• Preface

~ The Riches of Christ

Monthly Archives: February 2018

The Last Days – cont. – part 3

26 Monday Feb 2018

Posted by Mark Sankey in The Riches of Christ

≈ Leave a comment

The Last Days-cont-part 3

(I Thess. 3-4)

I was impressed to continue this theme.  I stay with the same reference given to us by Paul and I will repeat some thoughts for emphasis.  We will not all sleep.  The Lord will have a people who are alive and remain at His return, at the consummation of this age.  I do not know of anything recorded in the law and the prophets that speaks to this but that may be simple ignorance on my part.  I have heard Simeon and Anna as representative of this group of people.  They are a foreshadow of those who will be alive and remain.  Simeon personally heard that he would not die until he had seen the savior.  For any reader who does not understand that God speaks directly to His servants, things that are not written, take note.  God does that, so we may be aware.  In Revelation John hears things he is specifically told not to write.  Again, take note.

A leader in the church whom I respect very much has written that at His return, Jesus would go around the earth in a fast procession so that every eye would behold Him.  I do not understand it that way.  This very moment the Spirit is speaking to His children all over the world.  We all hear Him.  Similarly, on that great and terrible day, when we transition to a new heaven and new earth, every eye will behold Him all at once.  Impossible??!! Of course!!  It will be more awesome than the first, natural creation when He said let there be light.  It has never happened before, and it cannot be explained or understood beforehand.  Eye has not seen, nor ear heard.

Twice in one passage in Peter’s letter, he writes that the elements will burn with intense heat.  It is written twice.  We need to pay close attention.  He also writes a great noise will accompany the day.  I believe we meet Him in the air to be above the intense fire that purges the elements but that understanding may be too simplistic.  Twice, in the same passage cited above, Paul writes to the Thessalonians that some will be alive and remain at that day to behold His appearing.  We will not all sleep (die naturally) but be changed in the twinkling of an eye.  These are aspects of the same “day.”  It is that last day, that great and terrible day of the Lord.

John writes, 2000 years ago, “Little children, it is the last hour.”  In one of Smith Wigglesworth’s messages, he said that when Jesus Christ was raised from the dead, time ended and eternity began.  I hear that!  Smith walked a life of faith that few have experienced, but we now together are growing into it.  The last days appear to us to be some 2000 years long.  A day is as 1000 years, and a thousand years as a day.  His ways are far, far, above our ways.  Mysteries.

I caution us in searching the scripture, especially the law and the prophets, to “develop” eschatology.  Jesus said, you search the scripture for life (or knowledge?) and they testify of Him.  Again, I mention the concept of a thousand-year intermediate reign of Christ from earthly Jerusalem.  It does not make sense to me and is inconsistent with the rest of those things recorded from Paul and Peter.  But what do I know?  I do not insist on my thoughts; I do not know.  But this I believe, this I think.  Jesus is not leaving His glorious heavenly throne, nor His Father’s right hand, to take up some earthly one.  We meet Him in the air to ever be with Him, and I am not interested in coming back down to an ongoing mess.  That was not the apostle’s expectation either.

With all this, questions remain.  Are some lifted up to heaven before that great appearing?  Clearly, two witnesses (whoever they are) ascend in full view of the world, before the final day.  But I think the great and terrible day is the end, and the new heavens and new earth.  We are called now to rule and reign in the midst of our enemies (who are spiritual, not flesh and blood) and walk as He walked while He was in this world/age as a man.  Love your enemies, even lay day your life before them, as He did.

Personally, I think that the end is the tearing of the separation of heaven and earth.  If heaven is then fully present, what unrighteousness could remain?  The veil that was part of the law because of sin is already rent so that by, and in the Spirit, we have full access now.  We have full access to live and walk in His presence.

Recent Posts

  • All Things Work Together
  • An Eternal Conflict
  • Spiritual Seasons
  • He Will Finish His Work
  • He Will Complete the Work

Recent Comments

Cheryl McGrath on Little Stones and Growth…
Cheryl McGrath on Teachers and Fathers
Cheryl McGrath on A Throne of Grace
Becky Johnson on A Throne of Grace
Mark Sankey on Life in the Spirit

Archives

  • February 2023
  • January 2023
  • December 2022
  • November 2022
  • October 2022
  • August 2022
  • July 2022
  • June 2022
  • May 2022
  • April 2022
  • March 2022
  • January 2022
  • November 2021
  • October 2021
  • September 2021
  • August 2021
  • June 2021
  • May 2021
  • April 2021
  • March 2021
  • February 2021
  • January 2021
  • December 2020
  • November 2020
  • October 2020
  • September 2020
  • August 2020
  • July 2020
  • May 2020
  • April 2020
  • March 2020
  • January 2020
  • December 2019
  • November 2019
  • October 2019
  • September 2019
  • August 2019
  • July 2019
  • June 2019
  • April 2019
  • March 2019
  • February 2019
  • December 2018
  • November 2018
  • October 2018
  • September 2018
  • August 2018
  • July 2018
  • June 2018
  • May 2018
  • April 2018
  • March 2018
  • February 2018
  • January 2018
  • November 2017
  • September 2017
  • August 2017
  • July 2017
  • May 2017
  • April 2017
  • March 2017
  • February 2017
  • December 2016
  • November 2016
  • September 2016
  • August 2016
  • July 2016
  • June 2016
  • April 2016
  • March 2016
  • January 2016
  • November 2015
  • October 2015
  • September 2015
  • August 2015
  • July 2015
  • June 2015

Categories

  • The Riches of Christ

Meta

  • Register
  • Log in
  • Entries feed
  • Comments feed
  • WordPress.com

Recent Posts

  • All Things Work Together
  • An Eternal Conflict
  • Spiritual Seasons
  • He Will Finish His Work
  • He Will Complete the Work

Recent Comments

Cheryl McGrath on Little Stones and Growth…
Cheryl McGrath on Teachers and Fathers
Cheryl McGrath on A Throne of Grace
Becky Johnson on A Throne of Grace
Mark Sankey on Life in the Spirit

Archives

  • February 2023
  • January 2023
  • December 2022
  • November 2022
  • October 2022
  • August 2022
  • July 2022
  • June 2022
  • May 2022
  • April 2022
  • March 2022
  • January 2022
  • November 2021
  • October 2021
  • September 2021
  • August 2021
  • June 2021
  • May 2021
  • April 2021
  • March 2021
  • February 2021
  • January 2021
  • December 2020
  • November 2020
  • October 2020
  • September 2020
  • August 2020
  • July 2020
  • May 2020
  • April 2020
  • March 2020
  • January 2020
  • December 2019
  • November 2019
  • October 2019
  • September 2019
  • August 2019
  • July 2019
  • June 2019
  • April 2019
  • March 2019
  • February 2019
  • December 2018
  • November 2018
  • October 2018
  • September 2018
  • August 2018
  • July 2018
  • June 2018
  • May 2018
  • April 2018
  • March 2018
  • February 2018
  • January 2018
  • November 2017
  • September 2017
  • August 2017
  • July 2017
  • May 2017
  • April 2017
  • March 2017
  • February 2017
  • December 2016
  • November 2016
  • September 2016
  • August 2016
  • July 2016
  • June 2016
  • April 2016
  • March 2016
  • January 2016
  • November 2015
  • October 2015
  • September 2015
  • August 2015
  • July 2015
  • June 2015

Categories

  • The Riches of Christ

Meta

  • Register
  • Log in
  • Entries feed
  • Comments feed
  • WordPress.com

Create a free website or blog at WordPress.com.

Privacy & Cookies: This site uses cookies. By continuing to use this website, you agree to their use.
To find out more, including how to control cookies, see here: Cookie Policy
  • Follow Following
    • therichesofchrist.com
    • Already have a WordPress.com account? Log in now.
    • therichesofchrist.com
    • Customize
    • Follow Following
    • Sign up
    • Log in
    • Report this content
    • View site in Reader
    • Manage subscriptions
    • Collapse this bar