Глава XXII

Image of the river and tree of life in the new Jerusalem (1–2); the bliss of the righteous in the complete absence of everything sinful (3–5). Conclusion to the Apocalypse, consisting of instructions on how to relate to the Divine revelation received (6–10); an indication of the imminent coming of the Lord and the need for vigilance (11–17); admonition from the person of John and from the Lord Jesus Christ Himself. Good wishes (18–21). Rev.22:1. And he showed me a pure river of the water of life, clear as crystal, coming from the throne of God and the Lamb. Rev.22:2. In the midst of its street, and on both sides of the river, is the tree of life, bearing fruit twelve times, yielding its fruit every month; and the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations. Rev.22:3. And nothing will be cursed anymore; but the throne of God and of the Lamb will be in it, and His servants will serve Him. Rev.22:4. And they will see His face, and His name will be on their foreheads. Rev.22:5. And there will be no night there, and they will have no need of a lamp or the light of the sun, for the Lord God illuminates them; and they will reign forever and ever. The vision of chapter XXII, although it refers to the same new Jerusalem, concerns that side of it in which the life of its inhabitants is revealed. John sees the water of life flowing through the city from the throne of the Lamb; its water will be the very drink that will quench the thirst of the inhabitants of the new Jerusalem. The banks of this river are lined with the tree of life, the fruits of which will feed the inhabitants. Even the leaves of this tree will be suitable for consumption with benefits for the body (healing - in the sense of a further stage of perfection). The image of the blessed life given in v. 1 and 2 ends with new concrete features that strengthen the truth that the future blessed life of all its participants will be completely alien and free from all evil and sin: in the new kingdom there will be no cursed person. The new kingdom will be exclusively the Kingdom of God, which will consist of the closest communication of God with His glorified servants. Closeness to God and this contemplation of Him as a result of proximity will be reflected in the very life of the blessed, as if in their appearance: “His name will be on their foreheads” (cf. Rev. 4:3). In the future kingdom, man's original relationship with nature will be restored again. The blessed will then appear as true kings of a renewed nature, which will submit to them not groaning (Rom. 8:22), but freely and willingly. Then everything will be glorified by God: God is above everything and everyone, people and Angels are above external nature. Rev.22:6. And he said to me: these words are true and true; and the Lord God of the holy prophets sent His angel to show His servants what was soon to happen. Rev.22:7. Behold, I am coming quickly: blessed is he who keeps the words of the prophecy of this book. Rev.22:8. I, John, saw and heard this. When I heard and saw, I fell at the feet of the Angel showing me this to worship him; Starting from Art. 6, there is a conclusion to the entire Apocalypse. In conclusion, for everything he perceived, John hears special instructions on how to treat him. The mediating angel (Rev. 19:9, 21:5) notes that everything seen and heard is correct and true. This revelation, appointed for all His servants, even though it may seem strange and unrealizable, will take place soon, that is, as necessary by Divine predestination. On behalf of Jesus Christ Himself, 96 the Mediating Angel speaks of His imminent coming, the thought of which should attune and encourage a person to think about the Last Judgment. Therefore, blessed is he who remembers all the words of the apocalyptic revelation and arranges his life in accordance with them. John bowed to the Angel as he communicated the Divine revelation, since the last words were spoken by the Angel on behalf of Jesus Christ Himself, and John accepted him, if not for Jesus Christ Himself, then for His representative. But the Angel rejected this worship, calling himself a simple fellow servant. Rev.22:9. but he said to me: see that you do not do this; For I am a fellow servant with you and with your brothers the prophets and with them who keep the words of this book; Worship God. Rev.22:10. And he said to me, “Do not seal up the words of the prophecy of this book; for the time is near. Rev.22:11. Let the unrighteous still do injustice; let the unclean one still become unclean; let the righteous still do righteousness, and let the holy one still be sanctified. Rev.22:12. Behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to give to everyone according to his deeds. Rev.22:13. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the First and the Last. Rev.22:14. Blessed are those who keep His commandments, that they may have the right to the tree of life and to enter into the city through the gates. Rev. 22:15. And outside are dogs, and sorcerers, and fornicators, and murderers, and idolaters, and everyone who loves and practices iniquity. Rev.22:16. I, Jesus, have sent My Angel to testify to you this in the churches. I am the root and descendant of David, the bright and morning star. Rev.22:17. Both the Spirit and the bride say: come! And let him who hears say come! Let him who is thirsty come, and let him who desires take the water of life freely. Rev.22:18. And I also testify to everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: If anyone adds anything to them, God will add to him the plagues that are written in this book; Rev.22:19. and if anyone takes away anything from the words of the book of this prophecy, God will take away his part from the book of life and from the holy city and from what is written in this book. Rev.22:20. He who testifies to this says: Hey, I am coming quickly! Amen. Hey, come, Lord Jesus! Everything seen and heard, being written down in a book, should not be hidden (sealed); Christians must conform their lives to this. Let people remember that they will not remain for long, if possible, in the same conditions of activity. The time is near when these conditions will change, for then retribution will come. Only those who keep God's commandments will be blessed; yet others will remain outside the Kingdom of God. To John, and through him to all readers of the Apocalypse, Jesus Christ addresses himself with confirmation of the truth of the communicated revelation and points to His personal authority. He is a direct descendant of David. He is the bright morning star, that is, the foundation of Christian hope for the coming of the eternal day of the future kingdom. Therefore, the entire Christian Church (bride), guided by the Holy Spirit, must cry out to Him with a prayer: “come.” Each individual believer should make the same prayer, becoming like a thirsty person. Jesus Christ once again refers to the book of the Apocalypse, to the prophecies in it, and warns against any distortion of it: such a person will lose participation in the book of life, in eternal bliss. Rev.22:21. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen. Finishing his book, St. John already on his own behalf, like Apostle. Paul, conveys his good wishes to the readers: “The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen." You might be interested in: