Revelation 22:10-15 - Decision Time

Well, next Sunday we will wrap up our study of Revelation. It has taken almost a whole year of sermons — 49 to be exact. If you want to revisit any of them, all of the manuscripts are on the Good Shepherd website, and most of the sermons were recorded, with a few exceptions because of technical issues. If you have any questions about the mysterious details of Revelation, you can find all my explanations in those sermons, and I’m glad to answer any questions.

Because of our study of Revelation, we now have all this guidance for life during the Last Days. Hopefully some of the more puzzling aspects of the book are clear now.

We learned about the trumpets that symbolize warnings from God and partial judgments. Many things happen in the world that compel some people to turn to God before it’s too late. And the bowls symbolize full judgments poured out until empty. For some, judgment will come and it will be too late to turn to God.

We learned about the first and second beast in John’s vision, symbolizing anti-Christian governments and anti-Christian religions and systems of belief that work together to harm God’s people and perpetuate evil.

And we learned about the antichrist, though as I mentioned, that word is never used in Revelation. There are antichrists in every age – people of great influence who are controlled by Satan. And we learned that there will be, at the time Christ returns, a severe antichrist movement going on in the world and an awful person at the helm. This will be a person guided by Satan, with antichristian religion on their side.

Satan is symbolized in Revelation with a dragon. He’s at work in the world, but at the same time, he is bound. His power is limited. The elect will be saved and will persevere to the end with Christ, and Satan cannot stop that. But evil is released in the world, and the wicked are tormented during this time.

Revelation tells us that things will get increasingly worse as history moves toward its finale. But still, the gospel will go forward, and the true church will continue to grow. Eventually a time will come when the church appears to be defeated, just before Christ’s return, but then Jesus will emerge from the heavens to judge sin and make all things new.

We learned about all of this and much, much more. But as we come to the end of Revelation, we should consider this question: how will this information affect your life? As we look at these next six verses, we’re going to consider this question in three parts. You can see them printed there on page 6 in the WG. As others continue to do what they do, and Christ continues to be who He is, what will you do — and who will you be?

Now look at verse [10]. John writes, “And he [the angel] said to me, “Do not seal up the words of the prophecy of this book.” John is not to keep these visions a secret. The angel tells him not to conceal them, which implies that he is to reveal them. Why would the angel say this?

Well, if we compare the book of Daniel, which is, in some ways, Revelation’s OT counterpart, it makes sense. Daniel was instructed to seal up his apocalyptic vision. Daniel in the OT and Revelation in the NT are from two different periods of redemptive history.

The visions of Daniel were given before Christ came into the world. The visions of Revelation were given after His return to heaven. In that earlier era, much of God’s plan of salvation was still concealed. Now, God’s plan has been fully revealed in the person and work of Jesus Christ. And so John was to write these things down and make them known.

Well, then the angel says, “for the time is near.” Now, from the wording used, this doesn’t appear to be a reference to the time of Christ’s return. Rather, this refers to the time of decision. The time for response to the truth of Revelation is at hand. This could also be translated as “the season is a hand.” So, not only one moment for a single decision, but a season for decision. During this time, people will make eternal decisions based on what they see and hear.

Look at verse [11]. “Let the evildoer still do evil, and the filthy still be filthy, and the righteous still do right, and the holy still be holy.” What does this mean? Simply put, in this season of decision, people are going to do what they want to do. You can’t make a person’s decisions for them. So, you shouldn’t get too hung up on what other people do.

You can and should speak the truth to them, you can model God’s ways in your own life, you should show love to people and pray for them, but at the end of the day, each person has to make his or her own decisions affecting this life and the life to come.

And make no mistake – there will be a time of judgment. There will be a reckoning. So, As others continue to do what they do…look with me at this next section.

Verse [12] – these are the words of Christ. He says, “Behold, I am coming soon, bringing my recompense (wreck ‘em pense) with me, to repay each one for what he has done.” A day is coming when all accounts will be settled, so to speak. All debts will come due. This repayment from Jesus refers not to righteousness by works, but to the judgment of Christ.

Now, His judgments come throughout the Last Days in various forms. That was the meaning of the trumpets and the bowls. But this refers to the final judgment.

Did you ever enjoy playing hide and seek? I think all children love to hide. It’s so fun for others to search for you and have trouble finding you. Do you know that pleasure of someone looking for you during the game, and they get so close, but they don’t see you. Did you ever play hide-and-seek and eventually the people searching have to give up? Then those who were hiding reveal their hiding place, because they were never found.

On the Last Day, there will be nowhere to hide from Christ. That is clear in Revelation. Everyone – without exception – will be found. You will either be found in Christ, or you will be found still in your sins.

Now notice verse [13] again. Jesus says, “I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end.” These are clearly additional claims that Jesus is God. He is on par with and equal in power and glory with God the Father and God the Holy Spirit. Jesus Christ is God the Son incarnate – embodied in human flesh. We understand that He is both fully God and fully man, at the same time.

Jesus acknowledges to John through the angel that people will do what they will do, and then He proclaims who He is and will continue to be. Jesus proclaims who He has always been: the Creator and Sustainer of all things.

If you’re in Christ, your Great Judge is also your Strong Defender. He supplies for you the righteous record you need to stand before Him on the Judgment Day. Christ knows all things. He knows what the future holds. And He will never leave or forsake those who trust in Him.

He took on human flesh, came into the world, and He started something that He will finish. He began a saving work that He will complete. And at that time, He will make things right. So, as others continue to do what they do, and Christ continues to be who He is… Look with me at this final section.

Verse [14], Christ says, “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.” This brings back multiple images from earlier visions in Revelation. We learned previously that the city John saw symbolized the Church itself – not a building but the actual people of God – those redeemed in the OC and NC eras. This is one people of God, saved by grace through faith.

Among the people John saw the tree of life – that tree which Adam and Eve were forbidden to eat from because they sinned. After the renewal of the earth by Christ, John sees many trees – enough for all God’s people – bearing continual fruit. This symbolizes the abundant, eternal life in and with God without end.

But notice that first phrase again: “Blessed are those who wash their robes.” The robe is normally a reference to the righteousness of Christ given to God’s people. Christians are clothed in the sinless record of Jesus and can stand before God with confidence. Being given this righteousness in a one-time event. You get it all when you’re born again.

But the grammar John uses here indicates that this is not a one-time action. This is something on-going. It happens again and again. This is not the immediate and complete justification in Christ for those who are saved. It’s not the positional sanctification of those who are regenerated by the Spirit’s power.

Rather, this is something that those who are truly saved will repeatedly do throughout their lives. This is the on-going turning from sin and renewal of faith that marks the life of a Christian. This is continual repentance of sin and continual resting in Christ.

Now if you look at verse 15, it’s a list of people who remain dead in their sins.They belong outside of the church now, and they will be on the outside for eternity. In the ancient world, “dog” was a common metaphor for an impure man. So this refers to various sexual perversions that go against God’s moral law. “Sorcerers” includes anyone trying to control and wield divine power. They’re fakes, of course.

And notice the end of the verse: “everyone who loves and practices falsehood.” People who reject God’s truth and cling to any number of lies. These are people who possess no godly sorrow for their sins. They have no real regret about their own offenses against God for violating His commands. Even if they claim to be Christians, if there is no true repentance, how can there be true faith?

Those who are truly in Christ recognize and rejoice in the fact that every day is a new day in Christ – a new start with Jesus – a clean slate because of His grace. As others continue to do what they do, and Christ continues to be who He is, what will you do — and who will you be?

Will you be among those who “wash their robes” continually – confessing your sins to Jesus, aiming to turn from them, resting in His grace, and making every effort to align your life with the commands of God – or will you be among those who demonstrate no real love for the truth of God and no apparent humility before God or dependence on Christ?

We live in a season of decision. Every day – really every moment – is decision time.

Will you follow Jesus?

Let’s bow in prayer.