Matthew 24 is an excellent brief prophecy of that time, which we call the tribulation. The Book of Daniel contains many tribulation predic tions. The last book in the Bible tells us much about His judgments. DID HE SET YOU ASIDE? Did He set you aside when the fields were ripe, And the laborers seemed too few? Did He set you aside and give somebody else The task that you longed to do? Did He set you aside when the purple grapes Hung low in the autumn sun, While hands, not yours, just gath ered them in, The trophies you'd almost won? Did He set you aside on a couch of pain, Where all you could do was pray. And when you whispered, "Please let me know." The answer was always, "Stay"? Did He set you aside for no reason at all, No reason that you could see, And your heart cried out, "In this limited, space, Lord, how can I work for Thee?" Did He set you aside with a heavy cross, And were you filled with despair, Thinking He'd gone and left you alone, 'Till you suddenly found Him there? There in the shadows, the world shut out, Kneeling alone at His feet. Did you learn the answers? (Not all just yet) But wasn't it wondrously sweet? — Alice Hansche Mortenson The Lord Jesus Christ returns to earth to continue His judgments in person. This second advent of Christ to earth is the subject of many prophecies, especially in the Old Testament. “And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called faithful and true, and in righteous ness he doth judge and make war”
purchased this glorious redemption at the cost of His own blood. How vast is His love!” The next event to be fulfilled ac cording to prophecy is the comple tion of the church of God. ‘‘Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the son of God, unto a perfect man (Christ and the church), unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ” (Eph. 4:13; 2:15; Acts 15:14; Rom. 11:5). Now we will consider these three great periods in the future, begin ning with the day of Christ. The Lord Jesus Christ Himself will des cend from heaven to meet His church in the air. “For our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ: who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body . . .” (Phil. 3:20-21; I Thess. 4:14-17; I Cor. 15:51-57). The Lord unll judge care fully every member of His church, according to the works of each one after his conversion. He will give rewards to those who have earned them. “If any man’s work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward. If any man’s work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire” (I Cor. 3:14-15; I Cor. 4:5; 9:25; II Cor. 5:10; II Tim. 2:12; II John 8). When His judgment has put everything in or der in the church, Christ will present the glorified church to the Father, for the Father’s use in judging and governing the world and angels. “Do ye not know that the saints shall judge the world? . . . Know ye not that we shall judge angels? . . .” (I Cor. 6:2-3; II Cor. 4:14; Eph. 5:27; Jude 24). The next period in the prophetic future is the day of the Lord. The Lord Jesus Christ in heaven will begin .the judgment of the world. At that time the sin of the world will be fully ripe for His judgments.
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