After I was a brand-new believer within the Nineteen Seventies, many Christians eagerly listened to Bible lecturers “proving” from Scripture that Christ would return within the Eighties. The Late Nice Planet Earth informed us the fig tree in Matthew 24:32–35 was Israel, and the era that witnessed Israel’s return as a nation in 1948 wouldn’t go away earlier than Christ’s return. Satisfied of this, considered one of my buddies didn’t get dental work executed, saying, “Why spend the cash when Christ goes to return again inside a few years?” (He ended up regretting it!)
Years later, as a pastor, I hesitated earlier than preaching on Christ’s second coming as a result of I used to be weary of the prophecy obsession, which was much less about Jesus than countless hypothesis concerning the tribulation, the antichrist, the USSR being Gog and Magog, the Chinese language military getting ready for Armageddon, the locusts of Revelation 9 being helicopters — and so forth.
But a wholesome emphasis on Christ’s return is very important for believers, since “our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior” (Philippians 3:20). Christ will seem “to avoid wasting those that are eagerly ready for him” (Hebrews 9:28), and he’ll reward “all who’ve beloved his showing” (2 Timothy 4:8).
Scripture calls his return “the joyful achievement of our hope” (Titus 2:13 NET). The hope in view is just not wishful pondering however rock-solid, blood-bought certainty. Since Christ’s return is the believer’s nice hope, we should always ask ourselves: What’s going to it imply when he does return?
That Completely satisfied Day
It’s not important that we perceive intimately how the longer term will fall collectively. However the cornerstone of all orthodox eschatology is perception within the second coming of Christ — his bodily return to this earth.
Preaching on the second coming, Charles Spurgeon said, “To face star-gazing on the prophecies, together with your mouth vast open, is simply the incorrect factor; much better will it’s to go on working in your Lord, getting your self and your service prepared for his showing, and cheering your self all of the whereas with this thought, ‘Whereas I’m at work, my Grasp might come. Earlier than I get weary, my Grasp might return.’”
The upcoming return of Christ means he can return quickly, inside brief order, as has been true for 2 thousand years. It additionally means he doesn’t need to return once we suppose (1 Thessalonians 5:1–3). As Jesus himself mentioned, “The Son of Man is coming at an hour you don’t anticipate” (Matthew 24:44).
Except Christ returns in our lifetime, we’re all going to die. In God’s good timing, he’ll take every of us out of this fallen world. Then, on the appointed time, he’ll ship his Son again to arrange his kingdom and provoke a resurrection of believers for everlasting life on the brand new earth. How grateful we’re for God’s promise of resurrected our bodies and renewed minds, with which we might be higher capable of glorify him by having fun with him eternally!
John Calvin wrote, “Allow us to not hesitate to await the Lord’s coming, not solely with longing, but additionally with groaning and sighs, because the happiest factor of all. He’ll come to us as Redeemer” (Institutes 3.9.5).
That would be the day when every thing adjustments.
Solely the Starting
Our curiosity in the long run instances typically extends to the interval previous and instantly following Christ’s return. However whereas his return might be unspeakably great, it is going to finish rapidly. What won’t finish is our ongoing, ever-deepening relationship with Jesus. It is going to get richer and richer, day after day, for “in your presence there may be fullness of pleasure; at your proper hand are pleasures forevermore” (Psalm 16:11). And as we look ahead to Jesus above all, we will additionally lengthy for our everlasting house: “Based on his promise we’re ready for brand spanking new heavens and a brand new earth wherein righteousness dwells” (2 Peter 3:13).
A girl engaged to a person dwelling distant joyfully anticipates the day he’ll return for his or her wedding ceremony, an occasion that can change their lives. The identical is true for us, the company bride of Christ, as we await his return. But a marriage, great as it’s, is simply the start. I recall my wedding ceremony with nice fondness, however once I contemplate the 54 whole years of realizing Nanci and our 47 years of marriage, I can say that among the many numerous reminiscences we shared, solely a sliver of them are from our precise wedding ceremony day.
Likewise, the return of Christ is not only an explosive occasion that ends historical past however one which begins a new historical past and removes the curse, such that we’ll by no means once more be hindered in our relationship with Jesus. “When Christ who’s your life seems, then you definitely additionally will seem with him in glory” (Colossians 3:4). We’ll expertise the continued, every day revelation of his individual as we dwell in his direct presence.
Better of all, as soon as he returns, he’ll by no means go away us once more.
Face-to-Face with Our Bridegroom
When you’re in love, you want to be in the one that you love’s presence. The place you go and what you speak about are secondary to the enjoyment of merely experiencing life collectively. The identical might be true of life within the direct presence of Jesus, our true Bridegroom and finest Pal.
I generally ponder what will probably be prefer to see Jesus face-to-face, to fall on my knees earlier than him, after which to speak and eat and stroll with him as a resurrected individual dwelling on a resurrected earth. Like Job, I’m struck with the conclusion that “I personally will see him with my very own eyes — I, and never one other. How my coronary heart yearns inside me!” (Job 19:27 NIV).
Typically we think about an excessive amount of in relation to everlasting life. However often, the issue isn’t that we think about; it’s that what we think about will be biblically ungrounded. We fail to image in our minds the realities that Christ reveals to us in his phrase. Quite than ignore our creativeness, I consider we should always gasoline it with Scripture, stepping simply via doorways the Bible opens.
We solely sit up for what we will think about. So, do think about what will probably be like on the brand new earth to stroll with Jesus, as the primary disciples as soon as did. Residing in Christ’s presence would be the final achievement of the plentiful, overflowing life God promised.
Within the meantime, many unanswered questions stay. As an example, how will each eye see him when he returns (Revelation 1:7)? Or how will untold tens of millions of believers on the brand new earth be capable of speak and stroll with Jesus one-on-one? Will we take turns having fun with his bodily presence? Or will the one physique of Jesus in some way be concurrently current along with his folks in 1,000,000 locations? The questions abound, however what we all know is that God is able to doing excess of we think about.
All that can encompass us on the brand new earth — the folks, banquets, work, tradition, arts, sciences — all of it is going to level us towards Jesus. Although we’ll at all times be finite, we’ll proceed rising in our data of the infinite God. Within the coming ages, he’ll present us “the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness towards us in Christ Jesus” (Ephesians 2:7). What’s going to we study him as we worship with the 4 dwelling creatures (Revelation 7:11)? What’s going to we study from angels (Revelation 5:11), and what would possibly they study from us? What insights will we glean from the animals on the brand new earth (Isaiah 11:6–9; 65:25)?
As we glance into the faces of individuals and angels and animals, we’ll see the myriad methods our Creator has revealed himself to us. We’ll eternally progress within the depth and breadth of our relationship with Jesus — first, straight with him; second, via different dwelling beings and the fascinating new world that he’ll create. Our complete lives might be centered on him, and we’ll study extra about him via the numerous adventures that await us.
Come, Lord Jesus
Jesus will return after the final martyr is killed (Revelation 6:11), the final convert transformed. However “regarding that day and hour nobody is aware of, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, however the Father solely” (Matthew 24:36). As we wait, we’re to serve him faithfully, trusting Jesus to return when he deems it good to take action — whether or not that’s inside our lifetime or tons of of years from now.
In the meantime, we totally place our hope in Christ and his guarantees. He will return, and we might be resurrected to life on the brand new earth, the place we’ll behold God’s face and joyfully know and serve him eternally.
So, eyes lifted upward, collectively we are saying, “Come, Lord Jesus!”
