Look Ahead-The Kingdom Is Coming Soon
There's an interest ing statement in the Bible that has always been true, which will be especially true during the days of the Tribulation. If you are in the Tribulation, called upon to live your life under the awful pressures of those days, you should know that you have plenty of reason for hope.
There is a hope that reaches beyond the years, that God gives to His people in every generation. That will be especially true during the Tribulation. In the near future, you will see judgments poured out upon the world in the form of the seals, and the trumpets, and the bowls, and other things. The carnage will approach the point of the fantastic! There will be terrible consequences that will break across the world, so much so, that the people who have been martyred for the witness of Jesus will cry:
". . .How long, O Lord, holy and true, do You not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth? And white robes were given unto every one of them; and it was said unto them, that they should rest yet for a little season, until their fellowservants also and their brethren, that should be killed as they were, should be fulfilled" (Rev. 6:10-11).
God advises, just a little more time, until others should be martyred for the witness of Jesus. Then, a spectacular event will take place. Christ talked about this. When referring to the Tribulation, He said:
"And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect's sake those days shall be shortened" (Matt. 24:22).
Shortened by what? How will God cut off the Tribulation and bring this terrible set of events to an end? The Tribulation will end with the glorious return of Jesus Christ. It is the light at the end of the tunnel, and it should give you great hope, particularly if you are reading these words during the days of the Tribulation. You are soon to witness a marvelous event:
"And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and He that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He does judge and make war. His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on His head were many crowns; and He had a name written, that no man knew, but He Himself. And He was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood and His name is called The Word of God. And the armies which were in heaven followed Him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean. And out of His mouth goes a sharp sword, that with it He should smite the nations: and He shall rule them with a rod of iron: and He treads the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. And He has on His vesture and on His thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS" (Rev. 19:11-16).
This is the picture of an event that will be the crowning moment in history. It is the glorious return of Jesus Christ. It is the Second Coming of the King of Kings. So I have a promise for you. If you are still around by the end of the Tribulation, I will get the chance to meet you. I will be part of the army of saints that returns with Jesus Christ. That will be the end of this dreadful period of time called "Jacob's trouble" (Jer. 30:7).
John gives us the picture of Christ coming back in power and great glory. Believe me, the Christ that you will see at the end of the Tribulation will not be the stranger of Galilee.
He trod in old Judea Life's pathway long ago The people thronged about Him His saving grace to know He healed the broken hearted He caused the blind to see And still His great heart yearneth In love for even me.
That sweet poem is an accurate picture of Christ during the days of His earthly ministry. But now He comes as King of Kings and Lord of Lords. His vesture is dipped in blood; a sword comes out of His mouth for the judgment of the nations. With Him comes an army. Who is in that army? Well, Jude quotes Enoch, and says:
". . .Behold, the Lord comes with ten thousands of His saints" (Jude 14).
And who is a saint? Each of us who have believed the Gospel of Jesus Christ are saints of God, hagios, holy ones. Why are we thought of as perfectly holy saints in the sight of God? Answer: positional sanctification, imputed righteousness. The righteousness of Christ becomes ours when we believe the Gospel. We will be part of that Divine army that returns with Jesus Christ.
What will happen then? At the return of Jesus Christ, He will depose the devil. The devil will be cast into the bottomless pit, where he will be kept a prisoner, in chains, for a thousand years.
Christ will totally destroy the power of the Antichrist. The Antichrist and the False Prophet, the man who ran the religious system for the Antichrist, will both be thrown into the lake of fire. There they will be tormented forever and ever, world without end.
Incidentally, they will still be in the lake of fire after 1,000 years, at the end of the Millennium. At that time, the devil will join them in the lake of fire.
Jesus Christ will establish His Kingdom in the world when He comes back again. So look: this is the time for courage. It is the time for patience. It is the time to hold out against the dreadful things of the world, because Christ is coming back, and He will be your deliverer. He will bring to pass an end of the Tribulation and the advent of His glorious Kingdom.
What conclusion should we draw? If you're reading this during the Day of Grace, believe the Gospel of Jesus Christ and accept Him as your personal Savior while there is still time.
If you haven't done that in time, and have missed the Rapture, believe and never fail to embrace the Gospel of the Kingdom. Be strong in the Lord, be resolute for Christ. Look for Christ as your returning Messiah, and realize that you have the opportunity to be a witness, an exponent for Him, in one of the most remarkable eras in the history of the universe. We are going to meet; I intend to be in that army when Christ comes back again, and we'll meet in that glorious hour so as to ever be with the Lord. Don't miss being a part of God's great program.
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