After
sharing much of the beauty of the heavenly city and looking upon the
wonders that shall be there, Jesus declared to John the apostle,
“Behold, I come quickly: blessed is
he that keeps the sayings of the prophecy of this book.” John
continued,
“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
showed me these things. Then said he unto me, See you do it not: for
I am your fellow-servant, and of your brethren the prophets, and of
them which keep the sayings of this book: worship God.” John
continued, “And
he said 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. I am Alpha
and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last.” In
Revelation chapter twenty-two and verse fourteen John declares,
“blessed
are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the
tree of life”
where
we read:
and
may enter in through the gates into the city.
The
verse reads, “Blessed
are
they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree
of life,
...”
John began with the word, “blessed”
which means “oh how happy, fortunate, supremely blessed and well
off” “are
they”
or “are the people” “that
do”
which means “who make ready, prepare, produce and put forth” “his
commandments” which
refers to “God's orders, charges, precepts and injunctions”,
“that
they may have right”
or “so those people might have power of choice, liberty of doing,
ability and strength with which one is endued” “to
the tree”
which means “wooden tree or stock” “of
life”
or “pertaining to vitality, absolute fullness of life both
essential and ethical which belongs to God and through him both real
and genuine, active and vigorous which is devoted to God, blessed in
the portion even in this world of those who put their trust in
Christ, but after the resurrection to be consummated by new
accessions among them a more perfect body and to last for ever.”
John heard the declaration of “blessing”
for those who “do” God's “charges and precepts” because they
shall be given the “liberty” of partaking of the “tree
of life”.
The
verse continues, “... and
may enter in through the gates into the city.”
John added the words, “and
may enter in”
which means “and might enter, arise, and go” “through”
which
refers to “by way of” “the
gates”
which means “the front parts, door way, portal and vestibule”
“into
the city”
or “in the heavenly Jerusalem”. John shared how people who “do”
God's commandments will not only have the “right
to the tree of life”,
but shall also have access “through
the gates”
of the “heavenly city”.
When
we think through John's words in this verse, we see the distinct
advantages of those who “perform” the “commandments”
of God. God desires for people to have a relationship with Him
through His Son Jesus, and when they trust in Him to “forgive”
and “cleanse” them from their sins, they shall have access to
“the tree of life” that originated in the “Garden of
Eden” and they shall be able to “enter” into the “heavenly
city”. God wants everyone to be with Him, and when they submit
their lives to His Son Jesus, they shall have access to Him for all
eternity.
Next
time John declares,
“without
are dogs,sorcerers, whoremongers, and ...”
more, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.
Until
tomorrow…there is more…
Look for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, “One Year in the Sermon on the Mount” and the new poetry book "Random Mushrooms Volumes I and II" and the new novel "Elizabeth County" in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com ; http://www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore.
Look for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, “One Year in the Sermon on the Mount” and the new poetry book "Random Mushrooms Volumes I and II" and the new novel "Elizabeth County" in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com ; http://www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore.
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