And he said to me: “These words are faithful and true, and the Lord God of the spirits of the prophets sent His angel to show His servants the things which must soon take place. And behold, I am coming soon. Blessed is the one who keeps the words of the prophecy of this book.” And I, John, am the one who has heard and seen these things…I fell down to worship at the feet of the angel who showed me these things. And he said to me: “Do not do this; I am your fellow servant…worship God.”
And he said to me: “Do not seal the words of the prophecy of this book, for the time is near. Let the unrighteous still do unrighteousness, and let the filthy still be filthy, and let the righteous still do righteousness, and let the holy still be holy. Behold, I am coming soon, and my reward is with me, to give to each as his work is. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end. Blessed are those who wash their robes, that their authority may be over the tree of life and they may enter the gates into the city. Outside are the dogs and the sorcerers and the fornicators and the murderers and the idolaters and everyone who practices the lie.
I, Jesus, have sent my angel to testify to you these things for the churches; I am the Sprout and the offspring of David, the bright morning star.” And the Spirit and the bride say: “Come!” And let the one who hears say: “Come!” And let the one who thirsts come. Let the one who desires take the water of life freely.
I myself testify to everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: If anyone adds to them, God will will add to them the plagues written in this book. And if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God will take away his part from the tree of Life and from the holy city…The One who testifies to these things says, “Yes, I am coming soon.” Amen. Come, Lord Jesus. The grace of the Lord Jesus be with all. Revelation 22: 6-21
The above is the conclusion of John’s letter to the churches. The angel assures John, and us, that what he has seen and heard is faithful and true. All that’s predicted will happen. After all, it is God Himself who sent him (the angel) to show us, His servants, the things which soon must take place.
More than likely, because the angel is the one who showed John these wondrous things – and because the angel is commissioned by and is functioning in the role of Christ, even speaking Christ’s words – John thinks or feels compelled that he should worship the angel. The angel admonishes him not to do that. Worship only God, the angels tells him. Those are words to live by for all of us too.
Worship no spirit, man or woman; no matter the claims of reverence or infallibility or tradition or signs or miracles. And indeed we are challenged in that regard; for the main issue of the end times, as Revelation reveals, is the matter of worship. Will we worship Satan or God? So as not to be deceived, worship God by way of adhering to and living His Word. That includes, of course, the Ten Commandments — all of them, meaning don’t dismiss the 4th one as is taught by those following the devil’s lie.
The angel goes on to impress upon John the importance of relaying what he’s seen and heard. The words of Revelation’s prophecy are not to be sealed up; this in contrast to the instructions for the end-time vision given Daniel (8: 26; 12: 4). Then, the vision wasn’t relevant. It is to us today because the time is near. As end-time events unfold, we can see just how essential and profitable Revelation’ prophecy is to God’s people.
Daniel was told that at the unsealing of end-time prophecy, a polarization would manifest. “Many will be purged, purified and refined, but the wicked will act wickedly; and none of the wicked will understand, but those who have insight will understand” (Dan. 12: 9, 10). So John is told that just before Christ’s coming, this polarization will be in effect and announced at the close of probation.
In other words, during post probation’s seven trumpets and seven plagues, the unrighteous and filthy will remain so; too late to repent and be saved. The righteous and holy will be tested by the devil, but they, being sealed by God, won’t change either. They could of course because of free will, but we know that won’t happen because of the ending of the story, which is God’s Word. His Word is that He wins; Satan loses.
In other words, if just one of the holy and righteous were to falter and change, then God loses; Satan wins That’s the importance of the end-time, 144,000 saints.