Daily Thought

The epilogue to Revelation, and to scripture as a whole, is a thrilling, thrice-repeated, and urgent message from the risen Lord Jesus to all believers in local churches. He is coming back to take us home to be with Himself very quickly, as He promised His own disciples and the church at Thessalonica, John 14. 1-3, 1 Thess. 4. 13-18. No other prophecy must be fulfilled before this event, which is therefore always imminent. For the fact that local churches have not been mentioned since chapter 3 further indicates that we shall not be on earth during the tribulation, but raptured to heaven before it begins, cp. Rev. 4. 1. Whilst the Lord promised that He would come to save Israel out of ‘the time of Jacob’s trouble’ as ‘the Sun of righteousness’, Jer. 30. 7; Mal. 4. 2, Christ here promises to come for His Bride, the church, as the bright Morning Star, which appears before the sun rises. So, as we today see the tribulation stormclouds gathering apace in the world around us ready to burst in horrific judgements, we can anticipate the blessed hope of the rapture before it starts, and therefore very soon indeed. What an encouragement for suffering and sorrowing saints! Maranatha!

The Lord’s message includes both serious warnings for unbelievers and encouraging promises for believers. Unbelievers are warned that their fate will soon be sealed, unless they respond to the gracious invitation of the Spirit and the bride in the gospel to receive Christ’s gift of living water: eternal life in Him. Also, no one is to add to, or take away from, this prophecy of future events on pain of eternal judgement. Believers are reassured that their Lord wants us, as His friends and obedient servants, to know ‘the things which must shortly come to pass’, v. 6 RV. The angel told John not to seal up this prophecy. It is meant to be an open book, understood and acted upon, because the time of its fulfilment is near. The Lord Jesus promises that, when He comes, He will bring with Him rewards for faithful service. While Malachi ended with a curse, Mal. 4. 6, Revelation ends with a blessing of grace from our soon-coming Lord to ‘all the saints’, v. 21 RV margin. Surely, John’s prayerful response is ours also, ‘Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus’!