The Book of Revelation is a colorful description of a vision that provides us with a glimpse of the final days, before the return of Christ and the ushering in of the New Heaven and the New Earth. The main idea that we need to understand is that Jesus is coming again, and we must be ready. If you have received Christ, the Judge is on your side. It is getting gloriously dark, as Adrian Rogers would say and we as Christians must live our life in a way that makes others want to join us in that glorious city!
It is impossible for us to understand the message of the Bible apart from the message of the blessed hope. When we talk about the blessed hope, we are talking about the Lord’s return. The second coming is mentioned 318 times in the 260 chapters of the New Testament. 1 in every 25 verses refers to the return of Christ. The Bible becomes a new book when you know how it ends.
The Book of Revelation is a hard book, but it is a simple Book. All things point to a coming judgment and if you flip to the end – then you know that if you are born again, then it is a book of joy. The best summary of it is, God Wins!
The idea that Jesus was coming again, was not far from the hearts of the people in this early day. They had seen Jesus. They had witnessed his miracles and now they were waiting for the return of Jesus. However, this idea has escaped us today. I dare say many people will go to sleep today, expecting tomorrow to be like normal.
To be very clear – Jesus is coming again and the world hates Jesus more than it ever has. The numbers support it – Islam is on the rise, Christianity is on the decline. Let me qualify this though. The world does not hate the baby Jesus in a manager or the Jesus that fed the thousands and healed the sick. The world hates Jesus, because He is against abortion, pornography, racism, hate and the works of the devil. All of these things are on the rise, and we seem to be drifting apart from Jesus.
Let me remind you that the Book of Revelation was written by the Apostle John. This is the same John, who wrote the gospel that bears his name and the one who wrote first, second and third John. Now, John has been exiled to the Island of Patmos and it is from here he receives a revelation. One of the common mistakes that people have when they begin to study the Book of Revelation, is the call it the Book of Revelations. This is very understandable, because there is so much packed into the 22 chapters of this Book. To be proper it is the Book of Revelation, given to the Apostle John.
Scripture
Revelation 22:17-21 (New International Version):
“The Spirit and the bride say, ‘Come!’ And let the one who hears say, ‘Come!’ Let the one who is thirsty come; and let the one who wishes take the free gift of the water of life. I warn everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this scroll: If anyone adds anything to them, God will add to that person the plagues described in this scroll. And if anyone takes words away from this scroll of prophecy, God will take away from that person any share in the tree of life and in the Holy City, which are described in this scroll. He who testifies to these things says, ‘Yes, I am coming soon.’ Amen. Come, Lord Jesus. The grace of the Lord Jesus be with God’s people. Amen.”
Invitation to All
The Spirit and the bride extend an open invitation: “Come!” It is an invitation to This call echoes across time and space, inviting all who are thirsty, weary, and seeking solace.
This passage is the call to come to forgiveness. Come now and let us reason together! In Hebrew it literally means: “Come and hear the indictment against you”. This is a call for us to understand our sinfulness and how far we have fallen short of the glory of God. Then can we best understand our need for a savior.
The bride says come! The Bride of Christ is the Church. It is the responsibility of the church to tell people that you must be born again. Look at these “feel-good” churches, that do not preach on sin. These churches are packed full. It is what people want to hear. What people need to hear though is that Jesus Christ loves them and wants to forgive them of their sins. However, churches across the nation are closing their doors. The church to accomplish her ordained mission needs people who will teach, who will evangelize, who will pick up youth. There is something for everyone. The church needs people to come. The bride says come!
Let the one who is thirsty come! There is an individual responsibility to tell people how they can come to know Jesus. We are all called to be evangelists. We have a responsibility to win people to Jesus. That is also what we need to be doing as a church. The only way the church does that, is if we individually do that. The church as a whole will only be as strong in its gospel witness as we are as individuals.
Warning Against Alteration:
A solemn warning follows. The words of this prophecy are sacred, and tampering with them invites divine consequences. Adding or subtracting from the scroll carries weighty repercussions. It underscores the integrity of God’s Word.
Why does The Lord take the Word of God, so serious? The Word of God – the Bible and the Living Word of God – Jesus are so entwined together, that to do damage to one is to do damage to both. You can not say “I believe in Jesus” and not believe scripture.
The hermeneutical principle called “Staying on the Line” teaches the biblical truth that God wants us to take Him at His Word, not adding to what He has said or subtracting from it. If you go above the line, it is legalism and if you fall below the line it is liberalism. Both are bad
Legalism is synonymous with religion in the New Testament. It is taking what God says is scripture and adding our beliefs or convictions to it. It is very easy to be legalistic and not even know it. Most commonly this happens when someone feels a conviction from God to do a certain thing and then puts that conviction on others.
Liberalism takes away from scripture. This also is an easy trap to fall into especially with younger generations. Combining all of our influences, education, culture, media, etc… and elevating those beliefs to hold the same weight as the Bible is very subtle and has infected many Christian beliefs and churches. In fact, many churches in an attempt to reach younger generations have made huge decisions in the realm of liberalism. It is not calling a sin, a sin.
To truly stay on the line of God’s Word, we need to understand the what (the content) and also the why (the intent) of Scripture. When we fail to adequately understand each of those, we find ourselves on shifting ground, prone to both legalism and liberalism. Both end in the rejection of scripture.
Anticipations of Christ’s Return:
The passage concludes with a fervent cry: “Yes, I am coming quickly.”
It is stated three times in this last chapter. Verse 7 – “Behold I am coming quickly”. Verse 12 – “Behold I am coming quickly”. Verse 20 – “Behold I am coming quickly”. It is said three times for emphasis, but what does it mean? The early Christians lived with this anticipation, and we too await the glorious return of our Lord. “
However, it has been over 2000 years since these words were written it is not giving us a time of his return, but a description of his return. As scripture says, he will come like a thief in the night. Christ is giving us a warning and a final chance here to repent, because when He returns it will be too late. Notice not when of his coming, but the how. He is coming suddenly or quickly. We have always heard Jesus is coming soon and the time of Christ’s return is sooner than it has ever been. Dr. Adrian Rogers said, “It is getting gloriously dark, a set up for the return”.
Benediction:
The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with You. The grace of Jesus envelops us. It sustains, forgives, and empowers. Paul closed most of his writings with “May the grace and peace of the Lord Jesus be with you”. That is an important lesson, before peace can come, grace must come. Before we have eternal peace in the Lord, we have to have eternal grace and that is through receiving Christ as Lord. Friends no man can serve two masters. You can not hold hands with the god of greed with one hand and the God of grace with the other. You have to repent and turn from wickedness and make Jesus the Lord of your life.
As we journey through life, may His grace be our constant companion
Dr. Jonathan Crawford Blog 
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