Revelation 22:17 - Christ's Final Invitation Reflects His love and Grace Through the Ages
On Sunday, our pastor wrapped up a year-long series on Revelation.
Yes, that Revelation.
I’ve been attending church in various locations for the majority of my life but, until now, I have zero memory of anyone attempting to contend with this mysterious book in its entirety. Sure, over the years there have been verses quoted and visions referenced, but never an entire series of messages from the pulpit on John’s vision of how God will bring His creation to a close. It’s been edifying and eye-opening to, week by week, work our way through the final book of God’s word.
While I now have a firmer grasp on the proverbial shape of things to come, I certainly don’t pretend to understand it all. But Sunday, as we walked through the book’s final chapter, one verse stood out to me - Revelation 22:17.
The Spirit and the Bride say, “Come.” And let the one who hears say, “Come.” And let the one who is thirsty come; let the one who desires take the water of life without price.
Captivated, I highlighted the verse in its own special color, and later I plunged down the rabbit hole. Here is what I learned:
“The Spirit and the Bride say, ‘Come.’” - The Holy Spirit and the Church cry out for Jesus to return.
“And let the one who hears say, ‘Come.’" - The focus shifts here to the one “who has ears to hear,” inviting him to repent and believe and join with the Spirit and The Bride as they call to Jesus.
“And let the one who is thirsty come; let the one who desires take the water of life without price.” - This. The God of the universe uses some of the final words in His book to invite the last holdouts - without cost - into His grace, mercy and eternal life.
In the Bible, beyond Rev. 22:17, only four verses remain. Imagine the infinite number of ways the Alpha and the Omega could have chosen to close out His holy word. In this book, on the heels of the apocalypse, when time itself is drawing to a close, our Creator takes the time to deliver one final invitation to the unbeliever.
At once I envision my heavenly Father in all His power and majesty sitting on His throne as he conducts the symphony of history’s end; I also see a devoted father as he scours the horizon for his wayward son, ready to envelop him in a grace-filled embrace (Luke 15:11-32).
Some of the unbelieving recipients of this holy invitation have spent their lives in sin, rejecting Christ up to the literal point of no return, and yet still they are invited. I’m reminded of the parable of the workers of the vineyard (Matthew 20:1-16), in which the landowner chooses to pay his workers the same, whether they worked a day or an hour. I’m reminded of the thief on the cross (Luke 23:39-43) who spent his life as a criminal and yet, because in his last moments he believed, Jesus said the thief would be with him in paradise.
In the narrative of Revelation, at the far edge of time, at the end of life as we know it, moments before all our choices are etched in stone forevermore, again He invites the lost to join Him. Even as the Spirit and the Bride, weary with waiting, cry out for Jesus’ return…Jesus Himself calls to his beloved prodigals and invites them to come home.
What a merciful God we serve.
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Tomorrow, we’ll talk about the ways in which this passage encourages us ladies in our day-to-day lives.