How should Christians interpret the urgency of Jesus' return in Revelation 22:20? Text and Immediate Context “He who testifies to these things says, ‘Yes, I am coming soon.’ Amen. Come, Lord Jesus!” (Revelation 22:20). The verse stands in the epilogue of Revelation (22:6-21), a closing dialogue in which the risen Christ affirms the certainty (“these words are faithful and true,” v. 6) and the nearness (“I am coming soon,” vv. 7, 12, 20) of His return, while John and the churches respond, “Amen. Come!” Canonical Harmony Scripture describes the Second Coming as both imminent (Matthew 24:42-44; 1 Thessalonians 5:2) and delayed for redemptive reasons (2 Peter 3:8-9). The urgency of Revelation 22:20 balances expectation with patience: the Church lives as if Christ may appear today while laboring as though He may tarry for generations. Historical Reception Early writers—Didache 16, Ignatius (Ephesians 11), and Irenaeus (Against Heresies 5.30)—cite the imminent hope of Christ’s return as a lived reality, indicating that first-century Christians interpreted “soon” as a perpetual state of readiness rather than a date-setting timetable. The Doctrine of Imminence 1. Ethical Catalyst: “Everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself” (1 John 3:3). 2. Evangelistic Impulse: Paul’s language—“knowing the fear of the Lord, we persuade others” (2 Corinthians 5:11)—flows from expectation of judgment. 3. Pastoral Comfort: Persecuted believers in Smyrna (Revelation 2:10) were sustained by the promise of Christ’s near vindication. Answering the ‘Delay’ Objection • God’s Timeframe: “With the Lord a day is like a thousand years” (2 Peter 3:8). From an eternal vantage, the Church Age is brief. • Redemptive Patience: The apparent delay maximizes salvation (2 Peter 3:9). • Prophetic Pattern: Isaiah 40:10-11 couples imminent arrival with shepherd-like patience, showing that urgency and waiting coexist in biblical prophecy. Theological Purposes of Urgency 1. Worship—doxological response (“Amen. Come, Lord Jesus!”). 2. Holiness—life oriented toward future judgment and reward. 3. Perseverance—suffering measured against imminent glory (Romans 8:18). 4. Mission—global proclamation before the end (Matthew 24:14). Eschatological Frameworks and Consensus Premillennial, amillennial, and postmillennial interpreters vary in timetable but concur that Revelation 22:20 demands expectancy. The grammatical present of erchomai anchors all systems to a lived anticipation, not merely conceptual assent. Practical Applications for the Church • Daily Prayer: Echo John’s plea—“Come, Lord Jesus”—as liturgical and personal rhythm. • Moral Vigilance: Evaluate choices against the prospect of immediate divine audit. • Strategic Stewardship: Invest resources in gospel advance, knowing time is limited. • Comfort in Mourning: Resurrection hope redefines grief (1 Thessalonians 4:13-18). Summary Revelation 22:20’s urgency is neither hyperbole nor failed prediction; it is a divine summons to continual readiness. The certainty of Christ’s swift, sudden appearing presses believers toward worship, purity, perseverance, and mission while showcasing God’s redemptive patience. The consistent manuscript tradition, early church witness, corroborated prophecy, and the historical resurrection together ground this urgency in unassailable reality. |
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