Revelation 22:7; Behold, I Come Quickly

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Revelation 22:7 (KJV)  Behold, I come quickly: blessed is he that keepeth the sayings of the prophecy of this book.

The sudden change in speakers reflected in the content of v7 marks the verse in parenthetical – Behold, I come quickly: blessed is he that keepeth the sayings of the prophecy of this book.

Those words, perhaps reported by the angel, are nonetheless the words of Christ (cf. Revelation 11:3; 22:12) (Alford, Bullinger).

Revelation 11:3 (KJV)  And I will give power unto my two witnesses, and they shall prophesy a thousand two hundred and threescore days, clothed in sackcloth. 

Revelation 22:12 (KJV)  And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be.

With great similarity to Revelation 16:15, this is a case where the Lord speaks directly, the way the prophets sometimes injected utterances of God without the customary “saith the Lord” (eg. Isaiah 16:10; 61:8 cf. Revelation 1:8) (Swete, Beckwith).

Revelation 16:15 (KJV)  Behold, I come as a thief. Blessed is he that watcheth, and keepeth his garments, lest he walk naked, and they see his shame. 

Isaiah 16:10 (KJV)  And gladness is taken away, and joy out of the plentiful field; and in the vineyards there shall be no singing, neither shall there be shouting: the treaders shall tread out no wine in their presses; I have made their vintageshouting to cease. 

Isaiah 61:8 (KJV)  For I the LORD love judgment, I hate robbery for burnt offering; and I will direct their work in truth, and I will make an everlasting covenant with them. 

Revelation 1:8 (KJV)  I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty. 

Christ is undoubtedly the speaker of the words – Behold, I come quickly. He also speaks about His imminent coming without introduction in Revelation 22:12, 20.

Revelation 22:12 (KJV)  And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be.

Revelation 22:20 (KJV)  He which testifieth these things saith, Surely I come quickly. Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus. 

Very similar references to this coming are in Revelation 2:5, 16; 3:11; 16:15, with still other mentions of an indirect sort in Revelation 1:1; 2:25; 3:3, 20.

Revelation 2:5 (KJV)  Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent.

Revelation 2:16 (KJV)  Repent; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will fight against them with the sword of my mouth.

Revelation 3:11 (KJV)  Behold, I come quickly: hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown.

Revelation 16:15 (KJV)  Behold, I come as a thief. Blessed is he that watcheth, and keepeth his garments, lest he walk naked, and they see his shame. 

Revelation 1:1 (KJV)  The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave unto him, to shew unto his servants things which must shortly come to pass; and he sent and signified it by his angel unto his servant John: 

Revelation 2:25 (KJV)  But that which ye have already hold fast till I come.

Revelation 3:3 (KJV)  Remember therefore how thou hast received and heard, and hold fast, and repent. If therefore thou shalt not watch, I will come on thee as a thief, and thou shalt not know what hour I will come upon thee.

Revelation 3:20 (KJV)  Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.

[Robert L. Thomas, Revelation 8-22 – An Exegetical Commentary, Moody 1995, 497]