(Revelation 22:1-21)

Then he showed me the river of living water, sparkling like crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb 2 down the middle of the broad street of the city. The tree of life was on both sides of the river, bearing 12 kinds of fruit, producing its fruit every month. The leaves of the tree are for healing the nations, 3 and there will no longer be any curse. The throne of God and of the Lamb will be in the city, and His slaves will serve Him. 4 They will see His face, and His name will be on their foreheads. 5 Night will no longer exist, and people will not need lamplight or sunlight, because the Lord God will give them light. And they will reign forever and ever. 6 Then he said to me, “These words are faithful and true. And the Lord, the God of the spirits of the prophets, has sent His angel to show His slaves what must quickly take place.” 7 “Look, I am coming quickly! The one who keeps the prophetic words of this book is blessed.” 8 I, John, am the one who heard and saw these things. When I heard and saw them, I fell down to worship at the feet of the angel who had shown them to me. 9 But he said to me, “Don’t do that! I am a fellow slave with you, your brothers the prophets, and those who keep the words of this book. Worship God.” 10 He also said to me, “Don’t seal the prophetic words of this book, because the time is near. 11 Let the unrighteous go on in unrighteousness; let the filthy go on being made filthy; let the righteous go on in righteousness; and let the holy go on being made holy.” 12 “Look! I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me to repay each person according to what he has done. 13 I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End. 14 “Blessed are those who wash their robes, so that they may have the right to the tree of life and may enter the city by the gates. 15 Outside are the dogs, the sorcerers, the sexually immoral, the murderers, the idolaters, and everyone who loves and practices lying. 16 “I, Jesus, have sent My angel to attest these things to you for the churches. I am the Root and the Offspring of David, the Bright Morning Star.” 17 Both the Spirit and the bride say, “Come!” Anyone who hears should say, “Come!” And the one who is thirsty should come. Whoever desires should take the living water as a gift. 18 I testify to everyone who hears the prophetic words of this book: If anyone adds to them, God will add to him the plagues that are written in this book. 19 And if anyone takes away from the words of this prophetic book, God will take away his share of the tree of life and the holy city, written in this book. 20 He who testifies about these things says, “Yes, I am coming quickly.” Amen! Come, Lord Jesus! 21 The grace of the Lord Jesus be with all the saints. Amen.

Washing clothes has to be one of the least favorite chores of all time. Although I usually am the one who washes all the clothes at my house, and my wife probably thinks I just simply enjoy it, in reality I try to get it done as fast as I can. Most people either do it because of necessity or they are getting paid for their labor. Even in the ancient world, no one could escape doing laundry. Dirty clothes will not magically disappear if they are ignored.

Here in the final chapter of the Book of Revelation we see the imagery of clothing, but it is also found throughout the Book. We saw it in Christ's glorious garments in chapter one and also on the gaudy harlot of chapter 17. However, there are two passages, (Revelation 7:14) and here in (Revelation 22:14) where we see the idea of laundry. These two passages are speaking of two different kinds of washing.

The first refers to a single, major laundering. In biblical times, a robe that was extremely dirty would be taken down to the river and rubbed with lye soap. The person would scrub the robe on the rocks until all the dirt and stains were out. It would often take an entire day to wash clothes during these times. This is a wonderful picture of what Christ has done for us. People that are stained with sin can have their robes made perfectly clean by being washed in the Lamb's blood (Revelation 7:14).

(Revelation 22:14) announces a special blessing on another kind of washing. Here is not the washing of conversion in Christ's blood, but the day to day spot washing needed to keep a clean robe clean. Imagine a bright white robe that a person has worn on the streets. Sometime throughout the day, mud or something else has splashed up on the spotless robe. There is no need to take the robe down to the river, because the spots can be removed at home on a daily basis.

This is the way it is in our spiritual lives. We must first ask ourselves, have we came to Christ for salvation. If we have, then this passage today prompts a second question: Do we keep coming to the Lamb so that He may remove the small spots on our robe? Are we coming to Christ daily in repentance for the sins we commit because of the world, flesh, and devil?