(November 24, 2023) Brian Bell  shares comfort in these troubled times…

As we look towards the end of 2023 we find the world still facing many difficult if not intractable issues.

Most recently and topical has been the situation in the Middle East centred on the nation of Israel and its conflict in Gaza. Naturally, it has caused a lot of controversy around the world, even here in my homeland of Northern Ireland where there are conflicting views about who is to ‘blame’ for the conflict and what to do about it.

Noticeable ‘End times’ resurgence
I have also noticed that it has caused a resurgence of ‘end times’ theogogy within the family of Christian believers and how the present conflict sits within that framework.

In the present situation my resolve is not to get sidetracked by speculative end time scaremongering… but rather keep with what I know is truth and try to ‘hold the fort’ to quote that old cliché and hymn. And I pray that it is so with other Christians around the world!

I’m conscious that there are differing ‘end time’ views but I respect those who see things differently to the perspective I share here.

Paul’s straight talk
May I draw your attention to 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18NLT, one of my favourite passages about end time perspectives –

‘And now, dear brothers and sisters, we want you to know what will happen to the believers who have died so you will not grieve like people who have no hope (v13). For since we believe that Jesus died and was raised to life again, we also believe that when Jesus returns, God will bring back with him the believers who have died (v14). We tell you this directly from the Lord: We who are still living when the Lord returns will not meet him ahead of those who have died (v15).

‘For the Lord himself will come down from heaven with a commanding shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trumpet call of God. First, the believers who have died will rise from their graves (v16). Then, together with them, we who are still alive and remain on the earth will be caught up in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. Then we will be with the Lord forever (v17). So encourage each other with these words’ (v18). 

In these verses I see and understand the Lord’s coming in the context of what Paul clearly describes as a ‘catching up in the air’ of believers from the earth (v17). Or if you prefer a calling of believers or ‘rapture’ (although this phrase is not in scripture)

Paul tells the Thessalonians that what he is sharing is ‘…directly from the Lord’ (v15). He talks about the –

• Collecting at His coming (v15… harpazō, to catch up and away).
• Certainty of His coming (v16 ‘will come’).
• Context of His coming (v14-17).
• Comfort found in the Lord’s coming (v13,18).

Then in 1 Thessalonians 5: 1-4 Paul talks about ‘how and when’ this event will happen in an endeavour to set those Christians straight in their reasoning of this good news about Christ’s return!

No ‘calendar posting’!
The Thessalonians, or at least some of them it would seem were anticipating experiencing this sudden and unexpected event in their lifetime. Misunderstanding it seems they had stopped working and were just waiting around until Christ would come!

However, Paul was not trying to forecast the date on which Christ would return. He clearly states so in verse two. I like how the Message version puts it: ‘the day of the master’s coming can’t be posted on our calendars.’

My wife Eveline and I try to ensure all our most important engagements are written on our calendar in an effort to ensure we won’t forget – and that is what I understand Paul is saying here. That it is not a question of us pinpointing a specific date relating to the Lord’s coming, but rather an encouragement not to forget and to keep living in light of the promise of His coming!

So when can we expect His coming?
This poses the question, where are we today in relation to this promise of Christ to return?

When Jesus’s first disciples also asked Him, ‘… will there be any sign ahead of time to signal your return and the end of the world?’ (Matthew 24:3NLT), He did not answer with a specific date or period of time, but with identifiable signs. For example, war, threats of war, earthquake, famine, arrests, persecutions, hatred, false teachers and deception are all mentioned by Jesus… and His clear encouragement of ‘but don’t panic. Yes, these things must take place, but the end won’t follow immediately’ v(6). 

Bible teacher Stuart Briscoe comments on Paul’s Thessalonians letter this way: ‘Paul explained that no one knows the exact time of Christ’s return, only that He will return…. This great day will be preceded by a series of recognisable events.’

It seems to me that since the impact of the covid virus, other more recent world events such as fires and floods and of course the most recent conflicts in Ukraine and Israel, many believers are asking again about the ‘signs’ relating to the ‘nearness’ of the Lord’s ‘coming.’ I quote some words of a hymn which I have used before in another article:

‘Ho my comrades see the signal waving in the sky,
Reinforcements now appearing, victory is nigh.
Hold the fort for I am coming, Jesus signals still,
Wave the answer back to heaven, by thy grace we will.’

Hold the fort!
Daniel F. Zanuck’s film The Longest Day depicts a screen version about some of the ‘D-Day’ events of June 1944. In one scene, British troops were tasked with taking and holding a strategic bridge – the ‘field orders’ given to their commander were ‘Hold until relieved.’

In the endeavour to carry out that order, things were getting exceedingly difficult, and they were being hard pressed… but then they hear the sound of the bagpipes as the relief troops arrive.

Like those Thessalonian believers, we are still in a spiritual battle. In following our ‘field orders’ we are fighting a ‘holding action’ as Paul writes in 2 Thessalonians 2:15NLT ‘…stand firm…’

I believe the time of the Lord’s coming draws closer with every day, yet we should not be drawn into debate about its actual timing, even making well intended statements such as ‘I may see it in my lifetime’ or ‘I think we may see it in the next 10 years.’

It must be remembered the precise time is known only by God the Father! (Matthew 24:36).

On the ground conflict will continue unfortunately…  and ongoing spiritual conflict must continue. We as Christian believers may be hard pressed by the enemy as we seek to go forward in kingdom service and uphold kingdom values, but… the Lord is coming and until He does, He calls us, even as Paul encouraged the Thessalonians, to resolvedly hold our ground!

His Day is coming!
To close these few thoughts, here are some words of the song by Gordon Jensen, ‘Redemption Draweth Nigh’ which sum up how I see the situation:

Years of time have come and gone
Since I first heard it told,
How Jesus would come again someday.
If back then it seemed so real,
Then I just can’t help but feel
How much closer His coming is today.
Chorus:
Signs of the times are everywhere.
There’s a brand new feeling in the air.
Keep your eyes upon the eastern sky,
Life up your heads, redemption draweth nigh!

 An appropriate prayer should be along these lines…
‘Lord Jesus, thank you for the certainty of your promise to return again. Forgive me when just like your early disciples I am curious about when this will be rather than be content with knowing. The Father has all things in His hand. Thank you for the encouragment your return brings to us as Christian believers, knowing it will bring an end to our earthly struggle, weaknesses and sickness.

‘Until that day comes, Lord, please help us to continue serving in your kingdom, and be faithful in our testimony to others who as yet have not come into an experience of saving faith and in your words, Lord Jesus, “this good news of the kingdom is preached across the world so that all nations may hear it, then finally the end will come”’(Matthew 24:14NLT).

May we not be deceived by any false teachers, nor troubled by world events. And as Jesus warned in verse 4 ‘Don’t let anyone mislead you.’ Rather may we be about the Lord’s business… praising Him, honouring Him, sharing what He has done for us and is doing, and fulfilling the great commission of Matthew 28:18-20!

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Brian Bell is a diaconate member, Christ Church (Congregational) Abbots Cross, Northern Ireland, and a volunteer with Disabled Christians Fellowship Ireland. Brian describes himself as ‘grateful for the privilege and opportunity given me to serve my Lord.’
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