Jump Start # 179 

Revelation 22:20 “He who testifies to these things says, ‘Yes, I am coming quickly.’ Amen. Come, Lord Jesus.”

  This is one of the final sentences in not just the book of Revelation, but the entire Bible. Ending a book is as important as beginning a book. The Bible, as a unit of literature, took over 1,500 years for God to write. It involved 40 different people on three continents using three different languages. It was written during times of war and peace. It was written by kings, prophets, apostles and shepherds. It contained warnings, promises, blessings and prophecies. The central theme is that Jesus Christ is the savior of the world. The Bible is the vehicle that connects us to God through faith. The Bible is God’s evidence to build our faith and our guide to live by.

  After all that, God was concluding for the last time. There would be no more books of the Bible. All has been said. All we needed was laid before us. Now, in the final statements, there is a reminder that Jesus is coming. This was promised when He left. This is something Peter and Paul both taught.

  Yes, I am coming quickly. Those are the words of Jesus. “Come, Lord Jesus,” are the words of John, the writer of Revelation. Come, Lord Jesus.

  Things will be different when Jesus comes. He is not coming to build a kingdom—it’s built. He is the king right now. He is not coming to do more things. On the cross He said, “It is finished.” What He came to do was accomplished. When Jesus comes, the dead will be resurrected, the earth and universe will be burned up and the living will be changed in an instant. All souls will be gathered at the judgment. The books of God will be opened. Those names not found in the book of Life will be cast out and apart from God forever. The righteous will be ushered into  God’s home for eternity. Things will be drastically different. Our world as we see it today will be no more. We will not be governed by time any longer. Things will not come to an end, as we are used to them now. Our natures change. Satan will be cast into Hell forever. Temptation will be over. The problems that plague us now will be no more.

  We won’t be concerned about paying bills. We won’t be in a hurry to get somewhere—there is no other place to go to. We won’t have any doctor visits. We won’t turn on a light, lock a door, pass by a cemetery, or long for a better world. We will be in it. Gone will be bad news. No more plane crashes, political scandals, late night visits to the hospital, or crime reports. They will all be gone. There will be a separation. Today the good and bad mingle together. Today the righteous and unrighteous live side by side. When Jesus comes, He will separate the sheep from the goats. The judgment will divide the righteous from the unrighteous once and for all. Never again will the righteous be pressured, made fun of or mocked. Never again will they have to defend their faith or be challenged by ungodly intellectuals.

  Come, Lord Jesus. Can you say that? Are you ready for Him to come? Do you wish He came today? This weekend? It would change things forever! If He came today, all your plans for the weekend would not happen. Football games would not be played. Some would not see the birth of their babies. Some would not get to see graduation. Some bills would go unpaid. Some payments would not be received. All life would come to an immediate halt.

  The coming of Jesus would be terrifying for those who are not ready. They would be thrust before the judgment seat of God without a savior and without any hope. Many would be lost simply because they are not ready. The righteous would burst with joy. It would mean being with the Savior forever. Done with this old broken world. Heaven would be their home. The righteous can say, “Come, Lord Jesus.” Come today! Come now!

  If you can’t say that, you need to make things right while you can. Can we help you? Can we  study the Bible together? “I am coming quickly…”

Roger