He Is Coming Soon

Read the Text: Revelation 22

Memorize the Text:  

Then I heard a loud voice from the throne: Look, God’s dwelling is with humanity, and he will live with them. They will be his peoples, and God himself will be with them and will be their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes. Death will be no more; grief, crying, and pain will be no more, because the previous things have passed away.

(Revelation 21:3-4, CSB)

Consider the Text: Revelation 22

Jesus is returning soon. No, I am not about to predict a time or a date. Still, I know that the early church felt that Jesus would return in their lifetime and that the apostle John witnessed the declaration written in the Book of Revelation concerning the return of Christ and it being soon. Two important truths remain as we gaze toward the return of Christ. First, we must live ready for the return because we do not know and cannot know the precise moment of the return. Second, we must understand that "soon" in the Lord's timeframe does not always compute to "soon" in our understanding of time. Thus, we must look toward His return and live in faithfulness while trusting in God's justice and remaining ready at all times.

LIVE FAITHFULLY, FOR HE IS COMING SOON

When believers live in the promise of Christ’s return, they seek to live according to the ways and the will of the Lord. The ability to live in faithfulness occurs when we seek to know the truth. To know the truth, we must engage the truth and intentionally seek to know the revelation of the Lord by studying and diving into the Word of God. This approach means that we do not merely read the words presented, but we feast upon the Word of the Lord and digest them so that the truth becomes lodged in the heart. When we allow the Word of God to become part of us, we set the foundation to live in a manner that reflects the truth. This form of living should be sought after as we live, expecting the return of Christ.

LIVE TRUSTING GOD’S JUSTICE, FOR HE IS COMING SOON

Believers approach the return of Christ by trusting in the justice of the Lord. The Lord’s justice is pure and righteous. It is never flawed or manipulated. Thus, as believers, we must trust that the return of Christ brings the final righteous justice of the Lord. When we trust this promise, we recognize the gift to the righteous (followers of Christ) and the curse of the unrighteous (those rejecting Christ). We hold to the promise that the Lord declared this would occur. At the same time, we note that each becomes known by the mark. Those who live in lawlessness and by the world carry the mark of the beast and face the penalty of God’s eternal wrath with the beast. So likewise, those marked by Christ live a life that demonstrates Christ in them. Thus, each life foreshadows the coming justice of God upon their life.  

LIVE READY, FOR HE IS COMING SOON

Believers may not know the time, hour, or day that Christ will return, but each believer receives the command to live ready for the return. The ability to live ready means allowing our life to trust in the Word of the Lord. We seek the Word to find the needed foundational truths to continue to navigate this life. We live ready by remembering and remaining in the promises of the Lord. The promises found in the Word of God provided the hope to continue through the difficulties of this world. As we look ahead to the return of Christ, we seek to reach others with the gospel's message so they, too, can experience the hope of the future. At the same time, we seek the Lord and request His return be soon.

As we consider the closing of the Book of Revelation, we can assess a couple of truths in our lives. First, are we living ready for the return of Christ? Second, are we living in faithfulness while anticipating the return of Christ? Third, are we trusting in the goodness and faithfulness of God’s justice? Finally, may our hearts seek the Lord and trust in His truth.

This blog is part of the Coffee and Quiet Time with Jesus Devotional Series found at equippingfaith.com. Join the journey of reading through the New Testament this year. More information can be found at equippingfaith.com.