Saturday 20 November 2021

The Lord Himself, at a given signal, by the voice of an Archangel of God, will come down from heaven, and the dead in Christ will be raised first. Then we the living, who will remain, will all together be caught up with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air, and thus we will always be with the Lord. 1 Thessalonians 4:16,17

The return of Jesus Christ

Jesus himself promised his disciples : "I will return, and I will take you with me, so that where I am you may also be there" (John 14. 3).

Almost 2,000 years have passed since then, but there are many signs that this comeback is near. No date, no deadline is however indicated in the Bible, this to stimulate the affections of Christians, and to incite them to wait for the Lord at all times. He himself repeats in the Revelation : "I am coming soon" (3.11 ; 22. 7 ; 12. 20).

But the prospect of Jesus imminent return must also have concrete effects in the lives of those who are sure of going to meet him :

- Waiting for the Lord detaches the Christian from the world, and makes him a stranger on earth. His real home is in heaven, he must be ready to join it. What he does, what he said, must be able to be approved by the Master when he comes. He will therefore strive to have a holy life : "Whoever has this hope in him purifies himself, as he himself is pure" (1 John 3.3).

- Waiting for the Lord to console the Christian when one of his family dies to go to Jesus. He knows that at this return "the dead in Christ will be raised" and will be reunited with the living believers.

- Waiting for the Lord also encourages the believer to warn those he knows so that they too can prepare for his return. "The Lord is not slow in fulfilling the promise, as some believe ; but he is patient with you, not wanting any to perish, but wanting all to come to repentance" (2 Peter 3. 9).

Source (The Good Seed)