Waiting For The Lord's Return

by C.R. Stoner, Hayes, Kent | Category: General | Dec 1968

The spiritual life of the believers in Thessalonica is described in a comprehensive, three-part statement: they

"Turned unto God from idols,

To serve a living and true God, and

To wait for His Son from heaven." (1 Thessalonians 1.9).

Basically, an idol is man's own idea of a god, put in place of God's revelation of Himself. There is much idolatry in Western Lands today, as well as in Asia and Africa. The Thessalonians, having turned to God from idols, were in a condition to serve, not till then. Their service was a balanced one, involving worship and thanksgiving, evangelism and practical service to fellow-believers and also to men in general. Whilst they led this very active life, they were also waiting for a great event

Around the table, after the institution of the breaking of the bread, when the hearts of the disciples were heavy because they only partly understood the words of their Master about being betrayed and denied, and about His departure, He gave them a promise - "If I go and prepare a place for you, I come again, and will receive you unto Myself" (John 14.3). After the resurrection, the Lord said of the apostle John "If I will that he tarry till I come ..." (John 21.22). When the disciples saw the Lord ascend from Olivet, the angelic messengers were emphatic: " This Jesus... shall so come in like manner ... " (Acts 1.11).

Further details were revealed to the apostles and communicated by them to the churches. So the Thessalonians knew why they were waiting and for whom they were waiting. It would appear that the Thessalonians were so sure that the Lord's return was imminent that, when some of their number died, they grieved because they feared that these had missed the Lord's return. The apostle comforts them with the statement:

"The dead in Christ shall rise first: then we that are alive, that are left, shall together with them to be caught up in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord." (1 Thessalonians 4.16,17).

Scripture makes it clear that the return of Christ has two phases. So far we have thought only of His coming to the air to gather His own to Himself. This is the particular hope of the believer, though it will be a startling event for the world. The Old Testament prophets had much to say about the Messiah's coming to Israel and all the glory that would follow. Though some of these prophecies may have had a partial fulfilment in the past, the Lord's own prophecies (Matthew 24; Mark 13; Luke 21) show that the complete fulfilment is still future.

When will the Lord return? No one knows, not even the most diligent and spiritually-minded student of prophecy. The words of the Lord are most emphatic. He said of His coming to earth as Son of Man.

"But of that day and hour knoweth no one, not even the angels of heaven, neither the Son, but the Father only" (Matthew 24.36).

"It is not for you to know times or seasons. which the Father hath set within His own authority" (Acts 1.7).

Yet from time to time persons, who profess to believe the Scriptures, specify dates and thereby bring discredit upon the true study of prophecy. Scripture does indicate certain conditions which will exist when the Lord is about to return to earth and some of these conditions are being brought about at the present time. Nevertheless, God may be pleased to slow down progress towards the final event.

What are some of the conditions which are to exist before the Lord returns to earth? A large number of Jews will be in the land of Israel and will be formed into a sovereign state. Fifty years ago this seemed most unlikely. In 1912 there were 83,000 Jews in Palestine, out of a population of 750,000, living under a foreign power. In 1963 the population of over two millions was nearly 90 per cent Jewish. On May 14th, 1948, a startled world realised that there was again an Israel nation, independent after some 2,500 years. The very next day, the tiny state was attacked by its five much larger neighbours but was not overwhelmed.

Scripture informs us that the returning Jews will return in unbelief. A proportion of Israelis have a deep regard for the Old Testament and Jewish tradition, others have no faith at all. Only a few indeed accept Jesus of Nazareth as the Messiah. In Zechariah 12 we read of the awakening that awaits unbelieving Israel.

Prophecy indicates that there will be a temple on Mount Moriah before the Lord returns to earth. (Matthew 24.15; 2 Thessalonians ZA) We all know that in June, 1967, after a six-day campaign against great odds, Israel secured the whole of Palestine, including all Jerusalem and hence the site of the Temple. There is a significant phrase in the Lord's own prophecy, as recorded in Luke 21.24. "Jerusalem shall be trodden down of the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled".

A strange phenomenon of the past forty years has been the rise from obscurity of persons who have exerted a sinister power over the minds of some nations, desiring to stand in the place of God. Before the Lord returns to earth, the most sinister and powerful of all these leaders will have come to power, "setting himself forth as God" (2 Thessalonians 2.4).

Scripture shows that the gospel is to be preached to "the uttermost part of the earth" before the Lord returns (Acts 1.8; Matthew 24.14). In our day it can be reasonably stated for the first time that the gospel has reached every land. It is sadly true, however, that the growth of population is more rapid than the spread of the gospel, so that the number of people in the world

who have heard nothing whatever of the gospel is increasing. A challenge to us all!

Unbelievers have always scoffed at the Christian's hope of the Lord's return. Peter tells us of those who, in the "last days" will say, "Where is the promise of His coming? ... all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation" (2 Peter 3.4). Familiarity with the scientific method makes it difficult for the modern man to accept anything which appears to break natural "laws". A little consideration will show, however, that the scientific method of observation and deduction is irrelevant when deciding whether a unique event which is stated to take place in the future, will, in fact, happen. Whether we can accept a statement or not depends upon what we know of the person who makes it. Our belief in the Lord's return rests upon His own promise and for those who have trusted Him for salvation, nothing could be more certain.

It is clear from Scripture that believers from the first century onwards have been enjoined to expect the Lord's coming for them to take place at any time. From this we deduce that there is no definite prophecy to be fulfilled before the Lord comes to gather His own to Himself. This event clearly belongs to this dispensation and will bring it to a close. We do not know what period of time may lie between the Lord's coming to the air and coming to earth to take His power and reign but as we see the world conditions apparently being prepared for His return, we should be watching more expectantly and be more anxious to serve diligently in the time which remains to us.

The coming of the Lord for His own is seldom mentioned in the New Testament without an application to the life of the Christian. The Lord first spoke of it in order to give comfort, and the statement of the manner of His coming in 1 Thessalonians 4.18 is followed by, "Wherefore comfort one another with these words". After the triumphant words of I Corinthians 15, we read in the last verse:

"Wherefore, my beloved brethren, be ye steadfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not vain in the Lord."

In I John 3.3 we read, "And everyone that bath this hope set on him purifieth himself, even as He is pure", and in Revelation

22.12, "Behold, I come quickly; and My reward is with Me, to render to each man according as his work is".

May the prayer in Cecil Belton's hymn be our prayer:

Grant, Lord, no other hope my heart engages,

Earth's fleeting dreams ne'er grow to me more dear;

That never faintly, as from distant ages,

Shall fall that promise on my listless ear.

C.R. Stoner, Hayes, Kent | Dec 1968
General