The tree of life...is a reward

Revelation 22:12-14
“Look, I am coming soon, and My reward is with Me to repay each person according to his work…Blessed are those who wash their robes, so that they may have the right to the tree of life…

Based upon the context within the book of Revelation, we saw last time that to wash their robes was something that the believer did and was responsible for – to do what the Lord commands and live a life that He approves of.

From these verses in Chapter 22, we see that Jesus is proclaiming a specific blessing, a reward for those who wash their robes…but what is it?

that they may have the right to the tree of life

I would venture to say that most Christians immediately equate eating from the tree of life with having eternal life.  They would likely base that assumption from Genesis, when God was casting Adam and Eve out of the garden of Eden:

Genesis 3:22
The Lord God said, “Since the man has become like one of us, knowing good and evil, he must not reach out, take from the tree of life, eat, and live forever.”

However, as we’ve seen before, we must interpret Scripture first by the book it is in (the author’s context) before looking at the rest of the Bible for context.  So what does John say about the tree of life in the rest of Revelation?

In Jesus’ letter to the believers at Ephesus, He said

Revelation 2:7
To the one who conquers, I will give the right to eat from the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God.

Within the last words of the book, John also gives this warning:

Revelation 22:19
And if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God will take away his share of the tree of life and the holy city…

From these two sections we clearly see that the right to the tree of life can be earned, and it can be lost.  Rewards are like that; however, salvation from our sins and the gift of eternal life from Christ is not.  We cannot earn eternal life, nor can we lose it – because our eternal security depends upon Christ alone.

So how do we rectify what John is clearly teaching in Revelation (that eating from the tree of life is a reward) with what God says in Genesis (that eating from the tree of life causes man to live forever)?

The key difference between the two situations is the physical body of the person.  If Adam and Eve, in their earthly, natural bodies had eaten from the tree of life, then its fruit would have sustained their original bodies for eternity.  However, in the New Jerusalem, all inhabitants will have new resurrected bodies, just like Jesus.  These new bodies are given by God, are not corrupted by sin, and will not need to be “sustained” by food – these bodies do not need anything added to them to be given eternal life, because God made them to live eternally!

So if our resurrected bodies don’t need the tree of life to live forever…why should I care if I eat some of its fruit?

A few verses back in Revelation 22, John made this observation:

Revelation 22:2
The tree of life was on each side of the river, bearing twelve kinds of fruit, producing its fruit every month.  The leaves of the tree are for healing the nations

So from across Revelation we find these observations about the tree of life: New fruit every month, the tree is located in the paradise of God, and is only made available as a reward.  In addition to these personal-reward qualities, we see that there is some applicational reward as well – the leaves of the tree are for healing of the nations.  Truthfully, I have always been intrigued by that statement, and I expectantly wonder at what, exactly, participating in the healing of the nations will entail.

This understanding of the tree of life as a reward also fits in perfectly with the larger context we’ve been observing in Revelation – that the believers who partner with God now in this life will have earned the reward of greater partnerships in the next life.

Blessed are those who wash their robes, so that they may have the right to the tree of life…

Keep Pressing,
Ken

A Christian's wash cycle

The closing of Revelation contains these last words from Jesus:

Revelation 22:12-13
“Look, I am coming soon, and My reward is with Me to repay each person according to his work.  I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end.”

Christ is clearly not speaking of salvation from sins here, what He’s describing pertains to the reward for how a Christian has chosen to live life on earth.  Jesus then states what that choice looks like and what the future rewards could be:

Revelation 22:14
“Blessed are those who wash their robes, so that they may have the right to the tree of life and may enter the city by the gates.”

There’s quite a bit going on in that statement, so let’s break it down into pieces that we can evaluate and understand.

Blessed are those who wash their robes

To fully understand this phrase, we’ll need to once again look within the context of Revelation.

The phrase “wash their robes” appears within the book only one other time, when John is being instructed by one of the elders:

Revelation 7:14
Then he told me: These are the ones coming out of the great tribulation.  They washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.

A few chapters later during the wedding feast of the Lamb, we are told this about the Bride:

Revelation 19:8
She was given fine linen to wear, bright and pure.  For the fine linen represents the righteous acts of the saints.

Also helpful to our understanding is looking at the similar language Jesus used when He was dictating the letters to the believers at each of the seven churches in the beginning of the book:

To the church in Sardis, Jesus said:

Revelation 3:4-5
But you have a few people in Sardis who have not defiled their clothes, and they will walk with Me in white, because they are worthy.  In the same way, the one who conquers will be dressed in white clothes…

And to the church in Laodicea, Jesus said:

Revelation 3:18
I advise you to buy from Me…white clothes so that you may be dressed

All these references, taken together, give us a rich context to understand what Jesus meant during the final chapter:

The washing of the robes is something the believer does.
To have unsoiled, or white, clothes is representative of a believer’s godly actions.
The garments are a reward from Christ, and are “purchased” by the believer’s actions.

Other translations render the phrase Blessed are those who wash their robes as Blessed are those who do His commandments.  Now this makes sense and is relatable…the more I do His commandments, the more I act like Christ, and the more I rightly live a life that God rewards.

But how, exactly, are we to “wash” our robes?  How do we keep them from being soiled, or better yet, if we dirty our clothes, how do we clean them?

I’m certain that John would give us the same advice he gave to other believers:

1 John 1:9
If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

This is the washing cycle of our lives:

We do His commands, and when we fail, we ask God to forgive – and He does.  With all unrighteousness removed and our fellowship with Christ restored, we are empowered to do His commands once again.  And when we fail, we ask God to forgive – and He does.

Lather. Rinse. Repeat.

Blessed are those who wash their robes

Keep Pressing,
Ken

Who does Jesus say He is?

You had to walk to get anywhere in Bible times.  As they went from town to town, Jesus and his disciples did a lot of walking.  I’m certain that this travel-time was also prime teaching-time.

Matthew 16:13-15
When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi, He asked His disciples, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?”  They replied, “Some say John the Baptist; others, Elijah; still others, Jeremiah or one of the prophets.”

“But you,” He asked them, “who do you say that I am?”

How would you answer? 

Would you say that he is the Creator? – Because he is (John 1:3).
Would you say that he is the fulfillment of God’s prophecy? – Because he is (Luke 24:44)
Would you say what Peter answered?

Matthew 16:16
Simon Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.”

At the close of Revelation, Jesus answers the question Himself…

Revelation 22:12
“Look, I am coming soon, and My reward is with Me to repay each person according to his work.”

Soon He will fulfill His promise to return…and when He does, Jesus will come with the authority and the right to reward believers for their choices in this life and non-believers for their rejection of who He is.

Jesus then makes a three-fold statement that validates His authority to do so.  All three statements come to the same point – that He rules over all.

Revelation 22:13
I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end.

Alpha and Omega were the first and last letters of the Greek alphabet.  So, in our terms, Christ is claiming to be “the A to the Z” and by inference, everything in between.  He is the one who initiates and completes humanity’s destiny.

A few verses later, Jesus has this to say about himself:

Revelation 22:16
“I, Jesus, have sent My angel to attest these things to you for the churches.  I am the root and descendant of David, the bright morning star.”

These statements are similar to what Jesus said earlier.  Here again, we see Jesus’ authority as He has command of the angels.  He also states that He was the cause of David’s greatness (as “the Root”) and the fulfillment of the Davidic covenant promises (as “the Descendant”).  Just like all of humanity, Israel’s first great king also found his beginning and end in Christ.

The morning star is the brightest star that shines just before the dawn, and was considered to be the star which announced a new day.  This word picture is a perfect representation of who Christ is at the close of human history.  Jesus is the brightest star in all Creation, and He is announcing the dawn of a new future, an eternity for us to partner with Him.

This.  This is who Christ says He is.

Keep Pressing,
Ken

The Christian life, in 3 steps. Seriously. (part 3)

The author of Hebrews gave his readers a three step description of what Christian living looks like.  Each step begins with the phrase “let us”.  After drawing near to God and then holding on to our reliance on Him, the next step is this:

Hebrews 10:24-25
And let us watch out for one another to provoke love and good works, not neglecting to gather together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging each other, and all the more as you see the day approaching.

We can’t do this alone.  We need to be watching out for one another.

How many times have you heard (…or said) the following:

I don’t need to go to church.  I can be with God just fine by myself out in nature.
I don’t need to go to church.  Everyone there is a judgmental hypocrite.
I don’t need to go to church.  I don’t really get much out of it.

The problem with this line of thinking is that it is very, very self-centered.

What if we viewed our weekly gatherings as an opportunity to help others in God’s family?  Try this line of thinking instead:

I need to go to church because a little boy needs to know that God loves him.
I need to go to church because a teenage girl needs to know that God accepts her, just as she is.
I need to go to church because a struggling mom needs a smile and someone to talk to.
I need to go to church because a man doubting his marriage needs reassured in order to keep at it.

I need to go to church because we will all encourage each other while we wait for Jesus to return.

We must watch out for and encourage each other.  The perspective we develop when we give Godly encouragement is just as important as the perspective we develop when we receive Godly encouragement.

The rest of the Scriptures certainly bear this out, too:

Acts 20:35
…remember the words of the Lord Jesus, because He said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’

Proverbs 11:25
A generous person will be enriched, and the one who gives a drink of water will receive water.

Mark 10:45
For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.

If we’re going to live the Christian life…If we’re going to live the Christ-like life…then we need to take the focus off of ourselves.  Encouraging each other is a great way to put our focus on others.

Hebrews 10:24-25
And let us watch out for one another to provoke love and good works, not neglecting to gather together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging each other, and all the more as you see the day approaching.

Keep Pressing,
Ken

Warnings and Preparedness

Natural disasters have dominated the headlines lately – from Harvey to Irma to the fires out West.  If you are not directly affected, there is a good chance you know someone who is.  The hurricanes, especially Irma, have left me marveling at how well prepared we can be when it comes to natural disasters.  Not that long ago, we would have had no clue about the impending danger.  But in our lifetime, the state of Florida just performed the largest mass-exodus in US history, and those that couldn’t leave were given ample warning to prepare themselves for the impending storm.

But why was everyone on high alert?  Because they were warned by someone who had a better vantage point then those on the ground.  Satellite images and projections dominated the news broadcasts.  Prominent politicians repeatedly warned their constituents.  Local police and fire fighters went door-to-door, warning people of the danger.  No one knew the exact hour the hurricane would hit, but those who had seen the satellite images knew that without a doubt, the hurricane was coming.

Even still, some did not heed the warnings.  In the hours leading up to Irma’s landfall, I remember watching one live-on-scene news reporter discussing the worsening conditions – and in the background, you could see people out surfing the increasingly angry waves.  ‘Foolish’ would be a mild descriptive term for these people.

The concept of ‘preparedness’ also got me thinking about our lives, in general.  Jesus promised that He would return for us.  However, when He described His impending return to His disciples, it was as much a promise as it also was a warning.  Jesus was constantly telling them, ”Be prepared for my return”.  Here’s just one example:

Matthew 24:36-39, 42
Now concerning that day and hour no one knows – neither the angels in heaven, nor the Son – except the Father only.  As the days of Noah were, so the coming of the Son of Man will be.  For in those days before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day Noah boarded the ark.  They didn’t know until the flood came and swept them all away.  So this is the way the coming of the Son of Man will be…Therefore be alert, since you don’t know what day your Lord is coming.

We’re going to spend some time looking at what Jesus had to say about how He expected His disciples to be alert and ready to see Him again.  While we may not know the exact time for Him to return, we can certainly take steps now to be prepared for it.  We don’t want to be one of the ones who continue to drift through life as if there is always going to be a ‘tomorrow’ just like every day that has come before it…because at some point, there won’t be.

Jesus is coming back, that much is certain.  Our journey through the implications of His return is not meant to scare anyone into ‘proper’ behavior; rather, we will make sure that the promise – and warning – of His return is fully understood.  So as we start this journey, I ask for both me and you:

If Christ’s return was today, what would the face to face introduction be like?  Are we prepared to meet Him, or would we be ashamed at His coming?

Keep Pressing,
Ken

Unfulfilled promises (part 2)

After being asked when the kingdom of God would come, Jesus informed His disciples that life would go on for some time before days of the Son of Man would arrive.  He used several examples of what life would be like in the meantime, with an emphasis on the suddenness of the Son of Man’s arrival:

Luke 17:26-30 Just as it was in the days of Noah, so it will be in the days of the Son of Man: people went on eating, drinking, marrying and giving in marriage until the day Noah boarded the ark, and the flood came and destroyed them all.

It will be the same as it was in the days of Lot: people went on eating, drinking, buying, selling, planting, building.  But on the day Lot left Sodom, fire and sulfur rained from heaven and destroyed them all.  It will be like that on the day the Son of Man is revealed.

The Jews were anticipating the Kingdom of God within their lifetime.  Jesus knew that this new information would be disappointing for his disciples to hear.

Luke 18:1 He then told them a parable on the need for them to pray always and not become discouraged.

After telling the disciples the parable, Jesus concluded with a couple of questions:

Luke 18:7-8 “Will not God grant justice to His elect who cry out to Him day and night?  Will He delay to help them?  I tell you that He will swiftly grant them justice. 

Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will He find that faith on earth?”

When Jesus returns, will He find those that are expectantly praying and living in preparation for His arrival?  Since Jesus pointed out that His return will come suddenly, are we preparing ourselves for the possibility that our generation will be the one He returns to?

Our instructions for preparation are the same that Jesus gave to His disciples – that no matter how normal, mundane, or disheartening the circumstances around us become, we need to pray always and not become discouraged.  God will follow through on His promises…but do our choices show that we believe Him when He says that Christ will return?

Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will He find that faith on earth?

Keep Pressing,
Ken

Looking forward

As believers, how do we manage the battle that goes on inside us?  Paul made the perceptive observation in his letter to the Christians living in Rome:

Romans 7:19 For what I do is not the good I want to do; no, the evil I do not want to do – this I keep on doing.

It wasn’t just the Christians in Rome who struggled with this.  Paul also addressed how to deal with this inner turmoil in his letter to Titus:

Titus 2:12-13 [The grace of God] teaches us to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age

I think we all want to say “No” to the things we know aren’t good for us.  Living a life that is self-controlled, upright, and godly certainly seems like an attractive alternative…but we also have some doubts about that kind of life.  We wonder things like “Can I really live like that?” and “Is a godly life truly fulfilling?” and “What if it’s hard, or even boring?”

It’s at this point that many of us just try a little bit, lose the fight a few times, and then check out.  We entertain thoughts that sound a lot like “I gave it my best shot” or “I’m too much of a mess to have any significant change” or “Maybe I’m not cut out for this Christian life like other people seem to be”.

When we have discouraging times like these, we’ll find us glaring at ourselves in the moment.  We have a very limited perspective because we are narrowly focusing on a particular failure, or even characterizing our past as “bad” due to our present failures.  Instead of looking back, we need to look forward.  We need to broaden our view to include God’s future plan for us, both individually and for all of us who trust him as our Savior. 

But if I should look forward, then what I should look forward to?  What event am I waiting for, what am I hoping will someday happen that will actually be “good”?

Titus 2:12-13 [The grace of God] teaches us to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age, while we wait for the blessed hope – the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ,

When we fail, when we say “Yes” to the ungodliness and worldly passions within us, the last thing we need to do is wallow in our sin and self-pity.  Instead, look forward to Christ’s coming.  God’s grace – the gift of Christ himself – continues to work in you even after accepting him as Savior.  In the very next verse, Paul reminds Titus that it was Jesus

Titus 2:14 who gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good. 

Jesus has not abandoned us to figure out this Christian life all on our own.  His mission is twofold – redemption of sinners and purification of his people.  Today’s failures do not negate his purpose toward you.

So, what do we look forward to, what event are we waiting for?  Keeping our eyes on his coming keeps us focused on Jesus, remembering that we are a people that are his very own, and that he is actively training us to be eager to do what is good.

Keep Pressing,
Ken