Bible Studies for Life
Associate professor of religion, Department of Religion, Samford University
Jesus Is Coming Again
Matthew 24:9–14,39b–44; Revelation 7:9; 22:12–14
See the End Game (Rev. 22:12–14)
Here Jesus Christ speaks words of assurance to John and to us. Christ will come again soon as judge. He will bring “reward” with Him, literally “wages.” It is impossible for us to discern just how “soon” Christ’s return will be. God’s time is eternal, and the word “eternity” itself means literally “timelessness.” When Paul describes Christ’s return as being “in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye” (1 Cor. 15:52), such eschatological language is not captive to the measurement frame of the solar system. Rather than obsess over when the Consummation will occur, we must focus on our present ministries of bringing the gospel to others.
Verse 14 constitutes the last of seven beatitudes to be found in Revelation (see 1:3, 14:13, 16:15, 19:9, 20:6, 22:7). This final beatitude pronounces blessing on those whose purity is rewarded by admission to eternal life. Their robes are white and pure because of the cleansing power of Christ (Rev. 7:14). The verse stresses their active part in this process: they “wash their robes,” that is, they have kept their witness in spite of persecution.
See that You Are Ready (Matt. 24:39b–44)
These verses emphasize the necessity for watchfulness in view of the unexpectedness of the coming of the Son of Man. We need to be prepared. There will be a division coming, for “one will be taken and the other left.” The thrust of this section is to insure our being ready for His return.
This section concludes with the mini-parable of the burglar. This is one of five parables addressing the Second Coming of Christ. The other four are the parable of the 10 virgins (Matt. 25:1–13), the parable of the porter (Mark 13:34–37), the parable of the servants (Matt. 24:45–51), and the parable of the talents (Matt. 25:14–30). The comparison of an unexpected event with a thief breaking in is found in 1 Thessalonians 5:2, 2 Peter 3:10, and Revelation 3:3, 16:15.
See that You Are Faithful (Matt. 24:9–14; Rev. 7:9)
In the future, secular catastrophes will come, but they do not announce the end of history. Such will involve the world’s persecution of the church, the pressures which cause brother to betray brother, defection from the church, false prophets deceiving many and lawlessness which undermines the freedom of true love for God. Yet Jesus’ words of encouragement are that “he who endures to the end will be saved.” This reference corresponds with the statements to the churches of Asia Minor, “To him who overcomes I will grant to sit with me on my throne” (Rev. 3:21).
The end of the age will not come, as Jesus stated explicitly, until the gospel of the Kingdom has been preached as a witness of the nations. This is a reference to worldwide evangelism, the proclamation of the gospel to the Gentiles and to all nations of the world. Significantly, all four Gospel writers affirm that Jesus spoke of this worldwide mission. It is consistent with His redemptive ministry to have picked up their last question concerning the end of the age and answer it first.
In John’s Revelation, a “great multitude” embraces the gospel and at the Consummation they stand before the throne “in front of the Lamb.” Every “nation, tribe, people and language” is represented at this glorious moment. The multitude is clothed in white (3:14, 4:4, 6:11). They hold palm branches in their hands, as if celebrating the Feast of Tabernacles (see Lev. 23), and are like the crowd who welcomed Jesus the humble King into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday. In ancient Israel the palm branch was a symbol of victory. These victors carry palm branches not so much to celebrate their own victory as the complete victory of the Lamb. This vision of John is a preview of the final heavenly state of Christians that is described in Revelation 21 and 22.
James Barnette is the teaching pastor of Brookwood Baptist Church, Birmingham.
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