p. 793 | JESUS HIMSELF RETURNS by J. W. Rich

Pacific Press Publishing Association · Mountain View, California · Dec 21, 1915

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 42, No. 50.

JESUS HIMSELF RETURNS

By J. W. Rich

He Lived a Personal Life, and Returns the Personal Christ—No Vague Shadow—All the World Will Know It

By J. W. RICH

The testimony of the Scriptures regarding the second coming of Jesus is plain and positive. The prophets of all the ages have borne testimony to that fact. Two angels, at the ascension of the Master, told the disciples that He was coming again; and Jesus Himself used these imperishable words: “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.

WHAT TO EXPECT

What will be the nature of His coming? And what really occurs when He does come? What sort of happening are we to expect? Do the Scriptures speak definitely on the subject? On so important a mission as that for which Jesus comes the second time, we may confidently believe that some message would be left for our consolation.

We remember that Jesus said, “I will come again.” Once has He been here on this earth of ours; and it is the same One who was here that said He was coming again. Remember, too, that it is the same Jesus who came to earth as a helpless babe in Bethlehem’s manger.

SOME EVENTS OF HIS LIFE

To help us to appreciate this great truth, we will trace some of His life, and lead up to the time when these words were uttered. A child among children, He grew up as children grow, and became a man. He worked at a carpenter’s bench, and did as thorough work as ever carpenter did. He came to John the Baptist one day, and asked to be baptized. He went into the water, and there the Father publicly acknowledged Him as His Son, and sent the Holy Spirit in approval. He went out into the wilderness after His baptism, and there suffered the pangs of hunger, as any other man would. He was a real man among men.

He walked among men, and preached to the throngs that surrounded Him. He lifted His hands in blessing over the suffering and needy. His garments became dusty with His travels over the hot, dusty roads of Palestine. Thousands recognized in Him the expected Messiah. The blind received His sympathizing touch, and were made to see. The lame heard His voice, and were made to walk. The leper made the appeal, “Lord, if Thou wilt, Thou canst make me clean,” and his wish was granted. Anxious mothers brought their children to Him, whom He received in blessing.

We follow Him to Sychar, and hear Him ask for a drink of water. He was thirsty. A soul was touched with the need of salvation, and the people of the city were led to accept Him as their Redeemer.

GIVES UP HIS LIFE FOR THE WORLD

His life was sought by the wicked rabble, but His work continued. He reached Gethsemane, and suffered the agony of the doomed. He was betrayed and forsaken by His own disciples, condemned to death by an earthly court, carried His cross up Calvary, had nails driven through His hands and feet, and gave up His life between two thieves.

He died for the sins of the human race. He died for you and me. He loved so much that He gave. The tomb enveloped His precious form, but could not retain its grasp upon Him. He came forth a victor over sin and death. He met with and talked to His disciples, and was recognized and examined by them, and acknowledged as their Lord.

HE ASCENDED IN THE CLOUDS

Forty days passed while He finished His work on earth; and then, with the disciples, He made His way to the Mount of Olives. He gave His last words of encouragement; and while they beheld in wonderment and amazement, He slowly ascended from among them, and clouds hid Him from their gaze. What a spectacle! Their hopes of years were blasted. What was there then for encouragement?

In this as in all other troubles, the best was provided. Two angels appeared, and this is what they said: “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.

THIS SAME JESUS WILL COME

What words do they hear! “This same Jesus . . . shall so come.” And He had said, “I will come again.” There could be no mistake. They heard His voice. They saw Him depart. He went up personally. He will come personally. They could bear witness to this, for they had both seen and heard Him, and the angels said that He would come back just as He went away.

Yes, it is “this same Jesus” who will come again; and we have the story of how He will return—just as He went away. There is no need that we be deceived. He went away the same personal Jesus that He was while He walked and talked with men here on the earth. He was the same personal Jesus that dined with Zacchaeus, that raised Lazarus to life, that healed the ear which Peter severed in his rashness. He was the same personal Jesus that said, “Thy faith hath made thee whole,” that walked upon the waters of Galilee, and that said, “Thy sins be forgiven thee.”

The One who is soon to return as a surprise to the wicked portion of the inhabitants of earth, is the same personal Jesus of whom Job spoke when he said: “I know that my Redeemer liveth, and that He shall stand at the latter day upon the earth: . . . whom I shall see for myself, and mine eyes shall behold, and not another.” Job 19: 25, 27.

ALL THE WORLD WILL KNOW IT

His coming will not be that of an invisible phantom, neither will it be concluded under some mystical cloak of obscurity. “For as the lightning cometh out of the east, and shineth even unto the west; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.” Matt. 24: 27. “Behold, He cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see Him, . . . and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of Him.” Rev. 1: 7.

No one need fear not being able to know when He comes. His glory will fill the heavens and the earth, and everything on earth will be acquainted with His eventful visitation.

What should interest us now more than anything else is the reception we shall tender “this same Jesus” when He comes back personally to gather His people to Himself.

He would say to us: “I will come again, in the manner that I left My disciples. Personally I left them. Personally I will return.” Shall we not all pray, “Even so, come, Lord Jesus”?