A Life Formed by the Second Coming

Revelation 22:12–21 ESV

12 “Behold, I am coming soon, bringing my recompense with me, to repay each one 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 practices 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.

As the final chapter in the bible comes to an end, Jesus reminds us that his coming is going to be “soon.” There has been much ink spilled over the centuries to devise what “soon” actually means. The word that is translated as “soon” can also be translated as “quickly,” something we find in the King James Version. The early church was looking for Jesus’ return before the first generation of Christians died. That is one of the reasons Paul writes his first letter to the Thessalonians. They were wondering what will happen with all those who had died before Jesus came back.

Throughout much of the twentieth century, mainline denominations never taught about Revelation or spoke much about the Second Coming. Classic liberal theology and later postmodern theology that has permeated much of mainline denominations shy away from “the pie in the sky” and “sweet by and by.” Instead, the focus has been on how the church is to work in the world to make it a better place through social justice. On the surface, there is nothing wrong with that. We want to make the world better through the gospel. But often times, the work to make the world better is done by suppressing the mention of Christ or ignoring scripture altogether.

The approach that does not take into account the second coming of Christ in a real, physical sense removes the urgency of the gospel message. We mentioned last week that judgments that are inflected on the world are done so to bring people to Christ. It is an acknowledgement that the world is corrupted by sin and must be renewed through the power of the Spirit.

Revelation reminds us that no matter when Jesus returns again we are to live as if he is coming at any moment in time. We do not know the hour or day of his coming. We just know that it is going to happen. Because of that, there is a call for us in the here and now to live in such a way as to eagerly expect his coming and have an urgency in our hearts to spread the good news of the gospel to the world around us.

1. Jesus calls us to faithfulness in these times. (vs. 12-16)

In verses 12-16, Jesus speaks after the angel that is with John during his vision speaks. Jesus’ words are in response to what the angel has said regarding God’s judgement against the unrighteous and the reward of the righteous. The words of the angel in verse 11 come from the prophet Daniel.

Revelation 22:11 ESV

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.”

Daniel 12:9–10 ESV

9 He said, “Go your way, Daniel, for the words are shut up and sealed until the time of the end. 10 Many shall purify themselves and make themselves white and be refined, but the wicked shall act wickedly. And none of the wicked shall understand, but those who are wise shall understand.

Daniel predicts that during the last days there will be false members of the covenant community who will not understand the dawning of the fulfillment of prophecy. They will continue to disobey God’s laws. The godly will have insight and discern the beginning of the fulfillment of prophecy and will respond by obeying God’s word. When we get to Revelation, they are not merely predictions but imperative statements that these things will indeed happen as we approach the last days.

In response, Jesus declares that his coming will be quick. The unpredictability of his coming and the swiftness of it propels the believer to trust in Christ and remain faithful to him while we are awaiting his coming. We are blessed because our “robes have been washed” and now have the right to the tree of life. Those who are unrighteous will be shut out in judgement. It is a reminder to us that during times of tribulation in this world that we are called to be faithful disciples of Christ no matter what is going on around us. We are called to persevere through all things as we rely on Christ.

Jesus knows all the troubles and hardships that we will face. He knows that we will go through times of great difficulty as we stand with him and the gospel. But when we face those times in his strength we will get through them. His words reflect what is said by Isaiah in Isaiah 40:10 “Behold, the Lord God comes with might, and his arm rules for him; behold, his reward is with him, and his recompense before him.”

What is prophesied by Isaiah is fulfilled in Christ. In Isaiah, Israel is not deserving of the reward that it is given. It is only through the mercy of God that they are rewarded. God brings salvation to them and forgives their iniquities based on who he is and his love for his people. The same is true of Christ. Our reward in being with him for eternity is not based on our works and what we do in this life. But it is through what Christ has done for us on the cross that we are made worthy through the cleansing of our sins. What John is saying to the churches and to us is that the unexpected time of Christ’s coming should motivate us to live godly and righteous lives. There will be those who will denounce the coming of Christ and ignore that it will happen. They will be judged for their unrepentant heart.

2. We take the water of life at the table. (vs. 17)

There is a final invitation that is offered by the Holy Spirit by the prophetic voice of the church and then by individual believers to come and take the water of life. This section of the final chapter was part of an early liturgy of the church as an invitation to the Lord’s table. The only other time “bride” is mention in reference to the church is in Revelation 19:7 “Let us rejoice and exult and give him the glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and his Bride has made herself ready;” The marriage supper of the Lamb is the heavenly banquet at which we will feast and celebrate with Christ as the host. The Lord’s Supper is the sacrament by which we participate in the marriage supper of the Lamb now.

The image of taking the water of life that is offered without price and quenches the thirst of the drinker is one that is found in the gospel of John as well. In John 6:35, it says “Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst.” And also when Jesus is with the woman at the well in John 4:13-14 “Jesus said to her, “Everyone who drinks of this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him will never be thirsty again. The water that I will give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.”” Both of these examples give us context into what is being said in Revelation 22:17.

There is an invitation by the Spirit to come to the water and thirst no more. The people cry out for Christ to be present at the table with them and also to return again for a final time with the promised kingdom. We also invite others to participate when they have faith in Jesus and can come to the table. The table becomes a place where we celebrate the victory that Christ has over evil and the place where grace is received because Christ is present with us. He nourishes us with the bread of life and the water of life. We come to the table so that we may not hunger or thirst any more. This is not a physical hunger or thirst but a spiritual one. The table is where we are satisfied and renewed in our spirit because we have encountered Christ. The table is where Jesus gives us new life to sustain us until such time as his kingdom is consummated in his second coming, and we feast together with him and all the saints in praise of what God has done. The table is a reminder of the blessings that we receive in Christ when we have faith in him.

3. We must take seriously John’s vision and prepare for Christ’s coming. (vs. 18-21)

John’s final words to the seven churches hearken back to words that are found in Deuteronomy 12:32 by Moses, “Everything that I command you, you shall be careful to do. You shall not add to it or take from it.” Just like Moses, he wants the churches to understand that those who try to deceive the people into taking away from God’s word are false prophets and teachers. By “adding and taking away,” the false teachers are not abiding in the truth. This kind of deceptiveness leads to ungodliness and more specifically idolatry and is inconsistent with faith in Christ. In these last days, there will be those who will preach a false gospel even in churches. 1 Timothy 4:1 says, “Now the Spirit expressly says that in later times some will depart from the faith by devoting themselves to deceitful spirits and teachings of demons.” Satan is out to try and deceive people into following a false gospel that separates them from Christ rather than upholds the truth of God’s word. By “adding or taking away” from God’s word, false teachers can manipulate it to what they want it to be and lead people astray.

We have to take seriously John’s vision that God will come in reward and judgment against the world. There will be those who hold fast to the gospel and cling to Christ in times of great uncertainty only to be rewarded in the end for their perseverance. There will be others even within the church who will be deceived by false teachings and follow a different gospel other than the one that has been given to us throughout the centuries. Those who fall away will be judged by God in the end. When we don’t take John’s vision seriously, we do not take the gospel seriously. The gospel is not about a God who loves us like we are and doesn’t expect transformation. The gospel is about the redemption of a fallen and depraved people who are saved by faith in the One who loved us so much that he gave his life on a cross for our sake. Jesus says to the church in Ephesus in Revelation 2:2 “‘I know your works, your toil and your patient endurance, and how you cannot bear with those who are evil, but have tested those who call themselves apostles and are not, and found them to be false.” Jesus is pointing the the Ephesians as an example of how we are to turn away from false teaching and remain in the truth of the gospel.

The disciples watched as Jesus ascended into heaven, and he gave them the call to go and preach to the world in the power of the Holy Spirit. As the angels declared in Acts 1:11, that this same Jesus who was taken up into heaven, will come again in the same way they saw him go. Jesus is not going to return in the hearts of the people. He is not going to return through the work of the church in some kind of social justice capacity. There will be a day when Jesus will step away from his throne in the heavenly places and descend once again to earth. The trumpet will sound and the dead in Christ will rise up. Those who are still alive will we changed and meet him in the air with them. The judgment that is inflicted upon the nations is a call to repentance. Those who heed this call will be saved. Those who do not will be cast away from his sight.

It is the call of the church to be Christ’s faithful witness in the world. We are to be the people who reflect the goodness and love of Christ in a world filled with evil. John’s call to the seven churches and to us to be a faithful people who love God and love one another and be the light unto the nations. The final verse of scripture points to the reality of Christ’s presence with us now in the sacrament of the Lord’s Supper. It is up to us as the faithful people of God to hear John’s vision and respond to the invitation to come into Christ’s presence now and worship the one true King of kings and Lord of lords as we await his coming again in power for all the world to see.