“I Jesus have sent mine angel to testify unto you these things in the churches. I am the root and the offspring of David, and the bright and morning star. And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely” (Revelation 22:16-17).
Jesus famously asked the Jews how David could have called the Messiah Lord when the Messiah was to be descended from David (Matt. 22:42, 45). How could David’s son be someone that David himself would bow down to? We have the same issue here. Jesus had sent His angel to testify to the churches all the contents of this book, and here at the conclusion, He says I am the root and the offspring of David. He is the root of David, the one from whom David arose, and he is also the offspring of David, the one who descended from the line of David.
In addition, Jesus claims that He Himself is the bright and morning star. This morning star was the planet Venus, often visible as the last of the stars in the morning. He had promised the saints in Thyatira that He would give them the morning star (Rev. 2:28), which means that He will give them Himself. Peter had used the same imagery when he said that the hope of believers would be realized when the day dawns, and the morning star would arise in their hearts (2 Pet. 1:19).
An invitation to come is then issued, and it is worth asking to whom the invitation is directed. Is it a prayer for the Lord Jesus to come? He had promised a short time before to come quickly (vv. 7, 12). And right after this, John prays that the Lord would come quickly (v. 20). It would be easy to assume that this is making the same point. But this appears to be a different invitationan invitation to the one who is thirsty. The one who desires to partake of the water of life is invited to come and drink from the water of life. This appears to be an evangelistic invitation. The Spirit issues the invitation, and the bride of Christ gives the same invitation. Furthermore, the one who hears the words of this book adds his *amen* to it.
