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Throughout the centuries, God's people have waited for, prayed for, hoped for, and watched for Christ's return. They are weary of the battle against sin and long to see Jesus Christ exalted, glorified, and honored. They long for Him to return and take them to heaven to live with Him forever (John [[14:3|bible.64.14.3]]; 1Th. [[4:17|bible.73.4.17]]). They long for the day when their perishable, mortal bodies will be transformed into their imperishable, immortal resurrection bodies (1Cor. [[15:53-54|bible.67.15.53-67.15.54]]). They know that in that glorious day there will be no more sorrow, no more tears, no more crying, no more pain, and no more death. Rebellion will be swiftly dealt with; God and the Lamb will be glorified and will reign forever over the new heaven and the new earth.1
And let him who hears say, "Come!"Though this invitation could address the stranger who sometimes attended Christian worship (cf. 1Cor. [[14:23-24|bible.67.14.23-67.14.24]]) (Moffatt), plenty of regular attenders had not yet attained the category of an overcomer, as the seven messages of chapters [[2|bible.67.2.1]]-[[3|bible.67.3.1]] make very plain.2
Ho! Everyone who thirsts, come to the waters; and you who have no money, come, buy and eat. Yes, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price. (Isa. [[55:1|bible.23.55.1]])
The only requirement is thirst. Without thirst, the free water of life will not be attained (Rev. [[21:6|bible.87.21.6]]+).As the deer pants for the water brooks, so pants my soul for You, O God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When shall I come and appear before God? (Ps. [[42:1-2|bible.19.42.1-19.42.2]])
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be filled. (Mtt. [[5:6|bible.61.5.6]])
Those who thirst for God in the present age, and trust in faith, are baptized by the Holy Spirit into the body of Christ, the Church (1Cor. [[12:13|bible.67.12.13]]):On the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out, saying, "If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink. He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water." But this He spoke concerning the Spirit, whom those believing in Him would receive; for the Holy Spirit was not yet given, because Jesus was not yet glorified. (John [[7:37-39|bible.64.7.37-64.7.39]])
Whoever desires, let him take the water of life freely.Notes
1 John MacArthur, Revelation 12-22 : The MacArthur New Testament Commentary (Chicago, IL: Moody Press, 2000), Rev. 22:17.
2 Robert L. Thomas, Revelation 8-22 (Chicago, IL: Moody Press, 1995), Rev. 22:17.
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