OBEDIENCE ENSURES RESTORATION

Jeremiah Jones

Revelation NT 4315

April 28, 2017

 CONTENTS

Introduction .... 1

Focused Worship (v. 7-9) .. 2

Unveiled Allegiance (v. 10-15) . 5

Secured Promise (v. 16-21) ....... 8

Conclusion ... 12

Bibliography .13


OUTLINE

I. Introduction

a. Thesis Paragraph

i. Thesis: In Revelation 22:7-21, our faithful obedience is what ensures

our restoration.

II. Body

a. Focused Worship (v. 7-9)

b. Unveiled Allegiance (v. 10-15)

c. Secured Promise (v. 16-21)

III. Conclusion

IV. Bibliography
 1

INTRODUCTION

The Hebrew word for obey, , meaning to hear or listen, is used 1,159 times

throughout the Old Testament, most often in moments of listening or refusing to listen to the

voice of God.1 This provides great insight into what was, is, and will always be an issue for

humanity: we have a listening problem.2 As we trace these accounts of hardened hearing, it

should not be difficult to consider the idea of obedience, or lack thereof, as a thematic construct

throughout Scripture. Genesis 3 reveals the weakness of the first flesh, as Adam and Eve bring

sin into the world. This event instills a weakness in all flesh to follow, creating a daunting

obstacle for humanity to overcome in the world. Belligerent defiance of our Creator is invoked in

the stories of Noah, of Moses and Pharaoh, of Jonah and the Judges, of David and the Kings,

even in the story of Israel herself, Gods chosen people.3 Humanity has always had a listening

problem, one that is only remedied by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of our testimony.4

Therefore, it should come as no surprise that the ending of the Bible continues to

expound on the importance of listening to God for not just the Hebraic audience, but for those

reading the text today.5 His goal is to restore us to Himself, bringing us closer to the image in

1
Jenni, Ernst and Claus Westermann, Theological Lexicon of the Old Testament (Peabody, MA:
Hendrickson Publishers, 1997), 1375.
2
Ozark Christian College. Overcome (A Study in Revelation): Overview (Rev. 1) Shane J. Wood, Ph.
D.. Filmed [Mar 2017]. YouTube video, 07:12. Posted [Mar 2017].
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nTOfiMDkLFU.
3
Not to mention every instance in which the words of Christ fell on empty ears in the New Testament. This
is apparent throughout the Gospel accounts, as no one, even His disciples, seem to understand the counter-cultural
ways of Christ. A prime example is found in Matthew 13:10-17 where Christ explains the reason he speaks in
parables. Our hearing crescendos as we embrace the mystery of our Savior, revealing the secrets of the kingdom.
4
Revelation 12:9-11. All Scripture will be quoted and paraphrased from the English Standard Version
unless otherwise stated.
5
As apocalyptic-prophetic script, it subversively reinscribes the Hebrew scriptures and circumscribes its
audience for the purpose of ideological condemnation. In other words, Revelation destroys and then reestablishes
the context of the Old Testament through the lens of Christ to approach the text with Him in mind. Royalty Jr.,
Robert M. 2004. "Don't Touch This Book!: Revelation 22:18-19 And the Rhetoric of Reading (in) The Apocalypse
 2

which we were created. This is made evident in walking through the text of Revelation 22:7-21,

as our faithful obedience is what ensures our restoration. This section of text in Revelation

illuminates three things that are restored because of our faithful obedience. These things include

our worship, which is rightly focused (v. 7-9), our allegiance, which is unveiled through our

actions (v.10-15), and our security, which is found in Christ only (v. 16-21).

FOCUSED WORSHIP (v. 7-9)

What you worship becomes a concerning issue throughout the Bible, especially in the

book of Revelation.6 This is because in the book of Revelation, what you worship you become.7

As we patiently endure the physical dimension with the end in mind, we must not forget about

the spiritual battle regarding our souls. Our King is relentlessly pursuing us, centering our path

so that we do not falter at the hand of the enemy. This could be argued as the overarching theme

of our pericope, but the idea appears more pointed in verses 7-9. In the paragraphs to follow, we

will filter our battle through the lens of John, as well as Israel, learning from their oversights to

restore a right mind of worship.

We begin our text with Johns sixth beatitude in his prophetic-apocalyptic-circular letter.8

And behold, I am coming soon. Blessed is the one who keeps the words of the prophecy of this

of John." Biblical Interpretation 12, no. 3: 282-299. Academic Search Premier, EBSCOhost (accessed March 27,
2017). 282.
6
Rev. 1:17; 4-5; 7:9-12; 8:1-5; 10:1-7; 11:1-19; 12:10-12; 15:1-8; 19:1-10; 20:4-15; 22:1-21.
7
Ozark Christian College. Overcome (A Study in Revelation): Overview (Rev. 1) Shane J. Wood, Ph.
D.. Filmed [Mar 2017]. YouTube video, 24:53. Posted [Mar 2017].
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nTOfiMDkLFU.
8
Lowery, Robert A. Revelations Rhapsody Listening to the Lyrics of the Lamb. Joplin, MO: College Press,
2006. 70.
 3

book.9 Henry G. Brinton states that, Keeping the words of the prophecy is one of the ways that

the servants of God prepare for the return of Jesus. These words challenge the reader to take the

words of Revelation seriously, and allow them to be life-shaping.10 John and his faithful Jewish

audience would have taken the words of this prophecy very seriously, as there are many

connections to familiar Old Testament statutes that are ingrained in their moral code. It is the

only way they understood how to make sense of the world around them, by being obedient to the

law.

To better understand the world around us today, our human condition commonly desires

validation in physical form. John is undoubtedly struggling with this in verses 8 and 9, as he is

transfixed on the feet of the angel before him in a posture of worship. Immediately John is

rebuked by the angel who tells the prophet that he is merely an obedient servant like him.

Hearing the voice of our Lord through an angelic being proclaiming He is coming soon would

bring anyone to panic and act in a way that seems the most reasonable in the moment, which

should be complete reverence. This account reveals the loving pursuit of our God, sending a

messenger to realign our worship and restore us to Himself. The angel reminds John that God

incarnate, whom he knew well, is the only one worthy of worship.

In tracing the story of Israel, we are provided even more insight into why John acted in

the way that he did before the angel. Most scholars agree that obedience is a predominant moral

basis in the Hebrew Bible.11 This is important to note as obedience becomes a key characteristic

9
Rev. 22:7.
10
Brinton, Henry G. 2016. "Revelation 21:122:7." Interpretation: A Journal Of Bible &
Theology 70, no. 1: 84-86. Academic Search Premier, EBSCOhost (accessed March 20, 2017). 86.
11
Kelly, Joseph Ryan. 2013. "Orders of Discourse and the Function of Obedience in the Hebrew
Bible." Journal of Theological Studies 64, no. 1: 1-24. 6.
 4

concerning the foundation of the Jewish audience these stories were presented to. The audience

includes John, which explains why he adamantly presented a posture of obedience.12 John

quickly realized, though, that reckless worship is not synonymous with faithful obedience.13

Although not considered direct parallels, 2 Kings 17:7-23, 2 Chronicles 24:18-19, and

Nehemiah 9:26-27a present a slightly similar situation, as the people of Israel are exiled because

of their disobedience to Gods statutes in practicing idolatry.14 Secret sin is what fell Israel in

these accounts and the main thing that contributed to their listening problem. Even though the

people of Israel messed up time and time again, God pursued them with everything He had to

offer.15 His mercy is never-ending for His people, especially when they are amid suffering,

which was precisely the consequence of their unaligned worship.16 Our flesh is inherently weak,

12
Witherington provides a valid point that John could possibly be identifying with his audience who tend
to worship something less than God as God. This provides insight into the action of the angel as he reminds John
that his identity is not rooted in the world, but Christ. Witherington, Ben. Revelation. New Cambridge Bible
Commentary. Cambridge: Cambridge University, 2003. 280.
13
Johns worship was not reckless in the sense that it was ill-intentioned. Anyone would have responded in
the way he did after hearing the voice of Jesus come out of a heavenly being, as mentioned earlier. It may not even
be fair to compare this instance to the pure, reckless intention of idol worship expounded on in the next paragraph,
but rather the result, which is basked in the loving pursuit of God. The messenger also seems to be reminding John
to further examine those whom take on the appearance of truth, putting on the armor of Christ, as to not be
dissuaded by the enemy.
14
Lowery, Robert A. Revelations Rhapsody Listening to the Lyrics of the Lamb. Joplin, MO: College
Press, 2006. 196.
15
This reveals the patience of our Lord as well. Tony Twists contribution to the book Dragons, John, and
Every Grain of Sand affords great insight regarding the process of transformation, inadvertently providing a great
way to define the word sanctification: the cyclical nature of incremental transformation. This is relevant as the only
way to be restored to the imago dei and brought into the New Jerusalem is by embracing the process of incremental
transformation while cage dwellers waiting to be unleashed. Wood, Shane J. (ed.) Dragons, John, and Every
Grain of Sand: Essays on the Book of Revelation. Joplin, MO: College Press, 2011. 231-239.
16
The text of Isaiah 40:10 reveals that Our Sovereign will have already compensated us for our obedient
efforts, but there is greater reward brought with Him at His return. This interpretation is supported by Paul in
Romans 8.18: For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is
to be revealed to us. During the reign of Domitian, the Roman world becomes saturated with a multi-faceted form
of persecution known as non-physical persecution. This at times could lead to physical persecution, whether
displacement or death. Regardless, it is abundantly clear that the Jewish people are suffering in many ways, which
they should consider joy (Rom. 5.3-5).
 5

but for those who are in Christ this is to your advantage, as your strength is continually restored

in Him.17

UNVEILED ALLEGIANCE (v. 10-15)

The well-known idiom actions speak louder than words, provides a great bridge into

our next section. We just highlighted instances in which Israels indecorous actions led to

asymmetrical worship, yet God still did everything He could to restore His people to Himself.

This proves that our actions tend to merit a response of action from our Creator. Why is this?

Love aint a thing, love is a verb.18 Love is the key characteristic of our Lord that moves Him

into action and we should follow suit as followers of His son. It is love that becomes the outward

expression of our identity which unveils who our allegiance is to. This idea will get fleshed out

as we begin to harmonize it with the text.

22:10 sets the tone for the rest of the chapter, intensifying the contrasting elements of

good and evil found in this portion. On the surface, it is difficult to understand why not sealing

up the words of the prophecy correlates with intensification, but as we delve into the book of

Daniel, we can begin to understand the severity of the situation. In Daniel 12, Daniel is told to do

the opposite of John by shutting up the words and sealing the book until the time of the end.19

This is informing us that the time of the end is indeed near if John is told to overlook the seal.

The allusion seems to also be implying that the prophecy did not start with Johns vision, but

17
Ps. 46:1; Isa. 40:29-31; 2 Cor. 12:9-10.
18
Although John Mayers lyrical sentiment is directed toward a different audience, we can use this idea of
love as a verb to better understand why God relentlessly pursues us in the way that He does: He loves us beyond all
measure. We are allowed to imprint Christ on culture after all. John Mayer, Love Is a Verb, Born and Raised, CD
Track 8, Sony, 2012.
19
Daniel 12:4,8-9,13.
 6

with Daniels. The wealth of knowledge embedded within the semiology of Daniels vision has

been revealed for all at the time of Johns revelation. This knowledge must be revealed so that

the sheep can be more easily separated from the goats.20

Separating the sheep from the goats, or the wheat from the chaff, is exactly what verse 11

is emphasizing. It is rooted in actively choosing an eternal destination by embracing our free

will, which unveils our allegiance. A poetic rendering of verse 11 is seen in Isaiah 6:9-10:

Keep on hearing, but do not understand; keep on seeing, but do not perceive. Make the heart

of this people dull, and their ears heavy, and blind their eyes; lest they see with their eyes, and

hear with their ears, and understand with their hearts, and turn and be healed.

The evildoer is persistently crucifying Christ with their heavy ears, making it difficult for

reconciliation with the Father, but if we are pursuing a right relationship with God, if we are

listening well, we will be healed of our hearing impairment, drawing us nearer to Him. This is

like vows of marriage in that if we are taking what is said by our spouse to heart, it provides a

foundation of truth to build the relationship on moving forward. On the contrary, if we accept the

vows vainly, the marriage will fail for the foundation that was established is faulty. If we

consider the church the bride of Christ, our eternal bond with Christ should be established in

marriage vows. We are to uphold these vows until death do us part, except with Christ, the do

us part does not apply. We are to be faithfully obedient to the point of physical death, just as He

was, signifying our allegiance.

Verse 12 is the second-time Christ announces he is coming soon, first being verse 7, but

this time he replaces the beatitude with the promise of reward.21 Alluding to verse 12 are

20
Matt. 3:12; 25:31-46.
21
Mounce, Robert H. The Book of Revelation. New International Commentary on the New Testament.
Grand Rapids: Eermans, 1977. 406.
 7

Psalm 28:4 and 27:4, contrasting verses describing different postures of worship. He will either

compensate us with eternal life or eternal damnation. A posture of holiness delights in the Lord

and meditates on His Word day and night. A posture of wickedness despises God and attempts to

use His Word against Him, thus resulting in a punishment that is deserved. Mounce continues in

his commentary that, It is the quality of a persons life that provides the ultimate indication of

what that person really believes.22 How is the quality of a persons life determined? Through

their actions, which are an outpouring of their identity. Where is our identity found? I am the

Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end.23 If there is any doubt of

who this might be, it is our risen Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.24

We see a direct parallel to Revelation 7 in verse 14, stating that we are to wash our robes

in the blood of the One whom we just described in many ways. Craig S. Keener provides an

alternate interpretation of robe washing that works better for the purposes of supporting our

thesis:

We regard the summons to wash their robes as the likelier reading, based on more of the
textual evidence, but some prefer those who do his commandments, based on patristic
evidence and the rest of Revelation (see Stephen Goranson, The Text of Revelation
22:14, NTS 43 [1997]: 154-57).25

Those who do his commandments sounds a lot like obedience, thus Johns final beatitude

could be read, Blessed are those who obey, so that they may have the right to the tree of life and

22
Ibid., 407.
23
Rev. 22:13.
24
In Michaels commentary, he identifies similarities in verses 1:8, 1:17 and 21:6 stating that the attributes
presented are so intertwined that is undoubtedly Jesus speaking here. Christ formally presents himself in verse 16 as
another indication. Michaels, J. Ramsey. Revelation. The IVP New Testament Commentary Series. Downers Grove:
IVP, 1997. 252.
25
Keener, Craig S. Revelation. The NIV Application Commentary. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1999. 515.
 8

that they may enter the city by the gates. Isaiah 26:2 concludes that only the righteous and

faithful will open the gates. If we wash our robes and make them white in the blood of the lamb,

if we are faithfully obedient, we will obtain the key to our restoration, our new creation.26 Isaiah

56:10-11 does a great job at clarifying the wicked actions present within verse 15. Those outside

of the city know not love and are intent on personal gain, characteristics that consume the enemy.

They are blind shepherds, those who do not let anyone know when a threat is coming. They have

no sense of obedience and live on their own foundational principles, and without faithful

obedience to Christ, restoration is impossible.

SECURED PROMISE (v. 16-21)

Up to this point, we have expounded on two things that are restored because of our

faithful obedience to Christ: our worship and our allegiance. Now we will move into the final

section where we discuss our restored security. This section of text is reminiscent of a promise

throughout scripture: our eternal security through Christs great divine act on the cross. Jesus

will begin this section by identifying himself directly and continue voicing indirectly until He

personally proclaims that He is coming soon in verse 20. The reminder to stay obedient until the

end will not go away, but become overstressed. Let us examine why this is.

Right off the bat, in verse 16, Jesus addresses the fact that He has given plenty of warning

to the churches by means of carrier pigeon. The readers of this letter should have a pretty clear

26
Leaney explains, The first heaven and the first earth pass away (v.1), but it also sounds as if Christ is
renewing what is already there (v.5). On reflection, both are true. There is both continuity and discontinuity between
creation and the new creation. The word new itself implies this... It will be restored so that, in many ways, it will be
completely unlike the creation we are familiar with. But it will maintain some continuity with the old. Leaney,
Gareth. 2007. "Paradise Lost? Recapturing a Biblical Doctrine of the New Creation." Evangel 25, no. 3: 62-
66. Academic Search Premier, EBSCOhost (accessed March 24, 2017). 64-65.
 9

idea that Christ wants us to persevere to the end, to patiently endure the persecution that will

inevitably occur by following Him. Jesus then draws more claim to His sovereignty, which is

embellished in Numbers 24:17.27 He comes out of Jacob, expressing His humanity, a scepter

shall rise out of Israel, proclaiming His divinity, and He will crush Moab and break down the

sons of Sheth, asserting His power. Hebrews chapters 1 and 2 would also be important texts to

reference here as they proclaim the divinity and humanity of our King. All of this is important to

note as Jesus cannot save something He does not assume. If He was never truly made lower than

the angels and shared in our suffering as Hebrews proclaims, than the cross means nothing. But

because this truth is a reality, we can rest assured in the promise of our salvation.

Verse 17 delivers a three-fold invitation to come that carries salvific undertones. There

is some debate amongst scholars who the Spirit is specifically, whether the Holy Spirt or Spirit-

inspired prophets.28 Osbornes suggestion to combine the two options is probably the best way

to approach this debate, as the Spirit is inspiring something regardless. Osborne also continues to

expound on the bride stating that we should not just view this as the church current, but the New

Jerusalem as well.29 Zechariah 14:8 tells us that no matter the season of life we are in we can

come to the streams of living water for restoration. This could be an allusion to baptism, an

assumption that is supported by the mention of waters that will never dry up or become frozen in

27
The following quote from Blount explains our restored security in the eschatological relationship
acquired as obedient witnesses to the faith. Christ establishes one eschatological bona fide by laying claim to the
title bright morning star. Like the image of root, this term has also appeared earlier in relation to Christ. Christ
promised that the one who conquers (i.e., witnesses) will receive the morning star (2:28). The implication is that
such witnesses will enjoy an eschatological relationship with the one who is himself the morning star. The image
derives from Num. 24:17, a text that foretells the promise of a messianic leader who will crush those who oppose
Gods people. Blount, Brian K. Revelation: A Commentary. Louisville: Westminster, 2009. 411.
28
Osborne, Grant. Revelation. Baker Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament. Grand
Rapids: Baker, 2002. 793.
29
Ibid., 793-794.
 10

the Zechariah text, waters that are readily available at our expense. Isaiah 55:1 is another text to

help support the suggestions of deliverance in Christ, as it presumes that everyone who needs

nourishment can find it in the Lord. Our salvation is a gift freely given that we must be willing to

accept. We can choose to not partake of the living water, but we are doing ourselves a disservice

in this way. Pure nourishment is available we just need to simply Come.

Verses 18 and 19 shift our focus toward the listening issue once more, providing a final

warning to those who decide to mold the truth to their liking. The embellishment is present to

allow us to feel the weight of disobedience. The allusion of Jeremiah 25:13 will aid in this ten-

fold, as the text is driving the message loud and clear that treacherous things will happen to those

who alter the words of the prophecy of Revelation. The book of Jeremiah is a depressing and

frightening book. It is hard to determine why anyone would consider ever disobeying God again

after reading the words of the weeping prophet. It would be miserable to inherit all the penalties

announced by Jeremiah against the nations in this text. Gary Halls contribution to the book

Dragons, John, and Every Grain of Sand illuminates how Gods justice is manifested in the

Exodus plagues that are alluded to throughout the book of Revelation, as well as the severity of

their world ending impact. This provides support for the severity of Gods righteous judgment

concerning our disobedience. Halls article also provides an important insight regarding the

plagues as uncreation, which contrasts the new creation that King Jesus will usher in soon.30

We do not want to become uncreated, but restored to the image in which we were created.

There are a couple of Old Testament allusions worth noting concerning verse 19 of

Revelation 22. Genesis 2:9 is a call to obey all that has been written or commanded to inherit

30
Wood, Shane J. (ed.) Dragons, John, and Every Grain of Sand: Essays on the Book of Revelation. Joplin,
MO: College Press, 2011. 44.
 11

eternal life with the Father, the promise of restoration. We gain access to the tree of life in the

New Jerusalem through our patient endurance. Everything has been laid out before us, nothing

more is to be said. We are to take what we know and use it for the glory of God, building His

kingdom here on earth. Deuteronomy 29:20 reveals the wrathfulness of God, which is rooted in

love. If we simply embrace the love of God, we naturally obey Him, as His love consumes every

fiber of our being. In fact, His incessant love should scare us more than His wrathful nature.

There is no escaping the inexplicable pursuit of Gods love for us, the love He demonstrated so

vulnerably in His faithfulness to God.

CONCLUSION

It only seems appropriate to include the final two verses of the book of Revelation in the

conclusion of this essay. This should not be a means of disconnecting these verses from the

overall context of the previous section, rather they will be used to connect everything. Our

communal declaration of the steadfast return of Christ is a beautiful expression of our faithful

obedience. Verse 20 is doing just that, extending the invitation to come back to our King,

letting Him hear the combined voices of the saints yearning for Him to return. This practice of

collective prayer would have come natural for Johns audience. Eugene Peterson expounds on

this:

Come, Lord Jesus! often prayed in its Aramaic original, Maranatha! (1 Cor. 16:22) is
a basic Christian prayer. As Christ comes to us, there is always an element of surprise
that will cause us to cry out in delight, So that is what he meant. The unexpected puts a
keen edge on our expectations. No longer do we face the future with anxious questions on
chronology, but with the welcoming kairotic Come!31

31
Peterson, Eugene H. Reversed Thunder. San Francisco: HarperCollins, 1988. 194.
 12

The reverence we share for our Sovereign is rooted in our faithful obedience in Christ,

which ultimately ensures our restoration in a few different ways. These include our refurbished

worship, our revealed identity in Christ through our transformed actions, and our eternal security

consummated by an eschatological relationship none of us deserve. The hope of Christs return is

the only news we need to get us through each day. He will be making all things new and for

those who choose to be a part of the work of the kingdom will be allowed to participate in this

restoration. May His grace be with you, reader. May His grace be with all. Come, Lord Jesus!

Amen.

Word Count: 4301

 13

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Davis, Christopher A. Revelation. The College Press NIV Commentary. Joplin, MO: College
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Jenni, Ernst, and Claus Westermann. Theological Lexicon of the Old Testament. Peabody, MA:
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Kaplan, Kalman. 2011. "Obedience and Disobedience/Rebellion in Biblical Versus Greek

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 14

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