Last Promise In The Bible Revelation
The final promise recorded in the Bible is found in the book of Revelation, specifically in Revelation 22:20, where Jesus declares, "Surely I am coming soon." This promise is part of the concluding remarks of the New Testament's last book, often called the Apocalypse, which means "Revelation" in Greek [1, 3]. The book itself is attributed to John the Apostle, whose name appears four times within the text [1, 3].
The book of Revelation is unique as the only prophetic book in the New Testament canon [3]. It contains numerous visions and pronouncements concerning the end times, God's judgment, and the establishment of a new heaven and new earth. For instance, Revelation 15:1 speaks of "seven angels having the seven last plagues, for in them God’s wrath is finished" [4]. Another passage describes an angel showing John "the wife, the Lamb’s bride," referring to the New Jerusalem [2].
The promises within Revelation are often conditional, made "to him that overcometh" or "to the conqueror" [5]. Adam Clarke, in his commentary on Revelation 3:21, notes that "He that conquers not is not crowned, therefore every promise is here made to him that is faithful unto death" [5]. This includes the promise of sitting with Christ on His throne, which is also the Father's throne [5].
Throughout the biblical narrative, God's promises are seen as foundational. Charles Hodge describes how God appointed circumcision as a "seal and pledge" of His promise to Abraham [8]. Similarly, baptism is considered a sign and pledge of God's promise to save through Christ's blood and the Holy Spirit [8]. John Calvin emphasizes that "all the promises of God in him are yea and amen," meaning they are fulfilled in Christ [6]. Even terrestrial promises given to the Jewish nation were understood to have a spiritual promise as their primary focus [7]. The fulfillment of prophecy, such as Jeremiah's prediction of the return from exile, demonstrates God's faithfulness to His word [9]. The final promise of Christ's return in Revelation thus serves as the culmination of God's redemptive plan and His ultimate faithfulness to His people.
Sources
- Smith's Bible Dictionary “Smith's Bible Dictionary: Revelation Of St. John — the last book of the New Testament. It is often called the Apocalypse, which is its title in Greek, signifying "Revelation," + Canonical authority and authorship.--The inquiry as to the canonical authority of the Revelation resolves itself into a question of authorship. Was St. John the apostle and evangelist the writer of the Revelation? The evidence adduced in support of his being the author consists of (1) the assertions of the author and (2) historical tradition. (1) The author's description of himself in the 1st and 22d chapters is certai”
- Revelation “One of the seven angels who had the seven bowls, who were loaded with the seven last plagues came, and he spoke with me, saying, “Come here. I will show you the wife, the Lamb’s bride.” -- Revelation 21:9”
- Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: Revelation, Book of — =The Apocalypse, the closing book and the only prophetical book of the New Testament canon. The author of this book was undoubtedly John the apostle. His name occurs four times in the book itself (1:1, 4, 9; 22:8), and there is every reason to conclude that the "John" here mentioned was the apostle. In a manuscript of about the twelfth century he is called "John the divine," but no reason can be assigned for this appellation. The date of the writing of this book has generally been fixed at A.D. 96, in the reign of Domitian. There are some, howev”
- Revelation “I saw another great and marvelous sign in the sky: seven angels having the seven last plagues, for in them God’s wrath is finished. -- Revelation 15:1”
- Revelation (Methodist/Wesleyan) “Adam Clarke on Revelation 3:21: To sit with me in my throne - In every case it is to him that overcometh, to the conqueror, that the final promise is made. He that conquers not is not crowned, therefore every promise is here made to him that is faithful unto death. Here is a most remarkable expression: Jesus has conquered, and is set down with the Father upon the Father's throne; he who conquers through Christ sits down with Christ upon his throne: but Christ's throne and the throne of the Father is the same; and it is on this same throne that those who are faithful unto death are finally to s”
- CCEL (Reformed) “John Calvin, Institutes of the Christian Religion, section 45: light through the Gospel,” ( 2 Tim. 1:10 ). Paul does not mean by these words that the Fathers were plunged in the darkness of death before the Son of God became incarnate; but he claims for the Gospel the honourable distinction of being a new and extraordinary kind of embassy, by which God fulfilled what he had promised, these promises being realised in the person of the Son. For though believers have at all times experienced the truth of Paul’s declaration, that “all the promises of God in him are yea and amen,” inasmuch as these”
- CCEL (Reformed) “John Calvin, Institutes of the Christian Religion, section 98: place a manifest indication of favour before his eye, added the promise of possession of the land of Canaan. In the same way we should understand all the terrestrial promises which were given to the Jewish nation, the spiritual promise, as the head to which the others bore reference, always holding the first place. Having handled this subject fully when treating of the difference between the old and the new dispensations, I now only glance at it. 12. Under the appellation of children the difference they observe is this, that the ch”
- CCEL (Reformed (Old Princeton)) “Charles Hodge, Systematic Theology, Vol. 3, section 65: a pledge of the promise which He had made. When he promised to Abraham to be a God to him and to his seed after him, He appointed circumcision as the seal and pledge of that promise. So when He promised to save men 589 by the blood of Christ and by the renewing of the Holy Ghost, he appointed baptism to be, not only the sign, but also the seal and pledge of those exceeding great and precious promises. No believer in the Bible can look on the rainbow without having his faith strengthened in the promise that a deluge shall never again destr”
- 2 Chronicles (Nonconformist/Puritan) “Matthew Henry on 2 Chronicles 36:22: These last two verses of this book have a double aspect. 1. They look back to the prophecy of Jeremiah, and show how that was accomplished, Ch2 36:22. God had, by him, promised the restoring of the captives and the rebuilding of Jerusalem, at the end of seventy years; and that time to favour Sion, that set time, came at last. After a long and dark night the day-spring from on high visited them. God will be found true to every word he has spoken. 2. They look forward to the history of Ezra, which begins with the repetition of these last two verses. They are ”