The world is currently in a deep state of crisis. Anyone with a realistic point of view can see deep darkness covering the earth. Terrorism has shaken the entire planet; poverty and disease have seriously affected almost every nation on the earth; nature is reeling with earthquakes, famines and strange weather patterns. Although most do not admit, the problems of the earth are too big for human kind to solve on its own. The planet is in desperate need of a savior.
Jesus said He will come back again a second time, and that He would then establish His world-wide kingdom in Jerusalem that will last for one thousand years. The signs of the times are clear. His return is right around the corner. In light of this, the things of this world grow strangely dim. There is nothing more significant in my eyes than to go to the place of prayer. It is from this foolish position of prayer that God will prepare His Son’s bride – the Church – for His return and release the great end-time revival that will bring countless multitudes to Him just prior to His return.
But prior to Jesus’ Second Coming, there will not only be great revival but also great darkness. The whole world will enter into a time of trouble such as there has never been on the earth. Man’s sin will grow to full maturity, and there will be a Man of Sin, called the Antichrist, who will lead a worldwide false religion and political and economical system that will persecute the Church and Israel and seek to completely destroy them. In this context, the worship and prayer movement around the world will also come to full maturity and the true Church will be victorious and uphold Israel. However, as Jesus stated in Matthew 24 and 25, there will be many who will fall away and will not be ready for His return to the earth. Many will mourn when they see Him riding in the clouds, on a white horse, and when they see their lives coming to nothing if they did not put the First Commandment as the first thing in their lives. All that can be shaken will be shaken and only the eternal will remain.
On that day, I don’t want to mourn.
The Day of His Second Coming is the day of the gladness of His heart. That is the day of humanity’s wedding with God, when those who are saved become fully joined to Him forever in full love and fellowship. Song of Solomon 3:11 describes that this is the happiest day of Jesus’ life! I love Him because He loves me so dearly. Imagine! The day of the gladness of His heart is when we – Him and I – are joined forever without hindrances. On that Day, I want to be able to say, “I loved You to the end! I loved You in life and even unto death!” This is the most important thing to me, right now.
There is no loftier goal.
For the greatest thing in life is to love and to be loved in return.
2 responses so far ↓
Winnie // February 27, 2007 at 8:05 pm |
Great blurb on the 2nd Coming, Ed. It stirs my spirit to give up everything so that I might pursue the knowledge of God and all that is on His heart, so that on the day He returns for good, I can stand steady and unoffended and say, “It was all worth it. You finally came for me”.
In A Nutshell: The End of the Age « Selah // May 12, 2007 at 5:24 pm |
[...] My friend Ed, has written a couple great summaries regarding the Second Coming and the Rapture on his website. I would highly recommend checking it out! Posted by Winnie [...]