Will fight against them with the sword of my mouth - See on Revelation 2:12; (note). He now speaks for their edification and salvation; but if they do not repent, he will shortly declare those judgments which shall unavoidably fall upon them.
Repent - See Revelation 2:5.
Or else I will come unto thee quickly - On the word “quickly,” see the notes on Revelation 1:1. The meaning here is, that he would come against them in judgment, or to punish them.
And will fight against them - Against the Nicolaitanes. He would come against the church for tolerating them, but his opposition would be principally directed against the Nicolaitanes themselves. The church would excite his displeasure by retaining them in its bosom, but it was in its power to save them from destruction. If the church would repent, or if it would separate itself from the evil, then the Saviour would not come against them. If this were not done, they would feel the vengeance of his sword, and be subjected to punishment. The church always suffers when it has offenders in its bosom; it has the power of saving them if it will repent of its own unfaithfulness, and will strive for their conversion.
With the sword of my mouth - notes on Revelation 1:16; Revelation 2:12. That is, he would give the order, and they would be cut as if by a sword. Precisely in what way it would be done he does not say; but it might be by persecution, or by heavy judgments. To see the force of this, we are to remember the power which Christ has to punish the wicked by a word of his mouth. By a word in the last day he will turn all the wicked into hell.
The Lord has set before me matters which are of urgent importance for the present time, and which reach into the future.... I was assured that there was no time to lose. The appeals and warnings must be given. Our churches must be aroused, must be instructed, that they may give the warning to all whom they can possibly reach, declaring that the sword is coming, that the Lord's anger upon a profligate world will not long be deferred. I was shown that many would listen to the warning. Their minds would be prepared to discern the very things that it pointed out to them. 3SM 413.2
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