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Scripture Reading: 2 Tim. 4:8; Phil. 3:20; 1 Thes. 1:10; Rev. 22:20; 2 Pet. 1:19; Matt. 24:32-33, 42-44; 25:13; Luke 21:34-36; Rev. 3:10; Matt. 25:4, 10, 25:19-30; 24:45-51; 1 Cor. 3:10-17; Rev. 16:15
From the teaching of the New Testament we can see that when the apostles, including Paul, were writing the New Testament, they thought that the Lord Jesus would come back in their lifetime. The prophets in the Old Testament, in foretelling the coming of Christ, thought that He would have only one coming. But actually, there are two comings of Christ. Moreover, these two comings are separated by at least two thousand years. This is like two peaks of a mountain. When looking from afar, they seem to be joined together, one stacked in front of the other. When we read these prophecies now, we know that the Lord’s coming is at two times. Moreover, the second coming of Christ will not be as soon as the apostles thought.
Some may wonder why the Lord’s return is not yet fulfilled now that the two thousand years have nearly passed. Did not the Lord say at the end of the Bible, at the conclusion of Revelation 22, that He would come quickly? We should not forget that to the Lord, a thousand years are like one day (2 Pet. 3:8). To the eternal Lord God, time is not a factor. In fulfilling the promise of His return, what is important is not time but the facts. Today, as I stand before you, I can say with assurance that the time of waiting will not be very long, because from the various prophecies of the Bible, and in comparing these prophecies with the present world situation, we can see that the Lord’s coming is near.
My burden is this: When the apostles wrote the New Testament, to them the Lord was coming soon. Hence, the teaching of the New Testament shows us that their living was in preparation for the Lord’s return. This is like the situation in which some long-separated relatives are soon to return. The entire family is prepared to welcome them. It is also like a girl waiting to be married, who knows of the wedding day and who is waiting wholeheartedly for that day to arrive. Paul was one who had such an attitude. The life he lived was a life of waiting for the Lord’s return. We can see this by reading 1 Thessalonians. That book has five chapters. Each chapter concludes with the Lord’s coming back. From this we can see that Paul was one who loved the Lord’s appearing (2 Tim. 4:8). We also should be this way.
Since we love the Lord’s appearing, we should earnestly wait for His coming (Phil. 3:20; 1 Thes. 1:10). Hence, our future is with Him. Our living should indicate that we have no other hope on this earth. Our hope is in the coming Lord. He is our eternal destiny. In 1 Corinthians 7 Paul says, “This I say, brothers, the time is shortened. Henceforth both those who have wives should be as though they had none, and those who weep as though they did not weep, and those who rejoice as though they did not rejoice, and those who buy as though they did not possess, and those who use the world as though they did not abuse it; for the fashion of this world is passing away” (vv. 29-31). Christ is our real hope.
We may express our desire for the Lord’s return in the way of a prayer to Him, calling, “Come, Lord Jesus!” (Rev. 22:20). We should always call for His coming. This becomes our response to His return.
Second Peter 1:19 says, “We have the prophetic word made more firm, to which you do well to give heed as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts.” The prophetic words in the Scriptures are like a lamp to the believers, transmitting spiritual light to shine in our darkness, guiding us into the bright day and leading us even through the dark night to the day of the Lord’s appearing, that is, the time of the dawning of the day. Before the Lord as the shining of the sun appears, we need the light of His word to enlighten our footsteps.
The Lord’s coming has much to do with the nation of Israel. Matthew 24:32 tells us that when we see the branch of the fig tree becoming tender and putting forth its leaves, we know that the summer is near. The fig tree signifies the nation of Israel. After being cursed (21:19), it was reestablished in 1948. Later, the capital was recovered. That was the branch becoming tender and putting forth its leaves. Therefore, the summer, signifying the restoration of the kingdom of Israel, is already near. When we see the temple rebuilt and Antichrist appearing, we will know more assuredly that the kingdom of Israel will quickly be restored (24:33).
Matthew 24:42 says, “Watch therefore, for you do not know on what day your Lord comes.” When the Lord comes, He will come secretly as a thief to those who love Him and will take them away as a treasure (v. 43). Therefore, we must be watchful (25:13) and must be ready (24:44).
Luke 21:34-35 says, “Take heed to yourselves lest perhaps your hearts be weighed down with debauchery and drunkenness and the anxieties of life, and that day come upon you suddenly as a snare. For it will come in upon all those dwelling on the face of all the earth.” Today many people pursue earthly riches and love the modern fashion of this world. This is a form of debauchery. They are swallowed up by these things like one who is drunk or in a dream. Their hearts are weighed down by the anxieties of life, and they have no way to be rescued from them. We need to take heed.
In order for us to escape the coming tribulation, we need to be not only watchful but also beseeching. Luke 21:36 says, “Be watchful at every time, beseeching that you would prevail to escape all these things which are about to happen and stand before the Son of Man.” Our strength and power to escape the great tribulation come from being watchful and beseeching. For this we need to be revived every morning and overcoming every day so that we can be raptured before the great tribulation to the Zion in heaven to stand before our Savior (cf. Rev. 12:5-6, 14).
We also need to keep the word of the Lord’s endurance. In Revelation 3:10 the Lord said, “Because you have kept the word of My endurance, I also will keep you out of the hour of trial, which is about to come on the whole inhabited earth, to try them who dwell on the earth.” Today the Lord’s word to us is the word of His endurance. If we want to keep the word of His endurance, we must suffer the rejection and persecution that He suffered. By this we will be preserved and kept from the great tribulation, which will come upon the whole inhabited earth.
Matthew 25 shows us how the prudent virgins watchfully await the bridegroom’s return (vv. 1-10). They carry their lamps with oil in their vessels to go forth to meet the bridegroom. They are the prepared ones. When the bridegroom comes, they can go in with him to the wedding feast. We believers are like chaste virgins. In this dark age we are testifying for the Lord, and we are going out of the world to meet the Lord. For this, we need not only the indwelling of the Spirit of God but also the filling and the saturation of our soul, that is, of our entire being, by the Spirit of God, lest we be shut outside the door of the wedding feast.
On the one hand, we need to be the Lord’s prudent virgins. On the other hand, we need to be the Lord’s faithful and prudent slaves. Virgins signify the aspect of life; we are espoused to the Lord and are living to Him. Slaves signify the aspect of service; we are purchased by the Lord to serve Him. Matthew 24 and 25 also tell us of the way to be a faithful and prudent slave: to take care of the Lord’s church by distributing food to the believers at the proper time and to do our best to function according to the gift we have received, lest we lose our reward and receive punishment instead.
First Corinthians 3:10-17 tells us that we should be careful how we build the church upon the foundation laid by the apostles. We should not use the materials of our natural man, which are wood, grass, and stubble. Instead, we should build upon Christ as the unique foundation with all the attributes and virtues of the Triune God, which are gold, silver, and precious stones, lest our building be consumed and we ourselves suffer loss so as through fire.
Finally, we need to be watchful to keep our garments. In Revelation 16:15 the Lord said, “Behold, I come as a thief. Blessed is he who watches and keeps his garments that he may not walk naked and they see his shame.” We need to keep ourselves in honor, not walking according to the flesh but according to the spirit, so that we may be prepared to meet the Lord.
