Revelation begins and ends with urgent time statements

Today we’re diving into the closing verses of Revelation—chapter 22, verses 6 through 20. These verses aren’t just a nice ending. They are packed with urgent statements about timing.

Over and over again, John hears words like: “things which must shortly be done… Behold, I come quickly… The time is at hand.”

Now, if you’ve ever wondered what Revelation is really about—this is the key. Because whatever John was writing, it wasn’t about events thousands of years away. He was talking about things that were “near,” things that would happen soon in his generation.

So in this article, we’re going to:

1. Look closely at those time-statements in Revelation 22.
2. Connect them to the opening chapter of Revelation.
3. And then show, through Scripture and history, how this all points to the first-century fulfilment of Daniel’s prophecy.

Let’s get into it.

Revelation 22:6&7

And he said unto me, These sayings are faithful and true: and the Lord God of the holy prophets sent his angel to shew unto his servants the things which must shortly be done. Behold, I come quickly: blessed is he that keepeth the sayings of the prophecy of this book.

Alright—pause right there.

Did you catch it? “Things which must shortly be done.” “Behold, I come quickly.”

That’s not vague. That’s urgent. John isn’t pointing his audience to events 2,000 years down the line. He’s saying: it’s about to happen.

And if we’re going to be honest with the text, we can’t just stretch “shortly” into “maybe someday way off in the future.” That would’ve meant nothing to the first-century believers who were suffering persecution and waiting for deliverance.

Back to the Beginning: Revelation 1

Now, let’s flip back to Revelation 1, because the book begins with the exact same emphasis.

Revelation 1:1:

The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave unto him, to shew unto his servants things which must shortly come to pass.

And verse 3:

Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the words of this prophecy… for the time is at hand.

So, chapter 1 begins with “shortly come to pass” and “the time is at hand.” Chapter 22 ends with “shortly be done” and “I come quickly.”

That’s a perfect inclusio—a frame around the whole book. Revelation starts and ends with the same urgency: the events described are near.

Why the Urgency?

So why would Jesus emphasise over and over again that His coming was “soon”?

The answer is that Revelation is not about our future. It was about their present circumstances and imminent future. 

It was about the end of the Old Covenant age, the judgment on Jerusalem, and the full establishment of the New Covenant kingdom.

Remember Jesus’ own words in Matthew 24:34:

Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass, till all these things be fulfilled.

That’s the same timeframe Revelation is pointing to—the first century.

Daniel’s Prophecy

Now, let’s connect this with Daniel.

Daniel 12:4 says:

But thou, O Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book, even to the time of the end.

So Daniel is told to seal up his prophecy because its fulfilment was a long way off.

But notice what John is told in Revelation 22:10:

And he saith unto me, Seal not the sayings of the prophecy of this book: for the time is at hand.

Do you see the contrast? Daniel: seal it up—it’s for later. John: don’t seal it up—the time is now.

That’s powerful. Revelation is essentially saying: what Daniel foresaw centuries earlier is now coming to fulfilment in John’s day.

The Historical Context

So what was happening in John’s day that could match all this urgency?

The answer is the looming destruction of Jerusalem in AD 70.

Jesus Himself had prophesied it in Matthew 24, Mark 13, and Luke 21. He said the temple would be destroyed, not one stone left upon another. He warned of great tribulation, wars, famine, false prophets—and He tied it all to “this generation.”

History records that’s exactly what happened.

The Jewish historian Josephus, writing about the Roman siege of Jerusalem, described famine so severe that families turned against each other, false prophets misleading the desperate and the city engulfed in fire as Rome’s armies tore it apart.

Does that sound familiar? It’s the imagery of Revelation brought to life.

The Language of Coming

But what about those words: “Behold, I come quickly”?

Some people assume that has to mean the physical return of Jesus at the end of history. But the Bible often uses the language of God “coming” to describe His judgment on nations.

For example:

• In Isaiah 19:1, it says, “Behold, the LORD rideth upon a swift cloud, and shall come into Egypt.” That was about God’s judgment on Egypt, not the end of the world.
• In Micah 1:3–4, God is said to “come down” to judge Samaria and Jerusalem.

So when Jesus says, “I come quickly” in Revelation, He’s speaking about His coming in judgment on Jerusalem—the covenant-breaking city.

That’s why Revelation 11:8 calls it “the great city, which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt, where also our Lord was crucified.” That can only be Jerusalem.

Daniel’s Timeline Fulfilled

Now let’s go back to Daniel.

Daniel 9:26–27 speaks of the destruction of the city and the sanctuary, when “the people of the prince that shall come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary.” That’s exactly what Rome did in AD 70.

Daniel 12 speaks of great tribulation, followed by the shattering of the holy people’s power. Again, that fits the Jewish War and the destruction of Jerusalem.

So what Daniel saw centuries in advance, John was seeing unfold in his own time.

Revelation 22:11–12

Let’s read a little more:

He that is unjust, let him be unjust still: and he which is filthy, let him be filthy still: and he that is righteous, let him be righteous still: and he that is holy, let him be holy still. And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be.

This is a dividing line. There’s no more time to wait. The judgment is at hand. Those who remain in rebellion will face the consequences. Those who are faithful will be vindicated and history bears this out. 

The faithful Christians of Jerusalem, remembering Jesus’ warning to flee when they saw the city surrounded by armies, escaped to the mountains. They were spared. But the city itself was destroyed.

Revelation 22:20

Finally, the book closes with this statement:

He which testifieth these things saith, Surely I come quickly. Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus.

John hears it one more time: “Surely I come quickly.” And his response is: Amen. Let it be.

Because for those first-century believers, the coming of Christ in judgment on Jerusalem wasn’t something to fear—it was vindication. It was the proof that Jesus was faithful, that His kingdom had come, and that His people were now part of the unshakable New Covenant world.

So What Does This Mean for Us?

Now, if Revelation’s prophecies were fulfilled in the first century, what does that mean for us today?

It means we’re not waiting for the kingdom to arrive—it’s already here. We’re not waiting for access to the tree of life—it’s already open. We’re not waiting for the river of life to flow—it’s flowing now, from the throne of the Lamb.

Our task is to live as citizens of that kingdom. To drink freely from the water of life. To walk in obedience because those are the ones who have the right to the tree of life and may enter the city by the gates.

Wrapping It Up

So let’s sum this up:

• Revelation begins and ends with urgent time-statements: “shortly,” “at hand,” “quickly.”
• Those time-statements match the words of Jesus in the Gospels: “This generation shall not pass until all these things be fulfilled.”
• Daniel was told to seal his prophecy because it was far off. John was told not to seal his, because the time was now.
• History confirms that the destruction of Jerusalem in AD 70 brought the Old Covenant age to a close, just as Daniel foresaw and Jesus declared.
• Revelation is not about a distant future—it’s about God’s faithfulness in that first-century crisis.

And the good news for us? The kingdom is established. The Lamb reigns. The water of life is flowing. And the Spirit and the bride still say: Come.

Thank you for joining me on this journey through the book of Revelation, we've now reached the end. I hope I've inspired or encouraged you to study to show yourself approved.