“Every Eye Shall See Him.”
By N. S.
“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. What a blessed promise, and how encouraging to those faithful followers of Jesus, when, after they fully realized that Jesus had left them and gone to his Father, they were assured that they should in like manner behold him descend to earth again. But they lived and have long since died, and the coming of the Lord is still in the future, and how is that promise to be verified unto them? Only by a resurrection from the land of the enemy, the grave. First, is there any proof that the Saviour is coming back to this earth again? We read in 1 Thess. 4:11, as follows: “For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, . . . and the dead in Christ shall rise first.” Again, we find that the one spoken of here as the Lord means Christ by comparing this text with Matt. 24:30, “And they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.” Further, that at the coming here spoken of, there will be a resurrection. 1 Cor. 15:23, 52. “But every man in his own order: Christ the first fruits: afterward they that are Christ’s at his coming. For the trump shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible.” We might quote other Scripture to the point, but this is sufficient. Thus are we assured that those sorrowing grief-stricken disciples will be raised from their dusty beds to see their Master appear in the clouds of heaven when he comes to make up his “jewels.” Who are his “jewels”? By reading Mal. 3:16, 17, we find that they are those who fear the Lord, and think upon his name. Those who fear God are those who strive to obey him—those who have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.” Rev. 7:14. Is it possible that we, who are living down near the close of probation—in the time when Satan like a roaring lion walketh about seeking whom he may devour—may be numbered among the “jewels”? that we can so live amidst the corruption around us, that we may gaze upon the brightness of Jesus? Yes. By a humble obedience to the will of God—keeping “all the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus.” Rev. 14:12. The student of prophecy knows that “the end of all things is at hand.” The signs heralding the appearing of the Son of man have been fulfilled, and we are in the waiting, watching time spoken of by Paul in Heb. 10:35–39. Oh! let us seek for patience and faith, that we draw not back to perdition, always striving to watch unto prayer. Be sober-minded, always exerting an influence over those with whom we may associate that will gather with Christ and not scatter abroad, that in the day of his appearing we may say: “Lo, this is our God; we have waited for him, and he will save us.” Isa. 25:9. N. S.