Jesus is coming:
How ‘soon’ is soon?
I have been a believer in Christ (a Christian) since 1950. I got very serious about becoming a FOLLOWER of Christ about eleven years later. I would estimate I have attended more than 9,000 Church services in that time and have viewed or listened to approximately 5,000 more sermons. I tell you that so you will know I admit to being fully and completely indoctrinated in my faith. I also am not the least bit apologetic for that or for having spent countless hours reading scripture and books about scripture. There is one theme that re-occurs over and over again and that is preachers, leaders, teachers and just plain believers recounting close encounters with God’s Holy Spirit and being given this message from for any who will listen: “Tell them I am coming soon.” Now, just about any believer who has been around the Bible and Bible teachers knows better than to claim they’ve been given a date. Even Jesus, when asked about the timing of the restoration of ‘the kingdom’ answered by telling His disciples He had yet to hear from His Father on that matter. I really don’t think He used that as an excuse to get them to stop bothering them about peripheral issues.
Every time we hear that message there lurks somewhere in us the thought of’ ‘I keep hearing that but He ain’t here yet!’ But then that was common with Jesus’ ministry. Often He did not show up when convenient or expected. The four gospel accounts of His years with us physically chronicle numerous occasions when He seemed to delay getting where He was needed. I’ll take you through a few of those:
The first that comes to mind is related to us by the Apostle, John, in his gospel account in chapter five. Jesus is in the vicinity of the pool of Bethsaida, and He fixated on a fellow laying there wanting to be helped into the water when the healing angel troubled the waters. This would not have been the first time Jesus would have been in this area nor would it have been His first opportunity to engage with this beggarly cripple. And, when Jesus DOES open a conversation with him, John tells us Jesus’ opening line in this dialogue was to question if the man wanted to be made well. If you’re familiar with the story the man does not answer the question as it was asked. He goes into an explanation that he has been unsuccessful in employing anyone to get him to the water at the appropriate time. Perhaps this man has heard of Jesus – perhaps he is familiar with Jesus’ reputation as a healer but his problem with that is ‘He ain’t here yet’. The story concludes with Jesus simply telling the man to get up and walk away. And, the man does just that.
At this point a big stink is raised over Jesus’ timing. He was NOT supposed to show up – for work – on this particular day. It was everyone’s day off. So (my take on the story) the religious leaders became ‘calendar police’ and saw this guy they recognized as that beggar down by the pool walking – which is permitted to a certain extent – and CARRYING HIS BEDDING for heaven’s sake. I get the idea it went something like this:
Calendar Police (CP): Hey buddy. Stop right there. Show me your calendar.
Healed Guy (HG): Wut? I don’t carry a calendar.
CP: That explains why you’re CARRYING what is forbidden to be CARRIED on THIS day, which is the Sabbath. You have heard of the Sabbath, right? And before you answer, no matter what you say we’re going to hold it against you – understand?
HG: Look, I’m just following orders here. I recognize you because you walked by me regularly while I was laying near the pool hoping for someone to help me into the water when it is troubled. You see, when the waters are troubled (and at this point they stop him and tell him:
CP: Yeah, we know who you are, why you were where you were and all that. STILL, you are CARRYING on the day you are commanded by God to REFRAIN from carrying. And YOU say you’re following orders? WHOSE ORDERS?
HG: That guy over there finally showed up but instead of tossing me in the waters He TOLD me to get up, pick up this bedding and WALK. Somehow His words carried such authority I JUST DID IT, like there really was no alternative. Bottom line, guys: I CAN so I DO because I’M TOLD.
Now the CP have bigger fish to fry. They rush over to Jesus and demand to see HIS calendar. His reply was astounding. He told them that He KNOWS the Sabbath. His Father started the whole ‘everybody have a day of rest’ movement. BUT He told them: My Father worketh hitherto (Jesus suddenly speaks King James English) and I work. I keep my eyes on Him so whatever He does, no matter what day it is, I SHOW UP AND DO THAT. I also keep my ear out for any Word He utters and when I SPEAK, I limit that to ONLY what I’ve heard Him speak and is appropriate for the occasion. AND, by the way, you should take careful note of ANYTHING I SAY and hold it against me – or hold me to it!
Now, here are a couple more instances and, perhaps, a bit more graphic regarding ‘He ain’t here yet’. This important fellow named Jairus was frantically seeking Jesus because of Jesus’ reputation as a healer. His daughter caught Covid or something and her symptoms were such the ‘physicians’ held out no hope for her. Upon finding Jesus there is this crowd around Him and the plea to come heal this very sick girl. Granting his plea for a healing touch from Jesus, they begin the trek to Jairus house – at the speed of multitude. The scene painted by the gospel writers is chaotic. Nothing happens in ‘multitude’ in an organized fashion, especially travel. While they are making their way, some woman with an incurable disease also has set out to engage Jesus’ services as healer. She had made up her mind she WOULD BE HEALED. She fully believed even a touch on a hem on Jesus’ clothing would affect her healing. She found Him. She touched his clothes. She was healed – right then, right there and she knew it AND Jesus knew it. He also knew for her to keep what she had received, she needed to declare it. He stopped. The multitude stopped. Once again, He asked what appeared to be a silly question. With a large crowd all around Him, He demanded to know “WHO TOUCHED ME?” He was immediately made aware (as if He did not know it already) there were MANY touching Him, but HE declared a touch that transmitted ‘virtue’ went from Him, the touchee, to the other, the touchor. Finally, the lady confesses the miracle that had occurred in her body.
Before Jesus can re-start the multitude in progressing toward Jairus’ house to fulfill his request for his daughter, someone from the house rushes up to Jairus. They convey to Jairus they had a ‘He ain’t here yet’ moment because the girl died while Jesus was tending to other matters. Now, anyone familiar with this story knows Jesus dismissed this news and proceeded to Jairus’ house where there would be no healing. There would be the restorative miracle of her resurrection. Upon Jesus did arrival the first thing He did was to make them all leave. The house was occupied by mourners and the complete inability to consider, let alone believe, the miracle of resurrection. Jesus commands life to return to the girl and commands she be fed.
One more Biblical example and I’ll ‘close’: Jesus and company were told Lazarus was in critical condition. His disciples thought it urgent enough to hurry Jesus along. Mary and Martha, Lazarus’ sisters, knew Jesus would come. But ‘He ain’t here yet’. Lazarus’ condition deteriorated. Jesus did not ‘hurry’. Those who knew. Loved and trusted Jesus were anticipating Him to arrive any time – but ‘He ain’t here yet’. Finally, Jesus reveals to the disciples Lazarus had died. I’m sure the disciples thought their journey to Lazarus home would be to console those grieving.
After being entombed four days (‘by now he stinketh’) Jesus finally shows up. Both Mary and Martha were emotionallh conflicted. They were comforted by His presence, but both expressed their deep feeling to Him ‘If only You had been here’. Jesus’, reply shook them to their core. Jesus spoke of ‘resurrection’. They were undoubtedly aware Jesus had raised others from death, but this death business is so universal – so final. They didn’t want to take responsibility for believing God for such a miracle. It seemed foolish. It made Jesus look foolish. They had some real difficulty with appearing foolish themselves. ‘If only You had been here. We know about resurrection – in the last days’.
Now I don’t know about you but the matter of ME affecting someone dead coming back to life – you know, ‘raising the dead’, is frightening. The very fact that Jesus made the claim that believers indwelt by His Spirit would do even greater works than He did puts me and my faith in a position I am not remotely comfortable with. Yet, He never lies. And He did not lie with His response. I can’t tell you for certain, but I see in my mind’s eye Jesus locking eyes with first one, then the other and making this statement to them: “I AM THE RESURRECTION!” He then proceeded to the tomb and called Lazarus to come out. Those in attendance were told to remove the grave clothes from this walking, breathing ‘corpse’.
But He ain’t here yet. If only You had been here. I AM HERE! My beloved sibling in Christ our elder brother, the Firstborn of many brethren, will return. He is waiting, as are we, for God the Father to make the command, give the gesture, assume the posture of complete readiness and He will show up. While earth’s inhabitants languish in the throes of terminal illness, that sin nature that brings with it death, we wait and say ‘But, He ain’t here yet!’ I’m going to admit that His coming and our eager anticipation of His coming again is, in part, a desire to escape what will be happening up to the point He comes in the air and summons His bride to Him. It does not diminish the fact of His return even a little. He IS coming and we SHALL meet Him in the air, but His full return will be with us – born-again believers – at His side.
Just a word to those who accuse us of a desire to escape: Isn’t our very salvation our escape from bondage – spiritual tyranny – and living absent the presence and blessings of a relationship with God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit? But don’t get me wrong. Being eager for the return of Christ does not mean His Church will not suffer persecution. It only means we shall be set aside – taken up – during the time He deals with those who persecuted His bride whom He lived, died and rose from the dead to develop. All that we go through between now and then is a part of the many processes He utilizes so that His Father can present to Him His bride with no spot, with no wrinkle and with wholehearted devotion.
One more truth about our ‘escape’. God never has, nor will He ever bring us out of defeat without transferring us to victory. We do not escape pain. We enter into joy. We do not escape discomfort, but we are delivered into His comforting presence. We do not escape darkness, but we are set over into the light. We do not escape death, but we are born-again with eternal life.
I get this sense that He is on His way. As He makes His way (makes preparation) for His return it is as though He turns with a loving smile and says to a world estranged from God: “You comin’?”