Chapter 11 – Nearly at the Door

Promises, promises!  We’ve heard ‘em all.  “The check’s in the mail!”  Do you remember a former U.S. President’s “Read my lips: No new taxes” campaign promise?  Then, after his tax increase came his disclaimer: “I said, ‘No new taxes’, but I never said I wouldn’t raise the old ones!”  Ouch!  We’ve been played, lied to, scammed and shammed, used, schmoozed, and deceived by the very best – and by some nowhere near that good!

How about this one: WW2 General Douglas MacArthur’s solemn promise to the people of the Philippines and the U.S. and Allied prisoners held there, that he would come back to liberate them all.  He vowed, “I shall return!” And he did!  He made good on his word, and kept his promise!

Here’s another one: It’s someone Who has vowed to return to liberate His people and free His allies who’ve been held captive by the enemy.  Have you heard His promise?  “Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in GOD, believe also in Me.  In My Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. 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 you may be also.”  (John 14: 1-3)

GOD’s Word assures us that all of His promises are sound.  We have Paul’s testimony that Jesus is our surety and our bond; and His gift of the Holy Spirit is GOD’s pledge that His Word is dependable and true.

Listen to Paul, concerning the anticipated return of Jesus: “…we wait for the blessed hope, the glorious appearing of our great GOD and Savior, Jesus Christ, Who gave Himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for Himself a people that are His very own, eager to do what is good.” (Titus 2:13-14)   Are you eager to do what is good?  He will help you!

Jesus’ First Appearing was as a babe in a manger, then as a carpenter acquainted with poverty and hardship.  The Son of Man was a humble Servant and a true Prophet, Who was deeply misunderstood, rejected and betrayed.  However, Hebrews 9:28 foretells of His triumphant return for the Redeemed: “… unto them that look for Him, shall He appear the second time, without sin, unto salvation.”

The Bible states that His Second Appearing will be different in every way imaginable!  Over the years, we’ve heard a litany of opinions of what the “Second Coming of Christ” really means.  Some say Jesus will return bodily, physically, while others think the term “Second Coming of Christ” means receiving Him into our hearts.  Countless Christians believe He’ll come quietly, secretly.  But there is a vast segment of believers who now are convinced that His return will be an absolute show-stopper!

Which do you think it will be?  How can we know the truth?  It doesn’t really matter what we think, or what others think!  What does GOD’s Word say?  The Bible is the only authoritative source of Truth in spiritual matters. 

To bring Christ’s returning into focus, we must look back to His departure.  Let’s see the manner in which He left, and the events that took place that day. The writer of the Book of Acts, Dr. Luke, testifies: “… He was taken up before their very eyes, and a cloud hid Him from their sight.  They were looking intently up into the sky as He was going, when suddenly two men dressed in white stood beside them. ‘Men of Galilee,’ they said, ‘why do you stand here looking into the sky?  This same Jesus, Who has been taken from you into Heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen Him go into Heaven.’ “ (Acts 1:9-11)  Did you catch that? Hold onto it!

Those ”two men dressed in white” were angels of the LORD; assuring the Apostles that this same flesh-and-bone Jesus will return in the very same manner as they saw Him leave.  Eyewitnesses at His ascension report that He was taken straight up into the clouds, and out of their sight.

Now listen to what the Apostle John the Beloved was shown in vision, some 80 to 90 years later: “Behold, He is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see Him; even those who pierced Him.”  (Revelation 1:7) Jesus personally elaborates on the high-visibility of His return: “For as lightning that comes from the east is visible even in the west, so will be the coming of the Son of Man.”  (Matthew 24:27)   All eyes shall behold Him!

We’ve seen artists’ renderings of Jesus’ return, and in every one of them, the Savior is not alone.  Far from it!  Can the Scriptures confirm this?  Absolutely, they can!  The Patriarch Enoch, the seventh generation from Adam, long ago prophesied deep into our future: “ … the LORD is coming with thousands upon thousands of His holy ones.”  (Jude 14)   And Jesus, Himself, foretold of that Great Day and His innumerable entourage: “When the Son of Man shall come in His glory, and all the holy angels with Him, then shall He sit upon the throne of His glory.” (Matthew 25:31)

Speaking with His Disciples of His Second Appearing, Jesus told them, “They will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of the sky, with power and great glory. And He will send His angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather His elect from the four winds, from one end of the heavens to the other.” (Matthew 24:30-31)

Could those clouds be clouds of angels?  Perhaps they’re clouds comprised of billions of the Heavenly host.  Hmmm?  Clouds of angels?  Clouds and angels?  Forgive my momentary mental doodling!   We do know, though, that there’ll be a staggering multitude of holy angel-beings, shouting voices, and sounding trumpets, all led by Jesus Himself!  It will surely be an epic production, and one unbelievable sight to behold … and one to hear, as well!   According to the Scriptural accounts, the Second Coming of Jesus will not be much of a secret!

Paul is in total agreement: “For the LORD Himself will descend from Heaven with a shout, with the voice of the Archangel and with the trumpet of GOD ….”  (1 Thessalonians 4:16)   It sounds as though it’s going to be deafeningly-loud and nuclear-bright!  What a glorious occasion – anything but a secret!   In fact, the Bible says it’ll be soooo loud, it’s going to wake up the dead!   As Paul concludes verse 16, the sleeping Saints will awaken, “…and the dead in Christ will rise first.”  

The Resurrection of the Redeemed is spoken of frequently in Scripture, although we seldom hear much Resurrection-preaching from the pulpit, these days.  But you can read it right here in the inspired testimony of the Apostles, as well as in Jesus’ own words!

There is one particular aspect of Jesus’ return that will be a secret: and that’s the timing!  He’ll come at an hour when He’s least expected!  Listen to Jesus, “But of that day and hour, no one knows, not even the angels of Heaven, but My Father only.” (Matthew 24:36)   In the Revelation of Jesus Christ to the Churches, Jesus cautions: “Remember, therefore, what you have received and heard; obey it and repent. But if you do not wake up, I will come like a thief, and you will not know at what time I will come to you.” (Revelation 3:3)  It’s His timing that will catch the unprepared off-guard!

Here, the Apostle Peter firms up our grip on exactly what is the secret: “The Day of the Lord is surely coming, as unexpectedly as a thief in the night.”  Do you see it now?  It’s the Day of the Lord; it’s the hour that’s the secret.  It’s when He’s coming that’s going to be the big surprise!

Paul nails it down here in 1Thesalonians 5:2: “… you know perfectly that the day of the LORD is coming as a thief in the night … 4. But you won’t be surprised, that the day will overtake you as a thief….  6 Therefore, let us not sleep, as others do, but let us watch and be sober.”

And here’s the clincher: “But understand this: If the owner of the house had known at what hour the thief was coming, he would not have let his house be broken into.  You also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect Him.”  (Luke 12:39-40)   Christ’s return is no secret.  The hour is the secret, but only to those who are unprepared!

What now of those who are living and breathing, standing on two feet and watching at the time of Jesus’ return?   Paul addresses this question here in the same letter: ”Then, we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the LORD in the air. And thus, we shall always be with the LORD.”  (1 Thessalonians 4:17, 18)

Here’s a most-fascinating Scripture passage, and it’s found in John’s first Epistle: “Dear friends, now we are children of GOD, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when He appears, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is,” (1 John 3:2-3)   GOD has not disclosed any other details than these, but we do know that we will be like Him!  Would you like to be transformed into the likeness of the Glorified Jesus?  I sure would!  That sounds marvelous to this old carcass!  Let’s see just what the Scriptures tell us of what the risen, glorified Jesus is like.

Writing to the believers at Philippi, Paul reveals that GOD “… shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto His glorious body.” Philippians 3:21).  Luke offers this further account of the glorified Christ, as the Disciples were locked in that upper room out of fear, after Christ’s Resurrection.  Listen to the narrative:

Suddenly, “Jesus himself stood among them and said to them, ‘Peace be with you.’  They were startled and frightened, thinking they saw a ghost.  He said to them, ‘Why are you troubled, and why do doubts rise in your minds?  Look at my hands and my feet.  It is I, Myself!  Touch Me and see; a ghost does not have flesh and bones, as you see I have.’  When He had said this, He showed them His hands and feet.  And while they still did not believe it because of joy and amazement, He asked them, ‘Do you have anything here to eat?’ They gave Him a piece of broiled fish, and He took it and ate it in their presence.”  (Luke 24:36-43)

Scripture cautions that there will be an increase in the slickest of deceptions, right up until Jesus’ return in majesty and glory.  The adversary is a master of trickery of every stripe, so if we profess to be genuinely trusting in GOD and relying on His Word, then we had better take stone-cold seriously His solemn warnings that we have an adversary who “prowls about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.”  (1 Peter 5:8).

The world has already witnessed a number of false “christs”, bogus messiahs, and pretenders, all professing to be the Anointed One.  You’ll remember Reverend Sun Myung Moon and “The Moonies.”  And there was Jim Jones, who lied and led his followers to Kool Aid in Guyana.  Then came Reverend Applewhite and his Hale Bop Comet spoof.  The world watched David Koresh on TV one Waco afternoon, and then …  and …   

Scripture warns that the adversary’s deceptions will become more frequent and intense as Christ’s return draws nearer.  The safest, surest way to keep from falling is to learn of Him now.  Seek Him and know Him personally. Invite His continual Presence.  Cultivate an active, living prayer relationship with Him.  Open the Scriptures and ask Him to teach you, to speak with you, reveal Himself, and give you His understanding and wisdom, as He has promised. Take Him at His Word and trust Him from this moment forward.  Pursue your own, unique and personal fellowship with Him, your Redeemer, your Savior, the Lover of your Soul!  (Jude 24, 25)

Regarding “the elect”: These are Christ’s faithful, trusting, Redeemed Ones!  Is that you?  Know for certain that you won’t – you cannot –  fall into deception if you will but seek His face and yield to His love and power  upon rising each morning, because it’s all about your relationship with Him.  You will not be fooled If you will feed on His Word and fill your tank with GOD’s “unleaded high-test” for the coming day.  You can’t fall into error if you will maintain a clear prayer connection, like an open walkie-talkie, throughout your day!

A most effective warfare tactic of the enemy is the breaking down of communication channels!  You’ll remain securely in Him if you will commit to His will, rather than your own, in all things, in all ways, at all times, come what may!  Pastor Venden’s question applies here: “Are you doing that every day?”  So why not do it every day?  That’s how you can know beyond any doubt that you’ll be His beloved child in Glory, throughout all “forever!”

When He appears, Jesus will gather His blood-bought, Adam-2 Faithful ones, and He’ll bring them back with Him to those mansions of glory that He has prepared for them. (John 14: 1-3)   His assurance, in the words of the Apostle Paul, is “…and thus we shall ever be with the LORD. Therefore comfort one another with these words.”  (1 Thessalonians 4:17, 18)

Loving Father in Heaven – I praise your holy name, and thank you for the promise of Your soon return.  Let me be found safely abiding in You until that Day.  Strengthen me, that I may hold fast.  In the name of Your Son, my coming Savior, Jesus Christ. –  Amen