The Lord brings us back from the prophetic testimony to Himself— “I, Jesus, have sent Mine angel, I am the root and offspring of David (this is in connection with His being source of promise, and heir of it, as King in Zion— ‘Rule Thou in the midst of Thine enemies’), and the bright and morning star” (Rev. 22:1616I 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. (Revelation 22:16)).
But the moment He presents Himself as the bright and morning star, “the Spirit and the bride say, ‘Come;’” the Holy Ghost in the church says, “Come.” This response is what is connected with Himself; the mention of Himself attracts and awakens the answer of the Spirit; this is the character in which the church herself has to say to His coming. God, in the love of His own heart, has associated the church with Jesus, and the very mention of His name awakens the cry, “Come!” for it touches a chord which gives an immediate response; and, therefore, He does not say here, “Behold, I come quickly.” The question here is not when He will come, but that it is Himself that is coming. He does not speak of His coming—blessed though that thought is—but He reveals Himself; and this it is that awakens the response of the heart, by the power of the Holy Ghost. We are for Himself, and shall be with Himself—it cannot be anything short of this, for He calls us “His body.”
What a glorious place this is! Not merely wonderful, but a glorious identification with the Christ of God! No explanation of prophetic Scripture, however nice and true it may be, however useful as a solemn warning as regards this world, can ever take the place in the soul that is taught of God, of knowing its living union with a coming Jesus, of the present waiting for Himself.
No mere explanation of His coming as a doctrine, is the proper hope of the saint. That hope is not prophecy; it is the blessed and sanctifying expectancy of a soul that knows Jesus, and waits to see and be with Himself.
The bride alone hears the voice of the Bridegroom, which at once calls out the expression of her desire of His coming. To this He responds, assuring her of it, “Surely I come quickly,” and then the revelation closes, leaving this as her own expectation, whatever He may have previously communicated to her concerning the judgment of this world, to which she does not belong. The Lord Jesus is represented as descending Himself, and coming and taking His bride to be with Him. Then when the world is saying, “Peace and safety,” sudden destruction cometh upon them, and they shall not escape.