The Last Saving

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.

¹⁸ I warn everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: if anyone adds to them, God will add to him the plagues described in this book, ¹⁹ and if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God will take away his share in the tree of life and in the holy city, which are described in this book.

²⁰ He who testifies to these things says, “Surely I am coming soon.” Amen. Come, Lord Jesus!

²¹ The grace of the Lord Jesus be with all. Amen – Revelation 22:17-21 [ESV]

We have been saved. Redeemed. Set apart. And yet we are still being saved, day by day, as God works in us for his good pleasure. And one day we will be saved, on the Great Last Day. This last saving is the subject of this chapter of Revelation. The whole book recounts how we have been saved through the suffering and death of Jesus. That had happened about 70 years before John wrote down this “Revelation of Jesus Christ.”

People were still being saved through reading these words and prophecies. Many of them are frightening and confusing to us 2000 years later. But to those under dire persecution these words were encouraging, hope-giving, life-saving words. God was using these words to save them in the midst of their struggles and temptations. This is the purpose of this book. 

They were being saved by being pointed back to Jesus’ victory and forward to the ultimate culmination and consummation of Jesus’ work of redemption. They were being pointed toward the day when God would wipe every tear from the eyes of his beloved children. They were urged to hope for Jesus’ return to end Satan’s rampage once and for all. They were called to believe that one day sin, sickness, suffering, and hardship would be ended. 

We have much in common with the people of John’s day, and to whom he wrote this book. We have been saved by Jesus’ suffering, death, and resurrection from the grave. We are being saved by the Holy Spirit’s continued work in us. And one day we will be perfectly saved in the glory of the life of the world to come.

This is the last saving. It will be a very good day for us all. Amen! Come, Lord Jesus! May his grace ever be with us all. Amen.