The Final Word — Erlo Stegen

The Invitation of Revelation 22

As this is the last day of this year, let us read the last chapter of the Bible this evening and let that be our text. And that will be the last verses. It's Revelation chapter 22 from verse 17. The Spirit and the Bride say come, and let him who hears say come.

Whoever is thirsty, let him come. And whoever wishes, let him take the free gift of the water of life.

Whoever wishes, let him come. And whoever wishes, let him take the free gift of the water of life.

I want everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book, if anyone adds anything to them, God will add to him the plagues described in this book. And if anyone takes words away from this book of prophecy, God will take away from him his share in the tree of life and the holy city, which are described in this book.

New Year's Noise and the Calm of God's Word

History says that many, many years ago, there was a certain bishop called Sylvester. And he was bishop in Rome. Now the Germans call this evening Sylvester evening. And this comes through the ages and is called so because of this bishop Sylvester in Rome.

Because usually the last day of the year, the end of the year, always was accompanied by a lot of noise during that time. People would go up and down the streets, making a lot of noise. Others growled like lions.

Others beat their drums. Others shot with their guns into the air. And as you know, even today, this day throughout the world is a day where there's a lot of noise. And I remember many, many years ago while I was once visiting in Pietermaritzburg, I had to overnight there.

It was this time of the year, end of the last day, and I couldn't sleep. Sleep wouldn't just come to me because of the noise that was going on outside. People were blowing the hooters. Others were beating their drums.

Others were just making a noise. Others did it already being drunk. Now, others in their state, they have fights. Others stab each other. And even they say in hospitals, they say, well, this is some of the busiest time in the year.

And then this Bishop Sylvester said, what are we going to do about this whole state of affairs, this noise, this running up and down the streets, and the things that were going on at that time? And he thought, well, what are we going to do about this condition?

And then he said, well, are we going to end the year in this state of affairs with people making such a noise up and down and then going into the new year in that state? He says, but it cannot be. There's something that we've got to do about it.

Then he gathered the clergy of Rome at that time, brought them together and said, men, what are we going to do about this thing, this noise, this firing into there with guns? This, so to say, mix up. He says, what are we going to do about it?

He says that I think we should have and take a service or have a service, and that will remove men from the street. And it was very difficult, because at that time, people would be drunk in the streets, the girls would be walking with the boys, the boys with the girls.

That was the end thing. And also, there were men that forgot their wives in that evening, and they were watching other women. In other words, that was the life of a heathen, a people that did not know God.

The heathen do that. And so they started to have and service in the evening at this time of the year. And so they started doing that, and God blessed that work. People started coming to the services. The streets were empty.

There was no this noise on the streets anymore. And they wanted to end the year thanking God that he had kept them. And so it came to an utter end, this partying, this noise on the last day of the year.

It came to an end when people started gathering together to hear God's word. And that was the start of how the heathendom was overcome. And it is said in Rome, and they say, a great calm, peace came upon Rome this time of the evening when people were together or at home and they thought about God.

And so as it is the last day of the year, I would like to read the last verses in the Bible. And that is from verse 17 to 19. Verse 17, the spirit and the bride say come, and let him who hears say come.

Whoever is thirsty, let him come. And whoever wishes, let him take the free gift of the water of life. I warn everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book. If anyone adds anything to them, God will add to him the plagues described in this book.

And if anyone takes words away from this book of prophecy, God will take away from him his share in the tree of life and in the holy city, which are described in this book. And that is, we will end reading there, and this is how the Bible ends.

The Spirit and the Bride Say Come

The spirit and the bride say come. Who is the spirit? It is the spirit of God. It is the Holy Spirit. Now the bride are the children of God, the believers in this world. And they say come. And the Holy Spirit says come, O Lord Jesus.

It is the desire of the Holy Spirit that the Lord Jesus might return. And so the same way, the bride says come, O Lord Jesus. And now my question is, how is it, why is it that the Holy Spirit here is combined and brought together with the bride?

Who is the bride of the Lord Jesus, the church of God? Some say, well, the Holy Spirit who is above says come, O Lord. And also the church here in this world, on earth, also says come, return, O Lord.

But it is not like that. Now the Holy Spirit and the bride are one thing. And it is the Holy Spirit who is in the bride, is the leader of the bride, of the church of God. And it is the Holy Spirit's desire that the Lord might return and that the Spirit of the Lord might work in the hearts of the children of God that they would also have that desire and say, Lord, come.

Now in Zulu it says it so nicely that the Lord, we are bought. He paid dowry for us. In other words, He came to earth, He suffered, He died, He endured so many things so that He would be able to pay and buy the bride.

Now has the Lord bought you already? Are you His bride, the bride of the bridegroom, that He came and that He paid the price for you and that now you belong to the Lord? Now each and every one of us should answer that question and should be honest and say, can you honestly say, well, I have become the bride of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Now maybe another person says, well, I think, and maybe, or a person really, he doubts. And in actual fact a person can say to such a person, well, he doesn't, he doesn't want the Lord at all. And you should never doubt.

It should be clear, a clear thing to you that you are His bride and He's your bridegroom. There shouldn't be any doubt in your heart concerning that. Now it's for a long time that we've been marrying people.

Now when we marry people, we ask the bride and the bridegroom, they are questioned as they stand before the altar, if they are really sure that this wife is the one that God has got for him and the wife would be asked if the husband is the one that God had prepared for him.

And both have to answer to that. Now for all these years that I've been marrying people, I've never had a situation where the husband or the wife doubted about this question. If they were asked, everyone was sure of what he was saying.

Otherwise you would have to stop the procession there and then if somebody doubted. And each and every one of them would always give a clear answer and the whole congregation would be able to hear what those people said.

And the bride and the bridegroom, the way they would answer would be as clear as daylight. You wouldn't doubt because when you hear what they said, you were sure what they meant. It would be heartbreaking if at the end of this year, when you are asked the question, if you are the bride of our Lord and the Lord would say, you are my bride and that you would be married.

And if you wouldn't know that, it would be heartbreaking. Let me pass from that, pass on. And the Spirit says, come Lord, come quickly. In the same way the bride also says, come Lord and come quickly.

The Promise of Christ's Return

And the Lord then answers and says, I do come quickly. And others are confused and say, well, you know, 2000 years have passed since the bride said, come Lord and come quickly. And the Holy Spirit also says, come and the Lord says, I am coming.

But up to now, he hasn't returned. And they then forget the word of the Lord where he says, one day is like a thousand years. Yesterday was like a thousand years before him, before the Lord. And today is also one day, which is like a thousand years to the Lord.

And or that a thousand years are like one day. And so the people shouldn't be confused about this issue because some people say, well, 2000 years have passed and the Lord said, I am returning.

And they then forget the word of the Lord where he says, one day is like a thousand years.

And as 2000 years have passed since the bride has said, come Lord and come quickly. And the Holy Spirit has said, come Lord, come quickly. And the Spirit says, Lord, come quickly. And the Lord says, I am returning quickly.

But remember now, we are 2000 years closer to that day of his return. We shouldn't be held back by that, but we should be a people that where the Holy Spirit in us says, come Lord, come quickly. And so each day is a day closer when the Lord will return and take his bride to that wedding feast.

And we will rejoice and be made happy because of that great day. And there is no day like the day when our Lord will return. Because when we enter that hand to heaven, there would be no more pain, no more tears, no more heartache.

Readiness for the Bridegroom's Coming

It will be heaven. A certain preacher came to me. He said, I had an amazing dream. The whole congregation was together. And they were praying, return O Lord. Then he saw how people were lifting up their hands while they were praying, but the nails on the fingers were red, painted red, blood red.

Even their faces were painted up. And even their clothing was of this world. But they were praying and saying, O Lord, won't you return? They were shouting out aloud and saying, but Lord, won't you return?

And there was a certain lady that was leading them in this prayer. And while they were praying in such a way, suddenly it was heard that the Lord has come. And it is amazing that when they heard that, suddenly this lady that was leading this prayer meeting, she ran like a rat, like a mouse, she left that place.

And suddenly all the other rest of the congregation, they fled before the coming of the Lord. They were saying,. And although they were praying and asking the Lord that he would return, but they knew in their hearts that they weren't ready.

They hadn't prepared themselves fully and completely for the return of the Lord. I remember certain white men saying this to me and telling me this, that there was a certain white lady, she prayed for people.

But when she prayed for people, she would growl like a witch doctor, like a witch. And the white people flocked to her, that she should pray for them. And this lady, she grew older, she became sick, and the day of her dying came close.

The Lord didn't return at the trumpet sound and came back, no, he came and he just visited her. And then she said to those around her, she says, the Lord's coming, I can hear his footsteps, he's coming to take me.

He's coming and he's going to enter into this room. And then she said, he's coming now around the corner, he's entering into my room. And when she was saying that, she suddenly closed up her face, she got the shock of her life, her whole face changed.

And she shouted out and said, oh no, it's not you. And she all the time was saying, the Lord is fetching her, the Lord is going to return quickly. In the meantime, the devil came to fetch her, because she hadn't prepared herself.

And as her bride, we must make sure that we are prepared, fully prepared, that when the bridegroom comes, that we are able to meet up with him. Knowing that I have been washed, cleansed by the blood of the Lamb, and I am spotless, pure white.

I have been washed, cleansed by the blood of the Lamb, and I am spotless, pure white.

And so you must make sure, really sure, that you belong, and that you are his real bride. Not like this woman, that you say, Lord, come quickly. But when that person comes, it's not the Lord, it's the devil that had ruled your life all the time.

She growled like a witch. And that's still saying that I'm a child of the Lord. And maybe you also growl. Maybe you are like this person. Maybe there's anger in your life. There's irritability in your life.

There's a grudge in your life. And then you say, the Lord is going to come quickly and fetch me. It won't be like that. The devil will fetch you. And maybe you have got a root of bitterness in your heart.

And then you say, Lord, come, come quickly. And when he comes, let me tell you, it will be hell unto you. It will be your own damnation. Now to the next point. And let him who hears say, come. Whoever is thirsty, let him come.

The Bride's Evangelistic Invitation

And whoever wishes, let him take the free gift of the water of life. The Holy Spirit says, come. The church says, come, Lord. And when you are the bride of the Lord, you cannot keep quiet. You will have something in you that will drive you.

And even that you would invite others and tell them to come to take of this water of life. And so you will invite whoever is thirsty. And you will invite. You will shout it out. You will evangelize and say, come.

You who are thirsty, come, drink of this water of life. In other words, that will mean your salvation. This year comes to an end. When you look back this past year, how many people have you won over to the Lord?

How many people are there that have been changed through the washing of the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ in those people's lives? If you look back, how many people have you won over in this past year?

How many people have been helped through your life that have been changed or are you spiritually barren? You can't win people. You can't draw people to the Lord. And one day when you stand before the Lord, will you be able to say, Lord, here are these people that I have won for you?

So, this year, when you look back, how many people have you won over? How many people have you won over? This year, when you look back, how many people have you won over?

There is an amazing word in the Bible where the person stands before the Lord and he says, here are these people, these children that you have given me, that I am bringing to you. Can you say that? It's an amazing word that a person is able to say, here are the children that you have given me, I have brought them to you.

And it is the pride that is driven to seek out others, to invite them, to draw them to the pride room and say, come, here is water, you can have it, it's free, and you can be saved by the pride room, by the Lord.

Do Not Add to or Remove From God's Word

And I want everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book, if anyone adds anything to them, God will add to him the plagues described in this book. And if anyone takes words away from the book of prophecy, God will take away from him the share in the tree of life and in the holy city, which are described in this book.

And if anyone takes words away from the book of prophecy, God will take away from him the share in the tree of life and in the holy city, which are described in this book. And if anyone takes words away from the book of prophecy, God will take away from him the share in the tree of life and in the holy city, which are described in this book.

And there are those that say, well, the Bible, that's not our book, that belongs to the white man, it's got nothing to do with us. But let me tell you, you are taking away from that which is written in God's word, and God will remove you from the tree of life, and that you have part of the tree of life, and that tree of life is Christ being saved and helped through him, and God will remove that from you.

And if you say, well, this in the Bible, or this word, no, that really doesn't pertain to me. Well, that's got nothing really, it doesn't say anything to me, but let me tell you something. If you take away the words which are in this book, you will lose your share in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ.

That will be taken away from you. And maybe you, you take God's word, and you say, well, that's not our word, that belongs to the white man, and God will remove you from the tree of life, and that tree of life is Christ being saved and helped through him, and God will remove that from you.

And when you add your thing, the way you see it, and the way you think what it means, and God warns you this evening, says, you're not allowed to do that, because if you do that, you will get and receive the plagues that are described in this book.

Examining the Past Year by God's Word

Now this year ends, and I'll have to ask myself the question, how did I treat God's word? Maybe you can say with your mouth, and admit with your mouth, yes, this is God's word, but your life, your actions, your deeds, they don't talk about that which we find in this book.

In other words, you are adding, because either you are not keeping which is written in this book, or you're adding your own thing in this book through your life. Now, it's good that at the end of this year, that you ask yourself, well, did I add, or did I remove what is written in this book, through the life, and through my actions in this past too, the way I've been living, what does it say?

Now this, the next year lies ahead, what will your life be like? Are you going to add on to what God has said, add on your own things, where God says, do that, and I will add plagues onto your life. And so, through your life, in the next year, how will you live?

Will you add on, in other words, add on plagues into your life, or will you remove? In other words, God maybe has spoken, He's commanded you, He's told you what to do, and you don't do it, in other words, you remove, and you remove yourself from this tree of life.

Now it's good that this evening, you stop and you test yourself, this past year, what has your life been like?

What has your life been like? What has your life been like?

Now look how you have been with others, look at the way you've been living with others, the words that you've been speaking, are they full of love? Are they meek? Are they salted, as the Bible says? If not, then maybe you've added, and you've taken away from what the Lord has said, and woe unto you, because this day should be like heaven, where a person should be prepared to enter heaven.

Now there is a word of God concerning parents towards their children, now have you, in this past year, have you added to that, or have you removed of that? And you child, towards your parents, your actions, the way you've lived, have you been adding, or have you been removing?

The Final Warning and the Coming of Christ

Now these are the last words of the Bible, they are hard, difficult words, which the Lord ends in, with, in his word, and he means what he says. He says, God says, I will then take away, take from you, take it away, your share in the tree of life, and in the holy city.

And then he ends up and he says, he who testifies to these things says, yes, I'm coming soon.

In the name of Jesus Christ. Amen. Amen, amen, amen, amen.

And then he says,. And then he says, amen, come Lord Jesus. Amen says, it means, let it be so. But also, amen is the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. So be careful when you always maybe shout out, amen, amen.

You are misusing the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. You are using his name in vain. And then he will take away, and he will add the plagues that are spoken about in this book. And And the Lord himself, he testifies and he says, yes, I am coming soon.

And remember, although it's 2000 years ago, one day is like 1000 years, but he is coming. And then the Lord Jesus says, yes, I am coming soon. And the bride and the bridegroom say, yes, Lord, come soon.

Do you pray? Do you pray every day and say, oh, Lord, come, please come. And that you are able to meet up with him. And so as it is the last day of the year, I read to you the last words in the Bible, just to explain to you what the Bible ends up with, what God ends up with.

Hearing and Obeying the Last Words

Now, usually when somebody dies, the relatives and the friends usually come and ask, but what were his last words? What did he say? And they lay a lot worth on what a person said right at the end. Now, remember, this is what God says right in the end and has of great meaning what he has said here.

And he who has an ear to hear, let him hear. And if you're not, if you don't hear, then you are cursed because the curses will come upon you. The plagues will come upon you. So you either will be adding or you remove yourself from this tree of life.

So leave the Bible as it is.

So leave the Bible as it is. Don't add or remove. Don't say, well, this is pertains to us, or this doesn't pertain to us, or this means this, or that means that. No. Respect and honor God's word. So when you go now out of this service, when you go and when you pray, what prayer will you pray?

What will you say for the next year that lies ahead? What will you pray? What will you ask for? Let us pray. Our Lord, the last hour of this year has come. Lord, you know how we started the year and how we ended with this year.

And you know, Lord, that through our life, if we were adding on things or if we were removing of your word. And also Lord, by your grace and if you keep us as we enter into this new year, you know what kind of year that lies ahead.

Amen. Amen. May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Thank you.