The Tree of Life
1 He showed me a river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb, 2 in the midst of its street. On this side of the river and on that was the tree of life, bearing twelve kinds of fruits, yielding its fruit every month. The leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations.
Rev 22:1-2
Then He showed me a river of life – the Spirit of Christ, the Angel, is also the “One” who showed Ezekiel the “River of Life” in Ezekiel 47.
the tree of life – of which God said “lest he reach out his hand and take also of the tree of life and live forever” (Genesis 3:22). In Chapter 21, the words “It is done” signify the completion of God’s plan to make man in His image, from Genesis 1:26. Man is granted the right to live forever.
3There will be no curse any more. The throne of God and of the Lamb will be in it, and his servants will serve him.
Rev 22:3
there shall be no more curse – referring to man’s punishment, when God cursed the ground in Genesis 3:18.
His bond servants shall serve Him – they shall serve God. Christ was the first “bond-servant” of God, see Philippians 2:7. Paul and James called themselves bond-servants of God, but also the expression bond-servant of Christ was used throughout the New Testament, as Christ was the Lord. Here, in the Book of Revelation, after the LORD’s Day, this expression is only used for God and not Christ, see Rev 7:3, 11:18, 22:3 and 6. Christ is our “fellow servant” after the LORD’s Day, see Rev 19:10, and 22:9.
4 They will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads.
Rev 22:4
they will see His face – God’s face, who was Christ, as explained in Genesis 4:14, when Cain said “from Your face I will be hidden.” The word “face” and “presence” in Genesis 4:16 are the same Hebrew word. Seeing Christ “as God” in the Lord’s Day, is also related by Titus 2:13. Christ is the image of the invisible God. The meaning of this verse can also be explained by Numbers 12:8, “I will speak with him (Moses) face to face . . . and he sees the form of the LORD.”
His name will be on their foreheads – the name of God, see also Rev 3:12, and 14:1.
5 There will be no more night, and they need no lamp light, neither sunlight; for the Lord God will give them light. They will reign forever and ever.
Rev 22:5
no longer any night – as mentioned in Rev 21:21-25.
6 He said to me, “These words are faithful and true. The Lord, the God of the spirits of the prophets, sent his angels to show to his servants the things which must happen soon.”
Rev 22:6
these words are faithful and true – repeating the words of the Archangel from the throne in Rev 21:5.
sent His Angel – as described in Rev 1:1, it is God’s Angel, the Angel of YHVH who guides John throughout this Book.
7 “Behold, I come quickly. Blessed is he who keeps the words of the prophecy of this book.”
Rev 22:7
I am coming quickly – here the Angel reveals that He is the same Angel, the Spirit of Christ, who has been guiding John. In Chapter 22, as in Chapter 1, the Spirit of Christ, the Angel speaks “as God” and “as the man Jesus Christ” and as “the Angel,” changing identity from phrase to phrase.
Blessed is he who heeds the words of the prophecy – this is what John told us in Rev 1:3.
8 Now I, John, am the one who heard and saw these things. When I heard and saw, I fell down to worship before the feet of the angel who had shown me these things.
Rev 22:8
And when I heard and saw I fell down to worship – John explains why he worshiped this Angel, because He spoke as Christ.
9 He said to me, “See you don’t do it! I am a fellow bondservant with you and with your brothers, the prophets, and with those who keep the words of this book. Worship God.”
Rev 22:9
I am your fellow servant – as mentioned in verse 3, after the Lord’s Day, when Christ submits to God that God may be all in all, Christ will be our fellow servant of God.
and of your brethren – as Christ mentioned in Rev 19:10.
the prophets – Jesus Christ was also called “a prophet” by Moses, as mentioned in Acts 3:22.
of those who heed the words of this Book – as written in Rev 1:3, those who obey the truth.
10 He said to me, “Don’t seal up the words of the prophecy of this book, for the time is at hand. 11 He who acts unjustly, let him act unjustly still. He who is filthy, let him be filthy still. He who is righteous, let him do righteousness still. He who is holy, let him be holy still.”
Rev 22:10-11
do not seal up the words of this prophecy – God’s instruction not to be silent about the message of Revelation.
let the one who is wrong still do wrong – Jesus said the sons of the evil one, would grow up together with the sons of the kingdom until the end of the world (Matthew 13:38); “Allow both to grow up together until the time of the harvest (lest you uproot the wheat with the tares)” (Matthew 13:29-30). God is simply waiting until the end of the age to punish the lawless.
12 “Behold, I come quickly. My reward is with me, to repay to each man according to his work.
Rev 22:12
behold I am coming quickly – Christ repeats His message of verse 7.
My reward is with Me – see 1 Corinthians 3:10-15.
13 I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End.
Rev 22:13
I am the Alpha and Omega – here the Spirit of Christ, as the Word, speaks as God again, giving us no doubt that the Spirit of Christ also spoke as God in Rev 1:8, saying: “I am the Alpha and the Omega.”
14 Blessed are those who do his commandments, that they may have the right to the tree of life, and may enter in by the gates into the city. 15 Outside are the dogs, the sorcerers, the sexually immoral, the murderers, the idolaters, and everyone who loves and practices falsehood.
Rev 22:14-15
Blessed are those who wash their robes – a reminder that the Kingdom of Heaven is a holy place, and only those who abstain from sin may enter.
outside are the dogs – see Philippians 3:2, “beware of the dogs, beware of the evil workers,” those who corrupt the Gospel of Christ.
16 I, Jesus, have sent my angel to testify these things to you for the assemblies. I am the root and the offspring of David; the Bright and Morning Star.”
Rev 22:16
I, Jesus, have sent My Angel – in verse 6, we were clearly told that God sent His Angel. Here, Christ, speaking for God, calls Himself Jesus, in the most direct fashion of the Bible, demonstrating the fulfillment of Zechariah 14:9: “In that Day it shall be the LORD one and His name one.” In the Old Testament, the invisible God and the Spirit of Christ shared the name of YHVH, and in the LORD’s Day, the one name of God is Jesus.
I am the root and descendant of David – the Spirit of Christ joyfully announces He was the first of Israel to inherit salvation.
I am the bright and morning star – the Spirit of Christ exclaims His final victory over the Spirit of the Antichrist, who was the Morning star, and the Ruler of this World (Isaiah 14:12), defeated by Christ on the cross, and now finally defeated once and for all. For Satan has been cast into the lake of fire.
17 The Spirit and the bride say, “Come!” He who hears, let him say, “Come!” He who is thirsty, let him come. He who desires, let him take the water of life freely.
Rev 22:17
The Spirit and the Bride say come – some translations choose to put some words in red as spoken by Christ and some as not. There are no quotation marks in the Greek. All of the words that follow “and he said to me” in verse 10, are spoken by the Spirit of Christ. However, the Spirit of Christ spoke from many different manifestations: as the Son of Man, and as the Angel, as the Word, the speaker for the invisible God. In verse 17, the Spirit of Christ speaks as the Spirit of the Body of Christ, the Bride, (the Rider on the White Horse), to say “Come.”
drink of the water without cost – eternal life is the free gift of God (Ephesians 2:8-9).
18 I testify to every man who hears the words of the prophecy of this book, if anyone adds to them, may God add to him the plagues which are written in this book. 19 If anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, may God take away his part from the tree of life, and out of the holy city, which are written in this book.
Rev 22:18-19
if anyone adds to them – a strict warning that concludes the New Testament, not to change this Revelation of God, for it is the Revelation of God Himself.
20 He who testifies these things says, “Yes, I come quickly.” Amen! Come, Lord Jesus. 21The grace of the Lord Jesus be with all the saints. Amen.
Rev 22:20
He who testifies to these things – the Spirit of Christ, the faithful witness (Rev 1:5).
I am coming quickly – the third reminder in this Chapter, and Christ’s final warning to be ready for His return.