BY John H. Wilkinson.
FOR months before the outbreak of war a little sentence full of significance was frequently brought before us. It ran: “We must be prepared.” However unrealistic this warning may have seemed at some times, and to some people, it has been entirely justified by the event. But there is another great event ahead, quite different from war, it is true; an event infinitely solemn and wonderful, namely, the Lord’s Return, concerning which we cannot too closely heed the words: “We must be prepared.”
There are two considerations which give spur to preparation in any field—firstly, the magnitude of the event, and secondly its imminence. By the mercy of God we were not left in the dark concerning the magnitude and imminence of the danger facing us. We were warned, and the warning was not in vain. When the test came we were not caught at a disadvantage in the hour of peril. And, by the grace of God, we are admonished over and over again in Holy Scripture to be prepared for our blessed Lord’s coming. And the two great factors that impel to immediate and purposeful preparation are not lacking—the magnitude and the imminence of this wondrous event.
As regards magnitude, can anything be of greater importance than the fact that our divine Saviour, “Who gave Himself for us,” is to return in person? Our blessed hope is nothing less than the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ. What will it be to see Him! And as regards its imminence, the signs of the times and the setting of the stage for the end-events of prophecy leave us in no doubt. Would it not be a reproach if it were true of us, “ye can discern the face of the sky and of the earth: but how is it that ye do not discern this time?” (Luke 12:5656Ye hypocrites, ye can discern the face of the sky and of the earth; but how is it that ye do not discern this time? (Luke 12:56)). We should rather be “knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed” (Rom. 13:1111And that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed. (Romans 13:11)). We regard this passage of Scripture as being never more applicable than it is today, and its message is that “we must be prepared.”
Without staying here to examine the signs of the times—which have figured prominently in books and addresses and articles on prophecy for many years past―we will only draw attention to the fact that these signs are clearer and more numerous than ever they were.
And when it is remembered that “signs” are in Scripture more especially associated with God’s dealing with His ancient people, as distinguished from the Church of Christ, and with His coming in glory, as distinguished from His coming for His saints, we see—and our heart is thrilled at the thought—that the imminence of this grand event for which we look is very great. If signs tell us that soon our blessed Lord is coming to reign in fulfillment of Old Testament prediction, we can always add: “How much sooner, then, is He to come for His Own and meet them in the air in fulfillment of New Testament promise!” But the date of the day is, in the wise purposes of God, withheld from us, so that realizing that it may be any day, we may be prepared, and kept prepared for the moment of His appearing.
The call to preparation then being clear, there remains the preparation itself. It has two aspects—a negative and a positive, unworldliness and other-worldliness. The former is enjoined in such Scriptures as the following: ― “For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in this present world; looking for that blessed hope....” (Titus 2:11-1311For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, 12Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world; 13Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ; (Titus 2:11‑13)). And the latter is presented in the following and similar passages. “Whom having not seen, ye love; in Whom, though now ye see Him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory; receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls” (1 Peter 1:8, 98Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory: 9Receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls. (1 Peter 1:8‑9)). Here is detachment from the spirit of the world and attachment to Christ by His holy Spirit: and preparation for His return will mean reality in both these directions.
Let us deal here only with the second—attachment to our Saviour. Our heart’s affections centered on Him are to find in Him the object of our worship, love, obedience, faith, communion and confession before others. We are to serve because we love. Service must never take precedence of personal love to the Saviour. All service for Him must be love-service if it is to abide the test. “We love Him, because He first loved us.” How does our love stand today? To keep the warm fires of love for Christ burning is preparation for His return, and it is the work of the Holy Spirit. As in the type, when Eliezer communed with Rebecca concerning Isaac, the burdens of the journey are lightened, and in the glowing of love, there is unconscious preparation for the presence of the expected Bridegroom. There are many precious relationships that He has to our redeemed souls, and each calls forth our love.
Combined with the child-like familiarity of personal love of our blessed Lord, there is ever present a sacred fear, a sweet and solemn reverence that is part of our true love to Him, and prepares us for His presence. We cannot “love Christ’s appearing” without knowing what it is to love Him. The reproach to the Church at Ephesus mentioned in Revelation is that it had left its first love, and the words in the original indicate love first in degree rather than first in order of time. Unless we are loving our Saviour supremely, we are not well prepared for His coming.
And with our love of the Living Word, there will be a loving of the written Word (Psa. 1:22But his delight is in the law of the Lord; and in his law doth he meditate day and night. (Psalm 1:2)). We shall be cherishing Christ’s Own words (Luke 9:2626For whosoever shall be ashamed of me and of my words, of him shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he shall come in his own glory, and in his Father's, and of the holy angels. (Luke 9:26)) and proclaiming them to others—Jew and Gentile. We shall be obeying, too, His “new commandment” (John 13:3434A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. (John 13:34)) that we should love one another, and if there is any restitution we should make, or any adjustment of love between brethren, we should seek to put this right before we come into His shining presence.
In preparation for the Lord’s Coming, alertness and diligence should be in exercise. God’s holy ordinances, and His means of grace for us should be more than ever cherished. Worship in the home and in public should be treasured exercises, seeing that He is ever in the midst on such occasions. We are to exhort one another, “and so much the more,” as we see “the day approaching.”
“Then oh my Lord, prepare
My soul for that great day,
Oh wash me in Thy precious Blood
And take my sins away.”
From “Living Waters,” by permission.