Revelation 22:20
“I Am Coming Soon”: Promise, Delay, and the Ache of Waiting
“He who testifies to these things says, ‘Yes, I am coming soon.’ Amen. Come, Lord Jesus.”
The Bible does not end with an explanation. It ends with a promise—and a prayer. “Yes, I am coming soon.” Not a timetable. Not a diagram. Not a date circled in red. Just a declaration from Christ Himself, followed by the Church’s aching reply: “Amen. Come, Lord Jesus.” For some, that word soon feels like comfort. For others, it feels like tension. Two thousand years have passed, suffering has continued, and the world still groans. The question presses inescapably: What does “soon” mean when history keeps moving?
This verse has been stretched, weaponised, sensationalised, and misunderstood. It has fueled hope—and fanaticism. Patience—and panic. Some have used it to sell certainty God never offered, while others have quietly shelved it as an embarrassment of unmet expectation. But Revelation 22:20 was never meant to satisfy curiosity about dates. It was written to anchor faith in the certainty of Christ’s return, not the predictability of its timing. Soonis not a countdown—it is a promise that history is moving toward an ending, not drifting endlessly into chaos.
And that final prayer—“Come, Lord Jesus”—is where the verse lands its weight. This is not escapism. It is longing. Longing for justice where there has been abuse. For restoration where there has been loss. For an end to death, violence, and delay. Revelation closes not with fear, but with hope sharpened by waiting. The final words of Scripture do not ask us to calculate—they ask us to trust, endure, and live as people who believe that the story really does end with Christ returning, and all things finally made right.
1) Why is this verse controversial, misunderstood, or debated?
Controversy:
Raises debates over the timing of Christ’s return: imminence vs delay.
Some misuse it to predict specific dates or timelines.
Misunderstandings:
“Soon” is sometimes read as immediate in human terms, rather than in God’s perspective of time.
Can be misapplied to encourage extreme urgency or end-time fanaticism.
2) What does it really mean in the bigger picture?
Serves as a climactic conclusion to Revelation, emphasizing Christ’s promised return.
Highlights the hope and expectation that motivates Christian faithfulness.
Connects the apocalyptic vision to eschatological fulfilment—God will set all things right.
3) How do we understand and apply it today?
Principle: Remain watchful and faithful, living in readiness for Christ’s return.
Application:
Encourage personal holiness and ethical living.
Maintain hope and patience amid suffering or delay.
Avoid speculation about exact timing; focus on faithfulness and obedience.
4) Why is this verse in the Bible?
To affirm Christ’s promise of return.
To inspire hope and perseverance in believers.
To motivate readiness and faithful living in light of the coming Kingdom.
5) What do we learn about God, Christianity, and life?
God: Faithful to His promises; sovereign over history.
Christianity: Hope-centred; focused on ultimate fulfilment in Christ.
Life: Urgency and anticipation guide ethical and spiritual priorities.
6) How would it have been understood originally?
Early Christians in persecution: reassurance of Christ’s imminent vindication and justice.
“Soon” implied certainty and certainty of fulfilment, not necessarily immediate in human years.
7) Is it as controversial as it looks?
Less controversial in its original context; primarily comforting.
Modern controversy arises from date-setting and end-time speculation.
8) How does it fit with a loving God?
Shows God’s faithfulness and care, promising ultimate resolution of suffering.
The coming of Christ is portrayed as both just and merciful, restoring creation.
Additional Deepening Questions
9) Cultural, historical, linguistic factors
Greek “tachu” (soon, quickly) conveys certainty and inevitability, not necessarily immediacy in human time.
Early Christians understood it relative to God’s eschatological timetable.
10) Parallel passages
Matthew 24:42–44 — Be ready for the Son of Man.
Acts 1:11 — Christ will return in the same way He ascended.
Revelation 1:7 — Every eye will see Him.
11) Literary context
Conclusion of Revelation; promise and invitation (“Amen. Come, Lord Jesus”).
Wraps up the apocalyptic vision with hopeful expectation.
12) Underlying principle
Live faithfully and expectantly, trusting God to fulfil His promises.
13) Historical interpretation
Early church: comfort for persecuted believers, encouraging endurance.
Middle Ages: reaffirmed hope of Christ’s return.
Modern: often misused in speculative eschatology.
14) Practical guidance today
Cultivate spiritual readiness and ethical living.
Avoid obsessing over dates; focus on faithful living.
Use the verse as motivation for hope, perseverance, and evangelism.
15) Common misconceptions
❌ Imminence = next day or year.
❌ Only relevant to apocalyptic speculation.
✅ Correct: Christ’s return is certain, the timing is God’s, and the call is to faithful readiness.
16) What does this reveal about human nature?
Humans long for certainty and resolution.
Shows our tendency to impatience or obsession with timing.
Encourages trust and reliance on God’s timing rather than our own.
Bottom Line
Revelation 22:20 reassures believers of Christ’s promised return, inspiring hope, vigilance, and perseverance. “Soon” emphasizes certainty and faithfulness, reminding us that the ultimate fulfilment of God’s plan is assured, even if human timing seems long.