Hallel Day 12 For All Peoples: Digging Deeper
April 14, 2020
Discover the original intent of Scripture. Make good application to our everyday lives.
Become equipped to correctly handle the Word of Truth!
Revelation 22:12-17
14 “Blessed are those who wash their robes, so that they may have the right to the tree of life and may enter the city by the gates. 15 Outside are the dogs, the sorcerers, the sexually immoral, the murderers, the idolaters, and everyone who loves and practices falsehood.
16 “I, Jesus, have sent my angel to attest these things to you for the churches. I am the Root and descendant of David, the bright morning star.”
17 Both the Spirit and the bride say, “Come!” Let anyone who hears, say, “Come!” Let the one who is thirsty come. Let the one who desires take the water of life freely.
The Original Intent
1) What is the reward that is yet to come?
Christ’s return is a guaranteed promise. Signed, sealed and soon to be delivered; Christ will indeed return. (John 14:1-3, Revelation 22:7) With His coming, Jesus says He will reward “each person” according to their works. The phrase, “My reward is with Me”, is a direct quote from Isaiah’s Old Testament prophecy stating, “See, the Lord God comes with strength, and His power establishes His rule. His wages are with Him, and His reward accompanies Him.” (Isaiah 40:10)
Christ’s promised return incites great joy for those who have trusted Him for their salvation, placing on Him the full weight of their life. In contrast, for those who have not trusted Him fully, or those who have only “appeared” to trust Him superficially, Christ’s assured return brings dreadful fear. (Matthew 7:21-23) The reward for “work” is clearly coming, but a correct understanding of “work” is critically imperative to note.
Kistemaker, a New Testament theologian, underlines the correct understanding of “work” by saying, “In Scripture there are no “works of righteousness” man can accomplish on his own, “no counting of good works to outweigh bad”. The term “reward” here in this passage has NO connection with the concept “treasure in heaven”.
There are only 2 types of “reward” spoken of here. One is the earned wages of eternal separation from a loving and holy God; these wages are earned by committing sin. The other reward is the grace-gift of eternal life which is granted to all who have trusted in Christ for their salvation. The “work” here is simply an act of faith, trusting that Jesus has accomplished our victory and rescued us from eternal condemnation.
Revelation 11:18 speaks into this saying, “Your wrath has come. The time has come for the dead to be judged and to give the reward to Your servants the prophets, to the saints, and to those who fear your name, both small and great, and the time has come to destroy those who destroy the earth.”
The Everyday Application
1) What is the reward that is yet to come?
The entire chapter of Revelation 22 is phenomenal! It is the end of the Bible, and is a beautiful summation of what God has been drawing us to throughout His Word.
Having run the race of following Christ in this world for Jesus, our great reward is coming in His hand! We, who have placed our faith in Jesus, may eat of the tree of life and enter into the Holy City, the New Jerusalem! Not because we have worked hard at righteousness on our own, but because Christ has completed our work and given us His Own Righteousness in place of our sinfulness.
However, there is not only one reward because there are two groups of people. Of all peoples, we are either inside the gates of the Holy City because our names are in the Book of Life as a result of trusting Christ (Revelation 3:5) OR we are outside the gates of the Holy City never to enter in, but to be in Hell for all eternity and separated from God, the author of life and love. (Matthew 18:5-9, Matthew 25:31-46)
This is a very clear statement of the only two possible places we will spend in eternity, either Heaven or Hell. Christ is coming soon (verse 12), His reward is with Him to repay us whether we have chosen to trust Him or trust ourselves. He holds all authority, existing for all eternity as the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. (Matthew 28:18, Revelation 22:13)
Because it is true that “salvation exists in no other name” (Acts 4:12), our opportunity to choose Christ now, at this moment, is the single most important decision we will ever make. In 10,000 years from now, Christians will still be rejoicing in knowing the eternal God of love in deeper ways.
Those who rejected Him now will continue in their unfathomable suffering as they live out eternity under the full wrath of God. Where is your reward?!
The Original Intent
2) Who will receive the reward?
Everyone, across all of time, will be involved in this future event. There will be no escaping the reward of Christ in that day of return, whether for eternal life or eternal judgment. There is a due wage, a reward of punishment, which will be righteously given to the wicked for their sin. They chose to trust themselves, reject the Holy God, and oppose His gift of grace. They have rightfully earned eternal separation from Him. (Hebrews 2:2, Isaiah 3:11)
There is also a reward of grace, a reward of inheritance, which is the gift of eternal life, in which God, of His free grace, gives to His people freely when they choose to trust Him for their salvation. He has given them His own righteousness because they had no righteousness of their own. (Colossians 3:24, 2 Corinthians 5:21)
Christ has the authority from God, as mediator to inflict vengeance on the wicked and to give eternal life to His people, both of which He will do. Because God is loving, He offers the free gift of grace to all peoples through the sacrificial work of His Son, Jesus Christ. Because God is just, He will punish all who reject life and the offer of righteousness.
He will not force His gift of grace on anyone, each must choose, this choosing is the “work” that determines the reward received. Consider Paul’s words from Romans, “For it is written, “As I live, says the Lord, every knee shall bow to Me, and every tongue shall confess to God.” So then, each of us will give an account of himself to God.” (Romans 14:11-12)
One day, when Christ returns, all choice will be removed and all peoples will indeed acknowledge Christ as sovereign ruler with all authority, but at that point, our opportunity to choose Him of our own volition, will be gone. Judgment will be present and the reward will already have come.
The Everyday Application
2) Who will receive the reward?
Verse 14 is very descriptive and straight forward as to who the rewards are designated for, “Blessed are those who wash their robes so that they may have the right to the tree of life and may enter into the Holy City by the gates”.
Those who have followed Jesus, those who are All in for Christ no matter the cost and whose names are written in the Book of Life, finally after running the race on earth, will find their eternal home is heaven. This is their great reward! To be with Christ!
The second group of people are those who chose not to follow Christ, rejecting the offer of life and righteousness. These folks are described as being OUTSIDE the city gates, and their sinfulness and immorality is clearly described (verse 15). These sins once characterized those who have trusted Jesus for salvation too. (Ephesians 5:8, 1 Corinthians 6:9-11)
The only thing separating one group from the other is the precious blood of Jesus who covers all sin when we ask Him to forgive us and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. (1 John 1:9, 1 Peter 1:18-19) All forms of wickedness and unrighteous persons will be shut out of heaven forever. There is no middle ground!
This should be a wake-up call for all of us. We’re talking about eternity, forever and ever! What side are we on? Where will we freely choose to live eternally?
If we’ve already trusted Christ for our own salvation, I urge you my sister, to share this living hope with all gentles, respect, and urgency with those around you! (1 Peter 3:15)
The Original Intent
3) What does the water of life represent?
Throughout Scripture, a place of barrenness and unquenchable thirst is an apt description for life apart from Christ. For the woman at the well in John 4, whom Christ encountered, she came to understand that without Jesus, the source of living water, she would always experience empty thirst.
A dry and thirsty land where there is no water represents very well this world, to the one who doesn’t have the constant presence of the Savior dwelling in their hearts through the Holy Spirit. He is the fountain of life, He is the living water. He is the source of our eternal hope, having raised us from death to life, spiritually speaking, as He took away our sin and gave us His righteousness.
As the Israelites would have perished without the flow of water from the rock as they wandered in the barren wilderness, so does every soul perish for eternity without Christ. In our physical world, water is commonly associated with life, without water we will quickly die!
Water is mentioned many times throughout the Bible in association with life, not just temporary, but eternal! “But whoever drinks from the water I will give him will never get thirsty again. In fact, ,the water I give him will become a well of water springing up in him for eternal life.” (John 4:14)
With this living water of life, there comes a grand invitation, “COME! Let him who is thirsty (for true life), come and take the water of life freely!” (Revelation 22:17)
The Everyday Application
3) What does the water of life represent?
Jesus has freely offered this living water to all peoples, and given many warnings so all would know that now is the time to choose to accept that gift of life for themselves. When Jesus calls out, “Come!”, His offer is extended to all who thirst.
The promises and the rich inheritance of the freedom found only in Christ is offered to all! We all experience thirst, and dry emptiness in this life. Loss, hurt, illness, and many others, but with the living water of Christ flooding our hearts through His presence by His Holy Spirit, we are made alive, we are sustained and upheld. We are carried and preserved, and will one day, see our redemption face to face in the lovely countenance of Christ Himself as He brings His reward to us!
Jesus calls us to come and freely take of the living water so we may abundantly live while serving here on earth in HIS name as we await the coming day of Christ’s magnificent and most glorious return. If we can just picture in our mind the absolute beauty of God’s restoration of Eden as depicted in the first five verses of Revelation 22, that alone should be a huge catalyst in pulling us nearer to the Father and increasing our thirst for Christ, and Christ alone!
The more we drink of Him through feasting on His word in Scripture, the more we are rooted ever more firmly in truth, and encouraged to boldly share this hope of life with all those around us, calling aloud, “Come!”.
The account of Revelation assures us God is in control. History is moving toward the consummation of His purposes. His plan is unfolding according to His schedule.
Christ will return and win the final battle against evil and injustice. He will reign in victory forever! Believers will be rescued and live forever in the sweet presence of God. I’m in! How about you?!
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