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Patient unto the Coming of the Lord

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Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Dec 7, 1916

FromReview and Herald, Vol. 93, No. 60.

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Patient unto the Coming of the Lord

By F. M. W.

REPEATEDLY in the Scriptures the church of Christ is exhorted patiently to wait for the coming of the Lord. The apostle James declares that in the same way as the husbandman waits for the maturing of his harvest, and “hath long patience for it, until he receive the early and latter rain,” so Christians also are to be patient, establishing their hearts, for the coming of the Lord draweth near. James 5:7, 8. The Master admonishes his followers to watch because they know not what hour the Lord will come. Matt. 24:42. He then cites the illustration of the good man of the house being surprised and overtaken by the thief because, not knowing at what hour the thief would come, he had neglected to keep faithful vigil, and then he draws this conclusion: “Be ye also ready; for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh.”
Whether the coming here has particular reference to the coming of the Son of man to judgment as marked by the close of probation, or to his coming in the clouds of heaven, makes no particular difference. The two are so intimately connected that the principle is true as applied to either event. We cannot figure out by any method of calculation when the Lord will come. We cannot say with assurance that he will come next year, five years hence, or ten years hence. Nor is it proper that we should predict that the Lord will come within any specified period. Indeed, the Scriptures plainly declare, “Of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only.”
The Master does give us certain signs by which we may know his coming is near. He tells us of phenomena which will be witnessed in the heavens, of conditions which will exist in the physical, social, political, industrial, and religious worlds. When we see these conditions existing, we may know that his coming is near, even at the door, the same as we may know that summer is near when we see the trees putting forth their leaves. We may even go so far in our assurance as to state, upon the authority of the Scriptures of truth, that the generation which sees these conditions shall not pass away till all things are fulfilled. Matt. 24:32-34; Luke 21:25-32. But it is not for us to seek to set the bounds of the generation. The Bible affords no definite data as to the exact length of a generation. And even if it did, there is no data by which we may tell when “this generation” spoken of by our Saviour in Matt. 24:34 definitely begins.
If we can be led to fix our eyes upon the time and to begin conjuring dates so that we shall forget the great purpose of the movement with which we are connected in the salvation of mankind, Satan will be well pleased. This was the temptation placed before the church of the first century. Their eyes were fastened upon the time of the kingdom rather than upon the work of the kingdom. And this was true even after the resurrection of the Lord. The disciples came to him and said, “Lord, wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel?” The Saviour in his answer seeks to turn their minds away from the consideration of the time to the work he had given them to do. “He said unto them, It is not for you to know the times or the seasons, which the Father hath put in his own power. But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.” Acts 2:6-8.
The lesson is for us who live today. The Master has given us a knowledge of the times in which we live. He has given us specific signs by which we may know that his coming is near; but he has not revealed the day nor the year nor the decade of his coming. He has revealed only the generation, and he has given us no data by which we may determine its exact beginning. We only know this, that we are living in the generation of which he speaks, and that men and women living on the earth today will behold the coming of the King in majesty and power. Let us not seek to go beyond that which is written, and make predictions which may bring to us at a future time confusion and shame.
By no course of reasoning or of conduct are we to say, even in our hearts, “My Lord delayeth his coming.” Let us be careful not to be drawn into the false security of this deception. The signs of that great day are rapidly fulfilling all around us. The great prophetic periods pointing to Christ’s return have nearly all reached their complete fulfilment. It is our privilege to lift up our eyes and rejoice, knowing that our redemption draweth nigh; knowing that those connected with this movement—those who have begun the work of restoration—will live to finish the work. Zech. 4:9. This confidence should prove our joy, and should bring into our lives inspiration and earnestness.
The only way we can hasten the coming of the Lord is by hastening the performance of the work committed to us. In our love for souls, in our eagerness to win them for God, let us learn to love the labor rather than the resting, even as the Lord Jesus in his love for humanity preferred a life of suffering to the glory of heaven, in order that he might be able to ransom lost men and women. Let us be patient unto the coming of the Lord, rejoicing in the work which he gives us to do. F. M. W.