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The Reformation Herald Online Edition

It's Time for Jesus to Come!

Editorial
Is Jesus really coming soon? Prove it!

In his final epistle, the apostle Paul gives a powerful appeal so needed today: “Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables. But watch thou in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of thy ministry” (2 Timothy 4:2–5).

The ears of people are itching for something new, exciting, and smooth. So many are rejecting sound doctrine—preferring instead a cheap, easy message that requires no exercise of faith nor denial of self.

The apostle concluded the passage with the words: “For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand. I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith: Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing” (Verses 6–8).

Do we love the appearing of Jesus?

The apostle refers to those who do. We need to love His appearing to be among those who will declare with joy unspeakable, “Lo, this is our God; we have waited for him, and he will save us: this is the Lord; we have waited for him, we will be glad and rejoice in his salvation” (Isaiah 25:9). Can we really prove that Jesus is indeed coming soon? Absolutely! The signs revealed in Matthew chapter 24, Mark 13, and Luke 21 are plainly unfolding—and in view of history, the things which Jesus said would shortly come to pass in the book of Revelation are unmistakable. The Revelation is indeed revealed as promised.

This issue of TheReformation Herald presents clear, unmistakable evidence based on comparing Scripture with Scripture. There is no need for some flawed human interpretation to be arbitrarily pasted onto a prophecy. Instead, God is His own interpreter through His sacred Word and the facts of history corroborate with those events which have already occurred— establishing a solid foundation for understanding those events which are yet to come.

Yet multitudes are being deluded. Why? The time is ripe for “Wicked [to] be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming: Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders, And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truthstrong delusion, that they should believe a lieThat they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness, that they might be saved. And for this cause God shall send them : ” (2 Thessalonians 2:8–12). If we cherish evil and unrighteousness instead of coming to Christ to save us from our sins, we will be deluded. Don’t let that happen to you! “There shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts, And saying, Where is the promise of his coming?” (2 Peter 3:3, 4). Even the scoffers are proof of God’s words, since He foretold of them.

May the Lord strengthen each one of us to prepare wholeheartedly for the return of Jesus. What a privilege it is to know Him—and to know Him is to love Him. The Lord assures us, “If any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God, or whether I speak of myself” (John 7:17). He makes it clear: “If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free” (John 8:31, 32). Amen!