The Blessed Hope by C. M. S.

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Apr 1, 1915

The Blessed Hope

By C. M. S.

THE mightiest, most important, and most glorious event in the history of this world is the second coming of Jesus Christ, the second Adam, the rightful ruler of the world, the conqueror of Satan and of death.

To that event God's prophets from times most distant have looked with hope and joy and exultation. It has warmed the hearts of God's faithful children in every age. It beams like a beacon light from every book of Holy Writ, and dying saints and martyrs have pillowed their heads upon the precious promise of their Saviour's return. We read in the book of Jude:—

"And Enoch also, the seventh from Adam, prophesied of these, saying, Behold, the Lord cometh with ten thousands of his saints, to execute judgment upon all, and to convince all that are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have ungodly committed, and of all their hard speeches which ungodly sinners have spoken against him." Jude 14, 15.

Of Abraham, "the friend of God," to whom the promises were made, our Lord declares:—

"Your father Abraham rejoiced to see my day; and he saw it, and was glad." John 8: 56.

What Abraham saw comprehended more than the birth of Christ, the promised Seed; for we read again of him that—

"he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God." Heb. 11: 10.

That city is the New Jerusalem; and they who see it as Abraham hoped to see it, see it as the consummation of the saints' inheritance. Of that city John, the beloved disciple, writes:—

"The wall of the city had twelve foundations, and in them the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb." Rev. 21: 14.

That identifies it as the city of Abraham's hopes. Concerning the same city the same apostle writes:—

"And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God. And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away. And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new." Rev. 21: 2-5.

Since the clouds of heaven received our Saviour from the midst of his sorrowing and astonished disciples, the promise of his return has soothed the pillow of the dying saint and anchored the soul of the living child of God to the very throne of the Infinite.

But it is not the faithful of the gospel dispensation alone that have found comfort in the blessed hope of the Saviour's triumphant return. The patriarch Job yearned to witness the same event and to look upon the face of the One "whom having not seen" he loved. Said he:—

"But as for me I know that my Redeemer liveth, and at last he will stand up upon the earth: and after my skin, even this body, is destroyed, then without my flesh shall I see God; whom I, even I, shall see, on my side, and mine eyes shall behold, and not as a stranger." Job 19: 25-27.

It is the most blessed thought in connection with the Christian's home going that he is not going to the home of a stranger, but to the home of One whom he has learned to love, who loved him with a love men cannot measure, and whose home is his home. When we look to him through the window of his love, we see in him and in his coming nothing to fear or dread. It is only when we join the company of his accusers and turn our backs upon the proffers of his grace, that we have reason to dread the day of his return. It is the great man, the self-assertive man, the wicked man, the doubter, and the scoffer who will "cry there bitterly." But he who knows his Saviour will lift glad hands toward the cloud chariot of Immanuel, and shout, "Lo, this is our God; we have waited for him, and he will save us: this is Jehovah; we have waited for him, we will be glad and rejoice in his salvation." Isa. 25: 9.

The coming of that day brings the long-promised reward to the waiting children of the great Father. Says the revelator, "Behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to render to each man according as his work is." Rev. 22: 12. "Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. He that hath ears, let him hear." Matt. 13: 43. Of that time of triumph and reward Daniel testifies: "And they that are wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament; and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars forever and ever."

That is the class to whom our Saviour refers in these words: "He that overcometh, I will give to him to sit down with me in my throne, as I also overcame, and sat down with my Father in his throne." Rev. 3: 21. Jesus is speaking of the same class again when he says:—

"Blessed are those servants, whom the Lord when he cometh shall find watching: verily I say unto you, that he shall gird himself, and make them sit down to meat, and shall come and serve them. And if he shall come in the second watch, and if in the third, and find them so, blessed are those servants. . . . Be ye also ready: for in an hour that ye think not the Son of man cometh." Luke 12: 37-40.

Signs in the industrial, the spiritual, the social, and the political world, as well as the signs in the heavens, tell us that the day of deliverance is near for the loyal subjects of the King of Peace. Let us not be engrossed or surfeited with the affairs of this world. The greatest event in the history of man is soon to cross the threshold of this world. Let us watch and be ready, lest, coming suddenly, he find us sleeping. The prize is the greatest prize that Divinity can offer humanity. Any risk at all is too great a risk. "Be ye also patient; establish your hearts: for the coming of the Lord is at hand." James 5: 8.