The Spirit and the Bride say "Come"

Introduction

Just as Rebekah responded to the question, “Will you go with this man?”[1] so too the Church is being called to follow the Holy Spirit into unfamiliar territory, leaving behind old paradigms and traditions. This journey is above function or ministry, but transformation—becoming who we truly are through intimacy with the Bridegroom. We learned how this transformation involves confessing our identity, not just as children, but as the Bride. From this place of revelation, a cry begins to surface—a longing for the Bridegroom’s return. This is the heartbeat of Call2Come: a bridal people unable to remain where they are and assenting to the Spirit’s call with readiness and yearning. We are left with a challenge—to examine our hearts and ask if we are willing to go with Him, wherever He leads.

As we turn now to the final chapter of Scripture, Revelation 22, we’re invited into a breathtaking vision inside the New Jerusalem—a place where the curse is no more, where the Lamb reigns, and where the redeemed will see His face. We are provided with wonderful insights, like the eternal destiny, healing of nations and the provision of Divine light. It’s within this climactic scene we hear the unified cry: “The Spirit and the Bride say, ‘Come!’” This exceeds a closing note to the Bible but sets the tone and last words of Jesus in Scripture.

Let’s take a minute to read the chapter:

1 Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, as clear as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb 2 down the middle of the great street of the city. On each side of the river stood the tree of life, bearing twelve crops of fruit, yielding its fruit every month. And the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations. 3 No longer will there be any curse. The throne of God and of the Lamb will be in the city, and his servants will serve him. 4 They will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads. 5 There will be no more night. They will not need the light of a lamp or the light of the sun, for the Lord God will give them light. And they will reign for ever and ever. 6 The angel said to me, “These words are trustworthy and true. The Lord, the God who inspires the prophets, sent his angel to show his servants the things that must soon take place.” 7 “Look, I am coming soon! Blessed is the one who keeps the words of the prophecy written in this scroll.” 8 I, John, am the one who heard and saw these things. And when I had heard and seen them, I fell down to worship at the feet of the angel who had been showing them to me. 9 But he said to me, “Don’t do that! I am a fellow servant with you and with your fellow prophets and with all who keep the words of this scroll. Worship God!” 10 Then he told me, “Do not seal up the words of the prophecy of this scroll, because the time is near. 11 Let the one who does wrong continue to do wrong; let the vile person continue to be vile; let the one who does right continue to do right; and let the holy person continue to be holy.” 12 “Look, I am coming soon! My reward is with me, and I will give to each person according to what they have done. 13 I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End. 14 “Blessed are those who wash their robes, that they may have the right to the tree of life and may go through the gates into the city. 15 Outside are the dogs, those who practice magic arts, the sexually immoral, the murderers, the idolaters and everyone who loves and practices falsehood. 16 “I, Jesus, have sent my angel to give you[fn] this testimony for the churches. I am the Root and the Offspring of David, and the bright Morning Star.” 17 The Spirit and the bride say, “Come!” And let the one who hears say, “Come!” Let the one who is thirsty come; and let the one who wishes take the free gift of the water of life. 18 I warn everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this scroll: If anyone adds anything to them, God will add to that person the plagues described in this scroll. 19 And if anyone takes words away from this scroll of prophecy, God will take away from that person any share in the tree of life and in the Holy City, which are described in this scroll. 20 He who testifies to these things says, “Yes, I am coming soon.” Amen. Come, Lord Jesus. 21 The grace of the Lord Jesus be with God’s people. Amen. Revelation 22 NIV

What an amazing passage. Rich, profound, prophetic. Let’s unpack some key elements of this revelation, we’ll begin with verse 17:

“And the Spirit and the bride say, “Come!” And let him who hears say, “Come!” And let him who thirsts come. Whoever desires, let him take the water of life freely.” NKJV

This unified cry of the Spirit and the Bride is the word come. It is the Greek verb erchomai, which carries far-reaching significance. It’s used throughout Scripture to express the idea of arrival or coming, but with different nuances depending on the context. For example, in Revelation 1:7, it refers to His glorious, visible return to the earth, when every eye will see Him in His power and glory. In this verse, erchomai emphasises divine presence breaking into human history in a way undeniable and radical.

“Behold, He is coming (erchomai) with clouds, and every eye will see Him, even they who pierced Him. And all the tribes of the earth will mourn because of Him. Even so, Amen.” Revelation 1:7 NKJV

In John 14:3, Jesus uses erchomai when He promises:

“And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come (erchomai) again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also.”

This is Jesus’ personal promise to return. The use of erchomai here carries the intimacy of a Bridegroom preparing a place for His Bride (as in ancient Jewish wedding customs). It’s not just about physical return, but relational reunion—“that where I am, you may be also.”

Then, in Matthew 24:30, Jesus speaks of His triumphant return on the clouds of heaven.

“Then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming (erchomenon) on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.” NKJV

Again, erchomai points to the majesty and authority of Christ, who will come as Saviour, but also Judge and King. Yet, in John 1:29[2], the same word is used to describe Jesus’ first coming—as the Lamb of God coming to redeem the world. This reveals the incredible depth of this simple word: coming means physical arrival but also conveys aspects of prophetic fulfilment, bridal desire, glory, redemption and power.

When the Spirit and the Bride cry, “Come!”, they express longing for the fulfilment of all God’s promises. It’s a cry for intimacy, glory, and the consummation of His eternal purpose. This cry is ancient—it weaves through human history, like a golden thread in every generation. From the beginning, the Spirit has been calling, groaning, interceding, and drawing creation towards its destined union with the Bridegroom. The Spirit has always longed for the day when Christ would be fully revealed in His Bride. And now, at the end of the age, the Bride has been awakened to that same desire. When the Spirit and the Bride cry “Come!” it becomes the ultimate prayer of agreement—heaven and earth in perfect harmony. This is not yearning for relief or escape, but a deep, mutual longing for union, for the return of the One whom our souls love.

The Bridal call is the crescendo of redemptive history, the final act of intercession and partnership with Heaven that will “hasten the coming of the day of God”[3] and usher in the Bridegroom King.

I believe God was intentional that we find erchomai seven times within this final chapter of our Bibles. It’s incredible to think of the intricate attention to detail ensuring this number of completion[4] equates to the total times erchomai is recorded for us in Revelation 22. Allow me to explain:

1. “Behold, I am coming soon (erchomai). Blessed is the one who keeps the words of the prophecy of this book.” (Verse 7)

Here, our Bridegroom calls us to vigilance and obedience. The blessing eludes the passive hearer—it belongs to those who keep (treasures, guards, and lives by) the words in Revelation. This first “I am coming” reminds us readiness is marked not by knowledge, but obedience rooted in love. The Bride is aware—attentive, watching, and walking in alignment with the prophetic word.

2. “Behold, I am coming soon (erchomai), bringing my recompense with me, to repay each one for what he has done.” (Verse 12)

This second declaration is sobering. The Bridegroom is also Judge, and His coming carries reward. There is promise and accountability. The Bride is unafraid of His justice, for she is hidden in His righteousness. She lives with holy reverence, longing to hear the words, “Well done, good and faithful servant.” This “I am coming” stirs us to faithful stewardship and enduring hope.

3. “And the Spirit and the bride say, “Come! (erchomai)” (Verse 17a)

This verse is familiar to the church, often seen as a statement of what will occur when Jesus returns, rather than a required response today. After all, how can the Bride call “Come” if she is not yet ready? Can the Bride only pray this prayer once she is fully dressed? Or have we missed something of major significance for the church today? Notice, the present tense in which the Spirit and Bride are saying “Come”. As we explored in Chapter 3, the early Church embedded this bridal longing within their greeting maranatha meaning Our Lord has come but also Our Lord Come.

4. “And let him who hears say, “Come! (erchomai)” (Verse 17b)

There is a change in focus within this statement. We move from a generic portrayal of the ultimate agreement between heaven and earth to an instruction—an invitation for those “who have ears to hear to say what the Spirit is saying to the churches” to say “Come”.

This answers the question can we pray this prayer today? Clearly, we can not only pray this prayer—we are instructed to do so. With this then comes a new mandate, a responsibility upon the Bride to respond with the plea of a longing heart. The response He awaits, is unlocked when we learn more of who He is. Why would we pray anything else, when He is the One who will make everything new, destroy the enemy, overthrow the reign of evil and usher in a new Kingdom of pure love and triumph? Every other human pursuit fades before the invitation to sacred union—an everlasting love story where we join Jesus in reigning together forever.

Inviting the Lord to come activates something inside us—it affirms our identity with the Holy Spirit who has always been saying come. When we pray come, we uniquely posture ourselves before the bridegroom and enable the Holy Spirit to fashion in us the heart of a bride in readiness for the bridegroom. In this way, calling come becomes a necessary process of bridal preparation.

5. “And let him who thirsts come (erchomai). Whoever desires, let him take the water of life freely.” (Verse 17c)

There is an upward response from earth to heaven, from bride to bridegroom, but now the invitation is to those thirsty yet to take the free gift of the water of life. This call to come carries a missional invitation—for the thirsty, the seeking, the lost. In fact, when the Church lives out her bridal identity, something powerful happens—she radiates a beauty born from sincere devotion to her Lord and exhibits unity through the genuine love her members show for each other.

This kind of Church is deeply attractive to those who are thirsty. They see in her something that looks instinctively like home—the very place God created for them to belong. Her presence disarms the usual objections. Why? Because they sense she is not a counterfeit. She is a living reality that can only exist because God Himself is real

6. “He who testifies to these things says, ‘Surely I am coming soon (erchomai).’” (Verse 20a)

This final erchomai from the mouth of Jesus is a seal upon the testimony of the entire book. The word “surely” adds weight and certainty. It is a divine affirmation, an unshakeable promise. There is no doubt. The coming of Jesus is a assured. The Bride clings to this hope, especially in seasons of delay, hardship, or persecution. This “I am coming” becomes her anchor, her comfort, her song in the night.

In the final chapter of Scripture Jesus takes centre stage speaking directly to us through the revelation given to His servant John. Every spoken word unveils vital truth—either about the manner of His return or the glory in which He will come. It’s as though we are hearing His closing argument, like a summation in a courtroom where the key points are laid out with clarity and weight. More than a conclusion; it is a call to respond. Here, the last recorded words of Jesus set the tone for how the Church should live, and what her vision and pulse must be. These final words may seem historical yet remain embedded in the Church’s DNA even now.

“Surely I am coming soon (or quickly)” set a prophetic tension that would span the entirety of church history. Jesus’ repeated declaration, “I am coming,” is like a drumbeat through Revelation 22. This statement is not up for discussion or interpretation. It defies speculation to be weighed against public opinion or theological trends. It is a declaration of intent, absolute and final. Spoken by the One who is Faithful and True, it carries the full weight of divine authority. It’s not an invitation to speculate—it’s a call to align, awaken, and respond. These words were never meant to be diluted by doubt or lost in the pages of Christian doctrine. They are front and centre, ringing with urgency, because they come from the One who has never broken a promise and never will.

With each repetition, the emphasis grows. His coming may be imminent, but it is also personal and purposeful. It’s not simply a doctrinal truth to affirm, but a living reality to hone the Church’s vision, her passion and posture. This final chapter of Scripture is more than the promise of His return, but the response it demands. It is the Bride’s cue to awaken, to prepare, and to echo His words back in agreement. The Spirit and the Bride say, “Come!”

7. Amen. Even so, come (erchomai), Lord Jesus! Revelation (Verse 20b)

This is the only right response and reflects John’s cry for his Lord. This is John—the disciple whom Jesus loved. John, who walked with Jesus, witnessed His miracles, and saw His humanity and divinity up close. John, who stood at the foot of the cross and took Mary, the mother of Jesus, into his home. For more than sixty years after the ascension, he lived as the apostle of love, and now, exiled on the island of Patmos, he receives this final revelation. John knew Jesus intimately—perhaps more than anyone. He carried the heartbeat of Christ and understood the hope of the Church, her victory and fulfilment, doesn’t rests upon institutional power or theological ideas, but by being ready as the Bride.

He knew Jesus must return—not symbolically, nor spiritually, but in person—to establish His throne in Jerusalem. That is what Heaven is waiting for: the Wife to make herself ready. Not a surrogate rule through a triumphant church left to reign in His absence. Neither a Kingdom Now theology attempting to replace the Bridegroom with a proxy. Such post-millennial thinking would have been unthinkable to John or the early church fathers. The sole hope was the return of the King Himself—Jesus, crowned with many crowns, coming to overthrow the kingdoms of darkness, destroy the antichrist and false prophet, and establish His millennial reign, during which Satan would be bound for a thousand years.

This is the blessed hope we should hold dear to our hearts—the hope of Jesus’ glorious appearing, because He promised He will come back soon. So when Jesus said He was coming quickly, what else could John say? What else can we say, if Jesus says He is coming soon, what should our response be? Should we say, not yet Lord, I haven’t finished what I wanted to do, not yet Lord the church is still growing, not yet Lord we haven’t established your kingdom in every nation and sector of society. No, the call to come is the right and honouring response only the Bride can make.

Did you notice the Bible doesn’t say the Spirit and the Church say come but the Spirit and the Bride.

For the church without her bridal identity will continue to go through an endless cycle of reformation and reset until she can finally agree with Spirit and Call “Come” as the Bride. It is this call to come, that breaks that cycle and aligns us with our destiny and it is this call Heaven is waiting to hear as a sure sign the Bride is getting ready, and more than anything else her desire is for Him.

Conclusion – A Lesson From the Song of Songs

“(13) [The Beloved] You who dwell in the gardens, The companions listen for your voice–Let me hear it! (14) [The Shulamite] Make haste, my beloved, And be like a gazelle Or a young stag On the mountains of spices.”
Song of Songs 8:13-14 NKJV

As we conclude, there’s one final insight we must observe. Until now, we’ve focused solely on the final chapter of Revelation, but there is a beautiful and significant parallel found in the final verses of the Song of Songs. These last two verses of Scripture’s great love song, harmonise with the same call and response we’ve seen in Revelation 22.

In Song of Songs 8:13, it is the Beloved who speaks: “You who dwell in the gardens, the companions listen for your voice—Let me hear it!” More than poetic language, it is a prophetic picture of Jesus yearning to hear the voice of His Bride. Her companions—perhaps the great cloud of witnesses, perhaps the angels, perhaps even the saints on earth—are listening for her response. And so is He.

Then, in the very next verse, the Shulamite answers. She doesn’t hesitate or hold back. She calls, “Make haste, my beloved...” Her cry predates John’s in Revelation 22:20: “Even so, come, Lord Jesus!” Do you see the symmetry? More than poetry this is prophecy. More than romance, an insight into Divine longing. The voice of the Bride is the response Jesus longs to hear. The call to Come, a declaration of intended union. This cry transcends debate, opinion or timing—it is the rightful voice of the Bride, knowing who she is, and who she longs for.

Such is the relationship we are invited into: a love that is personal, passionate, and prophetic. A love that doesn’t just wait for His return but calls for it—hastening and preparing the way. This is why, as Call2Come, we believe this is the cry Jesus longs to hear more than any other. It is why we exist. To proclaim this message. To awaken the Bride. To join in the Spirit’s call.

“Even so, Come, Lord Jesus!”

Selah

Principles

The cry for Jesus to come is not new—it weaves through human history, like a golden thread in every generation. From the beginning, the Spirit has been calling, groaning, interceding, and drawing the Bride towards union with the Bridegroom.
When we cry come, we align with the Holy Spirit and position ourselves before the Bridegroom that cannot happen any other way. This alignment enables bridal preparation to begin.
The call for Jesus to return is embedded within the DNA of the Bride and the prayer He longs to hear more than any other.
The church without her bridal identity will continue to go through an endless cycle of reformation and reset until she can finally agree with the Spirit and call “Come” as the Bride. It is this call that breaks this cycle and aligns us with our destiny.

Scriptures

“And the Spirit and the bride say, “Come!” And let him who hears say, “Come!” And let him who thirsts come. Whoever desires, let him take the water of life freely.” Revelation 22:17 NKJV

Quotes

“The soul does not seek God because it is learned or clever, but because it is in love.”—Saint Teresa of Ávila, The Interior Castle

“When the soul, stripped of all that is created, enters into the darkness of faith, it is prepared for the union of love.”

—St John of the Cross, Spiritual Canticle

“It is not the soul that moves itself toward God, but God who moves the soul, giving it the desire to seek Him.”[5]

—Madame Guyon, Experiencing the Depths of Jesus Christ

Pause for Reflection

Is there anything preventing me calling for Jesus to come?
Am I still enough to hear the Spirit calling “come” within me?

[1] “(57) So they said, “We will call the young woman and ask her personally.” (58) Then they called Rebekah and said to her, “Will you go with this man?” And she said, “I will go.”” Genesis 24:57-58 NKJV

[2] “The next day John saw Jesus coming (erchomai) toward him, and said, “Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!” John 1:29 NKJV

[3] “(11) Since all these things are thus to be dissolved, what sort of people ought you to be in lives of holiness and godliness, (12) waiting for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be set on fire and dissolved, and the heavenly bodies will melt as they burn!” 2 Peter 3:11-12 ESV

[4] In Scripture, seven consistently functions as the number of completion, fulness, and divine order. This pattern is established at creation, where God completes His work in six days and sanctifies the seventh as the Sabbath (Genesis 2:1–3), marking not mere cessation but fulfilled purpose. Throughout the biblical narrative, seven recurs in contexts of covenant, consecration, judgment, and restoration—seven days, seven feasts, sevenfold sprinklings, seven lamps, seven seals, trumpets, and bowls—culminating in the completed purposes of God in Revelation. Seven therefore signifies not human perfection, but God’s work brought to its intended fullness, where nothing is lacking and nothing remains unfinished.

[5] The mystics are remarkably consistent: the cry of the Bride does not begin in human longing but in divine desire. What Scripture declares in Revelation 22:17, they experienced inwardly—the Spirit awakens the cry, and the Bride learns to say “Come.”