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Well again, good morning. Please turn in your Bibles to Revelation chapter 22. I'll be reading from verses 10 through 13. Revelation chapter 22, beginning in verse 10. And he said to me, Do not seal up the words of the prophecy of this book, for the time is near.

Let the one who does wrong still do wrong, and the one who is filthy still be filthy. And let the one who is righteous still practice righteousness, and the one who is holy still keep himself holy. Behold, I am coming quickly, and my reward is with me, to render to every man according to what he has done.

I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end. Well, welcome back to Revelation. We're in the concluding thoughts, and I am excited to finish out this book here in the next few weeks. We had a very rich experience in Turkey and in Greece, and look forward To sharing some of that with you, maybe even starting tonight with some of the thoughts.

But it is good to come back into Revelation and re-enter, and really, even if it's just to exit. But the issues that the churches in Asia Minor, which is where we spent a good bit of time these last few weeks, looking at these cities and places where these churches met, and wow, what we have studied and what we have been seeing in Revelation was so alive in their generation: the emperor worship, the paying the tribute to the Roman generals and really then emperors who set themselves up as God to be worshipped and expected tribute to be paid to them.

They were living this out, where the leaders, the Roman emperors, would make themselves out to be God and expected to be worshipped as such. And church history is about those who would not bow down and pay tribute to any other God but God alone. And so. I look forward to sharing some of those thoughts with you.

This morning, as we are concluding the book and continuing our thoughts in this, when you come to the conclusion of Revelation, which really begins in verse 6 of chapter 22, it's about stewarding the words. How does history end? It's very important to understand the beginning of human history.

It's also just as important to understand the end of human history. And that's basically what is contained in the book of Revelation. And the words tell us what are to come. And what are we to do with them? What does a good steward do? What does a bondservant do?

Verse 6 says, And he said to me, These words are faithful and true. And the Lord, the God of the spirits, of the prophets, sent his angel to show to his bondservants the things which must soon take place. This book is written to the bondservants, bondservants of every generation.

What are we to do with them? Well, we're to be good stewards of them. And that's really what these final thoughts, beginning in verse 6 to the end of the chapter, concluding the book of Revelation, are about. It's about being a good steward of the words that we have received.

Already we've looked at several of these. What are we to do? How are we to be good stewards of these words? How are the churches? Men to be good stewards? Well, number one, they were to live expectantly of Christ's return. Jesus says over and over, I am coming quickly.

Verse 7, also, a good steward heeds the words. Heeds the words. Blessed is he who heeds the words of the prophecy of this book. That's what we are to do. A good steward also worships God, worships God in the manner described in the book of Revelation. Revelation is an excellent book about what true worship is and how to do it.

But another way, which we will be looking at this morning, how we be good stewards of the words of Revelation, is to not conceal the words or, let me say it in the positive, to proclaim the words of Revelation. Look back at verse 10. And he said to me, Do not seal up the words of the prophecy of this book.

Do not seal up. The word for seal means to keep a secret. Do not seal these words up. Do not keep them a secret. Do not conceal them. It's like this roll. We've been working through Revelation. It's like this big roll with seven seals has been opened up and declared to us the things which are going to come in the Day of the Lord and all that it contains.

And what now at this point, what the text is saying is, don't roll it back up and seal it. It was unrolled so that it can be declared. The opposite of sealing something up. What's the opposite of keeping something a secret? Nobody around here would ever break a secret, but what's the opposite of keeping a secret?

Blabbing it. Blabbing it. That's a great word. Blabbing it. Proclaim it. What does he want us to do with these words? Blab them. Proclaim them. Publish them. That's what he is saying. I remember when I first started this series, people were saying to me, well, you know, that's a book that causes a lot of division.

And I started realizing that a lot of people stay away from this book. Well, I commend you all for spending nearly three years of our corporate life together reading, hearing, and talking about these words. Because there is a promised blessing associated with them. You know, he started September 5th, 2021.

But many stay away from this word, the words of this book. But still, God, on the contrary, he wants them proclaimed. Don't seal. Them up by avoidance. Don't keep them a secret. Get them out there in the open. Talk about them. Read them. Listen to them. Obey them.

And there are several reasons why we should not conceal these words. Several reasons why these words should be proclaimed. Three reasons, and that's what I want to talk to you about this morning. Three reasons why we should not conceal these words, intentionally or unintentionally, so that you will pay attention to them and not be afraid to talk about these words and let them shape you and your understanding of what is still to come ahead.

You will be blessed for having done so. You will be informed, blessed, and you will stand your ground, having heeded them. So, first, we are to proclaim the words of Revelation because the time is near. The time is near. Look back at verse 10. And he said to me, Do not seal up the words of the prophecy of this book, for the time is near.

Because the time is near. The time is at hand. The time. He uses the word time. He's talking about a fixed period of time. A fixed period of time. Described in the book, the end, the time of the end, is at hand. It is near. What does that mean?

Well, we've seen this before throughout the book. Near. It's at hand. It's imminent. And the idea is it's the next time period on the prophetic calendar. The next time period. It's prophetically near. It can happen at any time. It's like a little kid that likes to take a bubble bath.

I don't know if you've ever, when I was little, I liked taking the bubble baths. And then, in the back of my mind, I always knew there was this imminent moment when mom was going to reach in and pull out the plug. And then all of a sudden, out goes the water.

Well, that's the idea, like pulling the plug. It can happen at any moment, and once it's pulled, the swiftness of the events takes place. You can think of it maybe a better analogy as that which Scripture gives. Noah's Ark. You remember, it took a long time to build.

120 years. Look, it took a long time to build. But when the rain started coming, the flood came swiftly. And that's what this word and what this thought is conveying. There is no other prophetic event that must take place before the events described in Revelation take place. There is no other prophetic event that needs to happen.

There is no other prophecy that needs to be given. These events can happen at any moment, and once they do, they proceed swiftly to the end. There is no other prophetic event that must take place before these events can begin. And that's not true about other things that have been stated in Scripture.

There were several things, several times where things were not clearly understood, and the author told us he didn't understand. Or something needed to be concealed until further prophetic events would take place. For instance, Daniel, in Daniel 8, 26, he says, the vision of the evenings and mornings which has been told is true, Daniel.

But keep the vision secret. It pertains to many days in the future. Daniel 12, 4. But as for you, Daniel, conceal these words. Seal up the book until the end of time. Daniel 12, 8, after seeing a vision, Daniel says, As for me, I heard, but I could not understand.

So I said, My Lord, what will be the outcome of these events? He said, Go your way, Daniel, for these words are concealed and sealed up till the end of time. Till the end time. Daniel, you're not going to be able to understand. Conceal them. They are concealed until the end time.

And he goes on to say, many will be purged, many will be purified and refined, but the wicked will act wickedly, and none of the wicked will understand. They're not going to pay attention to the words anyway. But those who have insight will understand. Daniel, these words are sealed up.

There are some prophetic events that must take place before the words that Daniel saw can be fully understood. More revelation had to be given. If Daniel's words were the final and then just published, they would bewilder, not illumine. For instance, the king had to be. Be revealed before the details of his coming kingdom could be fully understood.

Christ had to be revealed. That's why in Daniel's time, it's like, no, the events are not prophetically near Daniel, because the Christ has to come. He has to be revealed. He has to go to the cross, who he is. The world has to understand who he is, what he did, and what he expects.

And then disclosure can happen. But there's other things, like even in Mark, even in the time of Christ, there's this big difficulty that many critics like to point to and say, well, even Jesus tried to keep it a secret about himself. Well, no. Like in Mark chapter 7, they call it the messianic secret in the book, Mark 7, 36, right after healing a deaf person, and he gave them orders not to tell anyone.

Why did Jesus want to not publish who he was at that juncture in time? Well, full disclosure of who he is and what he came to do had not yet been revealed. Yeah, people were looking for a Messiah, but they were looking for a Messiah on their terms.

And so he had to go to the cross. He had to rise again. And then the Great Commission, now it's ready to be published. The gospel is ready to be published because now. It can be understood. The King of Kings has come. He's walked among us. He's told us what he expects.

He has made a way for his people to be cleansed, washed, forgiven, and the way for Christ's likeness to be formed in them to occur. Now go publish these truths. Draw people out of all the nations to Christ. Now disciples can be made because who Christ is has been revealed.

Likewise, as we come to the end of Revelation, the prophetic events that bring this age of human history to a close have been revealed. Therefore, they're not to be concealed. They are to be proclaimed. The unsealing of the scroll was for the purpose of revealing things to come, things that were hidden, that could be understood.

They were uncovered, not to be covered up again. And the words are not to be kept secret because the time is prophetically near. There are no other words on this topic to be given. We're not waiting for further revelation. There is no prophetic event that has already been prophesied that must take place before these events can begin.

The time is near. That was also stated way at the very beginning of the book. You remember in chapter 1, verse 3: Blessed is he who reads, and those who hear the words of this prophecy and heed the things written, for the time is near. Same exact word: the time is near.

The time period of these events, prophetically near, they can happen at any time. They are meant to be read, they are meant to be heard, they are meant to be understood and obeyed, therefore, they have to be published. Proclamation is necessary for the words of Revelation to achieve their purpose.

A good steward does not conceal that which God has given to be published. You know, people need to know these things. Think about Noah's generation. They needed to know that the flood was coming. And so Noah built an ark for over 120 years. And just as the ark and Noah's words were the last testament to the coming flood, so the words of Revelation are the last words given before the time of the end comes.

And people need to know these things. They need to know the end of human history. You need to know what is coming so that you can orient your life accordingly. We are to be like that watchman in Ezekiel. Son of man, I have appointed you a watchman to the house of Israel.

Whenever you hear a word from my mouth, warn them from me. When I say to the wicked, you will surely die, and you do not warn him or speak out to warn the wicked from his wicked way, that he may live, that wicked man shall die in his iniquity.

But his blood I will require at your hand. Listen, the words of Revelation are an invitation to everyone who hears them to come to the true king. Do not serve the false kings. Do not erect something in your heart that is not God. Consider who you are, consider who he is.

The words of Revelation are given to awaken, to alert, and to encourage us into a deeper relationship with God. So we are to proclaim the words of Revelation, and that is what a good steward will do because the time is near. There's a second reason. Verse 11, second reason, so that the churches will know what to expect and do while we wait.

We're waiting for his return. What do we do while we wait? What do we expect? Look at verse 11, answers those questions. Let the one who does wrong still do wrong, and the one who is filthy still be filthy. And let the one who is righteous still practice righteousness, and the one who is holy still keep himself holy.

See, it's already been stated, as I read just a moment ago, the words are not to be sealed up so that people can read, hear, and obey its words. That's the major thrust of the book: to hear, heed. But those who hear and heed its words will be blessed.

They will be blessed on two fronts. Number one, they will know what to expect, will happen on planet Earth and in the institutions and realm of humanity. They will understand what's going to take place. They know what to expect. And they also know what to do while they are waiting for these events to occur and the day of the Lord as it approaches.

So they'll know what to expect. They will know what to do. Look at that. First of all, you'll know what to expect. If you've read, heard, and have obeyed these words, you know what to expect. Look at verse 11. Let the one who does wrong still do wrong, and the one who is filthy still be filthy.

A literal translation could go like this: The one who is doing wrong must do more wrong, and the filthy must become more filthy. So, so let it, this is what's going to take place. It's strong words. A literal translation: the one who is doing wrong must do wrong further.

The one who is filthy must become more filthy. I remember in Arkansas, when I was a little kid on the farm, there's a mud pit. We'd get into it, and all of a sudden, the mud would start flying. We'd start throwing it at each other, and we'd start getting filthy.

And then it would escalate. You'd get hit by mud, and what do you do? You pick up a cow patty, get revenge, and the next thing you know, you're into a cow patty war. And then, next thing you know, you get called into the house because you got to, it's time to come in, and you walk up, and there's no way mama or grandmama is going to let you into the house.

House being filthy. And so there it is. You've come, you've got to be thoroughly hosed down and come in. Well, the point is: if you don't come out of the mud pit, the filthy are going to get filthier. The dirty are going to get dirtier. The corrupt are going to get more corrupt.

This is what is going to happen on planet Earth. There is going to be a greater polarization between light and darkness. Expect it. Darkness has to mature. Darkness must reach its limit. Sin must reach its limit. The dark will get darker. Let. The idea is, let them. The idea there is just, this isn't determination, like, okay, a person doesn't have, this is blind determination.

It is, no, because there's an invitation in the next verse: blessed are those who wash their robes. There's an invitation, God's invitation for everyone to come out of the dark. The idea is to expect them. This is what the evil do. The evil are going to do more evil, expect it.

The corrupt are going to become more corrupt. Expect it. This is the course of the unrepentant. By the way, it's evident, a verse like this tells me that the Light isn't going to gradually take over the institutions of earth simply by preaching the gospel. We have direct revelation here.

No, darkness is going to get darker and darker. There isn't going to be this all of a sudden awakening among the repentant, and then all of the institutions of the earth come and bow down to Christ. That hasn't happened. It is not predicted to happen. It's going to be a growing polarization in light and darkness.

And don't get me wrong, the gospel is going to prevail. It's going to go through. It's going to call people from out of the nations, and nothing is going to hinder that. And those people who come out of the nations are going to return with Christ to rule over the nations.

Then the golden age of humanity is going to come to earth. But it's going to come to earth with Christ. And those who he calls out of the nations will return to rule, perhaps even those very nations. So righteousness upon the earth is going to happen. The gospel is going to prevail.

But righteousness upon the earth is going to happen suddenly with Christ's return and those who have come to him out of the nations who return with him to rule the nations. So it's like, let the one who does wrong still do wrong, and the one who is filthy be filthy.

Expect them. Let them go their way. Sin is going to reach its limit. Meanwhile, expect that the world is going to reject the gospel. The world is going to reject the righteousness of Christ, and they're going to do so with an exclamation point. The governments, institutions, organizations, and all sectors of society are going to grow darker.

Let them go their way. It's the language of handing over. It speaks of a withdrawal. Okay, you have hardened your heart. You do not want God. Then you will mature. You will grow darker in your deeds, and you will grow darker in your disposition. And God withdraws. It's a handing over.

It's a ceasing to strive with. And what a horrible thing. And I don't know where you are today. But listen, the worst thing that can happen to you is to just be given over. If you hear God's voice today, come out. Life is set before you. Life and relationship with God.

I guarantee you, your Creator. Has made you for a purpose, and that is to walk with him. Do not tempt him any further by going your own way, but turn, come to him. But even though the world events are going to go this way, those who read the words of Revelation, those who hear them and heed them, are blessed because they know what to expect.

But not only that, they know what they are to be doing as the world unravels in this way. What are they to be doing? Well, look back at verse 11. And let the one who is righteous still practice righteousness, and the one who is holy still keep himself holy.

So the more literal translation could read something like this: The righteous must do more deeds of righteousness, and the holy become more holy. So think about it. In sharp contrast to the one who's doing wrong, the righteous are to keep doing what is right. In sharp contrast to the filthy, the holy are to become even more set apart for God's glory.

You see, there's a temptation. When someone wrongs you, what's the temptation? To wrong. Them in return. But here the word is like the righteous, the upright. Let the one who is righteous, let the upright still do acts of righteousness. Let the one who is upright do what is right.

That is what we are to keep doing. You keep doing what is right, no matter how dark the times become. There's a temptation when things grow dark to cease to love, to cease to care, and to even repay evil for evil. But Scripture makes it clear, Romans 12:17, we're never to pay back evil for evil to anyone.

Respect what is right in the sight of all men. 1 Peter 3:9, do not return evil for evil or insult for insult, but giving a blessing instead, for you were called for the very purpose that you might inherit a blessing. And so as the world advances to the end, there's going to be a growing hostility to the truth and those who advocate it.

And there will be a greater temptation to become more and more like the world in the way you respond. You cheated, I will cheat. You lie, I will lie. You hit me, I will hit you. But listen, friends, the standard to do right doesn't change just because people around you are doing wrong.

Never has. I don't care what your friends are doing. I don't care what situation you are in. I don't care how wrong you have been treated. I don't care how wrong you've been wronged. The standard of right does not change just because of what people have done to you or around you are doing.

Let the upright continue to do what is right. This is what the righteous do. The righteous does what is right. As Jesus said, you have heard, I read it earlier, Matthew 5, an eye for eye, tooth for tooth. But I say to not resist an evil person. Go the extra mile.

Love your neighbor. Love your enemy. Do good. So that you will be like your heavenly Father who is perfect. We are to continue to do what is right. Sometimes you look at the events, even of this past week, and you read the news, and you say, that's not right.

That's unjust. Doing what is right. You do not make it right by doing what is wrong. Expect the lost to behave like the lost. You keep doing what is right, no matter the cost. What is right, according to the words of Revelation? Well, they've told us, first of all, you need to respond to the gospel.

That's the first right thing you need to do in life. Remember Revelation 14, 7, the angel pronouncing the gospel said with a loud voice, Fear God, give him glory, because the hour of his judgment has come, and worship him who made the heaven and the earth and the sea and the springs of water.

That's the first right thing you need to do is to always be responding to the gospel, to respond and then keep responding. Fear God, give him glory, worship him. Another right thing to do, as revealed in the words of Revelation, you are to come out of the worldly system.

You are to continually grow in Christ's likeness in distinction to the world and its philosophical anti-God ideology. Another right thing to do, as revealed in the words of Revelation, is to follow the Lamb. Follow him wherever he goes. Another right thing to do is to be hearing, to be listening to what the Spirit is saying to the churches.

Another right thing to do is to be worshiping God, not man, not fellow servants, not the ideologies of man, not the political institutions of man, not the desires of man, not the philosophies of man, not even your fellow servants, not even angels. You are to worship God. And what does worship God involve?

Praising Him, honoring Him, paying Him tribute, showcasing Him. Do that which showcases the character of Christ. This is what you are called to do, and that is right in every circumstance to always be showcasing the person and character of your Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. That is right.

Let the righteous keep doing what is right. That is what you are called to do. Allow Him to have dominion over your life and to keep. It is always right to obey the true King. So, there are three reasons why the words of Revelation are to be proclaimed.

First, because the time is near. Second, so that the churches will know what to expect and what to do. And third, so that the churches will see beyond the suffering to the reward. So the churches will see the reward beyond. The suffering. There is reward beyond the suffering, and the words of Revelation show us that.

So, to encourage the bondservants of Christ, no matter how dark it gets, no matter how painful it is to follow Christ, no matter how intense the rejection, intense the persecution, or the difficulty, the trial, or whatever it is, there is reward beyond the suffering. And Revelation shows us in very vivid descriptions and clear pictures just how rich that reward is.

And it's given to us to encourage us to continue through these times, to expect them, to know what we are to be doing, and to be encouraged. His kingdom is coming, and it will be glorious beyond anything we can imagine. So much that Paul could say, it's not even worth beginning to compare our present sufferings to the glory that's going to come.

And Revelation gives us a picture, gives us promises about the reward that is coming. Look back at verse. 12. Behold, I am coming quickly, and my reward is with me, to render to every man according to what he has done. Look at that first statement. Behold, I am quick coming quickly.

I am coming. The event is underway. You notice? We've heard this before, haven't we? He says this over and over, and the very last thought, he's going to say at the end of this, yes, I am coming quickly. He wants us living in expectation of his soon return.

He's already said that several times. You remember, he is personally coming to remove the lampstand of a loveless church. Those who profess Christianity but do not love are imposters. And he's coming, his personal return. He is coming to completely remove their witness. He's also going to come, same time, I believe, with all these coinciding together.

He will come warring against the church that tolerates sexual immorality. And he is personally going to throw those who profess Christ but practice sexual immorality into the Great Tribulation. He's promised that. Those who practice sexual immorality are not following Christ, I can assure you. He does not lead them.

And those denominations and those churches, think Methodism the last few weeks, if you're paying into attention. Think several of the denominations, whether it's parts of Lutheranism, parts of Presbyterianism. Think about the sexual immorality that is being embraced. Even the transgender identity issues being embraced on large denominational levels.

Think about some of the things the Pope has said recently. Think about denominations. Think about churches. Think about individuals who not only tolerate but promote sexual immorality within their ranks. They are impostors. And they will meet Christ as an enemy upon his return, thus saith the Lord. Expect it.

And you and I, let us be repenting of this. For such, this was some of us. He's promised to come quickly to rapture a faithful church from the tribulation. He's coming to throw those who profess him into tribulation, and he's coming to rapture the. Faithful to him out of the great tribulation.

These are all promised. Behold, I am coming quickly. He says it over and over in several different contexts. But here, the context again, he promises his soon return. And here it is. It's in the context of doling out just compensation. Look at what he says. Behold, I am quickly, and my reward is with me to render to each and every man according to what he has done.

I am personally coming, and my reward is with me to dole out, to pay back, to compensate each and every person according to what he has done. You see, there is payment for those who do evil. And the book of Revelation tells us and informs us what that is: tribulation.

Those who do evil, tribulation. Workers of evil, tribulation, judgment, death, and ultimately the lake of fire. This is the Payment for the evildoers and the workers of it. And that's why this message goes out. It goes out so that you will not continue in this way. Run quickly out of practicing.

Let your hands, let your feet, let your let all of these things be a tribute to God. That's what you're called to do. You want to find your purpose in life? That's it. And he calls you to that. There is reward for those who do good. Just as there is payment for those who do evil, there is reward or payment or compensation for those who do good.

There is blessing for them. There is honor for them. There is protection of them. There is love toward them. Listen to some of the promised blessings. Those who work the good. Jesus says, I will grant to eat of the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God.

Such, he says, will not be hurt by the second death. To such, he says, I will give some of the hidden manna, and I will give him a white stone and a new name written on the stone, which no one knows but he who receives it. He also says, To such, I will give authority.

Over the nations, and he will rule them with a rod of iron, as the vessels of the potter are broken to pieces. As I have received authority from my Father, and I will give him the morning star. Such, Christ's promises, will be clothed in white garments. Such, he says, he will not erase his name from the book of life.

Such, he will gladly confess their names before his heavenly Father and the holy angels. For such, he says, I will also keep you from the hour of testing that hour which is about to come upon the whole world to test those who dwell upon the earth. To such, he says, I will make him a pillar in the temple of my God, and he will not go out from it anymore.

And I will write on him the name of my God and the name of the city of my God, the new Jerusalem which comes down out of heaven from my God and my new name. To such, he says, I will grant to him to sit down with me on my throne.

You see, we are to expect people to mature in their spiritual inclinations. You are maturing at this moment in your spiritual inclinations. I hope you are not one of those filthy who still needs to get filthier, but that you will turn from that. And if you are one who is in Christ, that you would be encouraged today to just do what is right.

You have been made right by the washing, the cleansing, and now you are to grow and become more and more holy and cleansed in character by following Him. We are to expect a polarization and we are to expect perfect retribution. Why? Look at verse 13: I am the Alpha and Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end.

Here's Christ. I am the cause of everything. I have the knowledge and power to bring everything to its conclusion. I am the cause of all being. I am the first and the last. I am the aim of human history. This is Christ. This title is only spoken of Christ in the book of Revelation.

The Alpha and Omega also talks about God the Father, same title. It's a title that is shared. The beginning and the end, that's a title that is shared. But this first and the last speaks of humanity. Jesus Christ is the first and the last. He's the cause and aim of human history.

We're all being transformed into His image. That is what the image of God looks like in humanity. And we are all putting on His Christ-likeness. So He is the cause, He is the effect, He has the knowledge, He has the power, He has the final say, He has the last word.

He has the ultimate ability to bring about the retribution as He has promised. And He's told us this is what is coming about. And the words of Revelation tell us why it's coming about. You see, a good steward, bringing this to a conclusion, a good steward isn't afraid to proclaim the words of Revelation.

Number one, because the time is near. Number two, so that the churches will know what to expect and do while they wait. Number three, so the churches will see the reward beyond the suffering. Listen, we are not to syncretize Christianity with worldly philosophies or ideologies or desires. Christ's people are to be distinct and holy.

And that is the message that the world needs to see. He offers something so much more than what this world is pursuing after. I have tasted and I have seen. He is good. And the bride, those who have come to Christ, have tasted and seen, yes, I'm done with the feudal way of life.

There is grace, there is forgiveness, there is newness, there is life in Christ. And to that, we testify. To that, the words of Revelation testify. And those of us who pick them up and proclaim them and are to be good stewards of them are stepping in that same vein to call people to testify to God's goodness.

We are not to syncretize Christianity with the world, politically, philosophically, or with its desires. You see, Christianity does not provide an excuse to become like the world, it provides the means to come out of the world. We come out by the blood of the Lamb. We become like him by following him wherever he goes.

That's what true Christianity is: being forgiven and growing in Christ's likeness. Being forgiven because of the work of Christ. Becoming new, turning a new page. Over in him and growing in his likeness. That's what true Christianity is about. And all of us here are invited to wash. In fact, the very next verse, verse 14, blessed are those who wash their robes.

We'll look at that next time. You're invited to wash. You're invited to follow him. Let's pray. Heavenly Father, we give you thanks for these truths. Give you thanks for your word, the invitation. Father, thank you for the truth in them: that we're not left wondering what to expect to come up on earth.

We're not even left wondering the temptations and pressures that the churches are going to face while we wait. We're also not left wondering what positions we are to take and how we are to stand. You have so clarified that in the precious words that you've given to us in this book we call Revelation.

What a blessing, Father, it is. And help us to hear, to heed, and to experience the blessing that you promised for those who would. Thank you, Heaven.