Day 1 - Verse 99 - "He who testifies about these things says, 'Yes, I am coming quickly.' Amen! Come, Lord Jesus!" Revelation 22:20

What can you say about this next to the last verse of all of Holy Scripture?  The final verse adds John's benediction, "The grace of the Lord Jesus be with God's people. Amen."  So the very last things that Jesus leaves us with (as He is the one testifying to John throughout the book of Revelation) is to remember that He is coming, and coming quickly.  And John's response is, "Amen! Come, Lord Jesus!"

First, do we still truly believe that Jesus is coming, or have we fallen into a state of semi-disbelief, and join in with the scoffers that are described in 2 Peter,  "Above all, you must understand that in the last days scoffers will come, scoffing and following their own evil desires. They will say, “Where is this ‘coming’ he promised? Ever since our ancestors died, everything goes on as it has since the beginning of creation.” 2 Peter 3:3

It is easy to listen to those who say that the world has been going on for a kajillion billion years and that it will continue on for another kajillion billion years, if we take good enough care of it.  Biblical truth tells us that our earth was created for a specific purpose, and once that purpose has been served, it will cease to be and will be replaced with God's perfect new earth as we learned in Revelation 21:1. One of the reasons that I do not believe the earth is as old as secular scientists claim is that it takes away from the truth that the earth was created for a finite time...it had a beginning and it will have an end.  But secular scoffers see the world through a different view, and that everything we see here and now will continue on through the ages, with no end in sight.

We, as Christians, need to hold fast onto the truth that Jesus proclaims in His parting sentence to John, and to us.  "Yes, I AM coming quickly!"  Jesus IS coming.  Just because He hasn't made His reappearance in the past 2,000 years, does not mean that He will not return.  He will come at the precise moment His Father gives Him the nod, and not a moment sooner.  "Now concerning that day and hour no one knows-neither the angels in heaven, nor the Son -except the Father only." Matthew 24:36

Remember that our ways are not God's ways and our thoughts not His, and that a thousand years to us, is like a day unto the Lord.  (Isaiah 55:8 and 2 Peter 3:8)  So let us not grow weary, and let us not give up our hope...Jesus IS coming again, and if He said quickly to John, then we are 2,000 years closer to His soon return!

Second, do we respond as John did to Jesus' pronouncement of His return?  "Amen! Come, Lord Jesus!" or have we grown so comfortable in this world, that we are not anxious for Jesus to come and transport us to the next?  Would we be disappointed that our earthly plans have been upset?  Have we grown comfortable living in ways which would cause us shame if Jesus returned right now?  If we looked up into the sky today and saw Jesus descending from the clouds, on a white horse of glory, would we run toward Him or run the other way to try to hide ourselves from His judgment?

John's response shows no hesitancy...he is ready!  This is a good tool for self-examination of our spiritual lives.  How do you respond to Christ's proclamation that He is coming quickly?  Are you ready?  Have you embraced Him as your Savior and asked for His blood to cleanse you from all your unrighteousness?  Are you living in a way that proclaims that truth in your life...living to bring God glory in response to His graciousness to you?

Jesus is coming, He is coming quickly.  Let the church be ready...as a bride ready for her bridegroom!

Let us rejoice and be glad and give him glory! For the wedding of the Lamb has come, and his bride has made herself ready.  Revelation 19:7