For What are We Looking?

Looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ. (Titus 2:13 NKJV)

The Blessed Hope

This week, the United States is going to count ballots and declare a winner in the presidential election. The winner will actually be a loser in my opinion because they will be given the responsibility of guiding a ship that has no rudder. Whoever wins will try to keep promises made during their campaign that they will probably not be able to keep because of the “so-called” checks and balances in our system. They will have to keep the monied people who helped finance their campaigns happy. The position of President is not one I would take if I was drafted to the position. It’s a no win position (in my opinion).

Is the election going to give us a blessed hope? Likely anxiety levels for the party that loses are going to increase and not decrease if a winner actually emerges and if there is no violence. Anxiety levels will likely increase for the winning party when they realize that congress cannot and will not work with the new president nor with the opposing party.

The Glorious Appearing or Epiphany

I have a King in whom I have confidence. He has made the promise that He is coming again. I believe that He will. I understand that His coming is understood differently by different schools of theological thought. However, the promise that He will come again is a truth on which we can depend.

I personally believe that the Lord said in Matthew 24 that the temple would be destroyed and it was in 70 A.D. That was a Jewish prophecy and it was fulfilled. The Lord didn’t say when it would be fulfilled but it was fulfilled. As far as the day of grace or church age that we live in is concerned, the only prophecies that are given to us are that evil men and (imposters) deceivers will get worse and worse (2nd Timothy 3:13). Another prophecy is given to us and it has to do with this blessed hope.

The Lord promised that He would come again (John 14:3). 1 Thessalonians 4:18 talks about a coming of comfort. Revelation 1:7 indicates that He is going to come as a judge and it is not going to be pretty. People will mourn at that coming. So when the Lord tells us that there is a blessed hope, He must be referring to the coming of comfort where the true believers are removed before Jewish prophecies begin and a great time of trouble centered around the nation of Israel starts. Now many people seem to know how current events (scary events) are supposedly fulfilling prophecies connected with the Lord’s coming to judge. If you want to read those who seem to have insight into end times and how current events are fulfilling prophecies, I can direct you to their websites. However, while I think that things “like” things that are prophesied are taking place, I find that there have been many periods in history where things “like” things that have been prophesied have taken place. However, since the Lord never came to the Mount of Olives to set up a righteous kingdom, the events were not the final fulfillment of prophecies connected with the Lord’s second coming. I understand that when the Lord begins the tribulation period (and thus when He comes for the church), the people on earth are not going to be expecting Him. It is going to start suddenly and it is going to be a surprise. So be careful about buying all those books that tell you that now is the time when prophecy with regard to Israel is being fulfilled. Now it may be but it also may not be. The problem is that there is a calendar of events associated with Israel, but there is no calendar of events associated with the church. We are told, “Therefore you also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect. (Matthew 24:44 NKJV). There are not two second comings, just one that includes the rapture, the tribulation that prepares Israel for repentance and confession with regard to their crucifixion of the Lord, and then the thousand years when the Lord reigns in righteousness. So we should all be always ready for His coming. He could have come at any time in the last two thousand years, but He may come today.

Our Great God and Savior

I believe this verse is referring primarily to the rapture of the church. He gave Himself for US (believers) in the next verse. It wouldn’t be a blessed hope if it was looking at the Lord coming to set up His Kingdom (I call this the revelation rather than the rapture). The reason it wouldn’t be a blessed hope is because from Revelation 6 to Revelation 19, there is nothing but wars and natural disasters, and autocratic rulers and confusion, and I could go on and on. Even great men and rulers will hide themselves in the rocks and mountains because of the great day of God’s wrath that has come.

Now my readers may have their hopes pinned on a certain outcome in the current election. But I can assure you that my hope is pinned on the Lord. He has promised believers a “blessed hope.” No man can give us that. I am glad I am saved and I am waiting for His Son from heaven, whom He raised from the dead, even Jesus who delivers us from the wrath to come (1 Thessalonians 1:10 NKJV). I don’t know when that will happen but I am confident that it will. And it will be BLESSED for the one who truly believes in or trusts the Lord.

Bruce Collins

Meditation for the week of November 2, 2024