Bible Reading
Revelation 22:1-21 “Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, bright as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb through the middle of the street of the city; also, on either side of the river, the tree of life with its twelve kinds of fruit, yielding its fruit each month. The leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. No longer will there be anything accursed, but the throne of God and of the Lamb will be in it, and his servants will worship him. They will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads. And night will be no more. They will need no light of lamp or sun, for the Lord God will be their light, and they will reign forever and ever. And he said to me, 'These words are trustworthy and true. And the Lord, the God of the spirits of the prophets, has sent his angel to show his servants what must soon take place.' 'And behold, I am coming soon. Blessed is the one who keeps the words of the prophecy of this book.' I, John, am the one who heard and saw these things. And when I heard and saw them, I fell down to worship at the feet of the angel who showed them to me, but he said to me, 'You must not do that! I am a fellow servant with you and your brothers the prophets, and with those who keep the words of this book. Worship God.' And he said to me, 'Do not seal up the words of the prophecy of this book, for the time is near. Let the evildoer still do evil, and the filthy still be filthy, and the righteous still do right, and the holy still be holy.' 'Behold, I am coming soon, bringing my recompense with me, to repay each one for what he has done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end.' Blessed are those who wash their robes, so that they may have the right to the tree of life and that they may enter the city by the gates. Outside are the dogs and sorcerers and the sexually immoral and murderers and idolaters, and everyone who loves and practices falsehood. 'I, Jesus, have sent my angel to testify to you about these things for the churches. I am the root and the descendant of David, the bright morning star.' The Spirit and the Bride say, 'Come.' And let the one who hears say, 'Come.' And let the one who is thirsty come; let the one who desires take the water of life without price. I warn everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: if anyone adds to them, God will add to him the plagues described in this book, and if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God will take away his share in the tree of life and in the holy city, which are described in this book. He who testifies to these things says, 'Surely I am coming soon.' Amen. Come, Lord Jesus! The grace of the Lord Jesus be with all. Amen.”
[42:48]2 Corinthians 5:10 “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil.”
[57:38]Revelation 21:8 “But as for the cowardly, the faithless, the detestable, as for murderers, the sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars, their portion will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death.”
[01:00:59]Observation questions
- What details are given about the river of the water of life, the tree of life, and the removal of the curse in Revelation 22:1–5? [43:00]
- What does John do when he is overwhelmed by what he has seen, and how does the angel respond to him? [53:20]
- How many times does Jesus say that He is coming soon in this chapter, and what responses or instructions surround those statements? [55:39]
- What descriptions are given of those who “wash their robes,” and what contrast is made with those who persist in sin and falsehood? [59:02]
Interpretation questions
- What does the picture of God’s throne, the river of life, and the tree of life communicate about what God is restoring for His people? [45:02]
- Jesus says He is coming soon but does not give a date. How should believers hold both urgency and humility instead of falling into fear, delay, or date-setting? [49:43]
- Why is it important that the angel calls himself a fellow servant and redirects John’s worship to God? What kinds of modern Christian influence can become unhealthy when people give someone the place that belongs only to God? [53:41]
- How do Revelation 22 and 2 Corinthians 5:10 show that faith in Christ and the way a believer lives are connected, without making salvation something people earn? [57:15]
Application questions
- Is there any area where you have been telling yourself, “I will follow Jesus more seriously later, after I get this part of my life together”? What would it look like to come to Him honestly today instead of delaying? [50:05]
- What voices shape your understanding of God most right now—church leaders, podcasts, social media, friends, or influencers? How can you more consistently test what you hear by Scripture and by the fruit in a person’s life? [51:24]
- Is there a person, platform, leader, or spiritual experience that you may be tempted to elevate too highly? What would it look like to appreciate God’s servants while keeping worship and ultimate trust for God alone? [54:16]
- When you sin, do you tend to hide it, excuse it, or bring it to Jesus in repentance? Is there a repeated pattern where God may be calling you to make a real change of direction? [01:04:07]
- Are there parts of Scripture that you are tempted to skip, soften, or avoid because they are difficult or uncomfortable? What is one practical way you can grow in submitting to all of God’s Word? [01:08:44]
- Who is one neighbor, coworker, classmate, or family member who needs the hope of Jesus? What is one clear and loving step you could take this week to pray for them, serve them, or begin a gospel conversation? [01:15:13]
