Thinking in 3’s - Revelation 22:7,12,20

Thinking in

3’s - Revelation 22:7,12,20

I’ve been reading through the Bible backwards, and on the last page of my Bible, Jesus says three times, “I am coming soon.”

We realize that Jesus said these words to John at the end of the 1st century. We are now living in the first part of the 21st century. A lot of years have come and gone. A lot of centuries have come and gone. Two millennia. It’s a long time.

And yet, one of the first responsibilities for Christians, along with “keep on believing” and “keep on following” is to honor God’s Word. And the fact that this phrase, “I am coming soon” is here repeated three times only emphasizes that fact all the more. 

Revelation 22:6 says, “These words are trustworthy and true.” The sentence right after our first instance of “I am coming soon” is this: “Blessed is the one who keeps the words of the prophecy in this book.” In verse 9, both John and the angel are numbered alongside “those who keep the words of this book,” all of whom are to “Worship God.” Verses 18 and 19 add a warning to any lest they add to or take away from the words of the book. Our fidelity to Christ is tied up with taking this promise, “I am coming soon,” seriously.

The second occurrence of “I am coming soon” is accompanied by a promise “to repay each one for what has done.” This promise serves as a motivation for each of us to examine how we live, and to “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.” That is, we are to seek to live in the light of our justification and sanctification. We do not make ourselves righteous before God, but we can walk in keeping with the righteousness that we have graciously received. We are, as it were, engaged to Christ. We are awaiting His coming for the wedding and the party. And we want nothing to sully our readiness and enjoyment of that day. So far as we know, it could be today. Are we ready?

The third instance of “I am coming soon” occurs in the next-to-last verse of the Bible. The final verse is a commendation of our Lord’s grace to all believers. So just as sure as we stand in need of God’s grace every single day, we just as surely need to remember the promise of Jesus’ coming every single day. 

This simple little phrase reminds us that life will not always be as it is now. The “world order” is going to change. Almost everything we can think of will be radically changed. Jesus will be King. All enemies will be dealt with. Sin and death will be no more. Fellowship will be pure and sweet. Every act will be done with joy, in the worship of God. And it all hinges on this little promise, repeated three times on the last page of the Bible: “I am coming soon.”