In this sermon, the preacher focuses on the book of Revelation and its central theme of the second coming of Christ. The sermon begins with an emphasis on the importance of obedience and proclaiming the word of God to others. The preacher then briefly reviews the content of the book of Revelation, starting with chapter 1 which introduces the revelation of Jesus Christ and the exhortations and promises given to believers. The sermon concludes with a reminder of the total sovereignty of God and the need for believers to trust in His control, especially in these days leading up to the fulfillment of the events described in Revelation.

The Word of God, we have been considering in our last study about the New Jerusalem, which is the final home, the Bride of Christ. And I want to show you a verse in John chapter 3 in this connection, which is good for us to bear in mind when we think of the eternal states and of heaven. John chapter 3 verse 12, Jesus speaking to Nicodemus said, If I told you earthly things and you do not believe, how shall you believe if I tell you heavenly things? There are many things the Word of God tells us for our earthly life, and we find it difficult to trust the Lord even for so many earthly things. We find many believers becoming very anxious, even though the Word of God clearly teaches that God provides for the birds, he'll provide for us, he clothes the flowers, he'll clothe us, and yet anxiety grips the heart of many believers concerning earthly things. And if we find it so difficult to believe what the Lord has said about earthly things, then our trying to understand the things of heaven will be very much more difficult. And so we have to humble ourselves and say that there are many things concerning heaven and the eternal states about which we cannot be dogmatic and say it is going to be like this. One thing we know very clearly, it's going to be glorious. When the Queen of Sheba heard of the wisdom of Solomon in the Old Testament and came before King Solomon, she was so amazed that she said, the half had not been told me of what I see here. And I believe when we get up to glory and see the eternal state, we shall say, the millionth part was not told me of how glorious it is here. So it's not necessary for us to understand every detail about the eternal state because of the limitation of our mind, we cannot grasp everything about eternity. I just mention that as a sort of an introduction as we go into this section and so that we don't become dogmatic and say it's like this or it's like this. Let's turn to Revelation 21. Here is the city described first with the wall and verse, Revelation 21, verse 22, it says, I saw no temple in it, for the Lord God, the Almighty and the Lamb are its temple. One of the things we see very clearly, emphasized repeatedly, is purity. We see in verse 11, a stone of crystal clear jasper. Verse 18, the city was pure gold like clear glass. The last part of verse 21, the street of the city was pure gold like transparent glass. You know the difference between glass and water. Water you can make impure if you mix dirt in it, but glass cannot be made impure. It just washes off. You can't put impurity into that glass. And that's the significance that when we come into that eternal state, we are going to come into a place where it will not be possible for us to sin ever after. In this world, we can fall, but in that world, it will be impossible. Verse 22, I saw no temple in it, the Lord God, the Almighty, the Lamb are its temple. That has become a reality for us who are under the new covenant even now. We don't need a temple. The Lord God Almighty is our temple. We worship Him. And the city has no need of the sun or the moon to shine upon it, for the glory of God has illumined it and its lamp is the Lamb. This also has become in a small measure a reality for us. You know that chorus we sing, heaven has come down and glory has filled my soul. Everything that we read here, I want to tell you, brothers and sisters, God gives us a little foretaste of it through the Holy Spirit in our hearts right now. What is the meaning of this for our life? The city has no need of the sun or the moon to shine upon it, for the glory of God has illumined it and its lamp is the Lamb. That means I don't need now any external circumstances to bring joy into my life. I don't need the favor of other people or earthly blessing or financial prosperity. I don't need any earthly sun or moon to shine upon me because the Lord God has become my joy and He has become my light. That's through the work of the Holy Spirit. That's a little foretaste of what it's going to be like in glory. So it's wonderful to see that. And the nations shall walk by its light, seems to indicate there'll be some form of nations on the new earth even in those days. I don't understand all that. But certainly it's true today that the nations of the earth are supposed to walk in the light of the church and the kings of the earth shall bring their glory into it in that day and in the daytime for there shall be no night there. This too we can have a foretaste of right now. The Lord wants us to walk in the light with never a darkness, spiritual darkness in our life at any time and its gates shall never be closed. An open heartedness is what we need to see in the church. An open heartedness towards all. And all this which we are experiencing in small measure now will be magnified a million times and the glory of God shines through the new Jerusalem in that day. And they shall bring the glory and the honor of the nations into it. And this also is true in verse 27, nothing unclean will enter into it. Here is where the church has to live by this rule even now that we take a very strong stand against uncleanness penetrating into the church of the living God. No one who practices an abomination, no one who seeks that which is big and great in the eyes of men which is an abomination and no liar, no lying must be permitted. They may still be able to sneak in and sit here but it's clear that in the final state in the new Jerusalem all the unclean will be kept outside. All those who practice any form of abomination will be kept outside and all those who practice any form of lying will be outside. And only those whose names are written in the Lamb's book of life. In verse 1 of chapter 22, He showed me a river of the water of life clear as crystal coming from the throne of God and of the Lamb. This is so obviously a picture of the Holy Spirit. In the Old Testament there is a picture of this too in Ezekiel chapter 47. I just want to turn there for a moment. Ezekiel 47 we read there about a river which Ezekiel saw and I don't want to go into all the details of it. It says in verses 1 to 12 about this river and it's only one verse I want to point out verse 9 it says it comes about that every living creature which swarms in every place where the river goes will live. The river brings life. Verse 12 by the river on its bank on one side will grow all kinds of trees for food. And the last part their fruit will be for food and their leaves will be for healing. Do you remember that passage in John 7 37 to 39 where Jesus said he who believes in me as the scripture has said out of his innermost being shall flow rivers of living water. Have you ever wondered which scripture in the Old Testament Jesus was quoting? I'll tell you it is this passage in Ezekiel 47 verse 1 to 12. If you want to have an understanding of the spirit filled life read Ezekiel 47 verses 1 to 12 where Ezekiel goes deeper and deeper and deeper and deeper and deeper into this river and finally a point comes where his legs leave the earth and then he's carried by the river. That is the spirit for life where we are no longer bound to the earth but the Holy Spirit carries us. That's the scripture Jesus was quoting in John 7 37 to 39 and that is a foretaste of what we see here in Revelation 22 verse 1 the river of the water of life the fullness of the Holy Spirit clear as crystal. That's the emphasis all the way through chapter 21 and 22 clear clear transparent pure like glass clear as glass like gold pure clear as glass coming from the throne of God and of the Lamb. The river flows only where God is given his rightful place on the throne. If I have set someone else on the throne of my heart the river cannot flow the river flows from the throne of God verse 2 in the middle of its street and on either side of the river was the tree of life the tree of life you see we see the thing that Adam lost has come back to man in Revelation 22 there's a lot of similarity between Genesis 2 and Revelation 22 the tree of life has come back and the tree of life symbolizes the life of God himself where we can partake of the divine nature. I can partake of God's own nature what is the tree of life that is eternal life what is eternal life eternal life does not mean to exist forever but we have seen that the people who go to the lake of fire also exist forever that but they don't have eternal life eternal life means a life which has no beginning and no end that is the life of God himself and that is what is symbolized in the tree of life and that is the thing which Adam did not take in the garden of Eden he foolishly went for the tree of knowledge just like many people today they would rather have Bible knowledge than life and that's the sad thing when the devil leads us to have more Bible knowledge than life the tree of knowledge is not there in Revelation 22 it's disappeared it's gone. And as particularly as we study the book of Revelation I hope we our desire is to sit around the tree of life and not around the tree of knowledge you know around the in front of the tree of life there is a sword it says in Genesis 3 a sword that must fall upon my flesh if I am to take part of that tree of life that's the reason why people would rather go to the tree of knowledge where there is no sword see to get Bible knowledge I don't have to die to myself but to partake of God's nature it says in 2nd Corinthians 4 10 only if I bear the dying of Jesus in my body that is allow the sword to fall upon me then the life of Jesus will come forth in me that is the tree of life and so we see here the people who can partake of this tree of life are those who have allowed the sword to fall upon their flesh during their earthly course during their earthly life that's why brothers and sisters it's so important for us never to forget the centrality of the message of the cross that is the way to the tree of life there is no other way via that sword which fell upon Jesus but we are crucified with him and therefore it falls upon our flesh too then we partake of the tree of life bearing 12 kinds of fruit yielding its fruit every month different types of fruit brought forth every month and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nation there is physical health too from that tree of life and there shall no longer be any curse there's a beautiful verse in Galatians 3 13 which says Christ has become a curse for us the curse that came upon the human race through Adam Jesus Christ has taken upon himself completely on Calvary that's why he had to be crucified because it says cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree and because he has taken that curse that curse is removed from over man completely but we know that the full effect of it we still have not experienced what we experience today is only a foretaste of the total removal of the curse one proof of that is that even believers still die death is a part of the curse that itself proves that the curse is not totally removed but we have overcome death that's why we are not afraid of it because Jesus Christ has become a curse for us on the cross potentially we are free from the curse though we still experience pain the thorns still poke our feet and we have aches and pains and old age infirmities and sicknesses the curse is not still removed from our bodies and we die but we can have a foretaste even now of that total freedom from the curse and one day it will be removed completely revelation 22 3 there'll be no more curse therefore no more death no more sickness no more pain nothing at all and the throne of God and the Lamb shall be in it and his bond servants shall serve him notice the emphasis on his bond servants are his slaves in the book of Revelation it began in chapter 1 with bond slaves in the first verse it ends in chapter 22 with bond slaves in Revelation 22 verse 3 this is what God longs for those who will sell themselves to him and say Lord we are yours completely totally to serve you even here in our earthly life and notice this they shall serve him which means that even in eternity there will be some form of service we're not going to just keep our hands raised for all eternity praising God that's one part of our eternal occupation to worship him but there is going to be some form of service for God even in eternity which even if it were explained here our minds will not be able to understand because it's a heavenly thing but praise God that we'll have the opportunity to serve him even there and those who delight to serve him here will consider it a real joy and privilege and honor to be able to serve him in all eternity and they shall see his face this is going to be a fantastic thing to see God face to face it was said about Moses in Deuteronomy 34 that there was no man who to whom the Lord spoke face to face as to Moses it is the greatest privilege that a human being can have on the face of the earth to be able to speak to God face to face as a man speaks to a friend and that's how it will be between us and the Lord in eternity they shall see his face his name that is his nature will be on their foreheads means manifested through their personalities there shall no longer be any night notice the emphasis again on light they shall not have need of the light of a lamp nor the light of the Sun because the Lord God shall illumine them and they shall reign forever and ever this reigning is also something that we have a foretaste of here on the earth not reigning over people the Gentiles the heathen want to reign over people but the sons of God are reigning over their own passion for example to be a king over my anger that's quite a thing to conquer it's quite easy to boss the servant in the house that's no problem for any of us but to conquer my lusts and my passions and my irritability and my anger and to reign as a king in those areas is to prepare me to reign forever and ever with Christ in eternal ages how many of us are seriously taken up with this matter of reigning through grace in this life this is our calling we are kings not kings over people but kings over our own lusts preparing us to reign forever and ever with Christ and having no need of any light other than the light of God himself it's a blessed life that we can begin right here on earth where I do not seek my joy in human beings I do not seek my joy or happiness or light or life in circumstances or in money or in anything earthly but in God himself everything here brothers and sisters we can have a foretaste of in this life itself never forget and he said to me I just want to mention this again this emphasis on light in chapter 21 and chapter 22 concerning the New Jerusalem it's almost the preeminent thing purity transparency and light purity transparency and light and I want to say this brothers and sisters if that is what are the chief characteristics of the New Jerusalem that's what we should long for in our life to purity transparency and light in every area of our life no darkness that's the conclusion of that section describing the New Jerusalem and from verse 6 onwards till the end are some closing exhortations and promises the description of the eternal state is over and now we come to some closing exhortations and promises verse 6 and he said to me these words are faithful and true if you've watched carefully in our study through this book you've noticed how often that thing comes this on these are the words of God these words are faithful and true don't despise them don't take them lightly very important and I trust as we have studied through the book of Revelation in these weeks I trust that it has produced in our hearts a greater desire to meditate on this book one reason why I have sought to go through it in 16 weeks we could have taken 60 60 weeks on this book going slowly through it but God does not desire to give us everything in his Word through men there are two ways God desires to speak to us one through his servants the prophets and the teachers second directly and so no man of God should ever come between us and the Lord so the hope that's one reason why we have skimmed through as it were the book of Revelation so that we get a little appetite to get into this book which we have perhaps neglected for so long these words are faithful and true these are the words of God I don't think there's a single book in the New Testament where that phrase is emphasized so often these are the words of God don't despise it these words are faithful and true meditate on them the spiritual prophet in them and the Lord the God of the spirits of the prophets sent his angels to show to whom again that word is bond servants that's a word that's emphasized so often in Revelation God is looking for bond servants you know the difference between a servant and a bond servant a servant has got rights privileges hours of work he can claim salary at the end of the month a bond servant is like a slave it means a slave no rights no privileges no salary he is just belongs to his master totally his master can do anything ask for anything take advantage of him in any way and he's he's just quite happy it is when we take this place before the Lord where we say Lord I'm yours totally I have I ask for nothing I ask only that I may be yours totally available to you to be used by you to be crushed by you anything Lord I'm yours totally those are the ones who are most blessed of all the things which must shortly take place and if these were to take place shortly then we know that the whole period from the time of John till now 1900 years is a very short period in the eyes of the Lord just two days it was just two days ago that John wrote this book one days with the Lord is a thousand years just day before yesterday he wrote this book think of that it's a very short time in the eyes of the Lord we are now at the end of that two-day period when we come to the end of time and verse 7 behold I am coming quickly now notice the difference between soon and quickly he doesn't say I'm coming soon some people misunderstand it like that he's the meaning is I'm coming suddenly that's the meaning that means my coming will be sudden in a like a thief suddenly without any warning we must read it like that behold I'm coming suddenly blessed is he who he he and keeps the words of the prophecy of this book that's how the book began you remember in chapter 1 and verse 3 we read that phrase blessed is he who keeps the words written in this book and the book ends with that same phrase blessed is he who keeps the words of this prophecy of this book sometime when you get time you could go through the seven blessed in the book of Revelation starting with chapter 1 and verse 3 the seven blessed right through the book and we find them here also here's one of those blessed blessed is he who heeds the words of the prophecy of this book these are the Beatitudes the book of Revelation and I John and the one who heard and saw these things and when I heard and saw again he made the mistake of being taken up with this person whom God had used to teach all these truths to John I fell down to worship at the feet of the angel who showed me these things and he said to me don't don't do that this is the same as in chapter 19 verse 10 he made that mistake a second time I'm a fellow servant of yours and of your brethren the prophets and of those who heed the words of this book worship God and as I mentioned in our study of chapter 19 that is always the mark of a true servant of God that whenever he sees someone getting attached to him he detaches himself and says no don't do that look at Jesus give him the glory give him the honor don't get attached to me get attached to him beware of any so-called man of God who by cunning schemes and clever words seeks to get you attached to him in such a way that if he drops dead your spiritual life declined no we need to go to those who will detach us from themselves don't get offended because that is a mark of a true man of God that he will shake you off from himself for your own good so that you can cling to the Lord and not to man that's what we see here don't do that I don't want any of that honor we need to take that position brothers and sisters when people respect us or seek to give us some glory or honor for some blessing that God is pleased to convey to them through us we need to be quick without a moment you know there's no hesitation here in here and oh how quick we need to be in this area of no hesitation in this area of not taking honor from men for ourselves because in heaven there is only one song the new song you know what it is thou alone art worthy and that's a song we need to learn to sing now this angel had learned that song that's why he was so quick to shake off that glory and say don't do that that's that's only for God give it to him I'm only one of those who keep the words of this book he says I'm just a man like you one of the prophets one of your brethren I just keep the words of this book this is a messenger we when the word angel we know in the book of Revelation often means messenger and some of the places where it says angel it could be a human being a messenger when he says when he says I'm one of your brethren the prophets and one of those who keep the words of this book could refer to some redeemed human being who's called the word angel can also be translated as messenger remember that when you study the book of Revelation and verse 10 and he said to me don't seal up the words of the prophecy of the book for the time is near this book is an unsealed book it was not sealed for 1900 years ever since John wrote it it's not a sealed book there's no reason why anybody can't understand it everyone should be able to understand it there is one book in the Bible which is sealed I want to turn you to Daniel chapter 12 Daniel chapter 12 verse 4 Daniel 12 verse 4 but as for you Daniel conceal these words that is the prophecies in the book of Daniel and seal up the book not forever but until the end of time that means at the end of time the book of Daniel will be unsealed and we hope to go into the study of the book of Daniel God willing once we complete this study on Revelation here is another book here is a book which has been sealed but which will be opened at the end of time and we find it is open in these days many will go back and forth and knowledge will increase in verse 9 go your way Daniel for these words are concealed and sealed up until the end of time but the book of Revelation is not a sealed book and I trust that as we have gone through it not only like the lamb broke open the seals of the book he had I trust that anything that we have been blind to has been removed and we have come to see the book of Revelation more clearly for the time is near imagine that Jesus could say to John in 180 the time is near how much nearer it is now and here is an amazing exhortation on the last page of the Bible did you know that there is an exhortation in the Bible which says be filthy did you know there's an exhortation in the Bible which says do wrong it's an amazing thing for some people to realize that the that the Bible says do wrong be filthy you know where it says that in the last page Revelation 22 11 why does it say that the meaning is if you have read through this book if you have read through the Bible from Genesis to Revelation and you still don't want to give up your sin you still don't want to repent then the Lord says just go ahead and be filthy there's no hope for you just go ahead and keep on doing wrong there's no hope for you if this book you come to the last page of the book and you still don't want to give up your filthiness then there's absolutely no hope for you if you read through the you read through the book of Revelation alone and seen the tremendous judgments upon sin the people are going to burn in the lake of fire and you still want to tell lies you still don't want to be bitter against people you still want to be unforgiving you still want to fool around with lust and immoral things and pornography and various filthy things and cheating in money matters and various things God says go ahead and do it go ahead and do it be a liar liar be immoral be filthy be a pornographer be a hater of your brothers God says do it he's not going to stop be unforgiving be bitter all that is involved in that verse 11 it's serious when we don't take sin seriously let the one who does wrong still do wrong let the one who's filthy still be filthy those for whom that is written they can listen to that but this is what's written for us the second part of verse 11 let the one who is righteous still practice righteousness be more righteous let the one who is holy still keep himself holy more holy there is never an end in this pursuit of holiness continue on brother in holiness don't be satisfied with the righteousness you have continue on in your pursuit of righteousness tremendous verse at the end of the Bible that we need to listen to and take heed to seriously and it also means that the state in which we end our life is going to determine how we spend our eternity if we have lived in filthiness well we'll continue in filthiness and and wrong for eternal ages in the lake of fire if we have pursued righteousness and holiness in our life then that will be of a pursuit in eternity too our state is going to be fixed for all eternity then we come to verse 12 behold I'm coming quickly and my reward is with me to render every man according to what he has done rewards are according to works salvation is by grace but judgment is by works reward are according to works and I'm coming suddenly when we are not expecting he will come and my reward is with me people who feel there are people who feel that it's wrong to look for a reward it isn't if the Lord himself is encouraged to look for it it's wrong to look for a reward from man when we do something to even expect a thank-you from man is wrong we are to do everything to man as unto the Lord and expect our thank you from the Lord alone my reward is with me the Lord says you want a reward from him or do you want it from man then everything we do must be as unto him and to render to every man according to what he has done I am the Alpha and the Omega the first and the last the beginning in the end the Lord Jesus says blessed are those who wash their robes or as the King James version as it those who keep their commandments and there's no conflict in my mind on that to wash our robes and to keep the commandments are exactly the same those who really wash their robes they keep the commandments that they may have the right to the tree of life how do we get to the tree of life by washing our robes and keeping the commandment and enter by the gates into the city but outside are the dogs you know the dogs are we read in 2nd Peter 2 22 those who vomit out something and then go and eat what they have vomited out in other words backsliders those who have given up their sins turn to Christ and then go back and eat what the sins they have vomited out sometime ago a dog has turned back to its own vomit outside are the dogs the sorcerers the immoral persons the murderers the idolaters and not only those who practice telling lies but those who love telling lies three times in the end of the Bible we find liars are kept outside chapter 21 verse 8 chapter 21 verse 27 and chapter 22 verse 15 notice the emphasis liars are outside this is the one thing we need to cleanse ourselves from more than anything else there's a tremendous amount of lying in our flesh brothers and sisters I Jesus have sent my angel to testify to you these things for the churches concerning the churches I am the root and the offspring of David what does that mean the root of David means the Lord through whom David was born the Creator the offspring of David means the one who was born through David's feet that is Christ's coming in the flesh of David that is one of the last things mentioned in Scripture about Jesus Christ that he came in our the flesh of David because it was thus that he made the new and living way for us to enter and be a part of this New Jerusalem so we find that this emphasis on Christ coming in our flesh is in the book of Revelation more than one and I am the bright and morning star in the last book of the Old Testament Malachi 4 verse 2 Christ is called the son of righteousness for the Jews under the Old Covenant he rises as the Sun the beginning of the millennial day but for the church for whom the New Testament is written he's not called the Sun he's called a bright and morning star which appears just a little while before sunrise and that's when the church is going to be raptured before the wrath of God falls upon the earth a little while before Jesus descends to the earth as the son of righteousness so there's significance in all these things and the spirit and the bride say come this is the final invitation in Scripture it's almost as though God has said if you want to be filthy still be filthy for the heart of God still long that you will repent and come and so he has says the spirit and the bride that's the church they come why do you want to be filthy why do you want to be ruined come and let the one who hears they come and let the one who is thirsty come and let the one who wishes to take the water of life without cost come and then I testify to everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book if anyone adds to them God will add to him the plagues which are written in this book that's true there are plagues written in this book that means the wrath of God will fall upon those who add to Scripture and if anyone takes away from the words of this book subtracts from it says this is not God's word that is not God's word God will take away his part from the tree of life and from the Holy City which are written in this book you know the first sin that Eve committed in Genesis 3 began with adding and taking away from God's Word I wonder whether you have noticed that God said to Adam in Genesis 2 and verse 17 from the tree of knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat because in the day that you eat from it you'll surely die Adam communicated that to Eve when Eve was asked by the serpent in Genesis chapter 3 what has God said notice how Eve replied and compare it with Genesis 2 17 and you will discover she added and subtracted first of all she added verse 3 God has said you shall not eat from it or touch it now God never said anything about touching it that's adding and then she subtracted lest you die that's not what God said God said you shall surely die lest you die means sort of there's a chance that you might die and that's how sin began by adding and subtracting to God's Word and right at the end of the Bible you have that warning don't add and don't subtract from God's Word don't think there's anything written in this book which is unimportant for you to obey those who say that certain commandments are unimportant and teach other people like that they are really subtracting from God's Word and who are the people who add to God's Word those who add so-called church traditions and make them as important as scripture that is adding to God's Word we are to be very careful to eliminate from our life all things which are contrary to God's Word and add to our life everything that we have missed out from God's Word that is the process of purification that we need in our life to be able to be prepared for eternity otherwise God's Word is true I testify he says to everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book if anyone adds to them God will add to them the plagues which are written in this book that's why I say the traditions of men are so dangerous if you add the traditions of men and the traditions of historic Christianity through 2,000 years to God's commandment to me it is crystal clear that God will add to such a person all the plagues written in the book of Revelation I have no doubt in my mind about it at all if on the other hand somebody takes some commandments in the Word of God and in the New Testament particularly the Word of Christ and subtracts from it and says well that's not so important that's not a big thing the water baptism that's not such a big thing a sister covering her head when she prophesies of praise that's not a big thing all right be careful God will take away his part from the tree of light and from the holy city I have no doubt in my mind about that at all because I believe the Word of God that there's not a single thing written in God's Word which is unimportant no small things are big things they are God's Word and it's through his Word that he tests us in this day to see whether we are ready to live with him for eternity that's why my brothers and sisters we have to tremendously take seriously this Word of God Psalm 138 says this Psalm 138 and verse 2 the last part Lord you have magnified your word above all your name or together with all your name God's Word has been magnified along with his name and if I dishonor God's Word I'm dishonoring God's name I dishonor God's Word by adding human traditions to it or by subtracting what I think are unimportant commandments from it and I want to tell you harlot Christianity both in Catholicism and in Protestantism and in Pentecostalism of every shape has added and subtracted to God's Word that's how we end up in spiritual holotry so we need to take that seriously finally Revelation 22 verse 20 he who testifies to these things says yes I'm coming suddenly amen and here is the last prayer in the Bible a good prayer for all of us to pray come Lord Jesus but I can't pray it if I'm not ready I can't pray it if I'm adding and subtracting to God's Word I can't pray it if I'm seeking the honor of men I can't pray it if I'm not purifying myself as he is pure come Lord Jesus what a tremendous need there is for our whole being to pray that prayer come Lord Jesus I'm sick and tired of sin I'm sick and tired of this rotten old world I'm longing for that world where righteousness dwells come Lord Jesus and the final benediction verse 21 the grace of the Lord Jesus be with all amen it's tremendous how the Word of God ends it is only by grace that we can be a part of that new Jerusalem by the strength and help that God gives to us that we can be free from these bondages that have enslaved us for so many years the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with all grace to overcome things shall not have dominion over you because you are under grace well I trust we've had a benefit from the study of this now I just want in the remaining minutes to go through the whole book briefly so that we can have a bird's eye view like looking at the earth from the satellite looking at the whole book of revelation together so that we can briefly review what we have gone through in these last 16 studies so beginning with chapter 1 the first verse and the third verse are very important this is the revelation of Jesus Christ it's a revelation an unveiling of Jesus Christ not of the future not of a prophetic program but of Jesus Christ as Lord as lamb who was slain who is opening the book who is in control and it is given to bond servants for verse 3 obedience those who keep the same and for proclamation to others those who read it publicly blessed are those who read this out and share the truths in the book of revelation to others and you and I can do that in the coming days then we read in verse 7 of revelation 1 the theme really of the whole book behold he is coming with the clouds and every eye will see him this is the climax of human history he is coming this is the whole theme of the book the second coming of Christ and that's why the book ends with that prayer come Lord Jesus and verses 10 to 17 we find here everything begins with a new revelation of Christ the first thing is not all the prophetic program and the plagues and the judgments that are coming God says to John first of all you need to see Jesus see his glory afresh and brothers and sisters I want to say every new revelation of truth must begin with the revelation of Jesus Christ himself a fresh revelation of Jesus that makes me fall at his feet like John fell at his feet verse 17 like a dead man and say oh Lord you are worthy oh how we need that and I tell you even if we don't understand anything in this book of revelation if I've learned this how to fall at his feet and worship him to say show me oh Lord your glory help me to see that I've learned the most important thing it begins with that verse 19 the threefold division of the book which we considered in the first study what is the threefold division the things which you have seen what is that the revelation of Jesus Christ himself second the things which are described in chapters 2 and 3 which is Jesus Christ and his church and third the things which shall take place after these things which is Jesus Christ and the kingdom so we could say the threefold division of the book of revelation is Christ himself Christ in the church and Christ in the kingdom Christ himself chapter 1 Christ in the church chapter 2 and 3 Christ in the kingdom chapter 4 to 22 and then in chapters 2 and 3 we come to the messages to the seven churches and their leaders called angels or messengers and here Christ deals as a purifier of his church exposing what is wrong like a doctor diagnosing this is your problem you're all right here your liver is all right but something's wrong with your heart exposing what's wrong and what's right diagnosing each case and we find in the seven churches there are two exemplary churches one is the church at Smyrna known for its suffering persecution faithfully and the other is the church in Philadelphia known for its brotherly love teaching us that there are two things that the Lord looks for in us faithfulness and suffering and fervent brotherly love pursue after these two things brothers and sisters and we shall also be in that church which is going to be raptured when Jesus comes it's the church in Philadelphia to which Jesus said in verse 10 because you have chapter 3 verse 10 because you've kept the word of my perseverance I will keep you from the hour of testing which is going to come upon the whole world when the wrath of God falls upon the world the church which has pursued brotherly love the church which has been faithful in suffering will be taken up but there's another so-called church we read off in chapter 3 verse 16 which is going to be spat out of the mouth of the Lord in that final day it claimed to be the mouthpiece of the Lord but the Lord says you're not my mouthpiece I'm going to spit you out of my mouth it's going to be left behind as the harlot and so we see the seven times in these messages to the seven churches we have the call of the spirits he who has ears to hear let him hear what the spirit is saying what is that overcome overcome overcome overcomes seven times and seven times as we studied the word comes repent repent repent repent there is no exhortation to repent to two of the churches but yet the word to repent comes seven times in the letters to the other five churches so we see there is a connection between the spirit of repentance and overcoming the overcomer is the one who has got a spirit of repentance over sin in his life that's how he becomes an overcomer overcome how repents he who has a year let him hear what the spirit is saying not just to one church but to all the churches through 20 centuries that's repeated seven times and then we come to chapters four to the end of the book is Jesus Christ and his kingdom the things relating to the future and there again the first part of that is a vision of heaven chapter four and five we can say that's the vision of the central control room headquarters where everything's being controlled and we need to see a vision of that before we get into seeing what's going to happen on the earth the total sovereignty of god he is completely in control of everything that's going to take place in the remaining chapters we need to see that otherwise we'll get disturbed and full of fear particularly as we are living in these days which is very close to the fulfillment of the things written in the book of revelation we need to see the vision of that central control room where our father is handling everything and he's mindful of us by the way when he handles everything he hasn't forgotten us it says god remembered noah when he sent the judgment of the flood upon the earth and he'll remember us who are his children and then we find in chapter six in the six seals that are mentioned in chapter six a preview of the last seven years before christ returned to the earth the six seals we don't want to go into them in detail at this time but we saw that the six seals correspond exactly with jesus description of the last days in matthew 24 the antichrist going forth and war and famine pestilences and tribulation and finally the second coming of christ but just before that we read in chapter 6 verse 16 for the first time in the book of revelation the word wrath comes it's when the word wrath occurs in the book of revelation that the church is raptured that is after the war after the famine after the pestilence after the tribulation but when wrath comes the church is taken up and that's what we see in chapter seven and verse nine the great multitude standing before the throne from every nation and tribe they are up there before the wrath of god is poured out on the earth the church is raptured and chapter seven verse one to eight the faithful jews on the earth are sealed so that they are protected from the wrath and then begins the outburst of wrath in seven trumpets six of them described in chapter eight and chapter nine judgment on the earth and the sea and the springs of waters and the heavenly bodies and from demons from the bottomless pits and demons released near the river euphrates which was the site of ancient babylon and 200 million soldiers 9 16 and preparing for the last great battle of our megadon and there we find the seven fold last trumpets we have to look at the seven trumpets as one trumpet divided into seven parts called seven trumpets and it says concerning the last trumpet in one corinthians 15 of the last trumpet we shall be transformed and that's what we see in the book of revelation 2 and then we come to chapter 9 verse 20 and 21 where we find this phrase repeated twice they did not repent they did not repent the word repentance occurs more often in the book of revelation than any book of the bible that's god's long suffering waiting for all men to come to repentance and chapter 10 the book is now open and john is asked to eat it and verse 10 of chapter 10 it is sweet as honey but bitter in his stomach showing that there is grace as well as judgment in god's word then chapter 11 to 13 is like going back again to a period that we have already covered chapter 6 7 8 9 we were going forward till the end of time and then chapter 11 to 13 suddenly we go back in time to get a preview of something more detail of some of the things which took place even earlier particularly the last three and a half years of those seven years first of all the witnesses in chapter 11 who are going to witness for god in the spirit of elijah and the spirit of moses chapter 12 satan cast down to earth for the last three and a half years two witnesses on earth for the last three and a half years chapter 11 satan cast down to earth for the last three and a half years chapter 12 but satan being overcome verse 11 of chapter 12 by the overcomers by the not their lives unto death, and then chapter 13, the Antichrist and the false prophets in the last three and a half years. So these three chapters are a description of the last three and a half years. Then we come to chapter 14 and chapter 15, which is a picture of the overcomers, the 144,000, the number may be symbolic or real, I do not know and I am not interested to know. All I know is it's a small number, few there be that find the way to life. These are the few who went through the narrow gate, who went through the needle's eye and got into a stand with the Lamb on Mount Zion, who cleansed themselves from lying, particularly as we read in verse 5 of chapter 14. The overcomers, and we see them also in chapter 15, verse 2, the overcomers are described to our praising God, a brief preview of the final judgment in chapter 14, verses 14 to 20. Then we come to chapter 16, where the seventh angel sounds, and then the seventh angel actually sounds in chapter 11, but it results in the seven bowls of rock being poured out on the earth, which is very similar to the seven trumpets on the earth and the sea and the springs of water in the heaven and the river Euphrates, et cetera, and on demons coming forth. It's probably going to run simultaneously with the seven trumpets, the wrath of God being poured out upon the earth, and again we find this word that they blasphemed God, verse 21, they do not repent, no, they're not interested in repentance, they curse God. And then in chapter 17, we have a description of religious Babylon, the spiritual harlot, who claimed to belong to Christ, but lived in spiritual adultery, and in Revelation 18, we read of commercial Babylon, religious Babylon and commercial Babylon, God and money cannot be served together, and I want to tell you one thing here, brothers and sisters, you can escape the religious harlot and come out of that and get caught in the commercial harlot, in the love of money. You can break with tradition, break with all the traditions of Babylon the harlot, religious harlot, and then get caught in the commercial system of this world and think that money is a great thing, and end up in the same condition as those who are in the religious harlot. So don't beware only of the religious harlot, beware of the commercial one too. And then in chapter 19, the bride who has stood pure, pure from the religious harlot, pure from the commercial harlot, clothed in simplicity, in fine linen, in purity, chapter 19, verse 8, prepared for the marriage supper, marriage of the Lamb, comes with the Lamb for the final battle of Armageddon, chapter 19, verse 17 onwards describes, where the Antichrist leads the armies of the earth to fight against Jesus, the church that's been raptured up before the rock comes down with Jesus, and in one day, the battle of Armageddon is over, and the Antichrist and the false prophet are thrown into the lake of fire. And then in chapter 20, verses 1 to 6, we have the millennial reign of Christ, Christ ruling on the earth in peace for a thousand years after 6,000 years of man's cursed existence on the earth, 1,000 years of peace, and at the end of the 1,000 years of peace, we have the second great world war, where Satan comes forth after being bound, and again, he deceives the nations, and this doesn't take one day, in one moment, they're all destroyed, proving the corruption of the flesh, that even after seeing the beautiful reign of Christ, they still follow the devil. And then the final judgment of the great white throne, in chapter 20, the last part, and then the eternal state that we just considered in chapter 21 and 22, and finally this last word of the Bible, the grace of the Lord Jesus be with all. Contrast that with the last word of the Old Testament. Do you know what the last word of the Old Testament is? Curse. I will come and smite the land with a curse. That's the last word of the Old Testament, and the Old Testament closes with the word curse, and then we open the pages of the New Testament, and we see the birth of Jesus, and it ends with the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. What a fantastic thing it is to be under grace, to be free from that curse, to be a part of that community that Jesus gave everything that he had for, to purchase us, that we might be his bond slaves and walk the new and living way, and live under his grace, so that we might be the dwelling place of God for all eternity. No wonder the Spirit and the bride are calling even today, come, drink the water of life, repent, repent, be an overcomer. He who has ears to hear, let him hear.