What Saith the Scripture?
http://www.WhatSaithTheScripture.com/
It's Time To Go
Or, Providence and Our LORD's Second Coming
"The LORD is at hand"
(Philippians 4:5).
by Tom Stewart
11-15-98
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Prologue
Providence is the hand of God ordering the affairs of man.
"A man's heart deviseth his way: but the LORD directeth his steps" (Proverbs
16:9). We are to use whatever talent, skills, or capacities that we possess to accomplish
the LORD's will, but we must understand that only God can bring it to pass. "Commit
thy way unto the LORD; trust also in Him; and He shall bring it to pass"
(Psalm 37:5). That process of God's arranging of all things to accomplish His will
is the Providence of God. "9 Remember the former things of old: for I am God,
and there is none else; I am God, and there is none like Me, 10 Declaring the end
from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done, saying,
My Counsel shall stand, and I will do all My pleasure: 11 Calling a ravenous bird
from the east, the man that executeth My Counsel from a far country: yea, I have
spoken it, I will also bring it to pass; I have purposed it, I will also do
it" (Isaiah 46:9-11).
The Only Wise God Our Saviour (Jude 25) has ordained a vast prophetic program for
His Second Coming with the design of "finish[ing] the transgression, and to
make an end of sins, and to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in Everlasting
Righteousness, and to seal up the vision and prophecy, and to anoint The Most Holy"
(Daniel 9:24). God insists upon our voluntary cooperation with Him to accomplish
that purpose. This can best be seen in the conduct of the Son of Man. "But Jesus
answered them, My Father worketh hitherto, and I work" (John 5:17).
So then, all of our LORD's masterful use of His Universe to bring to pass His prophetic
program, all of our cooperative labor for the Gospel of the LORD Jesus Christ, and
even the uncooperative "wrath of man" (Psalm 76:10), all of these will
the Most Holy One (Daniel 9:24) use to accomplish His purpose and to bring us to
the conclusion that IT'S TIME TO GO!
Hastening Our LORD's Coming
It is a strange thought that mere mortal Christians can have any part in hastening
the Coming of our LORD Jesus Christ, but that is the testimony of the Scripture of
Truth (Daniel 10:21). "Looking for and hasting unto the Coming of The Day of
God [or, hastening the Coming of The Day of God], wherein the heavens being on fire
shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat" (2Peter 3:12).
Our finite minds struggle to understand how we can possibly hasten the Coming of
the Infinite KING of Kings, but He has demonstrated His absolute sovereignty over
the affairs of man by openly enjoining us to command Him concerning the fulfillment
of His prophecy. "Thus saith the LORD, the Holy One of Israel, and His Maker,
Ask Me of things to come concerning My sons, and concerning the work of My hands
command ye Me" (Isaiah 45:11). Blessing and honor to the LORD God Omnipotent
(Revelation 19:6), who has condescended to allow His people to "drive the car
while sitting on Daddy's lap".
Our participation in the fulfillment of prophecy was directed by the Master when
He instructed us to pray, "Thy Kingdom come" (Matthew 6:10). Surely, this
was also the understanding of the Apostle John on the Isle of Patmos as he reported
our LORD's closing Words in the Revelation. "He which testifieth these things
saith, Surely I come quickly. Amen. Even so, come, LORD Jesus" (Revelation 22:20).
The Holy One of Israel is so desirous of our participation in the fulfillment of
His prophetic program that He has placed on the table His longstanding request that
we "stand in the gap" (Ezekiel 22:30) with Him as an "intercessor"
(Isaiah 59:16). Again, our God requires our intercession to hasten His Coming. "Thus
saith the LORD GOD; I will yet for this be enquired of by the house of Israel, to
do it for them" (Ezekiel 36:37). Our intercession can only lead us to the conclusion
that IT'S TIME TO GO!
Epilogue
Katie and I (Tom) would like to thank you, Berean Christians, for visiting the What
Saith The Scripture website. You have "received the Word with all readiness
of mind, and searched the Scriptures daily, whether those things were so" (Acts
17:11). Because we sense that our time is short that our Sovereign LORD would translate
us all into His Blessed presence, we look forward to the joyful prospect of meeting
you by sight, whom we have only heretofore perceived by faith. "And that, knowing
the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our Salvation
nearer than when we believed" (Romans 13:11). With the knowledge that we will
soon be in the presence of the Lamb of God, Who not only redeemed us from our sins,
but rescued us from this present evil world, we bow to Him in thanksgiving and adoration.
"Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom,
and strength, and honour, and glory, and blessing" (Revelation 5:12).
Amen, and Amen.
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