When one loves the Bible and its message and over the years of reading it cover to cover you start to grasp the Bible’s Message … in that there is one message and it’s all about God’s Rescue Plan to Redeem a people for Himself … there is a spiritual clapping and joy that cannot be overlooked. You see, God’s message to us is that in Genesis chapter 1 He outlines that a good God, created everything good. This included the human race.
Ge 1:31 God saw all that he had made, and it was very good.
In chapter 2 we find God focusing in on Him creating “man” and separating him from all other life by making him a spiritual being.
Gen 2:7 the LORD God formed the man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being.
This human being is the pinnacle of God’s creation for He made man to resemble Himself in morals, ethics, work, relationships, holiness
Ge 1:27 So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.
He also mandated man to rule the earth under His supreme Kingship.
Ge 1:28 God blessed them and said to them, “Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air and over every living creature that moves on the ground.”
Like all supreme rulers, God who is Lord and King of all gives man what we call a “Probationary Command.”
Ge 2:15 The LORD God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it. 16 And the LORD God commanded the man, “You are free to eat from any tree in the garden; 17 but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat of it you will surely die.”
Its plain to see failure meant death … where God intended that man live forever! Once we reach chapter 3:6-7 we find a chilling account of disobedience, failure and rebellion that because Adam was our substitute head and what he did affects the whole race:
Gen 3:6 When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it. She also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it. Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they realized they were naked; so they sewed fig leaves together and made coverings for themselves.
The result was God enacting punishment for disobedience.
Ge 3:22 And the LORD God said, “The man has now become like one of us, knowing good and evil. He must not be allowed to reach out his hand and take also from the tree of life and eat, and live forever.”
23 So the LORD God banished him from the Garden of Eden to work the ground from which he had been taken. 24 After he drove the man out, he placed on the east side of the Garden of Eden cherubim and a flaming sword flashing back and forth to guard the way to the tree of life.
In Revelation 22 we see the reversal of this. The first 6 verses are loaded with imagery and types to help us understand that the curse of Genesis 3 (Rev 22v3) is now removed and everyone washed in the precious Blood of the Lamb will see God’s face, have His identifying mark and serve Him, the Triune God forever in Glory (v3-4). The Radiance of God’s Glory will be such that “artificial light” will not be required for God’s Light (Jesus’ Words … “I am the Light of the World” will be true in Heaven as well) is all we need eternally (v5)! There we will reign with God forever … most likely meaning that as man was to reign on the earth under God before the fall, man now reigns together with Christ in the new heavens and earth. This is where the Sixth Beatitude in the Book of Revelation is found:
Rev 22:7 “Behold, I am coming soon! Blessed is he who keeps the words of the prophecy in this book.”
Notice …
Jesus Says He is Coming Soon
Our Lord expands on what the angel is sent to reveal that “must soon take place” (v6). Just in case you think that our Lord does not honour His promise … God’s time and our time are totally different.
2Pe 3:8 “With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day.”
And to be fair, Jesus comes as well when our life on this earth ends.
Christians are Happy and Congratulated When They Keep God’s Word
Remember that ALL of Scripture is God’s Word, including Revelation. So when Jesus is firstly speaking about Revelation, implied is all of the Bible.
Prophetically speaking, Jesus says He is coming again. This is the Day He ends life as we know it ushering in Judgment and Eternity … heaven or hell.
Faithful adherence to His Word is what makes the believer happy and is congratulated by the Lord Jesus for staying true to Scripture, His Will for His people.
All Mankind Have a Choice to Either Obey God’s Word or Reject it
Rev 22:10 Then he told me, “Do not seal up the words of the prophecy of this book, because the time is near. 11 Let him who does wrong continue to do wrong; let him who is vile continue to be vile; let him who does right continue to do right; and let him who is holy continue to be holy.”
God’s Word must be made available to all mankind. We thank God for raising up Bible translators, printers and Bible Houses where Bibles in most known languages are available, normally at discounted prices for people to access easily. We have evangelists and missionaries who labour tirelessly to get the Word (Gospel) to the ends of the earth.
Many will reject God’s Word and its teaching and continue in their godless, wicked ways.
God’s people will, however, do the right thing and follow His Word, progressing towards holiness and Christlikeness. Christians are people of the Book. We love it and use it and follow it. True at times we break God’s laws and requirements and return to Him through repentance and faith … but the Bible is key to our existence and transformation.
Dear Lord God Almighty, thank You for Your Word. Thank You that You have raised up people to make Your Word available to the people on this planet. Help me to use it correctly. Amen.