Topics Research

Question

What does "shortly come to pass" (en tachei) in Revelation 1:1 and 22:6 actually mean? Does it require fulfillment within John's generation, or does it describe the manner of divine action? And does the text show that fulfillment had already begun in John's time?

Topics

PERSEVERANCE

Full Entry from Nave's: General scriptures concerning 1CH 16:11; JOB 17:9; PSA 37:24,28; 73:24; 138:8; PRO 4:18; JER 32:40; HOS 12:6; MAT 10:22; 24:13; MRK 4:3-8; 13:13; LUK 10:42; 22:31,32; JHN 6:37,39,40; 8:31,32; 10:28,29; 15:4,5,7,9; ACT 11:23; 13:43; 14:21,22; ROM 2:6,7; 8:30,33-35,37-39; 11:29; 1CO 1:8,9; 15:1,2,58; 16:13; 2CO 1:21,22; 5:9,15; GAL 5:1,10; 6:9; EPH 4:14; 6:13,18; PHP 1:6,27; 3:16; 4:1; COL 1:10,22,23; 2:7; 1TH 3:8,13; 5:21; 2TH 2:15-17; 3:13; 2TI 1:12,13; 2:1,3,12; 3:14; 4:18; TIT 1:9; HEB 2:1; 3:5,6,14; 4:14; 6:1,11,12,15,17,18; 10:23,35,36; 12:1-15; 13:9,13; JAS 1:4,12,25; 5:10,11; 1PE 1:4-7; 5:8; 2PE 1:10,11; 3:17,18; 1JN 2:19,27; REV 2:7,10,11,17,25-28; 3:5,11,12,21; 14:12; 16:15; 21:7,8; 22:11

Relevance to study: The extensive Revelation references (2:7,10,11,17,25-28; 3:5,11,12,21; 14:12; 16:15; 21:7,8; 22:11) show that perseverance is a major theme within the same book that declares "things which must shortly come to pass." If all events were imminent, perseverance exhortations spanning the entire book would be structurally unnecessary.

PATIENCE

Full Entry from Nave's: General scriptures concerning PSA 37:7-9; PRO 15:18; ECC 7:8,9; LAM 3:26,27; LUK 8:15; 21:19; ROM 2:7; 5:3,4; 8:25; 12:12; 15:4,5; 1CO 13:4,5; 2CO 6:4-6; 12:12; GAL 6:9; EPH 4:1,2; COL 1:10,11; 3:12,13; 1TH 1:3; 5:14; 2TH 3:5; 1TI 3:2,3; 6:11; 2TI 2:24,25; TIT 2:1,2,9; HEB 6:12,15; 10:36; 12:1; JAS 1:3,4,19; 5:7,8; 1PE 2:19-23; 2PE 1:5,6; REV 1:9; 13:10; 14:12

Instances: The congregation at Ephesus REV 2:2,3; The congregation at Thyatira REV 2:19; John REV 1:9

Relevance to study: hypomonE (G5281) appears 7 times in Revelation (1:9; 2:2; 2:19; 3:10; 13:10; 14:12). This co-occurs with the "shortly/quickly" declarations throughout the book. The patience theme directly intersects with the temporal framework question — patience presupposes duration.

PROPHECY

Full Entry from Nave's (relevant sections): Inspired: ISA 28:22; LUK 1:70; 2TI 3:16; 2PE 1:21 Sure fulfillment of: EZK 12:22-25,28; HAB 2:3; MAT 5:18; 24:35; ACT 13:27,29

Relevance to study: The "sure fulfillment" subsection is directly relevant. Ezekiel 12:22-25,28 addresses those who dismiss prophecy as delayed ("the days are prolonged, and every vision faileth") — God responds that "the days are at hand." Habakkuk 2:3 combines apparent tarrying with certain fulfillment. These OT passages establish the prophetic "at hand" idiom that Rev 1:1 draws upon.

PROCRASTINATION

Full Entry from Nave's: General scriptures concerning EXO 22:29; PRO 27:1; EZK 11:2,3; 12:22,27,28; MAT 8:21; 24:48-51; 25:2-13; LUK 9:59-62; ACT 24:25; 1TH 5:2,3; HEB 3:7-19; 4:1-7

Relevance to study: The delay/dismissal motif appears here: Ezk 12:22,27,28 (dismissing prophecy as distant); Mat 24:48-51 (evil servant says "my lord delayeth" — chronizO); Mat 25:2-13 (bridegroom tarried — chronizO). The parables incorporate explicit delay alongside certain-coming promises, showing that "shortly" and "delay" are complementary, not contradictory, in the NT framework.

WATCHFULNESS

Full Entry from Nave's: General scriptures concerning (selected): MAT 24:4,42-51; 25:13; MRK 13:9-23,32-37; LUK 12:35-40; 21:8-36; ROM 13:11; 1CO 7:29-31; 1PE 4:7; 2PE 1:19; REV 3:2,3,11; 16:15

Relevance to study: Watchfulness exhortations assume an unknown timing ("ye know not what hour" Mat 24:42) and a potential delay ("if that evil servant shall say... My lord delayeth" Mat 24:48). The Revelation watchfulness passages (3:2,3,11; 16:15) sit within the "I come quickly" framework. If "quickly" meant immediate, watchfulness would be unnecessary — you watch precisely because the timing is uncertain while the event is certain.

Related Topics Discovered

Delay Parables (from PROCRASTINATION entry)

The delay motif in Jesus' parables (chronizO G5549) provides crucial context: - Mat 24:48 — "My lord delayeth (chronizei) his coming" - Mat 25:5 — "While the bridegroom tarried (chronizontos)" - Mat 25:19 — "After a long time (meta...chronon polyn) the lord of those servants cometh" - Heb 10:37 — "he that shall come will come, and will not tarry (chronisei)"

These parables explicitly incorporate temporal extension (delay, long time) within the framework of certain return. They are the canonical proof that "soon" and "extended time" coexist in NT eschatology.

Longsuffering/Patience Tension (from PATIENCE + PROPHECY)

The biblical pattern consistently pairs: - Speed/certainty of divine action with patience/endurance of believers - "Speedily" (en tachei) with "though he bear long" (makrothumei) in Luk 18:7-8 - "Quickly" (tachy) with "patience" (hypomonE) throughout Revelation - "Not slack" (ou bradynei) with "is longsuffering" (makrothumei) in 2Pe 3:9 - "Will not tarry" (lo ye'acher) with "though it tarry, wait" (im yitmahemah, chakkeh) in Hab 2:3