Revelation 22:16-2116I Jesus have sent mine angel to testify unto you these things in the churches. I am the root and the offspring of David, and the bright and morning star. 17And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely. 18For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book: 19And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book. 20He which testifieth these things saith, Surely I come quickly. Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus. 21The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen. (Revelation 22:16‑21)
This closing message of the Lord Jesus must have a special interest to every child of God-to every one of “His own.” And especially so as in it He presents Himself under the name which is so dear to every one of them.
“I Jesus.” It is as if it were “I myself, Jesus.” It is He who in love stooped to the manger cradle of Bethlehem and lower still to the atoning cross of Calvary.
Jesus the despised of men, the outcast of Israel. The Lover of our souls. The “same Jesus” who has ascended is He who is in glory on the throne of God, the “Same Jesus” who is coming again. It is in this last connection that He is heard speaking in this passage. He has command of the angelic host and had sent one of their number to bear testimony concerning the things shortly to come to pass, to the assemblies of His loved ones.
But for them He is coming Himself. No messenger would do for this. It is a service He will commit to none. He, will perform it Himself.
He shows His relation to Israel, His earthly people. He is the Root from which David sprang, and He is the offspring of David, and so shall sit as David's Son on David's throne, and reign in the soon coming glory day.
But to His Assembly which passes through the night of His rejection, He is “The Bright and Morning Star.” The bright star throws its light amid the darkness, and the Morning Star is the harbinger of the coming day. It tells that the darkness will soon be past and the long night will close. Meanwhile faith pierces the gloom, and sees Him and waits for Himself.
The Holy Spirit is here as a heavenly unknown Stranger indwelling those who form the Bride, and He prompts her to respond to Him who has won her affection,
“And the Spirit and the Bride say, ‘Come’.”
They answer the declaration of Himself by the united invitation. This Bride is the whole company of His Church gathered out of the world during His absence to await His return.
Then the call comes to the individual to echo that invitation.
“Let him that heareth say ‘Come’.”
Then, in the joy of grace known and delighted in, the message goes out to the thirsty in an unsatisfying scene.
“And let him that is athirst come.”
And, finally, with the heart yearning after the world of men, the fullest and widest of invitations is sounded,
“And whosoever will let him take the water of life freely.”
The last “whosoever” of the Bible is heard sounding, far and wide speaking of the open door of blessing still.
And so we reach the final testimony from the Savior as to the imminence of His return,
“Surely I come quickly. Amen.”
It has been pointed out that as we hear,
“Behold I come quickly: blessed is he that keepeth the sayings of the prophecy of this book” (verse 7), there is no reply. Which of His own could claim to have been faithful in his responsibility?
Also that in verse 12 when the Lord declares,
“And behold I come quickly: and My reward is with Me, to give every man according as his work shall be”, again there is no response. Who of His servants feels that he can look for reward?
But in verse 20 there is no thought of responsibility or of reward. The person of the Lord Jesus Himself is before the mind, and the response of the heart is given immediately,
“Even so, Come, Lord Jesus.”