The Spirit and the Bride Say, "Come"

I love the simple beauty of the Scriptures. Today I was struck by this simple phrase, “The Spirit and the Bride say, ‘Come,’ ” (Revelation 22:17).

Just a few amazing things about this little passage:

1. Call: After all the judgments, warnings, exhortations, proddings, visions, terror, and joy of the Revelation of Jesus Christ (aka, “Revelation”), the Holy Spirit and the Bride speak together. They say, “Come. Come get some living water. It’s free. Come on, come now, come all.”

   Not to make the Bible out to be merely a book of God’s pleadings, as though (like J.I. Packer so deftly put it in his excellent essay-introduction to John Owen’s Death of Death in the Death of Christ) God were pathetic and wringing His hands at how sinners reject Him, but God’s Spirit and His church here close the entire Bible by pleading with sinners! “Come!”

2. Church and Spirit: The church and the Spirit speak in agreement here. The church and the Spirit are on mission together. The church and the Spirit speak the judgments and the joy of God, then they call, “Come. Come to Jesus. Come take His free water. Come.”

   This must give great hope to missionaries the world over. Wherever we work and whatever we do, we are called to call others to Jesus. It can be as simple as explaining the end of the world and commanding, “Come. Come to Jesus.” His Spirit is speaking with us!

3. Word: The church says what the Word says, the Spirit says what the Word says, the Spirit says what the church says. The local church is meant to be in full agreement with God’s Spirit and His Word. There is no division. United are the three.

   Hope must spring from knowing that God’s Word, Spirit, and church cannot fail. His Word won’t return empty, His Spirit moves and saves wherever He wishes, and His church even stands against the gates of hell!

So say it with the Spirit and the Word. “Come. Come, take the water of life, without cost.”

About these ads