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The True Last Words of Jesus

Thomas Overmiller

Revelation 22:12-21

These verses round out the epilogue (or conclusion) to Revelation, which began in Rev 22:6-11. Those verses featured the final words of the last angel who spoke with John as he recorded this book. In those verses, we learned to:

  • Cling tightly to what this book tells us
  • Worship God more wholeheartedly
  • Persevere in following and serving Christ

With these thoughts in mind, we turn now to the final words in this book from Christ himself. That’s why I’m calling these the “true” last words of Jesus because he spoke these words, not at his crucifixion or ascension, but decades later at the end of the first century of the church. These truly are the last words that Christ has spoken to the church.

Christ affirms that he is coming soon.

And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be.

Revelation 22:12

In the preceding three verses, John told us what an angel had said to him after John had mistakenly worshipped him as God. Now John returns to some actual, direct comments by Christ. Though your red-letter Bible may indicate that Christ’s words appear in vv. 12-13 and v. 16, his words likely appear in the verses in between as well (Rev 22:14-15).

In v. 12, Christ reiterates the “soon-ness” or “nearness” of his second coming. This statement accomplishes at least three things:

  • It reminds us that Christ is the ultimate focus of this book. Though this book says plenty about “end-time events,” its primary focus is the second coming of Christ himself, our risen, conquering king. By speaking here at the end of the book, he helps us keep himself in view.
  • It also reminds us to be ready for his coming at any time. Rather than assume his coming is far off in the distant future or in a later generation, we should conduct ourselves as though his coming is near and within our lifetime.
  • Christ’s interjection also reveals that he is eager to return. He is looking forward to removing Satan from the scene, establishing his righteous reign on Earth, judging all wickedness once and for all, and introducing the New Creation.

What’s fascinating about this interjection here is that Christ has already spoken in v. 7, and when he did, he said the exact same thing. This double interruption highlights just how important Christ is to Revelation and how important it is that we know that his return is near. These are not sidelight issues or minor points; they are the main point. The main person in focus is Christ and the main application in view is to be ready.

Reward refers to compensation or remuneration, as in purchasing an item at a price that’s equal to its value or paying an employee the proper amount that’s equal to his work. Christ explains this himself to be sure we understand.

This reward does not refer to our status as a believer in Christ, since we neither deserve God’s salvation nor do we earn his salvation by our works. Instead, it refers to how we conduct ourselves whether we are a believer or not.

  • If you have believed on Christ alone by faith alone for salvation, then you are God’s child by grace alone. As God’s child, you now have a responsibility to persevere in your faith by following, obeying, serving, and worshiping Christ day by day. Some believers persevere more faithfully than others, so some will be rewarded more significantly than others in the New Creation.
  • If you have not believed on Christ for salvation, then you are not God’s child. As a nonbeliever, you disobey and disregard God as a regular way of life. Even so, some nonbelievers sin more frequently and terribly than others, so some will be given more significant punishment than others in the Lake of Fire.

I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last.

Revelation 22:13

This threefold description affirms Christ’s identity as the eternal, sovereign God.

  • “Alpha and Omega” are the first and last letters of the Greek alphabet
  • “Beginning and end” describes Christ as the source and the culmination of all things.
  • First and last” repeats these concepts a third time for emphasis.

No matter what gods you claim to follow (whether from the Greek or Roman pantheon, the Caesar of Rome, or any other god), only one God can claim to be the original and final God. No other God compares to this God who is the beginning and end of all things since all beings and powers would – by necessity – owe their existence and power to him.

If you must make a difficult choice between some god or person (or even yourself) and this God who is the Alpha and Omega, then the best and only reasonable choice is clear. Choose this God.

What’s remarkable about this statement is that it describes Jesus Christ.

  • In the OT, it described Yahweh – which we would understand to be God the Father or the Godhead as a whole (Isa 44:6; 48:12).
  • Furthermore, John recorded a similar description of “the Lord” in the prologue to this book (Rev 1:8). While this reference may refer to Christ, it may also refer to God the Father, so the reference is not entirely clear.

Here in the epilogue to the book, however, the reference is clear. Christ himself describes himself as the “first and last,” just as God the Father did in the OT. So, the Bible ends with a clear declaration of the deity of Christ – by Jesus Christ himself.

Christ contrasts the two possible outcomes of every person.

In v. 14, he speaks about the eternal outcome for believers, then in v. 15, he speaks about the eternal outcome for nonbelievers.

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.

Revelation 22:14

This statement states the obvious, that anyone whom Christ authorizes (“have the right”) to both eat from the tree of life and enter the New Jerusalem will be “blessed.”

This reference to the tree of life and New Jerusalem should be understood as a synecdoche, which means “part for the whole.” By referring to these focal points of the New Creation, John is referring to them as representing the entire New Creation, like how we may refer to the United States today by speaking of “Washington, D.C.” or “Lady Liberty.”

According to this verse, those whom Christ authorizes to enter and enjoy this New Creation are those who “do his commandments.”

  • Now, in the Gospel of John, 1 John, and elsewhere in Revelation, John spoke about something like this – describing true believers as those who “keep God’s [or Christ’s] commands” (John 14:15, 21; 15:10; 1 John 2:3-4; 3:22, 24; 5:2-3; Rev 12:17; 14:12).
  • The difficulty here is that there is strong manuscript support, though, for a different reading, that Christ authorizes those who “wash their robes.” Since there seems to be no clear reason why a scribe would have made this change and since there is strong manuscript evidence to support this reading, it is probably the most likely reading.

“Wash their robes” resembles how one of the twenty-four elders at God’s throne described the Tribulation martyrs who prayed before the throne after they had been martyred (Rev 7:14). There we learn that they had “made” their robes “white in the blood of the Lamb.” This reading makes clear that we do not “earn” our right to access the New Creation, we receive this access by the grace of God alone.

For without are dogs, and sorcerers, and whoremongers, and murderers, and idolaters, and whosoever loveth and maketh a lie.

Revelation 22:15

With this statement, Christ provides a stark contrast with the blessings he provides to those who have believed on him for salvation. This list resembles previous lists of sinful behavior in Revelation (Rev 21:8, 27).

  • Sorcery refers to witchcraft, black magic, illicit drug use, and even abortion.
  • Sexual immorality refers to all kinds of inappropriate sexual behavior.
  • Murder refers to all unjustified killing.
  • Idolatry refers to the worship of anything or anyone other than God and includes whatever ungodly practices are affiliated with that worship.
  • Lying refers to misleading people through deception and dishonesty.

Two things stand out about this list:

  • The mention of dogs at the beginning is unique. This word does not refer to dogs as we think of them today: “man’s best friend,” a cute, furry pet, etc. Dogs were considered filthy, mangy scavenger animals who rummaged around in the garbage dump outside the city and who ate the rotting carcasses of dead animals. People thought of dogs as we think of vultures, rats, and maggots today. So, this list shows us that people like this will no longer have a place in the New Creation, though they are prominent and prevalent in the world today.
  • “Whoever loves and practices” makes clear that Christ is not excluding everyone who has ever committed some of these sins. Instead, he is excluding everyone who has devoted themselves to practicing these sins as a way of life, choosing this sort of lifestyle over following Christ. These are those who have rejected Christ and chosen to devote themselves to a sinful lifestyle instead.

Christ affirms the truthfulness of all that Revelation says.

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 22:16

The phrase “unto you” is interesting because it’s plural, which means that Christ is not speaking to John alone. So, to whom is he speaking? Most likely he is referring to the seven churches in Asia Minor (modern-day Turkey) to whom he spoke directly in Rev 2-3 (see Rev 1:4, 11).

The two titles of Jesus given here are also fascinating. They begin with “I am,” which is a clear connection in John’s writings between Christ and the way that Yahweh, the God of Israel, revealed himself to Moses at the burning bush (Exo 3:14).

  • The “root of David” refers to an OT prophecy describing the Messiah as a root and sprout that would grow from the stump of King David’s royal line (Isa 11:1, 10). “Offspring of David” makes this clear. As such, Christ is the fulfillment of God’s promises to Israel through David and is a rooted part of God’s eternal plan.
  • A “morning star” refers not to any star, but to a star that shines brightly when the darkness of night has passed and the light of morning sets in. In astronomical terms, this often refers to a planet such as Venus or sometimes Mars that appears in the morning sky, shining through the light of the morning sky and standing out in contrast from the nighttime stars.

As we struggle through the spiritual darkness of life in this present world, it’s like living through the nighttime. Yet when Christ’s kingdom comes and his new world begins, we will enjoy the brightness of his full glory forever. His glory will eclipse whatever smaller light we glimpsed of him along the way, and he will also outshine all the other many blessings of the New Creation.

John tells us how to respond to what Revelation says.

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 the water of life freely.

Revelation 22:17

These words interrupt the words of Christ and serve, in a sense, as an “interruption of an interruption,” indicating another emphatic, “Oh, by the way, this is important, too!” But what is important? The first two speakers – the Spirit and the bride – are the heavenly and earthly response to Christ’s words.

  • The Spirit strongly desires for Christ to return.
  • The people of God strongly desire for Christ to return (esp. those who have already died and are in his presence in heaven).

In addition to these strong desires for Christ to return, John invites those who read this book to share in these strong desires. He invites us to join with the Holy Spirit and the saints of history in praying for Christ’s return. This invitation speaks to both believers and nonbelievers and encourages us not only to desire the Lord’s return but to find free and full satisfaction in him.

Christ warns against deliberately changing what Revelation tells us.

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

This statement returns to Christ as the speaker and serves as a divine warning for anyone who would dare to deliberately alter the words and message of Revelation. Heretics like Marcion did this in the period of the early church and so have liberal, critical, secular scholars of today.

For anyone who deliberately alters what the book of Revelation says, God affirms that they are – in fact – nonbelievers who will receive the judgments spoken of in this book. The point is not that they once had a share of God’s New Creation blessings but will have them taken away, but that Christ assures they will never receive those blessings.[1]

John officially brings this scroll (um, letter) to a close.

He does this by sharing his own personal response to the letter, while also giving a personal greeting.

He which testifieth these things saith, ‘Surely I come quickly. Amen.’ Even so, come, Lord Jesus.

Revelation 22:20

With these words, John confirms with complete confidence that he heard Christ himself say, “I am coming soon!” In response to what he heard, John himself responded appropriately and responded to the invitation of the Spirit and the bride in v. 17. “Come, just as you have promised, Lord Jesus.”

The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.

Revelation 22:21

With these words, John offers the customary salutation (or ending) to a first-century letter, like how other apostles end their NT letters. As we learned in Rev 2-3, John originally wrote and sent this book (or scroll) to seven churches in Asia Minor who were experiencing difficult persecution and trials for their faith in Christ. John prayed that they would rely on the grace of Christ to endure to the end.

Key Takeaways

If you have not yet believed on Christ for salvation, then do so today.

You do not have to be categorized with those who “love and practice” sinful behavior. Though you’ve been this way since birth, you can turn to Christ by faith. He will “wash your robes” with his blood, quench your spiritual thirst, and authorize you to enjoy free and full access to the blessings of the New Creation.

If you have believed on Christ, then pray for Christ’s soon return.

This is the invitation that Christ has given at the end of this book. When we pray this way:

  • We speak in unison with the Holy Spirit.
  • We synchronize our prayers with the believers who’ve died before us and are in the presence of the Lord today in heaven.
  • We respond to Revelation the same way that John himself responded.

We should not pray this way out of anxiety, desperation, fear, or panic. Instead, we should pray this way out of a deep desire and a hopeful expectation. We should pray this way as when a bride looks forward to her wedding day. So, properly understood, the book of Revelation should stir within us a thirst for Christ’s soon return and for our entrance into his New Creation that will last forever.

[1] “The Textus Receptus, on which the KJV rests, reads “the book” of life (ἀπὸ βίβλου, apo biblou) instead of ‘the tree” of life.’ When the Dutch humanist Desiderius Erasmus translated the NT he had access to no Greek MSS for the last six verses of Revelation. So he translated the Latin Vulgate back into Greek at this point. As a result, he created seventeen textual variants which were not in any Greek MSS. The most notorious of these is this reading. It is thus decidedly inauthentic, while ‘the tree’ of life, found in the best and virtually all Greek MSS, is clearly authentic. The confusion was most likely due to an intra-Latin switch: The form of the word for ‘tree’ in Latin in this passage is ligno; the word for ‘book’ is libro. The two-letter difference accounts for an accidental alteration in some Latin MSS; that “book of life” as well as ‘tree of life’ is a common expression in the Apocalypse probably accounts for why this was not noticed by Erasmus or the KJV translators.” Biblical Studies Press, The NET Bible First Edition Notes (Biblical Studies Press, 2006), Rev 22:19