The Purpose of His Coming by L. L. C.

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Feb 24, 1916

The Purpose of His Coming

By L. L. C.

The Second Advent— No. 3

The Purpose of His Coming

ENOCH, the earliest preacher of the second advent of Christ of whom we have record, gave the purpose of his coming in words quoted in the fourteenth and fifteenth verses of the book of Jude:—

“Behold, the Lord cometh with ten thousands of his saints, to execute judgment upon all, and to convince all that are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have ungodly committed, and of all their hard speeches which ungodly sinners have spoken against him.” Jude 14, 15.

Christ, speaking through the apostle John in the last chapter of the last book in the Bible, gives the same reason:—

“Behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be.” Rev. 22:12.

Paul, in giving his charge to Timothy, begun,— “I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom.” 2 Tim. 4:1.

And he ended with the often-quoted words:—

“I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand. I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith: henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing.” Verses 6-8.

Not only are the righteous to be rewarded, and all men—good and bad, alive and dead—to be judged at his coming, but the world itself is to be restored to its primitive beauty.

“He shall send Jesus Christ, which before was preached unto you: whom the heaven must receive until the times of restitution of all things, which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets since the world began.” Acts 3:20, 21.

A departing friend, if he plans to return, will comfort those whom he is leaving with the hope that they will again have his personal companionship. If he promises that they shall not again be separated, the pain of the temporary separation is very much lessened. When about to leave this world and go to the Father, Christ offered his sorrowing disciples this hope:—

“If I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself, that where I am, there ye may be also.” John 14:3.

In that greatest of human sorrow, the separation made between friends by death, the hope of Christ’s coming offers consolation. The apostle Paul writes all those who mourn:—

“I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him. For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep. For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God; and the dead in Christ shall rise first: then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. Wherefore comfort one another with these words.” 1 Thess. 4:13-18.

When we see the injustice which often prevails in this world, and which it may have been our lot to suffer, we should remember the exhortation addressed to those who are oppressed by the rich men in the days when great fortunes are made by keeping back the hire of the laborers. This is the exhortation which we find in James 5:7, 8:—

“Be patient therefore, brethren, unto the coming of the Lord. Behold, the husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth, and hath long patience for it, until he receive the early and latter rain. Be ye also patient; stablish your hearts: for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh.”

L. L. C.