The Hope We Confess: The Great Comfort of an ENDING with Christ which is our BEGINNING!

Dear Assembly of Master, the Deliverer, the Anointed One, congregation of our Lord Jesus Christ,

For 37 Sunday evenings we have covered the heart of the witness to God and His great saving acts - that we are witness to this world! Simple enough this gospel approach to the Holy Scripture - to get the character purposes of God, the problem of of both Satan and human evil and brokenness and suffering and God’s solution accomplished in Christ and applied now by the Holy Spirit through the Church. And we saw last week that because this is being worked out in a world at war with God and His gospel - the role of civil government - no afterthought but tied up with God overruling all things, including the nations we live in - for His church to triumph and the gospel to get to every last one who will be saved in every corner of this earth, all through history! And so too as we come to the last article you may tempted to think OK - so much to say about God in the past and God in this age - how he is toward us, but now just come to the end, and this article starting with the Words Finally … when made it through all that now done. But we need to understand that when the Scripture tell us of the END the ESCHATON - from where we get category of the Teaching of the Last Things - Eschatology - that the Bible use the word end with a double meaning!

A. The End is more than the Finish Line, It’s the Goal on the Other Side

First of all it does simply mean that life on earth doesn’t go on forever as we think it does every morning from the beginning of time. It means that things in this present world and age, are going to come to a place where nothing more happens. Our world and sometimes our experience gets us to think - life is just random events, kind of a cycle births and deaths, where we sail the ships of our lives as if we are all independent scattered captains, and the whole fleet of humanity is really going no where! In that worldview there is point, there is really no history. Remember how you are to thin of this world according to the Bible - character, setting, problem - there really is a plot God is toward this world in creation - he has a plan for it that is tied up with Paradise of Eden that is develop and reach not only a restored garden but also a city. So history from creation involves God’s self in this world and his purposes. But then in the Fall into Sin we also see that God is toward this World, in the story of this Son of God, Jesus Christ becoming fully human - redeeming and restoring us, we’ve seen that He by His resurrection and the gift of His Spirit is moving all things to restoration Acts 3:20 -21

Acts 3:20–21 ESV

that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord, and that he may send the Christ appointed for you, Jesus, whom heaven must receive until the time for restoring all the things about which God spoke by the mouth of his holy prophets long ago.

That’s what the church is as the first fruit , this spiritual kingdom on earth before fullness. The kingdom of God is inaugurate, its started but it until the end ever just barely arriving - and all Christian leaching and living is a preparation for the LAST AND DECISIVE END!

This is what makes history really his story - we’re not just caught up in a recurring cycles or a chaotic play of forces. This is what the second sense of the word end means in the Bible, not just times up , but time has been brought to the place where the Creation now reaches is Goal. And so history including your story is the the process by which the whole history is aiming! There is no history without the TELOS, the goal to which everything is moving! You may think that it is silly for us to confess not only what God is and what He has done, but that which hasn’t yet happened - how and why should we witness to each other, to our neighbours , and world - this article of faith of the CHRISTIAN”S HOPE - the Great and Ultimately Comforting Last Judgment?

Most people think of Judgment Day, which I really believe 90% of humanity knows at some deep even subconscious level, there will be a final reckoning, while 10% suppress that truth and just put blinders on their conscience and heart as God reveals Himself to all. But even in Christian circles, Judgment Day, the Last Day, has been so taught with so much speculation that the real horror of Judgment by God unto Hell and the real deepest comfort of Judgment unto Eternal Life has been completely overshadowed by speculations of what will happen on earth just before that Day. But then our Confession and this is our 2nd point is very careful and modest:

B. The Belgic has a Modest Biblical, not Speculative, Explanation of Christ’s Return

Did you notice that, there is no mention of Israel, or Palestine, there is not even a mention in here of heaven and hell and what they are like, the millenium is not mentioned - there is no apocalyptic speculation put simply the most renowned commentator Koopmans - says teaching of end summarized in two words: Jesus Comes. And you and i need to major on the events and significance of His Coming.

i. The Timing of Christ’s Return

And here is something surprising the first thing we can say is that we know when Jesus will return. I don’t mean the date. Jesus says, no man, not even Christ in his humanity knows the hour of the Second Return. Paul following Jesus says in Thessalonian letters, big problem if Christian become lazy in doing the major part of Christian living, become lazy - predicting the date, and playing pin-the-tale on the man of lawlessness, pin-the tail on the anti-Christ. What was Jesus command, yes know the times and signs of the season we live in . Many antichrists gone out already in the Apostle time and will to the end, yes - but not so you and I will get the timetable and match it to the newspaper events, - no watchful so we will be ready. And here comes the big surprise, I know when Jesus is coming back , it’s when all the number of all the elect is complete! In other words when the last convert experience the new birth -places their trust in Christ repents - so Jesus loses none of those that God granted to Him, And this tells us what our focus in there days should be - that last convert could be your son or daughter, could be a grand child or neice or nephew, could be neighbours just moving in next door. Jesus parables about the end all about - us being found -doing the Christian life and witness, faithful preaching, worship , and outreach. But then we also must note the hope in the manner...

ii. Hope in the Manner of Christ’s Second Return

Again if what stick s out in your mind about Christ’s return - is the science fiction, freaky events just before it, you are not major on what the Scripture major on. Don’t you remember what the Angel announced at Christ’ Ascension. Do you believe in the incarnation God the Son really joined his divine nature with our human nature, do you believe in the crucifixion - real took on your human punishment, wrath … resurrection in our human nature raised up to fuller life , ascension in heaven with our human nature fulling Adam’s job prophet of humanity, priest of humanity, king; then you should understand the greatest thing about the End. Its not just God is going to come down to earth and heaven and earth be one. No, it is the Resurrected Jesus, the Jesus who is both human and divine - our Emmanuel. Don’t you remember all of history is about God being toward us, in Creation, in Redemption - Christ hasn’t stopped being human or before us in this in-between time, we are only a people on the way, in this broken world. The Kingdom says Jesus right not is not here or there, its’ ever a mustard see, only spiritually present in our midst, The kingdom is not trapped in the world as it is now. That’s the problem of gospel that is just about this life, and my felt needs, and horizontally trying to repair all the brokenness on our own. No the Kingdom is coming and the fulness of the End, only come when Christ comes from heaven bodily and visibly

Notice that is not a secret and hidden Return of Christ, where doesn't touch the ground, and steals away believers and then sends tribulation and then a millennial kingdom where he rules but the world is still full of death and evil. No consistently the NT describes the Second only the Second Comping of Christ - as One huge public event -. And that events is consistently described as Christ coming with the New Jerusalem, the church above with him, and the church below - caught up in that glory cloud - That word, rapture - parousia and military word for what happens - when Military victory goes to visit town - and the citizens, come out to meet - but not a one way event meet that King and then welcome into their city! That's WHAT IS DESCRIBED IN 1 Thessalonians 4 THE JUDGMENT AND THAT RETURN OF THE KING INTO HIS RECLAIMED TERRITORIY OF EARTH - ALL ONE EVENT. That’s also what is described in Daniel 12, after the time of trouble - the One End Times resurrection to life and the one end time resurrection to everlasting destruction.

It is so central to understanding to what happens in the very end. Resurrection. Already in the OT Job, already in Psalms, in the prophets; but in Christ’s resurrection - changes everything - some who have already died - bodily raised and experience resurrection - bodies that will experience fulness of blessing only known spiritually before, but not physically and bodily in renew heaven and earth brought to one, or bodies experience fulness of curse and punishment in hell, It’s the Resurrection that will bring us to that.

And for those who are a live at the Return of Christ, when the dead are raised up and resurrected all at once first, then those who are living on earth at the time of Christ’s return, we will be caught up with Christ, and we will transformed in that moment from mortality, and perishable existence - like rotten eggs - brokenness tainted - but listen to how 1 Cor 15:51-53 put it:

1 Corinthians 15:51–53 ESV

Behold! I tell you a mystery. We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed. For this perishable body must put on the imperishable, and this mortal body must put on immortality.

That Day of Judgment before what Revelation calls the Great White throne.. which brig a final hell and a final restoration to this world -when that is all described consistently in the OT and NT as the Last Day! And this the third description of the Event as One of Judgment unto Ultimate Terror or Ultimate Comfort!

iii. Christ’s Return is One of Judgment to either Ultimate Terror or Ultimate Comfort!

Here we come to to the hardest part of the Christian hope. Not hard to understand, but hard to accept about the depth of the problem and the radical solution that is needed! Judgment isn’t a bad word in the OT or the NT. Its more like what we think of the good of justice in the last years as social justice on a cosmic scale. When you think of all the injustice in this world, residential schools, blatant and systemic prejudice that values life of one skin colour over another, think individually on the level of what happened on the 400 someone wanting more drinks gets in the car and criminally kills 3 children and their grand father leaving a bereft mother. Think of all the injustice committed in this world, and what you got to understand is that judgment is a sign that evil doesn’t get to run its course in this universe. God responds to it. Judgment means that their is meaning toward which all history is heading. And everything will be judged as it measured against the goal God has set for human history.

Now even though we have a deep yearning for justice and evil to be redressed, we are uneasy about this because we know, the injustices in this world run in our lives too, and most of them not only secret to other people, but secret even to ourselves. But look at the goal first announced in the confession with the coming of the Judge, the Father commits it to he Son , and then when the Son has accomplished this judgment new beginning turns it over to the Father because goal accomplished but first judgment must accomplish this:

… our Lord Jesus Christ will come from heaven, bodily and visibly, as he ascended, with great glory and majesty, to declare himself the judge of the living and the dead. He will burn this old world, in fire and flame, in order to cleanse it. THE BELGIC CONFESSION Art. 37

No matter how old fashion it may sound - no matter how scary it may be to you and me that this judgment will consign so many in their unbelief to eternal damnation, it would be very bad news if there was no judgment in this world. If God just let history run its course and evil to triumph, and he just leaves the stage of human history - and won’t be a God who will live us!

Biblically this means history is moving toward the fulness of the Kingdom of God. That moment when as Revelation puts it: The kingdom of this world become the Kingdom of our God and of His Christ, and he shall reign forever and ever. That moment is described after all the great tribulations, then and its so consistent with the final trumpet call that speaks of the final judgment: Revelation 11:15 Here is the third and final woe:

Revelation 11:15 ESV

Then the seventh angel blew his trumpet, and there were loud voices in heaven, saying, “The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ, and he shall reign forever and ever.”

Do you get that kingdom of God comes in its fulness only when the final judgment has happened, and death and and all evil has been done away with. There is no earthly political return of Christ to rebuild a Jewish temple. As the Reformers in others of their confession made clear - the Jewish dream of a military golden age of God’s people on earth - battling and conquering the evil Gentiles is heresy. Look at Rev 11:18

Revelation 11:18 ESV

The nations raged, but your wrath came, and the time for the dead to be judged, and for rewarding your servants, the prophets and saints, and those who fear your name, both small and great, and for destroying the destroyers of the earth.”

This is not a vindictive God with out of control disproportionate rage - No, this is the living God who in perfect justice must sweep clean all unrighteousness and violence. Evil must be rooted out of the whole creation. God’s coming kingdom can have no evil in it, for it is a perfect kingdom of love! When the End comes - all will be well!

What happens in this judgment? Every single person that God created in body and soul in His image - we will all appear before His great throne - and yes this is so real - not just for those who are gross doers of evil but all evil doers, destroy the earth God intended. the life he intended - don’t murder but you hate, don’t … Before the living God, see what a tremendous treason defying God living for self and not him - really is - and those books, our conscience if we are not in Christ will undo us before Him.

But why, dear people is this good news? Hieronymus Bosch's The Last Judgment or those on Christ’s left hand in Michelangelo's Sistine chapel. When we are made transparent to our selves before God - we feel that condemnation! Horrible and dreadful without Christ.

But here is the Christina sure and precious hope that we must declare to the world The Last Judgment is extreme reality, but now here the extreme comfort:

C. The Final Judgment is Pure Gospel to Believers

But it is very pleasant and a great comfort to the righteous and elect since their total redemption will then be accomplished. This whole sermon I’ve waiting to tell you the good good news.

You and I in the End will face that reckoning, but as our works examined - we will look up and guess what The Judge is our Saviour! Aren’t you glad that the Father committed this judgment to Him. This Judge looks at us and despite our past, He has a future for us because as that Koopmans puts it: Jesus broke the power of the past by His Cross and Resurrection.”

This I think is the greatest legal drama thriller in the history of the world. You will be standing before the judge - and this One who is no distant ruler but closer than a brother who shared not only our skin, but wrestled with each of our temptations, and he wept and struggled with us this one who was crucified for my sin and yours; He will look at us with those penetrating eyes of fire that know all - And he will declare with such a smile - relax - the last judgment has already fallen on you in Me. I took it all for you! Do you get that the last judgment isn’t just something that we are waiting with for the the world, no for the believer it has already taken place. Our sin has been judged, He took all the pain and separation for us. Full satisfaction?! And with His righteousness as our righteousness, its not like we are going to need another justification - where God is going to say OK I saved you once, but now I justify you again on the basis of good works you’ve done since then. No - on that day, our justification in Christ once for all, now vindicated! And with our evil works and nature completely covered in Christ, He will only look upon us and He will crown, He will regard whatever good works we’ve done in His name - according to His law, but with true love to Him not self, and empowered by His Spirit, He will judge those works and crown the grace He worked on our lives below.

And when that day comes and we pass that judgment, according to Matthew 10:32

Matthew 10:32 ESV

So everyone who acknowledges me before men, I also will acknowledge before my Father who is in heaven,

Consistent with the promise to the church at Pergamum who suffered but witnessed to His name, the Lord will give us that white stone with a new name known only to the LORD and you. He will confess your name with all the believers before the Father and the holy and elect angels. He will wipe every tear from our eyes - and the cause the goal of Christ will be acknowledge as what we are to have been living for and all creation will acknowledged it!

And look what they are saying in heaven as God not only takes up his power and begins the new reign of the new heavens and the new earth - this too after the third woe the 7th trumpet - Rev 11:17

Revelation 11:17 ESV

saying, “We give thanks to you, Lord God Almighty, who is and who was, for you have taken your great power and begun to reign.

Do you get it - its no longer the Lord God Almighty who is and was and IS TO COME. The End has come there is no greater moment to be waiting for, the new era the new creation has come in fullness. And God now like never before will have His dwelling with His purified and redeemed, now resurrected and consummated creation: Isn’t that how the Bible ends but that’s really the new beginning: Rev 21:3

Revelation 21:3 ESV

And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God.

Do you understand the gracious reward of the end if you are in Christ, the Confession passes over all the details and speculations of both the very last days and of what exactly heaven is going to be like - to dwell on this one point. Like Paul in 1 Thessalonians 4. Not speaking of a temporary rapture, but Christ’s final coming and look what Paul says is the great Chrsitain hope and our comfort!

1 Thess 4:17-18

1 Thessalonians 4:17–18 ESV

Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord. Therefore encourage one another with these words.

Can you sing it we will always be, we will always be we always be with the Lord. Not I will always be, but we in community with our Triune God. That communion is the heart of it. Biblical theologian Gerardus Vos, son of CRC farmer parents but became prof at Calvin then at Westminister seminary. Father of modern Biblical Theology is so right. so many of these prophesies of what happens in the very last days, will only be known in retrospect - think of it who could have figured out Christ's first coning and how all those prophesies would be fulfilled, even as events that seems crystal clear fulfillment to us - unknown to most disciplined believers who were taught by the Lord, It shouldn't surprise us that though we get the gist of these end times that the details may largely be surprises to us. Jesus will come like a thief in the night, when we least expect it. And the question isn’t whether you have the timing and the manner of His coming worked out, but whether as Jesus said - you will be living in this faith, testifying of it, faithful to it.

The pre-millennial teaching of the millennial kingdom with three or five fold returns to the earth is not biblical and the dispensational iteration of it from the last 200 years, started with predictions of the date of Christ return and such a fascination with those end times events and identifying current political figures and nations - that the whole thing came to be driven by fear. But Paul’s last word there - are about how the Christian glorious Hope - the Judgment Day - not stir fear in true believers but great great comfort. Anticipation so we call out Come Lord Jesus Come, Restore All things Even Me.

Conclusion: At the end of the day - the Last Judgment is going to be about resurrection. Resurrection to eternal life, which believers only have in part now, or resurrection to eternal what … damnation. And that is what the Lord will we will see is also nothing but hope for anyone in Christ. Rev 20 will teach us during this time of Christ’s reign from heaven - the martyrs who stand for all true believers, they will die and they who have not bowed to the beast or its image - who are marked with seal of God, and not of Satan - they will experience what the first resurrection on their death - their souls will be raised immediately to be with the Lord. They reign with Him there until the second resurrection. They have been through the first physical death and have no fear of the second death of guilty judgment on Judgment Day. Rev 20:4-5

Revelation 20:4–5 ESV

Then I saw thrones, and seated on them were those to whom the authority to judge was committed. Also I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for the testimony of Jesus and for the word of God, and those who had not worshiped the beast or its image and had not received its mark on their foreheads or their hands. They came to life and reigned with Christ for a thousand years. The rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were ended. This is the first resurrection.

And the converse of this is that those who die without the seal of God, who have been deceived to have lived without Christ and have followed the devices of their own hearts in bondage and bleonging to the Satan - they will die the first death - physical laid low like we have, but they don’t rise to begin the first part of eternal life with the Lord immediate, they go in their spirit to place of punishment. But then the last day comes and look what happens: Rev 20:14-15

Revelation 20:14–15 ESV

Then Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire. And if anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.

It’s described again in Rev 21:8

Revelation 21:8 ESV

But as for the cowardly, the faithless, the detestable, as for murderers, the sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars, their portion will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death.”

DO get it there is a first death and first resurrection that happen during this age. And the second death and the second resurrection happen in the age to come. There is a first death that will bring unbelievers to justice after death, and their is a second death that at the Last Day will bring them to the fullness of physical and spiritual torment, eliminating all evil from the world in which God and His people will delight in forever. And so there is a first Resurrection in this age, for believers, its changed the first death for us into an entrance into the life everlasting, and their is a second Resurrection when receiving glorified bodies like our Lords, body and soul we will enter into, not an earthly kingdom with an earthly temple, or ak kingdom of Christ where there is still evil and death and sickness. But that new resurrected world where all things are reconciled to Christ and He is all and in all!

Do you get it now? We don’t need all the details. Like Galileo writing a letter to Duchess Christina - the Bible doesn’t tell us how the heavens go , they tell us how to get to heaven. So too the book of Revelation and the whole Bible they don’t tell us what the last days are exactly liken or what the new heavens and the new earth are like - they tell us how to get there and they give deepest brightest hope as we journey in the direction God is bringing all history! SO Paul says, I saw the seventh heaven can’t describe it. He says: 1 Cor 2:9

1 Corinthians 2:9 ESV

But, as it is written, “What no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man imagined, what God has prepared for those who love him”—

Trust him and his good news. Don’t let your hearts be troubled, I go and prepare a place for you - that where I am ,there you will also be. And so with Paul we can say it: We will always be we will always be will always be with the Lord! Amen.