NEARNESS OF HIS COMING by Elder Matthew Larson

Pacific Press Publishing Company · Oakland, California · May 7, 1894

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 20, No. 27.

NEARNESS OF HIS COMING.

By Elder Matthew Larson

BY ELDER MATTHEW LARSON.

HAVING in the previous article established the fact that Christ will come again, and the manner and importance of that event, I shall now call attention to another important consideration, namely, the nearness of his coming. May we know anything concerning the nearness of that event?—Certainly, it seems no more than just and reasonable to believe that an event of such great interest and importance to God's people would in some way be revealed to us, so that we might know when it is near at hand, and so be prepared therefor. "But," says the objector, "what difference does it make to us whether we know anything about when that event is to take place? Admitting that we might know something about it, what benefit can it be to us to investigate the matter? If I am prepared for death, will I not also be prepared for his coming? What, then, is the use of saying anything about it?"

These objections may seem quite plausible to the minds of those who present them, but they plainly indicate that those who make them are not yet prepared for death, far less for the coming of Christ; for some of these same persons will say, "He may come to-night, or to-morrow; or he may not come for a hundred or a thousand years from now." And the more you talk to them on the subject, the more will they manifest their aversion to hearing anything concerning it; and we would naturally be led to the conclusion that they would prefer to not have him come at all. Still they profess to love him, and declare that he is their best friend.

The fact is, if we really love Christ, if he is the Chiefest among ten thousand, and "the One altogether lovely" to our souls, we will long for his return, and love to talk about it, and will hail with gladness every token of his soon return. What would we think of that wife's professions of love for her absent husband who, on being informed that he was soon to return, would begin to manifest a dislike to hear anything on that subject, and, in an impatient or indifferent spirit, would begin to object that she did not care to hear anything about it; that it didn't make any difference to her when he would come, just so she might be prepared or ready to receive him when he would come? Would we not conclude, and justly, too, that there was something wrong, that she must have turned her affections away from him? and how would her husband feel to learn that she acted, or expressed herself, thus? Those who truly love Christ will love his appearing, and will be waiting and anxiously looking for him to return. Says the apostle:—

"And unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation." Heb. 9: 28.

But how, then, about those who do not look for him?—To them the converse will be true. He will not appear unto them "unto salvation," but they will be left to perish. We are to love his appearing. Says the apostle:—

"Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, shall give me at that day; and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing." 2 Tim. 4: 8.

But what of those who do not "love" his appearing?—To them the opposite of the text must be equally true. There is, then, some virtue in, or necessity of, our looking for and loving his appearing. It is an event in which we are to believe. "And to you who are troubled rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels, in flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ; . . . when he shall come to be glorified in his saints, and to be admired in all them that believe . . . in that day." 2 Thess. 1: 7-10.

May we, then, dear readers, be of those who shall love, believe in, and look forward to that glad day.

"And it shall be said in that day, Lo, this is our God; we have waited for him, and he will save us; this is the Lord; we have waited for him, we will be glad and rejoice in his salvation." Isa. 25: 9.

The very fact that, as we have already found, there are to be some who will be looking and waiting for him when he returns, is sufficient to prove that we may and are to know, not only in regard to his coming, but something in regard to the nearness of that event.

"But," says one, "don't you know that the Bible says that of 'that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only' (Matt. 24:36), that that day is to come as a 'thief in the night'? So what is the use of troubling ourselves over the matter?" True, we cannot know the exact day or hour when the Son of Man shall come, but does it therefore follow that we are to know nothing about it whatever? The Bible, however, declares just as emphatically that we shall know something about it. We are to know when it is near, even at the doors. "So likewise ye, when ye shall see all these things, know that it [margin 'he'] is near, even at the doors." Matt. 24: 33.

On whom, then, will it come as a thief in the night?—On the wicked,—those who are not looking for him; and they shall not escape from destruction.

"For when they [those upon whom that day shall come as a thief in the night,—the wicked] shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, . . . and they shall not escape."

But how about the righteous?—"But ye,

brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief." 1 Thess. 5: 1-4. "Many shall be purified, and made white, and tried; but the wicked shall do wickedly; and none of the wicked shall understand; but the wise shall understand." Dan. 12: 10.

This will be sufficient to show that we may know when that day is near. "And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh." Luke 21: 28.