* Rev. 2:5 - "Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent."
* Rev. 2:16 - "Repent; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will fight against them with the sword of My mouth."
* Rev. 3:11 - "Behold, I come quickly: hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown."
* Rev. 11:14 - "The second woe is past; and, behold, the third woe cometh quickly."
* Rev. 22:7 - "Behold, I come quickly: blessed is he that keepeth the sayings of the prophecy of this book."
* Rev. 22:16 - "Repent; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will fight against them with the sword of My mouth."
* Rev. 22:20 - "He which testifieth these things saith, Surely I come quickly. Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus."
Quickly? It has been over 1900 years since the Apostle John wrote the Apocalypse; is it any wonder why a lost world mocks modern day students of the Bible? Even many born again believers struggle with doubts, thinking they may have misunderstood Christ's meaning. Prior to the Lord's Ascension as recorded in Acts 1:1-9, His disciples clearly did not comprehend that there would be a delay before Jesus established His Kingdom (v. 6). Jesus had hinted at there being a long period before His return (v. 8); with only word-of-mouth as the means of reaching the "uttermost part of the earth," it would have to be years, at least! And, after all, He had taught them in parables that there would be a long delay (Mt. 21:33; 24:48; 25:14; Mk. 12:1; and especially Lk. 20:9).
The Apostle Peter described the mindset of today when he wrote:
"Knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts, and saying, Where is the promise of His coming? For since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation.... But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance" (2 Pet. 3:3-4, 8-9)!
So, obviously the word "quickly" did not mean "soon," but when it does occur, it will be swift, and when man least expects it. Jesus will come "as a thief in the night" (1 Th. 5:2; 2 Pet. 3:10). John wrote: "Behold, He cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see Him, and they also which pierced Him: and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of Him. Even so, Amen" (Rev. 1:7). The Apostle Matthew wrote: "For as the lightning cometh out of the east, and shineth even unto the west; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be" (Mt. 24:27).
It is going to happen, and we are one day closer with the passing of each day!
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