Have you ever been invited to a party, and wondered whether you should go or not? In Revelation 22:12-21 we are invited by the Lord to accept the redemption that He has offered us, and in Verses 13-16 & 18-21 He gives us 4 incentives for accepting that invitation.
1. Because of Christ’s Person: What a privilege it is to be invited by Jesus, Himself, to partake of His glorious salvation! (v13 & 16). Here He describes the glory of His person by reminding us that He is the Alpha and Omega (He was here in the beginning, and He is still here at the end of all things). He is “the root (ancestor) and the descendant of David.” Only the God-man can be both David’s ancestor and his descendant. In His deity, Christ is David’s root; in his humanity, He is Davids’s descendant.
2. Because of the Exclusivity of Heaven (v14-15): This starts with a beatitudes, which graphically portrays the follower of Jesus’s participation int eh death of Christ. Heaven is exclusively for those who have been cleansed from their sins by faith in the blood of Christ. In contrast, everyone else will remain forever outside the New Jerusalem in the lake of fire (20:15)
3. Because of the Truthfulness of Scripture (v18-19): It is of great significance that the Bible closes with an affirmation of its truthfulness. Sinners are to be called to respond to the warnings in the Word of the Living God or suffer the consequences. His solemn warning against tampering with Scripture applies first of all to the prophecy of the book of Revelation; Yet because Revelation describes the entire sweep of history from the close of that apostolic age to the eternal state, any alteration of it would be an alteration of Scripture.
4. Because of the certainty of Christ’s return (v20-21): The book of Revelation and the Bible close with one final reminder and benediction. In His last recorded words in Scripture the Lord Jesus Christ says, “Yes, I am coming quickly!” The time for preparation is now! You cannot wait until the moment of the “party” to get ready, and send in your RSVP. The time for preparation is now, may we consider our relationship and secure our spot in Christ’s return.
