He who testifies to these things says, “Yes, I am coming quickly.” Amen. Come, Lord Jesus. The grace of the Lord Jesus be with all. Amen (Revelation 22:20-21).
It is the Lord Jesus Himself who “testifies” (Greek, marturon) to the book of Revelation and the writings of the apostle John (verse 20). Christ then says, “Yes, I am coming quickly.” John the apostle concurs and writes, “Amen. Come, Lord Jesus.” The expression “I am coming quickly” is used four times in Revelation (3:11; 22:7, 12, 20). The word “quickly” is the Greek particle tachu, which has to do with coming suddenly. So when Christ comes back, the events of the last days will take place at a rapid rate—things will fall into place in rapid order. Couch observes,
“This idea is reinforced by the Lord’s statements in 3:3 (‘I will come like a thief, and you will not know at what hour I will come to you’) and 16:15 (‘I am coming like a thief. Blessed is the one who stays awake and keeps his clothes, so that he will not walk about naked’)” (Revelation, p. 306).
This sudden and instantaneous return Christ speaks of would have to be the rapture of the church. This is why we are to keep watching—the apostle Paul writes that believers should be “looking for the blessed hope and the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Christ Jesus” (Titus 2:13).
The word “amen” in Revelation 22:20 means, “verily, truly, certainly.” The apostle John is giving a hearty confirmation that Christ may come back immediately! And in a warm closing, the apostle adds this postscript: “The grace of the Lord Jesus be with all. Amen” (verse 21). Henry Morris writes,
In closing, John adds his personal greeting and prayer for his own friends in the seven churches, who will soon be reading and hearing his amazing record of things to come. The Holy Spirit, however, is also sending this same message to all churches everywhere, and He would convey the same greeting and exhortation to them, for there is no more fitting way to close the Book of Revelation, and the entire written Word of God, than this” (Revelation Record, p. 489).
The Revelation begins with Christ appearing to John on Patmos, and it ends with Christ’s promise to return again. It begins with grace (1:4) and it ends with grace (22:21). Even John’s final benediction is a prophecy of all the redeemed people of God who will experience the riches of His grace in the ages to come. The way to eternal happiness is to receive Christ as Savior and Lord. This will entitle you to enter into the glorious holy city and partake of the tree of life and all the marvelous blessings of God. All this and much more is available to us…all because of His amazing grace.
Excerpted from Tim LaHaye and Ed Hindson’s book, Bible Prophecy from Genesis to Revelation (Eugene, OR: Harvest House Publishers, 2006) p.545-46.