Populus Zion

In the Garden when God promised that the Christ would come and deliver his people, Adam and Eve expected the promise to be fulfilled immediately. In fact, Eve thought at first that Cain was the Christ-child. What a disappointment Cain turned out to be. Ten generations later Noah’s father also thought that his newborn son would be the Messiah, “This one will bring us relief from our work and from the painful toil of our hands” (Gen 5:29). But Noah was not the Christ, though God did use him to save a remnant of humanity from the destruction of the flood. Eve and Noah’s father were wrong about the timeline, but they were right to believe that God would keep his promise.

And so, as the centuries passed and faithful believers kept the hope of the promise alive, the mockers and scoffers were always present to ask, “If the Messiah hasn’t come in several thousand years, why should we believe he’ll ever come? God’s promise is simply a fairy tale for children and simple-minded people.” But every word of God is true. And in the fullness of time, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law (Gal 4:4–5). Jesus came to earth to his own people, but they did not recognize him as their Messiah. Instead, they condemned him to death and executed him as a common criminal. But having been raised from the dead, Jesus promised that he would return on the Last Day to judge the world and usher the faithful into a new heaven and a new earth.

As we know, these things took place over two-thousand years ago. Once again, just as St. Peter predicted, scoffers have come in the last days with scoffing, following their own sinful desires, and saying, “Where is the promise of his coming? For ever since the fathers fell asleep, all things are continuing as they were from the beginning of creation” (2 Peter 3:3–4). No one knew the exact time of our Lord’s first coming, and no one knows the day or hour of his return. But Jesus tells us this: “As it was in the days of Noah, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. For as in those days before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day when Noah entered the ark, and they were unaware until the flood came and swept them all away, so will be the coming of the Son of Man” (Matthew 24:37–38).

When you look at the world, we see all the things happening today that were happening at the time of Noah. The world is consumed with the business of life and refuses to heed the warning that the Day of Judgment is coming. It was this way in the days of Noah. For one-hundred years Noah faithfully built his ark, while his neighbors mocked and laughed at what they thought was a crazy old man. But God kept his promise and the flood did come. Several thousand years later, God kept his promise and the Savior came. And now it has been another two-thousand years. You can be sure of one thing: God will keep his promise, and Christ will return.

Jesus tells us that there will be two responses to his coming on the Last Day: The nations of the earth will be in anguish and distress. People will be fainting, or, more accurately, expiring, with fear and foreboding of what is coming on the world (Luke 21:25–26). But to all believers, Jesus says, “When these things begin to take place, straighten up and raise your heads, because your redemption is drawing near” (Luke 21:28). The end of all things will be a time of terror for the nations of this world. Those who are not prepared to meet Christ, those who did not look for his appearing with longing and expectation, will be in dismay. But for the Church of God, this will be the greatest day of rejoicing. Our Lord returns to end all suffering forever. The heavenly bridegroom comes at last to bring his beloved bride home. Rejoice and be glad, because your redemption is drawing near!

Unbelieving skeptics will try to poke holes in Jesus’ words. “How will every eye see him coming in the clouds when we live on all sides of the globe?” This is the foolish wisdom of man. On the last day the whole universe and earth will be completely changed beyond anything that we can comprehend with our present notions of time and space. The sky will be rolled up like a scroll, and the heavenly bodies will be burned up and dissolved. The earth and all its works will be laid bare, and then we shall be caught up in the air to meet our Lord.

Does this sound like a fairy tale? Perhaps, it does, measured against human experience. But these words are a promise from God. This day is coming. As surely as God became a man, entered our time and space, and suffered and died, so he will return to end time, and to abolish suffering and death. When the night is darkest, when the world least expects it, then Jesus will suddenly appear without warning, as a thief in the night.

So Jesus warns his church, “Watch yourselves lest your hearts be weighed down with dissipation and drunkenness and cares of this life and that day come upon you suddenly like a trap” (Luke 21:34). Why would Jesus warn us unless there was a very real danger? Take these words to heart. How many followers of Christ have become weighed down with the cares of this world? What about you? Have you lost sight of your focus on Jesus and his return? We are not citizens of this world. This is not our true home. It’s easy to forget. It’s easy to get caught up in the rat-race of bills and credit cards and ballet practice. Think about this: When was the last time you considered the imminent return of Christ with longing? When was the last time you prayed “Come, Lord Jesus!” If this cry is not in your heart and mind, perhaps you have become weighed down with the trappings of the world. Repent. Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moss and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal (Mt 6:19). Do not labor for the bread that perishes, but for the bread that gives eternal life (Jn 6:27). The only thing that matters in this life is being prepared to meet Jesus when he returns.

What does it mean to be prepared? It means to be in the faith, to trust in the salvation that Jesus accomplished in his first coming, and to look for his second coming with joy. At the end of his life, right before he was beheaded, the Apostle Paul wrote, “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. And now there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will award to me on that day, and not only to me but also to all who have loved his appearing” (2 Tim 4:7–8).

Dear Christians, this promise is for you. Joy unspeakable awaits all who watch and wait for our Lord’s appearing. On that day the division between heaven and earth will be abolished. New Jerusalem, the City of God, descends from heaven. Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man, and he will dwell with them, and they will be his people. And he will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away (Rev 21:3–4). He who was once spit upon, scourged bloody, mocked, and crucified will come in a cloud with power and great glory. And all the saints on earth and those who have preceded us in death cry out, “How long, O Lord? Even so, come Lord Jesus!” Amen.