The Master's Coming by Charles L. Taylor

Pacific Press Publishing Association · Mountain View, California · Nov 22, 1910

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 37, No. 46.

The Master's Coming

By Charles L. Taylor

IV. Retarded by God's Compassion for Sinners

FROM the days of Adam until now, faithful souls have been praying for the coming of the Deliverer. Almost impatiently have they watched for the dawn of that day which shall forever end the reign of sin, and usher in the glories of the reign of the Christ.

Almost tragic has been the suspense of the long delay. For delay there has been. And many times, under the pressure of life's burdens, the persecutions of the world, and the tauntings of evil spirits, hearts have grown aweary and discouraged, and have even been led to despair, thinking God had forgotten His promise.

Without doubt there are those who will question these thoughts, and will ask, Why has God permitted this long delay? If He had so desired, could He not have closed up all earthly accounts long ago?

God's Eternal Purpose

To understand this important matter, it is absolutely necessary to remember that the coming of our Lord to earth, including both the first and second advents, is but to carry out the provisions of the great earth-plan which was laid in Christ before the foundation of the world. Eph. 1: 4.

In the commission given to Adam, we may readily discover in outline what that plan really comprehended. To man God said, "Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth." Gen. 1: 28. The Hebrew word for "replenish" signifies, literally, "to fill." Man therefore was to multiply until earth was filled with righteous beings. And by every law of language and logic we must conclude that when earth was filled, then

multiplication would have ceased. In other words, God's plan called for a definite number of inhabitants, which, in His wisdom, would properly "fill" the earth. These inhabitants would be all upright, after the divine "image," their names—character names—being written in the "Book of Life." Rev. 13: 8.

But sin came. Man by choice placed himself outside of and in opposition to the divine purpose. For a little while sin seemed to triumph. Satan usurped Adam's place, and became the ruler of the world.

Hindered but Not Thwarted—Free Choice

It was impossible, however, that God's magnificent design should be thus permanently swept away. Infinite love and mercy called from the very heavens, and asked that man be spared, that another opportunity be given him, and that the original plan once more be set in operation.

Thus it was that our heavenly Father, in order to carry out the first great plan of life, gave His Son to the world. As that plan had been laid in Him, even so now it must be restored in Him and consummated through Him. The foundation promise of "the Seed" was therefore at once given (Gen. 3: 15), and the work of grace begun.

The great life-plan, however, whether before or after the entrance of sin, could be of benefit to man only by his own free choice. God could send forth His Son, but He could not coerce man to accept His Gift. And seeing that under the new order of things many would refuse to believe, live, and obey, the Creator found it necessary to enlarge the human family in order that He might find that number called for under His first arrangement. Hence He said to Eve, "I will greatly multiply thy sorrow and thy conception." Gen. 3: 16.

'Not Willing that Any Should Perish'

At the very beginning, therefore, is given us a most wonderful illustration of God's waiting. He was unwilling to see His creatures perish. And from the very day that sin began its deceptive, destructive work, our heavenly Parent has been patiently waiting for men to accept His grace, waiting for this one and that one, waiting from age to age, waiting for that number included in His eternal life-plan, waiting until all who can be saved are saved.

More than once, however, God has indicated His willingness to close up the dreary account of sin, suffering, and death, and to bring His people into speedy possession of the inheritance lost through Adam's fall. When Israel came forth from the land of Egypt, God was able and willing to do for them such marvelous things, in matters of heart-change, character-building, and world-subduing, as would have opened the way for the granting to them of the eternal kingdom and all its glory. In His own good, divine way He would, through them, have evangelized the world, closed up

the earthly account, and the Christ would have come.

Listen, therefore, to the divine lamentation as Jehovah takes a retrospective glance at that people and at that time: "O that My people had harkened unto Me, and Israel had walked in My ways! I should soon have subdued their enemies, and turned My hand against their adversaries. The haters of the Lord should have submitted themselves unto Him: but their time should have endured forever." Ps. 81: 13-15.

Again in Solomon's time God was ready to accomplish the finalities of the earthly struggle. What remarkable things were those done for Solomon himself! See 1 Kings 3: 5-14; 4: 29-34. With earnest longing the Lord appealed to the people of that time, saying, "To-day if ye will hear His voice, harden not your heart." Ps. 95: 7, 8. Speaking of this same time, and evidently quoting from this psalm, the writer to the Hebrews said, "Again, He [Jehovah] limeth [literally, appointeth] a certain day, saying in David, To-day, after so long a time, . . . harden not your hearts." Heb. 4: 7. It would almost seem that Heaven itself was weary of the long wait.

Delay there was, and delay there had been. What God wanted to do He could not, because man's unbelief and unwillingness stood in the way. Heaven's perfect work was obliged to wait until constantly repeated and multiplied messages of mercy had led men to make choice of that which God had chosen for them.

Heaven's Mightiest Appeal

Finally the Son of God appeared. "He came unto His own." Upon the path of the chosen nation shone full and bright the beams of the "Sun of Righteousness." The very actualities of the kingdom of God were brought close home to the lives of mankind. The "glorious things" spoken of Jerusalem were ready for those who would receive them. Through Israel God would now go forth as of old, and by mighty signs and great wonders would evangelize the nations, and certainly fulfil the promise made to Abraham centuries before. The miracles of Jesus were Heaven's mightiest appeal for Israel's cooperation.

But tho He came first unto His own, "His own received Him not." "Tho He had done so many miracles before them, yet they believed not on Him." John 12: 37. Even the few that did believe would not confess Him, "for they loved the praise of men more than the praise of God." Verses 42, 43.

In the face of this, we may understand that bitter lamentation of the Saviour as He wept over Jerusalem: "O Jerusalem, Jerusalem," He cried, "how often would I have gathered thy children together, . . . and ye would not!" Matt. 23: 37. "If thou hadst known, even thou, at least in this thy day, the things which belong unto thy peace! but now they are hid from thine eyes." Luke 19: 42.

O how different might have been the story of the first advent, had God's people known the time of their visitation, and with open-hearts received the truth and the life

brought to them by the Son of Man. But as it was, they would neither listen, nor look, nor live. The Son of God was by them rejected and crucified, and what might have been was never realized.

The delays and disappointments caused by the unwillingness of God's chosen people, are forcibly set forth in the parable of the marriage of the king's son, Matt. 22: 1-10. "Tell them," said the King, that "all things are ready." But they would not come, and the dinner was obliged to wait until the servants could go out into the highways of the Gentile world and gather in such as would accept the invitation. And this delayed work began when the Jewish nation finally turned against the

Gospel, and the workers were sent to the Gentiles. See Acts 13: 45, 46.

Prosperity—Apostasy—Reform

For a little while the work of God seemed to prosper, and under the inspiration of apostolic days churches sprang up throughout the Roman Empire. The church of Christ "went forth conquering, and to conquer." But ere long carelessness, worldliness, and apostasy were doing their baleful work, and there came that terrible "falling away" of which the apostle had spoken (2 Thess. 2: 3, 4), the development of that great system of iniquity that supplanted the Gospel, and which introduced into the world those many long, dark centuries of superstition and persecution.

Then came the Reformation, with its message of enlightenment and life, during which period the very earth seemed to open up, and its millions of martyred ones were made to cry, "How long, O Lord, holy and true, dost Thou not judge and avenge our blood?" And the answer given them was that they must "rest yet for a little season." Rev. 6: 10, 11. Yes, they must wait a little longer, wait until God's sovereign plan was perfectly wrought out. Thank God for His merciful waiting!

In that "little season" of waiting we are now living. The professed churches of Christ have departed largely from Reformation principles and teachings, and are rapidly developing plans and methods that made the Reformation necessary. But right at this time there comes sounding down from the throne of God the word there shall be "delay no longer." Rev. 10: 6, A.R.V. To His waiting servants the Lord declares, "For yet a little while, and He that shall come will come, and will not tarry." Heb. 10: 37. In this last generation Jehovah finds a willing people. Ps. 110: 3. Separating itself from the world, a little company of faithful believers, who keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus (Rev. 14: 12), goes forth with a stirring, world-wide message (Rev. 14: 6-11), and actually completes the great Gospel plan. Rev. 14: 14-16. By them the work of world evangelism is really accomplished, making it possible for Him to come. Matt. 24: 14.

Delay No Longer

Dear reader, can you not see the wisdom of God in this long delay? Can you not see His mercy? Ah, He has not been "slack concerning His promise." He has waited, waited, waited, but only because He "is long-suffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance." 2 Peter 3: 9.

"But the day of the Lord will come." The long delay is nearly ended. The angel of mercy is about to take her flight. Man's stubbornness and presumption can no longer put off the time. God will now "finish the work, and cut it short in righteousness." Rom. 9: 28. As it was in Noah's day, so now, the limit of mercy is at last reached, and justice follows.

"The day of the Lord will come." Signs everywhere proclaim its near approach. Especially do the mighty works in our mission fields show that the waiting period is now ending. Dear friend, let us see to it that we are lined up on the side of absolute truth and right, having our all upon the altar, that by the contribution of the sum total of all our energies we may help hasten the day. 2 Peter 3: 12, margin.

"He which testifieth these things saith, Surely I come quickly. Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus." Rev. 22: 20.