HE WILL COME AGAIN by F. M. Wilcox

Pacific Press Publishing Company · Mountain View, California · Jan 11, 1905

HE WILL COME AGAIN.

By F. M. Wilcox

BY F. M. WILCOX.

THERE is, perhaps, no one theme in the Sacred Scriptures commanding so much attention as the coming of Christ to this earth. Almost every book of the Bible, and many, indeed, of its chapters, contain some allusion, direct or implied, to this great event. Christ will come again. His coming has been set before the church in all ages as its hope, the fruition of its joys, the culmination of its earnest desires and eager expectations. The Bible opens with a prediction which includes Christ's second advent (Gen. 3 : 15); and the beloved disciple closes the sacred canon with a prayer for the speedy return of his loving Master (Rev. 22 : 20). Prophet and apostle alike have made the coming of Christ in glory the grand central theme of their prophecies and teachings. To Enoch, the seventh from Adam, it stood as an anchor to the soul in the flood-tide of wickedness which sought to overthrow him: “And Enoch also, the seventh from Adam, prophesied of these, saying, Behold, the Lord cometh with ten thousand 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. Job, in his sorrows and afflictions, found comfort in what awaited him at the coming of His Lord: “For I know that my Redeemer liveth, and that He shall stand at the latter day upon the earth; and tho after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God; whom I shall see for myself, and mine eyes shall behold, and not another; tho my reins be consumed within me.” Job 19 : 25–27. David in his persecutions could look with joy to the time when every wrong would be righted, and a difference made between the people of God and the enemies of His truth: “Our God shall come, and shall not keep silence; a fire shall devour before Him, and it shall be very tempestuous round about Him. He shall call to the heavens from above, and to the earth, that He may judge His people. Gather My saints together unto Me; those that have made a covenant with Me by sacrifice.” Ps. 50 : 3–5. Thus in every age of the church has Christ's second advent been set before His people as their hope. Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Daniel, and a host of others have borne witness to its glorious reality.

But probably the most important testimony regarding Christ's return is found in the words of Christ Himself, and thus directly associated with Him. On the memorable night of His betrayal He comforts the sorrowing hearts of His followers with this promise: “Let not your heart be troubled; ye believe in God, believe also in Me. In My Father's house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And 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 : 1–3. At the time of His ascension the same promise is verified to us in the words of the angel: “Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen Him go into heaven.” Acts 1 : 11.

Paul, and Peter, and James, and John, all bear witness to the return of Christ. There is no discord, no jar, in all the witness borne. With one universal voice the sacred writers proclaim the return of the Lord a second time to the earth. “And unto them that look for Him shall He appear the second time without sin unto salvation”—their Redeemer and Saviour. Heb. 9 : 28; Isa. 25 : 9.