Revelation 22:6 starts the conclusion of the book and of John’s revelation. “And he said to me, These words are reliable and true. And the Lord, the God of the spirits of the prophets, has sent His messenger to make known to His servants the things that must quickly come to pass.”
I have to explain the word “quickly” above. The word is tacheos, translated “soon” in most translations. “Soon” is used to indicate something in the near future. Yet, as already discussed, no man knows when these events will take place. And, it has been nearly 2,000 years since John wrote Revelation. The word should probably be more accurately rendered “quickly”. The idea is that the series of future events described in this book will begin quickly, with the element of unexpected surprise (the same sense is seen in Revelation 22:7, 12, 20 with reference to the Lord’s return).
The conclusion of Revelation starts out in a similar fashion to the beginning. Compare what John says in 1:1-3 and 22:7-10. And let me clarify the statement “for the time is near” found in 1:3 and 22:10 (the KJV has “the time is at hand”). When John wrote this around AD 95, he says, “the time is near”. We have to realize that Revelation is an account of events that are to happen in the order that John gives us; and that they start in his day with the description of the churches during this age (chapters 1-3), then the things that will happen from the rapture to the second coming (chapters 4-19) and finally the Millennium and the New earth (chapters 20-22). So, when John wrote this he knew that part of what he was writing was already happening.
But, I have to put myself in John’s shoes for a moment. In 1:10 John says that he was “in the spirit”, meaning he was totally submitted to the Holy Spirit. In 1:11 he’s told to write down what he is seeing, which was a vision of Christ recorded in verses 12-16. In 1:19 he’s told to write what he has seen (the vision); the things, which are (the conditions of the churches during this age); then the things that must be hereafter (future events). In my mind, the vision of Christ would have been fantastic. The description of the churches would have been interesting and instructive, important. But then you come to 4:1 where the Lord tells John, “Come up here, and I will show you the things that must take place in the future.” Then John finds himself in the midst of the sights and sounds that are the worship scene in heaven, then the events that run from the rise of antichrist in 6:1 through the tribulation to the New Jerusalem descending to earth in 21:2. John sees the events that shape eternity, that change the world we know into the world we yearn for.
Verse 11 is a warning that comes in the context of verses 7 and 10. In verse 7 the Lord urges us to lay to heart the truths found in this book. Then in verse 10 the He tells John not to keep this revelation secret and that the things described here have already begun to unfold. Taken together, He conveys a sense of serious urgency. Then verse 11 He warns that those who disregard the truths found here will not get a second chance. Those who are “unjust” (adikeo, unrighteous, or unwilling to follow God) and those who are “filthy” (rhuparos, used metaphorically to describe those who willingly allowed themselves to be ruled by their flesh) will remain unjust and filthy for eternity and suffer the consequences. And those who are righteous and holy will remain righteous and holy for all eternity and enjoy the blessings. It reinforces what is found in all of scripture and is found in the short statement that is Hebrews 9:27, “It is appointed to man once to die, and after that the judgment.”
In verse 12 we see the statement “I come quickly, and will bring My reward with Me to give to each one what his actions merit.” This is what Paul describes in I Corinthians 3:11-15. Then verse 13 is the same as 1:8. Jesus Christ is the beginning and the end. He planned the ages of time and is carrying them out exactly as He planned, as this series of lessons has attempted to explain.
In verse 14 we see more emphasis on the tree of life. As already discussed, it seems access to the tree of life is necessary to sustain life for both the living nations in natural bodies and redeemed saints in new, spirit bodies. This verse promises the tree of life to those who keep the words of this book, just as verse 15 promises those who disregard the words of this book will not be granted this access. Again, this warning is to those of John’s day and to those living in this age.
Of course verse 17 is an invitation to all to come to Christ. He is the water of life (John 4:10-14, 7:37-38). Then verses 18-19 are a final warning not to change this revelation by adding or taking anything away from the words of this book. It is interesting to see one more reference to the tree of life in verse 19. The KJV has “book of life” for some unexplained reason. Most other translations correct it and have “tree of life”. Those who take away from the words of this book of prophecy, God will take away his part out of the tree of life and out of the holy city and from the things promised in this book.
Verse 20 is the last promise in the Scriptures, “Surely, I come quickly.” “Surely” is from nai, usually translated “yea” or the more contemporary “yes”. So it should probably read, “Yes, I am coming quickly.” “Quickly” is the same as what is seen earlier in verse 6, conveying the idea of unexpected surprise.