Last night we finished our mini-series on the Second Coming of Jesus, looking at what James, John, Jude and the writer to the Hebrews have to say on this topic.
James 5:7-8 reminds us of the need to wait patiently until the Lord’s return, using the analogy of farming to remind us that there are set times for things, times appointed by God, and we need to learn to wait for Him. Patience and perseverance are themes also in Heb 10:36-37. The difference between Jesus’s first and second coming are given in Heb 9:28: when He first came, it was to bear our sin once and for all, and because of this, when He comes again, for those who have believed, it will be to bring salvation.
In 1 John 2:28 & 1 John 3:2-3, we see that for all who have trusted Christ for salvation, this coming will be a time when we will be transformed into His likeness; we will see Him as He is and will be like Him; we will find completion and perfection at this time. There will always be those who scoff and mock at the idea of His coming (see Jude 1, 2 Pet 3:1-9), but if we hold firm and wait in expectation, we will see the fulfilment of all God’s promises. In the book of Revelation, the nearness of this day and the fact that it will come unexpectedly means we need to be ready, awake and expectant. Such truths uphold us and motivate us to live pure lives and to reach out to others.
