Scene 7 The City’s source of Life (22:1-5)
The River and the Tree of Life
Then the angel showed me the river of
the water of life, as clear as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of
the Lamb down the middle of the great street of the city. On each side of the
river stood the tree of life, bearing twelve crops of fruit, yielding its fruit
every month. And the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations. No
longer will there be any curse. The throne of God and of the Lamb will be in
the city, and his servants will serve him. They will see his face, and his name
will be on their foreheads. There will be no more night. They will not need the
light of a lamp or the light of the sun, for the Lord God will give them light.
And they will reign for ever and ever.
And now the final curtain comes down
at the end of the play and we would normally have a curtain call where the
actors would appear and take a bow while the audience applauded. In Roman theatre, at the close of the play, the chief
actor called out "Valete et plaudite!", and the audience, guided by
an unofficial choregus, chanted their applause
antiphonally. This was often organized and paid for. Similarly, a claque (French
for "clapping") was an organized body of professional applauders in
French theatres and opera houses who were paid by the performer(s) to create
the illusion of an increased level of approval by the audience. In Christianity, customs of the theatre were adopted by the churches. Eusebius says that Paul of Samosata encouraged the congregation to applaud his preaching by
waving linen cloths (οθοναις), and in the 4th and 5th centuries applause of the
rhetoric of popular preachers had become an established custom.
This
drama is different - at this point God is the audience and we rise from our
seats and come to the stage and take a
bow before God, the King of kings.
Scene 7 obviously takes us back to
Genesis and the garden where there was also a river and the tree of life. Adam
and Eve, because of sin were blocked from getting to the tree of life. Now is a new day when sin is no more and in
the new heaven we are given full access to the tree of life. God ALWAYS intended for us to live forever.
(That was not a concept developed at Calvary - but a condition. The price for
our sin had to be paid and only Jesus - the sinless/spotless lamb of God could
meet that condition.
As we are bowed we hear the voice of
an angel speaking to John and we stay bowed and listen.
Epilogue 22:6-15
The angel said to me, "These words are trustworthy and true. The Lord, the God
of the spirits of the prophets, sent his angel to show his servants the things
that must soon take place." (We realize that at this
moment though we are in heaven before the throne and before god, that we are
still in our pew in the church on Sunday morning. God has given us a gift to be able to see the
future while living in the present. To
know that he is the warrior conquering KING who wins in the end! Even as we
imagine being in heaven -we know the reality of where we are physically and
spiritually and we then hear the promise of Jesus! 5 words) "Behold, I am coming soon!
Blessed is he who keeps the words of the prophecy in this book." (The
we look over to the podium from where John, the author and Narrator has
remained.) I, John, am the one who heard and saw these things.
And when I had heard and seen them, I fell down to worship at the feet of the
angel who had been showing them to me. But he said to me, "Do not do it! I am a fellow servant with you and with
your brothers the prophets and of all who keep the words of this book. Worship
God!" Then he told me,
"Do not seal up the words of the prophecy of
this book, because the time is near. Let him who does wrong continue to do
wrong; let him who is vile continue to be vile; let him who does right continue
to do right; and let him who is holy continue to be holy." (In
this epilogue the angel is interrupted by Jesus repeating himself 5 words) "Behold, I am
coming soon! My reward is with me, and I
will give to everyone according to what he has done. I am the Alpha and the
Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End." (3 X’s ‘I am the book end of Life’ There is no life outside of or beyond
me!) (Then, a final word of confirmation, blessing and instruction) Blessed
are those who wash their robes, that they may have the right to the tree of
life and may go through the gates into the city. Outside are the dogs, those
who practice magic arts, the sexually immoral, the murderers, the idolaters and
everyone who loves and practices falsehood.
Jesus’ Declaration of the
Book (22:16-20)
"I,
Jesus, have sent my angel to give you this testimony for the churches. I am the
Root and the Offspring of David, and the bright Morning Star." The Spirit and the bride (Church) say, "Come!" And let him
who hears (Church) say, "Come!"
Whoever is thirsty, let him come; and whoever wishes, let him take the free
gift of the water of life. I warn
everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: If anyone adds
anything to them, God will add to him the plagues described in this book. And if anyone takes words away from this book
of prophecy, God will take away from him his share in the tree of life and in
the holy city, which are described in this book. He who testifies to these things says, 5 words "Yes, I am coming soon." Amen.
Come, Lord Jesus. The grace of the Lord
Jesus be with God's people. Amen.
Romans 8:31-39
What, then, shall we say in response
to this? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own
Son, but gave him up for us all — how will he not also, along with him,
graciously give us all things? Who will bring any charge against those whom God
has chosen? It is God who justifies. Who is he that condemns? Christ Jesus, who
died — more than that, who was raised to life — is at the right hand of God and
is also interceding for us
Who shall separate us from the love
of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or
danger or sword? As it is written: "For your sake we face death all day long; we are
considered as sheep to be slaughtered." No, in all these things we are more than
conquerors through him who loved us. -- For I am convinced that neither death
nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor
any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will
be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
WORSHIP AND
SING:
Soon and
very soon
Victory
Chant
Revelation
Song
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