22:17
“The Spirit and the Bride say come”. We are to call others to come to Christ. In John 15:26,27 it says that the Spirit bears witness to Christ, and we also bear witness. So here we have the Spirit and the church calling people to come to Christ. So the vision and the future that is spoken of here is not just for us, not just something we are to hold on to, but something we are also to give to others. So anyone who comes to Christ can take the “free gift of the water of life”.
22:18,19
The words of this verse apply to the book of Revelation. Of course, no one must add or take away from the words of Scripture as a whole, but here we are talking specifically about Revelation. As we know, far too many people have effectively added to the words of Revelation, and more rubbish is talked about this book than any other in the Bible. Nor should we minimise the words of this book. Some dismiss it as just being weird. The book of Revelation reveals the true state and destiny of the world system, and what God is doing. It instructs us how to act in a godless age. If we depart from the book then the plagues (the judgements) of the book will come upon us, we will be part of the godless society rather than the kingdom of God. The warning is very stark, with the threat to take away “any share in the tree of life and in the Holy Spirit”. Revelation is a book to be taken most seriously.
22:20,21
“He who testifies...” This is Jesus. The words of Revelation are the words of Jesus, the message of Revelation is the message of Jesus, and He is coming soon. John then echoes this call, “Come, Lord Jesus”, or Maranatha. The book is closed with a similar benediction to that found in many of the more “normal” epistles.
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