Messiah: Our Coming King

The second coming of the Lord is imminent and will be personal, visible, and premillennial. This is the believer's blessed hope and is a vital truth which is an incentive to holy living and faithful service. (Christian &Missionary Alliance Statement of Faith)

(Rev 19:10 NIV) At this I fell at his feet to worship him. But he said to me, "Do not do it! I am a fellow servant with you and with your brothers who hold to the testimony of Jesus. Worship God! For the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy."

Part of me has always wanted to dig into prophecy, and part of me has wanted to run far away from it. In "The End Times" by Herman Hoyt, the author, summarized how I would want to look at prophecy real well.

"... the central feature of eschatological teachings is the moral and spiritual effect upon the life and conduct of God's people in the present... What could make a greater impact on the believer than a full realization of the fact that he could at any moment stand before Jesus Christ, his Savior and Judge." (The End Times, p 16)

During the Spiedie Fest in the Summer of 2008 Ravi cut his toe

Ravi went to the ER about 8:00 PM. They called the Podiatrist who was on call to come in and give him stitches. The doctor said that he has to live within a certain distance of the hospital so that when he is on call he can get there within a certain time. He needs to be ready and available. When he is on call he is always waiting for the possibility that a call may come at any time.

I believe that Yeshua?s return is imminent.
Imminent - about to happen, looming, pending, on the agenda, just around the corner, at hand

When we read prophecy in the Bible, it should have a moral and spiritual effect on our lives. WHY? Because when we read prophecy we should be reminded that at any moment we could be standing before Yeshua. His return is on God?s agenda, and is right around the corner. This is great news, but it should also have an effect on how we live our life right now.

Yeshua is our Savior, but He is also our Judge. Since He is our Judge we should be concerned about our moral and spiritual life!

Incentive for holy living and faithful service (C&MA Statement of Faith)

Holy living

(Matt 5:8 NIV) Blessed (happy, fortunate) are the pure in heart, for they will see God.

(Titus 2:12-13 NIV) It teaches us to say "No" to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age, while we wait for the blessed hope - the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior, Messiah Jesus,

Again, there is a relationship between living a holy and godly life and being with Yeshua when He returns.

(2 Peter 3:10-11) But the day of the Lord will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything in it will be laid bare. Since everything will be destroyed in this way, what kind of people ought you to be? You ought to live holy and godly lives.

The Day of the Lord will come like a thief. In the Message Peterson says, "It will be unannounced like a thief." In the CEV it says "His return will surprise us like a thief." When a store has a sale, they announce it so everyone can hear about it. They want to give you advance notice or warning so that you can prepare for it. They want you to be able to set aside time and plan to shop at their store. They want you to know about their sale so that you won?t miss it.

A thief works just the opposite of store managers. He doesn?t put an ad in the paper or mail advertisements out before hand. He doesn?t let you know when he is coming. He wants to catch you by surprise. His goal is to come when you don?t know, so that he can get in and out of your house without you noticing. He never gives an advance notice.

Peter lets us know when Yeshua returns He will come like a thief. He will not announce His coming in advance. Yeshua wants to see who believes His return is imminent. He wants to see who really believes that it is about to happen. If you really believe that Yeshua will return at any time, unannounced, and that He will come back to judge people, you will live a holy and godly life right now. You will live a holy and godly life every day, and every minute of your life..

(Message) Since everything here today might well be gone tomorrow, do you see how essential it is to live a holy life? Daily expect the Day of God, eager for its arrival..

The earth might end tomorrow so it is essential for you to live a holy life today!

(CEV) So you should serve and honor God by the way you live.

In light of what will happen here on earth, you should honor God with the way you live your life.

(Matt 24:42-44) "Therefore keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come. But understand this: If the owner of the house had known at what time of night the thief was coming, he would have kept watch and would not have let his house be broken into. So you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him.

(Matt 24:39-44 Message) The Son of Man's Arrival will be like that: Two men will be working in the field - one will be taken, one left behind; two women will be grinding at the mill - one will be taken, one left behind. So stay awake, alert. You have no idea what day your Master will show up. But you do know this: You know that if the homeowner had known what time of night the burglar would arrive, he would have been there with his dogs to prevent the break-in. Be vigilant just like that. You have no idea when the Son of Man is going to show up.

You have no idea when Yeshua will return to bring us up to the clouds to join Him. Therefore, we need to be vigilant in watching for Him if we want to join Him.

Faithful service

We are not saved by our works or good deeds. In Ephesians Paul teaches we are saved by our faith, or dependence on Yeshua. But then He goes on to say, that we are saved in order to do good works. This is one of the reasons you are saved. You are saved to serve God, His kingdom, and His people. Good works are the proof you are really saved. It proves that your heart is changed, and you?ve given your life to Yeshua and for His kingdom.

(James 2:18-26 NIV) But someone will say, "You have faith; I have deeds." Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by what I do. You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that - and shudder. You foolish man, do you want evidence that faith without deeds is useless ? Was not our ancestor Abraham considered righteous for what he did when he offered his son Isaac on the altar? You see that his faith and his actions were working together, and his faith was made complete by what he did. And the scripture was fulfilled that says, "Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness," and he was called God's friend. You see that a person is justified by what he does and not by faith alone. In the same way, was not even Rahab the prostitute considered righteous for what she did when she gave lodging to the spies and sent them off in a different direction? As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead.

(Ryrie) Unproductive faith cannot save, because it is not genuine faith. Faith and works are like a two-coupon ticket to heaven. The coupon of works is not good for passage, and the coupon of faith is not valid if detached from works.

(Message) Faith and works, works and faith, fit together hand in glove.

Isn't it obvious that faith and works are yoked partners, that faith expresses itself in works?

It's that mesh of believing and acting that got Abraham named "God's friend." Is it not evident that a person is made right with God not by a barren faith but by faith fruitful in works?

(1 Tim 6:18-19 NIV) Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share. In this way they will lay up treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age, so that they may take hold of the life that is truly life.

(Message) Tell them to go after God, who piles on all the riches we could ever manage - to do good, to be rich in helping others, to be extravagantly generous. If they do that, they'll build a treasury that will last, gaining life that is truly life.

Paul tells Timothy to command people to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be rich in helping others. Then Paul goes on to say, "In this way" or "If they do that" they will have true life in the future. It?s conditional.

(2 Tim 3:16-17 NIV) All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.

Paul tells Timothy that all scripture, including prophecy, will equip us for every good work God has for us.