“Look, I am coming soon! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning
and the End. I am the Root and the Offspring of David, and the bright Morning Star.”
The Spirit and the bride say, “Come!” And let the one who hears say, “Come!”
Let the one who is thirsty come; let the one who wishes take the free gift of the water of
life.
He who testifies to these things says, “Yes, I am coming soon.” Amen. Come, Lord Jesus.
(from Revelation 22:12-20)
The last book of the Bible ends with the prayer: “Come, Lord Jesus.” It is a prayer that is
echoed in many of our Advent hymns, such as “O Come, O Come, Emmanuel” and “Come,
Thou Long Expected Jesus.”
In Revelation 22:20, it is a response to Jesus’ promise to come. In verse 12 and again in verse
20, Jesus himself says, “I am coming soon.” Those who hear the promise say, “Come!”
In verse 17, it is the prayer of “the Spirit and the bride.” The bride is the church as she joins
this prayer of the Spirit, calling out to Jesus, “Come!”
Picture the bride waiting for the Bridegroom to arrive. She is adorned and ready for him (see
19:7–8). This is the church as she should be, expectant and prepared for the Lord’s coming. She
is the church that prays, “Come, Lord Jesus!”
Imagine the book of Revelation being read aloud in Christian worship. When the reader reads
the next sentence, “Let everyone who hears say, ‘Come!’” (verse 17), the whole congregation
would join in the prayer, shouting, “Come, Lord Jesus!” Their heartfelt prayer identifies them as
the bride of the Lamb.
Notice that in the second half of verse 17, the use of the word “come” shifts. Now it is the
hearers, “everyone who is thirsty,” who are invited to “come” and receive from God “the water
of life.” The water of life is part of the new creation (21:6) and the New Jerusalem (22:1). But it
is available already in the present to those who are awaiting the coming of Jesus.
Yes, Jesus has come, that we may have eternal life. Already now we have a taste of the new
creation as we live our trust and surrender to Jesus, our Saviour and Lord. We wait and long for
him to come again because we have met him already.
In this Advent season, celebrate Jesus’ coming in the hope of his coming again. “Come, Lord
Jesus!”
Invite others to come and taste the free gift of the water of life and know the blessing of this
relationship with Jesus. Invite them to your home, or invite them to any of our services in this
Advent season.
“Come, Lord Jesus!”