The Christian hope is the glorious appearing of the Son of
God. It does not matter if you believe He is coming before, in the middle of or
after the Great Tribulation. We all know He is coming again. Jesus came the
first time to die for our sins and to remove them from our account. He will
come again, not only to judge sin, but also to bring complete salvation to all
those who trust in Him (Hebrews 9:28). His Saints will share in His
glory, when Christ, who is our life, is revealed to the whole world (Colossians
3:4).
Jesus endured the horrific suffering of His crucifixion and
death by keeping His focus on the glory of Heaven to which He was about to
return. We can have this same focus, knowing that no suffering in this earthly
realm is worthy of comparison to the glory, which God will reveal in us. In
fact, all of creation groans in travail as it waits for the revealing of God’s
Sons (Romans 8:18-19).
Therefore, we look forward with hope to the wondrous day
when our God and Savior, Jesus Christ, will come with His Saints, displayed in
all of His power and glory (Matthew 24:30; Titus 2:13). At the
magnificence of His second coming, the Lord will bind Satan and his hoards by
one word of His mouth (2 Thessalonians 2:8). Both the living and the
dead will receive His judgment when His Kingdom appears (2 Timothy
4:1).
Due to the lawlessness and idolatry of Israel, God
delivered them into the hands of Gentile rulers until the end of the times of
the Gentiles are fulfilled (Luke 21:24). That time is now coming to a
close. Israel is a nation again and they will soon view the One whom they
rejected become the chief cornerstone in the Temple of God (Psalm
118:22). Everyone who waits and longs for His appearing will
receive this very crown of righteousness, the prize we long for, which the Lord
will give us upon His return. (1 Timothy 4:8).
At this same time, the whole world will give Him the glory
that is due His name (Zechariah 12:10). Jesus will return to the
earth on the Mount of Olives with great power and glory (Zechariah
14:4; Matthew 24:30; Revelation 19:11-16). He will rebuild Jerusalem as
the capitol of the world (Psalm 102:16), and reign on His throne in His
Kingdom forever and ever. We will live under the rule and reign of Jesus, our
righteous King, forever.
Prayer:
Father God in heaven, we will finally see clearly all the
multitude of times You intervened in our life in order to help us, even when we
never noticed or realized it (2 Timothy 1:18). You will reveal Your glory in us
and in all creation (Hebrews 9:28). The wolf will live with the
lamb, the leopard with the goat, the calf and the yearling with the lion; and
the little child shall lead them all (Isaiah 11:6). Nature
and humanity will thrive in Your presence, never more to live under the curse
of sin. We give You all the praise and the glory for Your gracious plan for
those who You love.
Thought for the Day:
Keep yourselves in God's love, as you wait for the mercy of
our Lord Jesus Christ to bring you into His eternal life. - Jude
1:21