The Bride says: Come, Lord Jesus!

STUDY: #857 CHURCH IN THE HOUSE FROM: MAY 12 @ 18, 2015

Topic: "The Bride says: Come, Lord Jesus!" Revelation 22: 6-21 The Scripture reads: "... these words are trustworthy and true." (Revelation 19:9, 21:5) It is hard for us to believe that God is as good, faithful and true as He is. For us who are so accustomed to the miseries of this fallen world, this news seems too good to be true. Here, in the passage in chapter 22, we find three speakers; three people who take part in such an important conversation. First, an angel (Revelation 21:9), then the Lord Jesus Christ (Revelation 22:16) and John (Revelation 22:8). THE FIRST speaker is one of several angels who has served as an interpreter of the divine things for John. Once more, John writes highlighting the truth of what he has seen and heard. "The God of the spirits of the prophets ..." This means, the God who inspired the prophets’ minds! ("And the Lord, the God who inspires the prophets, sent his angel to show his servants the things that must soon take place." Revelation 22:6) Therefore, the messages that John received came from the same source that inspired the great prophets of the Old Testament, and should be treated with the same seriousness. THE SECOND speaker is Jesus Christ Himself. He reiterates; once again He says that His returning to this earth will not be long delayed (“Look, I am coming soon!” Revelation 22:7). And then He gives His blessing to all those who read and obey the words in the book of John (“Blessed is the one who keeps the words of the prophecy written in this scroll.” Revelation 22:7). This is “the greeting of the devoted student.” The devout student, the one who is dedicated with fervor, the best student. There are many believers who are devout, but are not students of the Word. They do not accept entering into the discipline of learning for they are suspicious or distrust the knowledge gained from studying the Scriptures. There are also many students of the Bible who are not devotees. They are very interested in the intellectual knowledge, but have very little interest in prayer, and in the service to their fellow men. THE THIRD, and last speaker is John himself. He is identified as the author of the book. Surprisingly, in Revelation 22:9 John again warns against worshipping angels, as in Revelation 19:10 “At this I fell at his feet to worship him. But he said to me, ‘Don’t do that! I am a fellow servant with you, and with your brothers and sisters who hold to the testimony of Jesus. Worship God… “John reveals the danger of worshipping angels; we should only worship God. The passage in Revelation 22 insists that Christ's coming is imminent; the Risen Christ, of which it speaks, and does so a second time. John's vision was not meant to be sealed, "do not seal" (Vs. 10). It is not the time to seal the prophecy, but "open it" and "read it" for the coming of Christ can take place at any moment. He says that everyone should remain as they are if there is no desire to change (Vs. 11). Daniel 12:10 reads "... the wicked will continue to be wicked..." Ezekiel 3:27 ("Whoever will listen let them listen"). Whoever wants to listen, let them listen; and those who refuse to do so; oh well. A person can constantly reject the path of Christ; to the point that eventually they will not be able to follow it. This is sinning against the Holy Spirit. We should understand that God loves us so greatly, that He sacrificed His beloved son so that all that believe in Him may repent and have free salvation. But He says: "Everyone can do what they please; I do not force anyone."

Here the message is: Warning! I am coming soon! Jesus brings His reward to give to each person, "according to each person’s work." ("Look, I am coming soon! My reward is with me, and I will give to each person according to what they have done." Revelation 22:12) He is coming with rewards so that all the "workers" "at the dusk of the world" "receive their salary." Christ is the Alpha and Omega; the first and last; the beginning and end (Vs.13). He is all; from A to Z. Jesus has absolutely everything within Himself, and doesn’t need anything from any other source. This is authority. He is the first and last, this is eternity. Since God is the beginning, He does not receive His power from anyone. Since He is the end, He does not pass it to anyone. Blessed are those that keep His commandments (Vs. 14). A reason to do so is, to have the right to the tree of life! Those who have washed their robes are those who have received forgiveness, obtained only through Jesus Christ who has provided it on the cross. Everyone has to own that sacrifice! Those excluded from the tree of life are the “dogs”, a symbol of everything wild and dirty (Vs.15). Dogs symbolize Christians who “return to the vomit” (2 Peter 2:22) who return to sinning after being baptized. Those who lie will also be excluded (Psalm 101:7 “No one who practices deceit will dwell in my house; no one who speaks falsely will stand in my presence.”). Thus begins the book that John writes: "The revelation of Jesus Christ ..." Revelation 1:1. This is the confirmation that Jesus gives that the vision came from Him. His credentials are: "I am the Root and the Offspring of David" (Revelation 22:16). Now we are the bride, and later we’ll be the WIFE (Vs. 17). This will only occur when the full number of those who constitute it is accomplished. The invitation to go to Him, to join Him is as long as we are the bride. Whoever wants to be saved, join the Spirit, the bride, and whichever faithful believer is part of the bride, in saying to Jesus as the bride does: Come! Anyone who has not obeyed the call cannot ask Jesus to come. Let us tell others for their salvation. Let us tell those who are thirsty. Come, Lord Jesus! Amen.