The coming glory of the church is a most important entity that she shares with Christ. The blessed Lord will come for her Himself. His heart is set upon that church which He loved and for which He gave Himself. He is looking forward to presenting her to Himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing. In the last chapter of the Revelation, He says three times:
“Behold, I come quickly” (see Rev. 22:7,12,20), to which the faithful reply, “Even so, come, Lord Jesus” (Rev. 22:20).
He will come again for His church; therefore it is written that “the Lord Himself shall descend from heaven with a shout” (1 Thess. 4:16) and that we shall all be changed — changed in a moment. This is what is coming. We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed — only think of this — in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, for the Lord Himself shall descend from heaven, and whether we are alive or in the grave (like many who have gone before), we shall all be changed. The Lord is looking forward to this. He says in John 17, “Father, I will that they also, whom Thou hast given Me, be with Me where I am, that they may behold My glory” (John 17:24).
The Hope of Departed Ones
Those who have gone before are also looking forward to this. We know their happiness is perfect, as now present with the Lord (2 Cor. 5:8), but in the condition they are in, they as yet do not have their glorified bodies. They are looking forward for the Lord to come, when their bodies shall be raised and united to their spirits. Then they will have a body capable of entering into the joys of eternal glory, as one with Christ, for they are His own flesh and bone. In the same way, every believer ought to be looking forward to His coming, and we can thank God for the change that has come over many Christians in this respect. Two hundred years ago a man who held the truth of the second coming of the Lord was almost thought to have lost his senses. But now there are thousands who hold steadfastly to this important doctrine as divine truth. I do not doubt that the Lord is quickly coming, and this is why He is waking up His saints to the truth of His coming. Surely, the voice has gone forth, “Behold, the Bridegroom cometh. Go ye out to meet Him” (Matt. 25:6). Happy those who are waiting for Him, for it is a most rejoicing, soul-comforting, and purifying truth.
Change and Translation
The first stage, then, so to speak, in the coming glory is this change, and then translation — to be caught up to meet the Lord in the air. Enoch was translated before the judgments were poured out upon the world, and that is what we are expecting. What will satisfy our hearts? Nothing but seeing Christ, and that is what we shall have. Let us only be patient, and we shall have it before long. In a little while we shall see His face!
You remember how Mephibosheth’s heart was set upon the king, and that during his absence he so deeply sympathized with him in his rejection that he neither dressed his feet nor trimmed his beard (2 Sam. 19:24). When his eyes lighted upon the king himself, he could think of nothing else, and he cared for nothing else. He had David; what more could he wish for? Let Ziba or others have all the land was the utterance of his grateful heart, “forasmuch as my lord the king is come again in peace unto his own house” (2 Sam. 19:3).
And the first glance of our eyes on our precious Lord will so fill our souls with joy, that we shall readily exclaim:
Farewell mortality!
Jesus is mine;
Welcome eternity!
Jesus is mine.
Full Possession
Yes, we shall then have full possession of what we have so longed for. Our joy will be perfect, our happiness complete. We shall see that blessed Savior, whom having not seen we love. “In My Father’s house are many mansions [many abodes]; . . . I go to prepare a place for you” (John 14:2).
There are many abodes in heaven, but here is a special place for the church; He is gone to prepare that place, that where He is, there we may be also. We will be there, for His Word is true; His promise is sure; He cannot deny Himself. Then Jesus will have before Him all those who form the body of Christ, the bride of the Lamb, the church of the living God. Yes, He will present her to Himself. His loving heart will then feel: “This is the church that I love; this is the church that I purchased; this is the church that is dearer to my heart than Myself; this is My bride, to whom I am united forever.”
H. H. Snell (adapted)