Why has Jesus not returned yet if Revelation 22:20 says "I am coming soon"? Revelation 22:20 In Context “He who testifies to these things says, ‘Yes, I am coming soon.’ Amen. Come, Lord Jesus!” The Greek Term “Tachy”: Soon Or Sudden? • The adverb τάχι (tachy) appears seven times in Revelation (1:1; 2:5, 16; 3:11; 11:14; 22:6, 20). It denotes speed of execution once the action begins, not necessarily brevity of interval beforehand. • Luke 18:8 uses tachy of God granting justice “quickly,” even though the widow waits first; the stress is on the swiftness of fulfillment when it occurs. • Thus “I am coming soon” assures certainty and suddenness, not a fixed date. Divine Perspective On Time • “With the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day” (2 Peter 3:8; cf. Psalm 90:4). God’s atemporality means “soon” cannot be measured by human calendars. • Scripture frequently couples delayed fulfillment with the language of imminence (Isaiah 13:22; Habakkuk 2:3), underscoring God’s sovereignty over chronology. Purposeful Delay: God’S Patience Toward Salvation • “The Lord is … patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance” (2 Peter 3:9). • Historical data show the gospel now reaches languages and people groups unheard of in the first century (e.g., Wycliffe Global Alliance reports Scripture portions in 3,658 languages by 2023). The continuing harvest illuminates the mercy behind the interval. Fulfillment Of Prophetic Conditions 1. Fullness of the Gentiles (Romans 11:25). 2. Global proclamation of the gospel (Matthew 24:14). 3. Final apostasy and revealing of “the man of lawlessness” (2 Thessalonians 2:3–4). 4. National Israel’s eventual spiritual awakening (Zechariah 12:10; Romans 11:26). While the modern re-establishment of Israel in 1948 and its linguistic revival of Hebrew corroborate biblical expectations (Isaiah 66:8; Zephaniah 3:9), several elements—including a worldwide turning of that nation to Messiah—remain incomplete. The Church Age: Sanctifying A People For His Name • Ephesians 5:27 pictures Christ presenting the Church “without spot or wrinkle,” implying an era of corporate refinement. • Historical revivals, missionary movements, and the spread of biblical literacy manifest this progressive preparation. Examples Of “Soon” In Salvation History • Genesis 3:15 promises a Deliverer; fulfillment waits millennia, yet Galatians 4:4 calls it “the fullness of time.” • Habakkuk 2:3 declares the vision “will not delay,” though it tarried decades. Such patterns validate God’s vocabulary of imminence joined to purposeful delay. Covenantal Framework And Chronology • Ussher’s timeline (creation 4004 BC; flood 2348 BC; Exodus 1446 BC) highlights God’s measured epochs. Similar precision governs eschatological milestones, though dates remain unrevealed (Matthew 24:36). • Daniel’s seventy-weeks prophecy (Daniel 9:24-27) demonstrates a split chronology: sixty-nine weeks fulfilled at Messiah’s first advent, one week reserved. The present gap illustrates precedent for divinely-inserted parenthetical ages. Theological Implications Of Imminence • Readiness: “Therefore keep watch, because you do not know the day” (Matthew 24:42). • Holiness: “Everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself” (1 John 3:3). • Mission: “We are ambassadors” imploring reconciliation before the door of grace shuts (2 Corinthians 5:20). Answering Common Objections 1. “Two thousand years prove He will not come.” —Scripture pre-answered this charge (2 Peter 3:4–9). 2. “‘Soon’ must mean first-century return.” —The destruction of Jerusalem AD 70 partially vindicated Christ’s near-term warnings (Luke 21:20-24) without exhausting the global scope of His parousia (Matthew 24:27). 3. “Science shows a self-contained universe.” —Fine-tuning (cosmological constant 10-120 precision), irreducible biological systems, and information-rich DNA argue for ongoing divine governance, making future intervention coherent rather than fantastical. Practical Applications • Live expectantly yet industriously (Luke 19:13). • Trust divine timing; prophecy has never failed (Joshua 23:14). • Engage culture with the gospel, hastening the Day (2 Peter 3:12). Conclusion The alleged delay of Christ’s return reconciles effortlessly with the biblical concept of “soon.” The Word points to certainty, suddenness, and salvific purpose, all anchored in a God whose chronology transcends ours while His faithfulness never wavers. “He who calls you is faithful, and He will do it” (1 Thessalonians 5:24). |
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