Revelation 22:12-13: And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last.

The same angel from Revelation 22:7-9 continued to speak to John with divine investiture of authority as though he was Christ,¹ saying for a second time: I come quickly.² Since this statement was made in 96 AD,³ it clearly did not announce that Christ's Second Coming was imminent.⁴ Instead, the statement admonished people then and now to prepare quickly for Christ's coming⁵ by not procrastinating the day of their repentance.⁶ This life is the time to prepare to meet God.⁷ Life is short and the end of this probationary period will come quickly.⁸ On the other hand, for saints living on earth today, modern scriptures repeatedly attest that Christ's Second Coming will literally come quickly.⁹

The angel repeatedly states that Christ will come quickly because there was and is very little time to complete the work of salvation that must be done before Christ comes again.¹⁰ Christ's mortal ministry was essential to the work of salvation on earth, but that ministry lasted just 3½ years.¹¹ The work of salvation during the apostolic era lasted only about 3½ decades.¹² Much more work was accomplished during the golden era of the Nephites that lasted from Christ's appearance to them in 34 AD until about 200 AD.¹³ These ancient works were minimal, however, compared to this latter-day gospel dispensation when the work for millions of people, both living and dead, must be done before the Second Coming.¹⁴ The latter days are extremely short compared to the vast amount of missionary work¹⁵ and temple work¹⁶ that must be accomplished.¹⁷ Hence, Christ will come quickly, and when he does the time for preparation will be past.¹⁸ He will reward¹⁹ every man according as his work shall be,²⁰ whether good or evil.²¹

The angel who speaks for Christ²² declares that Christ is Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last.²³ This declaration is an encouragement to faithful saints.²⁴ They are assured that the Alpha and Omega has power to fulfill his promises of reward to every man according as his work shall be.²⁵ All people will receive their promised wages based on whom they list to obey.²⁶