Promises Kept Revelation 22:7

Everything is moving toward completion. History is not a random collection of events. God is directing all things toward a specific end according to His sovereign purpose.

In the last post, we looked at God’s promise to make all things new. That naturally leads to another question: When will that work be completed?

Jesus answered this in another statement of Jesus I am quotes, describing what He is doing

Jesus answers that question in Revelation 22:7:

“And behold, I am coming soon. Blessed is the one who keeps the words of the prophecy of this book.” (Revelation 22:7, ESV)

These words come immediately after John’s vision of the paradise God is preparing for His people. They remind us that God has a purpose in all He is doing and a destination toward which history is moving.

This world is not random, chance or fate. That would make life miserable if everything we went through had no purpose. That we live life with joy and sorrow and then become worm food. If the difficulties had no purpose. If the joys had no meaning.

What is the point?

But if there is a purpose, and reason, a destination then it is worth it.

I am not going to try to explain every purpose for the joys or sorrows we face. That is way beyond my ability. But God does understand it all. And everything is going according to his plan, purpose, and result.

And regardless of if we will ever understand it all, it will be worth it, for those who believe. One way Paul puts it in Romans is the glory will outweigh the pain

Christ’s return means the fulfillment of God’s promises:

• To complete what He has started.
• To make all things new.
• To reward the faithful.
• To establish perfect justice.

The Old Testament contains hundreds of promises concerning the coming Messiah. God promised a Savior who would be born of a virgin, come from David’s line, where He would be born and accomplish His redemptive work. More than 300 Old Testament prophecies concerning Christ’s first coming were fulfilled exactly as God declared.

Likewise, many Old Testament and New Testament passages point to Christ’s return.

Before going further, let me be clear: I am not going to focus on prophetic timelines or secondary debates about the details of the end times. I want to focus on the one certainty that all faithful Christians affirm:

Jesus is coming back.

God has appointed the time. Just as Christ’s first coming occurred exactly when and how God ordained, so His second coming will occur according to God’s perfect plan.

I am reminded of Acts 1:9-11:

“And when he had said these things, as they were looking on, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him out of their sight. And while they were gazing into heaven as he went, behold, two men stood by them in white robes, and said, ‘Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into heaven? This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven.'” (Acts 1:9-11, ESV)

The disciples wanted to know whether the kingdom would be consummated at that time. The angels essentially told them to stop staring into the sky and get to work. Their calling was not to calculate dates but to faithfully carry out the mission Christ had given them.

The same is true for us.

Our responsibility is not to predict the timing. Our responsibility is to be faithful.

Jesus will return, and when He does, the work of making all things new will be complete.

This promise echoes Christ’s words in John 14:

“And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also.” (John 14:3, ESV)

The return of Christ is not merely a doctrine to be studied. It is a promise to be treasured.

The Final Act of Justice

Christ’s return will also bring the final establishment of justice.

Matthew 24-25 and Revelation 20 speak of the separation of the sheep and the goats, the righteous and the unrighteous, those whose names are written in the Lamb’s Book of Life and those whose names are not. Resurrection to eternal life with Christ or eternal separation in torment.

One of humanity’s enduring questions is why evil people often seem to prosper while faithful people suffer.

The first thing we must remember is that there are no truly good people. We are all sinners. Sin has affected every person and every part of creation. Any good we have or do is because of God’s grace.

Yet we still struggle when we see wickedness rewarded and righteousness opposed.

Scripture repeatedly tells us not to lose heart.

In other posts I referenced Psalm 37:4 which says Delight yourself in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart.

Psalm 37 begins:

“Fret not yourself because of evildoers; be not envious of wrongdoers! For they will soon fade like the grass and wither like the green herb.” (Psalm 37:1-2, ESV)

Later, David writes:

“Be still before the LORD and wait patiently for him; fret not yourself over the one who prospers in his way, over the man who carries out evil devices! Refrain from anger, and forsake wrath! Fret not yourself; it tends only to evil. For the evildoers shall be cut off, but those who wait for the LORD shall inherit the land.” (Psalm 37:7-9, ESV)

We should absolutely work for the good of our communities. We should seek justice, love mercy, and walk faithfully before God.

We should also see those who do wrong held accountable.

God gave the state, the governing authorities the responsibility to protect the community and punish the criminal.

But ultimately, final justice belongs to Him.

God sees. God knows. God will judge rightly.

God will mete our final justice and make all things right. That is part of making new.

Christ Comes With His Reward

Revelation 22 also reminds us that Christ returns with His reward.

He comes to reward faith and faithfulness—not because believers have earned salvation, but because God graciously rewards the works that His Spirit produces in His people. The faithfulness of people who respond to God’s gift of salvation.

Some passages speak of crowns that believers will receive. Yet even those crowns will ultimately be laid at Christ’s feet, for everything we have done has been accomplished only through His grace.

Revelation 22:12-13 says:

“Behold, I am coming soon, bringing my recompense with me, to repay each one for what he has done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end.” (Revelation 22:12-13, ESV)

The word recompense refers to repayment, reward, or judgment.

Jesus is coming back to execute perfect, righteous justice.

History began with God speaking the world into existence. And man failing to be faithful.

History continues through God’s great rescue mission as He calls sinners to Himself through Christ.

And history will conclude when Christ returns, bringing His reward and judgment with Him.

He is the Alpha and the Omega.

The Beginning and the End.

The First and the Last.

Every promise concerning Christ’s first coming was fulfilled exactly as God declared.

And every promise concerning His return will likewise be fulfilled—in His perfect time and according to His perfect plan.

So until that day, let us not be consumed with speculation.

Let us be faithful.

Let us keep the words of this prophecy.

And let us live in joyful expectation of the day when the King returns.

Even so, Come Lord Jesus.