“A voice cries: ‘In the wilderness prepare the way of the Lord;
Make straight in the desert a highway for our God.’”
Isaiah 40:3a
In my chronological bible plan, we just started the New Testament. It is interesting because it hits the same event from each gospel at the same time. For example, we get to see, at one time, the whole picture of John the Baptist. I must not have done that before because I now noticed just how big of a deal he was. Actually, it would be more appropriate how big of a deal Jesus was that John had the privilege of announcing.
Even so, John was a big deal. He was the first prophet for several hundred years. And his message was that of the coming Lamb of God who would take away the sin of the world. He called on the people to, “Repent for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” (Matthew 3:2) He wasn’t afraid of offending people with any of this. In fact, he even got in front of the king and accused him of sexual sin. Can you image that? This cost him his head, not from the king, directly, but from the woman with whom the king was sinning. Do you think for a minute that John didn’t know this could happen?
They say the next event on the prophetic calendar is the Rapture. Now, I know some people say this won’t happen, but I tend toward the thinking that it. Furthermore, I believe it will be before the Great Tribulation. We’ll see. This I know for certain – that God has me in the palm of his hand and NOTHING will take me from it.
One day, I’ll meet Jesus face-to-face, whether at my death, when my spirit is carried by angels to heaven, or in the flesh, when he comes to gather his entire church. It is at that moment I will receive my glorified body, my fleshly body that will be transformed – completely free of sin and that will last for eternity! Pretty cool stuff. That’s the event that some say is next.
When will that happen? Maybe today. Or tomorrow. Or maybe in another 1,000 years or more. We don’t know. Here’s one thing we DO know: Jesus was determined that we live in anticipation of it coming very, very soon. Yet, if we believe what the bible tells us, that the earth is only 6,000 years or so old, then we’ve been waiting for a good chunk of that time for his return. Clearly, his return wasn’t right around the corner when he first warned us.
What do we make of that? Patience, my friends. Yet, don’t think for a moment that it couldn’t happen this morning.
What do we do as we wait? Be prepared. Maybe we would be wise to study up a little on John the Baptist.
Father, embolden your church. I pray that you send out workers into the harvest. Lord, open doors for me that I may share the gospel. I desire that men and women turn from their sin and worship you. Send me out. Amen.
Copyright © 2019 Scott Powers