What His Coming Means by I. C. Colcord

Pacific Press Publishing Association · Mountain View, California · Mar 23, 1915

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 42, No. 12.

What His Coming Means

By I. C. Colcord

All Business at an End—Everlasting Happiness Begins—A Mighty Message Proclaims It

By I. C. Colcord

NINETEEN hundred years ago, when Jesus was living among men, He taught the people, on more than one occasion, that He was not to remain long with them. He had work to do in heaven that must be accomplished before He would be ready to receive them to Himself. He said: “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.”

THE END OF ALL BUSINESS

The coming of Christ means the literal fulfillment of that promise, a promise in the concrete. It also means the end of every kind of business on this earth in its sin-cursed condition. Buying, selling, and bartering in articles of necessity or luxury will then eternally cease. Manufacturing will stop. Great mills and factories will shut down, never more to resume operation. The millions of busy toilers employed in office, factory, mine, on farm, railway, or steamship, will stop work, and there will be an everlasting suspension of commercial activities, and the vaulted moneys and securities uncalled for. Letters by thousands, containing important news, will be left in mail pouches or pigeonholes in mail cars, never to be opened or read. The mail carrier's work will be done, and the messenger boy will have made his last rush telegram call.

The most startling and awe-inspiring scene that this world has ever witnessed, the most awful and yet the most glorious time, will have come—the coming of Jesus the second time according to His faithful promise.

NEVER-ENDING HAPPINESS BEGINS

To the righteous, Christ's coming means the beginning of never-ending happiness. It will be the day when God's people will meet and see their Saviour face to face. “Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped.” “And the ransomed of the Lord shall return, and come to Zion with songs and everlasting joy upon their heads: they shall obtain joy and gladness, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away.” Isa. 35:5, 10.

To the wicked, Christ's appearing means destruction “with the brightness of His coming.” 2 Thess. 2:8. It means a day of awful, indescribable fear, which death alone can dispel. Those who have terrorized others, now will be terrified; those who have caused others to cringe, will be cowed; those who have made the beggarly poor, will now beg for mercy; and those who have been the cruel monsters and bloodthirsty demons of earth, shall drink of the rivers of blood of dead men. Rev. 6:15-17; 16:4; Matt. 7:2.

A MIGHTY MESSAGE GOING

While we are in the “tarrying time,” there is a present truth being given to the people, and that message is ringing in the ears of the world with no uncertain sound, a message of warning and preparation, that Jesus is coming again “the second time without sin unto salvation.” And the momentous events now occurring all around us, both in the home land and abroad, tell us His coming is near at hand.

Surely, reasoning from analogy, if God warned the world of the Flood; of the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah, the cities of the plain; of Christ's first coming,—He will surely warn the people of all nations, tribes, and kindreds, of the final end of the world. This announcement is the present truth for this generation. It will be the greatest event this world has ever known, and there is nothing about it but that which is desirable. “And I will shake all nations, and the desire of all nations shall come.” Haggai 2:7.

OUR FACULTIES SHOULD BE ON TENSION

Our eyes should be open for the vision of His coming, our ears waiting to catch the sound of the voice of the Archangel, our hearts beating in anticipation of its infinite joy, and our appetites sharpening for the marriage supper. We cry out for the living God, and long to come into His presence. No news would be more welcome than the announcement that the command has gone forth from the Lord to His angels, that they gather quickly God's elect. We must be among the number. We must exchange the toil-worn, dusty girdle of our pilgrimage for the glorious vesture of immortality, and see to it that some one now in darkness is brought into the marvelous light of the third angel's message.

“Cast not away therefore your confidence, which hath great recompense of reward. For ye have need of patience, that after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise. For yet a little while, and He that shall come will come, and will not tarry.” Heb. 10:35-37.