22:12. [And] behold, I come quickly.—See Rev. 16:15; 22:7, 10, 20. The Lord Himself becomes the speaker.
And My reward is with Me, to [give] BE GIVEN every man.—Every man in Christ.
According as his work [shall be] IS.—The Church's work is practically finished. The reward is given on the basis of the work already done, in character development and in the natural outgrowth of that development—works.
22:13. I am Alpha and Omega, THE FIRST AND THE LAST, the Beginning and the End, [the First and the Last].—“Our Lord tells us over and over again (See Rev. 1:8, 11, 17; 2:8; 3:14; 21:6), that He is the Beginning and the Ending, the First and the Last, of the creation of God.”—Z. '93-115.
22:14. Blessed are they that [do His commandments] WASH THEIR ROBES.—The Great Company class.—Rev. 7:14.
That they may have right to the Tree of Life.—Rev. 22:2.
And may enter through the gates into the City.—“Whose Builder and Maker is God.” (Heb. 11:10.) To these dear brethren we would say, The object of your trials is to remove the dross (Ex. 30:7; Mal. 3:2) that you may be fit companions of the Christ. (Ex. 12:8; Heb. 2:17; Rom. 5:3; Col. 1:11.) Do not think it strange. (James 1:12; 1 Pet. 1:7; 4:12; 5:10.) When you get the right viewpoint, you will rejoice in your sufferings. (Deut. 13:3; Psa. 23:4; 119:67.) The trials will not last forever (Psa. 39:1); and in them all you may hear the songs of deliverance. (Psa. 32:6, 7.) There is nothing to turn back to (Heb. 10:38); but there is joy untold to look forward to, and it is nigh.—Rev. 19:9; Psa. 45:14, 15.
22:15. [For] without are dogs.—There will be no clergy class, as such, in the Kingdom.—Isa. 56:10; Phil. 3:2; 2 Tim. 3:8, 9.
And sorcerers, and whoremongers, and murderers, and idolators.—See Rev. 21:8.
And whosoever [loveth and] maketh AND LOVETH a lie.—The old lies will die hard; and some may try to carry them far into the Time of Trouble, on the well-known principle that if a pigeon's brains are removed, and the wound allowed to heal, the bird will no longer seek its food, though it can still swing on a perch and ruffle its feathers and show fight. Ere long, however, the Truth will be so manifest that all must give way before it.