Revelation 22:17; And Let Him That Is Athirst Come
Revelation 22:17 (KJV) And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely.
Christ’s command for a second petition for His own return addresses the one who hears. Everyone who hears the book read in the local assembly (cf. Revelation 1:3) is to repeat the call for Christ’s second advent.
Revelation 1:3 (KJV) Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written therein: for the time is at hand.
Not only the church in her corporateness “come” – but also every individual that makes up that church is to call for the fulfilment of Christ’s promise to come soon (Swete). The hearing could have a narrower reference to the utterances of v12-15 or what the Spirit and the bride have just said, but absolute use of the verb “hearth” has a broader scope (Lee).
Instead of welcoming the coming Christ, the thirsty one receives a summons to be welcomed by Christ (Swete). “I thirst” refers to spiritual thirst (Revelation 21:6; 22:1; cf. Isaiah 55:1).
Revelation 21:6 (KJV) And he said unto me, It is done. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely.
Revelation 22:1 (KJV) And he shewed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb.
Isaiah 55:1 (KJV) Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money; come ye, buy, and eat; yea, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price.
Though this invitation could address the stranger who sometimes attended Christian worship (cf. 1 Corinthians 14:23-24) (Moffatt), plenty of regular attenders had not yet attained the category of a overcomer, as the seven messages of chapters 2-3 make very plain. They too needed to respond. The validity of this invitation remains to the very moment when history will transform into eternity, after which no further opportunity for a decision is available.
1 Corinthians 14:23-24 (KJV) If therefore the whole church be come together into one place, and all speak with tongues, and there come in those that are unlearned, or unbelievers, will they not say that ye are mad? But if all prophesy, and there come in one that believeth not, or one unlearned, he is convinced of all, he is judged of all:
“And whosoever will” is a clarification of who the thirsty one is. The designation covers anyone who is conscious of a desire for a higher life, but who may not yet consider himself thirsty (Swete). Desire may lead to an earnest search which is tantamount to thirsting. Desire for the water of life is to have the desire to receive it (Jeremiah 29:13; Mark 7:6).
Jeremiah 29:13 (KJV) And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart.
Mark 7:6 (KJV) He answered and said unto them, Well hath Esaias prophesied of you hypocrites, as it is written, This people honoureth me with their lips, but their heart is far from me.
Even the one with this beginning inclination has an invitation to “take” advantage of this provision which is free of charge (Revelation 21:6; Romans 3:24).
Revelation 21:6 (KJV) And he said unto me, It is done. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely.
Romans 3:24 (KJV) Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus:
Here is a gracious and wide invitation to enjoy cheer immediately following a picture of gloom and despair for the doomed. Jesus invites all those in the seven churches to avail themselves of this free offer. The door of mercy is still open.
[Robert L. Thomas, Revelation 8-22 – An Exegetical Commentary, Moody 1995, 512]