THE ANCIENT HOPE by George Müller

International Tract and Missionary Society · Oakland, California · Dec 29, 1887

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 13, No. 50.

THE ANCIENT HOPE.

By George Müller

IN the days of the apostles the disciples were comforted and encouraged by the prospect of the personal return of the Lord Jesus Christ. An angel had said to them as they watched the Lord depart from the earth, "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, and not death, was the hope of the church; and thus it ought to have remained up to his actual return. His coming should have continued to be the hope of the church; but this, alas! for centuries has not been the case.

In confessions of faith, the truth that the Lord Jesus will come again may still have had a place; but practically, to by far the greater number of his disciples, it has been a mere doctrinal statement that has not been enjoyed, and which has had no influence upon their lives. The Lord, however, desired that it should be otherwise.

He intended that his church should look for him, that she should watch and wait for his return. Again and again, during his personal ministry, the Lord Jesus foretold this great event; and after his ascension the apostles referred continually to it. . . . Blessed therefore it will be to enter upon that glory which awaits us only at our Lord's return.

. . . The whole church will at once be introduced to full eternal happiness and glory at our blessed Lord's return. Not only as individuals will our cup of joy be full to overflowing, but we shall rejoice throughout eternity with the whole company of the redeemed.

Oh! how should the solemnity and certainty of these events come home to every one of us, and with what earnestness should each person who reads these lines seek upon scriptural grounds to settle for himself that he is really Christ's; because by nature we are lost, ruined, and undone, and deserve nothing but punishment; but we have, at the same time, to accept God's only remedy, namely, salvation through faith in the blood and righteousness of the Lord Jesus Christ, by whom alone eternal life, pardon, and justification can be obtained. See Eph. 2:1-9; Gal. 3:26; Acts 10:43; Rom. 5:1; John 3:16; Rom. 8:16, 17.—George Müller.