“‘Come!’ And let him who hears, say ‘Come.’ And let him who thirsts come. Whoever desires let him take the water of life freely.” Revelation 22:17
In the days of Daniel the prophet, as revealed in the Old Testament, there came a day when he went before King Nebuchadnezzar to interpret a dream that God had given him. In that dream was revealed that there would be four great kingdoms that would come on the earth, beginning in the days of Nebuchadnezzar, and ending with the coming of the Messiah. The Messiah’s coming would be like a rock that would strike the feet of a statue, “whose splendor was excellent, …and its form awesome,” which represented these four kingdoms of men. So effective and powerful was the blow that this rock made on the statue, that it was broken in pieces. The result of the destruction of these kingdoms would be the formation of another, that of the Messiah, which would last forever. One reason why this prophecy of Daniel is so remarkable is the naming of these kingdoms, putting them in order of their rise to power, and then the revelation that the Messiah is coming to establish His kingdom on earth, “…as it is in heaven.” No man could have prophesied in and of himself concerning these kingdoms, and the coming of Christ. God did this to reveal His glory, sovereignty, mercy and grace. The question then arises, “Who will believe Him, and respond accordingly?”
The book of Revelation was written principally for the church, the living body of Christ on earth, with each believer on earth then, and now, called upon to listen, consider, respond to Christ’s admonitions, but also, to realize that the God of Daniel, of the other prophets, and especially Christ by His words, works, and ways, is the same today as He was then. His purpose in revealing the great events of history before they come to pass and then confirming them by the words of Christ during His ministry, and afterwards through His apostles, was to confirm to mankind that He Was, Is, and Shall Be, the eternal God, who is bringing about His perfect will and purposes. His call throughout the ages has always been to seek Him, hear Him, call upon Him, and receive from Him Life, eternal Life.
When John the Apostle received the book of Revelation from God, while exiled on the isle of Patmos, He was writing down things that were true in the present, but also in the future. The God of the present, having proved the truth of what He has always declared, is the same today, His words ringing out through the ages to this very day. The book of Revelation, in dealing with things to come, keeps before mankind that not only is there a true and living God, but one who is ever seeking the lost, perishing soul, to save. However, that which is the context for His message through the church, and during the very difficult times to come, is that there is still hope, and the certainty of salvation for the one who will hear, respond, repent and believe in Christ. The context is one of the wrath of God, revealed as the prophets and Christ have declared it. And even though God will deal with all of the evil on this earth, and with Satan and his demons, yet His continuous call ever goes forth. In Paul’s letter to the Romans, the appeal was two-fold. First, “Whoever believes on Him (Christ) will not be put to shame,” and secondly, “Whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.” (10:11,13) When we come to the end of the book of the revelation, after seeing God’s manifest initiatives to save men during the tribulation, we find the Holy Spirit and the Bride of Christ, saying to all, and anyone who will respond: “Come.” Why such a simple and yet all-inclusive invitation? Because the thirst God gives is His saving call: “…whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely.” (Rev. 22:17)
Dear Father, Strengthen us to come. In Jesus’ name, Amen.