The thought of Jesus returning one day with great wrath to judge the wicked is certainly not a message man wants to hear or really even wants to contemplate. We’d much rather believe in a feminized, squishy God who loves and accepts everyone just as they prefer to be. A fierce, wrathful, unyielding God is just not acceptable. Man prefers a totally loving, one dimensional God that just sorta winks at sin, lets it pass and welcomes just about everyone into His kingdom…well, except for the really, really bad ones, and we all know where they go. But, the rest of us are really not that bad. “We’ll be OK,” they say. Really, based on what?
I attended a memorial service a few years ago for a brother-in-law; the service was administered by a Catholic priest who read from a small prayer book designed for such occasions. The reading, emotionless and almost by rote, proclaimed a universal salvation. Yay! According to the Catholic church, my brother-in-law was good enough and is heaven bound. It doesn’t matter that he hated God, used “Jesus Christ” as an expletive, and thought the pages of the Bible were useful for toilet paper.
But, the Bible says there is a day coming that is called, “The day of the Lord.” It will be a day of great terror for those that don’t know God…the day that the loving, tolerant and squishy Jesus returns as a warrior. The first time he came as a humble servant…not the next time. The Apostle John describes that day with such a certainty that he describes it as having already happened. “There was a great earthquake, and the sun became black as sackcloth made of hair, and the whole moon became like blood: and the stars of the sky fell to the earth, as a fig tree casts its unripe figs when shaken by a great wind.
“The sky was split apart like a scroll when it is rolled up, and every mountain and island were moved out of their places. Then the kings of the earth and the great men and the commanders and the rich and the strong and every slave and free man hid themselves in the caves and among the rocks of the mountains, and they said to the mountains and to the rocks, ‘Fall on us and hide us from the presence of Him who sits on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb; for the great day of their wrath has come, and who is able to stand.'” (Revelation 6:12-17)
Whether this prophecy is literal or more symbolic, the fact remains that Jesus’ return won’t be secretive but an utterly terrifying event for those that don’t know God. Many scoff at the possibility of this really happening. The Apostle Peter said that would be the case…”Mockers will come with their mocking, following after their own lusts, saying, ‘where is the promise of His coming? All continues just as it was from the beginning of creation.'” (2 Peter 3:3-4)
So, why is Jesus coming back anyway? In short, 1) To judge and condemn Satan, the fallen angels, and all of humanity that did not trust and obey the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. 2) To reveal Himself as King of Kings and Lord of Lords. 3) To fulfill His promise to resurrect every soul, some to eternal life, some to eternal death. Each will be given bodies suitable for their destination. 4) To create a new heaven and earth where sin and death will no longer exist; where the kingdom of God will rule and reign with His people forever and ever in righteousness, beauty, and unspeakable joy.
People have predicted a lot of stuff throughout history, but true prophecy of Scripture is never a matter of one’s own interpretation, for no prophecy was ever made by an act of the human will, but men moved by the Holy Spirit spoke from God. (2 Peter 2:20-21)
In conclusion, God declares that on the day the Lord Jesus returns to judge the earth, that He “will display wonders in the sky and on earth, blood, fire and columns of smoke. The sun will be turned into darkness and the moon into blood before the great and awesome day of the Lord comes. And it will come about that whoever calls on the name of the Lord will be delivered. (Joel 2:30-32)
What to do?? Call upon the Lord Jesus Christ with a repentant and honest heart and He will reveal Himself to you. Today is the day of salvation.
