The Nearness of the Lord's Coming: January 2016
Table of Contents
The Nearness of the Lord’s Return
Several servants of the Lord sat down one morning to decide together on their activities for the day. After coming up with a plan for the day, one brother said, “If we knew for sure the Lord would come today, would our plans be the same?” Would mine change today? Would yours?
Our daily lives manifest if we are watching for the Lord each day or just waiting for Him to come sometime. One father came home for lunch each day. It was his joy to see his daughter in the window watching for his return. One day her face was not at the window. When he entered the house, he found her on the living room floor near the front window playing with her toys. She was waiting but no longer watching. We believe our Lord’s coming is near. May He have the joy when He comes of finding us occupied for Him and “at the window watching.” Perhaps today!
What Seek Ye?
“Ye yourselves like unto men that wait for their lord, when he will return from the wedding; that when he cometh and knocketh, they may open unto him immediately” (Luke 12:36).
Fellow Christian, are you looking for the Lord to come back? Is there a day of your life that passes without your thinking, Perhaps this is the day? I was in a home the other day and saw on the wall a motto: “Perhaps today!” Are you looking for Him? He has promised to come back. Do you believe He is coming?
Ready for a Visit!
Let me give a little illustration. About 25 years ago a brother and his wife called at a Christian home. They knocked. They could hear the loud booming of the radio inside the house giving forth anything but what would please the ear of heaven. The wife came to the door, looked through the glass, saw who it was, and called to her husband: “Turn it off; it’s the — ’s.” The thing was so loud that he could not hear what she said, and she had to shout again: “Turn it off; it’s the — ’s.” Finally, all was silent, the door opened, and they received a welcome. They were ushered into a little room where they hung their wraps. They noticed on the wall in front of them a picture of a prominent movie actress. That is a long time ago now, but those conditions told a story.
“The mills of God grind slowly,
But they grind exceeding small;
With patience He sits watching,
As He grindeth one and all.”
The young lady who had the movie actress’s picture on her wall long years ago married and had her little family, but now she has a broken home. The wife who was so fearful about the — ’s standing at the door was called home from this scene, a comparatively young woman. Ah, beloved, they were not ready for a visit.
What about the Lord’s coming? Oh, to be like unto men that wait for their Lord, that when He comes and knocks, they may open to Him immediately. Beloved, if you knew positively that the Lord was coming this week, would you make some radical changes in your home, in your relationships, or in your associations?
The Perfect Servant
It is not only waiting. “Blessed are those servants, whom the lord when he cometh shall find watching: verily I say unto you, that he shall gird himself, and make them to sit down to meat, and will come forth and serve them” (Luke 12:37). Did He mean it? Indeed He did. Someday, beloved Christian, dear child of God, you and I are going to be ushered into that bright glory above. We are going to be with and like our Lord, and up there we are going to find Him the same faithful Servant that He has been all down through the years. When He was here as a man below, He went about in faithful service from day to day. He healed the sick; He gave sight to the blind, hearing to the deaf, raised the dead; His hands spread kindness and mercy wherever He went. Lovely, gracious words proceeded out of His mouth. He was the perfect Servant.
The Faithful Servant
Then the time came when He left this world. He led the disciples out as far as the Mount of Olives, and while He spoke with them, He was parted from them. The cloud received Him out of their sight. An angel 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.” He is coming back, but in the meantime, what is He doing up there? He is the Servant. You and I could not get through a day of our lives down here but for His advocacy and priesthood up there for us. He is the Servant up there, girded for service. Day by day He washes our feet. Day by day He cleanses our ways, and in time of need there comes mercy in abundance from His presence to meet us in our weakness. Oh, He is a faithful Servant.
Is that all? Oh, no. By and by He is going to give the shout in the air. He is going to see of the travail of His soul and be satisfied, and He is going to say, Now, sit down. He girds Himself — blessed, heavenly Man — makes us to sit down to meat, and comes forth and serves us. Ah, beloved, it is not enough to wait. We want to watch, too, and then the meeting in the air. Then that banquet in the glory when the Lord Himself will again serve us.
A Faithful and Wise Steward
In Luke 12:36, they are waiting; in Luke 12:37, they are watching. Now let us go on: “Then Peter said unto Him, Lord, speakest Thou this parable unto us, or even to all? And the Lord said, Who then is that faithful and wise steward, whom his lord shall make ruler over his household, to give them their portion of meat in due season? Blessed is that servant, whom his lord when he cometh shall find so doing” (vss. 41-43). Waiting, watching, and now doing, but notice the order. If you and I are going to serve Christ acceptably, if there is going to be the right savor in that service, it will proceed from hearts that have been quickened by the hope of His return and by the expectancy of it. Blessed are those servants that shall be found so doing. Are you seeking to help the members of the body of Christ? Is that Christian you are associated with a better Christian because you are with him? That Christian who works in the same office with you, who lives in the same house with you, who sits beside you in school, that neighbor across the fence, is it easier for him to live for Christ because you have tried to drop a word in season? Are you “so doing”? If you are, it is going to have a blessed reward.
A Word of Warning
But there is a warning here. There is a servant here who says in his heart, “My lord delayeth his coming.” He does not put a trumpet to his lips and say, “I do not believe the Lord is coming,” but is there the thought down in the heart, “My lord delayeth his coming”? What is the effect? Our Lord tells us the effect. He begins to “beat the menservants and maidens, and to eat and drink, and to be drunken” — a twofold result of denying in our heart’s affections the nearness of Christ’s return. We begin to be careless as to our relationship with our dear brethren, and then what is the next step? Eating and drinking with the drunken — worldliness. Now I am quite aware that in its full application this scripture refers to the false servant, but the principle is the same for the children of God. The postponement of the Lord’s coming into the far distance is going to result in coldness in your heart and mine. The man who has the hope of the Lord’s coming daily before him is going to have its cleansing, purging effect in his life.
Our Lord Jesus Christ demands preeminence in your life and mine, beloved. Is He not worthy? Shall we supplant Him in our heart’s affections with any relationship in life, however dear? He demands first place. Ah, God has the very best for us, beloved. He wants to give to us out of the fullness of His heart.
C. H. Brown (adapted)
Are We Expecting Our Lord?
Do we really expect, wait for, the return of our Lord? Is this our constant attitude of soul? Just as a man may read the Scriptures and, seeing clearly, assent to the truth that all are guilty sinners and yet never take the place of such before God for himself, so is it possible to hold the doctrine of the second coming of Christ without being influenced by it. Indeed, we might be able even to state the truth to others without one particle of response to its claims. We need to challenge ourselves on this point. Are we then, we ask again, in the power of the expectation of seeing our blessed Lord? Is this blessed hope daily before our souls? Does our expectation of the Lord’s return at any moment govern our actions and mold our conduct? Does it detach us from the world and worldliness and show us the vanity of the world’s distinctions, manners and ways?
Challenging Questions
The Apostle Paul could write of some in his day, “In every place your faith to God-ward is spread abroad; so that we need not to speak anything. For they themselves show of us what manner of entering in we had unto you, and how ye turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God; and to wait for His Son from heaven, whom He raised from the dead, even Jesus, which delivered us from the wrath to come” (1 Thess. 1:8-10). Would this description in any measure be true of us? Do our ways before the world proclaim that we have no resting place here and that we are only sojourners waiting to be fetched by our Lord? Do our homes and households, in their ordering and arrangement, proclaim this blessed truth? In a word, is this the testimony of our lives, of our walk and ways?
Our Talk and Our Walk
Questions like these may easily be answered, if we are honest with ourselves, and the very attempt to answer them would lead to blessing, for in how many instances would it lead to the painful discovery that with this truth on our lips we have been denying it in the life; that while we have been saying that we are but strangers and pilgrims here, we have been settling down in ease and comfort, making plans for worldly advancement, if not for ourselves yet for our families, seeking to raise ourselves higher in the social scale, and striking root in every direction in the soil of this world? Is it not possible that God has a controversy with us on this account? Will this explain the sorrows that have befallen us — the sicknesses that have so often visited ourselves and our families? For God must have reality with His people. He loves them too well to permit them to go on in self-deception — deceiving themselves and deceiving others also. Therefore He is speaking to us by His manifold dealings and chastenings, warning us of our danger, and recalling us to the sense of our responsibility as His witnesses in this world. May He Himself give us the opened ear to His voice, that we may humble ourselves before Him in lowly abasement and self-judgment and seek His restoring grace, so that in all the fervor of our first love we may testify once again in living power to the truth of our Lord’s return.
Man’s Predictions
Another observation may be permitted. Nothing so tends to obscure our vision of the bright and morning star as the thought that signs are to be expected before He descends from heaven. We have been plied with temptations of this character. Voices other than that of the Good Shepherd have beguiled even saints. Pyramids and conjunctions of planets (which, after all, were of no extraordinary kind) have been adduced to prove that the Lord is at hand. The carnal wisdom of men has thus been allied with the teachings of the Word of God. If we build upon such things, our faith will soon be rudely shaken. God needs no confirmation from, nor will He be indebted to, men. These things, indeed, are a wile of the enemy to divert our gaze from the coming One to circumstances or to earthly events. No; our hope rests alone on Christ and His Word. According to the words of a French hymn, “He has promised, He will return”; this, and this alone, is the foundation of the “blessed hope.” It is quite true that the moral characteristics of the “perilous times” will be discerned by the instructed soul, but these are detected by a knowledge of the Word of God. Our danger lies in being lured from the voice of our living Lord to listen to the words of men. The more we are shut up to the Lord Himself and His own Word, the more intense will be our expectation of His coming.
He Has Tarried Long
To some it may seem that He has tarried long. But if He yet waits, then God is still working in the activities of His grace to gather in His elect — the coheirs with Christ. While, therefore, He would have us to be ever waiting and ever expecting, it must be in full fellowship with His own heart. If we wait, He also waits; if we desire His return, much more ardently does He look forward to the moment when He will rise from His seat to claim His own. But the moments of waiting will soon be over. Louder and louder the Spirit and the bride say, Come; He Himself puts this word into our lips, and to this word He responds, “Surely I come quickly.” What then can we do but bow our heads in His presence as we reply, “Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus”?
Christian Truth
“And now, at length, behold, He comes
To claim thee from above,
In answer to the ceaseless call,
And deep desire of love.
“Go, then, thou loved and blessed one;
Thou drooping mourner, rise!
Go; for He calls thee now to share
His dwelling in the skies.
“For thee; His royal bride, for thee,
His brightest glories shine;
And, happier still, His changeless heart,
With all its love, is thine.”
E.D.
The Second Coming of Christ
Notes on Luke 12:34-45
The coming of the Lord does not present itself, when we think of it rightly, as a thing we learn, but in Scripture it is constantly identified with all the feelings and character of a Christian, “as men that wait for their lord.” It does not say, “As men that believe in the Lord’s coming.” The feeling of those who had grown cold was not that the Lord would not come, but that He delayed His coming (vs. 45). Now in the beginning of 1 Thessalonians they were converted to wait for God’s Son from heaven. He was a living, personal reality to them. There is a great deal more in the passage, but that is the first reason for which they were converted. Expecting Him is the state that becomes a Christian. I do not say there is no other motive, for the blessed love He has shown in His death would lead us to follow Him too, but still the Christian is a person between Christ’s first coming to save him and His second coming to take him out of this scene, and what characterizes him (if he acts on the Word of God) is that he is waiting for Christ.
Watching and Doing
It is described in detail in Luke 12. You first get the “watching,” and then “doing,” while He is away; that is, serving Him. Those who are watching (vs. 37), with their hearts upon Himself, He makes sit down to meat (a figure, of course), and He girds Himself and serves them. But when it comes to doing (vs. 43), He makes them rulers over all that He has. You first get the blessedness of heaven (vs. 37), and then joint heirs with Him (vs. 44) — two distinct things — one, watching for Him, and the other, doing. When Christ comes, He will put us into possession of the inheritance. Meanwhile, He does not yet enter into possession of all things in the inheritance, but is sitting on the Father’s throne till the joint heirs are gathered, and then He will put them into glory.
The Person
The thing I find most precious in the coming of the Lord is that the Person of the Lord becomes so prominent. It makes Him more precious. He is coming to take me to be with Himself. It is the Person who is the object of our affections as Christians. But it will be a grand thing when we are with Him, and, of course, we cannot be separated. It is not our glory that is the great satisfaction, but being with Him. This hope sets Christ personally before our eyes.
Detachment From the World
There is another thing it does. This expecting Him every moment detaches us from the world; if we were really expecting Him, the life of every Christian would be changed — all thoughts and plans gone. There are two things needed in order to look for the Lord in that way — peace with God and love for Him. Of course, we must have peace with God to be able to look for His coming, but it depends largely on the affection of heart for Christ. “Unto you ... which believe He is precious.” It is wonderful how distinctly Scripture makes being with Christ the thing to hope for. It exercises the conscience also, because if I am looking for the Lord, evidently it will keep my conscience awake, lest I should have anything that will produce a jar in my own heart when He does come.
A Present Expectation
It is a striking thing, as regards the present expectation, that in all the parables, it never supposes beforehand that His coming is beyond the life of the people He is speaking to. It is the present expectation. The virgins that slept were the same that woke. Those who received the talents were the same reckoned with. He would never present to them beforehand a thing that was beyond present expectation. It is evident we should like to be found, whether absent or present, agreeable to Him when He does come. It gives Christ the place. We are poor things, but would it not be wonderful to hear Him saying, “Well done, thou good and faithful servant”?
There is more than waiting in this chapter. “Loins ... girded about.” The flowing garments were to be tucked up, not loose — going on with things as they are in the world, but hearts in order, according to the Word of God — “loins girt about with truth,” and then “lights burning — a full profession of Christ.
He Will Serve
There is another thing quite distinct, a very blessed, touching expression of the Lord’s love. Here we are to have our loins girded (our hearts in order), but then “He shall gird Himself, and make them to sit down to meat, and will come forth and serve them.” He says, “You won’t have to have your loins girded when you come into My house. I shall make you sit down to meat and will serve you.” He will make us sit down and feed upon the things that are in heaven at the table there, and He will minister the blessings to us — infinitely more precious. Not merely the giving us things to eat, but Christ Himself ministering them to us. In that sense Christ never gives up the form of a servant. What a wonderful thing it is to think that Christ the Son of God takes this place and never gives it up!
J. N. Darby (abridged
from a reading)
Prophecy and the Lord’s Coming: Its Practical Effect in Our Lives
In spite of the confusion we see in the world today, everything is moving according to the divine plan. “We can do nothing against the truth, but for the truth” (2 Cor. 13:8). All that God has foretold is going to be fulfilled, according to His way. It will not be through the accomplishment of man. God Himself will bring it about, and it will be by the Man of His counsels, His own beloved Son.
The Testimony of Jesus
That is why prophecy is important to us; it is “the testimony of Jesus,” showing how He will have His rightful place: “We have also a more sure word of prophecy [or, the prophecy made more sure], whereunto ye do well that ye take heed” (2 Peter 1:19). The Lord has foretold these things; He has not withheld anything that is needful for us. “All things that I have heard of My Father I have made known unto you” (John 15:15). He has not called us servants, but friends; He wants us to know what is coming. The Christian is the only person who has an intelligent outlook on what is taking place in the world.
Light in the Dark
Here it speaks of prophecy as “a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star [or, the morning star] arise in your hearts.” Prophecy has particularly to do with the earth — with the kingdom being established, where the Lord Jesus will be known as “the King of kings and Lord of lords.” It tells us that the kingdoms of this world will become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of His Christ. So all the prophecies point on to that time when all this will be fulfilled. But before that — just as the Morning Star arises before the day — we look for the Lord Jesus to come. As we see events moving onward (I do not say prophecy actually being fulfilled, but movements in that direction), we can say that the moment is drawing near. Prophecy is a light that shines in a dark place.
Our Present-Day Outlook
How surprised we would be by the events that have taken place during the past few years if it were not for the Word of God! But, as we learn from God’s Word, we know that the nations of Europe are going to come together, and there will be the establishment of ten kingdoms, and not by force, “for God hath put in their hearts to fulfill His will, and to agree, and give their kingdom to the beast, until the words of God shall be fulfilled” (Rev. 17:17). And now we see events taking place in the Middle East as well, just as God has told us. So the Christian, instead of being surprised by the things which have happened, knows that God has foretold them.
Russia
At one time there was a fear that Russia would attack the Western world, but prophecy makes no mention of such an attack. Prophecy shows us that at the end of the tribulation they will make their great attack on the nation of Israel. After the Lord has come and destroyed the armies of the Beast and dealt with the King of the North, then Russia will play her part. So, for the time, she more or less fades into the background. How wonderful it is to have the Word of God and to know that we can look out with assurance on all that is taking place!
The Light of Prophecy
But what should be the result of this? It is a dark place in which we live; if it were not for the light of prophecy it would indeed look gloomy. The Bible speaks of men’s hearts failing them for fear and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth. People are trembling as they see the breakdown of everything committed to man, the environment and all else. But prophecy is “a light that shines in a dark place.” All these events are only to cause us to look up, to lift up our heads, knowing that our redemption draws nigh.
The Morning Star
“Until the day dawn, and the day star [the morning star] arise in your hearts” (2 Peter 1:19). The Lord Jesus comes for us as the “bright and morning star.” For Israel He is spoken of as the “Sun of righteousness, with healing in His wings,” because, when Israel shall be delivered, it will be for earthly blessing. This world’s ills will be healed when the Lord Jesus has His rightful place, and not in any other way! But, just as the morning star arises before the day, so we look for the Lord Jesus to come — “the bright and morning star.”
You and I, through grace, belong to the present church period. We do not have earthly hopes. Whenever we as Christians become involved with trying to improve the world, it is like painting a sinking ship. That is not our work here. Our work is to proclaim the gospel, and, when we have proclaimed the gospel, to bring the precious truths of Christian position, liberty and blessing before God’s people. But we have nothing to do with setting the world right, for it will not be set right by the church’s efforts. “When Thy judgments are in the earth, the inhabitants of the world will learn righteousness” (Isa. 26:9).
The Revived Roman Empire
This present period is not actually the subject of prophecy, but we can see the beginning of events now, for Israel is going back to their land in unbelief. God will use the revived Roman Empire in Europe, probably backed by those (like America) who really have their roots from the old Roman Empire, to make a seven-year treaty to protect Israel in their land. The last stage of the Roman Empire is spoken of in Scripture as “iron mixed with clay.” We read of this in Daniel 2:43: “Whereas thou sawest iron mixed with miry clay, they shall mingle themselves with the seed of men: but they shall not cleave one to another, even as iron is not mixed with clay.” So, from the stock of those nations who once formed the Roman Empire they have spread abroad, entered into other parts of the world — North and South America, and so forth — and now there is a mixture — not all from the old Roman stock, but “mingled with the seed of men.” There will be a lack of unity because of this. The revived Roman Empire is spoken of in the Revelation as “a third part of men,” and they will agree to protect Israel. We see the trend toward formation of this empire taking place in Europe today, with the European Union of today. How remarkable that you and I should be living in such a time as this!
What Effect!
Because of this, “what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness?” (2 Peter 3:11). How should this affect us? We know what is coming. If we know the Lord Jesus as our Saviour, can we be indifferent to all this? What effect does it have upon us? I believe we all have to admit that the time is drawing very, very near. We know not the day nor the hour, but we should be a waiting and watching people. May the Lord keep us until that day!
G. H. Hayhoe (adapted)
As Ye See the Day Approaching
The title of this article is taken from Hebrews 10:25, where believers are exhorted not to be “forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another, and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.” We may ask, “What day is it, which we are to see approaching?” We know that the Lord’s coming for His saints was always the proper hope of the church, right from the beginning, so that Paul himself could say, in referring to that event, “Then we which are alive and remain” (1 Thess. 4:17). He fully expected that he would be among the number who would be alive at the Lord’s coming. Because there are no direct signs in Scripture of the Lord’s coming for us nor any prophetic events that must be fulfilled before He can come, the day referred to here cannot be the day of His coming for us. Rather, it refers to the day of judgment, when the Lord comes back in power and glory to set up His kingdom. There are definitely signs of the approach of this day, and unquestionably we are seeing these signs today. Knowing that the Lord’s coming for us must precede the day of judgment, we can surely conclude that the Lord’s coming for us is near. What are some of these signs?
The Sovereign State of Israel
A most important development, and perhaps the most significant, has been the creation of the sovereign state of Israel. She ceased to be a sovereign nation back in 605 B.C., when the remaining kingdom of Judah was conquered by Nebuchadnezzar. In 1948, more than 2,500 years later, God allowed a combination of forces in the world to favor the formation of the state of Israel. This is nothing short of a miracle, when we consider how the Jews have been both dispersed and persecuted over the centuries.
Before the tribulation period can begin, Israel must not only exist, but must resume offering sacrifices, for we read in Daniel 9:27 that “in the midst of the week he [the Roman beast] shall cause the sacrifice and oblation to cease.” Israel has gone back to her land and established herself, and to date has managed to maintain her position (with the support of the U.S.A.) against the seemingly overwhelming opposition of the surrounding Arab nations. But she has done it in unbelief and in her own strength. During the tribulation, she will be humbled in an awful way when the king of the north comes down and desolates her, but then will return to the Lord, and the kingdom will be set up in His power, not human energy. Surely this is another strong indication of the nearness of our Lord’s return.
New Nations Reborn
But there is more. In Luke 21:29 we read, “Behold the fig tree, and all the trees.” In Scripture the fig tree represents Israel nationally, and her rise is a sign that “summer is now nigh at hand” (Luke 21:30). But not only Israel has begun to bud; many other nations — “all the trees” — are coming to the fore. Within the last fifty years, more than seventy new nations have taken their places in the world scene, and still more ethnic groups are agitating for their own state. All are wanting to “have their say,” so to speak, and to be recognized as being important. Again, all this shows us that “the kingdom of God is nigh at hand” (Luke 21:31).
The Arab Nations
As we have mentioned, the hatred of the Arab nations surrounding Israel is increasing; these nations, and terrorist groups spawned by them, have been able to harass Israel and create a great deal of tension in the world. Doubtless the hatred existed in the past, but in the last few years it has been inflamed to a remarkable degree. Also, the ways and means of expressing this anger are multiplied with modern weapons, for now a simple peasant can launch a missile from his shoulder that can bring down an airplane. Again, this too is an indication of the end times. In Psalm 83 we read, “Lo, thine enemies make a tumult. ... They have taken crafty counsel against thy people. ... They have said, Come, and let us cut them off from being a nation; that the name of Israel may be no more in remembrance” (Psa. 83:2-4). In subsequent verses these nations are named — the old enemies of Israel, but surely it is their descendants who have the same attitude towards God’s chosen people. The avowed aim of the Arab terrorist groups is exactly what we read here — to destroy Israel. Again, all this will come to a head after the Lord’s coming, but the rise in Arab hatred and terrorism is surely another evidence of our Lord’s near return.
The Revived Roman Empire
We know that it was the Roman authority, at the insistence of the Jews, that crucified the Lord Jesus. God will revive this empire, although not in all its former glory, in order to judge it. This was prophesied as far back as Daniel, in the interpretation of the image that Nebuchadnezzar saw in his dream. The legs of iron (Rome) were replaced by feet of iron and clay, having in them “of the strength of the iron,” but being “partly strong, and partly broken” (Dan. 2:41-42). Since the breakup of the Roman Empire, for many centuries the countries of Europe were divided and engaged constantly in wars with one another. But in the last fifty or sixty years, Europe has united. The European Economic Community (EEC) was founded in 1957, and this eventually became the European Union (EU) in 1991. Today there are twenty-eight member countries, all working together economically, and without border controls among themselves.
We know that eventually ten kings will be under the control of the Roman beast (Rev. 17:12), and at this point it is unclear just who will comprise these ten kings. But the rise of a united Europe is surely a sign of the imminence of the day of judgment. More than this, at least some of these countries have been very reluctant to merge their sovereignty with other nations, yet are forced to do so for economic and political survival. “God hath put into their hearts to fulfill His will, and to agree, and to give their kingdom unto the beast” (Rev. 17:17).
Russia
Coupled with the increasing influence of the EU has been a revival of Russian power in the last few years and an asserting of herself in world affairs. After the fall of the Soviet Union (more than twenty-five years ago), Russia was in disarray, without a strong leader, and for the most part was relegated to strategic irrelevance in the world scene. Now, with the rise of Putin, everything has changed. A former high-ranking member of the KGB, he is a cold, calculating and ruthless man, who is determined to make Russia a force to be reckoned with in the world. Scripture tells us clearly (Ezekiel 38-39) that she will play a prominent role in the end times and will try to attack Israel after the kingdom of the beast and the king of the north have been destroyed. A strong and aggressive Russia is necessary to fulfill prophecy, and I would suggest that her recent revival also shows us that the day of judgment is approaching.
Communications and Commerce
Finally, I might mention two other developments which, while not necessarily directly connected with prophecy as to coming judgment, yet are surely ripening the world for it. One of these is the rapidly increasing interaction of nations with one another, both socially and commercially. Increased social communication via entities like the Internet and, more recently, Facebook and Twitter have promoted a unanimity of thought and outlook among those who otherwise come from greatly diverse cultural backgrounds. This is particularly true of younger people, although all are affected.
Also, the world is intertwined and interdependent in trade and commerce as never before. International trade now involves every major country in the world; none can afford to be isolated when it comes to business. Ships are larger than ever before, and docks and canals are having to be greatly enlarged to accommodate them. In the first few years of the tribulation period, when God begins to dismantle all of man’s vaunted pride and progress, all will be affected, not just a few.
The Present Instability
One last development is related to trade and commerce, namely, the present instability of the world. Various authorities have recently described the political and economic condition of the world as “a house of cards,” or a place that is ripe for “the perfect storm.” While it is beyond the scope of this article to go into the reasons for this, it can be said with confidence that much of the volatility is due to the penchant of the Western world to live beyond its means. The rise of debt, both national and personal, has generated a crisis that no one wants to face. Any democratic government that takes serious measures to curb it faces an angry electorate and ultimate defeat in the next election. But a reckoning day must come; the “perfect storm” is inevitable unless a strong leader can take control and persuade people to swallow the bitter pill of austerity. No doubt the Roman beast will fill this role, but again, he cannot rise to power until the church is gone.
Hope and Sobriety
In view of all this, two thoughts should fill our hearts. First of all, we should, like the godly Jew in a coming day, “look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh” (Luke 21:28). It is a day when many are discouraged and feeling that they cannot continue on living for the Lord against the tide of evil and indifference that is so common today. But the hope of the Lord’s coming should encourage our hearts and give us renewed energy.
Second, it should sober us up, as we contemplate the awful judgments that will soon fall on this world. Peter reminds us, “Be ye therefore sober, and watch unto prayer” (1 Peter 4:7). We must walk in dependence on the Lord, leaning on His strength, and asking Him for the grace to go on. We can be thankful for a measure of liberty in Western countries at the moment, but even this may change. But the hope of His coming is what will give us courage, not merely to exist, but to “grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ” (2 Peter 3:18).
W. J. Prost
Setting Dates
The Lord’s coming is always the proper hope of the believer in this dispensation. The Lord had said to His disciples while He was still on earth, “I will come again, and receive you unto Myself” (John 14:3). Paul gave further details as to this wonderful event in 1 Thessalonians 4, and he fully expected that he and others at that time would hear the shout and be caught up to be with the Lord.
Sad to say, after the apostles were taken home, the church very quickly settled down into a worldly existence and lost the hope of the Lord’s coming, first of all as a present hope and then as a doctrine. For many centuries, the ten virgins in Matthew 25:1-13, who are a type of believers who wait for their Lord, “all slumbered and slept” (vs. 5). But then God in His grace raised up those who revived the precious truth of the Lord’s coming for His church, as a present, living hope. The “midnight cry” went out, “Behold, the bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him” (vs. 6). Historically this happened back in the early part of the nineteenth century, and this precious truth gradually spread among fundamental believers. Many were awakened and encouraged to look for the Lord to come.
Adverse Effects
But there were adverse effects of the recovery of this truth, for Satan is ever active, seeking to spoil and destroy the present work of God in the Spirit. One of the ways in which he sought to do this was by persuading men to try and set a definite date for the Lord’s coming for His own. Nowhere in Scripture does the Lord even hint as to when His coming for us might be, nor does He give any signs that might enable man to pinpoint the time. In fact, the Lord Jesus expressly said to His own, “Of that day and that hour knoweth no man, no not the angels which are in heaven, neither the Son, but the Father” (Mark 13:32). It might be argued that this is a reference to the Lord’s coming in judgment rather than to His coming for His church, but what follows in the next few verses clearly shows us that the truth of His words and the warnings attached to them are intended for the church as well as the godly remnant of Israel. But even believers, wanting to avoid the uncertainty of when the Lord might come, have tried to set a definite date for Christ’s return.
Historical Predictions
We need not go into all the details of those who have predicted the date of the Lord’s coming for His church and the subsequent events of judgment. Probably one of the first was a Roman priest in the second century A.D., who predicted, based on the dimensions of Noah’s ark, that Christ would return in the year 500 A.D. But this was only the beginning.
Possibly the most spectacular and hysterical prediction occurred in the year 999 A.D., as the superstitious world of that day settled on the year 1000 A.D., as the date when Christ would return. It was widely preached by the clergy of the Roman Catholic church, and most of Europe was persuaded to believe it. They did not expect the Lord to come for His saints, as that precious hope had long since been lost, but they did expect the final judgments that would end the world. As a result, people started to behave better, and many sold their goods in order to help the poor. Buildings and homes were not repaired, and no one planted crops. Pilgrims flocked to Palestine, hoping to meet the Lord when He came to Jerusalem. Even criminals were freed from prisons. When the year 1000 A.D. came and the Lord did not come, there had to be a wild scramble to get everything back in order.
Modern-Day Predictions
Later the false cult of the Jehovah Witnesses made similar forecasts many times, dating from 1914, and going on until very recently. Many others since that time have made wild predictions supposedly based on certain calculations, the most well-known in our day being Harold Camping, who settled on a date as recently as 2011. He had decided on other dates as far back as 1994, but, of course, none came to pass.
A Present, Living Hope
What can we make of all this? First of all, God intends the return of His beloved Son to be a present, living hope. Any knowledge of the definite date would surely destroy this, and possibly result in activities similar to those in the year 999. It would probably also result in a flurry of evangelical activity. But the Lord wants us to treat every day as if it were our last down here, and to use every available opportunity.
No Man Knows
Second, God is not going to be mocked and allow man to arrive at the date of the coming of the Lord, when He has said, “Of that day ... knoweth no man.” He will have the glory, and the day of His grace will continue until His purposes are fulfilled. The iniquity of this world must be full, but the long-suffering of our Lord must be realized too. None but the Lord can balance these things, and no man-made calculations can penetrate the divine mind. We must be content to leave the matter with the One who “worketh all things after the counsel of His own will” (Eph. 1:11). Rather, we should be occupied with that which is ours to enjoy — the love of God and all that we have in Christ. There is plenty that we do know with which we can be engaged, rather than filling our minds with useless speculation about that which God has not told us.
W. J. Prost
‘Tis the Hope of His Coming
’Tis the hope of His coming
That gladdens my heart,
That drives away sadness
And bids care depart;
No dread of the morrow,
No sorrow I see,
For Jesus is coming —
He’s coming for me.
And though clouds darken o’er me,
Though storms may assail,
With Jesus beside me,
I’ll weather the gale;
The storm is without me,
No trouble within,
For Jesus, my Saviour,
Has cleansed me from sin.
Yes, He’s coming, He’s coming,
I never may die;
’Tis Jesus, my Saviour,
Whose coming is nigh;
I rest on His promise,
I trust His sure word;
Then quickly, come quickly,
O Jesus, my Lord.
Mrs. A. H. Rule