6 And he said to me, “These words are trustworthy and true. And the Lord, the God of the spirits of the prophets, has sent his angel to show his servants what must soon take place.”
7 “And behold, I am coming soon. Blessed is the one who keeps the words of the prophecy of this book.”
8 I, John, am the one who heard and saw these things. And when I heard and saw them, I fell down to worship at the feet of the angel who showed them to me, 9 but he said to me, “You must not do that! I am a fellow servant with you and your brothers the prophets, and with those who keep the words of this book. Worship God.”
10 And he said to me, “Do not seal up the words of the prophecy of this book, for the time is near. 11 Let the evildoer still do evil, and the filthy still be filthy, and the righteous still do right, and the holy still be holy.”
12 “Behold, I am coming soon, bringing my recompense with me, to repay everyone for 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 that they may enter the city by the gates. 15 Outside are the dogs and sorcerers and the sexually immoral and murderers and idolaters, and everyone who loves and practises falsehood.
16 “I, Jesus, have sent my angel to testify to you about these things for the churches. I am the root and the descendant of David, the bright morning star.”
17 The Spirit and the Bride say, “Come.” And let the one who hears say, “Come.” And let the one who is thirsty come; let the one who desires take the water of life without price.
18 I warn everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: if anyone adds to them, God will add to him the plagues described in this book, 19 and if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God will take away his share in the tree of life and in the holy city, which are described in this book.
20 He who testifies to these things says, “Surely I am coming soon.” Amen. Come, Lord Jesus!
21 The grace of the Lord Jesus be with all. Amen.
Thirdly, it is significant that this warning stands at the end of the canon of Scripture, for it thus, by implication, lays its strictures not only upon the Book of Revelation itself, but on the whole Bible. This means that all its teaching should be proclaimed to men, and that it is not permissible either to add to its truth one's own ideas that have no basis in the revealed Word, or to withhold any of its unpalatable truths. Well might the seer be warned in 10, 'Seal not the sayings of the prophecy of this book'. But the Church has often been guilty of this, withholding unpopular doctrines from men in an effort to accommodate them and maintain their adherence to its membership. This doubtful expedient has never in fact succeeded in holding men to the Faith, but rather led them to despise it. It is not, however, because of its ineffectiveness, but because of its error that we deplore it, for it is one that has cost the Church very dearly in its spiritual life. This is why it should be incumbent upon ministers to be able, with Paul, to say, 'I have not shunned to declare all the counsel of God', whether he follows the Church year in his preaching (there are worse ways than this!) or by systematic exposition of the Scriptures. This should be a matter, not merely of diligence, but of honesty, for any man who is called to be a preacher of the Word. If God has ordained that the whole Word is necessary for the full development and growth in grace of His people, how should any man lightly neglect any part or aspect of its truths? God make us and keep us faithful and true to His Word!