Revelation 22:12
*** Watchtower 1955 July 1 p.387 Christ's Coming an Academic Question? ***
Jesus associated his return with the rewarding of his followers.
Said he: "If I go my way and prepare a
place for you, I am coming again and will receive you home to myself, that
where I am you also may be." And again: "Look! I am
coming quickly, and the reward I give is with me, to render to each one as
his work is." Paul understood it this way, for he wrote: "I have
fought the right fight, I have run the course to the finish, I have observed
the faith. From this time on there is reserved for me the crown of
righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will give me as a reward
in that day, yet not only to me, but to all those who have loved his
manifestation."-John 14:3; Rev. 22:12; 2
Tim. 4:7, 8, NW.
[Emphasis Added]
*** Watchtower 1967 November 15 p.680 Make Up Your Mind Now as to Whom You Will Serve ***
Jehovah God himself next speaks to John, revealing the critical
situation, the extreme danger if any one of God's anointed ones becomes lax
in the least way toward righteousness. Jehovah says:
"Look! I am coming quickly, and the reward I give is with me, to render
to each one as his work is."-Rev. 22:12.
[Emphasis Added]
*** Awake! 1978 August 22 p.28 Who Is "the Alpha and the Omega"? ***
Finally, at Revelation 22:12, 13, we read: "Look! I am coming quickly, and the reward I
give is with me, to render to each one as his work is. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the
first and the last, the beginning and the end." This quotation appears among others that
are ascribed to an angel and to Jesus Christ. Before these words are quoted in the book of
Revelation, the angel who was instrumental in presenting the revelation to the apostle John
spoke. (Rev. 22:8, 9) Then, after the quotation that begins with Revelation 22:12 and ends
with the words of verse 15, we find the statement: "I, Jesus, sent my angel." (Rev. 22:16)
Since the context does not necessitate our attributing the words of Revelation 22:12, 13
either to the angel or to Jesus, they could have originated with another speaker. Consistent
with the rest of the book of Revelation, "the Alpha and the Omega" must be the Almighty God.
He is the One who comes in the capacity of a judge to reward and to punish individuals
according to their works.
[Emphasis Added]
*** Watchtower 1978 October 1 p.15 "Keep on the Watch" ***
6 Also, in his final revelation concerning "the things that must shortly take place,"
Jesus again stresses the suddenness with which he comes:
"I am coming to you quickly . . . I am coming
quickly. Keep on holding fast what you have."-Rev. 2:16; 3:11.
"Look! I am coming quickly. . . . Look! I am
coming quickly, and the reward I give is with me. . . . Yes; I
am coming quickly." (Rev. 22:7,12, 20)
In response to these last expressions of our Master,
surely each one of us joins with the apostle John in saying: "Amen! Come,
Lord Jesus."
[Emphasis Added]
*** Watchtower 1988 June 15 p.20 Detest Utterly the World's Disgraceful Course ***
Listen to how God himself describes, in his last
recorded words in the Bible, the outcome for those who serve him and for
those who do not: "Look! I am coming quickly, and
the reward I give is with me, to render to each one as his work is.
. . . Happy are those who wash their robes, that the authority to go to the
trees of life may be theirs and that they may gain entrance into the city by
its gates. Outside are the dogs and those who practice spiritism and the
fornicators and the murderers and the idolaters and everyone liking and
carrying on a lie."-Revelation 22:12-15.
[Emphasis Added]
*** Revelation Climax (1988) p.316, 319 Ch.44 Revelation and You ***
[Scans Available: page 316, page 319]
6 Jehovah, the King of eternity, now addresses
readers of Revelation for the last time in the prophecy,
saying: "Look! I am coming quickly, and the
reward I give is with me, to render to each one as his work is.
I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and
the end. Happy are those who wash their robes, that the authority to go to
the trees of life may be theirs and that they may gain entrance into the
city by its gates. Outside are the dogs and those who practice spiritism
and the fornicators and the murderers and the idolaters and everyone
liking and carrying on a lie."—Revelation 22:12-15.
[...]
15 Jesus now adds a final word of encouragement:
"He that bears witness of these things says, 'Yes; I am coming quickly.'" (Revelation 22:20a)
Jesus is "the faithful and true witness." (Revelation 3:14)
If he bears witness to the visions of Revelation, they must be true.
Both he and Jehovah God himself repeatedly stress the fact that they are
coming "quickly," or soon, Jesus here saying that for the fifth
time. (Revelation 2:16; 3:11; 22:7, 12, 20)
The "coming" is to execute judgment on the great harlot,
the political "kings" and all others who oppose "the kingdom of
our Lord [Jehovah] and of his Christ."—Revelation 11:15; 16:14, 16; 17:1, 12-14.
[Emphasis Added]
*** Watchtower 1999 Dec 1 p.19 Be Happy Readers of the Book of Revelation ***
18 In the book of Revelation, Jesus announces several times:
"I am coming quickly." (Revelation 2:16; 3:11; 22:7, 20a) He must
yet come to execute judgment on Babylon the Great, Satan's political system,
and on all humans who refuse to submit to Jehovah's sovereignty, as now
expressed by the Messianic Kingdom. We join our voices with that of the
apostle John, who exclaimed: "Amen! Come, Lord Jesus."-Revelation 22:20b.
19 Jehovah himself states: "Look! I am coming
quickly, and the reward I give is with me, to render to each one as his work
is." (Revelation 22:12) While awaiting the glorious reward of
life without end as a part of either the promised "new heaven" or the "new
earth," may we zealously join in extending the invitation to all
honesthearted people: "'Come!' And let anyone thirsting come; let anyone
that wishes take life's water free." (Revelation 22:17) May they also become
happy readers of the inspired and inspiring book of Revelation!
[Emphasis Added]
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