This Week’s Devotional Focus is, “The Second Coming of Jesus Christ.”
“And Enoch also, the seventh from Adam, prophesied of these, saying, Behold, the Lord cometh with ten thousands of his saints, to execute judgment upon all, and to convince all that are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have ungodly committed, and of all their hard speeches which ungodly sinners have spoken against him.” (Jude 14–15).
It’s a seldom referenced fact that more than a thousand years before Christ, only seven generations after Adam was created, the people of God looked forward to the Second Coming of Jesus. I know that seems odd, especially considering that the prophecies of His first coming through virgin birth had not yet been fulfilled. Yet God has a way of giving the world ample time to prepare for the most important events.
Besides the number of years ago Enoch prophesied of Jesus’ arrival, the timing of his prophecies was remarkable. Enoch lived not too long before the worldwide flood. You may recall that God destroyed the earth because the people’s minds were always on evil continually. He had to do something fast before all was lost. He laid some faithful people to rest before the flood. He took at least one notable person to heaven without having tasted death before the flood. He preserved for Himself a few people through the flood and protected them in the ark of safety. This should all be setting of bells in your minds right now.
We are living in such terrible times that the Lord will soon destroy the earth by fire. Unfortunately, those who refuse to heed God’s calls to repentance will be destroyed. Some, He will lay away to rest. Some, He will preserve through the incredible time of trouble until He takes them to heaven without ever tasting of death. All of God’s people, both those who will one day be resurrected and those who will be alive when He returns, will go to heaven to begin our lives in eternal bliss. Until then, take courage in the following benediction, which demonstrates God’s power to prepare and preserve a people for eternity with Him: “Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy, to the only wise God our Saviour, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever. Amen.” (Jude 24–25).—L. David Harris (www.DavidWritesaLot.com)
