The Promise of His Coming (James Scott)

The Promise of His Coming and Why He Delayed
James Scott

The coming again of the Lord Jesus is a subject of supreme importance, and one which appeals to the heart of every child of God. If we know Him as the one who loved us and gave Himself for us (Gal 2:20), we will naturally long to see Him, and every Scripture that treats of this blessed prospect will become increasingly precious to us. Nothing is more likely to create a real revival among the people of God than the fact of His imminent return. When John Knox was in exile his followers got dispirited and the cause of the reformers was at a very low ebb; but when word came of his release and that he was on the way home, the news swept up the valley of the Forth, the stronghold of the Reformation, with incredible speed, reminding us of the days of the Fiery Cross among the highlanders of Scotland. If the message "Knox is coming" was sufficient to electrify the whole countryside and rouse the people to fever-heat enthusiasm, what might we expect when once the imminent coming of the Lord Jesus becomes a reality in the hearts and minds of the people of God and not merely a theory. It would produce the greatest revival the church has ever known, comparable to what we have in Matthew 25 when the midnight cry: "Behold the Bridegroom" roused the sleeping virgins. Only let us grasp the fact that the Man of Calvary is coming and our affections will be stirred; and instinctively we will say "Come." No sooner did the Psalmist begin to speak of the things touching the King than his heart overflowed in adoration: "Thou art fairer far than the children of men; grace is poured into thy lips" (Ps 45:2). It is one thing to speak about the King and quite another to have our affections engaged with Him. The Seer of Patmos had a somewhat similar experience when sending greetings to the seven churches; for no sooner did he mention "Jesus Christ, the faithful Witness, the firstborn from among the dead, and the Prince of the kings of the earth," than he burst forth in that never-to-be-forgotten doxology: Unto him that loveth us, and loosed us from our sins by his blood ... to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever" (Rev 1:5,6).

When we turn to the epistles to the seven churches, where He presents Himself in different aspects, there is no response, not even from Philadelphia where He reminds her of His coming. The church has become like the spouse in the Song of Songs where her beloved says: "Open to me, my sister, my love, my dove, my undefiled; for my head is filled with dew, and my locks with the drops of the night " (Songs 5:2); but she cares not for His condition, or His affectionate appeals; she thinks only of her own comfort. Can we wonder that he withdraws himself, or that Christ has refrained from coming for His faithless church?

As Peter reminds us, the theme of the prophets was the sufferings of Christ and the glories that should follow; but not a word about His coming for His saints. We have stated elsewhere that this is not the subject of prophecy but of revelation; and if we can find no mention of the church in the Old Testament it need not surprise us if the church's hope is not mentioned. The fact is that both subjects are outwith the scope of prophecy, which has to do with God's purposes concerning Christ, Israel, and the world; the church, on the other hand, is not only a New Testament revelation (Eph 3), but in contrast with Israel it has a heavenly calling, a heavenly hope, and a heavenly inheritance. In other words, prophecy has to do with the earth, while the church belongs to heaven.

The first mention we have of the blessed hope is from the Lord Himself, and that on the night of His betrayal. He had been telling His disciples that He was going away, alas, by way of the cross! and to comfort them in their sorrow He promised to come again for them. They had heard Him speak, only a day or two before, of His coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory (Matt 24:30). They had also been granted a vision of him as "Son of man coming in His kingdom" (Matt 16:28); but now that His death has been determined upon, it is no longer the kingdom but the Father's house. His message to them is, "Let not your heart be troubled; ye believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I am coming again, and will receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also" (John 14:1- 3). If still further to emphasize the fact, and comfort their hearts, they are permitted to listen while He utters that memorable prayer: "Father, I will that they also, whom thou hast given me, be with me where I am; that they may behold my glory, which thou hast given me" (John 17:24). To confound all this with His coming as Son of man is not interpretation but perversion. As Son of man He comes to receive dominion, and glory, and a kingdom (Dan 7:14), but there is nothing of that here. He comes to take us to the Father's house and to share with Him the Father's love. It is quite evident that the disciples understood Him in this sense; for when, in answer to Peter's enquiry concerning John, our Lord said: "If I will that He tarry till I come, what is that to thee," the saying went abroad among the disciples that John would not die; that is, he would be alive when Christ came for His saints. According to the parable of the virgins, it is still further evident that they considered His coming imminent, for they all went forth to meet Him. In a word, it was the hope of the early church; and it is said of the saints in Thessalonica that they "turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God; and to wait for His Son from heaven" (1 Thess 1:9,10).

While we are indebted to the Lord Himself for the first intimation of such a hope, it was left to the apostle Paul to supply further details as to how it would come about. It would appear that at Thessalonica some of the saints had died, and their friends seem to have been greatly distressed as to what would become of them when Christ came; would they be left behind? It was an unusual difficulty requiring a fresh revelation, for there was no previous instruction about it. The apostle therefore went to the Lord for further light, as his answer would imply: "For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord" (1 Thess 4:15); and who but He could solve such a difficulty? Those who had fallen asleep would lose nothing at His coming; on the contrary they would have precedence of the living. "The Lord Himself shall descend from heaven with a shout ... and the dead in Christ shall rise first" (1 Thess 4:16). The contrast is not between the resurrection of the saints and the unsaved, but between those who have fallen asleep and those who will be alive. Consequently we learn that before the living are caught up those who are asleep will be raised, and together they will go to meet the Lord in the air. The partial rapture theory finds no support here, for not a word is said as to their moral condition, or the possibility of some being left behind: It is "them which sleep through Jesus" and "we which are alive and remain" at His coming.

If there is to be discrimination among the living, as some would have us believe, what about those who have fallen asleep? Were they all faithful during their life-time? In Corinth there were some behaving so badly that they were cut off: "For this cause many are weak and sickly among you, and not a few sleep" (1 Cor 11:30); that is, they were taken away by death. According to this comfortless theory, had Christ come while they were alive, they would have been left behind; but having died, even under the governmental hand of God, they will share in the first resurrection for it is "they that are Christ's" (1 Cor 15:23). Scripture is no less explicit as to the living for, says the apostle: "We which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord" (1 Thess 4:17). There is no question of moral fitness in this connection, for we have none; hence the apostle elsewhere gives "thanks unto the Father who hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light" (Col 1:12). Any other ground of confidence is not only unscriptural, but it panders to spiritual pride.

The blood was the sign, Lord,
That marked them as thine, Lord,
And brightly they'll shine at Thy coming again.

We have seen that John 14. gives us the fact of His coming: "I am coming again," but no particulars are given other than that He will take us to the Father's house. In 1 Thess. iv. we are supplied with fuller details, particularly in reference to those who have fallen asleep. There is, however, something still lacking; for while we have been informed that the sleeping ones will be raised and together with the living caught up, nothing has been said as to` "How are the dead raised? and with what body do they come?" (1 Cor 15:35). Will they be brought back to life again, as Lazarus was, to await their "house from heaven " (2 Cor 5:2) along with the living saints? Far be the thought; for the apostle says in reference to the body: "It is sown in corruption; it is raised in incorruptibility; it is sown in dishonour; it is raised in glory" (1 Cor 15:42,43). Not raised to be glorified, for such will be their condition when they rise. The great "mystery," however, to which the apostle refers has to do with the living and not with the dead: "Behold I show you a mystery: we shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed" (1 Cor 15:51). In the New Testament the word "mystery " does not refer to what is unintelligible, but to something kept secret until God was pleased to reveal it. Such was the mystery which the apostle made known to the Corinthians. To the average person there is nothing so certain as death; but for the Christian it is by no means a certainty, for the apostle distinctly states that "We shall not all sleep." What then will happen to those who will be alive at His coming? This is the great "mystery" of our chapter: "We shall all be changed," and that in a moment. Clearly then those saints who are "alive and remain" will not die; neither will they go to heaven in their natural bodies, for "flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God." It follows then that "This corruptible must put on incorruptibility; and this mortal must put on immortality." It is important to notice that this is said of the living; the previous verse mentions the dead being raised incorruptible but the living put it on (compare verses 42 and 53). The trumpet that wakes the dead will bring about this change in the living; and for one brief moment every redeemed soul from Abel downward will stand on this earth in "bodies of glory." Then will be brought to pass the saying: " Death is swallowed up in victory." It is not only foolish but unscriptural for Christians to put these words and the verse that follows over the last resting place of their loved ones. The tombstone itself bears witness to the fact that they are not true; for while death has lost its sting for the people of God, the grave still: claims its victim. It is when those who have fallen asleep are raised, and the great multitude alive at His coming 'have been changed, and together caught up to meet the Lord in the air: that the shout of triumph will be heard: " O death, where is thy sting'? O grave, where is thy victory?" And in anticipation of that moment we can add our " amen " to the doxology of the apostle: But thanks be to God, who giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ" (1 Cor 15:54-57).

Oh, joy ! oh, delight! should we go without dying:
No sickness, no sadness, no dread; and no crying:
Caught up through the clouds with our Lord into glory,
When Jesus receives " His own."

Why Christ Has Not Come

It is doubtless a real joy to be able to tell the people of God that our Lord is coming again, and that to take us to the Father's house; but instinctively we feel that something more is expected of us. We cannot ignore the fact that it is a long time since He said " Behold, I come quickly," and by no stretch of the imagination, or special pleading, can we maintain that a delay of nineteen centuries is consistent with " quickly." It is beside the mark to plead that " a thousand years is as one day," consequently it is barely two days since He went away; for it is equally true that " one day is as a thousand years." All that we can infer from these statements is that God does not reckon time as we do. We do well to remind ourselves of the words of Jehovah to His earthly people: " My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways " (Isa 55:8). A more satisfactory solution of the difficulty must be found if' we are to allay the perplexities and misgivings of our hearers.

Let us state the case plainly and fearlessly if perchance we may arouse the saints of God but of that condition of stupor into which they have fallen owing to the fact of the Bridegroom having tarried (Matt. xxv. 5) He said He would come; that He was coming quickly; but He has not come. From the parable of the ten virgins we learn that the early Christians believed that His coming was imminent. They are represented as going forth to meet Him; their attitude was one of earnest expectation. Writing to the Philippians the apostle reminds them that "our citizenship is in heaven, from whence also we wait for a Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ " (Phil 3:20, RSV). According to Sir R. Anderson, this word "wait" is the strongest that any language could supply to express the earnest expectation of something believed to be imminent. Bloomfield says: "It signifies properly to thrust forward the head and neck as in anxious expectation of hearing or seeing something." It is worse than foolish to suggest that the apostle changed his mind towards the close of his ministry; for in his letter to Titus, written, as some believe, shortly before his martyrdom, he tells us that the grace of God will teach us to live " looking for that blessed hope " (Phil 2:13). The inference is clear and unmistakable that He was not only expected, but rightly so; in a word, He was due, but for some unexplained reason He "tarried." And "while the Bridegroom tarried they all slumbered and slept" (Matt 25:5).

It is quite evident that the Lord and His apostles encouraged the hope of His speedy return. Consequently the long delay has to be accounted for on some other ground than that of a mistaken hope. The sad fact is, that the apostles had barely left this scene until many had departed from the faith; unfaithfulness to Christ soon characterized the whole; and the church which the apostle desired to present as a chaste virgin to Christ was no longer chaste. An unholy alliance with the world was quickly formed, with the result that the heavenly calling was abandoned for a~ position in the world: "Even where Satan's throne is" (Rev2:13, RSV). Thus lulled to sleep in the licentious embrace of the world all hope of Christ coming for His saints was lost sight of; even the truth itself was given up, and we shall search the writings of the fathers in vain for any mention of it. It was otherwise with the truth as to the Lord's coming in judgment; that was riot lost sight of.

The downgrade movement is briefly foretold in the epistles to the seven churches (Rev 2 and 3) which give us a kind of panoramic view of the professing church from post-apostolic times until the rapture. At a very early date she had left her "first love"; devotedness to Christ no longer characterized her, though there was plenty of zeal and activity. The call to repentance being unheeded God permitted a time of severe persecution to overtake her, if perchance He might recall the faithless spouse. Whatever effect this may have had at the time was successfully countered by the devil, who through the emperor Constantine gave her the right hand of fellowship and a position of honour in the world. Thus we have the first union of church and state, but it was one of the blackest days in the church's history. Popery and the "dark ages" quickly followed, when the church became another Jezebel calling herself a prophetess, who openly and flagrantly taught and seduced the servants of Christ to commit fornication. "And I gave her space to repent of her fornication; and she repented not" (Rev 2:21). With this all hope of recovery is abandoned; Thyatira goes on to the end unchanged and unrepentant until she meets her doom at the hands of an angry God (Rev 18).

The Reformation, though a divine movement, so suffered in the hands of men that the recovery was only partial, and the Lord has to say "I have not found thy works perfect (or complete) before God" (Rev 3:2). Protestantism, as represented by Sardis, has but a name to live, though dead, and the call to repentance falls on deaf ears.

Philadelphia with its times of revival followed, when much that the reformers failed to recover was brought to light, and the word of Christ and His name again had their place in the assemblies of the people of God. At the best, however, they had but a little strength and they would be kept from the hour of temptation.

Laodicea gives us the last and most hopeless condition of the professing church. All hope of recovery having been abandoned there is nothing for her but complete rejection: "I am going to spew thee out of my mouth."

What hope could there be of the coming of Christ during that long sad history of departure from God? Could He have come at any of the stages we have been considering? The only approach to a proper condition was in Philadelphia; but when He renewed His promise: "Behold, I come quickly," there was no response. He said He would come; but He has not come; let the reader answer -- Why?

A young man "plights his troth" to the girl of his choice and in order to have a position worthy of her he goes to a foreign land to seek his fortune. He makes a solemn promise that when he has attained his object he will come and take her to the beautiful home he has prepared for her. He is not long away, however, until he becomes painfully conscious of a change in her feelings towards him. By and bye reports reach him that she is gadding about with other young men; in fact, she is no longer true to him. Is he likely to come for her in these circumstances? I trow not. But he promised to come; yes, and he meant to come: but he does not come -- she herself has made it impossible.

It may be said that God will make good His purposes independent of man's failure. Quite correct; only let us remember that God formed His purposes with the full knowledge of these failures.

God's message to the children of Israel in Egypt was, that He would take them to a land flowing with milk and honey; yet not a single man of them, to whom the promise was made, entered the land, with the exception of Caleb and Joshua. God promised to take them in but did not -- and why? He brought them to the border of the land and bade them go in and possess it; but they rebelled against Him and turned back in heart to Egypt: "They despised the pleasant land, they believed not his word" (Ps 106:24). Therefore they were debarred from entering the land for thirty-eight years (Deut 2:14), and, said God: "Ye shall know my breach of promise" (Num 14:34). Without doubt this is a remarkable statement; and it is interesting to note that while the revisers render it "My alienation," they give as an alternative reading "the revoking of my promise"; showing that they understood it, in some sort, as equivalent to going back on His word. Our Lord promised to come and take us to the Father's house; but He has not come. Would He have us to be ignorant as to the reason why?

A well-known evangelist observed a woman coming to his mission, but somehow she seemed anxious to evade him. In order to put her to the test, he said to her as she was going out: "I am coming to see you tomorrow." However he did not go, with the inevitable result that she told a neighbor that the evangelist was not a man of his word. On the matter being referred to him he replied, "I said that I was coming but she never said, Come; so I did not go." Christ said that He would come again, but He has not come; may the reason not be akin to that of the evangelists? The bride has never said "Come."

It has been objected that the early Christians were not warranted in expecting the return of the Lord in their day, because, as time has shown, there was to be a long interval during which God would visit Gentiles. Besides, if we of the twentieth century were chosen in Christ before the foundation of the world this delay became an absolute necessity; otherwise God could not possibly have made good His purpose concerning us. The fatal defect in such reasoning is, that it leaves out foreknowledge. What would be thought of one who would maintain that the failure of the first man was a necessity; seeing that God had a second man in readiness? Or that Adam must sin, because, in the purpose of God, the Sin offering had already been provided. Only bring in foreknowledge and all these difficulties disappear. God foresaw that the first man would fail, therefore He was ready with the second; He foresaw that sin would enter the world, consequently He foreordained the Lamb who would bear it away (1 Pe 1:20).

He also foresaw that the Jews would reject their Messiah and that this would give Him the occasion to visit the Gentiles to take out of them a people for His name (Acts 15:14). He foresaw that the apostasy of the professing church would mean the lengthening out of this day of grace, which would enable Him to include us in that elect company that is to form the bride of Christ. His foreknowledge that the kingdom would be refused did not hinder Him from announcing it as "at hand"; neither did the knowledge of His coming rejection and crucifixion prevent Christ making that official presentation of Himself as Son of David when He rode into Jerusalem on an ass's colt. Should anyone question the absolute sincerity of that day's proceedings let him witness those tears and that bitter cry as He beheld the city from Mount Olivet: "O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not" (Matt 23:37). The foreknowledge of the church's early departure from the faith in no way interfered with His liberty of action in leaving that comforting message with His sorrowing disciples: "I am coming again, and will receive you unto myself" (John 14). The mansions were soon prepared and Himself ready to come; for His subsequent and last message was "Behold, I come quickly," and the explanation of the long delay must be found, neither in a misleading promise, nor in a mistaken hope but in the complete failure of those to whom the promise was made. For a more remarkable case still, we have only to turn to Acts 3:20 where, notwithstanding the predicted destruction of the city and the dispersion of the people, both by the prophets and the Lord Himself, God nevertheless makes a definite offer to send Jesus Christ back again, if only they would repent of their sin in having killed the Prince of Life.

When David had succeeded in quelling the rebellion under Absalom, and he realized that he was once more king over a united people, he did not immediately march back to Jerusalem at the head of his victorious army, for he must needs prepare the people for his coming. Consequently he remained beyond Jordan, whither he had been driven, while he sent the touching message to Zadok and Abiathar the priests: "Speak unto the elders of Judah, saying, Why are ye the last to bring the king back to his house ... Ye are my brethren, Ye are my bones and my flesh: Wherefore then are ye the last to bring back the king? ... and he bowed the heart of all the men of Judah, even as the heart of one man; so that they sent this word unto the king, Return thou" (2 Sam 19:11-14). We know that David's greater Son awaits the moment when Judah will send the same touching message to Him; but is there not something analogous to this in our Lord's attitude towards His people now? Is He not ready to come? Has He not sent a more touching message than even David did? "I Jesus have sent mine angel to testify unto you these things in the churches. I am the root and the offspring of David, and the bright and morning star" (Rev 22:16). So far there has been no such response as came from the men of Judah; let alone that complete unity of heart. On the contrary, many even among the Lord's people get rid of their responsibility, like the extreme Calvinist, by taking shelter behind a mistaken view of predestination. He promised to come; and that quickly; but the only response has been one of unbelief, for it is assumed that He is bound by an inexorable law that makes it impossible for Him to come because certain of the "elect" have yet to be brought in. Needless to say, such an attitude makes "the promise of none effect," and robs the truth of its practical value, for no one can say when the 1ast member will be added to the body. True, it may be today; but the mental attitude referred to is just as likely to relegate it to the dim and distant future. It goes without saying that the world does not want Christ to come again; neither does the professing church; but what shall we say of true believers who are indifferent to the fact? In the words of David to his brother Eliab we may ask: "Is there not a cause?"

When the German Kaiser was in his palmy days he met a titled lady who was keen on the truth of the Lord's coming; and as the subject was new to him he listened to her with considerable interest for a time and then abruptly stopped her, saying, "I cannot have that; it would upset my plans," and herein lies the secret, probably, of the apathy among many of the Lord's people; they are so much engrossed with the things of time that they instinctively feel that the immediate return of the Lord would upset many a cherished plan. Hence, instead of bowing to the truth and purifying themselves (1 John 3:3) they, like the proverbial ostrich, bury their heads in the vain hope of getting rid of an unpalatable fact.

Nothing could be more touching than the way He presents Himself to the hearts of His people in this last message. It is not as Lord; nor as Son of God; but it is His human name, the sweetest name -- I Jesus. Surely if anything is calculated to touch our hearts and to draw forth the desired response it is that name. Do we not sing:--

The mention of Thy name shall bow
Our hearts to worship Thee;
The chiefest of ten thousand Thou,
Whose love has set us free.

"I am the root and the offspring of David." His connection with Israel (not Judah alone) is here asserted. As a Divine person He is the root of David's house; but as a man He is David's offspring. He is David's Lord as well as David's Son. Thus the mercies of David are made sure in Him.

I am "the bright and morning star"; and that in relation to the heavenly saints. Before the day dawns for Israel and the world; or the Sun of righteousness arises with healing in His wings (Mal 4:2); Christ will come for His own. As it is during the darkest hour of the night that the morning star appears; so it was in the darkness and gloom of Romanism that the overcomer was promised "the morning star" {Rev 2:28). Just as stars seem brightest when seen from the bottom of a pit, so the "bright and morning star," the blessed hope of the saints, will shine with increasing brilliance as the darkness of the apostasy increases.

We have seen that it is the revelation of Himself that stirs the heart of the slumbering spouse and rouses her to action. His affectionate appeals are no longer ignored and there is an immediate call for Him to come: "The Spirit and the bride say -- Come." It is not the "come" of the gospel, we get that later; it is the heartfelt cry of the bride for the Bridegroom. If the announcement of Himself so touches her heart; what must it be to Him when, at long last, He hears the welcome call from His erstwhile faithless bride: "Come, Lord Jesus."

"The Spirit and the bride say -- Come." When Eliezer, if such was his name, conducted Rebekah across that long sandy desert his whole concern would be how to bring her safely to Isaac. He would, doubtless, seek to engage her affections as he dwelt upon the greatness and virtues of His master; and when at last she saw Isaac coming to meet them, she seems instinctively to have discerned who it was. And the answer of the servant to her enquiry fully confirmed her impression: "It is my master." How her soul would be thrilled when her eyes first beheld the one who, though unseen, had won her heart. What a joy it must have been to the servant as he handed his charge over to Isaac, and saw him take the veil with which she had covered herself and put it over his shoulder, thus signifying that he accepted full responsibility for her; the government henceforth was to be upon his shoulder (Isa 9:6). Thus the servant and Rebekah had a mutual joy; their weary journey over, they were now face to face with the one they both longed to see; and what a joy it must have been to Isaac when he received his bride from the hand of the servant and heard him relate how he had found her at the well, and how, when the crucial moment arrived, when she had to choose between him and her kindred she, without hesitation, said, "I will go." Surely it is not difficult to see in all this a foreshadowing of that moment when Christ will receive His bride at the hand of the Holy Spirit, who is conducting her home; nor need we wonder why, at the end of their long weary journey, "The Spirit and the bride say, come." What a joy will be ours when for the first time, our eyes behold the One who loved us and gave Himself for us. And what of His deeper joy when He shall see of the travail of His soul and be satisfied?

The following extract from the late Sir R. Anderson, gives additional emphasis to what we have written:--

     "'My people doth not consider.' Such was the reproach cast upon Israel in the days of Isaiah's prophecy. And surely a like reproach rests upon the people of God today in regard to the promise of the Lord's return. During all His ministry He spoke of His coming again; and He confirmed the promise after His resurrection from the dead. The teaching of His inspired apostles gave prominence to the hope. And in His final message to His people, as recorded on the last page of Scripture; the words are three times repeated, `I am coming quickly.'

     "'Surely I am coming quickly.' No reference here to a thousand-year day of the Eternal God, but to the time calendars of men: 'The time was long,' was Daniel's lament as he pondered the revelation made to him, that seven times seventy years would pass before the realization of the promised blessing to his people. And more than four centuries elapsed between the promise of the land to Abraham and the day when his descendants took possession of it. But nineteen centuries! And in view of such a promise: 'Surely I am coming quickly!' ... At this point, then, let us turn aside from controversy. Let us awake to realities and think. And if we do but think, the staggering fact of a nineteen centuries delay will lead us to 'consider' with a solemnity and earnestness we have never known before.

     "Under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, given to 'lead them into all truth,' the apostles taught the saints to look for the coming as a present hope. The suggestion of subterfuge or mistake would be profane. The facts are not in dispute; how then can they be explained? Israel's story may teach us something here. When the people were encamped at Sinai, Canaan lay but a few days' march across the desert. And in the second year from the Exodus, they were led to the borders of the land, and bidden to enter and take possession of it. 'But they entered not in because of unbelief.' The Canaan rest, moreover, was only a type of the promised rest of the Messianic kingdom. That rest was preached again 'in David' (Heb 4:7), but lost again through unbelief and the apostasy which unbelief begets. And in the exile it was revealed to Daniel that it would be further deferred for seven times seventy years. Lastly it was preached at Pentecost, and lost once more by unbelief. And to continued unbelief is due the fact of these nineteen centuries of Israel's rejection.

     "Does not this throw light on the seeming failure of 'the hope of the Church?' Putting from us the profane thought that the Lord has been unmindful of His promise, are we not led to the conclusion that this long delay has been due to the unfaithfulness of His people upon earth?

     "'Gird up the loins of your mind' is a much needed exhortation, and in no sphere more than in relation to this very truth. For let us face the facts once again. The inspired apostles taught their converts to expect the Lord's return. And 'I am coming quickly' was His own last message to His people, before the era of revelation ended, and the era of a silent heaven set in. But He did not come quickly, nor has He come at all. Were it not for the 'slovenly mindedness' that characterizes thought in the religious sphere, this overwhelming fact would lead to searchings of heart on the part of all spiritual Christians.

     "And no influence can be more fitted to promote the 'unity of the Spirit' (Eph 4:3) than the confession of a common hope, and the longing which the hope inspires. No need here, moreover, for large assemblies or eloquent exhortations. Enthusiasm thus produced is transient. And He Himself it was who spoke of the 'two or three' gathered together in His Name. Among Christians everywhere there must surely be some 'who love His appearing.' And if today, for the first time in all the sad history of Christendom, such would come together in every place the wide world over, wherever Christians can be found, we might look up in hope that He who is called 'The Coming One' would fulfil the promise of His Name.'"

DIFFICULTIES

The question has been raised as to whether it were possible for such a condition to be wrought in the souls of God's people, the wide world over, as will lead to the event we have been considering; "When the Spirit and the bride say, Come" (Rev 22:17). Strange to say, those brethren who find a difficulty here, have no such misgivings when it is a question of the physical change that is to take place in those who are alive at His coming; notwithstanding the fact that this presents far greater difficulties than the other; "We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed in a moment" (1 Cor 15:51). How it will be done we are not told, only the fact is stated, and we believe it.

The resurrection of the dead presents still greater difficulties; nevertheless we accept it, though our finite minds cannot grasp it. "The hour is coming in the which all that are in the graves shall hear His Voice, and shall come forth" (John 5:28,29). Albeit the bodies of many will have crumbled into dust millenniums before. Yet we stumble at the thought of a world-wide revival in the hearts of all true believers, which will lead them instinctively to utter the heartfelt prayer for which their Lord has waited long: "Come, Lord Jesus."

Some years ago, there was a grand naval review in the English Channel in honour of the King and the distinguished guests who were assembled to witness the marvelous display of Britain's sea power. It was a sight never to be forgotten, as they beheld those "dogs of war" stretched in line for miles upon the open sea. That, however, was soon to be eclipsed, for when darkness set in the whole line of battleships was transformed into a blaze of light, and that simply by the pressing of a button! To anyone ignorant of electricity such a transformation would have been inexplicable; but to the initiated it was simplicity itself. Each ship having been wired for the occasion, and connected with a powerful battery ashore it only required that touch to produce those wonderful illuminations. What then may we expect when the moment arrives for our adorable Lord to give the divine touch through the Spirit who dwells in every believer, but that it will produce in them the passionate desire to see His face, and lead them instinctively to cry; Come! "He which testifieth these things saith: YEA: (it is the absolute certainty of the truth stated) I come quickly. Amen: Come, Lord Jesus.". (Rev 22:20 RSV).

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The Scottish Prophetical Council

The Apostle Peter likens the Word of Prophecy unto a lamp that shines in a dark place, unto which we do well to take heed (2 Peter 1:19), and those who fail to "take heed " may find themselves, at last, stumbling upon the dark mountains (Jer 13:16). It is in times like these, when many are giving up the Faith, and evil men and seducers are waxing worse and worse (2 Tim 3:13) that the lamp of prophecy shines brightest. Many, for lack of helpful teaching, turn from the prophetic Scriptures as if they were a tangled maze, while the book of Revelation is looked upon as a sealed book, never meant to be understood. Thus the arch enemy has succeeded in obscuring the only sure light we have for the last days.

Not only are there false teachers in the world doing their deadly work with their pernicious doctrines (2 Peter 2:1), but there is great apathy among the people of God regarding the downgrade condition of things in the Church. There are those, however, who feel these things keenly and realize that there is great need for suitable ministry of a prophetic character. It has been with this need in view that a Scottish Prophetical Council has been formed whose object will be to give prominence to prophetic exposition and the truth as to our Lord's coming. Our mode of procedure is by conferences and ministry meetings as God may lead and opportunities occur. Our work is wholly unsectarian, and we will welcome the hearty fellowship of all who love our Lord Jesus in sincerity.