A WORD IN SEASON TO THE WEARY
🌷🌷🌷 September 6🌷🌷🌷
I am he that liveth, …and, behold, I am alive for evermore” (Rev.1:18).
The Second Coming of the Lord is a very important subject in the Bible. There are 250 chapters in the New Testament, in which there are 360 references to this subject; and twenty-eight chapters are devoted wholly and solely to the subject; in fact, it is the only subject which is treated exhaustively in the Word of God. God has a purpose in bringing up this subject again and again. How many times this matter is referred to in the first chapter of Revelation: Chap.1:3, last part, “The time is at hand;” v. 4; “which is, and which was, and which is to come;” “Behold, he cometh with clouds …Even so, Amen” v.7; “I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending …the Almighty,” v.8.
The main purpose of the Book of Revelation is to prepare us for the Second Coming of the Lord Jesus Christ. If we keep ourselves ready for His Coming, we can be kept free from many dangers, defilement and deception. Many people think of this subject just as a collection of all kinds of theories, and teachings, and hence they have no real enjoyment of the truth. It is not a subject in which you pass an examination in order to win a prize! It is a matter which should give you abundant joy, and is the secret of a triumphant life. When the matter was brought in vision to John the apostle, it was at the time when he was somewhat discouraged. All of us sometimes feel discouraged. There are always things happening in and around, which are bound to discourage us.
The man of God, John the apostle, was the most beloved disciple of the Lord Jesus Christ. That is repeated six times in John’s Gospel: “the disciple whom Jesus loved”. The very same disciple was bound in prison, on the isle of Patmos, for the Word of God, and for the testimony of the Lord Jesus Christ, because at that time, things were happening among believers, which were beyond understanding. The same thing will happen in the end days also. The enemy will become active and attack God’s people as we see in Rev. 12. Only by the strength of the knowledge of His soon coming, can we be victorious. When our Lord appeared to John the apostle, He found him discouraged, so He reminded him that He is the same Who will soon come back again. What he could not understand then, he would understand on that day.
There is no need for us to be impatient. Wait patiently, the Lord will answer all your questions, one by one, when He appears in glory. The work of salvation also will only be perfected on that day, and we shall know the meaning of that great salvation, and the greatness of our blessed Saviour. There is a peculiar joy in keeping ourselves ready for that day.
