 
Illustration. Christ Answering His Disciples' Questions. "When ye shall see all these things, know that it is near, even at the doors." Matt. 24:33. 1. What promise did Christ make concerning His coming? “Let not your heart be troubled: ye 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 ye may be also.” John 14:1-3. 2. Following the signs of His coming, what did Christ say would take place? “And then shall they see the Son of man coming in a cloud with power and great glory.” Luke 21:27. 3. Will the world be prepared to meet Him? “And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.” Matt. 24:30. “Behold, He cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see Him, and they also which pierced Him: and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of Him.” Rev. 1:7. 4. Why will many not be prepared for this event? “But and if that evil servant shall say in his heart, My lord delayeth his coming; and shall begin to smite his fellow servants, [pg 333] 5. What will the world be doing when Christ comes? “But as the days of Noe were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark, and knew not till the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.” Verses 37-39. “Likewise also as it was in the days of Lot; they did eat, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they builded; but the same day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven, and destroyed them all. Even thus shall it be in the day when the Son of man is revealed.” Luke 17:28-30. Note.—The idea is, not that it is wrong in itself to eat, drink, marry, buy, sell, plant, or build, but that men's minds will be so taken up with these things that they will give little or no thought to the future life, and make no plans or preparation to meet Jesus when He comes. 6. Who is it that blinds men to the gospel of Christ? “In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, which is the image of God, should shine unto them.” 2 Cor. 4:4. Notes.—“To my mind this precious doctrine—for such I must call it—of the return of the Lord to this earth is taught in the New Testament as clearly as any other doctrine in it; yet I was in the church fifteen or sixteen years before I ever heard a sermon on it. There is hardly any church that does not make a great deal of baptism; but in all of Paul's epistles I believe baptism is spoken of only thirteen times, while it speaks about the return of our Lord fifty times; and yet the church has had very little to say about it. Now I can see a reason for this. The devil does not want us to see this truth; for nothing would wake up the church so much. The moment a man takes hold of the truth that Jesus Christ is coming back again to receive His followers to Himself, this world loses its hold on him. Gas stocks, and water stocks, and stocks in banks and railroads are of very much less consequence to him then. His heart is free, and he looks for the blessed appearing of his Lord, who, at His coming, will take him into His blessed kingdom.”—“The Second Coming of Christ,” by D. L. Moody, pages 6, 7. “ ‘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,’ is the parting promise of Jesus to His disciples, communicated through the two men in white apparel, as a cloud received Hun out of their sight. When after more than fifty years in glory He breaks the silence and speaks once more in the Revelation which He gave to His servant John, the post-ascension gospel which He [pg 334] 7. At His ascension, what assurance was given of Christ's return? “And while they looked steadfastly toward heaven as He went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel; which also 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.” Acts 1:10, 11. 8. How ancient is this doctrine of Christ's coming? “And Enoch also, the seventh from Adam, prophesied of these, saying, Behold, the Lord cometh with ten thousands of His saints, to execute judgment upon all.” Jude 14, 15. Note.—Seeking to cast reflection upon modern believers in the advent doctrine, a man in Hungary not long ago remarked to a colporteur of this faith that he had heard that the first Adventist preacher is still living. “Yes,” replied the colporteur, “the first Adventist preacher is still living, yet the Adventist faith is thousands of years old. The Bible says that Enoch also, the seventh from Adam, preached the coming of Christ in glory and power, and Enoch is still living. He was translated to heaven without seeing death, and will never die.” 9. What was Job's confidence concerning Christ's coming? “For I know that my Redeemer liveth, and that He shall stand at the latter day upon the earth: ... whom I shall see for myself, and mine eyes shall behold, and not another; though my reins be consumed within me.” Job 19:25-27. 10. How does David speak of Christ's coming? “Our God shall come, and shall not keep silence: a fire shall devour before Him, and it shall be very tempestuous round about Him.” Ps. 50:3. “For He cometh, for He cometh to judge the earth: He shall judge the world with righteousness, and the people with His truth.” Ps. 96:13. 11. How does Paul give expression to this hope? “For our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ.” Phil. 3:20. [pg 335] 12. What is Peter's testimony regarding it? “For we have not followed cunningly devised fables, when we made known unto you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eye-witnesses of His majesty.” 2 Peter 1:16. 13. When are the saints to be like Jesus? “Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when He shall appear, we shall be like Him; for we shall see Him as He is.” 1 John 3:2. 14. What scriptures show that Christ's coming will be a time of reward? “For the Son of man shall come in the glory of His Father with His angels; and then He shall reward every man according to his works.” Matt. 16:27. “And, behold, I come quickly; and My reward is with Me, to give every man according as his work shall be.” Rev. 22:12. 15. To whom is salvation promised at Christ's appearing? “So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for Him shall He appear the second time without sin unto salvation.” Heb. 9:28. 16. What influence has this hope upon the life? “We know that, when He shall appear, we shall be like Him; for we shall see Him as He is. And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as He is pure.” 1 John 3:2, 3. 17. To whom does Paul say a crown of righteousness is promised? “For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand. I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith: henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love His appearing.” 2 Tim. 4:6-8. 18. What will the waiting ones say when Jesus comes? “And it shall be said in that day, Lo, this is our God; we have waited for Him, and He will save us: this is the Lord; we [pg 336] 19. Has the exact time of Christ's coming been revealed? “But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only.” Matt. 24:36. 20. In view of this fact, what does Christ tell us to do? “Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come.” Verse 42. Note.—“In the Scriptures, the constant note, the continually recurring exhortation, is to be prepared for the Lord's coming.”—Dean Alford. “The proper attitude of a Christian is to be always looking for his Lord's return.”—D. L. Moody. See “How Christ Came to Church,” by A. J. Gordon, pages 49, 50. 21. What warning has Christ given that we might not be taken by surprise by this great event? “And take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting, and drunkenness, and cares of this life, and so that day come upon you unawares. For as a snare shall it come on all them that dwell on the face of the whole earth. Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man.” Luke 21:34-36. 22. What Christian grace are we exhorted to exercise in our expectant longing for this event? “Be patient therefore, brethren, unto the coming of the Lord. Behold, the husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth, and hath long patience for it, until he receive the early and latter rain. Be ye also patient; stablish your hearts: for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh.” James 5:7, 8. I am waiting for the coming Of earth's long-expected Lord; For the signs are now fulfilling That He gave us in His Word. I am watching, I am waiting, For that promised happy day; Yet I do not cease my working; I must work as well as pray. W. S. Cruzan. |
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