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5. Yes, I Come Quickly! (Revelation 22:20)
REVELATION 22:20
20 He who testifies these things says, “Yes, I come quickly.” Amen! Yes, come, Lord Jesus.
At the end of his revelation Jesus testifies the fourth and last time: “I come quickly!” (3:11; 22:7.12.20) This topic of the Book of Revelation has been repeated so often that also slow witted and spiritually hard hearing people should finally understand: Time is coming to an end! The purpose of world history is getting close! The Lord and King, Savior and judge stands at the door and knocks audibly (Revelation 3:20).
Have we repented and changed our mind? Have we carried out the decisive conversion of our life and focused ourselves together with our money, our holiday plans and our career ambitions on the coming Lord? A shoemaker, who loved the Lord, once was asked what he is doing the whole day. He answered, “I am waiting for the Lord and besides I am mending shoes!” Is the coming Lord the highest priority in our life or is he just one topic among other things? We as Christians should repent, because the Lord must impress upon us four times: “Behold, I come quickly!"
The Lord Says YES: The last of his four promises concerning his quick coming the Lord Jesus begins with the little word “YES”. This “YES” is one of the most important words in the Book of Revelation.
The Lord says YES to the dynamics of salvation history together with its developments in the near future. He does not forsake his church until he accomplishes his object (John 10:27-30). Solely by the coming of Jesus Christ the promises of Book of Revelation will be fulfilled completely.
The Lord says YES to each word of his revelation. He confirms all truths which the angel inspired in the patriarch in his exile. The Lord confirms therewith his judgments as well as his blessings which he had communicated via his angel.
The Lord says YES to his church even it has still faults, spots, wrinkles and any other flaws. In his epistles to the churches he demanded on each of the seven church leaders and the church members to overcome all their weaknesses, sins and temptations by the power of the Holy Spirit as a prerequisite of his coming.
The Lord says YES to you. He accepts you as you are. He accepts you for his live school and educates you in your thinking, feeling and desires so as to transform you into the image of his Father and his own image (Genesis 1:27; Matthew 11:29; Romans 8:29; and other verses). You are accepted by God. Did you also accept Him and his plan?
The Lord says YES to the mystery of the Holy Trinity and confesses that he cannot do anything without his Father. At the same time he confesses that the Father dwells in him, and he, the Son, does what he sees the Father do (John 5:19-23). All events and all judgments of the Book of Revelation are common actions of God and His Lamb in the Holy Spirit.
The Lord says YES to the just destruction of the satanic trinity and its adherents. Whoever is not willing to get free from the father of lie will come into the condemnation of the Son of God in the lake of fire.
The Lord says YES to himself and to his coming in glory. Four times he confirms in the Book of Revelation that he is coming soon and quickly and is happy about everybody who is waiting for him. Therefore, take heart, the Lord is certain to come!
How do we React on the Promise That Jesus Comes? At the end of the Book of Revelation we are facing a test: What do we answer to the promise of our Lord, “Yes, I come quickly!”? Does “Amen” rise up from our hearts, “Yes, come quickly, Lord Jesus!”? Do we really wait for our Lord, Savior and Judge? How often do we think of him during the day? Do we long for him and his coming like a bride waits for her bridegroom? How do we prepare for the coming of Jesus Christ in our life, in our church, in our nation and in the world mission?
Jesus says to us: “If you love me, keep my commandments.” (John 14:15). How many of the commandments and recommendations of Jesus in the four gospels do we know indeed? Jesus does not demand of us that we pay lip services and are overwhelmed with emotion (John 21:15-17), but he will answer us in the Last Judgment, “Inasmuch as you have done (or not done) it to one of the least of these my brothers, you have done (or not done) it to me.” (Matthew 25:40-45; see also Psalm 24:7-10; Isaiah 40:3-5; Matthew 25:1-13; and other verses).
The name “Jesus”, however, remains our comfort as we are waiting for his coming. This name is mentioned 13 times in the Book of Revelation (1:1.2.5.9 (two times); 12:17; 14:12; 17:6; 19:10 (two times); 20:4; 22:16.20) and all in all 975 times in all Scriptures of the New Testament. The name Jesus who surmounts all other names means, “Yahweh, the LORD, is helping, saving and triumphing!” Therefore, concerning the decisive item of the preparation of his coming we dare to confess:
“Lord Jesus, have mercy on us, because we are not able to prepare the way as you deserve it. Prepare your way to us, change our heart and mind so that we love you and wait for you most eagerly. Without you we cannot do anything, but the power of your spirit overcomes our phlegm and inability. Yes, come quickly, Lord Jesus!"
PRAYER: Lord Jesus, You are the King of Kings and Lord of Lords, and have testified that You would come quickly. You are the embodied truth. We believe Your wonderful return and regret that we are unable to prepare the way as befits You. So, please prepare Your way for us and change our hearts and minds to that we may love You and wait for You with great longing. Without You, we can do nothing, but the power of Your Spirit overcomes our coldness and inability. Yes, Come quickly, Lord Jesus! Amen.
QUESTION:
- Why did the Lord say, “yes"?