Ready, Watching, and Waiting

Revelation 22:6-21

For something different, I took the time this week to jot down some of my brief thoughts about this passage. May the Lord Jesus find us ready, watching, and waiting…every day! Let us keep the sayings of “this book” to be blessed in time and eternity.

“These sayings are faithful and true” (Revelation 22:6) — and what do they have to do with me today?

What am I doing with the “sayings…of this book” (Revelation 22:7)?

The angel knew he didn’t deserve worship (Revelation 22:8,9). In his integrity and holiness, he stopped John from offering it. I see this “side lesson” here: When someone offers unmerited or inaccurate praise to me, I shouldn’t stand by silently and absorb it as though it were entirely accurate and I deserved every bit of it.

There it is again — “keep the sayings of this book” (Revelation 22:9).

I wonder if this sealing is indicative of making them inaccessible. The “sayings…of this book” must be proclaimed so that those who hear and keep them may be blessed (Revelation 22:10,7).

My translation from Spanish of the second half of Revelation 22:11 — “and he that is righteous, let him practice righteousness yet; and he that is holy, let him sanctify himself yet.”

“The time is at hand” (Revelation 22:10) and “I come quickly” (Revelation 22:12) — the same thing?

Two observations from Revelation 22:14…

  • God again pronounces blessing on the obedient — those who persevere in living out righteousness and holiness.
  • Wait a minute! Check out my translation from Spanish of the first part of this verse: “Blessed are those who wash their garments.” It would be interesting to know more about the manuscripts used by the KJV translators (c. 1611) and the Reina-Valera translators (c. 1960).

Come! For He is coming soon (Revelation 22:17,10,12,20).

The words of this book are for obeying, not for modifying (Revelation 22:19). Mess with them at your own risk and to your own damnation.

Two notes about Revelation 22:20…

  • Our third reminder in this passage of the brevity of time left prior to His return.
  • Spanish: “Surely I come shortly.”

Grace from the God of all grace (Revelation 22:21). How we need it to stand true and faithful until He comes!

Keep this commandment without spot (1 Timothy 6:14)

Did you notice that this is a chapter about life? It mentions three things “of life” (besides the One of whom life is because He is life).

Water of life

“And he shewed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb” (Revelation 22:1).

“And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely” (Revelation 22:17).

They go along so well (no surprise there, of course) with this promise from the previous chapter:

“And he said unto me, It is done. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely” (Revelation 21:6).

Then we have these from elsewhere in God’s Word:

“And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper” (Psalm 1:3).

“But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life” (John 4:14).

He blesses us according to our need, whether we are in time or in eternity!

Excerpted from Living in Our New Home

"Ready, Watching, and Waiting" is the CLP Sunday School lesson for February 24, 2019, and uses Revelation 22:6-21 as the Scripture passage.

Learn more about Sunday School quarterlies by Christian Light Publications.

Unless noted otherwise, the material above is copyrighted by CLP and/or Mark Roth.

Mark's first ebook: Panting (Faith Works 1) (available on Amazon via this affiliate link)

2 thoughts on “Ready, Watching, and Waiting”

    • You’re welcome, Christie. 🙂 Thank you for reading my stuff and for taking the time to comment here. That is a big blessing and encouragement to me. (And I hope what you read was helpful to you.)

      Reply

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