Final Words

Final Words. Last Words. Important words. Solemn Words. Meaningful Words. Final words are almost always profoundly important because they offer a lasting, intimate glimpse into a person’s life, values, and final thoughts, providing closure, comfort, and, at times, profound wisdom to those left behind. These, final expressions often summarize a lifetime of love, or belief, or serving as a legacy for family and friends. I thought I would check out some the final words of some of the great men and preachers I’ve been acquainted with over the years: Now, not all final words give insight into a person’s life or share anything profound. One of my favorite President’s, Teddy Roosevelt’s final words were: “James, will you please put out the light?” Another great leader, Winston Churchill’s final words were “I am bored with it all.” But some final words were filled with great meaning. Here are some of the final words of some of men I’ve read or been influenced by over the years: George Washington’s final words were, “It is well” President Eisenhower’s final words were: “I want to go. God take me.” The Great Welsh Preacher D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones last words were: “Do not pray for healing. Do not hold me back from the glory” Charles Spurgeons’ last Words were: “Jesus died for me.” Billy Graham’s final words were: “By the time you read this, I will be in heaven.” But one that really struck me comes from one of the least likely of men, entrepreneur Steve Jobs, whose final words: “OH WOW. OH WOW. OH WOW”

So, here at the end of Revelation, we get a glimpse of final words of Jesus to us. These are not his final words to us before He died. His last words spoken as He gave His life for us on the cross were these: “Father, into your hands I commit my spirit.” But since Jesus rose from the grave and ascended to heaven where He lives today, we have had the privilege throughout the book of Revelation, to hear many more words from Him. But now as we conclude the book of Revelation, we have recorded for us in this final chapter: His final words, not just to the church, but to anyone who will listen. So, if you brought your Bible today, let me encourage you to open it to the final words of Jesus, recorded for us in Revelation 22:12-21 While you are turning there, let me say one final thing about Jesus’ final words. Since they are His final words, and the final words of Scripture, these words are full of meaning, hope and eternal significance for anyone who might hear them. So, if you’ve found Revelation 22, let’s listen now to the final words of Jesus. And His final words to us begin with…

One Final Blessing: “Behold, I am coming soon, bringing my recompense with me, to repay each one for what he has done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end.” Revelation 22:12-13 Jesus begins his final words by telling us He is coming soon. This is the second of three times He announces his imminent return. But here He tells us that when He returns, He will bring His reward for the faithful and His payment for those who rejected Him. And as He tells us this, He says of himself: “I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end.” This is a profound statement of who Jesus is. As the Alpha and Omega, Jesus sees all and knows all. Nothing escapes His knowledge. He knows who you are, what you’ve done, and how you live every moment of every day. So, why does Jesus reveal himself as the Alpha and Omega here as He announces his imminent return?

My answer is this: Jesus clearly cares deeply about the kind of lives we lead as we await His return. As we have walked through this book, His message has been clear. He calls us to live faithful lives when our faith is attacked. He calls us to live holy lives that refuse to give in to the temptations of pleasure, power, prosperity and prestige of this world. And He calls us to keep trusting Him when the circumstances of our world keep on spinning out of control. As we do these things, He promises to reward our faithfulness, our holiness, and our trust in Him when He comes. He will reward us with the crown of life. He will say to us “Well, done, my good and faithful servant.” And He will reward us with the joy of His presence.

However, as he promises to reward us, Jesus also declares the seventh and final blessing of Revelation: “Blessed are those who wash their robes, so that they may have the right to the tree of life and that they may enter the city by the gates.” Revelation 22:14 This is a unique statement. For we have learned over and over again, that it is Jesus who washes us and makes us fit for heaven. So, what gives? At this late moment, is Jesus promoting salvation by works? Not at all.

The Bible is clear on this: We can only be saved by God’s grace received by faith in Jesus. There is nothing we can do to take away our sins and make us right with God. Paul wrote: “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by His grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.” Romans 3:23-24 Our salvation is completely of God. It is His gift to us. When we turn from our sins to trust in Jesus, Jesus washes us completely. He forgives all our sins and makes us right with God.

So, what gives? When Jesus says, “Blessed are those who wash their robes” Jesus is describing true believers who are seeking to become more like Him every day in this life. We know we cannot do this on our own. And we also know that when we do sin, we can come to Him who promises to cleanse us. The Bible says, If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 1 John 1:9

So, in saying, “Blessed are those who wash their robes” Jesus is reminding us that a true believer is a confessing believer – that the blessings of heaven belong to those who have once been made right with God through the blood of Christ, will continue to keep themselves right with God by pursuing holy lives. And to hammer home his point, he contrasts our pursuit of holiness with those who will be left on the outside: Outside are the dogs and sorcerers and the sexually immoral and murderers and idolaters, and everyone who loves and practices falsehood. Rev. 22:15 So then, Jesus’ final blessing is given to the confessing church. It is given to those who give evidence of their faith by their pursuit of Christlikeness by their lifestyle of confession and repentance.

Another way of saying this is that at the heart of every true believer, is a desire to live a holy life. John said it best in his first letter: But we know that when Christ appears, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as he is. All who have this hope in him purify themselves, just as he is pure. 1 John 3:2-3 It is to all who have this hope that Jesus gives His final blessing: one day you will have the RIGHT to eat of the tree of life and enter the gates of heaven! “Blessed are those who wash their robes” This is Jesus’ final blessing to the Church. Now, let’s look at the next of Jesus’ final words:

One Final Invitation: “I, Jesus, have sent my angel to testify to you about these things for the churches. I am the root and the descendant of David, the bright morning star.” Revelation 22:16 Prior to his final invitation, Jesus identifies himself to the listening once again, calling himself the root and descendant of David, and the bright morning star. By calling himself the root and descendant of David, is declaring himself to be the fulfillment of the Old Testament hope of salvation. All of Scripture points to Jesus as the Savior. He’s acknowledging this at the end of the book because He’s about to give one final invitation to salvation. But then, by calling himself the bright morning star, we see another wonderful meaning in His name. The shepherds identified the morning star as the star that heralds the sunrise and the breaking of a new day. So, here Jesus identifies himself to us as the herald of God’s new eternal day. So then, as the hope of salvation and the herald of God’s eternal day, Jesus spells out for us His One Final Invitation saying, The Spirit and the Bride say, “Come.” And let the one who hears say, “Come.” Revelation 22:17a There are two invitations here.

The first one comes from the Spirit and the Bride. The bride who calls to Jesus is His church. She longs for the Bridegroom to return so that the marriage feast may begin. The “Spirit” is the Holy Spirit, speaking through and with the church that indwells her. Jesus announces He is coming soon. The church answers through the Spirit cries out for His return.

This is pretty cool. The Spirit puts in the heart of every believer a desire to be with Jesus. So, when Jesus tells us He is coming soon, if you are indwelt with the Holy Spirit, you will desire this reunion. You will want Jesus to come. You will want to be with the One who saved you. This is a natural response for anyone who has the Spirit of Christ indwelling them.

Then Jesus says, “And let the one who hears say, “Come.” Here, Jesus is speaking to unbelievers. If you are hearing the good news that Jesus comes to save sinners, then Jesus is saying to you, “Ask Jesus to come. Ask Jesus to come and deliver you from the penalty of sin. Ask Jesus to come and give you the hope of eternal life with Him. Ask Jesus to come and give you this life today. But he’s not done with this.

Now, Jesus gets even more specific with His final invitation, saying, “And let the one who is thirsty come; let the one who desires take the water of life without price.” Revelation 22:17b Notice the kind of person to whom Christ is offering His salvation. He is speaking to “the one who is thirsty.” This is Jesus’ universal appeal to the human heart that is dry, unfulfilled and dissatisfied with life. Every heart was created by Him to find peace, joy, love and meaning in a relationship with Him. If our souls could find lasting satisfaction in created things, we would not need our Creator. But deep down, this is the cry of every heart.

The greatest example of a thirsty soul was King Solomon. He pursued everything under the sun to find satisfaction apart from God. This is his story: I said in my heart, “Come now, I will test you with pleasure; enjoy yourself.” But behold, this also was vanity. I said of laughter, “It is mad,” and of pleasure, “What use is it?” “I searched with my heart how to cheer my body with wine—my heart still guiding me with wisdom—and how to lay hold on folly, till I might see what was good for the children of man to do under heaven during the few days of their life. I made great works. I built houses and planted vineyards for myself. I made myself gardens and parks and planted in them all kinds of fruit trees. I made myself pools from which to water the forest of growing trees. I bought male and female slaves and had slaves who were born in my house. I had also great possessions of herds and flocks, more than any who had been before me in Jerusalem. I also gathered for myself silver and gold and the treasure of kings and provinces. I got singers, both men and women, and many concubines, the delight of the sons of man. So, I became great and surpassed all who were before me in Jerusalem. Also, my wisdom remained with me. And whatever my eyes desired I did not keep from them. I kept my heart from no pleasure, for my heart found pleasure in all my toil, and this was my reward for all my toil. Then I considered all that my hands had done and the toil I had expended in doing it, and behold, all was vanity and a striving after wind, and there was nothing to be gained under the sun. Ecclesiastes 2:1-11

Solomon is the poster child for the thirsty heart. And yet, this invitation at the end of Revelation is for anyone who longs for more. This is His invitation to the restless and yearning heart. You were made for more. You were made for the author of life. So, Jesus says to you: And let the one who is thirsty come; let the one who desires take the water of life without price. Revelation 22:17 God is willing to give the water of life to anyone who desires, but we must receive it as a gift. It is free. This water of life has no price. For the price was paid by Jesus at Calvary, when He shed His blood for you to cleanse you of sin. All Jesus would have you do today, is receive His gift of salvation for you. This is His final and personal invitation to you: “take the water of life without price.” It’s free. Jesus wants to give you life. Do you want what He offers? All you have to do is come to Him and He will give you salvation. Turn from your sin and turn to Him by faith and take the water of life. That’s Jesus’ final invitation. But now come some solemn final words. What we see next is…

One Final Warning: 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. Revelation 22:18-19 As the book of Revelation draws to a close, God issues a solemn warning to anyone who might seek to add or take away from its prophetic message. Jesus is telling us that God’s Word is not to be toyed with. God jealously guards the integrity of His Word, for it is through His Word that He guards His church from the lies of the evil one. Therefore, to tamper with or distort God’s Word is to invite God’s judgment into your life.

I now understand why some preachers steer clear of preaching this book. They may be afraid that in their preaching that they will leave out some key truths or might accidently add to this teaching. But that’s not the point of this warning. George Eldon Ladd helps us when he says, “God is not concerned about possible mechanical errors in transmission or mistakes of judgment in interpreting His message, but in deliberate distortion and perversions of it.”

John MacArthur adds this: The Lord’s warning here is addressed to those who engage in DELIBERATE falsification or misinterpretation of Scripture.

So, the point is this: There are those who would distort God’s message in order to deceive God’s people. Some might take key truths away from this message. For example, they might teach that there is no such thing as the lake of fire, and that God would not condemn anyone to eternal suffering. They are like the Sadducees of Jesus’ day who subtracted from God’s Word – the things they found unacceptable. Some of the things the Sadducees took away from God’s Word were any teachings that spoke of the supernatural, such as the doctrine of the resurrection, angels and spirits.

Obviously, the greater temptation is to take truths away from this book rather than add them. This book can be quite fearful at times. So, the temptation is to take away the teachings about God’s Wrath, or the reality of hell, or teachings about Satan, or the Beast, or the False Prophet. It’s obvious, that the evil one wants to keep God’s people in the dark as to his schemes. He wants all people to take his mark and follow him, so he can keep them from trusting in Jesus. And yet, Jesus knows the last days will be full of deception. So, He wants us to be fully aware of God’s wrath and the judgment to come. He doesn’t want anyone to perish but all to come to repentance. So, we need to take Jesus’ final warning seriously, to not add or take away from this book. It’s his final warning. And that leads us to the end of the book. Where we now see from Jesus:

One Final Promise: He who testifies to these things says, “Surely I am coming soon.” Amen. Come, Lord Jesus! The grace of the Lord Jesus be with all. Amen. Revelation 22:20-21 Coming in the form of testimony, Jesus promises, “Surely, I am coming soon.” Certainly, without a doubt, His coming is imminent, so the call to His church, to you and me, is to be ready for His imminent return. Now there are plenty of skeptics who are quick to point out that nineteen centuries have passed since Jesus made this promise, yet He still has not come. But the point he is making is not so much the time of his return, but the immediacy of his return. That is, at the very moment when God’s redemptive timeline has run its course, Jesus will come to gather His followers.

Today, there is only one thing that holds back his coming: While there remain people who need to be saved, Jesus’ coming is delayed. And for that we should be thankful. Throughout this series God has put on my heart one Scripture. Today, I want to read it in full giving us God’s perspective on the timing of Christ’s coming. It comes to us from Peter, who writes: But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day. The Lord is not slow in keeping His promise, as some understand slowness. Instead, He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance. 2 Peter 3:8-9

We cannot know the time of Christ’s return, but we can be sure of it. His return is imminent. Jesus is coming back. He says it, so we can count on it.

We cannot know the time of Christ’s return, but we can work toward it. He will return once all mankind hears the gospel. So, we need to be gospel people, who will take the gospel to our neighbors, our friends and to the whole world.

We cannot know the time of Christ’s return, but we can pray for it. For that’s how this book ends. After hearing Jesus’ promise, “Surely, I am coming soon.” The last words of Revelation are the prayer of God’s people: “Amen. Come, Lord Jesus! The grace of the Lord Jesus be with all. Amen. Are we praying this way? Are we preparing for His coming? Do we have this hope? The blessed hope of the glorious return and appearing of our Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ. He is coming soon. Are you ready?

So that’s it. One final blessing, one final invitation, one final warning, and one final promise from Jesus. And so, we’ve reached the end. Revelation may be the most profound book we will ever dig into. And we’ve gone deep. We’ve gone long. 36 messages. But these truths remain: Evil will try to trap us, deceive us and even destroy us, but at the end of the day, Jesus wins! And when he returns, we will be with Him forever! So, “Amen. Come, Lord Jesus! The grace of the Lord Jesus be with all. Amen.