按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
that of Christ's second coming to complete the great work of redemption。 To
God's pilgrim people； so long left to sojourn in 〃the region and shadow of
death；〃 a precious； joy…inspiring hope is given in the promise of His
appearing； who is 〃the resurrection and the life；〃 to 〃bring home again His
banished。〃 The doctrine of the second advent is the very keynote of the
Sacred Scriptures。 From the day when the first pair turned their sorrowing
steps from Eden； the children of faith have waited the coming of the
Promised One to break the destroyer's power and bring them again to the lost
Paradise。 Holy men of old looked forward to the advent of the Messiah in
glory； as the consummation of their hope。 Enoch； only the seventh in descent
from them that dwelt in Eden； he who for three centuries on earth walked
with his God； was permitted to behold from afar the coming of the Deliverer。
〃Behold；〃 he declared； 〃the Lord cometh with ten thousands of His saints； to
execute judgment upon all。〃 Jude 14； 15。 The patriarch Job in the night of
his affliction exclaimed with unshaken trust： 〃I know that my Redeemer
liveth； and that He shall stand at the latter day upon the earth： 。 。 。 in
my flesh shall I see God： whom I shall see for myself； and mine eyes shall
behold； and not another。〃 Job 19：25…27。
300
The coming of Christ to usher in the reign of righteousness has inspired the
most sublime and impassioned utterances of the sacred writers。 The poets and
prophets of the Bible have dwelt upon it in words glowing with celestial
fire。 The psalmist sang of the power and majesty of Israel's King： 〃Out of
Zion； the perfection of beauty； God hath shined。 Our God shall come； and
shall not keep silence。 。 。 。 He shall call to the heavens from above； and
to the earth； that He may judge His people。〃 Psalm 50：2…4。 〃Let the heavens
rejoice； and let the earth be glad 。 。 。 before the Lord： for He cometh； for
He cometh to judge the earth： He shall judge the world with righteousness；
and the people with His truth。〃 Psalm 96：11…13。
Said the prophet Isaiah： 〃Awake and sing； ye that dwell in dust： for thy dew
is as the dew of herbs； and the earth shall cast out the dead。〃 〃Thy dead
men shall live； together with my dead body shall they arise。〃 〃He will
swallow up death in victory； and the Lord God will wipe away tears from off
all faces； and the rebuke of His people shall He take away from off all the
earth： for the Lord hath spoken it。 And it shall be said in that day； 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 26：19； 25：8； 9。
And Habakkuk； rapt in holy vision； beheld His appearing。 〃God came from
Teman； and the Holy One from Mount Paran。 His glory covered the heavens； and
the earth was full of His praise。 And His brightness was as the light。〃 〃He
stood； and measured the earth： He beheld； and drove asunder the nations； and
the everlasting mountains were scattered； the perpetual hill did bow： His
ways are everlasting。〃 〃Thou didst ride upon Thine horses and Thy chariots
of salvation。〃 〃The mountains saw Thee； and they trembled： 。 。 。 the deep
uttered his voice； and lifted up his hands on high。 The sun and moon stood
still in their
301
habitation： at the light of Thine arrows they went； and at the shining of
Thy glittering spear。〃 〃Thou wentest forth for the salvation of Thy people；
even for salvation with Thine anointed。〃 Habakkuk 3：3； 4； 6； 8； 10； 11； 13。
When the Saviour was about to be separated from His disciples； He comforted
them in their sorrow with the assurance that He would come again： 〃Let not
your heart be troubled。 。 。 。 In My Father's house are many mansions。 。 。 。
I go to prepare a place for you。 And if I go and prepare a place for you； I
will come again； and receive you unto Myself。〃 John 14：1…3。 〃The Son of man
shall come in His glory； and all the holy angels with Him。〃 〃Then shall He
sit upon the throne of His glory： and before Him shall be gathered all
nations。〃 Matthew 25：31； 32。
The angels who lingered upon Olivet after Christ's ascension repeated to the
disciples the promise of His return： 〃This same Jesus； which is taken up
from you into heaven； shall so come in like manner as ye have seen Him go
into heaven。〃 Acts 1：11。 And the apostle Paul； speaking by the Spirit of
Inspiration； testified： 〃The Lord Himself shall descend from heaven with a
shout； with the voice of the Archangel； and with the trump of God。〃 1
Thessalonians 4：16。 Says the prophet of Patmos： 〃Behold； He cometh with
clouds； and every eye shall see Him。〃 Revelation 1：7。
About His coming cluster the glories of that 〃restitution of all things；
which God hath spoken by the mouth of all His holy prophets since the world
began。〃 Acts 3：21。 Then the long…continued rule of evil shall be broken；
〃the kingdoms of this world〃 will become 〃the kingdoms of our Lord； and of
His Christ； and He shall reign for ever and ever。〃 Revelation 11：15。 〃The
glory of the Lord shall be revealed； and all flesh shall see it together。〃
〃The Lord God will cause righteousness and praise to spring forth before all
the nations。〃 He shall be 〃for a crown of glory； and for a diadem of beauty；
unto the residue of His people。〃 Isaiah 40：5； 61：11； 28：5。
302
It is then that the peaceful and long…desired kingdom of the Messiah shall
be established under the whole heaven。 〃The Lord shall comfort Zion： He will
comfort all her waste places； and He will make her wilderness like Eden； and
her desert like the garden of the Lord。〃 〃The glory of Lebanon shall be
given unto it； the excellency of Carmel and Sharon。〃 〃Thou shalt no more be
termed Forsaken； neither shall thy land any more be termed Desolate： but
thou shalt be called My Delight； and thy land Beulah。〃 〃As the bridegroom
rejoiceth over the bride； so shall thy God rejoice over thee。〃 Isaiah 51：3；
35：2； 62：4； 5； margin。
The coming of the Lord has been in all ages the hope of His true followers。
The Saviour's parting promise upon Olivet； that He would come again； lighted
up the future for His disciples； filling their hearts with joy and hope that
sorrow could not quench nor trials dim。 Amid suffering and persecution； the
〃appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ〃 was the 〃blessed
hope。〃 When the Thessalonian Christians were filled with grief as they
buried their loved ones； who had hoped to live to witness the coming of the
Lord； Paul； their teacher； pointed them to the resurrection； to take place
at the Saviour's advent。 Then the dead in Christ should rise； and together
with the living be caught up to meet the Lord in the air。 〃And so；〃 he said；
〃shall we ever be with the Lord。 Wherefore comfort one another with these
words。〃 1 Thessalonians 4：16…18。
On rocky Patmos the beloved disciple hears the promise； 〃Surely I come
quickly；〃 and his longing response voices the prayer of the church in all
her pilgrimage； 〃Even so； come； Lord Jesus。〃 Revelation 22：20。
From the dungeon； the stake； the scaffold； where saints and martyrs
witnessed for the truth； comes down the centuries the utterance of their
faith and hope。 Being 〃assured of His personal resurrection； and
consequently of their own at His coming； for this cause；〃 says one of these
Christians； 〃they despised death； and were found to be above it。〃Daniel T。
Taylor； The Reign of Christ on Earth： or； The Voice
303
of the Church in All Ages； page 33。 They were willing to go down to the
grave； that they might 〃rise free。〃Ibid。； page
54。 They looked for the 〃Lord to come from heaven in the
clouds with the glory of His Father；〃 〃bringing to the just the times of the
kingdom。〃 The Waldenses cherished the same faith。Ibid。； pages 129…132。
Wycliffe looked forward to the Redeemer's appearing as the hope of the
church。 Ibid。； pages 132…134。
Luther declared： 〃I persuade myself verily； that the day of judgment will
not be absent full three hundred years。 God will not； cannot； suffer this
wicked world much longer。〃 〃The great day is drawing near in which the
kingdom of abominations shall be overthrown。〃Ibid。； pages 158； 134。
〃This aged world is not far from its end；〃 said Melanchthon。 Calvin bids
Christians 〃not to hesitate； ardently desiring the day of Christ's coming as
of all events most auspicious；〃 and declares that 〃the whole family of the
faithful will keep in view that day。〃 〃We must hunger after Christ； we must
seek； contemplate；〃 he says； 〃till the dawning of that great day； when our
Lord will fully manifest the glory of His kingdom。〃Ibid。； pages 158； 134。
〃Has not the Lord Jesus carried up our flesh into heaven？〃 said Knox； the
Scotch Reformer； 〃and shall He not return？ We know that He shall return； and
that with expedition。〃 Ridley and Latimer； who laid down their lives for the
truth； looked in faith for the Lord's coming。 Ridley wrote： 〃The world
without doubtthis I do believe； and therefore I say itdraws to an end。
Let us with John； the servant of God； cry in our hearts unto our Saviour
Christ；