MIF 9:5 (Sept-Oct 1977)
The Lord Is At Hand
“It is finished.” Christ’s victorious cry from Calvary’s cross vindicated heaven’s holiness and justice, and vanquished the powers of hell.
“He is risen.” The angel’s message of the resurrection caused heaven to rejoice, hell to rock and reel, and the disciples’ hopes to revive.
“I will come again.” Christ’s parting promise in the Upper Room is the third cornerstone of a mighty triad of New Testament truth.
Calvary saw redemption’s work completed. The Garden of the Resurrection witnessed God’s confirmation to Christ’s death. At the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour, Jesus Christ, salvation’s triumph will be wondrously climaxed.
Today fulfilled prophecy announces that the long winter of Christ’s absence will soon terminate. Prophetic signs of spring and a new day abound on every hand. The fig tree, Israel, blossoms as a nation once more. Thousands of Hebrews return to their revived homeland of Palestine. Wars and rumours of wars, earthquakes, famine and pestilence, fire and flood appear in newspaper’ headlines in every country. True religion wanes and the love of many waxes cold because iniquity abounds. Scoffers ridicule Christ’s second coming. Statesmen cry, “Peace and safety,” and yet a fear complex grips mankind because of Russia’s Communism, and the destructive energy enclosed in atomic and H-bombs. Surely Christ’s coming draweth nigh.
The last promise of God’s Word is — “Surely, I come quickly.” The waiting Church responds — “Even so, come, Lord Jesus.”
— Norman E. Schlarbaum