Introduction
The big question we all want to know the answer to… When is He coming and will it be soon? “Soon” is what the Bible appears to be saying in the Book of Revelation in Rev. 1:1 and three times in chapter 22. But the short answer to this question is no! He is not coming soon. Now this is a trick question and a trick answer of sorts because Revelation does clearly say that the time is near in Rev. 1:3 but the Greek does not actually say that He is coming soon rather that He is coming quickly, rapidly or suddenly. In fact, it appears that Jesus says Himself three times in chapter 22, “I am coming soon”, according to many modern translations such as NIV, ESV and ISV. But equally many translations including the KJV, NKJV, NASB, and Youngs Literal Translation use the word “quickly” instead of “soon”.1
Now I am not trying to be a “smart alec” and split hairs here but I think it is an important distinction which will help explain a seeming contradiction. Any time that we can explain and clear up a contradiction in the text of the Bible is a good thing because many uninformed armchair Bible scholars say that the Bible is full of contradictions.
The difference between Jesus coming soon and Jesus coming quickly
There is a difference between Jesus coming soon and Jesus coming quickly. The difference may seem minor but I think it is significant because if John had meant Jesus was coming soon when he wrote down his vision in AD 96 then one might say that these Bible verses are simply not true. No matter how you spin it, Jesus has not come back soon since Revelation was written. And we know that the Word of God is consistent and true so we need to go deeper. And when we do go deeper I believe we have an answer that gives the consistency needed.
Rev. 22:7, 12, 20 should be translated “I am coming quickly”. It is the Greek word “tachu” which means quickly, suddenly.2 It has more the sense of without any delay rather than in a short amount of time. So basically what Jesus is saying is that once things start, events are going to proceed very quickly and then He will come back.
The time is near in Rev. 1:3
In Rev. 1:3 it says that the time is near but another Greek word is used (engus) and it does clearly mean near or soon in time here unlike the other “I am coming soon” verses in chapter 22.
Blessed is the one who reads the words of this prophecy, and blessed are those who hear it and take to heart what is written in it, because the time is near.
So again we do have another conundrum because obviously this was written a long time ago and Jesus still has not come back as of June 2024! To get an adequate sense here you have to look at to whom the Book of Revelation is written to. The book is written to the servants of God.3 I.e. Christians but which Christians? There are seven letters in chapters 2 and 3 which were addressed to seven real churches in first century Asia Minor (modern day Turkey): Ephesus; Smyrna; Pergamum; Thyatira; Sardis; Philadelphia; and Laodicea. These churches, I believe however, are also a prototype of the seven kinds of local churches in existence in the end times. That means that the Book of Revelation is primarily for the church which will go through the seven year tribulation not the church for the previous 1900 years. If that then is the case Rev. 1:3 makes perfect sense. Once the tribulation events begin to take place such as the seven seals, the seven trumpet judgments and the seven bowls of wrath, things will happen very quickly and Jesus’ coming will indeed be very soon. In fact one could count off the years, months and days very accurately to calculate the return of the Lord within a couple of days.
Conclusion
So, what am I saying? The conclusion is that the Book of Revelation is for the end times church and certainly the time will be near for that church.
Furthermore, if the pre-tribulational rapture is true the purpose of Revelation is null and void because this position says that the church will be whisked away before the tribulation. The Book of Revelation then has no purpose and makes no sense at all to them except possibly for the so-called tribulation saints who become Christians during that time.
No! Revelation has a real purpose for Christians who are alive at this testing time because they will see these events especially the first 1260 days before the beast rises out of the Abyss. Then the wise virgin Christians will enter into the safe and secret place waiting for their bridegroom and the wedding of the Lamb. See the article, The wedding of the Lamb in Bozrah for further explanation of the wedding.
Church, the book is for us now to study and to be ready for when the countdown takes place. In my opinion, the first event to happen will be the Two Witnesses beginning to prophesy on Sh’mini Atzeret 2029. See the article, The Countdown to Sh’mini Atzeret 2029 for further details on this most important event when we will likely see the appearance of the two witnesses.
2 Responses
Steve, it’s interesting to note “Thayers Greek Lexicon” translates the Greek “tachy, tachu, tachos”: “Without delay, suddenly,speedily, swift” as does an old commentary by Adam Clarke:-
“Rev 22:20-21, Surely I come quickly. This may be truly said to every person in every age; Y’shua (Jesus), the Judge, is at the door! Even so come Lord Jesus…verse 21, May the powerful influence of Jesus Christ be with you all; .. through all periods of time”. Adam Clarke’s Commentary on the Bible.
What’s been lost in modern times is “His imminence” early Christians believed in His imminence.
Y’shua said: “ Now when these things begin to happen, look up and lift up your heads, because your redemption draws near”. Luke 21:28.
Thank you Steve for reminding us of these eternal truths.
L’CHAIM, Robert McBeath.
Hi Robert,
Thanks for your comment. I appreciate feedback and comments on my articles even if we don’t all agree. The doctrine of imminence is a pre-tribulation rapture construct. If you examine the Scriptures carefully there were many things that needed to be fulfilled before Christ returns such as 2 Thess. 2:3 which says that the great apostasy and man of lawlessness has to be revealed first. This alone makes the so-called doctrine of imminence invalid. Besides this there are a myriad of things that needed to be fulfilled before Christ returns. See my article Error: the very next event in prophecy is the pre-trib rapture
Tim Warner also has a great article on imminence here.