Comparison of Gen 1-3 with Rev 20-22: (a) Paradise lost (Gen
3:23)... Paradise regained (Rev 21:25). (b) Curse imposed (Gen 3:17)... Curse
removed (Rev 22:3). (c) Sorrow and death (Gen 3:16-19)... "No more" (Rev 21:4).
(d) Man's dominion (Gen 1:28) broken (Gen 3:19)... Man's dominion restored (Rev
22:5). (e) Serpent triumphant (Gen 3:13)... Serpent bound (Rev 20:2,3), then
destroyed (v 10).
The Lamb in Rev: his wrath (Rev 6:16); his blood (Rev 7:14);
his book of life (Rev 13:8); his song (Rev 15:3); his marriage (Rev 19:7); his
supper (Rev 19:9); and his throne (Rev 22:1).
Rev 22:2
The nations will be healed!
The tree of life (Rev 2:7; Eze 47:12; Gen 2:9).
"In Isa's prophecy of 'the acceptable day of the Lord', a
prophecy about the Year of Jubilee, the redeemed are 'called trees of
righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that he might be glorified... For as
the earth bringeth forth her bud, and as the garden causeth the things that are
sown in it to spring forth; so the Lord God will cause righteousness and praise
to spring forth before all nations' (Isa 61:2,3,11). The fruits of the Spirit,
the gracious influence of the saints with Christ, will be a steady healing
influence in the lives of the nations.
"And the beautiful symbolism of Ezek 47 describes the stream
of cleansing truth (LXX has 'waters of remission', ie forgiveness) which pours
forth from the altar, the throne of God, as an ever widening, ever deepening
stream" (WRev).
FOR THE HEALING OF THE NATIONS: At the time spoken of
there will be nations to be healed!
Rev 22:3
Vv 3,4: "Every phrase here is appropriate to a High Priest
ministering in the Holy of Holies. Yet this is not a description of the High
Priest ministering in the Holy of Holies, but of others who are now exalted to
share his high honour. God is enthroned above the cherubim and the
blood-sprinkled mercy-seat. Before Him is not one High Priest but many who are
now exalted to share the highest privilege of all. In the Mosaic order the high
priest must be always wrapped in a dense cloud of incense when entering the Holy
of Holies, 'that he die not' (Lev 16:12,13). But these with open face -- and not
in a mirror -- behold the glory of the Lord, because they have themselves been
changed from glory to glory (2Co 3:18). Moses, pleading for reassurance by the
sight of God's face, was hidden in the cleft of a rock and permitted to see His
back, the departing glory of the Law. But these minister unafraid, seeing the
very face of God and revelling in a fulness of divine fellowship. What formerly
was the unique privilege of the High Priest, to wear the resplendent name of God
on his forehead -- 'Holy to the Lord' (Exo 28:36) -- is now the royal priestly
honour of them all" (WRev).
NO LONGER... CURSE: Cp Gen 3:17.
Rev 22:4
HIS FACE: The face of God, reflected in Christ (John
14:9; Mat 5:8; 1Jo 3:2; 1Ti 6:15; Isa 33:17).
HIS NAME WILL BE ON THEIR FOREHEADS: Rev
14:1.
Rev 22:5
THERE WILL BE NO MORE NIGHT: "In the tabernacle and
temple it was not so. Except when there came a dim glow from red-hot coals in
the high priest's censer and except for the brief moments on the Day of
Atonement when the Shekinah Glory of God shone forth, the Holy of Holies was
normally in complete darkness. It had no light of the sun, nor of the
seven-branched candlestick. But in this wondrous city-temple the effulgent Glory
of God will be ever present, and His immortal saints, neither abashed nor
ashamed, will glory in their eternal redemption and blessedness"
(WRev).
Rev 22:10
Cp Dan 12:4: The message sealed in Daniel's day is sealed no
longer!
Rev 22:15
The Kingdom of God coexisting with a sinful world.
DOGS: Sodomites (Deu 23:18). A dog is an unclean
animal, and was used by the Israelites to describe Gentiles. Unjustified
Gentiles (Mat 15:26,27), or Jews who act as such (Phi 3:2), are excluded from
the city. Within its walls are found the true Israelites (whether Jewish or
Gentile: see Rom 2:28; 9:8).
WHO LOVES AND PRACTICES FALSEHOOD: The serpent is to be
excluded from this garden!
Rev 22:16
THE ROOT AND THE OFFSPRING OF DAVID: He is Yahweh
manifest in flesh (2Co 5:19; 1Ti 3:16). He is the "root" of David because
Yahweh's promise to reveal Himself in a Redeemer was the cause of David's
elevation. He is also the "offspring" of David (see Rev 5:5).
Rev 22:18
// Pro 30:6; Deu 4:2; 12:32; 24:19-21.
Rev 22:21
AMEN: "For all the promises of God in Him are yea, and
in Him Amen, unto the glory of God by us" (2Co 1:20).
The word "amen" is a most remarkable word. It was
transliterated directly from the Hebrew into the Greek of the NT, then into
Latin and into English and many other languages, so that it is practically a
universal word. It has been called the best-known word in human speech. The word
is directly related -- in fact, almost identical -- to the Hebrew word for
"believe" (aman), or "faithful." Thus, it came to mean "sure" or truly," an
expression of absolute trust and confidence. When one believes God, he indicates
his faith by an "amen." When God makes a promise, the believer's response is
"amen" -- "so it will be!" In the NT, it is often translated "verily" or
"truly." When we pray according to His Word and His will, we know God will
answer, so we close with an "amen," and so also do we conclude a great hymn or
anthem of praise and faith.
The word is even a title of Christ Himself. The last of His
letters to the seven churches begins with a remarkable salutation by the
glorified Lord: "These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the
beginning of the creation of God" (Rev 3:14).
We can be preeminently certain that His Word is always
faithful and true, because He is none other than the Creator of all things, and
thus He is our eternal "Amen." As 2Co 1:20 reminds us, every promise of God in
Christ is "yea and amen," as strong an affirmation of truth as can be expressed
in the Greek language.
It is, therefore, profoundly meaningful that the entire Bible
closes with an "amen." "The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all.
Amen" (Rev 22:21), assuring everyone who reads these words that the whole Book
is absolutely true and trustworthy. Amen.