Message Magazine’s Online Devotional for Sunday, February 4, 2018
Listen to “Thoughts in Worship 02.04.2018” on Spreaker.
This is devotional thought number 70 and final in our devotional series, God’s Promises are Sure!
“Behold, he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him, and they also which pierced him: and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him. Even so, Amen.” (Revelation 1:7).
We are awaiting the most cataclysmic event this world has ever witnessed. In precise fulfillment of His promise to the disciples more than two thousand years ago, the Lord is coming back to take His children to live with Him. For years, this promise has gladdened the hearts of millions of people. In every era, there has been a God-inspired anticipation of the event. It has been the blessed hope of every believer that Jesus would return during his or her lifetime.
When Jesus returns, His coming will not be as it was when He arrived as a babe lying in a manger. There will be no need for us to follow a lone star in the sky to see where the baby lay. No! We will not need to line up at the door of a stable awaiting our turn to see the Master.
When Jesus returns, it will be a glorious and unmistakable event. Far greater than even worldwide satellite telecasts and breaking news coverage will be the coming of our Lord. The revelator says, “Behold, he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him, and they also which pierced him: and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him. Even so, Amen.” (Revelation 1:17). Every eye will see Jesus come.
Imagine that it is the end of time. You are eagerly awaiting Jesus’ arrival because the times have become unbearable. Suddenly, you hear in almost deafening tones, a trumpet blast. Immediately you hear the voice of God Himself, and millions of graves begin to open right before your eyes. Even the seas and oceans begin to give up those who died and their remains were scattered there, along with those who drowned and were never found.
You notice that your perspective is changing. What you once saw at eye-level, you now see beneath your feet. The ground seems to be moving farther and farther away, and you realize that you are floating on air. The blessed hope is finally a reality. Jesus has come and you are finally going to heaven. It will be impossible to miss an event as widespread as this (1 Thessalonians 4:16, 17).
From another perspective, others witness the coming of Christ as lightning. “For as the lightning cometh out of the east, and shineth even unto the west; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.” (Matthew 24:27). Can you imagine an event so visible that it appears in the sky as does lightning?
Soon, none of us will need to imagine any longer. The Lord will be here to take His people to the heavenly kingdom. When He arrives, He will not keep silent. It will be a glorious day! He will soon keep His greatest promise. Even so Lord Jesus, quickly come. The mouth of the Lord has spoken.
Our next devotional series is titled, Wisdom for the Ages.
