God Knows…When I Wonder About the Future – Part 2
Jesus described His second coming to this earth. “They will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory” (Matthew 24:30). The next time Jesus comes to Earth he will not arrive as a baby, but as a King. “He will send His angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they will gather together His elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other” (verse 31).
God’s angels have always helped Him by obeying His commands and by caring for His people (Psalm 91:11). As Jesus sits on His throne at His second coming, He will send the angels to every part of the world to gather those who have loved and obeyed Him. He desires them with Him to enjoy the wonderful rewards He has prepared.
Jesus wanted His disciples to remember that He would come again. He also wanted them to remember HOW He would come. Later on, at the moment He returned to heaven, angels came to remind them: “This same Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will so come in like manner as you saw Him go into heaven” (Acts 1:11).
Several years later when a follower of Jesus named Paul wrote a letter to some of his friends who lived in the city of Thessalonica, he reminded them of Jesus’ words: “For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord” (1 Thessalonians 4:16-17).
The disciple John wrote about Jesus’ coming: “Behold, He is coming with clouds, and every eye will see Him” (Revelation 1:7).
An Example
Jesus helped the disciples see more of the picture. He said, “As the days of Noah were, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be. For as in the days before the flood, they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, and did not know until the flood came and took them all away, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be.”
The people before the Flood wanted a good time. They didn’t care if what they did was wicked or not. They didn’t want anyone to remind them about God. Many people today are looking for what they call a good time. They, too, would rather not be reminded of Jesus. They don’t realize that real, true happiness comes from friendship with Him.
The disciple Peter warned us that in the last days there would be scoffers, saying, “Where is the promise of His coming?...All things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation” (2 Peter 3:4).
Peter went on to say, “The Lord is not slack concerning His promise (2 Peter 3:9). God IS longsuffering. He wants to give everyone an opportunity to choose to be on His side. Peter adds, “Nevertheless we, according to His promise, look for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells. Therefore, beloved, looking forward to these things, be diligent to be found by Him in peace, without spot and blameless” (2 Peter 3:13-14).
So the good news for this old world is that it’s not going to go on forever down the path it is headed—running out of resources, destroying environment, cowering in fear of war and crime, risking health hazards, quieting conscience. God has a better plan. Anyone who accepts His plan for the present will be ready to delight in His plan for the future. It will be heavenly!
Your Story Hour
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Berrien Springs, MI 49103
1-800-987-8854 (USA)
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For more information about this ministry please visit their website YourStoryHour.org or listen to their radio program on OnePlace.com.
