This is my last entry for the year into my LIFE Journal. I am not sharing my prayer time, but I do think that this is a significant issue in our lives:
Scripture:
Revelation 19:7 (NCV)
7 Let us rejoice and be happy
and give God glory,
because the wedding of the Lamb has come,
and the Lamb’s bride has made herself ready.
Revelation 21:1 (NCV)
21 Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth. The first heaven and the first earth had disappeared, and there was no sea anymore.
Revelation 21:3–5 (NCV)
3 And I heard a loud voice from the throne, saying, “Now God’s presence is with people, and he will live with them, and they will be his people. God himself will be with them and will be their God. 4 He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and there will be no more death, sadness, crying, or pain, because all the old ways are gone.”
5 The One who was sitting on the throne said, “Look! I am making everything new!” Then he said, “Write this, because these words are true and can be trusted.”
Revelation 22:12 (NCV)
12 “Listen! I am coming soon! I will bring my reward with me, and I will repay each one of you for what you have done.
Revelation 22:20 (NCV)
20 Jesus, the One who says these things are true, says, “Yes, I am coming soon.”
Amen. Come, Lord Jesus!
Observation:
The wedding is almost ready. The bride of Christ is dressed in white and clean linen that represents how she lived. Heaven and earth are recreated and God now lives with his people. He is making everything new. No more tears. No more sadness, crying, pain or anything else that is bad. Why? Because all things are new. How do we know it’s true? Because God says so and His words are trustworthy and true.
So? So Jesus says he’s coming soon. The Bible always speaks in terms of the second advent as soon. Right now it’s been over two thousand years. But his words are faithful, true and trustworthy. If He says He is coming soon, then He is.
Quickly. The Master reaffirms the surety and imminence of His second coming (see chs. 3:11; 22:7, 12; see on ch. 1:1).
Amen. Compare chs. 1:6, 7, 18; 3:14; 5:14; 7:12; 19:4. For the meaning of the term see on Matt. 5:18. This Amen is probably spoken by the apostle. If so it should be connected with what follows thus: “Amen, come, therefore Lord Jesus.”
Come, Lord Jesus. Textual evidence may be cited (cf. p. 10) for the reading, “come, Lord Jesus Christ.” This exclamation is John’s response to the testimony of Jesus, who assures the apostle that He is coming quickly (cf. on ch. 1:1). John was probably reminded of that night in the upper room, more than half a century before, when he heard Jesus declare, “I will come again” (John 14:3), and of that day a few weeks later, on the Mount of Olives, when he had heard the angels say, “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 1:11). Now, while in holy vision, John is given one last assurance that his blessed Lord is to return, and that, quickly. This assurance comes from the lips of his Master Himself, the faithful and true witness. His heart thrills at the words, and with eager anticipation he looks forward to the day when in reality, not in vision, he will see his blessed Lord face to face.
Nichol, F. D., ed. (1980). The Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary (Vol. 7, pp. 898–899). Review and Herald Publishing Association.
Application:
I have been looking forward to the second coming of Jesus since August 1974. That was 47 years ago. Since that time I’ve gone through many iterations of what it means to look forward to the coming of Jesus. But I don’t think I’ve ever been one to say, “Wait till I get married first.” Or “Wait till I have kids” or finish school, or get a job, or whatever. I’ve always looked forward to seeing Jesus come.
In 1974, I was convinced that Jesus couldn’t wait another 5 years. Every year that passes, is a proof that I was immature and didn’t know what I was talking about! 😂
But every year that passes, it gets easier and easier to forget what this is about and to forget the urgency of the second coming. You cannot forget. You cannot go passive. You have to keep the urgency alive in your mind. You have to stay current with Jesus Christ, no matter what!
