“I testify to everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book, if anyone adds to them, may God add to him the plagues which are written in this book. If anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, may God take away his part from the tree of life, and out of the holy city, which are written in this book.

He who testifies these things says, “Yes, I come quickly.” Amen! Yes, come, Lord Jesus.

The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with all the saints. Amen.”

Revelation 22:18-21

This incredible book with its vision of the Lord Jesus, the panoply of human history and the end times, finishes with a warning. 

If anyone should add or subtract to the vision of John about these things, then they will suffer great loss. John calls down the plagues written about in this book on the person who adds to it. These are the plagues of Egypt and more, as we have already studied in this book. God will add the plagues written about in this book, to the life of the person who adds to the truth of God or embellishes the truth for their own ends. 

If we should take away from this vision, then the Apostle prays that the part the person would play in the holy city would be taken away. There would be no tree of life, everlasting life or any part in the people of God for that person. Any blessings written about in this book would depart from the person who would take away from it. As Christian people do we pray for the protection of the Word of God that it will go forward uncontaminated and pure? Do we pray for those who speak it, that they will be true to the Word and present the gospel clearly and without error? If the Word is contaminated and the gospel is murky, then the people do not hear the Word of God at all! How will they hear without the preacher, or how will they believe without the truth? 

To add or take away is to add or detract from the Word of God and to seek to change the will of God, which is the work of the enemy, the Antichrist and his abominable spirit that seeks to infiltrate human hearts, is to deny the Words of God and contaminate the Scripture. 

Since no child of God would seek this, no child of God would do such a thing. If we are truly the Lord’s people we cannot lose our salvation or lose our place in the heavenly city. The Lord Jesus is called the “Faithful and True” and so also are the people of God. We follow Him and His words and obey them and take the comfort from them. This book shuts out of heaven all those who are liars and who embrace falsehood, which is not the Person who loves Christ and obeys Him. No spiritually alive person will be untrue to the Word, because the Sprit of God dwells in them and witnesses to them of truth and error. Those who love Christ will revere His Word and love it also. 

We could argue that commentaries add to the Word…

Commentaries are only comments by people about the meaning and interpretation of passages of Scripture, they are not Scripture no matter who writes them! They are personal reactions to the Word of God and the desire to share them with other people. They are written by Christians people and therefore have the direction of the Holy Spirit and the total respect for what God is saying to us. 

I hope this commentary will help people to access this incredible book and dispel doubts and fears about it and the future for the person who loves God and belongs in the heavenly kingdom. We take great comfort from the words we have read and give the glory and honour to our Lord Jesus who has accomplished all these things for our sake and who is the Saviour of our souls and the lover of our hearts. 

Our constant cry to the Lord is that He will come quickly to release us from our chains and the bondage of sin that we still feel and fight. We cry to Him to take His waiting people home to heaven, and that the vision will be completed. 

There is still time, Beloved, if you are really not in the fold of the kingdom as yet. Do not delay, for He will not delay His coming. Don’t be found in your sin and shame when He comes, and you miss out on the great marriage supper of the Lamb and the glorious crowning day of the people of God. 

May His grace be with us and keep us to the end…

“He who testifies these things says, “Yes, I come quickly.” Amen! Yes, come, Lord Jesus.

The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with all the saints. Amen.”