AFTER SUFFERING – GLORY

But in those days, following that distress, ‘the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; the stars will fall from the sky and the heavenly bodies will be shaken.’ At that time people will see the Son of Man coming in clouds with great power and glory. And He will send His angels and gather His elect from the four winds, from the ends of the earth to the ends of the heavens (Mark 13: 24-27).

What extravagant language Jesus used to describe the events surrounding His coming! Massive disturbances in the sky, as though the heavenly bodies themselves have to make way for the Son of God, as He comes in great power and glory to sweep up His chosen people from the outer reaches of the universe to accompany Him on His return to earth. What a gathering that will be!

He is the victorious one, but He chooses to share His victory with His beloved people. After all, it was for us that He came to earth, and suffered and died so that He could reconcile us to the Father and call us back into His forever family to share the bounty of His generosity. In an instant, His people will be gathered from everywhere to join Him in His triumphant return.

The terrible events, both in the natural world and in the suffering the enemies of God are inflicting on His people are but the labour pains which will give birth to a new heaven and a new earth. God will deal with those who oppose Him by taking it out on His people.

God is just: He will pay back trouble to those who trouble you and give relief to you who are troubled, and to us as well. This will happen when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven in blazing fire with His powerful angels. He will punish those who do not know God and do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. They will be punished with everlasting destruction and shut out from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His might on the day He comes to be glorified in His holy people and to be marvelled at among all those who have believed. This includes you because you believed our testimony to you (2 Thess. 1:6-10).

Did you get what Paul wrote? He echoed the very words of Jesus – power and great glory; accompanied by the angels and the vast retinue of His people who will be the evidence of His victory – a massive, innumerable gathering of God’s family to celebrate Jesus’ triumph over His enemies.

And what about His enemies? He’ll have His feet on their necks alright! All those who have slaughtered His people in the name of their gods – under His feet. All those who have ignored, maligned and ridiculed His to escape their accountability to Him – under His feet. All those who have propagated lies about Him and done everything to distort and disfigure His Word – under His feet. All those who have lived as though He does not exist – under His feet. And the devil himself who spawned all the rebellion – under His feet. And then the last enemy, death – under His feet!

Then the end will come, when He hands over the kingdom to His Father after He has destroyed all dominion, authority and power. For He must reign until He has put all His enemies under His feet. The last enemy to be destroyed is death. For He ‘has put everything under His feet’ (1 Cor. 15: 25-27).

Beware, enemies of Jesus, for the Day of Judgment is coming. The door of opportunity is still open. Jesus has paved the way for everyone who believes in Him, who confesses Him as Lord and believes that God raised Him from the dead, to return to the Father. Death will close that door forever. Who, in his right mind, would refuse an offer of eternal life in the presence of the most loving and generous Person ever? Only those who are blinded by the devil and deafened to the voice of God by their own sinful, and stubborn hearts.

To His disciples He said, “Be alert! Be on your guard! Be ready!” To the world He calls,

Seek the Lord while He may be found; call on Him while He is near. Let the wicked forsake their ways and the unrighteous their thoughts. Let them turn to the Lord, and He will have mercy on them, and to our God, for He will freely pardon (Isa. 55: 6-7).

Scripture taken from THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

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