Revelation 22:12-21
Jesus Testifies to the Churches
12 “And behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to give to every one according to his work. 13 I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End, the First and the Last.”
14 Blessed are those who do His commandments, that they may have the right to the tree of life, and may enter through the gates into the city. 15 But outside are dogs and sorcerers and sexually immoral and murderers and idolaters, and whoever loves and practices a lie.
16 “I, Jesus, have sent My angel to testify to you these things in the churches. I am the Root and the Offspring of David, the Bright and Morning Star.”
17 And the Spirit and the bride say, “Come!” And let him who hears say, “Come!” And let him who thirsts come. Whoever desires, let him take the water of life freely.
A Warning
18 For I testify to everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: If anyone adds to these things, God will add to him the plagues that are written in this book; 19 and if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part from the Book of Life, from the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book.
I Am Coming Quickly
20 He who testifies to these things says, “Surely I am coming quickly.”
Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
21 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.
The Lord is certainly coming back. As 1 Corinthians 16:22 also exclaims, O Lord, come (μαράνα θά, marana tha)! We see here at the end of scripture that He answers our plea for His return with, “Surely I am coming quickly” (ἔρχομαι ταχύ) in both verses twelve and twenty to assure us of this anticipated truth we so long for. He will reward us with crowns of righteousness (2 Timothy 4:8) and life (James 1:12) and glory (1 Peter 5:4) with which to honor and glorify Him who works in and through us in this life, and He promises this to each of us in Christ who are faithful to increase the symbolic talents He entrusts to our stewardship. We are reminded that His name is the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End, the First and the Last, that He is and was and always will be (Revelation 1:8) in existence and sovereign over all creation, from our inception in Genesis and our fall into sin to the final judgment and dwelling in His presence at last by the reconciling grace of covering our sin in the grace of eternal forgiveness! We who have believed His word of the gospel of our deliverance from sin’s penalty and keep His word have this assurance to enter into the gates of the Celestial City with the right to eat of the tree of eternal life once denied (Genesis 2:16-17, 3:11, 22-23) us by sin but now freely given (Isaiah 55:1, 3) because of God’s Son, Jesus the Christ. We keep His command (John 14:23, 1 John 2:24-25) of believing faith and receive His Son accordingly (John 1:12, 5:24) as the gospel tells us and so enter into His presence while those who disbelieve and disobey reject Christ and the gospel of grace and are kept out forever, those who chose occult practices, sexual immortality, who murder, worship idols, and whoever loves and practices a lie. Jesus Christ, the promised Messiah through the channel of redemption given to us through Israel, sent His angel to John to record these things for us to read and take to heart before He returns in judgment on the earth that we might believe and receive Him and follow in willing obedience to please our Maker. Our bright morning star calls us to come to Him to satisfy our thirst for righteousness and redemption, freely drinking deeply from the water of salvation by faith in His work for us (Isaiah 55:1, 3) that cleanses our souls and makes us acceptable in our calling. We therefore are warned not to add to what Gods tells us here nor to take anything away from it, even if we are uncomfortable or fearful of the truth. Salvation by any other means than that given by the whole counsel of scripture is ineffective and leaves us out of the Book of Life. Only through Jesus Christ (John 14:6, Acts 4:12) can we be found in His book written by Him and enter into this glory. We who have trusted and received Him as the Son of God, our Lord and divine Savior, have this unshakable hope and certain future to reside with Him in the New Jerusalem forever. We therefore cry out without fear of judgment (1 John 4:18), “come Lord Jesus!” We trust His promise of “Surely I am coming quickly” by faith and in hope as we love Him and one another (Mark 12:30-31, 1 John 4:7-10) in His grace. Amen and amen! He is coming quickly. It will then be finished.
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