His cross speaks of grace, His coming of glory, and both tell a story of love. Perhaps there is nothing that more definitely marks the present "blessed hope" in the hearts of the children of God.
In the early part of this dispensation it was this blessed hope that gave character to their entire walk. It shaped and formed their path from the thorns and the burden of the cross, and cast the light of the coming glory across the "little while." Then "they went forth to meet the bridegroom." The Thessalonians were converted "to wait for His Son from heaven." It was as much a part of their Christianity as to believe that He had delivered them from the wrath to come, or that He had been raised from the dead. In writing to the Philippians, Paul says, "Our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ." Where now are eyes looking for Him? Where now are hearts loving His appearing? Where now are lips saying, "Even so?”
Three Hundred Times
In reading the New Testament we meet three all-important and precious truths. First, God's Son has been here in this very scene; second, God the Holy Spirit is here now; third, that same blessed One who was here more than nineteen hundred years ago, is corning again. If I believe one, I must believe the other. If I accept one, I must accept the other, for all rest upon precisely the same basis, namely, the Word of God. Here in the New Testament the Lord's second coming is mentioned some three hundred times, and surely if the Spirit has given prominence and importance to it here. He will also give prominence and importance to it in our hearts, if not hindered.
One cardinal difficulty to our apprehending and entering into the Lord's coming has been in our failing to distinguish between His coming for His saints and His coming with them. His coming for His saints in blessing is found in John 14:1-3; Acts 1:9-11; 1 Thess. 4:13-15. His coming with them in judgment is found in Col. 3:4; Jude 14, 15; Rev. 19:7-14. As there were different stages in His first advent, so there are different stages in His second. In His first advent we have His birth, then His baptism, then His cross. In His second advent, His descent into the air for His saints is in 1 Thess. 4:16, 17. His coming to the earth with them is found in Zech. 14:1-9. Then we read of the eternal state in Rev. 21.
Let us look a little at some of these Scriptures. He gave this word to His own just before His departure
to heaven, where He now lives for us as believers, our Priest and Advocate.
Grave Empty Throne Filled
"I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto Myself: that where I am, there ye may be also." Well we know that He is gone. Yes, the cross is empty, the grave is empty, and the throne is filled. His word is "if I go... I will come," not "if I go... you will come, you will follow Me," but He says, "I will come again." What a bright, blessed prospect, His literal, personal return. Not death; His coming in the New Testament never means death, but exactly the opposite.
In John 21, "Jesus saith unto him, If I will that he tarry till I come, what is that to thee? Follow thou Me. Then went this saying abroad among the brethren, that that disciple should not die." When Jesus spoke here of John's tarrying till He come, was it death that entered their minds? No, it excluded the very thought of death to them, and the saying went abroad among them that he should not die. In death the body is "put off" (2 Cor. 5:8; 2 Peter 1:14). At His coming, the body is "changed" (1 Cor. 15:51; Phil. 3:20, 21). In death I depart to go to Him (Phil. 1:23), whereas at His return, He comes for me (John 14:1-3). At death, I go into His presence a disembodied spirit. At His coming, I go into His presence with a body like His own. I assure you, beloved Christian, there is no coffin, no shroud, no grave in the Christian's "hope," but a descending Jesus, an ascending bride, bodies of glory and eternal rapture. Oh, what a blessed transporting!
Love is not satisfied apart from its object, and we cannot do without Him, and He will not do without us. For us His blood was spilled, on us His heart is set, and with us He will share His glory. Yes, He will come for us; His own blessed lips have said it and shall we distrust Him? May we look and watch and wait. The "little while" is fast wearing away; we may be in the last year, the last month, the last week, the last day. Do we realize it? Is it vividly before our hearts? Is it a living expectation and desire? Let Satan crowd nothing between your heart and this blessed hope; indulge, cherish and foster it. It will give brightness to your way, lightness to your feet, and more, it will delight His heart.
Four Exceptions
But you might ask: "Is it not appointed unto men once to die?" Yes, this is the general appointment of God, but I find four exceptions to the law of death in the Word of God: Enoch, Elijah, Jesus, and the Church. Enoch and Elijah escaped death, Jesus overcame it, and the saints who are alive at His return will triumph over it, making the very heavens ring with that anthem, "O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?" We may die, fall asleep, but even then death is not to be looked at as a necessity but as a gracious provision. That blessed One has robbed it of its terror, extracted its sting, and made it a door into His presence. But remember, death is not our hope, but His coming.
We have been looking at the fact of His coming; let us look at the manner of it. "And when He had spoken these things, while they beheld, He was taken up; and a cloud received Him out of their sight. And while they looked steadfastly toward heaven as He went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel; which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen Him go into heaven.” This same Jesus! What a word for those hearts that have had born in them true bridal affection for Himself. What tidings of joy to the widowed heart and how real it is.
Bridal Affection
That One who talked with the woman at Jacob's well, that One who raised the widow's son at the gate of the city of Nain; He who found part with Martha, her sister and Lazarus and loved them is the One for whom we wait. He who passed through this scene, the holy, lowly, gracious Man, binding up broken hearts, and filling empty ones, He who passed out of it by the cross and tomb, He is coming—Jesus is coming again! Does not your heart long to see Him? F.C. Blount