The Lord of Heaven’s Armies says, “The day of judgment is coming, burning like a furnace. On that day the arrogant and the wicked will be burned up like straw. They will be consumed—roots, branches, and all. But for you who fear my name, the Sun of Righteousness will rise with healing in his wings. And you will go free, leaping with joy like calves let out to pasture. On the day when I act, you will tread upon the wicked as if they were dust under your feet,” says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies. [Malachi 4:1-3 (NLT)]
In the first Advent, Jesus came as a suffering servant in a manger. In His second Advent, Jesus will return in righteousness as the conquering King who makes all things right. His return means the final destruction of sin, injustice, hate, disease, death, decay and evil. Our God, however, is one of both mercy and judgement and Malachi’s promise of the Messiah included a warning about the coming day of judgment.
Jesus spoke of this coming judgment when He likened the division between believers and unbelievers to a shepherd who separates the sheep from the goats. True believers, however, don’t need to cower in fear at the prospect of judgment. Clothed in His righteousness, they will stand before Jesus forgiven of every single sin. As the faithful, they are the righteous sheep and destined for eternal life in the kingdom. The goats, however, are those who refuse to believe and they are destined for eternal punishment.
The early church thought Jesus would return within their lifetimes but 2,000 years have passed and He still hasn’t returned. Peter explained the delay: “A day is like a thousand years to the Lord, and a thousand years is like a day. The Lord isn’t really being slow about his promise, as some people think. No, he is being patient for your sake. He does not want anyone to be destroyed, but wants everyone to repent.” [2 Peter: 8-9]
Nevertheless, the day will come when Jesus returns to judge the living and the dead. He told us that we must be ready for that day. Just as a thief strikes an unsuspecting house by surprise, Jesus will catch an unbelieving world the same way. On that day, Almighty God will assess everyone according to their soul’s status and, when that happens, there will be no opportunity for last-minute repentance or bargaining.
It is in Christ’s return that we see the promises of God fully come to pass – promises to be with His people – promises that all things will be made new – promises of peace and security – promises of the full enjoyment of all that life was meant to be.
“God’s home is now among his people!” prophesied John in Revelation 21. “He will live with them, and they will be his people. God himself will be with them. He will wipe every tear from their eyes, and there will be no more death or sorrow or crying or pain. All these things are gone forever.” [21:3-4]
This season of Advent is more than a time of preparation to celebrate Christmas; it is a time of preparation to focus our hearts, wills, and minds on Christ’s return—not as the end of the world—but as the beginning of the life as God intended it to be lived—a time when peace and justice will prevail and there will be no death, sorrow, or tears.
2,000 years ago, the people of Judah longed for the promised Messiah and, recognizing mankind’s need for a savior, God answered their prayer with Jesus. As Christians in the 21st century, we long for Messiah’s return and, someday, God will make good on that promise, as well.
The question to ask ourselves during this season isn’t whether we’re ready for Christmas. The question we should be asking is whether we’re ready for that glorious day when Jesus returns.
Yesterday was the first Sunday in Advent—a season when Christians throughout the world prepare for the coming of Christ. For most of my life, I attended liturgical churches where, on each of the four Sundays in this season, we’d sing “Oh, Come, Oh Come, Immanuel” as the Advent candles were lit. Although this song is sung by 21st century Christians, its words easily could have been sung by 1st century Jews. Immanuel means “God with us” and, after centuries of being subject to pagan nations, they yearned for God to come and ransom their captive land.
In Mark 5, we find three stories of miraculous healings: the demoniac living among the graves in the Gerasenes, the woman who bled for twelve years, and the daughter of Jairus who was brought back to life. These are beautiful stories, but what about all the other people in 2,000 years for whom there has been no healing? Like the woman with the blood disorder, my friend has suffered for more than twelve years, tried every remedy, and gotten no relief. This man of deep faith prays for healing as do all his family and friends. His faith is as strong as that of the nameless woman and yet he’s had no relief.
The closest thing we have to a pet is one of those robot vacuums. Nearly as entertaining as a puppy, it needs far less care. As I watch it zip around the house, its movements appear to be entirely random. Sometimes, it starts by spiraling outward in a circle and, other times, it heads directly for the perimeter of the room. When it hits an obstacle, it seems to bounce off in another direction. Nevertheless, my robotic janitor usually knows enough to stop and beep for rescue when it gets into a jam. Unlike it, when I get into predicaments, I usually try to get out of them on my own. Life would be easier if I called on the Lord as readily as that gizmo beeps for me.
Devotions of the Heart 