Satan has invaded the homes of America and the world. His dark deeds are done by evil spirits under his control and mastery. The Bible has left us no reason to doubt this sad picture. Listen to Jesus Christ warn us of the impossibility of saving the home without cleaning out the strong evil spirits: “But if I cast out devils by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God is come unto you. Or else how can one enter into a strong man’s house, and spoil his goods, except he first bind the strong man? and then he will spoil his house” (Matthew 12: 28-29).

Our church world has totally forgotten how to deal with demon spirits. It is like we believe dealing with dark spirits is too mystical for us to bother with handling. When we forsake the spirit realm of evil and permit Satan to rule that realm, he is free to destroy. Our world and our homes and our churches are open territory for evil to abound. Let’s wake up and get back to the fight to stop Satan’s picnic.

“If the foundations be destroyed, what can the righteous do?” (Psalm 11:3).

Any talk about changing the families in America and saving our children from the pandemic destruction sweeping their lives must begin at the foundation.

Not even a righteous father or mother can change their home or save their children if the foundation has been destroyed. They must first repair the foundation; put their house in spiritual order; and clean out the witchcraft and snares of destruction. Then, and not before, they can see their children delivered and totally changed.

The Scripture “If the foundations be destroyed, what can the righteous do?” is an emphatic principle that the Holy Spirit has provided for our spiritual understanding. Trying to repair our own lives or the home must begin by rebuilding the foundation.

Lot, the nephew of Abraham, learned this principle too late to save his family. He had first pitched his tent toward Sodom (Genesis 13:12). A short time later, the Scripture shows that he dwelt in Sodom (Genesis 14:12), and then his family became a part of Sodom’s lifestyle. While he remained at least a marginally righteous man, his family was swept up with the good life and was compromised by the big city sins.

When destruction was imminent, the angels sent Lot to get his family:

“And the men said unto Lot, Hast thou here any besides son in law, and thy sons, and thy daughters, and whatsoever thou hast in the city, bring them out of this place: For we will destroy this place, because the cry of them is waxen great before the face of the LORD; and the LORD hath sent us to destroy it. And Lot went out, and spake unto his sons in law, which married his daughters, and said, Up, get you out of this place; for the LORD will destroy this city. But he seemed as one that mocked unto his sons in law” (Genesis 19:12-14).

It was too late. Lot’s family was destroyed, except for two daughters who had so learned the ways of Sodom that they continued the shame of wickedness. He could not save his family because the foundations had been destroyed.

Rebuilding the Foundation

There is a famine of the Word of God in our present-day church world. It has escaped us that a Christian life or home must be built squarely and carefully upon the one and only foundation. Jesus addressed this very issue:

“And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say? Whosoever cometh to me, and heareth my sayings, and doeth them, I will shew you to whom he is like: He is like a man which built an house, and digged deep, and laid the foundation on a rock: and when the flood arose, the stream beat vehemently upon that house, and could not shake it: for it was founded upon a rock. But he that heareth, and doeth not, is like a man that without a foundation built an house upon the earth; against which the stream did beat vehemently, and immediately it fell; and the ruin of that house was great” (Luke 6:46-49).

Absolutely nothing can stand the ultimate test unless it is built upon a sure foundation.

The home is hated by Satan. His first challenge against man was in the home. When a man and woman establish a God ordained family and house, Satan starts scheming to overthrow that house. It is a challenge to his authority. The family that intends to survive must build the foundation on the Word of God. Every lifestyle that is contrary to truth must be denounced and kept out of a godly home. Entertainment, toys, or games that have been created around themes of witchcraft and biblically contrary ideas must be eliminated.

Psalm 113:9 “He maketh the barren woman to keep house, and to be a joyful mother of children. Praise ye the Lord.”

Purifying the House

This truth of purity in the family was addressed at the early beginning of the New Testament church. It is no mystery why the early church literally turned the world upside down. Pure families in a pure church are far superior than the powers of Lucifer to destroy. Here is what happened when revival and reformation came in the book of Acts:

“And many that believed came, and confessed, and shewed their deeds. Many of them also which used curious arts brought their books together, and burned them before all men: and they counted the price of them, and found it fifty thousand pieces of silver. So mightily grew the word of God and prevailed” (Acts 19:18-20).

Notice the results of this house cleaning, “So mightily grew the word of God and prevailed.”

When the unveiled truth of Scripture and the blood of sprinkling are unleashed in a house of believers, the result is a visitation of spiritual life. We have a very simple task in accomplishing this breathtaking victory. We must apply Holy Scripture to our lifestyles and stand on the Word of God in all its wonderful expressions of righteousness. But we say that we have no power to act in this fashion, and we are right. That is where the blood of Jesus is our victory.

We will conclude this chapter by showing how the blood of Jesus is our cleansing and deliverance, and not our own good works.

Warning of Evil Influences

The families of God have always lived in the midst of corruption and evil influences. It is impossible to escape the presence of sin and satanic powers as long as we are living on this side of the resurrection and final redemption. When Jesus prayed his pastoral prayer for the disciples, He framed that prayer to show our vulnerability:

“And now I am no more in the world, but these are in the world, and I come to thee. Holy Father, keep through thine own name those whom thou hast given me, that they may be one, as we are” (John 17:11).

“I have given them thy word; and the world hath hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil. They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world” (John 17:14-16).

We are in the midst of absolute filth. Satan is the god of this world (2 Corinthians 4:4). Our families stand in victory only when we live out this prayer in the above paragraph that Jesus prayed.

We are in the world but not a part of it. There is absolutely no other way to build our Christian home, but by constantly standing vigil over the foundations and principles. As the children of Israel were traveling toward the Promise Land through the wilderness, the Lord warned them of these evil influences and what they would do to the houses of Jewish families:

“The graven images of their gods shall ye burn with fire: thou shalt not desire the silver or gold that is on them, nor take it unto thee, lest thou be snared therein: for it is an abomination to the LORD thy God. Neither shalt thou bring an abomination into thine house, lest thou be a cursed thing like it: but thou shalt utterly detest it, and thou shalt utterly abhor it; for it is a cursed thing” (Deuteronomy 7:25-26).

The families of the Lord must learn to abhor every semblance of evil and wickedness reflected on the ungodly side of the world system. When we translate the terms of the above Scripture into modern language, it paints a very clear picture.

“Graven images of their gods” easily reflects the gods of rock music and the vulgar dress that reflects the rock culture, plus that same idea on many levels. The sports culture has permeated the American lifestyle until we tolerate sports figures that are absolutely moral perverts and stadiums that are nothing but big beer and gambling party houses. We tolerate the utter desecration of the day of the Lord, the day Jesus was resurrected and established as our Sabbath, and most people treat it as a holiday.

This powerful warning in Deuteronomy stated that the abominations of the world will make your home a cursed thing and would create a snare to your family.

Ministries like mine and many others have documented how children and young people have been snared and led to rebellion by the presence of evil in the home. Rock stars’ pictures on a bedroom wall; toys, games and entertainment that has witchcraft influences; decorating or dressing in the attire of godless people, etc., will snare the lives of those who live under these abominations.

You cannot take fire into your bosom and not be burned.

It is impossible to name all the many items, expressions, images, etc., that have come to represent the works of demon spirits in our culture. Secular television is saturated with the filth of immorality and pagan influences. A good part of recent Hollywood productions has used themes from varying religious ideas and heathen cultures.

In the third and last section of this book you will find documentation of dark powers in several recent entertainment successes. You cannot bring these snares into your home without consequence.

God’s warning to the Children of Israel, as we recounted, is certainly a modern warning to our lives today. Satan’s techniques have not changed. We are approaching his last effort at world control and are going to see evil manifested in an unparalleled fashion. Our homes must become places of spiritual light. Truth must be an open book so that our children are protected. Satan is like a cockroach; he hates the light and flees when it is made manifest.

Hebrews 11:6-7 “But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him. By faith Noah, being warned of God of things not seen as yet, moved with fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house; by the which he condemned the world, and became heir of the righteousness which is by faith.”

Spiritual Light Is Foundational

The Word of God — the Holy Bible — is the foundation of our lives and our houses. Over and over in this book I expose the home to the light of Scripture. My opinion is of little value, but the Word of God is foundational. Jesus Christ stated this in many ways. In John we read,

“Then Jesus said unto them, Yet a little while is the light with you. Walk while ye have the light, lest darkness come upon you: for he that walketh in darkness knoweth not whither he goeth. While ye have light, believe in the light, that ye may be the children of light. These things spake Jesus, and departed, and did hide himself from them” (John 12:35-36).

The Son of God and the Word of God are totally integrated; they are one. He is the living Word (John 1:14) and the Scripture is His written Word. If we build our houses on this “light” (the Word) and in this “light” (the Lord), they will endure the storms. We will deliver our children from the evil one, and each of our families will bring light and deliverance to many other families.

There is an incredible searching for help by a multitude of present-day parents. They are extremely concerned and ready for good advice. The Word of God is a “Planned Parenthood” handbook.

Let the world call you old-fashioned as you take the Bible literally and build your house on every truth. Jesus stated, “…Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God” (Matthew 4:4).

All Scripture is the literal Word of God and must be obeyed. Your friends will look at your family down the road and will respect the results of your choice.

The Blood of Sprinkling

A harlot woman in Jericho invited the Israeli spies into her brothel for their protection. She hid them under the thatch of her roof and protected their whereabouts. When they were ready to escape, she expressed her faith in their God and asked for her and her father’s household’s safety and deliverance. Their message and her safety was a very simple matter.

Her request is beautiful: “Now therefore, I pray you, swear unto me by the LORD, since I have shewed you kindness, that ye will also shew kindness unto my father’s house, and give me a true token: And that ye will save alive my father, and my mother, and my brethren, and my sisters, and all that they have, and deliver our lives from death” (Joshua 2:12-13).

Her request sounds like the cry I hear from mothers and fathers all across America. We want our families saved. We want our children living clean and pure. This is the heart cry of a thousand past generations as well.

Here is their powerful advice to this harlot named Rahab:

“And the men said unto her, We will be blameless of this thine oath which thou hast made us swear. Behold, when we come into the land, thou shalt bind this line of scarlet thread in the window which thou didst let us down by: and thou shalt bring thy father, and thy mother, and thy brethren, and all thy father’s household, home unto thee. And it shall be, that whosoever shall go out of the doors of thy house into the street, his blood shall be upon his head, and we will be guiltless: and whosoever shall be with thee in the house, his blood shall be on our head, if any hand be upon him” (Joshua 2:17-19).

A scarlet cord was to be hung out of her window. Her entire household was to remain inside her walled apartment. The house and its inheritance would be protected, not because they were better than the rest of Jericho’s citizens, but because a scarlet cord was in its proper place. There was obedience required because anyone who was outside the house was destroyed. But their safety was in the scarlet cord.

That scarlet cord represented a type for the blood of Jesus Christ. The entire meaning of this biblical story is the protection and deliverance of the blood of the spotless Lamb of God. Our obedience in building our homes on the Word of God is expressed in the command to remain in that house where the scarlet cord was manifest.

But our safety must never be thought of as our works of obedience. Our families should be told over and over that after we have been obedient, kept our house free of snares and evil, saturated our minds with the Holy Bible, then our trust is secure only by the blood.

2 John:10 “If there come any unto you, and bring not this doctrine, receive him not into your house, neither bid him God speed.”

Saved By Grace Alone

One of the major problems in the church of America is that we have played down the effect of sin. The church world has done this in the name of grace. Since we are saved by grace and not by our righteousness, then sin is considered of little consequence. The modern way is to talk about grace, love, and positive things and leave off sin and the dark side of life. Satan loves this kind of thinking.

While we have watched the church world play this little game, sin has infiltrated our schools, our culture, our homes, and our churches. Just like Lot in Sodom, the righteous will survive and ultimately escape the impending judgment, but the web of evil that has ensnared our houses, our children, and our youth will still be in place. Those lives caught in this web (like Lot’s family) will be the crowd that will not hear the warning of the judgment to come.

Let’s sprinkle again our houses with the blood as we remind our families that they must remain in the house to be protected. How do we sprinkle this blood? By faith! The First Testament worshipper used a hyssop branch, but we live and act by faith. That blood is sprinkled as you trust Him only and cling to His cross with abandonment.

We bring nothing to the altar of His sacrifice except total trust. Declaring ourselves helpless, we trust only in Him. We must teach this trust to our families over and over again.

The Foundation Is Back In Place

When your foundation is back in place, your house will begin to change. Respect will grow and love will increase. Be patient and make prayer and fasting a lifestyle. Every victory must be secured by prayer and waiting at the altar. We have the absolute promise that a biblical family will be an unbroken circle in the day of His revelation.

 

“And take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting, and drunkenness, and cares of this life, and so that day come upon you unawares. For as a snare shall it come on all them that dwell on the face of the whole earth. Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man” (Luke 21:34-36).

Every time a person surrenders to Christ with a lifelong covenant, the Lord commissions His angels to build a mansion. That covenant must be an utter abandonment to live only for Christ. Until we are willing to be His servants and to serve Him without regard for our own will, there is no true covenant. The church world is full of part-time Christians and it is destroying the message of faith.

A church full of godly people is a powerhouse for Heaven and for the earth. America’s problems are not the White House but God’s house. The Lord has made it plain that we must turn from our selfish ways and lay our all on the altar. The end results of a life-long covenant are breathtaking. Not only will we have a mansion in His eternal kingdom, but we will have a Holy Ghost filled life. Imagine living in the Garden of Eden rebuilt and of a far-reaching glory. What a day before the “sold-out saints.”

The famous garden that the great Creator created, in which He placed Adam and Eve, disappeared in Southern Iraq, which was originally called Sumer, approximately four thousand years ago. It is presumed that it was present and protected by the Cherubim of God until the great flood.  Men were not allowed in this garden after the fall lest they would eat of the fruit of the Tree of Life in the midst of the garden and then live eternally in their depraved state.

“And the LORD God said, Behold, the man is become as one of us, to know good and evil: and now, lest he put forth his hand, and take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live for ever: Therefore the LORD God sent him forth from the garden of Eden, to till the ground from whence he was taken.  So he drove out the man; and he placed at the east of the garden of Eden Cherubim, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to keep the way of the tree of life” (Genesis 3:22-24).

If there is a theme in the last chapter of Revelation and last chapter of the Bible, it must be the return of this incredible garden near the city of New Jerusalem that is certainly at the center of God’s presence in the new heaven and the new earth. I have found that almost no attention has been given to this incredible truth.

The original Garden of Eden had to have been the most magnificent garden ever created. Creating gardens has been a pastime and a joy of the rich and famous for millenniums. It seems to me that this lost centerpiece of human life has left a vacuum in the human family that has never found true satisfaction. This garden was so pristine and perfect that it invited the joy of fellowship between God and His choice creation. Because of its excellent beauty and the deep sense of the divine delight of the Creator, Satan chose it as his location of attack against God and man.

Even as Eve listened to Satan’s lie, the River of Life was splashing in the background. When she looked upon the tree of good and evil, she well may have held in her hands the fruit of the Tree of Life. Her deception and then Adam’s deception occurred within the reach of a life so perfect and full that the heart of a pure soul has never understood such foolishness.

How could it have happened?

The only possible answer is that our Creator gave this man He created absolute right of choice. He wanted love that had the right to choose to love, because all other love is not really love. That day in the breathtaking garden, sorrow began that still rushes like a tsunami upon the whole of the human family and the created world. This great closing text reveals the final end of human misery and a total new beginning.

The Creator is going to move in with His redeemed family; the total curse will have been eliminated, and we will actually see the Father face-to-face. While New Jerusalem will be the most magnificent creation of all eternity, the earth will have been recreated into the paradise of perfect bliss. It will be a worldwide garden and nothing of disease, weeds, undergrowth, or destroying insects will be present to mar the beauty. If you can imagine the city of New Jerusalem set within and upon this garden-like world and the beauty of both, united to welcome all of His and the Lamb’s family, you are beginning to get the vision.  We will be so identified with Him that His family appearance will be written upon each continent.

His entire cosmos will be filled with creative beauty. The only exception will be the Lake of Fire that will contain the wicked. The second death, the most dreadful indictment ever assigned, will have been finished and assigned to its victims, and that multitude of the wicked will be cast into this eternal lake of brimstone. It will be in the vicinity of Babylon and large enough to contain every lost soul of all eternity. It will be possible for man to visit this site and forever remember the sacrifice of the Lamb that spared their souls that same fate.

Isaiah spoke of this dreadful place that would be visible forever.

“For as the new heavens and the new earth, which I will make, shall remain before me, saith the LORD, so shall your seed and your name remain. And it shall come to pass, that from one new moon to another, and from one sabbath to another, shall all flesh come to worship before me, saith the LORD. And they shall go forth, and look upon the carcasses of the men that have transgressed against me: for their worm shall not die, neither shall their fire be quenched; and they shall be an abhorring unto all flesh” (Isaiah 66:22-24).

Babylon has been the devil’s capital since the day of Nimrod. He moved it to Rome nearly two thousand years ago, but only to deceive. The Antichrist will return this capital back to Babylon.

Isaiah also spoke of this future judgment against Satan and clearly tied this location to Babylon. He saw, “That thou shalt take up this proverb against the king of Babylon, and say, How hath the oppressor ceased! the golden city ceased…Hell from beneath is moved for thee to meet thee at thy coming: it stirreth up the dead for thee, even all the chief ones of the earth; it hath raised up from their thrones all the kings of the nations. All they shall speak and say unto thee, Art thou also become weak as we? art thou become like unto us? Thy pomp is brought down to the grave, and the noise of thy viols: the worm is spread under thee, and the worms cover thee …

“How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning!  how art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations! Yet thou shalt be brought down to hell, to the sides of the pit” (Isaiah14:4, 9-12, 15).

“Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God. Receive us; we have wronged no man, we have corrupted no man, we have defrauded no man. I speak not this to condemn you: for I have said before, that ye are in our hearts to die and live with you” (2 Corinthians 7:1-3).

Hell will rise up out of the heart of the earth to be joined with the Lake of Fire, and God will set a boundary around the ancient center of Satanism. It will become the final abode of Lucifer, the Antichrist, and the false prophet, along with his fallen angels and every wicked soul that rejected God’s offering of grace. Babylon will finally become the desolation promised by the prophets of old. God the Creator will reward the wicked at the very center from which wickedness has charmed the earth.

Anyone that doubts the Book of Revelation must deny some of the plainest speech in the Bible. After John has finished viewing the city of New Jerusalem in the midst of the new heaven and new earth, his host that had taken him on the tour spoke great words of warning. This angel, that later identified himself as a fellow servant of Jesus Christ, said to John:

“And he said unto me, These sayings are faithful and true: and the Lord God of the holy prophets sent his angel to shew unto his servants the things which must shortly be done” (Revelation 22:6).

The messenger continued his attention to John by prophesying of Christ and for Christ. “Behold, I come quickly: blessed is he that keepeth the sayings of the prophecy of this book” (Revelation 22:7).

Before we review the verses individually, we must understand the warning in this book that speaks so loudly. The church world is full of religious people and leaders that either deny or ignore this “Masterpiece of Truth.” The messenger to John, pronounced by the voice of Holy Ghost prophecy, that it is spiritual death to change or reject these words.

“And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book” (Revelation 22:19).

Jesus also said that the “Scripture cannot be broken” (John 10:35).

It is time for the church and the church world to embrace this wonderful revelation within the Book of Revelation.

“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. In the midst of the street of it, and on either side of the river, was there the tree of life, which bare twelve manner of fruits, and yielded her fruit every month: and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. And there shall be no more curse: but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it; and his servants shall serve him: And they shall see his face; and his name shall be in their foreheads. And there shall be no night there; and they need no candle, neither light of the sun; for the Lord God giveth them light: and they shall reign for ever and ever” (Revelation 22:1-5).

These verses continue the subject of chapter twenty-one. This magnificent city of New Jerusalem is more than an ordinary city; it is the temple of God and Christ. This temple is united with the city of New Jerusalem, the home of Christ’s bride. God the Father is moving the heavenly temple within the New Jerusalem and uniting it all with His new creation. Our view of this eternal and glorious creation is certainly limited to human words and descriptions that remind us of the Biblical warning,

“For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known” (1 Corinthians 13:12).

This is the grandest view ever revealed and from it we can catch a limited vision of our future.  Living for anything but our Lord Jesus Christ and His eternal plans is folly.

John is now allowed to view one of the most breathtaking aspects of this city and the new world. The River of Life and The Tree of Life is second only to the Father and the Lamb as the heartthrob of this city. It is our substance of eternal life. While Adam and Eve were created to be eternal, the River of Life and the Tree of Life were the source of that eternal life.

So, it is in this eternal picture again as it was in the beginning. We will live forever, and the provision of that life is flowing directly out of the throne of God and of the Lamb. Our eternal life is not resident in His created family but in Himself and the Lamb of God. While this river is a literal river and this tree is a literal tree, the substance of both the river and tree is divine life, His divine life provided for His family.

This river will flow throughout this great and marvelous city and throughout the new earth. The original river in Eden divided into four streams and flowed far and wide to provide life for all of Adam and Eve’s family. This river flowing from the throne of God shall certainly do no less but will be the joy of the whole universe.

On either bank of this river will be the Tree of Life. The Bible is not speaking of one tree, but of one variety of multiple trees bearing multiple fruits. This tree will bare twelve manners of fruit, and the fruit will be yielded and renewed monthly. Everywhere the river flows, the tree will line its banks and satisfy every eternal soul with life everlasting. The leaves of the tree will be filled with renewable nutrients that provide perfect substance for our glorified bodies.

The curse of sin is finished and the glorified saints will have perfect fellowship with their God and Father. It will be the joy of the earth to serve the Great Creator and His Son and to worship Him forever. The care of our mansions and the breathtaking gardens that fill the landscape will fill every saint with unfailing pleasure. Fellowship with other saints, viewing a dazzling world of exquisite beauty, and worshipping with the angels and great prophets will never allow for one moment of boredom.

There will never be a sunset. Artificial light will not be needed because this new world will be flooded with the light of the Lord God Himself. It will be a world bathed in the glory of the Eternity and filled with His presence forever and ever.

“And he said unto me, these sayings are faithful and true: and the Lord God of the holy prophets sent his angel to shew unto his servants the things which must shortly be done. Behold, I come quickly:  blessed is he that keepeth the sayings of the prophecy of this book. And I John saw these things, and heard them. And when I had heard and seen, I fell down to worship before the feet of the angel which shewed me these things. Then saith he unto me, see thou do it not: for I am thy fellowservant, and of thy brethen the prophets, and of them which keep the sayings of this book: worship God” (Revelation 22:6-9).

“Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever” (1 John 2:15-17).

The fact that this angel of God, charged with delivering this message of Jesus Christ, would interrupt this great revelation to emphasize the truthfulness of this great masterpiece is thrilling. This messenger is not speaking for himself but by direct inspiration. These words are the words of God. Everything in this book is perfect, “faithful and true” and cannot be denied or changed. The angel plainly says,

“The Lord God of the holy prophets sent (me) his angel to show unto His servants the things which must surely come to pass.”

This book is either literal or all of Christianity is in trouble.

The great statement that I have already quoted in the beginning of this chapter is a post-stated warning that carries the student or reader back to chapter four, where the saints were caught up to the throne before the Great Tribulation. This is given to readers and students of this book so we do not wait to suffer through the great Antichrist period. Let’s read that warning again:

“Behold, I come quickly: blessed is he that keepeth the sayings of the prophecy of this book” (Revelation 22:7).

The Lord did this very same thing in Matthew chapter twenty-four when He painted the picture of the dark Tribulation but ended with a route of escape. No believer has to endure the coming hell on earth. The Lord said the exact same thing to the church of Philadelphia:

“Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth” (Revelation 3:10).

When John could get his breath from what he had seen and heard, he fell down in front of this angel or messenger to worship. This walking tour of the city, plus the words of proof for all he had seen, left him in a rapturous mood. But the angel was more than an angel. He was a servant of the Lord, a fellow servant, a glorified saint, actually an elder participant in the grand events of God’s kingdom. This certainly suggests that the saints of God in Heaven are not there to picnic, but to worship and participate. This servant of God was quick to confirm that he was one “of them which keeps the saying of this book.” He adds, “Worship God.”

“And he saith unto me, seal not the sayings of the prophecy of this book: for the time is at hand. He that is unjust, let him be unjust still: and he which is filthy, let him be filthy still: and he that is righteous, let him be righteous still: and he that is holy, let him be holy still.  And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be” (Revelation 22:10-12).

Now we get a warning on top of a warning. This Elder of the Lord (let’s call him that for the rest of this discussion) plainly tells John that this book is an ironclad truth that cannot be put aside. The Book of Revelation has been on the shelf all the way back to the beginning of the dark ages. Too few of God’s saints have dared to dig into this Masterpiece. The hour has come that no believer can dare wait to keep these great truths. The Elder says something that is hair-raising:

“Seal not the sayings of the prophecy of this book: for the time is at hand.” If it were at hand, then what would that Elder say today? This book is a “Revelation, an unveiling,” not a “concealing or a hidden thing.”

The Elder then declares a warning that leaves no one innocent. “He that is unjust, let him be unjust still: and he which is filthy, let him be filthy still.” Righteousness is not just a legalistic standing or a positional standing, but a literal transformation. We will be what we are now in our heart and present lifestyle when we stand before the Great Judge unless, if needed, you allow grace to transform you.

The declaration that follows the warning is exciting. The Lord to whom we relate is perfect in His sovereign being, and every facet of eternity is totally open before Him. When He comes, every saint of God will be rewarded. The reward is based on one thing alone – obedience to Him in our works. We will be rewarded and every reward will be individually determined. We will get what our surrender and devotion to Him merits. The new heaven, the new earth, the New Jerusalem, and the Garden of Eden will not be a place of identical saints and rewards, but every person will be special. Every mansion will be different and every garden will be unique.

“I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last. Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city. For without are dogs (reference to various groups of impure people: Deuteronomy 23:18; Isaiah 56:10; Matthew 15:22-28; Philippians 3:2), and sorcerers, and whoremongers, and murderers, and idolaters, and whosoever loveth and maketh a lie. I Jesus have sent mine angel to testify unto you these things in the churches. I am the root and the offspring of David, and the bright and morning star” (Revelation 22:13-16).

These closing truths of this great book are really breathtaking. Easy Christianity is the product of apostasy. That certainly never existed in the Bible. The Elder is clearly caught up in the language and the message of our God and His Son. Right in the middle of these closing words, the Spirit takes this elder’s lips and he proclaims the voice of the Sovereign One, “I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last.” Then, as God continued to speak, He said, “Blessed are they that do his commandments.” The promises are more than worthy of our total commitments. Every saint will enjoy the Tree of Life and have the right to either live in the city of His Bride or visit and enjoy the city.

“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. In the midst of the street of it, and on either side of the river, was there the tree of life, which bare twelve manner of fruits, and yielded her fruit every month: and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. And there shall be no more curse: but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it; and his servants shall serve him” (Revelation 22:1-3).

As I said in the opening of this chapter, the Lake of Fire will be on earth for eternity and will be visible to be visited. The warning, “For without are dogs,” makes it clear that the judgment will forever be in the conscience of every saint. To forget the consequence of sin and its judgment would be unthinkable. The sacrifice of the Son of God will be an eternal matter and we will never forget to worship our Savior. The glorified saints will possess in themselves the redemption of the Cross, and the glory of our new bodies will forever testify to the triumph of Calvary. This is why the Lord Jesus Christ is called the “Lamb” right down to the very last chapter.

Jesus Christ gave this book to John through an array of angels and elders and for the church. It belongs to every church and every saint. It is our last “Will and Testament” and was always meant to bless and embolden the followers of our Lord Jesus Christ. The Lord said, “I Jesus have sent mine angel to testify unto you these things in the churches. I am the root and the offspring of David, and the bright and morning star.”

What a love letter! This is straight from the Lord Himself.

If you live in and obey this book, the world will appear exactly as it is, a fading kingdom soon to be judged and renewed in righteousness just for the Bride of Christ and the saints of God.

“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 of the water of life freely” (Revelation 22:17).

The harvest of the precious fruits of the earth is never far from the heart of God. Right in the heart of Revelation, from chapter one to this transcending close of chapter twenty-two, “there is a rainbow above the throne.” It never gets so dark that something special does not appear to show the mercy extended to lost souls.

This next statement is remarkable: “The Holy Spirit says, Come.” The heart of the Holy-Ghost office is the wooing of the unsaved. “Let him that heareth” shows the obligation of every recipient of grace. No one can know of salvation without the obligation of telling it to others. “Let him that is athirst come” is a call that never ends until the last soul is saved or judged. “Whosoever will” is the invitation of Holy Scripture from Genesis to Revelation. No one has the right to tell even one soul that there is no hope. “Whosoever will” is the theme of the Bible.

“For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book: And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book” (Revelation 22:18-19).

The Word of God is forever settled in Heaven. Before one word was ever given to any man to write, the Bible was complete. The Word of God is a heavenly book that has been given to the earthly church. The command has always been not to change or eliminate what the Spirit has given. He first warns us not to add to His revelations. We are warned that to add will be to receive the plagues written in this book. He then warns not to “take away” from the book. This warning comes with stated results. If we “take away” His words, He will take away our name from His Book of Life. These are awesome warnings.

“He which testifieth these things saith, Surely I come quickly. Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen” (Revelation 22:20-21).

The parting words of our Lord as He closes His dialogue with John were beautiful. The Elder speaks, “He which testifieth these things saith,” and then the Elder gives the final words of the Lord, “Surely I come quickly.” The Elder added, “Amen.” I think John then added by inspiration, “Even so, come, Lord Jesus.” Maybe it was John that spoke the “Amen,” also. Either way, this is a wonderful close to a heavenly vision. John then says to all the church that read these supernatural words, “The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.”

Conclusion

This chapter is a highlight of this great Masterpiece. To see the Garden of Eden reappear for the first time since Genesis chapter three is beautiful. Of course, it could not appear until redemption was complete. The entrance of sin had broken the great fellowship that men had with God. The Father’s love demanded that a shadow of fellowship be restored, but the fellowship was always conducted with blood as its doorway. From the garden, when coats were made by God the Father, to this final revelation where a Lamb slain walks in every sentence, blood alone has been the Father’s carefully laid plan. Now redemption is finished and God and His family are going to live together forever.