ANTICIPATED BY BELIEVERS
Throughout the history of the Church the return of Christ to this earth has been the expectation and hope of the believer, even part of the proclamation of the Church. What are some of the characteristics of this anticipation.
One, the anticipation that the teaching of Scripture will be proven to be true. The believer believes in the Book that claims to be the Word of God, that is, the one and only book of Revelation. It is a book that cannot be proven by rational processes but must be accepted by faith prior to any real spiritual comprehension of the book. The world calls this foolishness, but the believer understands it to be the power of God. The return of Christ will vindicate belief in the Book.
Two, the expectation of seeing Jesus—just the thought is incomprehensible. To appear before the One who knew me before I was born, who came to earth for me, who died for me, who arose for me, who has saved me, the One who is to return and take me to Himself, to appear before Him is to contemplate the indescribable. What a glorious prospect. Can it be?
Three, the realization of the reasoning that there must be something better than this sinful world with its suffering and loss. There is the universal thinking that there should be somewhere sometime a place of bliss and peace. In the words the Scriptures, there must be a new heaven and a new earth, in which dwells righteousness, a paradise. There must be a heavenly city, whose builder and maker is God. To ponder the return of Christ is to think of the New Jerusalem.
Four, the desire for justice in the universe. Currently, there is none or very little. The good man suffers and the evil person triumphs. So long ago the psalmist made this identical observation. And, with the psalmist, there has been the cry for justice throughout the history of man. It all seems so unfair. Will it ever be made right? We await the Judge of the universe!
Five, vindication of being a believer in Christ. Just as the Scriptures themselves need to be vindicated so does the life of the one who has believed in the teaching of the Scriptures; and to believe in their teaching is to believe in the Person and Work of Christ. And He is the very Person that the world cannot accept because He claims to be the God-Man, and that claim brings condemnation to every man who does not accept Him and His salvation. But for the few who follow the straight and narrow way, they await confirmation.
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