The above words are the words of the angel to John. Many quote the above as being in contradiction to the ransom for all as we present in studies on this site, and as many other Bible Students have presented.
Does Revelation 22:11 mean that no one can change, that if he is once unrighteous that he cannot become righteous, and that if he is once righteous, that he cannot become unrighteous? Evidently not. Such would mean that Adam, having been created righteous could not become unrighteous. If one excludes the fact that Adam did become unrighteous, it would still mean that the whole human race, being condemned in Adam, will always remain so, and will never change. None of us!!!!
Some may claim that it is saying that it is referring to whatever condition one dies that is the way he will remain forever. That is, if one dies unjust, he cannot ever become unjust. This would mean Jesus died to save the unbeliever from the condemnation in Adam for no purpose at all (John 3:17; 12:47,48; Romans 5:12-19; 1 Corinthians 15:21,22); indeed, it would actually mean that there would no need for a resurrection of the unjust at all, since their eternal fate has already been determined.
We can say that if one dies without being justified, he cannot be brought back to life in the day of judgment except that in some sense the blood of Christ be applied so that the unjustified be brought out of the condemnation in Adam so as to be restored to life. (1 Corinthians 15:21,22) One could say that to apply the blood of Jesus so that the unjust one can be raised would in some way mean that the one is justified before being raised. The scriptures are silent on this, but we can say that it is possible that they are raised temporarily without justification as were some raised as recorded in the Bible. We doubt this is what is intended, thus we believe that it is possible that a tentative justification is applied to raise the unjust in the last day, and that a definite justification may be applied once the person repents and accepts Jesus.
We know that scriptures do show that Adam and all who are dying in Adam will be enlightened and that those who in this age are unrighteous will be given an opportunity in the day of judgment when God blesses all families of the earth through the seed of Abraham. -- Genesis 12:3; 22:16-18; Isaiah 2:2-4; Galatians 3:7-9,16,29; Hebrews 6:13-20; Acts 3:19-25; 1 Timothy 2:4-6; Ezekiel 16:48 to the end of the chap; Matthew 11:24,25; 12:32; Ephesians 2:7; John 11:9; 1 John 3:8, and many others.
Jesus spoke of the day of judgment and the day of resurrection as being the "last day", the "age to come". -- Mark 10:30; Luke 18:30; John 6:39,40,44,54; 12:47,48; See also John 11:24; Hebrews 6:5) This is distinguished from "the present evil age." (Galatians 1:4) The present age is also referred to as the heavens and earth that are to pass away (Matthew 5:18; 24:35; Mark 13:31; Luke 16:17; 21:33; 2 Peter 3:10; Revelation 21:1), and the age to come is also referred to as a new heavens and new earth. -- Isaiah 65:17; 66:22; 2 Peter 3:13; Revelation 21:1.
In that age to come, not only the living are to be blessed, but also the unregenerated dead will be awakened from their "sleep" in death, and be instructed in the ways of Jehovah in that age. -- Psalm 6:5; 146:4; Isaiah 2:2-4; Daniel 12:2; John 5:28,29 NASV; 11:11-14; 1 Thessalonians 4:14; 2 Peter 3:4.
In that judgment day, it foretold: "When the Son of man will come in his glory . . . then he will sit on the throne of his glory: and all nations [the unbelieving heathen of this age - Psalm 46:10; 67; 72:1,11,17; 96:3,10; Isaiah 2:2-4; Ezekiel 37:28; 38:16; 39:7] will be gathered [from hades and death -- Revelation 20:12,13] before him. He will separate them [under the testings of that great judgment day] one from another, as a shepherd divides his sheep from the goats." Those whom he finds to be righteous, pictured as sheep (those who become sheep in the next age, not Christ's sheep of this present age -- John 10:14-15), will be given everlasting life and will "inherit the kingdom" on earth (the meek will inherit it -- Matthew 5:5), whereas those who will not have proved worthy, pictured as goats, will "go away into everlasting punishment" in the second death, never to live again. "All the wicked he will destroy." -- Matthew 25:31-46; Psalm 145:20; Revelation 20:9,15; 21:8.
How different this is from the common view of the day of judgment. Most think of the day of judgment as doomsday, and that if one has not accepted Christ before that "day" comes, they will be eternally doomed. We may be glad to see from the Bible that the world's day of judgment is not such a doomsday, but rather is a day of salvation for the world. It is a time of rejoicing, "for he [Jehovah] comes to judge the earth. He will judge the world with righteousness, and the people with truth." "All the ends of the earth will see the salvation of our God," and will fear [reverence] Him. -- Psalm 96; 98; 67; Isaiah 26:9; Numbers 14:21.
However, the thought that God would look approvingly upon unjust acts under any circumstances, is out of harmony with his past dealings with men, and out of harmony with his own character as well as his word. God is "of purer eyes than to behold evil" (with allowance); he will not forever permit the vile thing to pollute his universe.
Revelation 22:11 should, therefore, be seen to be in harmony with the above -- not in disagreement with such scriptures.
God will definitely never "let" nor consent to the endless transgression of his law. That we may understand Revelation 22:11 better, let us go back to the first verse, and find, if we can, what events are to transpire at the same time, which may help to an understanding of this.
In connection with the scenes spoken of in the first and second verses, it is said (in the third verse) "there shall be no more curse" (the Adamic death having been destroyed); this, then, is in the age to come when, if a man dies, it will be for his own sin; in this age, however, all die on account of Adam's sin. "Through one man sin entered into the world and death by sin" (Romans 5:12). "Through one man's disobedience, the many were made sinners" (Romans 5:19), though a man may shorten his life by violating the laws of the physical nature. In this age, the world is blinded by the veil of the god of this age. In that age to come, the truth of God (1st verse) will be "clear as crystal," and will be flowing to the nations without obstruction directly from "the throne." In that age to come "the leaves of the tree (wood, or trees, plural – Young's trans.) are for the healing of the nations." In this present evil age, the nations are not healed, and will not have been healed even at the time Christ takes the kingdom (Revelation 11:15,18). Thus, the time of healing of the nations must be apart from the judgment upon the world through Adam when Jehovah comes to judge the world anew through his son. (Psalm 96:13; 98:9; Isaiah 40:10; John 5:22; Acts 17:31; Revelation 22:12) This judgment takes place during the thousand years, but at the end of the thousand years, Satan is again let loose, and it is then that righteous will remain rightous, and the unrighteous will remain unrighteous. The trial (judgment) of the millennial age determines who is at heart righteous or incorrigibly unrighteous. Once determined, it will continue to be that and will not change. Thus, it is especially after the world has been enlightened and the during the little season that Revelation 22:11 especially applies. The unrighteous of Revelation 22:11 are thus those spoken of in Isaiah 26:10, who, having shown the favor of the blessings of the kingdom, still will not learn to practice righteousness. Once proven incorrigible, the unrighteous will never change, and their works during the little season will show this.
Thus, we do agree that those who prove themselves to be unrighteous during the day of judgment will be eternally destroyed in the lake of fire, but no one comes under that condemnation without first being released from the first condemnation (in Adam) and receiving the accurate knowledge of the truth, and then willfully rejecting it. -- Hebrews 10:26.
Some claim that Revelation 22:11 signifies that the condition of the wicked when Christ comes, is to eternally remain the same, that is, that as they were found in that condition at his coming, they are forever to remain in it with his decree of "let." Would that be in harmony with the preceding part of the chapter, saying nothing about the Scriptures referred to above? How very inconsistent it would seem in connection with the statement, "There shall be no more curse," and the expression that nations will not be deceived (Revelation 20:3). What would be use of the deceptions being lifted if there is to be no repentance in the age to come?
But perhaps someone is ready to say "that is a description of the city of the New Jerusalem, and it is in the city that there is to be no more curse." Well, let us read on a little; leaving the 11th verse we will begin with the 14th: "Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city"; the city (kingdom of our Lord) will finally absorb all except the "death and hell" element of the 15th verse, including whosoever loveth and maketh a lie, which dregs shall finally be disposed of in the "second death" (chap. 20:14). 16th verse: "I, Jesus, have sent mine angel to testify unto you (John) these things in the churches."
Now, we submit this understanding of the 11th verse. During this Gospel age, the standard of judgment concerning our acts is God's revealed word; by it the saints (God's children, the elect) judge themselves, and when the righteous rule of the next age is inaugurated, and the curse removed, even with so great a change in some important respects, "still" the same law will continue in force, and will be the standard of judgment.
He that is unjust by the standard of judgment in this age, will ("let him") be unjust still. Justice being one of the attributes of God, there can be no other standard, and he who is unjust must, by his holy law, that is, according to it, forever be declared unjust. Not that he must remain unjust; but that while he is unjust he will always be declared, or judged so, by this standard. And he that is judged holy by that law now will then (in the age or "ages to come") be holy still. We should note that it is possible that while the statement in 11th verse is in force, the 17th verse is also. "And the Spirit and the Bride say come (this must be after the marriage of the Lamb): And let him that heareth, say come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely."
Another way of understanding verse 11 is that once the judgment period -- the thousand years -- is over, there is no more any change to be made. Those who have not proven themselves just, remain filthy, etc., and there is no longer any more opportunity for repentance. This appears to coincide with the releasing of Satan after the 1,000 years have end (Revelation 20:7-9) Those who side with Satan are those who have at heart proven themselves to be incorrigibly unjust, filthy, and thus they remain the same. Once the 1,000 years are up and Satan has been loosed, they can no longer repent so as to become justified and thus they side with Satan.
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