22:1 – “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 Revelation we see that the Church is the Bride, and the Church glorified is symbolized by the heavenly Jerusalem and the river of the water of life.… There can be no doubt that the two rivers (Ezek. 47:1-8; Rev. 22:1) are identical. And since the Church is not yet complete, and has, therefore, not yet been glorified, the river of life has not yet proceeded from the glorified Church, and hence the whole matter must be future.

“The same thought is in this lesson as Ezekiel gives it. He first sees the Temple and then beholds the glory of the Lord entering the Temple through the eastern gate, and that gate closed after the Lord. This represents the closing of the door at the end of this age, as our Lord portrayed it in the parable of the ten virgins. The door will be shut, the glory of the Lord will have entered the Temple. It is subsequent to this shutting of the door that the prophet is shown the issuing of the water from under the threshold. The lesson, therefore, is clear and explicit to the effect that not until the glory of the Lord shall have entered his Temple, not until the church shall be glorified, not until that door shall be forever shut, will the water of life issue forth.

“The stream (Ezek. 47) is shown as rapidly increasing. Issuing as a rivulet it speedily becomes ankle deep, a little further along waist deep and a little further beyond a man’s depth to ford. Thus is indicated the rapid increase of the blessings of the Lord as soon as his time shall have come; but, as we have heretofore pointed out, there is no such river of life now, our Master himself being authority for this in his statement respecting his disciples, saying, ‘The water I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up to everlasting life.’ Ours is not an invitation to drink of a river of life, but an invitation to have a well-spring of water of life started in our hearts by the impartation of the Holy Spirit. As already pointed out it will be after the river of the water of life flows from the glorified Church that the Spirit and the Bride will say to the world of mankind, Come. Then whosoever will may come, whereas now no man can come ‘except the Father which sent me draw him’.” (R3624:6)

The River of the Water of Life

“… under the symbol river … the blessing of the Lord is to be through the spread of the truth to mankind during the Millennial age. It will proceed from the City of God – the glorified Church – and results in the complete blotting out of the curse and the restoring of mankind to communion with God.” (R501:4)

“He offers the water of life – the refreshing hope of life through faith in him as the Redeemer, which hope would be like a perennial well-spring continually rising up in her heart. (John 4:14) So it is now; but by and by when the hopes of the believing Church are realized and God’s kingdom is fully established, these wells will flow together, and a mighty river of the water of life will come forth from underneath the throne of God for the refreshment of all who will partake of it. (Rev. 22:1)” (R1703:1)

“… the rivers of living waters flowing from Jerusalem, during this Millennial Day of the reestablishment of Jehovah’s feet upon his footstool (Zech. 14:8, 9), reminds us of the corresponding testimony of Ezekiel (47:1-12), and of John’s Revelation (22:1, 2) which, under this same symbol of living waters proceeding from the throne of the Millennial Kingdom, show us the restitution blessings under the symbols of ‘waters of life,’ to which whosoever will may come and drink freely.” (D655)

Ezekiel’s River:

Ezek. 47:1-8 – “Afterward he brought me again unto the door of the house; and, behold, waters issued out from under the threshold of the house eastward: for the forefront of the house, at the south side of the altar. Then brought he me out of the way of the gate northward, and led me about the way without unto the utter gate by the way that looketh eastward, and, behold, there ran out waters on the right side. And when the man that had the line in his hand went forth eastward, he measured a thousand cubits, and he brought me through the waters; the waters were to the ankles. Again he measured a thousand and brought me through the waters; the waters were to the knees. Again he measured a thousand, and brought me through; the waters were to the loins. Afterward he measured a thousand; and it was a river that I could not pass over: for the waters were risen, waters to swim in, a river that could not be passed over. And he said unto me, Son of man, hast thou seen this? Then he brought me to return to the brink of the river. Now when I returned, behold, at the bank of the river were very many trees on the one side and on the other. Then said he unto me, These waters issue out toward the east country, and go down into the desert, and go into the sea: which being brought forth into the sea, the waters shall be healed.”

More Anent John’s Revelation and Ezekiel’s Vision

“It would not at all surprise us if in the beginning of the Millennial age, not only the nation of Israel would receive the blessing of the Lord lost at the beginning of this Gospel age and become his representative people in the world – the church having been taken from the world, glorified spirit-beings, but neither would it surprise us if, in the Lord’s providence, some miracle were wrought by which the Dead Sea would become connected with the Mediterranean, possibly refreshed also by some such river as is here described by Ezekiel, a picture of the symbolical river of life flowing from the New Jerusalem. But however interested we might be in the thought of such a literal fulfillment of prophecy, our interest is still greater in the fulfillment of it as a symbol in accord with the river of Revelation. From this symbolical standpoint the Dead Sea represents the dead world, and the coming of life-giving waters would represent the resurrection power of the Lord and the church exercised amongst men during the Millennial age. As the Apostle expresses it, it would mean, for the Gentiles, life from the dead.

“But while it is refreshing and exhilarating to look down into the future and think of the blessings to come, it is important that we draw practical lessons and apply them to ourselves, and see to it that we do all in our power to make our calling and our election sure, that we may be of that New Jerusalem class, the bride glorified, from whom the river of the water of life will issue. There is no doubt that it will be accomplished, because the Word of the Lord has spoken it. The whole question for us is whether we or others will be the Lord’s ministers, servants, honored agents in causing the blessing of the Lord to fill the whole earth. The more we love the glorious prospects set before us in the Word, the more we will strive for present participation in the sufferings of Christ, in laying down our lives for the brethren, and for future participation in the glories of Christ, in the blessing of all the families of the earth.” (R3625:5)

22:2 – “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.”

Ezek. 47:12 – “And by the river upon the bank thereof, on this side and on that side, shall grow all trees for meat, whose leaf shall not fade, neither shall the fruit thereof be consumed: it shall bring forth new fruit according to his months, because their waters they issued out of the sanctuary: and the fruit thereof shall be meat, and the leaf for medicine.”

“Thus seen, God has rich blessings in store for mankind in general in the day when his kingdom shall be established amongst men, in Immanuel’s day. The restitution of that time is pictured in the leaves of the trees; the abundance of instruction and nourishment, mental, moral and physical, is represented in the fruit of the trees. More than this, wherever the water of this river went life resulted, until finally it emptied into the Dead Sea with the effect that the waters of the latter were healed. Fishes thrive well in sea water, but the water of the Dead Sea is five times as strongly impregnated with salts, and as a consequence fish taken from the Mediterranean and put into the Dead Sea die in a few minutes – hence its name, Dead Sea.

“… From this symbolical standpoint the Dead Sea represents the dead world, and the coming of life- giving waters would represent the resurrection power of the Lord and the Church exercised amongst men during the Millennial age. As the Apostle expresses it, it would mean, for the Gentiles, life from the dead.” (R3625:2)

“Leaves … for the healing … nations”

“Trees of life seem to symbolize saints, whose leaves – professions – teachings, will heal men, and whose fruit will be adapted to the changing conditions of men as they are brought upward toward perfection – fruit suitable for each changing season, thus restoring man to man’s estate.” (R334:5)

Trees of Righteousness – Now and Then

“All of the Lord’s people need to remember that in proportion as they are ambassadors of the Lord, and his representatives, it will be their privilege not only by and by in the kingdom to ‘comfort all that mourn,’ and to be the trees of righteousness, whose leaves will be for the healing of the nations (Rev. 22:2), but they should remember that in the present life they have a ministry of comfort to perform also, toward all who mourn in Zion – toward all the Lord’s people who are in any tribulation, physical or mental disquiet, disease; and they should remember too, that just in proportion as they are filled with this spirit now, it is their privilege to bind up the broken-hearted, and comfort the mourning ones. No one can have this spirit of helpfulness, this disposition to comfort and to strengthen and to edify, and to upbuild the household of faith, except he have in considerable measure the spirit of truth, the spirit of the Lord, the spirit of love: and in proportion as each seeks to cultivate this privilege of brotherly helpfulness, in comforting and up-building and strengthening, in that same proportion he will find the spirit of love developing and abounding in his own heart, and that his likeness to the Lord Jesus … is becoming more pronounced from day to day and from year to year.” (R2665:4)

River, Tree, Leaves … for the Nations

“The last members of his church must complete their course, must pass their examination and enter into glory with him before the marriage is consummated. But after the marriage there will be not only the holy city, representing the church in her official or governing capacity under Christ the Head, but there will be also the blessed work of the church, the calling of the world’s attention to the river of the water of life, to the leaves of healing, to the fruits of the spirit; and the spirit, the power of God, will cooperate with the message that will then be promulgated, and the result undoubtedly will be that all the world shall hear, and that all who love righteousness and hate iniquity will return again to life eternal. It will require all the Millennial age for the delivery of this message to every creature and for them to avail themselves of the privileges.” (R3571:4)

“And the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations”

One of the important functions of the leaves of plants is transpiration:

“Transpiration. – Much more water is absorbed by the roots than is used in growth, and this surplus water passes from the leaves into the atmosphere by an evaporation process known as transpiration. Transpiration takes place more abundantly from the under surfaces of leaves, and through the pores or stomata … A large oak tree may transpire 150 gallons per day during the summer.” (First Course In Biology – Bailey – Coleman, p. 98)

The physical comfort of a creature may be measured by the humidity of the atmosphere in which it moves.

The body, quite naturally produces heat; and to regulate this heat, the skin acts something like a thermostat, releasing the heat for the body’s comfort. In the process, perspiration is formed, which on evaporating from the skin, gives the sensation of cooling. However, if the atmosphere is already fully charged with all the moisture it can contain, no evaporation can take place at the skin; this will make one uncomfortably warm!

Thus, humidity, is related to the water content of the atmosphere. An atmosphere that is too dry can likewise be quite uncomfortable; yea, oppressive, especially if the temperature is high. The ideal humidity, therefore, would be that state or condition in which the temperature and the water content gave the individual the greatest com- fort. Lack of this comfort is disease!

Thus, spiritually speaking, the wholesomeness or health of the nations to be blessed, will largely be contingent upon the “atmosphere” in which they shall have to move. But, we are assured, that the “transpiration” of these “trees of righteousness” will be such as to afford this ideal state! The heavenly sunshine (of the holy Spirit, then to be poured out upon all flesh (Joel 2:28) will supply the proper temperature, and the “trees of righteousness” by “transpiration” – the waters of Truth! Thus will be fulfilled the statement in the Revelation, (22:2) that “their leaves will be for the healing (wholesomeness) of the nations.”

The “River” and the “Trees”

“A river of water of life is seen, and trees of life whose fruit sustains life, and whose foliage heals the people. How this calls our minds back to the paradise from whence Adam was driven on account of sin, and to the tree of life in the midst of Eden, from which he was debarred, and from the lack of whose fruit Adam and his race died.

“Oh, what a picture of the ‘restitution of all things which God has spoken’ – the healing of all the curse, the blotting out of sin, and with it, of misery, pain, and death, because a ransom has been paid and he who ransomed is the one who gloriously restores.

“The Water of life which will there flow from the throne is a picture of the future; for not yet has the throne been established – on the earth. We still pray ‘Thy kingdom come,’ and not until that prayer is answered can the river of water of life flow. The water of life is knowledge – truth – for which mankind famishes now. It will flow out bountifully when the tabernacle of God is with men. Then thirsty humanity, groaning and in painful bondage to sin and death, will be refreshed and restored.” (R334:4)

“We praise the Lord for the information afforded us in his Word, that although the water of life is now given individually, and enjoyed only by the ‘elect,’ ‘even as many as the Lord our God shall call,’ yet the time is coming that it shall no longer be thus a well of water springing up within the Lord’s people, but during the Millennial age will be a river of water of life, broad and full and clear as crystal, flowing out from the throne of God and of the Lamb, and of the bride, the Lamb’s wife and joint-heir, to all the families of the earth: and that there will not only be trees of life, whose leaves will be for the healing, restitution of the nations, but that the Spirit and the bride (then glorified) shall say, Come and he that heareth may say, Come, and whosoever will may come and have the water of life freely. (Rev. 22:17)” (R2575:4)

“Now the prospective members of the bride class have the Lord’s spirit in them, ‘a well of water springing up unto everlasting life.’ (John 4:14)

“By and by these well-springs brought together in glory with the Lord shall constitute the source of the great river of life which shall bless and heal all the nations.” (R3410:5)

The “Tree of Life”

“… the Lord’s people … it will be their privilege … by and by in the Kingdom to ‘comfort those that mourn,’ and to be trees of righteousness, whose leaves will be for the healing of the nations. (Rev. 22:2)” (R2665:4)

One meaning of the Greek word (θεραπείαν) is “service” – a service rendered for the good of another. This is what Young has suggested in his Literal Translation:

“… and the leaves of the tree are for the service of the nations.” (Rev. 22:3)

Nor is this really very different from the manner in which the same word is used in Luke 9:11, which Young has rendered in the same Literal Translation:

“… and those having need of service he cured.”

The Twentieth Century Translation has rendered the same text:

“… and cured those who had the need of healing.” And the Revised Standard Version has rendered it: “… he cured those who were in need of help.”

22:3-5 – “And there shall be no more curse: but the throne of God and 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.”

The Curse

“When the work of Christ is fully accomplished, ‘Then there shall be no more curse’; ‘for the former things [the evil incurred through Adam’s transgression] are passed away.’ (Rev. 22:3; 21:4) put away legally by the sacrifice of himself (Christ); and put away in fact by his glorious reign. ‘Behold the Lamb of God that taketh away the sin of the world.’ For Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us’.” (R587:6)

The World Seeing the Glorified Church

“We have seen that the way in which the world will see the glorified Church will be by mental perception, in the same sense that a blind person may properly be said to see.” (T85)

“They will see him, not by physical sight, but as we now see all spiritual things – our Lord Jesus, the Father, the prize, etc. – by the eye of faith. Men will not see the Christ by physical sight, because on a different plane of being – the one spirit, the other flesh; for the same reason that they will never see Jehovah.” (T86)

“The glorious blessings and favors of that Millennial period, set apart by the Lord and declared by the mouth of all the holy prophets to be times of restitution of all things spoken of, is summed up most completely in the declaration, ‘There shall be no more curse.’ In what more comprehensive language could the Lord declare the end of the reign of sin and death and the commencement of the reign of righteousness unto life eternal? There is a curse upon the world now, official, legal. It has been against us as a race for six thousand years. It is a curse or sentence of death. Although our Redeemer has died, the Just for the unjust, although he was made a curse for us, nevertheless up to the present time release from that curse has come to only a small proportion of the race. In the Father’s plan the only ones released from the curse, the only ones who have yet escaped the condemnation which is still on the world, is the class which has accepted Christ and is trusting in him.

“With the end of this age, when the last members of the body shall have finished their course and be glorified with him, he as the great High Priest and they as the under priests, his members, will be prepared to bless the world. Then will be presented to the Father on behalf of the world the merit which came from our dear Redeemer’s death on behalf of all, shared by those who rejoiced to suffer with him and who are accepted. Then divine justice will declare the lifting of the curse from all the world of mankind, and then the work of graciously blessing and uplifting and helping them out of their sinful conditions into life everlasting will be possible and will begin. There shall be no more ‘curse’ against humanity, but, on the contrary, they may have fellowship with the Lord, and the throne of his grace and the evidences of his favor will be theirs, and all who desire shall have the opportunity to serve him. All the night of darkness, ignorance, superstition and sin will be past; no longer will the world be dependent for light upon the imperfect shining of such little candles the Lord’s people now are.

“And all who come into accord with the Lord shall see his face – that is, there will be no earthborn cloud between, no hindrance to the Father’s love and favor, and his name shall be in their foreheads. They will confess him, they will have his likeness, the various elements which go to make up his glorious name and character will be theirs and will be manifest in their faces. If, even now, under present imperfect conditions, the light of grace and truth in the heart transforms the outward features and makes them more and more bright and glorious, much more, we are sure, will this be true of those who at that time shall come under the influence of the light of divine favor and have their hearts filled with the Lord’s spirit and truth.

“These developments of that Millennial age will bring the willing and obedient of the human family back to the original perfection, the image and likeness of God, and once more they will have direct communication with the Lord and not merely his written messages through apostles and prophets as now. ‘And they shall reign forever and ever.’ This does not refer to the church, whose reign has been previously described. The reference is to the reign of those whom the Millennial age shall find worthy of life eternal – all the unworthy being then cut off in the second death. The account here is in full accord with that of Matt. 25:34 – the sheep of that age will at its close be received into the fullest fellowship with the Lord, the goats of that period being destroyed.” (R3571:5; 3572:1)

The Restored Kingdom – Their Reign

“The nature of the reign then to be delivered to the world … will be the same reign or kingdom which at his creation was bestowed upon father Adam, as it is written in Psa. 8:6, ‘Thou madest him to have dominion over the works of thy hands. Thou hast put all things under his feet: all sheep and oxen with the beasts of the field and fowl of the air and fish of the sea.’ This dominion of earth was part of what father Adam lost by his disobedience, and was a part, therefore, of what our Lord Jesus purchased by his obedience even unto death, and is to be an element of the restitution to be accomplished during the Millennial reign of Christ.

“At the close of that reign the kingdom shall be delivered up to God, even the Father, by being delivered over to those for whom the Father originally intended it, and who by that time will have been fully prepared to receive it. The whole world of perfect men will be a world of kings, though doubtless one of their number will serve particularly as general or representa- tive, just as in the Republic every individual is a sovereign and from their own number they choose a sovereign, a servant.” (R3572:2)

22:6, 7 – “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.”

“Having pictured the work of restitution down to its consummation in the delivery of the kingdom to man, in harmony with the Father’s intention, the address of the revelation changes. We are assured that these wonderful promises are faithful and true, that the Lord God of the holy prophets sent his angel to show unto his servants the things which must shortly come to pass. Then the Master speaks to his church who have ears to hear, saying, ‘Behold, I come quickly; Blessed is he that keepeth the sayings of the prophecy of this book.’ The intimation seems to be that the book being symbolical, none can understand it except as its seals are loosed, as its message opens before the Lord’s people, and that when its sayings, its teachings come to be appreciated, it may be recognized by those who do under- stand it as an evidence that the Lord’s second advent and the establishment of his kingdom are close at hand.” (R3572:2)

22:8-10 – “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 fellow servant, and of thy brethren the prophets, and of them which keep the sayings of this book: worship God.

And he saith unto me, Seal not the sayings of the prophecy of this book: for the time is at hand.”

“As we have already seen, John the revelator represented those favored members of the church who, living in this end of the Gospel age, are granted the privilege of seeing and appreciating more and more the things which he saw in symbol. The revelation being complete John fell down before the angel who had given him the revelation to offer him worship. This may signify that in the end of this Gospel age as the whole church, the John class, comes to see the unfolding of the divine plan, there might be a spirit or disposition amongst them to do too much honor to the one used of the Lord in communicating to them the divine light now due.

“The proprieties of the case are set forth to us in the conduct of the symbolical angel who talked to John and who represented some in the end of this age commissioned to present God’s truths to his people, He said, ‘See thou do it not’ – do not worship me, for I am not the author of this plan. I am thy fellow- servant, a brother to all the prophets and all those who keep the message of this revelation. God alone should be worshipped: he is the Author of the great plan and will be the finisher of it. It is brought to our attention now by him because it is now ‘due time’ for his people to come to an appreciation of his plans.

“The same thought continues: At the time that the features of this symbolical revelation shall come to be understood and appreciated by the Lord’s people, they may know that the time of the completion is near at hand. They are not to feel it necessary to hide the matter. ‘Seal not the sayings of this book, for the time is at hand.’ Furthermore, we are not to expect that the telling of this message, the explaining of the divine plan, will have the effect of converting the world. It was not intended to do this and will not do it. Notwithstanding, the unfolding of the divine plan, this knowledge will only be for a special class for whom it was intended, namely, the Lord’s people – ‘None of the wicked shall understand, but the wise shall understand.’ So far as the revelations of the divine plan are concerned they are not intended to turn the filthy to make them righteous, nor will they be inclined contrariwise to turn the righteous to sin.” (R3572:3-5)

Bro. Russell – Seeking No Homage!

“As we have been to some extent, by the grace of God, used in the ministry of the Gospel, it may not be out of place to say here what we have frequently said in private and previously in these columns – namely, that while we appreciate the love, sympathy, confidence and fellowship of fellow-servants and of the entire household of faith, we want no homage, no reverence, for ourselves or our writings; nor do we wish to be called Reverend or Rabbi. Nor do we wish that any should be called by our name. The name of him who died for all – the name Christian – is quite sufficient to designate the spiritual sons of God, the true brethren of Christ; and whatsoever is more than this cometh of evil, of carnality, and tends toward more of the same.” (R2080:4)

22:11 – “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.”

“So far as these revelations are concerned they who are righteous may be righteous still, they who are filthy may be filthy still, they who are holy may be holy still.

“How true it is that present truth, although in many respects full of comfort and encouragement to the Church in respect to their dear friends who are out of Christ, has no effect whatever upon those who love sin, who are filthy, who are unrighteous. It appeals only to those who are already righteously inclined. This does not mean that it appeals only to those who are saints, who are holy. There are some who are not saints because they have never properly grasped the conditions of the divine call of the present time, but who are nevertheless, righteous persons, persons who desire to live uprightly, honorably, honestly, who are sincere and truthful in their own hearts and in their dealings with others so far as their knowledge permits. To these lovers of righteousness, of truth, as well as to the holy, the revelations of the divine plan now unfolding commend themselves, and intensify their love for righteousness and appreciation of full consecration to the Lord.

“On the other hand the unrighteous and the filthy simply ignore this message and are not moved specially by it. During the Millennial kingdom time, however, we may expect that the vigorous processes of the kingdom will correct many of these filthy and unrighteous, and ultimately develop many of them into lovers of the light and the truth and the way, bringing many of them into full fellowship with the Lord, which will secure to them life everlasting.” (R3572:6)

22:12 – “And, behold I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be.”

The thought here seems to be not so much of his “coming” – for he has been present for some time; but rather to his readiness, now to take over the matter of judging the world of mankind; and, thus it is declared, “and my reward is with me; to give every man according as his work shall be.” Note this phrase: “as his work shall be.” Dr. Benjamin Wilson, in his Emphatic Diaglott has rendered it, “to give to each one as his work is.”

By the end of the Gospel age, all sins tracing to the Adamic fall will have been atoned for; and God will not hold any of these against the human race, despite the fact that their handicaps during the new dispensation (the Millennial age) will often trace to these; “stripes” will be borne by some, the effects of sins will follow after! (1 Tim. 5:24) The world’s judgment, however, will be based, not upon the past, but on their response to the principles of truth and righteousness during the Millennial Day. In the past, what people have suffered of judgment was because of the “sour grape” their fathers had eaten; but then, (during the Millennial age) each man that dies, if die he must, will die for his own iniquity. (Jer. 31:29, 30) This is the “reward” he will then give “to every man according as his work shall be” – i.e., then is!

“My Reward Is With Me”

“‘And my reward is with Me, to give to each one as his work is,’ evidently applies to the great Judgment Day, at the beginning of which the church will be rewarded and during which the world will have their trial, retribution and reward.” (The Revelation of Jesus Christ – Streeter , Vol. 2, p. 610)

“Stripes”

“Many will feel rebellious against that perfect and equitable rule because accustomed in the past, under the rule of the present prince, to lord it over their fellow mortals, and to live wholly at the expense of others without rendering compensating service. And many and severe will be the stripes which a present life of self-indulgence and gratification will naturally demand and receive under that reign before such will learn the lessons of that kingdom – equity, justice, righteousness. (Psa. 89:32; Luke 12:47, 48)” (E303)

“So, you see, the condition into which a man gets himself now has a great deal to do with his future. Many will be so degraded that when they come forth from the tomb they will have a very difficult time.” (R4992:1)

22:13, 14 – “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.”

At this point, the Lord, reiterates his earlier remarks, “I am Alpha and Omega,” (Rev. 1:8, 11), to the Apostle John, who here represents, we believe, more particularly the saints still in the flesh in the end of the Gospel age. But the purpose now is slightly different. He would have “him” understand that the identity of the Logos (who was in the beginning with God – John 1:1), and the glorified Christ Jesus, is one, and the same. However, he adds, “the beginning and the end, the first and the last,” implying, of course, that he was himself, the beginning of the creation of God (Rev. 3:14), the firstborn of every creature (Col. 1:15); but also that he was the last, therefore, the only direct creation of God. In all of the further creation, he was the Father’s active agent, and so we read, “the world was made by him,” and “without him was not anything made that was made.” (John 1:10, 3) He would have John know that the plan is Jehovah’s; and, that whatever glory and honor had come to him – Jesus, was as a reward for his obedience to the divine will. Not only did he want the Church to appreciate this, but the time had come when the world of mankind too, would have to come to an appreciation of this fact; that blessing comes only by way of obedience to the will of God. Thus does Jesus follow through with, “Blessed (happy) are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates (have the approval of the Ancient Worthies, the visible representatives of the invisible spiritual Kingdom) into the city.”

“The Beginning and the End”

“… the beginning and the end, the first and the last as he claims in his revelation to John (Rev. 1:8; 3:14; 21:6; 22:13) … as the Scriptures harmoniously teach, that as Jehovah’s agent he is the beginner and the finisher of the wondrous plan, though not its author. In a word, he was the only direct creation of Jehovah – born ‘from the womb of the morning,’ as the Psalmist expresses it (Psa. 110:3) – all other creations being through him, as Jehovah’s agent, or representative; as we read: ‘To us there is one God – the Father – of whom are all things and we in him; and one Lord, Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we by him.’ (1 Cor. 8:6) He is the firstborn of every creature (born before all creation); for by him were all things created that are in heaven and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones or principalities or powers; all things were created by him and for him: and he is before all things, and by him all things consist.” (R1060:4)

“He it is who in all things has the preeminence in Jehovah’s plan and work. He was not only ‘the beginning of the creation of God,’ ‘the firstborn of every creature,’ but more: he was the ‘beginning and the ending,’ he was the ‘Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last,’ of Jehovah’s direct creation; for all other ‘things were made by him, and without him was not anything made that was made.’ (Col. 1:15, 18; Rev. 3:14; 1:8; 21:6; 22:13; John 1:3)” (R1278:3)

22:15 – “For without are dogs, and sorcerers, and whore- mongers, and murderers, and idolaters, and whosoever loveth and maketh a lie.”

Without, i.e., outside, this earthly counterpart of the heavenly kingdom, and kept out from entering it, is everything that defiles: “dogs, and sorcerers, and whore- mongers, and murderers, and idolaters, and whosoever loveth and maketh a lie.”

“When mankind reaches perfection at the close of the Millennial age … they will be admitted into membership in the Kingdom of God and given entire control of earth as at first designed – each man a sovereign, a king. This is clearly shown in the symbolic prophecy of John (Rev. 21:24-26), for in vision he not only saw the people walk in the light of it, but he saw kings enter it in glory; yet none could enter who would defile it. None can become identified with that city (kingdom) who has not first been thoroughly tested; none who work or love to work, deceit and unrighteousness; only those whom the Lamb will write as worthy of life everlasting; and to whom he will say, ‘Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you’.” (A296)

“So all the world of mankind who will come into harmony with God will come into that city, into the New Jerusalem and kingdom of God, and outside of that city will be found all impure characters. We have them pictured in this statement, that liars and murderers, etc., shall have their portion in the ‘lake which burneth with fire and brimstone.’ This ‘lake of fire and brimstone’ is as symbolical as is the city. As the city is not a literal city of gold, neither is the lake a literal lake of fire and brimstone. That city was pictured by Jerusalem, and the ‘fire’ by Gehenna. As the offal of the literal city of Jerusalem was put into the Valley of Hinnom for destruction and for the purification of the city, so all the offal of the Millennial kingdom will be destroyed and be kept outside of the Golden Jerusalem. That will be a glorious kingdom, free from anything that would be a blight or blemish or sin; and all who love unrighteousness, in any sense of the word, will be destroyed in ‘the lake of fire,’ which is, we are told by the Revelator, the second death. (Rev. 21:8)” (R4992:5)

22:16 – “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.”

Jesus himself, declares his responsibility for the “angel” – Bro. C. T. Russell, whom he “sent” as it were, to bear testimony for him (through the Scriptures Studies, Vol. 1-6; and the Watch Tower to October 1916) to the Churches (ecclesias) – those still in the flesh at the end of the Gospel age. Surely none ever gave a more lucid explanation concerning Jesus as “the root, and the offspring of David,” than the following:

“According to the flesh, our Lord Jesus was, through his mother, the son, the branch, the offshoot or offspring of David. It was by virtue of his sacrifice of his undefiled life that he became the ‘root’ of David as well as his Lord: for the thought suggested by the word ‘root’ differs somewhat from that furnished in the word ‘Lord.’ The ‘root’ of David signifies the origin, source of life, and development of David.

“The Scriptures declare that David was ‘a stem out of Jesse;’ his father, therefore, was his root, according to natural generation. When and how did Christ become David’s root or father? We answer, Not before he ‘was made flesh’; – it was when made flesh that, as the man Jesus, he became related to Adam’s race through his mother. (Heb. 2:14-18) And in that relationship to the race and to David he was ‘branch,’ not ‘root.’ How and when did he become the ‘root’? We answer, By the same means and at the same time that he became David’s Lord; the means was his death, by which he purchased life-rights of Adam and all the race, including David’s; the time was when he was raised from the dead, Adam’s Redeemer, the race’s Redeemer and hence David’s Redeemer.

“It was, therefore, not the pre-human Logos, nor yet the man Christ Jesus that was David’s Lord and David’s Root; but the resurrected Messiah. When David in spirit (i.e., speaking under the prophetic spirit or influence) called Jesus Lord, saying, ‘Jehovah said unto my Lord (Jesus), Sit thou on my right hand,’ etc., the reference was not to the sacrificing one, ‘the man Christ Jesus,’ who had not yet finished his sacrifice, but to the victor Jesus, the Lord of life and glory, ‘the firstborn from the dead, the prince of the kings of earth.’ (Rev. 1:5) It was of this one that Peter said, ‘Him God raised up the third day.… He is Lord of all.’ (Acts 10:36, 40) Of this one also Paul declared that at his second corning he will display himself as ‘King of kings and Lord of lords.’ (1 Tim. 6:15)” (E136)

At this juncture, Jesus also refers to himself as “the bright and morning star.” It may be that this was merely to emphasize the fact of his having been created early in God’s creative day! On the other hand, something else may have been intended here. In this connection it might be well to recall that there was a time when there were two morning stars – the Logos and Lucifer; yea, we are even told that there was a time when these two sang together – when the foundations of the earth were laid. (Job. 38:6, 7) But Lucifer fell from his exalted position (Isa. 14:12; Luke 10:18), leaving but one morning star – the morning star. (Rev. 22:16) And, as the heavenly Bridegroom, he intends one day to give himself to those who shall constitute his Bride (Rev. 2:28), when “she” shall become “the Lamb’s wife.”

22:17 – “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.”

After he has given himself to her as the “bright and morning star,” they will both, he, as the heavenly Bride-groom – the Spirit, and she as the Bride, then say to the world of mankind, “Come … partake of the waters of life freely.” He, as “that Spirit” (2 Cor. 3:17), and she, as the Lamb’s wife (Rev. 21:9), will become the dispensers of the Father’s blessings to all the world of mankind.

“What a blessing it will be to attain to such glory, honor and immortality as is offered to the Church in the First Resurrection! And what a grand privilege it will be to be associated with our Lord in dispensing the divine favors to the entire groaning creation, and bidding whomsoever will, to Come to the water of life, and partake thereof freely! Yes; then, in the kingdom, the Spirit and the Bride will say ‘Come’ (for there will be a Bride then, the marriage of the Lamb taking place in the end of this Gospel age), ‘and whosoever will, may take of the water of life freely.’ (Rev. 22:17)” (F336)

“Then, we are told, ‘the Spirit and the Bride’ shall give the invitation a worldwide invitation; ‘whosoever will’ then may come, and he who hears the invitation may say to others, ‘Come and drink of the waters of life, freely!’” (R4882:6)

The Millennium of Blessing

“A beautiful symbolic picture of the Millennial age and the blessings extending to all mankind under Israel’s New Covenant, is set before us in the Book of Revelation. First, the ‘elect’ Church is pictured as ‘the New Jerusalem adorned as a Bride for her husband’ descending from heaven to earth, establishing the Divine rule amongst men. Then follows a further symbolization: ‘a river of the Water of Life, clear as crystal,’ is represented as ‘proceeding forth from the throne’ of the New Jerusalem, flowing out to bless all the nations of the world. The result is Paradise with trees of life by both sides of the River and ‘the leaves of the trees for the healing of the heathen.’ Then we read the message of Free Grace … ‘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 come and take of the Water of Life freely.’ (Rev. 22:17)” (OV36)

22:18, 19 – “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.”

“The writer, St. John, does not say who is referred to by the pronoun ‘I’. Some think it refers to the Lord

Jesus, others think it refers to the writer, St. John himself. The meaning in any event is that the writer makes the solemn affirmation contained in the words as a conclusion. The object of these threatening words is doubtless to guard the book against being corrupted by any interpolations or changes.” (The Revelation of Jesus Christ – Streeter, Vol. 2, p. 616)

“The Book (referred to) is certainly not the whole Bible, but this Book of Revelation; though it may be that the Holy spirit, in guiding him who was to close the Canon of Scripture, moved him to add words suitable to the whole Volume of Inspiration. The threats are plainly put by way of antithesis – He who shall add, shall have added woe; he who shall take away, shall have woeful loss. To ‘add’ must mean so to add as to bring in something inconsistent with, destructive of the very truth.… To ‘take away’ must be to take away something essential to the truth.… When we remember that this is the Prophetical Book of the New Testament, that it especially throws light upon the Prophecies of the Old Testament, discovers their true scope and meaning, we can understand its peculiar value, the peculiar danger of adding to or taking from it. Woe to him who so adds, or so takes away, as to obstruct the Revelation of the Lord Jesus Christ!” (G. Curry – Commentary of Revelation)

Bro. Russell’s Comments on Rev. 22:18, 19

“… it would appear that the expression of Rev. 22:18, 19, has always, more or less deterred men from falsifying the canonical books. We believe that very few interpolations into the text of the Bible have been made intentionally (that of 1 John 5:7 being a bold and notable exception). Other interpolations were, we believe, generally the result of accident – usually the copying of a marginal comment into the text, at a time when all copying was done by pen.” (R1210:2)

22:20, 21 – “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.”

“We have come now to the last, the concluding words of the book. The words are those of the Lord Jesus Himself, and read: ‘He which testifieth these things saith, Surely I come quickly.’ Twice does the Savior utter these words, apparently as already suggested to give emphasis to the paramount importance of the Second Advent, toward which they all finally merge. Next comes the response of St. John, as representing the true spirit and longing desire of the true Church: ‘Amen! Come! Lord Jesus.’ On this, the concluding statement of the Revelator, we cannot but submit the beautiful and forceful illustration which another has given:

“Fiction has painted the picture of a maiden whose lover left her for a voyage to the Holy Land, promising on his return to make her his beloved bride. Many told her that she would never see him again. But she believed his word, and evening by evening she went down to the lonely shore and kindled there a beacon-light in sight of the roaring waves, to hail and welcome the returning ship which was to bring again her betrothed. And by that watch-fire she took her stand each night, praying to the winds to hasten on the sluggish sails, that he that was everything to her might come. Even so that blessed Lord, who has loved us unto death, has gone away to the mysterious Holy Land of Heaven, promising on His return to make us His happy and eternal Bride. Some say that He is gone forever, and that here we shall never see Him more. But His word was, ‘Yea, I come quickly.’ And on the dark and misty beach, sloping out into the eternal sea, each true believer stands by the love-lit fire, looking, and waiting, and praying, and hoping for the fulfillment of His word, in nothing gladder than in His pledge and promise, and calling even from the soul of sacred love, ‘Amen! Come! Lord Jesus’.” (The Revelation of Jesus Christ – Streeter, Vol. 2, p. 619)

“We find this longing for and hoping for and waiting for the coming King in the writings of all the apostles. It is John who exclaims, ‘Come, Lord Jesus!’ It is James who says, ‘Be patient, brethren, unto the coming of the Lord.’ It is Peter who encourages the brethren, by pointing out that shortly, when the chief Shepherd will appear, they shall receive a crown of glory, which fadeth not away. It is Jude, who speaks of the Lord’s coming, with myriads of his holy ones. It is Paul who urges faithfulness, and assures the brethren that not only himself, but all who love his appearing, shall then receive a crown of righteousness. (Rev. 22:20; Jas. 5:7; 1 Pet. 5:4; Jude 14; 2 Tim. 4:8)

“And if this hope so encouraged, strengthened and upheld the early Christian Church, should its influence be less today, upon us who remember that now is our salvation nearer than when we first believed?

Nay, verily; Indeed, when the light of present truth, shining on the pathway, shows us that The who was to come has come, and has not tarried that the promises of God through the prophets, written aforetime for our admonition, are fulfilled; that we are living in the harvest-time of this age; that the chief Reaper is present; that the gathering of the ‘wheat,’ into the barn, and the bundling of the ‘tares,’ for the coming fiery troubles, is in progress; and when, the eyes of our understanding being opened, we see these things in evidence about us, what manner of persons ought we to be in holy joy and faithfulness, and courage and zeal; to be, to do, to endure, whatsoever things our present Lord and Master, in his infinite wisdom and love, may mark out for us! As he declared, ‘The cup which the Father hath given me to drink, shall I not drink it?’ So may we, with implicit confidence, say that whatever cup of experience our present Lord and Head may pour for us, his disciples, we will cheerfully partake thereof, and thus fill up the afflic- tions which are behind; and shortly, with all the faithful, enter into glories of the Millennial kingdom which God hath in reservation for them that love him.” (R2926:1)

The Apostle John may have been under the impression that this missive for which he had acted as the amanuensis for the Lord, was just for those of the seven churches of Asia Minor Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamos, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia and Laodicea. And so, in concluding it, he adds his own little benediction unto those with whom he was personally acquainted. However, as we have seen, those seven churches were merely typical of the seven stages in the development of the whole Church during all of the Gospel age. Little, we believe, did John realize that in the overruling providences of God, this missive would be regarded as a most cherished part of Holy Writ, for more than nineteen centuries! Accordingly, the benediction, “The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all,” has been received and accepted, ever since, as if it had been directed to every one of the saints during this age. And, of course, our own hearts join with his, as we say to still others, “The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen”