What must shortly take place that is contained in the letters to the seven churches?
The time is near, near for what?
I come quickly, in what context? Is this a figure of speech, like:
- I came, I saw, I conquered - Julius Caesar
Does Jesus use a figure of speech to remind the believers to hold onto faith or
else?
Rev 3:11
'I am coming quickly; hold fast what you have, so that no one will take your crown.
The phrase I come quickly is a figure of speech alluding to the believers within that church to stay faithful to the cause, otherwise their election (crown) will be taken away from them. It therefore is a solemn indirect threat to hold fast to faith, failure to do so will mean loosing your salvation (crown). Therefore the one doing the taking is man who deceives man and not as a direct judgment from God as implied by Preterists.
It has absolutely nothing to do with an event in time like 70AD. The expression is the same as the way parents used to tell their children be good until Christmas so that Santa will see that you are good and will bring you gifts.
In relation to Christ coming quickly; this is a rallying call to the seven churches to stay faithful within the context of receiving good tidings, whereas those who have fallen away from the faith will NOT have any good tidings and therefore become a fruitless church/branch.
Time is near is also a figure of speech to allude to a sense of urgency for the church to change its ways otherwise it risks loosing its election (crown).
What must shortly take place written in the letters, is another formal way of saying to take this letter seriously, because after the recipient receives it, they are now obligated to immediately comply with its instructions, therefore ignorance will no longer be an excuse.
These letters were written because John saw the churches were back sliding and he needed to give them a wake up call, as the churchs regarded John as the patriarch of the Christian faith.