Revelation 22

Notes

Ver. 1, 2. The Holy Ghost, proceeding from and sent by Christ and his Father, in his graces and comforts, and abundantly enjoyed, is the river of life. Jesus Christ, in his person, offices, relations, and manifold blessings, sufficient for the full satisfaction of all the Israel of God, according to the doctrine of the twelve apostles, and whose very words, ordinances, and manifestations of himself, have a sovereign virtue to remove all evil and render men perfectly happy, is the tree of life. 3-5. The fixed presence of God with his saints, and their familiar and immediate fellowship with him, will render them like to him in holiness and happiness. 6. All these things which you have heard and seen shall be faithfully and infallibly accomplished in their time and order; and the Lord Jesus, who inspired and authorized his ancient prophets to foretell events, hath sent me, your conducting angel, to inform you and others of his servants under the New Testament of the glories which will soon begin, and, in the short period of time, be all fulfilled. 9. Pay me no religious homage; for I, though an angel, am but your fellow-servant, and a companion of other prophets and those who fear God, employed by Christ to communicate these revelations to you. 10. Christ charged me to publish to the church the revelations I had received, as their accomplishment was immediately to begin. 14. They who, from a principle of faith and love, sincerely obey all God's commandments, and thus prove their union to Christ, shall, by his free grant, have all authority, warrant, dignity, and meetness to partake of the immediate enjoyment of him in all his heavenly blessings, and have a free, open, abundant, and honourable admission into the heavenly state. 16. As God, Christ is the Root, Lord, and Source of David's family and kingdom; and as man, he is his Son, descended from his loins. He is the bright and morning star—as he is infinitely glorious, and his rising up in his incarnation introduced the gospel-day; his rising in power introduces the millennial day; his rising in the saving influences of his Spirit introduces the spiritual day of grace and comfort; and his appearance to judge the world will introduce the eternal day of light, purity, and joy. 17. The first part of this verse is the church's request that Christ would come quickly to fulfil all his gracious promises; and the last part is an invitation to sinful men to come and freely receive his promised blessings. 19. Will accept all them who through faith in Christ, and who through perseverance in his life and word give themselves to him, but will cut off all who reject his blessed Son.

Reflections.—Happy are they who enjoy the millennial, and especially the heavenly blessedness! their freedom from curses, sorrows, and maladies is complete. Ravishing and abundant is their enjoyment of Jesus Christ and his Spirit, and all his secured salvation—all the consolations, all the fulness of God in him. Divinely acknowledged and immediately illuminated, they reign with him for evermore! And with uninterrupted delight and fervour they serve, worship, and glorify him!—But none must expect this celestial happiness without being justified and sanctified on earth. Holiness in heart or life, though it does not merit the heavenly glory, must prepare us for it, and manifest our new-covenant claim to it. And if men persevere in their sin, they must at last be excluded from the fellowship of God, and be for ever fixed in their sin as a principal part of their punishment. Important and infallible are the declarations of Christ in the Scripture. According to them as our rule we must now walk; and according to them at the last day we shall be judged. Infinite is the danger of adding to, taking from, perverting, or denying these sacred records. And great is the mercy that they are so full of the most encouraging promises and endearing invitations to receive an undoubted, a free, a full, an everlasting salvation in Christ. In the exercise of an assured faith, let me always receive his fulness, and look, long, and wait for his second coming!—O when shall time give place to eternity! When shall the transient glimmerings of his glory issue in my being for ever with the Lord! When shall my beloved ordinances of his grace, and this precious, precious, precious book of God be exchanged for seeing him as he is, and knowing him even as I am known in the face of Jesus Christ! When shall I bid adieu to human explications of divine oracles, and the Lord God and the Lamb be the light thereof,—my everlasting light,—and my God my glory!

THE END OF THE NEW TESTAMENT.