Look, I am coming soon.
Revelation 22:6-21
Key verse 22:12
“Look, I am coming soon! My reward is with me, and I will give to each person according what they have done.”
Now we come to the last passage in Revelation. Since we started this Bible Study, I have felt like we are on a great adventure. We saw Jesus in his full glory as God Almighty, the alpha and the Omega. We visited the 7 churches in the province of Asia: Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia, and Laodicea. Then, we saw the amazing heavenly throne on which God was sitting. Surrounding the throne were 24 other thrones seated on 24 elders. In front of throne, seven lamps were blazing, in the center, around the throne, were 4 living creatures. And then, the Lamb who was slain, appeared as the one who was worthy to execute God’s righteous judgment. When he took the scroll, the 4 living creature, the 24 elders, innumerable angels in heaven, and every creature in heaven, on earth, under the earth, and on the sea praised God and the lamb, saying, “To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be praise and honor and glory and power, for ever and ever!”
After that, we saw God’s wrath pouring over the earth through 7 seals and 7 trumpets and then seven bowls judgments. False prophets, wars, famines, plagues, earthquakes, hail and fire mixed with blood, darkness by cosmetic catastrophe, horrible creatures like locusts looked like horses and horses with the heads of lions struck the inhabitants of the earth. On the top of that, we saw how the devil persecuted God’s holy people through his beasts, Anti-Christ and False prophets. Not only that, we saw 144,000 God’s Holy People and a great multitude that no one could count have victoriously come out of the great tribulation. By the blood of the Lamb, they were redeemed, and their clothes were washed. Then, they praised and worshiped God, singing a new song and the song of victory, “Hallelujah. Salvation and glory and power belong to our God, for true and just are his judgments.” Then, we saw the vision of Jesus’ coming as King of kings and Lord of lords. He had ended this spiritual warfare. He destroyed all of His enemies completely and eternally, by throwing them into the lake burning surfer. Finally, we saw the vision of New Jerusalem. After the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, God would bring the New Jerusalem for His people. There, God will dwell with his people; God will wipe out every tears; There will be no more death, or mourning, or crying or pain. As God’s people, we will enjoy the fully restored life-giving relationship with God in New Jerusalem, drinking the water of life and eating the fruits of life.
What an adventure we had for the last 4 months. Then, what do these amazing visions mean to us? Why would God lead us to study Revelation? God did so with one purpose; to reveal the glory of the Lamb and call believers to live godly, life of faith as a faithful servants in light of Jesus’ coming again. It is not to provide entertainment, but to empower and mobilize believers to be true disciples of Jesus; to be witnesses of Jesus; to be God’s Holy people in this generation. In this conclusion of the book, the angel takes us back to the opening and reminds us of what we should hold fast in reality. It is the Word of the Prophesy. It is the word of Jesus’ promise, “Look, I am coming soon.” May the word of prophesy motivate us, empower us to live godly lives, to live mission-centered life, to be good and faithful servants of God in this generation.
I. Keep the words of the prophecy.
Look at verse 6. “The angel said to me, “These words are trustworthy and true. Lord, the God who inspires the prophets, sent his angel to show his servants the things that must soon take place.” Some of YouTubers with over a million subscribers went out of businesses overnight. It was because their lies were accidently exposed. One of them was pretending to be disabled, though he was not. As a result, all his subscribers left, leaving only insults and curses in the comments. These days, credibility is crucial, especially on the internet. We cannot fully trust or believe everything on Youtube.
Here “These words” refers the book of Revelation. The words in this book seem to be too fantastic to believe, far from the reality. Can you trust these words? Yes. It is because these revelations are from God who is faithful and true. I trust whatever Sh. David said because I know that David is a man of God and a man of truth. We know who God is. First of all God is Almighty who created the heaven and the earth with His words. Though it might sound impossible, God is able to make impossible possible. Nothing is impossible with God. What God says comes true. Second of all, God is faithful and true. He had promised to save Adam from sin and death. To do so, he called one man Abram and through him, he himself carried out his redemptive plan. Eventually, he sent his one and only son and sacrificed him as a sin offering for the sin of the world. He is faithful and true indeed. We have seen and learned how his words of promises had come true regardless failures of his people.
Likewise, these words of prophecy will surely come to pass because they are from God, the created. This divine origin assures us that this prophesies are true and trustworthy. Surely, God’s righteousness will be fulfilled through his true and just judgments upon the evil. Surely, All evil of the world – the Satan, the Antichrist, false prophets, even the death and the Hades, together with unbelieving will be thrown into the fierily lake. Surely, God will protect and save his people. they will be lifted up into the New Jerusalem. God will dwell with them; they will be the people of God and God will be their God. There words of prophesy is true and trustworthy. It mean it will sure happened! Then, what should we do with these words? How should we respond to it? “Keep the words of the prophecy.”
Look at verse 7b. “Look, I am coming soon. Blessed is the one who keeps the words of the prophecy written in this scroll.” This is one of seven blessings given in this book. Actually this is a restatement of the first blessing in Ch1:3. It say “Blessed is the one who reads aloud the words of this prophecy and blessed are those who hear it and take to heart what is written in it, because the time is near.” Here “keep” means not only “holding firmly,” but also “observing it or obeying it.” So, those who have heard, believed and obeyed the words will be the ones who are truly blessed. The word of God will lead them to know the truth; make them wise to have the knowledge of salvation. Those who hear, believe, and obey it will be redeemed; will be saved from their sins; will be victorious even in the time of tribulation; will receive the eternal inheritance, the kingdom of God; will serve Him and worship and reign with him. Such amazing blessings will be given to those who keep the words of God; Not only hearing; Not only taking it, but obeying it, we will receive the blessings from God.
In verses 8-11, John shared His personal testimony. He told that he himself was the one who heard and saw the vision. Overwhelming at what had seen, he fall down to worship the angel. But the angel rebuked him, saying “Don’t do that! I am a fellow servant with you and with your fellow prophets and with all who keep the words of this scroll. Worship God!” (9) Here, the author identified himself, saying “I, John..” Who was John? He was the one who had been with Jesus from the beginning of the gospel; who was one of three of Jesus’ top disciples, who had heard, seen, touched, and followed Jesus. He had endured persecutions and attempted martyrdom as he followed him and exiled to the Island of Patoms. This John was giving this revelation to pass on to the church just as the angel commanded him, “Do not seal up the words of the prophecy of this scroll, because the time is near.” (10) By giving this personal testimony, John affirmed again that this revelation is true and trustworthy.
When Daniel received the prophesy, he was told to seal it up to the end of time. But John was told not to seal up the words. Instead, he was told to prophecy again. It is because the time is near. Since the time of God’s judgment is near, not only believers, but also all people need to hear the word of prophesy of God’s judgment, so that they may repent of their sins and come to God through faith in Jesus. Especially for God’s people, they should hear it, read it aloud and take it into heart, so that the word of Revelation may motivate them to make decision of faith to be disciples of Jesus; to devote their lives to God. The word of God will guard them not to be deceived by the spirit of deceptions, false prophets or evil spirit. It will empower them to be faithful to the end by holding to the living hope of the kingdom of God. The word of God will mobilize them to preach the gospel to the end of the earth. The birth of Jesus is the good news of great joy for all people. Our savior has been born. His death on a cross is also good news for Jesus takes away all our sins with his blood. The resurrection of Jesus is the good news. It gives us the hope of the resurrection and the kingdom God. Here, God’s righteous judgment and Jesus’ coming again is also good news because finally all evil will be thrown into the eternal death and God’s holy people will enter into the New Jerusalem. As much as we preach Jesus’ birth, death, and resurrection, we may preach the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ as the King of King and Lord of Lord.
Look at verse 11-15. Regarding how respond to the gospel of Jesus, there are two groups of people: the wicked and the holy. How they respond to the gospel of truth will determine their eternal destiny. The wicked that reject God will continue to be wicked until Jesus come. They will be thrown outside of the city; but the holy who accept the gospel by faith only will be blessed to have the right to the tree of life and enter into the holy city. (14-15) This is why it is so important not to harden our hearts when we hear God’s word. Today if we hear his voice, we may not harden our hearts. (Heb3:7-8a) Respond to the invitation with repentance and humility?
In verses 16-17, John reminded who Jesus is again. Christ is described as the Root and the offspring of David, and the Bright Morning Star. Jesus came from David and his coming was the like the morning star, the beginning of a bright new day, the day of salvation. Those who come to Jesus will receive the free gift of the water of life. Many people criticize Christianity for being exclusive. But that is not true. “Come!” Everyone is invited regardless their human conditions or backgrounds. The gift of eternal life is free. “Come!” God is so gracious and generous that he does not want anyone to perish, but everyone to have eternal life when they come by faith in Jesus. But, the time will come when the door is closed either by death or the second coming of Jesus. The word of God is true and trustworthy. We may hear it, believe it and obey it. It is how one accepts His invitation to the kingdom of God. “Come”
II. “Look, I am coming soon.”
“Look, I am coming soon” is repeated 3 times throughout this passage. (7, 12, 20) This is the word of prophesy we should hold to. We should realize it is vitally important for all people to listen. “Look, I am coming soon (quickly –NKJV)” He emphasized that his coming is imminent. We should not be complacent, thinking that he will come sometime later. Jesus is at the door, knocking. (3:20) We need to answer right away. There is no time to delay. It means that we should always be spiritually awake and remain clothes with Jesus Christ. It is also because he comes like thief. As we learned, the first century Christians went through fiery persecutions from the Roman Emperors. This book was written to encourage all believers to be faithful to the end. What things or words could encourage those who were facing death every day? This should be something so good that it empowers them to overcome the fear of death. In the world, there are no such things. By their fear of death, men are held in slavery. (Heb2:15) However, the hope of the kingdom of God sets them free from their fear and empowers them to triumph over the death.
In fact, they had lived as if Jesus would really come soon in their life time. By holding on the living hope, they actually endured such severe persecutions and sufferings. Though they were falsely despised and accused from everywhere, still they remained faithful to Jesus, expecting him “to come” in his glory with the kingdom of God.
“I am coming soon.” This is the word of Jesus for us. From God’s standpoint, the coming of Christ is always soon because he will come very quickly once the time has come. When he comes, he is coming with great rewards, the eternal victory over all the enemies and the glorious kingdom of God as we learn in Ch21. Here, repeating “I am coming soon,” Jesus wants his people to live with the great expectation that he will come soon with great rewards. Do know why many children suddenly become good boys and girls whenever December comes? They also love to remind their parents of their good deeds. Yes. They have great expectations that they will receive gifts according what they have done on Christmas day morning. Such faith motivates them to be good boys and girls.
“Look, I am coming soon” His word never fails. He will come soon. On that day, he will give reward to each person according to what they have done. As we live in a wicked and corrupt world, it is easy to compromise and live a lukewarm Christian life like the church in Laodicea.
Whenever we make decisions to obey one word of God, unexpected troubles or happenings occur always. Then, we fall into fear and shrink back. Instead of fear, we may hold fast his word promise:“I am coming.” We may hold onto His words. “Do not be afraid of what you are about to suffer.. be faithful even to the point of death. And I will give you life as your victor’s crown.” (2:10) “They triumph over his by the blood of the lamb and by the word of their testimony; they did not love their lives so much as to shrink from death.”(12:11) When we hold fast the word of Jesus, we will be victorious overcoming the world. When we are victorious, we will receive the great rewards Jesus has promised to the 7 churches.
“I am coming soon.” It reveals Jesus’ love for his people. In Jn14:18, Jesus promised that “I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you.” Jesus is truly eager to come back since he left his people in this troubled world behind. “I will come soon” means “Endure just a little more. Do not give up. Live by faith today.” Like a parent, he is planting Faith and hope in the hearts of his children out of his great love and compassion. Trusting Jesus’ promise and his love, we can fix our eyes on Jesus. Expecting that we soon meet Jesus, we may endure the cross, scorning its shame. We may live as God’s servants for this generation – Bible Teachers, Shepherds, Spiritual leaders for this generation.
In verses 18-19, the final warning is given to those who adds anything or subtracts from this book. The word of the Bible is the inspired word of God according to 2 Timothy 3:16. We are not to add to the word of God and we are not to take away from the word of God. If we do so, we are actually rejecting the word God. Rejecting the Word of God is rejecting God himself. Those who reject Jesus and despise his Word will have no access to the tree of life and to the New Jerusalem. They will be excluded from God’s eternal kingdom.
Who could do such things? People do such things when they do not respect the word of prophecy as the word of God, but consider it human words. Such people are proud, thinking that their ideas are better than God’s words. God will add to them the plagues described in this scroll; God will take away from them any share in the tree of life and in the Holy City. It means such people are actually unbelievers who deserve God’s wrath.
The final words of Jesus are “Yes, I am coming soon.” How would you respond? John replied, “Amen, Come, Lord Jesus.” This should be our longing and prayer. “Come, Lord Jesus. Amen” The book of Revelation is the story of the end times. Jesus, God Almighty, is coming to complete God’s redemptive work. It will be done through God’s righteous and just judgment upon evil world. Our true hope is not just place nor crown, but the perfect relationship with God – living in the presence of God as God’s children. When we hold on to this hope, this hope will lead us, empower us, enable to live by faith; to be faithful, even to the point of death.
Jesus’ promise -“I am coming soon” His words are true and trustworthy. These words are reason and purpose to “Be Faithful, even to the point of death.” We may keep the words of prophesy in obedience. May God bless us to be faithful to the end! Let’s read the key verse 21:12.