Look! (part 2 of 4)

As we noted yesterday. . .
"BEHOLD, HE IS COMING with the clouds, and every eye will see him, even those who pierced him, and all tribes of the earth will wail on account of him. Even so. Amen." ( Revelation 1:7 ESV)

And the New Living Translation which reads. . .
"LOOK! HE COMES with the clouds of heaven. And everyone will see him -- even those who pierced him. And all the nations of the earth will weep because of him. Yes! Amen!" [NLT © 1997, Wheaton, Ill.: Tyndale House]

Yes, LOOK! IT WILL HAPPEN! The point has not been made just once. Again and again Scriptures tell us Jesus WILL COME AGAIN. Though we may not know all the details (including the time; Matthew 24:36 and 25:13) concerning our Lord's coming, the idea of it is not just from one obscure passage.

Jesus mentioned it Himself as He encouraged His disciples prior to His arrest and death on the cross. Jesus told the disciples He was going to prepare a place for them and said,
". . . I WILL COME AGAIN and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also." ( John 14:3 ESV)

The fact was also mentioned by angels at the time of Jesus' ascension into Heaven. As the disciples were standing, looking up at the clouds, they were told . . .
". . . 'Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into heaven? This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, WILL COME IN THE SAME WAY as you saw him go into heaven.'" ( Acts 1:11 ESV)

Not wanting others to be ignorant of the fact, Paul encouraged with these words:
"(13) But we DO NOT WANT YOU TO BE UNINFORMED, brothers, about those who are asleep, that you may not grieve as others do who have no hope. (14) For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, through Jesus, God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep. (15) For this we declare to you by a word from the Lord, that we who are alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep. (16) For THE LORD HIMSELF WILL DESECEND FROM HEAVEN with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. (17) Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, AND SO WE WILL ALWAYS BE WITH THE LORD. (18) Therefore encourage one another with these words." ( 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 ESV)

And other passages proclaim the same thing -- IT WILL HAPPEN! BEHOLD! LOOK! See for yourself! Don't just take my word for it! See what the Scriptures say! If the Scriptures are accepted how can it be denied? Jesus promised it! The angels spoke of it! The Apostles referred to it! All are in agreement! It will take place! Believe it! And be encouraged in the anticipation of it!

Have a great day ACCEPTING GOD'S GREAT FACTS!
Carl

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[This focus was originally sent 04/26/1999 (edited some with passage changed to ESV)]

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