The next great event in God’s program for the redemption of the world
is the coming again to the earth of the Lord Jesus Christ. The last
chapter of the Old Testament points forward to his second coming.
The last recorded words of the Lord Jesus are his words of promise,
“Surely, I come quickly,” in the last chapter of the New Testament. The
last recorded prayer of God’s people in the Word is the answer of their
heart to this promise, “Even so come, Lord Jesus.”
The last word of the Old Testament is the word “curse,”――“lest I come
and smite the earth with a curse.” The central word of the last verse
in the New Testament is “grace.” He will come with the judgments of his
curse and with the revelation of his grace.
Are You Ready for His Coming?
Among the many signs that seem to point to the nearness of his coming
there is none more striking than the movement of the Spirit in
separating the children of God from the things of the world and making
them hungry for the things of eternity. There are many sad evidences of
falling away, and of increasing worldliness on the part of large masses
of professing Christians, but these make all the more notable that
deep hunger for victory in Christ and conformity to his likeness which
increasing numbers of Christians are sharing. Is this the work of the
Spirit in making a little flock ready for his coming? Are _you_ ready?
The coming of Christ is the great incentive to holiness that is held
before Christians in the New Testament. “Every one that hath this hope
[the hope of his coming] set on him [set on Jesus] purifieth himself,
even as he is pure” (1 John 3:3).
There are many motives by which the Lord lovingly urges us to seek
complete victory in him. We long for a life of joy and peace that we do
not have. We long to be rid of a life of struggle against “besetting
sins.” Or we are eager to have power in service and get results for
Christ that are largely absent in our experience. By this or that
motive the Spirit leads us to an earnest seeking of God’s secret of
the life of faith. But beyond all these motives is that supreme desire
to be well pleasing to the Lord Jesus Christ, who loved us and gave
himself for us. “And now, little children, abide in him; that, when he
shall appear, we may have boldness, and not be ashamed before him at
his coming” (1 John 2:28).