One other result of this hope — it is a hope which makes one happy. The word “ blessed” means happy. It is the one bright spot and the blessed hope in this dark world. There is little hope for the future in this world, but the Christian looks out upon the turmoil and the strife and cheers himself with the Saviour’s promise. He said when all the things which are happening about us today begin to come to pass, then “ look up, for your re demption draweth nigh.” It is not easy to under stand the words of Scripture, “ rejoice in tribula tion,” unless one is able to look into the future and see the glorious hope of the Lord’s return. The world may despair and wonder, but to the believer everything is all right. God’s program is running exactly on time, and we know that all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. One of these days He will come. The kingdoms of this world will become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of His Christ, and He shall reign forever and ever. Then indeed shall peace flow like a river, men shall beat their swords into plowshares. Nature shall be at peace while the lion and the lamb lie down together, the leopard and the kid shall feed, and even the venomous serpents shall become the harmless pets o f playing children. The earth will be delivered from the curse. There will be plenty for all, and they shall no more hurt nor destroy in all God’s holy mountain. And we shall be with the Lord. Mothers and children, husbands and wives will be reunited in glorified, deathless, painless bodies to enjoy eternal life and bliss where God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes. Are you discouraged ? Then look up! a better day is coming; and the darker the day down here, the brighter the hope of His coming. Yes, He said, . . . I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where 1 am, there ye may be also (John 14:3). Yes, Jesus Christ is coming again. It is the most certain event of the future. The first book of the New Testament ever written was First Thes- salonians. And what is the message of this book? It is the return of our Lord. The classic passage is I Thessalonians 4:13-18, But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are alseep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him. For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep. For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump o f God: and
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). The blessed hope is a purifying hope. The trou ble is that all who talk about the coming of the Lord do not believe in that blessed hope. John says that “ every one that hath this hope in him puri- fieth himself.” Unless the blessed hope is a purify ing hope it means nothing at all. You may believe
with your head all about it, but until it enters your heart it is just mockery. In addition to being a purifying hope, it is also an activating hope. Do you believe that Jesus Christ is coming again, and that He may come very soon ? If you really did, you would get some of your sins confessed, you would stop your worldly prac tices, and you would get reconciled with that broth er before you meet your brother’s Saviour. If you really believed the time is short and you lived in the expectancy of His soon return, you would be making more of your investments in the place where moth and rust do not corrupt, nor thieves break through and steal. You would be more in terested in your heavenly home than preparing your earthly home as though you were to remain here forever. Then the proclamation of the Gospel over the air would not need to suffer because of the apathy, indifference and lack of interest among Christians in telling the story to all the world.
JUNE, 1966
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