants shall serve Him.” (vs. 3) As often in John’s writings the Father and the Son—here God and the Lamb—are so completely one in his mind that he does not pause to distinguish. Hence here it is “His” servants, although he had just spoken of God and the Lamb. Here then at last His servants shall serve Him. They had by His grace done it here, though very imperfectly, even according to their own standard. Unprofitable servants they had been, even when they had labored to the utmost; for mixed motives had often contended within their hearts. But now at length, when Christ will completely possess and control their hearts, when no other object but Himself will ever be before their souls, when His will shall find in them a full and complete response, and when they themselves will not have a thought, desire, or interest outside of His own, then they will serve Him perfectly according to His standard, for in all their obedience and activity they will be the perfect expression of His own most blessed mind.
“They shall [moreover] see His face.” (vs. 4) We read of Moses that the Lord spake unto him face to face, as a man speaketh unto his friend; and, on the other hand, David commanded respecting Absalom, “Let him turn to his own house, and let him not see my face.” (2 Sam. 14:2424And the king said, Let him turn to his own house, and let him not see my face. So Absalom returned to his own house, and saw not the king's face. (2 Samuel 14:24)) To see the Lamb’s face in glory therefore betokens intimacy of approach and the enjoyment of His presence, a place of nearness as well as of honor and blessing. This of itself tells of the saints’ perfected condition, even as John writes, “We know that, when He shall appear, we shall be like Him; for we shall see Him as He is.” (1 John 3:22Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is. (1 John 3:2)) This character of blessedness has been well expressed in the following lines:
“Forever to behold Him shine!
For evermore to call Him mine
And see Him still before me
Forever on His face to gaze,
And meet the full assembled rays,
While all His beauty He displays
To all His saints in glory.”
Also, “His name shall be in their foreheads.” (vs. 4) The primary thought in this characteristic feature is that of ownership; as it is likewise in the case of the followers of antichrist in Revelation 13. But there is also another thing indicated. Name, consistently in Scripture, is the expression of what a person is; and so interpreted here it will signify that full likeness to Christ will be told out on every brow, that all His redeemed will be the reflection of Himself, in accordance with the purpose of God that they should be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren.
It is repeated in the following verse (5th) that “there shall be no night there,” (vs. 5) for all evil has been forever done away, and together with it the darkness which is its moral symbol. Nor will the glorified need either light of the lamp or of the sun, either artificial or created light, “for the Lord God [Jehovah Elohim] giveth them light.” (vs. 5) In this state and condition there could not be a single want which the presence of their God does not meet. They will then know, what we so feebly apprehend while in the wilderness, His all-sufficiency, that He alone is the source of all their blessedness, that with Him is the fountain of life, and in His light they see light.
Lastly, it is said, “they shall reign forever and ever.” (vs. 5) During the thousand years they will reign with Christ; but, as we know from 1 Corinthians 15, at the close of that period Christ will deliver up His mediatorial kingdom “to God, even the Father; when He shall have put down all rule, and all authority and power. For He must reign, till He hath put all enemies under His feet....And when all things shall be subdued unto Him, then shall the Son also Himself be subject unto Him that put all things under Him, that God may be all in all” (1 Cor. 15:24-2824Then cometh the end, when he shall have delivered up the kingdom to God, even the Father; when he shall have put down all rule and all authority and power. 25For he must reign, till he hath put all enemies under his feet. 26The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death. 27For he hath put all things under his feet. But when he saith all things are put under him, it is manifest that he is excepted, which did put all things under him. 28And when all things shall be subdued unto him, then shall the Son also himself be subject unto him that put all things under him, that God may be all in all. (1 Corinthians 15:24‑28)). It is evident therefore that the words “reign forever and ever” (vs. 5) cannot refer to the association of the saints with Christ in the glories of His millennial sway; but that they point rather to the eternal kingdom of God, and to the exaltation of saints as belonging to Christ, as being the Lamb’s wife, in its administration throughout “the ages of the ages.”
This forms the conclusion of the description of the new Jerusalem, and in fact, of the whole book. There are warnings added, and special intimations of the relationship of Christ to the assembly, and of the church’s suited attitude, and of what produces it, while awaiting the Lord’s return; and these form the suited close to these solemn communications which the Lord has made for the guidance and instruction of His people whose lot is cast in dark and difficult days.
Closing Warnings and Admonitions
The prophetic character of these communications is shown in every possible way. In Revelation 1915And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. 16And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS. 17And I saw an angel standing in the sun; and he cried with a loud voice, saying to all the fowls that fly in the midst of heaven, Come and gather yourselves together unto the supper of the great God; 18That ye may eat the flesh of kings, and the flesh of captains, and the flesh of mighty men, and the flesh of horses, and of them that sit on them, and the flesh of all men, both free and bond, both small and great. (Revelation 19:15‑18), as we have seen, John is told, “The testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy” (Ch. 19:10); and here again the angel, who was sent to show John the things that must shortly come to pass (Rev. 1:11The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave unto him, to show unto his servants things which must shortly come to pass; and he sent and signified it by his angel unto his servant John: (Revelation 1:1)), says, “I am...of thy brethren the prophets, and of them which keep the sayings of this book” (Ch. 22:9). It is needful to bear this in mind, in order to understand the nature of the book, and the application of the revelations made. It is because this has been forgotten, together with the fact that the church is not the subject of prophecy, that so many mistakes have been made in the interpretation of the apocalyptic visions. These closing warnings and admonitions are therefore of great importance, as affording abundant confirmation of the view taken in this exposition, that the whole of the book after chapter 3 is yet future; and as demonstrating the untenability of what is termed the “historical view,” namely, of regarding all the visions up to chapter 19 as already fulfilled in past historical events, and of the consequent contention, that we have now only to wait for the appearing of our Lord as described in Revelation 19:1111And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war. (Revelation 19:11). This theory could not be accepted by those who understand the true character of the church as the body of Christ, and of the church’s hope as given by the apostle Paul in 1 Thessalonians 4:15-1815For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep. 16For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: 17Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. 18Wherefore comfort one another with these words. (1 Thessalonians 4:15‑18). These know that the church’s immediate prospect is the coming of the Lord to receive His people, and that the judgments and woes revealed in this book (whatever premonitions of these there may have been in past ages) cannot be visited upon this poor world, until the church has been rapt away from the scene, and is on high with the Lord. To miss this distinction is to lose the true nature of the dispensations, and especially of the church period, which embraces the time from Pentecost until the coming of the Lord.
We may now with greater intelligence pass to the consideration of this portion. The exhibition of the holy city, and the blessedness of its inhabitants, having been concluded, the angel solemnly affirms the truth of his communications: “These sayings are faithful and true: and the Lord God of the holy prophets [A preferable reading would seem to be “of the spirits of the prophets.”] sent His angel to show unto His servants the things which must shortly be done” (vs. 6). Three things in this short statement confirm the view already given. The names “Lord God,” Jehovah Elohim, carry us necessarily back to the Old Testament ground of prophecy; and the reason is that the faithful remnant of this book, after the church is gone, will be Jewish, under law, and sustained by Jewish hopes. It is indeed the remnant, so often found in the Psalms, looking for the advent of their glorious Messiah, and the restoration and blessing of Zion. The same conclusion is indicated by the term “the holy prophets,” (vs. 6) and still more strikingly, if we adopt the reading mentioned, “the spirits of the prophets” (vs. 6); and lastly, it is expressly stated that things made known are those “which must shortly be done.”
The following verse presents a point of great interest: “Behold, I come quickly: blessed is he that keepeth the sayings of the prophecy of this book” (vs. 7). The angel speaks in verse 6; and now the Lord Himself, it being His own testimony, speaks through the lips of the angel. This transition from the prophet to Him, whose angel (messenger) the prophet was, is often found in the Old Testament. A striking illustration of this is found in Zechariah 11, where Jehovah takes up the word His servant was uttering, and so distinctly, that He says, “If ye think good, give me my price; and if not, forbear. So they weighed for my price thirty pieces of silver” (Zech. 11:1212And I said unto them, If ye think good, give me my price; and if not, forbear. So they weighed for my price thirty pieces of silver. (Zechariah 11:12)). So here the Lord Himself, His communications now drawing to a close, announces His speedy return; not, if our interpretation is correct, His return for the church, but His return to the earth. For this annunciation, as we understand it, is made for the cheer and the encouragement of the suffering remnant in the period between the rapture of the saints and the Lord’s appearing, during the period therefore of Jacob’s trouble, and of “the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth” (Ch. 3:10). And it is evidently made in view of the fearful temptations and seductions which will then beset the saints to surrender their testimony; for it is added, “Blessed is he that keepeth the sayings of the prophecy of this book.” (vs. 7) It is this that will delight the heart of the Lord, not achieving great things or rendering splendid service, but simply keeping His word, His word for that time. “Keeping” here is observing, carrying out, and this involves another sense of the word, namely, “treasuring up,” and even another, “holding fast”; for it is not until the Word has been treasured up in the heart, and retained there, that it molds the life, and is thus observed. And it may easily be perceived what an immense encouragement this message will prove to those who will be hemmed in on every side by the powers of darkness. To be assured that the Lord’s eye is upon them, and that He is speedily coming for their relief and deliverance, and that what He desires and approves, beyond all, is their fidelity to His word, will be an unceasing source of sustainment and consolation to their souls. In principle, it is scarcely necessary to say, this is applicable to saints now, although the special announcement for them is lower down in the chapter. The fact of His coming quickly is true for both the one and the other, and of His approbation, during His absence, for those who keep His sayings.
In the next place, the effect on John’s mind of these divine revelations is given. “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 showed me these things. Then saith he unto me, See [thou do it] not: for I am thy fellow servant, and of thy brethren the prophets, and of them which keep the sayings of this book: worship God” (vss. 8-9). Once before John had been so overwhelmed by the visions opened out before his soul that he fell down to worship the angel (Rev. 19:1010And I fell at his feet to worship him. And he said unto me, See thou do it not: I am thy fellowservant, and of thy brethren that have the testimony of Jesus: worship God: for the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy. (Revelation 19:10)). It might occasion surprise that he should do again what was then prohibited; but it must be remembered, as has been pointed out, that the Lord Himself had spoken in person through the angel, and the apostle might have been so absorbed with this one voice, “Behold, I come quickly,” (vs. 7) as to forget for the moment the medium, the angel, through whom He had spoken. But even if so, it could not be permitted; and the angel seizes the opportunity to declare his own true character, and to enforce the truth that worship is due alone to God. It is only the more wonderful, with this on record, that the worship of angels crept so early into the church, long indeed before the writing of this book. (See Col. 210And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power: (Colossians 2:10).) It is possible therefore that the mistake of John, twice made, is recorded for the purpose of condemning a prevalent practice, as also with the view of affording the plain instruction that no beings, however exalted, must ever be allowed to intrude between God and the souls of His people. Well would it have been for the church if this lesson had been remembered.
The angel now gives the closing words of his message: “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 righteous: and he that is holy, let him be holy still” (vss. 10-11). Some of the communications made to John were not to be divulged. When, for example, the seven thunders uttered their voices, and he was about to write, a voice came to him from heaven, saying, “Seal up those things which the seven thunders uttered, and write them not” (Ch. 10:4). Here, on the other hand, all that he saw and heard was to be recorded for the instruction of the saints down to the end; and for the reason that the time was not exactly “at hand,” but “near.” (The word is eggus, as in Philippians 4:55Let your moderation be known unto all men. The Lord is at hand. (Philippians 4:5), translated there also, in our version, “at hand,” but it really means “near,” or “nigh.”) In the prophetic view everything was closing up, and the end was fast approaching. It was for this reason that all should be warned; and hence the solemn cry of verse 11. When the end arrived, and the prophetic eye already discerned it, the state of souls would be forever fixed and unalterable. The unjust and the filthy must remain so; for nevermore would they have the opportunity of passing out of their sinful condition; and so in like manner, the righteous and the holy would forever retain the blessed characters they had through grace received. Would that this divine warning, still proceeding from this page of the written Word, might rouse the careless and the indifferent on every hand, and constrain them before the final close of the day of grace to humble themselves before God, with true repentance, and with faith toward the Lord Jesus Christ.
The Lord Himself interposes, and speaks again in His own person in the next two verses—“And, [The word “and” should be omitted.] 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” (vss. 12-13). As the warning in verse 11, so this second proclamation of the Lord’s speedy coming is in view of the end. And it is made with a twofold object—to encourage His servants, and to warn the wicked of the rapid approach of judgment. The former, however, we apprehend, is the predominant thought in the announcement from the mention of His reward being with Him. Even this is, however, capable of a twofold construction, and the idea of recompense to the wicked, in the judgment of the living at the appearing of the Lord, must not be excluded. In the first annunciation of His coming quickly (vs. 7), the Lord points out wherein the blessedness of His people would be found while waiting; here He encourages them with the prospect of recompense, reminding them that the day was swiftly coming when every work done for Him, every act done, and every testimony borne, should be abundantly rewarded. What unspeakable grace! First, He Himself produces in the hearts of His people what is according to His mind; then He enables them to bear witness for Him amid the moral darkness of this world; and finally He imputes to them, and recompenses, what His own grace has wrought. Blessed forever be His name!
Who it is that announces that He is coming quickly is now declared, and declared as its solemn affirmation and certainty. He is the One who was before anything had its existence, who will be after all created things in this scene shall have passed away, and who exists through all time and all eternity, the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end of all existence, the eternally self-existent One, who comprehends all being in Himself, for it is in Him that all live and move and have their being. The last two titles are found in Isaiah: “Thus saith the Lord the King of Israel, and His Redeemer the Lord of hosts; I am the first, and I am the last; and besides me there is no God” (Isa. 44:66Thus saith the Lord the King of Israel, and his redeemer the Lord of hosts; I am the first, and I am the last; and beside me there is no God. (Isaiah 44:6)). No terms therefore could more distinctly convey the truth of the Person of our blessed Lord, or more clearly assert His true and proper deity. And the significance of this, coming immediately after the promise of His coming, will, when their eyes have been opened, be at once understood by the tried and persecuted remnant of the last days. They will learn from it that the Messiah, for whose advent they long, is Jehovah Elohim, their Lord and their God.
It may be doubted whether verses 14-15 are spoken by the Lord Himself; they would seem rather to be a parenthesis, in which the Spirit of God calls our attention to the essential qualification for admission to the holy city, and to the moral character of those who are forever excluded from its portals; and He does this in prospect of the speedy coming of the Alpha and Omega, which has just been proclaimed. He says, “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 murderers, and idolaters, and whosoever loveth and maketh a lie” (vss. 14-15). Accepting the reading, “wash their robes,” in the place of “do His commandments,” (Few now question that we should rather read, “Blessed are they that wash their robes.”) our attention is once more, and for the last time, directed to the importance of being in moral correspondence with the title possessed through the precious blood of Christ. The fact then is here emphasized, that none but those who have washed their robes, will be entitled to the fruit of the tree of life, and to entrance within the holy city. All who enter must thus be blood-bought, and have their robes washed. There is danger in this day of this truth being ignored or denied; and it is well, therefore, to observe the prominence given to it in these closing words of inspiration.
And what a contrast is presented in the succeeding verse. Doubtless many a reader, even if unconverted, would object to be included in any of the classes specified. Let such an one, however, reflect that the very first word used (“dogs”) comprehends all that are unclean, and that, according to the teaching of Scripture, all who are not under the value of the blood of Christ before God are unclean. Whatever, therefore, any one may claim to be, on the ground of moral character, he has no qualification for entrance through the gates into the city, unless his robes have been washed.
The Bright and Morning Star
After the parenthesis of verses 14-15, the Lord Himself resumes His address to John, if it be not rather a new commencement, forming a solemn appendix and conclusion to the whole book. He says: “I Jesus have sent Mine angel to testify unto you these things in the churches. I am the root and the offspring of David, [and] the bright and [This word “and” is not found in some important MSS., and, if omitted, the passage will read, “The bright morning star.”] morning star” (vs. 16).
The One who had just spoken of Himself as the Alpha and Omega now introduces Himself as, “I Jesus”; and the full force of this is only apprehended when it is observed that the “I” is emphatic. It is “I Jesus”; that is, “I,” the One known on earth as Jesus, Jesus of Nazareth, I am He who has “sent mine angel to testify unto you these things in the churches; it is I who am the beginning and the end, the first and the last.” It is the assertion therefore, as will also be seen in what follows, of the deity of Him who, as down here, and as glorified on high, was, and is, known as Jesus. (See Phil. 2:1010That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; (Philippians 2:10).) This emphatic “I” is carried on in the succeeding clause: “I”, that is, I Jesus, “am the root and offspring of David.”
This twofold character of presentation must now be considered: (1) As the root and the offspring of David. This is the character in which He will be the source of blessing to the earth, through making good all that God is, as revealed in righteousness, in government. For it is as the Son of David that He will reign; but He who, as born into this world, was of the seed of David, was also He from whom David sprang, for He was also David’s Lord. He, who comes to establish His kingdom, is thus also Jehovah; and hence we read, “Say among the heathen that the Lord reigneth”; and again, “Let the field be joyful, and all that is therein: then shall all the trees of the wood rejoice before the Lord: for He cometh, for He cometh to judge the earth: He shall judge the world with righteousness, and the people with His truth” (Psa. 96:10-1310Say among the heathen that the Lord reigneth: the world also shall be established that it shall not be moved: he shall judge the people righteously. 11Let the heavens rejoice, and let the earth be glad; let the sea roar, and the fulness thereof. 12Let the field be joyful, and all that is therein: then shall all the trees of the wood rejoice 13Before the Lord: for he cometh, for he cometh to judge the earth: he shall judge the world with righteousness, and the people with his truth. (Psalm 96:10‑13)). (2) As the bright [and] morning star. It is as such that Christ presents Himself to the church as her special portion, while waiting for His return. It is the third time that He is so named; and it will aid the reader if we briefly consider the previous passages in which this title is found. We read: “We have also a more sure word of prophecy” (the word of prophecy made more sure, or confirmed), “whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day-star arise in your hearts” (2 Peter 1:1919We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts: (2 Peter 1:19)). The day star in this scripture is really the morning star, as Peter uses the word which always designates it—its proper appellation, whereas in Revelation the term employed points rather to the time of its appearance. It was no part of Peter’s commission to unfold the truth of the church, nor, consequently, that of the coming of Christ for His people. For him it was ever the appearing of our Lord in glory as introductory to the kingdom; and it is of this he speaks when he describes the glory, the majesty, of our Lord on the mount of transfiguration. Still he was aware of another glory, as the herald of the kingdom, which our Lord possessed as the morning star, and which would cheer the hearts of the saints while awaiting the Lord’s glorious appearing. The morning star shone, if but on the edge of the night and as the presage of the day. Passing on to Revelation 210Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer: behold, the devil shall cast some of you into prison, that ye may be tried; and ye shall have tribulation ten days: be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life. 11He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; He that overcometh shall not be hurt of the second death. 12And to the angel of the church in Pergamos write; These things saith he which hath the sharp sword with two edges; 13I know thy works, and where thou dwellest, even where Satan's seat is: and thou holdest fast my name, and hast not denied my faith, even in those days wherein Antipas was my faithful martyr, who was slain among you, where Satan dwelleth. (Revelation 2:10‑13), we find that the Lord, in encouraging the overcomer, says, “And I will give him the morning star.” (Ch. 2:28) The morning star shines in the heavens while the world is buried in slumbers; but the lonely watcher is cheered with its bright and silvery rays, for it tells him that the night will soon wane, and the sun will speedily arise and introduce the day. But the believer knows something more when he is occupied with Christ as the morning star, even that before Christ ascends the heavens, and rises upon the world as the Sun of Righteousness, he and all the saints will be caught up in the clouds to meet Him in the air to be with Him before His return in glory. When the Lord thus says to the overcomer in Thyatira, “I will give him the morning star,” (Ch. 2:28) it means that he shall possess Christ in this character, with the promise of association with Him in heavenly glory, as his sustainment and cheer amid the night of corruption that had set in among the professing people of God.
So, in our scripture, Jesus discloses Himself to the church in this aspect of His heavenly beauty, to attract her heart to Himself, to remind her that her period of waiting will soon be over, and to assure her that He is waiting, as she also is waiting, for the moment when He will present her forever to Himself. To know Christ then, as the bright (The addition of the word “bright” will probably mean that, for the waiting soul, His shining will be all the brighter as the darkness deepens around.) morning Star, the church and individual believers must be watchers; and just in proportion as this position of being a watcher is maintained, will be the joy of occupation with Him in this character.
In the next verse the effect of this presentation of Christ is given: “And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely.” (vs. 17) The connection with the previous verse is of the most intimate kind. It is in fact the disclosure of Christ to the assembly as the bright morning Star that awakens her affections, and produces in the power of the Spirit her longing desire for His return. This would not be possible, unless her relationship with a heavenly Christ had been previously known and enjoyed; but assured of her union with Him, and of her own eternal portion in His love, even while still in the wilderness, the moment she perceives Him, as so presented, the holy ardor of her affection breaks forth in the cry, “Come.” Nothing could more distinctly show that the church is not of earth, but of heaven—heavenly in origin and heavenly in character; and nothing more could more plainly reveal that the secret of waiting, waiting with desire for the coming of the Lord, is entirely a question of the heart. Where the treasure is, the heart will be also; and that Christ is the treasure of the bride is seen here in the intensity of her utterance of the word “Come.”
It is however the Spirit and the bride who say, Come; that is, the cry is produced by the Spirit in the church. She raises it, but it is He who has called it forth; and we are thus permitted to see, in this place, the church as the vessel, the willing vessel of the Holy Spirit; for it is He who directs her gaze upward to the bright morning Star, and constrains the expression of the desire for His coming. It follows that this is the normal attitude of the assembly. Moreover, everyone that hears is invited to join in the entreating appeal. This should include every believer; for the attitude of the church should be that of the saints individually. Wherever therefore this cry is raised, every child of God, however defective his knowledge of the truth, is urged to turn his face upward to Christ as the morning Star, and to say, Come. Would that it might be so; for it would be the sign of a blessed revival, making ready a people prepared for the Lord. The Spirit in the assembly directs her attention, in the next place, to every thirsty soul, to all who are in spiritual anxiety, and who are longing for satisfaction; and, as she herself possesses the living water, and possessing it as the representative of Christ on earth, she invites every poor thirsty one to come, to come, drink, and be satisfied, even as the Lord cried in days of old, “If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink” (John 7:3737In the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink. (John 7:37)). Still more widely must her invitations go forth, or she would not be the true exponent of grace, of the heart of God; not a single soul on the face of the earth must be omitted; and hence she cries, lastly, “And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely.” (vs. 17)
We have thus here, as is often observed, the whole circle of the church’s affections, and it may be added, of these affections in their divine order. Christ himself occupies the first and supreme place; believers individually come next; then thirsty souls are cared for; and finally sinners are invited. To borrow words: “The church can look up and say to the bridegroom, Come; she can look down or around her, and say to the thirsty soul, Come, yea, to whosoever will, Come and drink of the water of life freely. It is a most lovely picture of her whole position.”
The integrity of these divine communications is now solemnly guarded and affirmed: “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 that are written in this book: 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 [There is scarcely a doubt that “tree” should be here substituted for “book.”] of life, and out of the holy city, and [from] the things which are written in this book” (vss. 18-19). If the word “and” be omitted in the last clause, as also the inserted word “from,” the true reading will be, “the things which are written in this book” (vs. 19)—the reference being to the tree of life, and the holy city.
The importance of these revelations could not have been more jealously protected. In Revelation 1 it is said, “Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the words of this prophecy” (Ch. 1:3); and now in conclusion the Lord Himself testifies to every one that heareth the book read, that the most fearful judgments shall fall upon the man that shall add, and so corrupt by adding, to what has been communicated; and in like manner, if any man shall take away from it, he shall suffer the penalty of exclusion both from the tree of life and from the holy city. (Compare Deut. 4:22Ye shall not add unto the word which I command you, neither shall ye diminish ought from it, that ye may keep the commandments of the Lord your God which I command you. (Deuteronomy 4:2) and Deut. 12:3232What thing soever I command you, observe to do it: thou shalt not add thereto, nor diminish from it. (Deuteronomy 12:32).) The Word of God is perfect and to attempt to amend it, whether by addition or diminution, is not only to betray the folly of the human mind, but also to expose the one who attempts to do so to the just judgment of God. Rationalism in its many forms is thus at once and forever condemned. And, while fully admitting that these warning words apply to the book of Revelation, it is yet not a little significant that they occur at the close of the canon of inspiration. As God placed at the east of the garden of Eden cherubim, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to keep the way of the tree of life, so He who is the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last, sets His flaming two-edged sword, which also turns every way, to guard against any assault upon the perfection of His sure and holy Word.
One word more, and His testimony is completed: “He which testifieth these things saith, Surely I come quickly.” (vs. 20) Such is the last announcement of our blessed Lord; and it is a solemn affirmation of His speedy return. True that nearly twenty centuries have elapsed since these words were uttered; but this fact increases rather than diminishes their importance. They warn the church for all time that her proper attitude is that of hope and expectation, and encourage her by the assurance that the consummation of her blessedness is at hand. That she has forgotten her bright and blessed hope is only too obvious; but the Lord is now seeking in many ways, and with increased urgency, to recall her to her true portion. The cry, “Behold the Bridegroom,” raised many years ago, and then, alas! for a time, almost silenced, is again being sounded forth from many revived hearts. Let His people therefore both watch and pray, pray while they watch, that many who are now buried in sleep may be awakened to the enjoyment of the same blessed hope, so that it may be apparent to all that they are waiting for God’s Son from heaven. And let those who are especially connected with the testimony in these last days, be themselves so under the power of the expectation of Christ, that they may proclaim continually, as the Lord’s messengers, these blessed words of consolation and hope, “Surely I come quickly.” (vs. 20)
John, used of the Spirit to express what should be the response of every true saint, replies to this closing declaration, “Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus” (vs. 20). (In some Bibles, it would seem, from the punctuation, as if the “Amen” were spoken by the Lord. It is, we judge, uttered by John.) When the Lord’s coming in the clouds, at His public appearing for judgment, is proclaimed in Revelation 1, John also says, “Even so, Amen.” It betokens not only a heart in subjection to Christ, but one also in communion with His mind and object. What Christ announces, John accepts as the expression of His perfect will. But there is more than this in our scripture; it is the delighted answer of his own heart to the prospect of soon seeing the Lord face to face, and of being forever with Him. In the attitude therefore of John, as here given, is seen what should be the attitude of every believer, and what will be the attitude when Christ Himself possesses the heart’s affections. We may well therefore challenge ourselves when we read these words of the apostle as to whether they express our own feelings and desires. It is surpassingly beautiful to behold, at the very end of the Scriptures, the attitude of Christ in relation to the church, and the attitude of the saint in relation to Christ, as so produced.
The apostle himself, as led by the Holy Spirit, concludes his work and mission with the message, “The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. [Or rather as many authorities prove, “be with all the saints.”] Amen.” (vs. 21) (The “Amen” is omitted by some as an ecclesiastical addition.) Adopting the emendation, “with all the saints,” what an insight is thus afforded, as the book of inspiration closes, into the heart of Christ, indeed into the heart of God. All His saints are remembered, and it is His desire that the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ may be with them. May the hearts of God’s beloved people be increasingly enlarged to apprehend and enjoy it! And may the hearts of the readers, and of the writer of these lines, never move in a narrower circle than that of God’s own affection!