The Hallelujah Chorus

Today we read of the blessed hope of the second and final coming of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. The older I get and the more I appreciate the imperfection of this present world, the more earnestly I desire the finality of Christ's coming in glory at the end of the age. To be sure, this hope has some form or another in every creed, even the atheistic ones! You see, the dominant humanist hopes of the twentieth century have their own hope for an earthly paradise free from conflict and sin.

Like the Russian socialists, they mean to have their paradise, even if they have to legalize every possible sin and suppress every single person of any faith. Oh how the secularists dream of the paradise they hope to shape by molding every human through the non-cultural conditioning of their "publik skools" and sordid humanistic programs. Never mind that the humanistic perfections require the regular sacrifice of humans too young, too sick or too old to protest their demise. Some of the extremists even paint a picture of a naturalistic pristine planet returned to the wildlife. Exactly where any people fit into that picture has yet to be explained.

The Apostle John and all the Fathers and Doctors of Christ's true church would encourage us to hope for the coming of a more heavenly kingdom.

Verses one through four show us the establishment of the God's final heavenly order. And the key truth here is that "Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people. God Himself will be with them and be their God..." Isn't that a vivid contrast to the popular world view where every notion is to suppress any knowledge of the reality and actual spiritual presence of God?

In verses five through eight God Himself speaks. Notice the present tense in verse five "I make all things new". Certainly we know that this will happen at the end. However, we should consider that God is still active in the affairs of earth and even now He is working towards the finalization of His plans. The worldly will not always have their day. Even the worst abuser of the laws of the land has only two years until he will be as common as the rest of us again! If there is any natural law left, we may even see it take its proper course?

In verse six God announces that "they are done". The plural reference in the NIV here, is to all of the events which must take place within His providence. He follows that announcement with a declaration and a promise. He who is the author of all human history from beginning to end will reward those who thirst for His truth and righteousness from the spring of the water of life. In verse seven we are assured that believers will inherit all things. By contrast verse eight describes the fate of the wicked. And that eternal fate is terrible indeed.

The next section in this passage, which we have skipped over this week, includes verses nine through twenty-one. Here is described the Holy City, the Bride of Christ, or as we should understand it: the glorified Church.

Then in the last six verses of chapter twenty-one we read about the holy otherness of the heavenly kingdom. Just as we do not really fully comprehend the indwelling of the Holy Spirit in ourselves, so too all of the heavenly images used by John can only give us a hint our presence in the glory of the heavenly city. Is it enough to know that all of the imperfections of this present life will finally be left behind?

Some of my secular acquaintances are finally having vocational troubles in the world about ten years later than I suffered them. What keeps me going, they sometimes wonder? I guess my accommodation with the world is simple now in the extreme. I no longer expect anything from a secular vocation except a regular paycheck and the free time outside of work that I can invest in better, more heavenly things. That arrangement of my commitments has kept me sane and happy for ten years now and unless Congress steals my retirement account, I have only four and a half years to slave away at lesser things. Unless, and this is the blessed hope we should cultivate ... unless Christ shall come again in the meantime. More and more I take a great comfort in Revelation 22: 7 "Behold, I am coming quickly."

The Apostle John was so overcome by this promise that he mistakenly attempts to worship at the feet of an Angel. The Angel quickly points out the inappropriateness in that accord. That is a lesson much needed in our time when angels are more than popular decorations. In one home, the lady of the house has a large figurine of an angel hanging over and above pictures of all her children. Many people talk about their guardian angels, and the most popular show on television is concerned with the role of such spiritual beings. The star of the show is even looked up to as a heroine angel herself. Never mind that that star appeared recently in another television rendition of new age heresy, where she presided over a holiday meal with pagan prayers to mother earth! I didn't hear any more than that because I zapped my way to another channel where choreographed thugs were bouncing all over the arena.

Isn't it a sad commentary on what is available on forty channels when the best you can find is Hulk Hogan? ... Well, maybe he can play in the White House next century and improve that place of entertainment as well! We all know there are better things to do until Christ comes. And John shows us that other calling, which is to be obedient as we prepare for His coming. See that second phrase of verse seven? "Blessed is he who keeps the words of the prophecy in this book."

There are also words of warning in verse eleven. Some will continue their present course and continue in sin. But others will continue to follow our Christ. And those who do will find comfort in verse twelve. "And behold, I am coming quickly, and my reward is with Me,"

A little further along in verse fourteen we find the blessing reserved for the elect. "Blessed are those who wash their robes". Yes, that is what the Greek implies in its present tense which is captured best in the NIV translation. "Be washing" is our charge. I remember when I was little, the four children in my family were newly washed and ready for Church. Mom and Dad sat us down and told us to stay clean while they put on their good clothes. Within five minutes someone found a mud puddle to wade in. None of the rest of us dared go drag him out! When Mom came out there was one of my brothers with his dirty socks off washing them in the tank of water used to cool the milk cans. He said, "I be washing!"

So our Lord should find us. "Be washing!" Certainly we are saved once and for all and cleansed from sin by our Lord Jesus Christ. However, we so easily defile ourselves day by day as we live in the pressures of this world, that it is necessary for us to be cleansed continually. "Be washing!" If we are found in this activity we are promised the right to the tree of life and that we will be allowed through the gates of the heavenly city.

But be warned, there are several types of people who are locked out. They are described in verse fifteen. These people are not ready for Christ's coming. A while back a student asked me at the end of class one day what I wanted more than anything else. I answered that I wanted Christ to come again immediately. He choked and said he hoped not, because he wasn't anywhere near ready. Please don't want that he said! But this is to be our desire as we see in verse seventeen.

The words there in verse fifteen should also be translated slightly different like the phrase "Be washing" we should read "Be coming!" "Be coming" that is the ardent prayer to which the bride is moved by the Holy Spirit. And we are invited to join in the chorus as well. And who is invited? Whoever is thirsty, whoever wishes! The gift of sovereign grace is free for those called by the Spirit! This is the love of God, so touching and tender, which is addressed here to all those who have been made conscious of the need of living water. This is the gospel message to which we are solemnly charged to neither add to nor subtract from.

Do you accept these words of the apostle? Are you ready to earnestly pray the prayer at the end of verse twenty? "Come, Lord Jesus." If you are not quite that far into the heavenly kingdom, are you at least willing ask Him into your heart so that you can prepare for His coming? If you are at least willing to pray that request we may affirm the benediction of the last words of the Bible. "The grace of the Lord Jesus be with God's people." Here we may see that all who are willing to submit their will and life to Jesus Christ will receive His grace.

Amen.

Resources Used:
     Brooks, Richard.          Welwyn Commentary Series: The Lamb is all the Glory.
     Elliott, Delber H.        The Gospel According to Revelation.
     Hendrickson, William.     More Than Conquerors.
     Lockyer, Herbert.         All the Promises of the Bible.
     Morris, Leon.             Tyndale New Testament Commentaries: Revelation of St John.

Places Preached:
     Christ Covenant REFORMED  (Presbyterian Church in America)
                               Box PO Box 13926 -- Columbus, OH  43213
                               TKC05         27 December 98