Revelation 22

Revelation 22 is the final chapter of the Book of Revelation. It concludes the vision of the new heaven, the new earth, and the holy city carried over from Revelation 21, and then moves into the closing words of the book as a whole.

Outline

• Verses 1–5 The river of the water of life flows from the throne of God and of the Lamb. On either side of the river stands the tree of life, which bears twelve kinds of fruit, yielding its fruit every month, and its leaves are for the healing of the nations. There shall be no more curse and no night there. His servants see the face of God, and His name is on their foreheads.
• Verses 6–7 The angel declares that these sayings are faithful and true. There follows the promise "Behold, I come quickly," together with the declaration "blessed is he that keepeth the sayings of the prophecy of this book."
• Verses 8–9 When John falls down to worship the angel, the angel stops him, saying that he too is a fellowservant and telling John to worship God alone.
• Verses 10–15 John is commanded not to seal the sayings of the prophecy. Then come the words that every man will be rewarded according to his work and the declaration "I am Alpha and Omega." Those who wash their robes enter the city, while dogs, sorcerers, and others remain outside.
• Verses 16–17 Jesus identifies Himself as "the root and the offspring of David" and "the bright and morning star." The Spirit and the bride say "Come," inviting whosoever will to take the water of life freely.
• Verses 18–19 A warning is issued to anyone who adds to or takes away from the prophecy of this book.
• Verses 20–21 The words "Surely I come quickly" receive the response "Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus," and the book closes with a benediction of grace.

Key Verses

• Revelation 22:13 "I am Alpha and Omega" — identifies the One who rules over the beginning and the end, paralleling Revelation 1:8.
• Revelation 22:17 "Let him take the water of life freely" — a word of invitation placed at the end of the book.
• Revelation 22:20 "Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus" — a response of longing for the Second Coming in the last chapter of the Bible.

People and Places

• John: the one who saw, heard, and recorded the vision. He is traditionally identified as the apostle John.
• Angel: the being who shows the vision to John and refuses to accept his worship.
• Jesus Christ: speaks directly in verse 16 and calls Himself the root and the offspring of David.
• The Holy Spirit and the bride: together they say "Come" and extend the invitation. The bride is commonly understood to be the church.
• New Jerusalem: the holy city in which the river of the water of life and the tree of life are found.

Points for Reflection

• The tree of life and the phrase "there shall be no more curse" are often read alongside the account of the Garden of Eden (Genesis 3), on the view that the tree of life once lost is here restored. The promise of the tree of life also appears in Revelation 2:7.
• How "I come quickly" is understood varies according to one's view of the millennium. Dispensationalists read it as an event to be fulfilled literally in the future, while Reformed scholars who hold to amillennialism tend to read it as a vision laden with symbolism.
• The warning in verses 18–19 resembles Deuteronomy 4:2. Some interpreters take it as originally referring to the Book of Revelation alone, while some preachers extend its application to the principle of the canon, namely that Scripture as a whole is complete.
• The prayer in verse 20 corresponds in meaning to the Aramaic expression Maranatha ("O Lord, come") in 1 Corinthians 16:22.

In the Korean Church

• As the last chapter of the Bible, it is read at the conclusion of reading through the Bible.
• It is frequently cited in sermons on the hope of heaven and the Second Coming.
• The words "Come, Lord Jesus" in verse 20 are widely used in prayer and preaching as a confession of those who await the Second Coming.