About the times and the seasons: Brothers,
you do not need anything to be written to you. 2 For
you yourselves know very well that the Day of the Lord will come just like a
thief in the night. 1 Thessalonians 5:1-2
Have you stopped to consider the absolute truth
that each day that passes is a day closer to seeing God in His complete
holiness? That it is a day closer to understanding what it means to be with God
in perfect unity? Let’s consider for a moment the final day, the day when
Christ returns. What a magnificently terrifying day that will be! I truly believe
that we as Christians will know what it means to have the full measure of the
fear of God right before our very eyes. His glorious state, His perfect, His
holiness and His iron rod will make us tremble worse than the very thought of
death itself. That is why many passages in scripture tell us to ‘keep watch’,
we are to expect that Christ’ return will occur like a thief in the night. (Revelation
16:15, 2 Peter 3:10)
What is meant by Christ’ return like a
thief? I can assure you that it is His ample grace not knowing that day or
hour. If the day were given to us and we knew that it were 200 years later than
we ourselves might fall into the risk of being lazy with God’s word. And if we
knew that the day were sooner, perhaps next week than we run the risk of
looking like false Christians who would only attempt to share the gospel at the
very last hour.
It is God’s sustained abundant grace that
none of us know this day or hour! That is why we must always be on guard, that
we must not be like the lazy watchman and fall asleep so as to not warn anyone
of His coming. But that day will produce two incredible reactions! We go on in
1 Thessalonians 5:3-4 When they say, “Peace and security,” then sudden
destruction comes on them, like labor pains come on a pregnant woman, and they
will not escape. 4 But you, brothers,
are not in the dark, for this day to overtake you like a thief.
We see one group of people who will try and
escape, there’s a great sense of terrifying fear of God’s judgment. I believe
to look upon Christ on that day is to KNOW that He is looking into your soul!
That is why there are two reactions, one reaction of incredible sheer terror
and the other of the fear of God, the one that draws us closer to His given
joy. On that day people will ask mountains to fall down on them (Revelation
6:16) but not even the mountains will listen. For they have already bowed their
knee to God. What a terrifying day that will be for those who deny Christ, for
those who deny the gift of salvation, for those who hated God with all their
heart.
But what a day it will be for those in
Christ! A day of great joy, a day of COMPLETE joy and by complete I mean that
the joy we have in Christ will be overflowing and ample! Where we can gaze
upon the son of God we can say and know with confidence “I am finally home!” A
day when He will avenge those who have been afflicted by the wicked, a day when
true justice will be restored and a day of great everlasting rejoice in our
great and mighty king Jesus. What an incredible day that will be! We as
Christians should not be complacent in this life, we should not be too
comfortable as to forget that this day of judgment is coming. Knowing that our
friends and family members are on the wide path to destruction should be the
very reason why we should share the gospel with them! Let us run the race, not
walk it. Let us strive on using every gift God has given us for the purpose of
fulfilling the fathers will (Matthew 7:21).
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