"Do you believe that Jesus Christ is coming again, and that He may come very soon? If you did you would
be more interested in your heavenly home."
again of the Lord. In Titus he says, For the grace of God that bringeth salva tion hath appeared to all men. Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, right eously, and godly, in this present world; Looking for that blessed hope, and the glo rious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ (Titus 2:11-13). Peter tells us, But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night . . . (II Peter 3:10). Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is (I John 3 :2 ). Jude says, . . . Behold, the Lord cometh with ten thou sands of his saints, To execute judgment . . . (Jude 14, 15). The entire last book o f the Bible is occupied with the coming again of the Lord Jesus and the events accompanying that glorious event. In the first chapter, John cries: Behold, he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him . . . (Revelation 1:7). Then as if to seal the whole thing so that none shall have excuse to doubt the reality of Christ's return, the Bible ends with these words: He which testifieth these things saith, Sure ly I come quickly. Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen (Revelation 22:20, 21). The last promise in the Bible is that He is com ing again. The last word of the Lord Jesus is, “ I am coming again.” The last prayer in the Bible is, “ Even so, come, Lord Jesus.” Can anyone with an
Then the Lord reassured them that although He was going to die and go back to Heaven, He was coming back again, and then every single one of His promises concerning His reign on the earth and the restoration of Palestine and Israel would be fulfilled to the minutest detail. Then begins a new series of revelations concerning His second coming. He says in John, “ If I go away, I will come again.” He spent almost His entire time with His dis ciples the last days before the Cross in talking not about His passion and death, but His coming again. See Matthew chapters 24 and 25, Mark 11 to 13, and Luke 21. The primary thing Jesus seemed to think of and speak of in those final days o f His earthly life was His coming again, and the last days. After His resurrection during the forty days with His disciples He spoke of the things pertain ing to the kingdom of God. His first message to the disciples after He left that this same Jesus was coming again. This second coming is the theme of all the apostles in the epistles. Paul in Romans looked to that glorious day and says, For the earnest expectation of the creature [creation] waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God. . . . the whole creation groaneth and travail- eth in pain together until now (Romans 8:19, 22 ) . In Corinthians he says, Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, hut we shall all be changed (I Corin thians 15:51). In the second epistle to the Corinthians he says, For we must aU appear before the judgment seat of Christ . . . (II Corinthians 5:10). In Colossians, Ephesians, Philippians, and in his letters to Timothy, Paul speaks of the coming
JUNE, 1966
25
Made with FlippingBook - Online magazine maker