Second Coming?

Jesus left the temple and was walking away when his disciples came up to him to call his attention to its buildings. “Do you see all these things?” he asked. “Truly I tell you, not one stone here will be left on another; every one will be thrown down.” As Jesus was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to him privately. “Tell us,” they said, “when will this happen, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?” Jesus answered: “Watch out that no one deceives you. For many will come in my name, claiming, ‘I am the Messiah,’ and will deceive many. You will hear of wars and rumors of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come. Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places. All these are the beginning of birth pains.” (Matthew 24:1-8 NIV).

Well, if you are reading this devotional on May 21st and are not in heaven one of two possibilities exist according to the belief of Harold Camping. Either you are not a Christian and are “left behind;” or, the rapture has not yet occurred! I’m going to opt for the latter! If I’m wrong, I’ll see you in heaven and we can get it straight from the Lord. I’m certainly okay with that!

The real key is in Jesus’ words that the beginning of birth pains is the many “signs” around us. Reverend Camping would insist that all these signs point to this day as THE day of the coming of our Lord. There have been those since the first century who have been predicting the end of this age. Jesus’ exhortation is very clear for me. He says, “Watch out that no one deceives you.”

I am encouraged by this teaching. Jesus does give us a warning, but within it is the absolute truth that he is coming again! It is a certain event. Biblical prophecy provides some of the greatest encouragement and hope available to us today. Just as the Old Testament is saturated with prophecies concerning Christ's first advent, so both testaments are filled with references to the second coming of Christ. There are 1,845 references to Christ's second coming in the Old Testament, where 17 books give it prominence. In the 260 chapters of the New Testament, there are 318 references to the second advent of Christ--an amazing 1 out of every 30 verses. Twenty-three of the 27 New Testament books refer to this great event. For every prophecy in the Bible concerning Christ's first advent, there are 8 which look forward to His second! That’s encouraging to me!

How tragic that some fear this great deliverance. I like the story found of the 1960 presidential campaign. John F. Kennedy often closed his speeches with the story of Colonel Davenport, the Speaker of the Connecticut House of Representatives: On May 19th, 1780 the sky of Hartford darkened ominously, and some of the representatives, glancing out the windows, feared the end was at hand. Quelling a clamor for immediate adjournment, Davenport rose and said, "The Day of Judgment is either approaching or it is not. If it is not, there is no cause for adjournment. If it is, I choose to be found doing my duty. Therefore, I wish that candles be brought." Rather than fearing what is to come, we are to be faithful till Christ returns. Instead of fearing the dark, we're to be lights as we watch and wait.