We titled this entire series, the blessed hope of the Saints. Eschatology has been seen as a no-go area or the last thing to examine in the Scriptures. Meanwhile, the times we are in the timetable of God demands we give more attention to this and make it among the foremost concepts in these last days. The concept of rapture is the nucleus of eschatology.
This is what the universal church (the general assembly) is looking forward to. The universal church is the amalgam of the dead saints and the living ones at the coming of the LORD. This catching up of the saints to meet the LORD is the event that everything we are experiencing now is leading up to and from that point eternity is set.
15 According to the Lord’s word, we tell you that we who are still alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will certainly not precede those who have fallen asleep. 16 For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. 17 After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever. 18 Therefore encourage one another with these words.
1 Thessalonians 4:15-18 NIV
The certainty of the second coming
Forget all the arguments and focus on the Word of God. The LORD is coming back. Don’t fall into the trap of making fun of the LORD’s return and how the LORD has not returned after all these years. If you do, that is exactly what the devil wants. He wants sincere preachers to make light of the LORD’s second coming so that he can weaken our blessed hope for Christ’s return.
The Bible says, “Knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts, And saying, Where is the promise of his coming? for since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation.” (2 Peter 3:3-4 KJV) There are direct scoffers and their indirect ones – they are all scoffers. Anyone who makes light of the second coming is a scoffer. The enemy has them in his grips with an intoxicating lust. Don’t follow them! They are advocates of worldly greatness that intoxicates to the point that Heaven is no longer a point of reference.
Preserving the building blocks of our Christian life
The context of that scripture in 1 Thessalonians shows that the second coming of Christ is principally a message of hope. This tells you and me that the condition of things on the earth before His coming will be very trying. Hence, the reason Jesus mentioned that “…iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold.” (Matthew 24:12) and “…Nevertheless when the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth?” (Luke 18:8).
The 1 Thessalonians scripture began with the great need to contextualize our experiences so that we don’t lose hope. “Brothers and sisters, we do not want you to be uninformed about those who sleep in death, so that you do not grieve like the rest of mankind, who have no hope.” (4:13). In these three passages, you see love, faith and hope mentioned. And you know that these three are the fabrics of the Christian life (1 Corinthians 13:13). This shows that these three basic building blocks of our Christian life will come under the severest test in these last days.
All three blocks are connected to the second coming of the LORD. If this does not tell me anything, it tells me that the second coming of Christ is the appropriate basis for me to continue in faith, hope and love. The reason why these are coming under attack is to make me lose my view and expectancy of the second coming.
“Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness, Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat?” 2 Peter 3:11-12 KJV
Based on what is coming in this world (part of which is already happening), you have all the more reason to maintain your consecration and not lower your guard so that you can look forward to and hasten the LORD’s coming. The anticipation of His coming helps you to be ready. It is waiting eagerly as if to speed up His coming.
Deliberate delaying to rescue the perishing
The second coming has not happened because the LORD is giving more time and opportunity to repent. “The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.” 2 Peter 3:9 KJV
“It is not that he is dilatory about keeping his own promise as some men seem to think; the fact is that he is very patient towards you. He has no wish that any man should be destroyed. He wishes that all men should come to repent. Yet it remains true that the day of the Lord will come as suddenly and unexpectedly as a thief. In that day the heavens will disappear in a terrific tearing blast, the very elements will disintegrate in heat and the earth and all that is in it will be burnt up to nothing.” 2 Peter 3:9-10 Phillips
God’s goal is to save all. Yet, man must make his choice. This is an opportunity for you to make your choice. If you realize that He has not returned yet so you can make your life ready, make everything right and live for Him, you will see how the foolishness of God is wiser than men. You will see how God will not only be vindicated but also harvest those who were dimmed unlikely to be saved and follow Jesus. Hallelujah.
Heartwork 