Monday, November 17, 2014
1 Thessalonians 5:1-3 Now, brothers, about times and dates we do not need to write to you, for you know very well that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. While people are saying, "Peace and safety," destruction will come on them suddenly, as labor pains on a pregnant woman, and they will not escape.
THAT DAY IS GOING TO BE AWESOME: IT WILL SURELY COME
My wife would agree that I don't normally pay much attention to fashion, but my daughters each have a shirt that catches my eye whenever I see one of them wearing it. It's a simple gray shirt that says in large, bold letters: "Today is going to be awesome!" As we come to the end of the church year, we turn our attention to the last day of this world's existence, the Day of Judgment. For that we need another shirt. It would be appropriate for us all to wear one which said: "THAT DAY is going to be awesome!"
Truly that Day is going to be awesome. The prophet Isaiah says that all the starry host will fall like withered leaves from the vine, like shriveled figs from the fig tree. On that day, the dead will be raised back to life and all who are in the graves will come forth. On that day too Jesus will appear to everyone, coming in the clouds, and people everywhere will see Him. That day is going to be awesome! The whole universe will tremble as it has never trembled before. We will stand before the judgment seat of Christ Jesus and He will separate the believers from the unbelievers, just as He said to His disciples.
Many do not believe such a day will ever come. They treat it as science fiction and fantasy. But we can be ready for that Day, knowing that it will surely come even though we do not know the exact day or hour. It will surely come because that is just what Jesus has promised, and His promises are always kept.
It will also surely come because it is part of Jesus' work to save us from our sins, and He will certainly see that to the finish. We can be certain that He who laid down His life for us on the cross, taking our sin-guilt upon Himself, will return to give the crown of glory that goes to those who have been counted righteous. We can be sure that He who rose again from the dead Himself will return to make good our own resurrections from our graves. It has to be this way, for Jesus cannot fail to bring to its ultimate conclusion everything He has worked for on our behalf. It was He Himself who said: "If I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am" (John 14:3).
That Day is going to be awesome, and it will surely come! Hallelujah!
