Unknown
Commentaries and Other Bible Study Helps - Prayer Tents - Prayer Tents
22:10-15 Prohibition of Sealing the Book, Promise that Jesus Is Coming Soon, Promise of Blessing. John must not "seal" his prophecy as Daniel did his, because the fulfillment of John's visions was temporally "near" to his readers, as it is to believers later. The assurance that, when Jesus comes "soon," he will bring blessing to believers and judgment to rebels, should motivate believers to perseverance and purity.
22:10 Do not seal up the words of the prophecy. John must not imitate Daniel, whose visions concerned events in a remote future (Dan. 12:4, 9). The time is near (cf. notes on 1 Thess. 5:2-3; 5:4) for the fulfillment of John's visions because the dragon was already defeated at Christ's cross. The end will consummate the spiritual conflict in which the churches were engaged, as is the church today (see Mark 1:15; 1 Cor. 10:11).
22:11 Let the evildoer still do evil . . . and the righteous still do right. Patterns of behavior, whether controlled by unbelief or by faith, will eventually be irreversible (cf. Dan. 12:10).
22:12-16 Jesus speaks (v. 16), promising to come soon (see vv. 7, 20), affirming his divine eternity (v. 13) and messianic authority (v. 16), and pronouncing the book's final of seven benedictions (v. 14; see note on 1:3). bringing my recompense. As the Divine Warrior of Isa. 62:10-63:6, Christ will come to repay everyone for what he has done, rewarding faithful servants and punishing every evildoer. "Recompense" (Gk. misthos, "wages, reward") indicates degrees of reward for believers and punishment for unbelievers (cf. Luke 12:47-48; and 1 Cor. 3:14-15 with note).
22:13 the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last. See note on 21:6. Eternal life and lordship characterize God (1:8) and his Christ, who is coming soon (1:17; 2:8).
22:14-15 Blessed. The final of the seven benedictions of Revelation (see chart) is for those who wash their robes in the conscience-cleansing blood of the Lamb (7:14; Heb. 9:14). They have access to the tree of life within God's city. Outside the gates in eternal torment will be everyone who loves Satanic falsehood, sensuality, and murder (cf. Rev. 21:8, 27).
