Revelation 22:17: ‘Come!’

“17 The Spirit and the bride say, ‘Come!’ And let the one who hears say, ‘Come!’ Let the one who is thirsty come; and let the one who wishes take the free gift of the water of life.” NIV

As we have seen, in this final chapter of Revelation, there is a repeated emphasis on the theme that Jesus is coming soon. In response to this, John’s prayer is (and it should be the prayer of the whole church): ‘’Amen. Come, Lord Jesus’’ (20). But there is also, in the seventeenth verse, the gracious, and repeated, invitation to the ‘’thirsty’’ to ‘’come’’ and ‘’take the free gift of the water of life.’’ These words surely draw from the well of Isaiah 55. Verse 1 of that chapter says:

‘’Come, all you who are thirsty, come to the waters; and you who have no money, come, buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without cost.’’

 Words of Jesus are also brought to mind:

‘’If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink’’ (John 7:37).

The invitation stands for all the spiritually thirsty today. Jesus will not fail to deliver on His promise. You and I can prove its truth. Salvation is a free gift. Let the church echo this message, and repeat it throughout the world. As the old hymn says, ‘Now none but Christ can satisfy…’