The Hope Of His Coming

The Bible talks much about hope, but what is hope? Bible hope is to have an earnest expectation of something good yet to come. Hope is always future tense. What we hope for we wait for, what we hope for we expect with eager and joyful anticipation to receive something good. Hope is an anchor to one's soul in troubled times. An expectation of something good in the midst of a storm calms and assures the soul.Believers in Jesus have many hopes (earnest expectations of something good) and the Lord's coming, His appearing is a blessed hope yet to come. A believer's joy should grow together with his hope, as the Lord's coming grows closer. What a joy filled time it will be for all that look for and are ready for His appearing."Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ;" [Titus 2:13 KJV]Paul said we look for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ that shall appear the second time without sin unto salvation. The words look for means to wait with expectation mixed with faith."So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation." [Hebrews 9:28 KJV]"For our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ: Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself." [Philippians 3:20-21 KJV]Jesus is the source of expectation He is the hope of righteousness based on the gospel that is already received. Believers are to have an expectation of the great climax which gives meaning to life and to the whole of creation. At His coming, Jesus will make all things new. Hope is based on the promise of His coming. For Jesus said,"For the Son of man shall come in the glory of his Father with his angels; and then he shall reward every man according to his works." [Matthew 16:27 KJV]"When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory:" [Matthew 25:31 KJV]"And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also." [John 14:3 KJV]"Ye have heard how I said unto you, I go away, and come again unto you. If ye loved me, ye would rejoice, because I said, I go unto the Father: for my Father is greater than I." [John 14:28 KJV]"Behold, I come quickly: hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown." [Revelation 3:11 KJV]"And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last." [Revelation 22:12-13 KJV]Concerning the promise of Jesus' coming Paul said,"For yet a little while, and he that shall come will come, and will not tarry." [Hebrews 10:37 KJV]"For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. Wherefore comfort one another with these words." [1 Thessalonians 4:16-18 KJV]The Day of the Lord is a blessed hope, a promise given to those that love His appearing that is to be a comfort, but to the wicked it is a dark and somber day that comes like a thief in the night. A thief comes suddenly without warning to the unsuspecting and unprepared."For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night." [1 Thessalonians 5:2 KJV]Those that love His appearing are to be in the know and not caught unaware or unprepared for Jesus' coming."But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief." [1 Thessalonians 5:4 KJV]Believers are to know the times and season of Jesus' coming and be ready for the Midnight Cry with lamps trimmed and vessels full of oil.John said we are to have confidence and not be ashamed before Him at His coming."And now, little children, abide in him; that, when he shall appear, we may have confidence, and not be ashamed before him at his coming." [1 John 2:28 KJV]The angels said Jesus would come again."And when he had spoken these things, while they beheld, he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight. And while they looked stedfastly toward heaven as he went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel; Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven." [Acts 1:9-11 KJV]James said the Lord's coming draws near."Be patient therefore, brethren, unto the coming of the Lord. Behold, the husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth, and hath long patience for it, until he receive the early and latter rain. Be ye also patient; stablish your hearts: for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh." [James 5:7-8 KJV]A believer's hope and faith in the Lord's coming must grow stronger as Jesus' coming draws near. The Day of the Lord is coming and Jesus will make all things new.