The Personhood of Our Hope
The Son becomes man, and we are forever changed
So much is going on in the world today, so often characterized by chaos, conflict, and immorality that we sometimes wonder how long this can go on. The believer must believe that it cannot go on because of the truth of the personhood of Jesus Christ, the Messiah. He is not a concept or artificial construct. He is real, his power is real, and he is coming again to heal and restore our broken world. Some will rejoice at his return, some will not, all will bow. But when?
And that is where discussions get interesting. Inside the Christian community there are those today who will tell you the time is upon us. I prefer to take my cue from Jesus' own words:
"But concerning that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father only. Matthew 24:6 (ESV)
Jesus tells us plainly that he himself does not know the day or hour. Only God knows.
Our condition is not new
In the Old Testament we see Israel constantly falling in and out of relationship with God. They are righteous then they are not. They are blessed and then they are not. And if we think it wasn't as bad as today then we should read Malachi's description of their sins: they kept the best for themselves and dishonored God with polluted and imperfect sacrifices, with corrupt teaching, by worshipping idols of false gods in the temple, through their immoral lifestyles, by robbing him of the tithes and offerings due him, and by not devoting their lives to the service of His Kingdom. Even the priests were guilty, turning the temple into a den of their own pleasure and wealth. God's people loved the things of the world more than him. Idolatry, sexual immorality, greed and avarice were the norms of the day. God's temple was defiled and his people rebellious. Sound familiar? We should learn from their experience. God's anger was righteous and just. Instead of rescuing them and healing them, he divorced them and blessed others who honored him.
The coming of The LORD's Day
“For behold, the day is coming, burning like an oven, when all the arrogant and all evildoers will be stubble. The day that is coming shall set them ablaze, says the LORD of hosts, so that it will leave them neither root nor branch. But for you who fear my name, the sun of righteousness shall rise with healing in its wings. You shall go out leaping like calves from the stall. And you shall tread down the wicked, for they will be ashes under the soles of your feet, on the day when I act, says the LORD of hosts.
“Remember the law of my servant Moses, the statutes and rules that I commanded him at Horeb for all Israel.
“Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the great and awesome day of the LORD comes.
And he will turn the hearts of fathers to their children and the hearts of children to their fathers, lest I come and strike the land with a decree of utter destruction.” Malachi 4:1-6 (ESV)
We may fool ourselves with false narratives, but these do not dent Truth. The only thing they accomplish is the perversion of our belief systems and lives such that we do not believe, honor, and follow what is true. Our believing a thing does not make it true, but that is the deception many have fallen into. For these, the LORD's Day will be one of doom. Believers will have a different perspective, one of great happiness. For those who have accepted Christ as their Savior and Lord, the Day of the LORD will be one of victory and it is this that we wait for with hearts that ache for our fellow man. It will be a day when creation is set free, a day of glory.
But when? we ask.
Many have opinions, which thus far have all been incorrect. Does someone actually know the day and time? I don't think so. Why? Because Jesus, the Son of God says that even he does not know.
I am sure that those who remained holy in Malachi's time thought it must be imminent, and I can think of other times in recent decades when people have felt the same. The only thing we can know for sure on this subject is that - no one knows. With such uncertainty it is helpful to have a bit of historical perspective. Malachi was a contemporary of Ezra and Nehemiah, both of whom penned similar accusations and warnings. When was that? About five hundred years before Jesus Christ, the Son of God, came to earth as man. Five hundred years.
Where then is our hope?
Our hope can only be in the greatest truth of all: the surety of Christ's return and his ultimate victory. We do not know when and thus it is our privilege and honor to live our lives as if this very day is the day. And the next, and the next, until He is before us as we bow in adoration.
It may be five minutes, five hundred years, or five thousand years from now. But we know with all assurance the purpose of the person in whom our hope rests until that time, as proven by his own words as he declared himself to be both God1 and man,2 and by the words of demons,3 and the witness of those who encountered him firsthand.4 Jesus is the Christ in whom power and victory rests, and He is coming again to finish His work, the abolition of all corruption. In that instant, those who are present will share in the joy that Mary expressed.
And Mary said, “My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for he has looked on the humble estate of his servant. For behold, from now on all generations will call me blessed; for he who is mighty has done great things for me, and holy is his name.
And his mercy is for those who fear him from generation to generation. He has shown strength with his arm; he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts; he has brought down the mighty from their thrones and exalted those of humble estate; he has filled the hungry with good things, and the rich he has sent away empty. He has helped his servant Israel, in remembrance of his mercy, as he spoke to our fathers, to Abraham and to his offspring forever.” Luke 1:46-55 (ESV)
Can you imagine the wonder and awe of that day? What a day it will be, indeed ... whenever it comes.
Shalom
Matthew 4:8; Luke 4:18,19
John 2:24,25
Luke 4:33-34,41
Luke 2:25-36; John 3:31-35