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Here Comes the Son! God’s timing, like all that He does, is exquisite and flawless. The One who spoke the universe into existence – who created man from the dust of the earth – who breathed into him the breath of life so that man became a living soul, does not simply respond to unanticipated human circumstances. God never reacts extemporaneously. He has never been caught off guard. The flow of human history moves unerringly along His predetermined path. All time and events are under God’s sovereign control. History is, in truth, His story. Consequently, it should not be thought surprising that the Apostle Paul wrote to the church of Galatia, "But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law" (Gal. 4:4). Much has been written concerning the significance of the phrase "But when the fullness of the time was come." This much is clear. Jesus did not appear on the stage of human history one instant before the divinely-appointed time – nor one instant beyond it. The Son of God was born at the right place (Bethlehem), in the right way (a virgin birth), of the right lineage (the tribe of Judah and the family of David), at precisely the right moment. It was "the fullness of the time." Everything was divinely prepared for the incarnation of the preincarnate Son of God. While men are born to live, Jesus was uniquely born to die. Concerning His death on Calvary He would say, "for this cause came I into the world" (Jn. 18:37). And with His death, Satan gleefully proclaimed "checkmate," the original meaning of which is your king is dead. Satan’s pronouncement, however, was premature, for death could not hold her foe. On the third day Jesus rose triumphantly from the grave, and after forty days of post resurrection ministry, our great High Priest passed "through the heavens" into the presence of His Father (Heb. 4:14). The deliberate imagery of the writer to the Hebrews should not be overlooked. As the high priest of Israel "passed through the outer court" to enter the Temple and the presence of God, there to apply the blood of the slain lamb on behalf of his nation, so Jesus has passed "through the heavens" to be seated at the right hand of the majesty on high (Eph. 1:20; Heb. 1:3). There, based upon the infinite worth and eternal duration of His shed blood, Jesus functions as advocate and intercessor for all those who have placed their faith in Him. However, the Lord’s present priestly ministry is not His final work on our behalf. The Son of God is coming to Earth again. His Father has decreed it to be so. His return will occur when the Sovereign of all time and all things says, "Enough! No more!"; when the cup of man’s iniquity is full; and when man’s sinful rebellion against his Creator is complete. At the first coming. God was incarnate in Jesus, and at His death on Calvary "grace and truth" kissed. As a result, unmerited favor flowed out to humanity like water released from a giant pent-up reservoir. When the Son appears the second time, God’s holiness and justice will embrace, and a world that has gone "tilt" and rebelled against its Creator will be "put straight" and "made level." The first coming of Christ was the noon hour of history. Men did not simply hear about God from the prophets – they saw God in the person of Jesus. When Jesus comes the second time, it will be the dawning of a new day. On that occasion, His glory will be fully displayed (Mt. 25:31; 2 Th. 1:9; 2:8). Jewish theology has long suggested that history is divided into two major segments – the one, this present age, and the other, the age to follow. In between these two ages, the Jews believed, would be a period of time during which God would judge the world. That period of time is called in the Bible "the day of the LORD" (Isa. 13:6; Joel 2:1; 1 Th. 5:2). The true Church, the Bride of Christ, will be raptured immediately prior to "the day of the Lord," and then His wrath will be directed against the forces of the Antichrist and an unregenerate world. The concept of deliverance immediately before divine judgment is illustrated in two familiar Bible stories. Abraham’s nephew Lot was told to flee Sodom the very day God’s wrath fell on the godless city (Lk. 17:26-27), and Noah was told to enter the ark the very day the rains descended and the flood began. Concerning these events, the Lord taught "As it was in the days of Noah [and Lot], so shall it be also in the days of the Son of man" (Lk. 17:26-30). The point the Lord was making was clear; the righteous will be separated from the unrighteous immediately prior to the outpouring of God’s wrath in connection with His coming. This brief period of divine wrath associated with Christ’s return will lead into a glorious new "day" – the millennial reign of Christ. The Apostle Paul spoke of the coming "day of the Lord" and the separation of the just from the unjust this way: For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night. For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child, and they shall not escape. But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief. Ye are all the children of light, and the children of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness. Therefore let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober (1 Th. 5:2-6). The differing responses to Christ’s coming are suggested in the familiar anecdote, "The same sun that hardens the clay melts the wax." Here Comes the Son Jesus paid it all – As the believer yields to the indwelling Holy Spirit, he is being saved from the power of sin in his life. One day in the future he will be saved from the very presence of sin itself. The believer was saved from the penalty of sin, is being saved from the power of sin, and will be saved from the presence of sin. Sometimes these three facets of God’s completed redemption are referred to as salvation, sanctification, and glorification. It is the latter of the three which awaits completion at the second coming of the Son of God. Only then will the believer be glorified; only then will the Lord Jesus Christ be able to present His brethren faultless before the presence of His (the Father’s) glory with exceeding joy (Jude 24). Here Comes the Son to deliver the Earth from the curse
of sin. Unregenerate men do not like to speak of sin. They
prefer to call sin anything but what it really is. Sin is
often referred to as a white lie, a mistake, a sickness, an
indiscretion, or a fault. Sometimes sin is perceived to be
the result of uncontrollable stimuli and, therefore, in the
minds of some, the sinner is not to be blamed for his action.
Disguising sin so that men do not perceive what it really
is and the price it has cost them has been Satan’s master
program of deception. Tragically, humankind has bought into
the Wicked One’s program hook, line, and sinker.
Every broken body, every disturbed mind, and every hurting
heart – the collective tears of humanity for six thousand
years can trace their ancestry back to the sin of Adam and
Eve in the Garden of Eden. Before sin there was no death –
before sin there was no disease – before sin there was
no murder – before sin there was no hatred, lying, famine,
pestilence, rust, weed, war, nor a thousand other ills that
have plagued man from the beginning of time. These things
are all the result of sin – not necessarily personal
sins, but sin as an operating principle entering front and
center onto the stage of human history. When Jesus returns,
the curse of sin will be lifted from the Earth. The writer
of the Epistle to the Hebrews spoke concerning that truth
this way: …and unto them that look for him shall he appear the
second time without sin unto salvation [i.e. deliverance]
(Heb. 9:28). Here Comes the Son to destroy the Antichrist. Every
informed member of the human race should despise the Antichrist.
The ultimate antagonist, he will be responsible for bringing
man to the brink of irreversible disaster. The Greek prefix
"anti" means against; it also means in place of.
These two qualities describe perfectly the activity of this
diabolical being. Energized by Satan (Rev. 13:4-7), he will
oppose God and be the enemy of the souls of men. John, writing
in the first century, said the spirit of the Antichrist was
already present (1 Jn. 4:3). Doubtless, John had in mind the
Caesars of Rome who were themselves worshipped as gods. John
knew well that at the end of time, from within the revived
Roman Empire, the counterfeit Christ (Antichrist) will arise. Those days appear to be rapidly approaching, and the events
transpiring in Europe are of considerable prophetic significance.
These events go far beyond the immediate implications and
excitement now being propagated in the news media. The consolidating
of the twelve member nations of the European Economic Community
(E.E.C.) is picking up momentum. The year 1992 has been targeted
to be the occasion for lowering the borders and duty between
the member nations and to make of twelve nations one common
market. The first step is designed to be an economical union.
Some believe that close behind will inevitably emerge a political
union. The latter will become a pragmatic necessity brought
about by the swift currents of change. These common market nations now do business in three primary
languages: English, French, and German; English being the
preeminent business language. However, national pride is a
crucial issue, and none wants to relinquish their native language
nor forfeit their unique culture. The Catholic Church was the catalyst for starting the European
Economic Community. (The first meeting of the E.E.C. was called
at the invitation of the Roman Catholic Church and held at
the Vatican.) In the end of days, the European Economic Community
will, it appears, become a revived Roman Empire (Dan. 2:40-44;
7:24). Out of that empire will arise her most diabolical son, the
Antichrist, and as the Hebrew language was raised from the
dead to accommodate the resurrected nation of Israel, look
for the possible resurrection of Latin to accommodate the
emerging Roman Empire. It may be the glue to hold the alliance
together. At the present moment in Eastern Europe, governments are coming
unzipped. How far and how fast these events will go and how
all the pieces of the puzzle will land when the dust settles
can only be speculated upon at the present hour. Of perhaps
greatest interest is the "crumbling" of the Berlin
wall and movement toward a unified Germany. During the Second World War, Adolph Hitler declared that the
Third Reich (which he understood to be a revived Roman Empire)
would last "a thousand years." A united Germany
may well be part of that empire. It is significant that the
prime minister of Israel recently admitted on American television
that he feared a united Germany. More than he knows, he has
reason to fear a unified Germany. When the Antichrist does
emerge onto the stage of end-time events, he will eventually
establish a base of operation on Mount Moriah in Jerusalem
and declare himself the world ruler (2 Th. 2:3-4). He will
ask that men submit to his mark (the mark of the beast) and
bow down and worship him (Rev. 13:15-17). In that day, believers will have occasion to stand true to
their sovereign Lord. Many will be martyred, and others will
suffer indescribable hardship. The reign of the Antichrist
will be short-lived and unsuccessful. The Apostle John gives
a vivid description of the defeat of the Antichrist in connection
with the Lord’s return. And I saw the beast [the Antichrist], and the kings of the
earth, and their armies, gathered together to make war against
him [the true Christ] that sat on the horse, and against his
army. And the beast was taken, and with him the false prophet
that wrought miracles before him, with which he deceived them
that had received the mark of the beast, and them that worshiped
his image. These both were cast alive into a lake of fire
burning with brimstone (Rev. 19:19-20). Here Comes the Son to defeat Satan. Hell is real, terrible,
and everlasting. Satan is also real. Hell was made for Satan
and his angels. Created as the highest of all angelic beings
(the anointed cherub, Ezek. 28:14), Satan rebelled against
his Creator. His subsequent career is underscored by various
designations in God’s Word. He is called the "dragon"
which suggests his cruelty, the "serpent" which
underscores his subtlety, the "Devil" which focuses
on his being the accuser, and "Satan" which describes
his primary role as adversary to all who name the name of
Christ (Rev. 12:9). Satan will be imprisoned at Christ’s return and during
His millennial reign. At its end, he will be loosed for "a
little season," and finally consigned to everlasting
torment in Hell (Rev. 20:1-3). Here Comes the Son to recapture man’s lost destiny
as king of the Earth. What glorious nobility and dignity is
associated with humankind. Man was created in the exultant
image and likeness of God. He was given a mind with which
he could think God’s thoughts after Him; he was given
a heart with which he could interact with God emotionally;
and he was given a will with which he could do God’s
bidding. Man was designed and destined to be king of the Earth.
He was commanded to subdue all things, to give names to the
animal world, to reign as sovereign on the Earth, subject
only to his Creator. But Satan solicited the first couple
to disobey God, and they succumbed to his wiles. In that deed
they lost the scepter of kingship, and Satan usurped man’s
right to rule over this planet. He is "the god of this
world" (2 Cor. 4:4) and "the prince of the power
of the air" (Eph. 2:2). When Jesus returns, He will rule as King of kings and Lord
of lords. The scepter will once again be in the hands of man,
the God-Man. In that day, the curse will be lifted, life expectancy
will be increased, animals will become docile, the earth will
bring forth her full bounty, and righteousness will become
a reality in the Earth. Here Comes the Son Here Comes the Son Here Comes the Son Here Comes the Son Here Comes the Son and he has decreed: They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain: for
the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the LORD, as the
waters cover the sea (Isa. 11:9). Here Comes the Son Here Comes the Son Here Comes the Son Here Comes the Son Here Comes the Son Here Comes the Son Here Comes the Son Here Comes the Son For the unregenerate world, Christ’s return will be the
ultimate horror. In that day, men will not be confronted by
"little Jesus meek and mild." The description of
"the day of the Lord" is one of unrestrained wrath
and is a recurring subject of the ancient prophets. Blow ye the trumpet in Zion, and sound an alarm in my holy
mountain: let all the inhabitants of the land tremble: for
the day of the LORD cometh, for it is nigh at hand (Joel 2:1). Put ye in the sickle; for the harvest is ripe: come, get you
down; for the press is full, the fats overflow; for their
wickedness is great. Multitudes, multitudes in the valley
of decision: for the day of the LORD is near in the valley
of decision (Joel 3:13-14). Woe unto you that desire the day of the LORD! to what end
is it for you? the day of the LORD is darkness, and not light.
As if a man did flee from a lion, and a bear met him; or went
into the house, and leaned his hand on the wall, and a serpent
bit him. Shall not the day of the LORD be darkness, and not
light? even very dark, and no brightness in it? (Amos 5:18-20). The great day of the LORD is near, it is near, and hasteneth
greatly, even the voice of the day of the LORD: the mighty
man shall cry there bitterly. That day is a day of wrath,
a day of trouble and distress, a day of wasteness and desolation,
a day of darkness and gloominess, a day of clouds and thick
darkness, A day of the trumpet and alarm against the fenced
cities, and against the high towers. And I will bring distress
upon men, that they shall walk like blind men, because they
have sinned against the LORD: and their blood shall be poured
out as dust, and their flesh as the dung. Neither their silver
nor their gold shall be able to deliver them in the day of
the LORD’S wrath; but the whole land shall be devoured
by the fire of his jealousy: for he shall make even a speedy
riddance of all them that dwell in the land (Zeph. 1:14-18). Howl ye; for the day of the LORD is at hand; it shall come
as a destruction from the Almighty. Therefore shall all hands
be faint, and every man’s heart shall melt: And they
shall be afraid: pangs and sorrows shall take hold of them;
they shall be in pain as a woman that travaileth: they shall
be amazed one at another; their faces shall be as flames.
Behold, the day of the LORD cometh, cruel both with wrath
and fierce anger, to lay the land desolate: and he shall destroy
the sinners thereof out of it. For the stars of heaven and
the constellations thereof shall not give their light: the
sun shall be darkened in his going forth, and the moon shall
not cause her light to shine. And I will punish the world
for their evil, and the wicked for their iniquity; and I will
cause the arrogancy of the proud to cease, and will lay low
the haughtiness of the terrible (Isa. 13:6-11). In
marked contrast to the wicked, for the believer, the return
of Christ is the "blessed hope" (Ti. 2:13). By "hope"
it is meant that Christ’s return is certain, sure, absolute,
inevitable, and inviolable. No force in the universe can thwart
Christ’s intention to return. It is also "blessed."
At His coming. He will consummate the believer’s redemption,
deliver the Earth from the curse of sin, destroy the Antichrist,
defeat Satan, and recapture man’s lost destiny as king
of the Earth. Here Comes the Son! |
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