“Behold, I am coming quickly! Hold fast what you have, that no one may take your crown.” Revelation 3:11
The Lord has just finished telling the church at Philadelphia some encouraging news. They are small, they are weak but they are faithful
and the Lord will keep them from the coming worldwide trial. The Lord now follows up that tremendous promise with important words of counsel.
Behold The Lord gives a command. He uses the Greek particle “idou” to focus their attention on what He is about to say. If the Lord tells us to pay close attention to what He is saying, it serves us well to give Him our undivided attention.
I am coming quickly! What does He want these faithful servants to know? The Lord tells the Philadelphians He is coming. The word “come” means a physical movement from one place to another. He is personally coming from heaven (where He is) to where they are. The Lord gives a second piece of information. Not only is He coming back, He is coming quickly. This conveys a sense of immediacy or urgency. It describes an action that will be undertaken without delay. It can happen anytime– it is imminent. This is such an important statement that is repeated twice in Revelation 22 (verses 12 and 20).
Unbelievers read this verse and mock the Lord and His word. They point to the fact that since this was written almost two thousand years ago and the Lord still has not returned. Thus, they mock, the
Bible is untrue, Jesus will not come back and God does not exist. The Christian’s faith is in vain.
What can we learn? First, we must remember what the Lord is referring to. He is telling the church of His return prior to the beginning of the tribulation period – the last seven years of Daniel’s prophecy of God’s judgment on the nation of Israel
Second, God’s word tells us how to look at time from God’s perspective. Moses wrote in Psalm 90 – “For a thousand years in Your sight are like yesterday when it is past”. This interpretation surely applies to this verse. From eternity’s perspective the time between the Lord’s ascension and the rapture, the 2,000 years of the church age is infinitesimally short – two days.
Third, as mentioned above, the verb “quickly” refers to imminent. This means it could happen at any time. The Lord told us this truth in Matthew 24:36. “No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.” Since there are no signs or indications that have to precede the Lord’s return, the rapture could occur at any time – it is imminent and we are to be constantly ready.
Fourth, when the rapture occurs, it will be swift. The Greek Lexicon says that the word quickly pertains to swiftness or speed rather than “shortly”. We know this is true for the rapture occurs in a “twinkling of an eye”. The event will be very rapid.
Finally, there is one other facet of meaning to ponder. The Lord is speaking of the Tribulation. He will come quickly in relation to the seven-year Tribulation to take His church out of the hour of testing. When He comes, His return will be rapid and it will be swift (right before the Tribulation begins). Like Methuselah, God will leave His
church in place until the rain drops begin to fall. If the rapture will be that close to the start of Tribulation this calls for the church to endure further pressure and suffering from a hostile world. (Thus the Lord’s
command to endure.) The Lord’s return will be imminent, swift and it ill be certain. When it
begins, it will be too late to get ready. The door will be shut. Are you ready now?