The Invitation is Given, Revelation Chapter 22 Verses 16-20 (NASB)

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16. "I, Jesus, have sent My angel to testify to you these things for the churches. I am the root and the offspring of David, the bright morning star."
    "I, JESUS, have sent My angel to testify to you these things FOR THE CHURCHES.
Now how about this! The Revelation of Jesus Christ is "signed" by JESUS Himself. This is the only book in the Bible to be so "signed". In effect this says, that as awful, as unbelievable, and as stupefying the things we have just read, this WILL HAPPEN, all of it!

Jesus confirms He told this to His angel who, in turn, communicated it to John and the CHURCHES (Revelation 1:1). It authenticates the completeness of this REVELATION (Revelation 1:2). "These things" essentially are all the elements written about in this book. We get the good (new heaven (Revelation 21:1), new earth (Revelation 21:1), and new Jerusalem (Revelation 21:10), for example) along with the not so good (seal judgments (Revelation 6,8:1-6), trumpet judgments (Revelation 8:7-13,9:1-21,11:15-19), and bowl judgments (Revelation 15-16), for example).

The Revelation of Jesus Christ is FOR THE CHURCHES. We haven't heard about THE CHURCHES specifically since chapters 2 and 3. To hear about THE CHURCHES now shows that the whole book of THE REVELATION pertains. Even commands like that given in Revelation 18:4-5 admonish THE CHURCHES to be on the alert in the present time for penetrations that the Devil will try to make into THE CHURCHES. THE CHURCHES are interpreted by most scholars to mean the larger body of believers beyond the seven specific churches.
    I am THE ROOT and THE OFFSPRING of David,
Physically, Jesus was of the House of David according to Luke 2:1-4. He clearly identifies Himself as a Jew (Matthew 1:1-17). As Creator, He can be THE ROOT of David; by lineage, He is a blood JEW.

Interestingly, David in the Jewish genealogy comes along long after Abraham. In a sense, Israel by claiming David also claims most favored nation status in God's view. Consider the other Abrahamic nations, the Arabs, and their birthing out of an Egyptian mother (Genesis 16). One can understand why today we have such violent contention between the Abrahamic nations. It also explains why this author has referred to the Revelation of Jesus Christ as primarily being an Abrahamic struggle. Non-Jews and non-Arabs really are outsiders looking in. If it wasn't for the grace of God that none of us should perish (John 3:16-21), we wouldn't even have been given the invitation of the next verse.
    the BRIGHT MORNING STAR."
To the overcomers at Thyatira, Jesus says they will get the MORNING STAR." (Revelation 2:28). Check out the list of questions in the discussion of that verse.

MORNING comes after night/darkness and in a philosophical sense, this phrase says that all darkness/night/evil (Ephesians 5:3-11-14) is finished forever. The deeds committed under the cover of darkness have been exposed. The BRIGHTness of the MORNING STAR says that never again will the eternal residents of the new Jerusalem be exposed to evil. The BRIGHT MORNING STAR is the LAMP (Revelation 21:23).

If one looks at the "bookends" of verse 13, this phrase indicates a sort of bookend. Even as the STAR guided wise men at Jesus' physical birth (Matthew 2:1-2-10-12), wise men will follow the BRIGHT MORNING STAR in the forever and ever. You are now invited.
    And THE SPIRIT and THE BRIDE say, "COME."
Here we find the HOLY SPIRIT's final appearance, but not existence (see verse 1). The HOLY SPIRIT and THE BRIDE are responding to the previous verse and requesting that JESUS should "COME", and take His rightful place. His THRONE is in place already (verse 1), and all is ready for the BRIDE and nations to give JESUS honor and glory (Revelation 21:26).
    And LET the one who hears say, "COME."
This phrase should be an ah-ha phrase for at the end of the discussion of each of the seven churches, we had a phrase like, "He who has an ear, LET him hear....(Revelation 2:7, 11, 17, 29, 3:6, 13, 22). How fitting it is for the overCOMErs to desire a closer relationship with Jesus. As the BRIDE, we can almost hear the intimacy begin. This isn't just for a short time but FOREVER (verse 5).
    And LET the one who is THIRSTY COME;
And now the final invitation to the unbeliever, "If you are THIRSTY for that spiritual something to fill the void you feel in your life, I, as a believer and part of the BRIDE, invite you to COME to Jesus." You'll never be THIRSTY again (John 4:7-38 and John 7:37-44). Note the parallels with Isaiah 55:1-5.
    LET the one who WISHES take the WATER OF LIFE without cost.
This is one WISH that can COME true, and it's FREE! Considering the source of this WATER OF LIFE (verse 1), the quality of this LIFE is the BEST. It has to be considering how long this WATER OF LIFE will last (verse 5).

Throughout this study, we have talked about the relationship between Spirit and WATER (1 John 5:6-8-12). We see in this verse that this relationship continues on eternally. By the way, this WATER OF LIFE is GOOD WATER.
    I testify to everyone who hears the WORDS of the PROPHESY of THIS BOOK: if anyone ADDS to them, God shall ADD TO HIM THE PLAGUES which are written in THIS BOOK; and if anyone TAKES AWAY from the WORDS of THE BOOK of this PROPHESY, God shall TAKE AWAY his part
    1. from THE TREE OF LIFE and
    2. from the HOLY CITY, which are written in THIS BOOK.
Moses, like John here in the Revelation, exhorts Israel in a similar manner that they must not ADD or TAKE AWAY from God's commandments (Deuteronomy 4:1-2-8). To ADD anything to God's commandment's or to THIS BOOK, the Revelation of Jesus Christ, implies that a mere human knows more or better than God Himself. That is the height of blasphemy.

Likewise, to TAKE AWAY from God's commandments or THIS BOOK, would negate the "All scripture" part of 2 Timothy 3:16-17. That would imply that only some scripture is inspired by God...how presumptuous, again, of a mere human. Even angels know better than that (verses 8 and 9). Furthermore, there aren't any parts of the Revelation that are optional, for John did what he was told to do (Revelation 1:11). If John was told to keep parts of THIS BOOK optional, then verse 10 doesn't have meaning.

An observation: when churches/pastors/teachers do not teach the whole book of The Revelation of Jesus Christ, they are, in essence, TAKING AWAY a part of THIS BOOK. This portion of scripture begins with "I testify to everyone who HEARS the WORDS of the PROPHESY of THIS BOOK..". If the HEARERS only get cameos of THIS BOOK, they have had a part of THIS BOOK TAKEN AWAY from them. CAUTION: The whole book of the Revelation of Jesus Christ MUST BE TAUGHT/READ TO THE HEARERS, or that church/pastor/teacher will be missing their part of the TREE OF LIFE, and their "home" in the HOLY CITY (Revelation 21:2) is taken from them too.

A side note: those of us who have written explanations on the verses in THIS BOOK are well aware of these two verses. For this author, knowing these "checks-and-balances" verses are here, caused considered concern before I even began working on this study. In most explanations, the PROPHESY of THIS BOOK has been supported by cross references to Scripture itself. Where differing human views are given,  the reader/HEARER must distinguish between views and keep everything true to the Word of God itself. The reader/HEARER is responsible for their own "white robes" that they remain white or righteous.

It is my prayer that the reader will study "the-bolded-and-italicized-words" and take them to heart before even considering the explanations written around them.
    He who testifies to these things says, "YES, I AM COMING QUICKLY." Amen.
This is the fourth time in this chapter that Jesus testifies to THESE THINGS. Compare this verse with verses 7, 12, and 16.

In previous discussions, we have looked at what "QUICKLY" may mean. For historians, the almost 2,000 years since John wrote the Revelation of Jesus Christ, this doesn't appear to be QUICKLY. However, in Jesus' time frame (2 Peter 3:8-13), He truly is COMING QUICKLY. If we each look at our own life (really the only relative time frame each of us has), then any time before death or the uptaking (1 Corinthians 15:51-58 and 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18) truly comes QUICKLY.

The "Amen" signifies that this is the last URGENT MESSAGE to us to choose whom we will serve. It also serves as the "." (period) to all the COMEs found in verse 17. Jesus has heard the "COME"s and responds, "YES, I AM COMING QUICKLY".
    COME, LORD JESUS.
This is John's simple and yet elegant response. He adds his "COME, LORD JESUS" along with those requested in verse 17. We know this is John's request because he used the term LORD. Those of us who are believers, when we accept Jesus Christ into our lives, acknowledge Jesus as our LORD and Savior. Note how Paul puts it in Romans 14:1-8-12 and Philippians 2:1-11. John, close friend in physical life, and now entrusted with the visions of the FUTURE in this book, entreats Jesus, "COME, LORD JESUS."
 "Scripture taken from the NEW AMERICAN STANDARD BIBLE®, © Copyright The Lockman Foundation, 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 Used by permission."

References to the Revelation of Jesus Christ are in bold italics. All other references are in bold only