Further Study: The Promise of His Return
“Another year has almost passed into eternity. A few more days, and we shall enter a new year. My brethren and sisters, employ wisely the remaining hours of the old year. If you have in any wise neglected your duty, repent before God, and return to the path from which you have wandered. Remember how brief the period of life allotted you. You know not how soon your probation may close. Say not presumptuously, ‘To-day or to-morrow we will go into such a city, and continue there a year, and buy and sell, and get gain.’ God may have different plans for you. Life is but a vapor, ‘that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth.’ You know not how soon your hand may lose its cunning, your step its firmness. There is peril in a moment’s delay. ‘Seek ye the Lord while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near: let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the Lord, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.’”—Ellen G. White,Review and Herald, December 23, 1902.
Discussion Questions:
In class, discuss your answer to Thursday’s final question. Discuss, too, the irony in the fact that the longer we’re here, the easier it is to put off the sense of Christ’s return, and yet the longer we’re here, the closer we come to that return.
What are the reasons that Jesus has not returned yet? Are we responsible for that “delay”? Whether you think “yes” or “no,” how do you justify your answer?
In your mind, what is the greatest reason for trust in the promise of the Second Coming?
Though there’s much debate in science about human origins, many scientists argue that the long-term prospects for humanity, the earth, the universe even, are not good. They predict that the universe is going to burn out or collapse back on itself, leaving no life anywhere. As Seventh-day Adventists, we believe the long-term prospects for the universe are the opposite: they are wonderful. The point is, if science has the end of all things so wrong, why should we trust that its understanding of the beginning of all things is any more accurate? This is especially true when science’s common understanding of the beginning is centered on various forces, including evolution, that deny a Creator or any purposeful design or intention in the creation itself. How much more wrong could it be?
Summary:
We have many very good reasons for trusting in Christ’s return, no matter when it happens.
(0)
The 2nd coming of Jesus is real and we should prepare for it.
The reason for delay is that HE wants you and me to repent. We must live a life that is GOD centred, we want evangeliving more than anything else.
I am heartened by the promise that Christ will come and I am happy that he has not come as yet because it gives me time to put my house in order for his coming and it also gives me time to witness for him. He has not come as yet because there is a work for us to do and we have not finished that work as yet. Go Ye into all the world..... is his commission. Then will the Lord come.
When Christians start to doubt Jesus’ second coming, they are behaving like someone who has eaten some plantains or rice or eddoes and feels he will never feel hungry again. Any person who eagerly waits for Christ’s second coming is an Adventist. Don’t you think so? Every bible Christian should eagerly wait for His eminent coming.
The groom has gone to prepare for the bride’s coming. He went to prepare for the honeymoon and why can’t the bride be happy and patient? - John 14. Jesus came three times to earth: To create it as it is revealed in Genesis; then to redeem it Jesus as the lamb when Adam and Eve had sinned; thirdly to redeem man on Calvary. He is however expected another time. This fourth time will be when he comes to collect the saved ones but in this time His feet will not touch the ground. Paul brings out astounding evidence in 1 Corinthians:15:22. He noted that the dead in Christ rise first. We don’t need a theological mind to understand Paul here. Someone said that when we die our spirits travel very fast to heaven but Jesus will only come to get those lifeless bodies, take them to heaven to be given their earlier departed spirits and thereafter, they will come back to life. That isn’t true. If that were the case, Jesus wouldn’t have wasted His time to come again.
In Mathew and Luke, Jesus made a nice prophecy concerning His second coming. People have waited. I remember as a young man in Y2K I couldn’t sleep since Jesus was coming. In 1993 during the gulf war, many said that was the time. When Saddam Hussein was attacked, many thought the same. By 1944, many thought Christ’s coming was eminent given the untold effects of the Second World War etc. Many people including earlier Adventists lost hope onetime in 1844 and it has always been when Believers start doubting that Jesus appears. Delay and forgetting are very significant to Christians or believers. No wonder, given its importance, God stresses of all the commandments that His followers should endeavor to remember to keep the Sabbath day holy.
Let’s look at delay. Moses delayed at the mountain and immediately he was forgotten and the children of Israel made themselves a golden calf, Moses appeared. When the foolish virgins started slumbering, that is the time the bride arrived. In 1 Samuel 10:8 Samuel gives Saul instructions but lo and behold in Samuel 13:8 Saul felt Samuel had delayed. He felt he had waited for long and decided to take things in his own way, immediately after in Vs 10, Samuel arrived. What happened? Saul lost his kingdom. Can’t failure to wait make us also to lose our heavenly kingdom? The children of Israel who couldn’t wait for Moses, were judged and punished there by losing their lives. In the last days, delay will have to be experienced. Hebrews 10:37-39. Do you remember the scoffers of Peter’s time? Habakkuk 2:3 strengthens me. There is a time and that time will come brethren. To mosquitoes, ten years are very many but to a human being, 10 years are nothing. Likewise, if to God one day is equivalent to 1000 years, why should we complain. In God’s sight, since Jesus was crucified; it’s hardly three years. Imagine! The good news is that many of what he promised has already started happening. Have a blessed Sabbath.
I like the way you think, Wangija. Thanks for sharing your thoughts with us.
Thanks Wangika. That gives me more reason to keep on waiting.
It has been a powerful quarter (Glimpses of Our God). Looking forward to the next study guide.
Until the character of Christ is fully reflected in us,only will He come.
I like your comments; thanx for sharing. As Adventist, people waiting for the second coming of our Lord Jesus, we should be ready at any time, despite the delay we should put our trust in Him because he will never lie... And as our next lesson is evangelism I think we should do our part also thats of sharing the Gospel and the three Angel's messange...He is coming again and very soon... the Big question is; are we ready to meet him? How prepared are we? God bless and help us prepare.