Right Time – He is coming again

The calendar of God is different from ours.

When we say that a particular event happened on a certain day of the month of the year, God prefer to record it as an event happened after or during another historical event.

God uses months and dates, but connects events with events more than calendar dates.

Let me give an example so that you can understand it easily.

1 King 6 : 1   And it came to pass in the four hundred and eightieth year after the children of Israel had come out of the land of Egypt, in the fourth year of Solomon's reign over Israel, in the month of Ziv, which is the second month, that he began to build the house of the LORD.  (NKJV)

 

There are many other recordings of events like the above.

As we read them all we feel that God prefers to relate events with other events.

Or in God’s plan certain event happens only during, after or before another event.

For example, God was talking about the deliverance of Israelites from the slavery in Egypt.

He prophesied to Abraham that his descendants shall live in exile in slavery for 400 years.

They will be delivered and brought to the Promised Land after wards.

But the exact date of deliverance is not revealed by God.

But God connected their deliverance to another event, saying that they will have to live in exile until, “the iniquity of the Amorites” is complete.”

So the date and time of their deliverance is connected to the event of the completion of the iniquity of Amorites.

God’s plan was to remove all Canaanite kingdoms and the idol worshiping people from the land and give it as an inheritance to Israelites.

The fatal punishment demands an equal iniquity from the Amorites.

Examples for this method of recording events abound in the Bible.

Here is an example from the New Testament.

Luke 3 : 1, 2

1     Now in the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar, Pontius Pilate being governor of Judea, Herod being tetrarch of Galilee, his brother Philip tetrarch of Iturea and the region of Trachonitis, and Lysanias tetrarch of Abilene,

 2    while Annas and Caiaphas were high priests, the word of God came to John the son of Zacharias in the wilderness.  (NKJV)

 

God always relates events to events.

His intervention in the human history is also event related.

God is in control

The whole history of the universe is under God’s control.

He decides, introduces and dismisses all events in this universe.

He intervenes at right time in the history to fulfill His purpose of the world.

Even before the creation of the universe, God the creator had a well laid plan about it.

He planned every detail of the whole history of mankind and foresaw every event that has been happening.

God’s plan includes seemingly insignificant details; God’s plan excludes “good luck” or coincidences.

That means everything, every historical event in the history of the universe has happened in the foreknowledge of God even before the creation.

In a simpler way, all events happen at the right time, well planned by God and without any coincidence.

Creation of Adam and Eve

Adam and Eve were created at the right time in the universal history.

Human history starts with these two human beings.

God did not start His creative work by creating Adam and Eve.

It is not that God first created Man and then created everything else on this earth for a comfortable habitation.

He created many other things before the creation of Man.

God created earth and heavens, water and land, sun and moon, animals, birds, fishes, plants and all we find on earth.

God was very careful even to create gold and precious stones too on this earth.

He knew that man would need it in future.

He set everything in motion in fixed time and place.

Then when everything was ready for the habitation of human being, God created Adam and then Eve.

They never complained about the excess or lack of any element on this universe.

They had everything they needed.

Noah and flood

As we go on to the story of Man, we come across a gigantic figure of faith, Noah.

Noah (now-u) was the only person in his generation who trusted Yahweh the Lord.

From Adam and through him everybody knew the existence of Yahweh the Lord, but Man chose other gods who permitted a sinful life.

Everybody on earth had turned away from God the creator of the Universe, except Noah.

Though Noah preached about the intended punishment of God over their sins for many years, none turned towards Yahweh.

This truth shows the loneliness of Noah.

It was right time God intervened in human history.

Man should know that Yahweh is the creator and the authority of this universe.

And God sent a heavy rain that caused a heavy flood all over the earth and all human beings were killed except those who were safe in Noah’s Ark.

  

Abraham’s Call

We do not know much about the historical background of Abraham.

But we have enough evidence that Mesopotamia, the country of Abraham and the town Ur were rich places, but worshiped gentile gods.

Even Abraham’s father Terah was a gentile worshiper.

As I told before, the worship of Yahweh the Lord was never wiped out of the world.

God always intervened in human history before the name of the Lord is totally wiped out of the earth.

Abraham might have been the only person during the time who worshiped Yahweh.

Though Lot was called a “righteous Lot” in 2 Peter 2: 7, we are not sure of his faith in Yahweh.

That means, Abraham was called out of his native land at the right time.

God made a covenant with Abraham at the right time by which God formed a special community of people for Him.

Thereafter, there was always a community of people who worshiped Yahweh.

The history of man after this incident has been centered on the history of Abraham’s physical and spiritual descendants. 

Once again, God intervened at the right time.

King David

King David was a shepherded boy, but was anointed by the prophet of Yahweh as the King of Israel.

King David is one of the most important figures in Jewish history.

He reigned as king of Israel for 40 years, dying at age of 70 in 837 BC.

He was the King who conquered Jerusalem and turned it to the capital city.

The story of Israel during this entire period of time, from the Exodus onward, was the story of a tiny nation sandwiched between the two great ancient civilizations, Egypt and Mesopotamia.

These countries were ruled at various times by the Assyrians, Babylonians or Persians.

When David took the throne, Egypt and Assyria were both on a significant decline.

They were not in any position to expand or fight with their neighbor.

That was a historically congenial time for Israel to expand, unmolested by these two empires.

Thus David was able to subdue the Philistine threat and he conquered the remaining Canaanite city state – Jerusalem.

The Kingdom of David was an early manifestation of the Kingdom of God which was the great expectation of the Patriarchs.

God is always at the right time.

Jesus Came at the Perfect Time

 The birth, life and the death of Jesus is the most important event in human history.

This event has changed the world civilization like nothing else.

Here we are going to spend some time; because Jesus is the center of our message.

Jesus was the expected Messiah (mi,sai-u)of the Jews.

The word Messiah comes from the Hebrew word mashiach and means “anointed one” or “chosen one.”

The Greek equivalent is the word Christos or, in English, Christ.

The name “Jesus Christ” is the same as “Jesus the Messiah.”

In Biblical times, anointing someone with oil was a sign that God was consecrating or setting apart that person for a particular role.

Thus, an “anointed one” was someone with a special, God ordained purpose.
In the Old Testament, people were anointed for the positions of prophet, priest and king.

But the Old Testament predicted a coming Deliverer, chosen by God to redeem Israel from all enemies and establish an everlasting Kingdom.

Jews called this Deliverer, Messiah.

The Jews of Jesus’ day expected the Messiah to redeem Israel by overthrowing the rule of the Romans and to establish an earthly kingdom.

But Jesus the Messiah was “anointed” first to deliver His people spiritually and then establish God’s Kingdom on the earth.

Since the salvation Jesus offered extended to the whole world beyond the Jews, the birth, life and death of Jesus is important not only to Jews but to the whole world.

So God might have been very particular that none in the world should miss the importance and the meaning of the event.

Thus Jesus was born at the right time.

Let us look at the historical background of the time of the birth of Jesus.

Jesus was born in the days of Augustus Caesar.

The Roman Empire extended itself further than ever before, from Parthia to Britain.

So that it was then called Terraram orbis imperium, the empire of the whole earth.

In Luke 2: 1  the Roman Empire is called “all the world”, because there was scarcely any part of the civilized world that wasn't dependent on it.

Judea (ജുദിയ) had become a province of the empire.

Jerusalem was taken by Pompey the Roman general, about sixty years before Jesus.

So, all laws and decrees that applicable to the Roman Empire were applicable to Judea and Jews.

By the expansion of the Empire and defeat of enemies, there was universal peace in the whole Roman Empire.

Janus (ജാനസ്), the Roman was the god of war and peace.

The doors of his temple were open in time of war, and closed to mark the peace.

During the reign of Caesar Augustus, The temple of Janus was shut, which signaled that there were no wars raging.

The political atmosphere also was perfect for a census of the people in the Empire.

In Luke 2:1  we read that a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that people of all the world should be registered.

It was registering for a census that may lead to their taxation.

And the world was ready for the birth of the Prince of Peace.

Let me tell you a word about Caesar Augustus also.

Caesar Augustus was the adopted son of Julius Caesar.

Actually his name was Gaius Octavius.

Julius Caesar was his great uncle and in Caesar’s will he was mentioned as his adopted son.

 And hence he was known as Octavianus  (Octavian in English)and he took the name Caesar as he became the Emperor.

Now the name Augustus was not a name at all, but a title.

It was a practice to take a new title in addition to or instead of the real name by the ruler of Rome.

So the Roman Senate submitted to him certain titles like king, emperor, and dictator.

But he was not satisfied. Instead he chose the title Augustus.

The word “Augustus” means the ‘elevated one”.

Caesar Octavianus took this title to show an apparent divine approval of his position as the emperor.

 It had a religious significance, and it was an attempt to deify him.

He wanted people to worship him as a divine representative of god.

He wanted all to pay tax too him.

But all was over by his death; nobody worship him now and none pays tax to him.

Jesus who was born during time of Caesar Augustus is worshiped by millions thereafter to this day.

Jesus will be worshiped as God to the eternity.

Ever since the first coming of Christ millions have been paying tribute to Jesus and His Kingdom.

Let us consider here another Biblical truth also.

The wisdom of God appears in this simple fact.

As Jacob, the great patriarch was blessing his children before his death, he prophesied these words about Judah.

Genesis 49:10   The scepter shall not depart from Judah, Nor a lawgiver from between his feet, Until Shiloh comes; And to Him shall be the obedience of the people. (NKJV)

Now as Judea was joined to the Roman Empire, the scepter of power was practically departing from Judah.

This enrollment of all people in the Roman Empire was a decisive proof that the scepter had departed from Judah.

The Jews were coming under the dominion and taxation of a foreign power.

Strangers were beginning to rule over them.

They had no longer an independent government of their own.

The right time had come for the promised Messiah to appear.

Augustus was trying to take over the scepter from Judah and then Christ is born.

It was a time perfectly suited for the introduction of the gospel of the Kingdom of God.

The whole civilized earth was at length governed by one master, the Roman Emperor.

There was nothing to prevent the preacher of a new faith going from city to city and country to country.

The long-awaited, promised Savior came at just the right time.

Jesus was born during the time of the Roman Empire’s Pax Romana (the peace of Rome).

The known world was united by one language of commerce.

A network of global trade routes provided open access to the whole world.

All of this guaranteed that the gospel could move rapidly in one tongue.

No visas. No impenetrable borders.

It was the right time to spread the news of the Savior whose crucifixion fulfilled the prophecy of the Lamb who would be slain for our sins.

It was, indeed, the right time for God to interpose from heaven and send down an almighty Savior.

It was the right time for Christ to be born.

Jesus is Coming Again

The first coming of Jesus was at the right time in the history of mankind.

The Second Coming of Jesus also will be at the right time.

At the time of His first coming there were three major world forces in the world.

They were the Roman, the Greek, and the Hebrew.

The Roman was the nation of government; the Greek of culture; and the Hebrew of religion.

The militarism of Rome utterly despised Judea as a politically turbulent province and was certainly not waiting for a new king to be born in Judea.

The cultured men of Greece held in contempt the religion of the Hebrews.

Hellenism and Hebraism were utterly opposed as ideals of life.

The Greek treated with the utter scorn the idea that a new teacher could arise out of Hebraism.

All this serves to show that there was not any welcome to the Savior from the world.

Jesus was neither expected nor desired.

Also in spite of all political stability, scholarly advancements and the strong hold of the Roman religion, the world was in a spirit of unrest.

The world has never had a more powerful government than the Roman Empire.

And in many respects Greek culture has never been surpassed.

But in spite of all this, sin was rampant.

Sin was widespread even to religion of the time.

Corruption was seen in all areas of life.

And then Jesus came.

Now, look around us.

We are at the apex of development in all areas of our life.

We have politically strong governments; influential religions; and unequaled prosperity.

Technology, science, medicine and material possessions have made our life easy.

Religions offer minimum interference in the life of an individual.

Sin is accepted as normal form of life and is legalized by nations.

But the world is in unrest.

Fear is a strong emotion of the age.

Peace is only a dream; life has become uncertain.

Corruption is everywhere – in politics, culture, and in religion.

There is no time like this in human history when life has become so uncertain.

There is no doubt that our degenerate, corrupt nations are headed for a big fall.

We expect anything at anytime.

In spite of our claim to a refined civilization, wars and violence are escalating and lawlessness is increasing everywhere in this world.

Our time in history is unprecedented because of the massive annihilative potential of modern weapons and the massive global scale of potential conflict.

And we are tragically short of a workable solution.

We are conducting peace talks one after the other but miserably fails to establish a peaceful cooperation among nations and ethnic groups.

We are testing left extremism and right extremism; we join together and separate from each other for the sake of peace and prosperity.

We should also note that there is no other time in the human history that Man estranged himself so much from God and spiritual values.

Our political leaders should acknowledge that the real problem with the world is spiritual.

No political solution is a solution to the spiritual problem.

This is the right time for the Second Coming of Jesus.

Bible is very clear about the Second Coming of Jesus.

1 Thessalonians 4 : 16, 17

16   For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first.

 17 Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord.   (NKJV)

This event is specifically predicted throughout the Old and New Testaments of the Bible.

The Second Coming is predicted in each of the four Gospels, in the book of Acts and in the epistles of Paul, James, Peter and John.

Jesus’ return is the focal point of the entire book of Revelation.

If you believe that the Bible is the inspired Word of God, then you must believe in the Second Coming of Christ.

Jesus Christ taught about a series of signs that must occur before He returns.

The Gospels of Matthew 24, Mark 13 and Luke 21 - each contain an account of signs of the Second Coming of Jesus.

Let us read a portion from Mathew 24.

Matthew 24 : 6 - 14

6     "And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not troubled; for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet.

 7    "For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. And there will be famines, pestilences, and earthquakes in various places.

 8    "All these are the beginning of sorrows.

 9    "Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and kill you, and you will be hated by all nations for My name's sake.

 10 "And then many will be offended, will betray one another, and will hate one another.

 11 "Then many false prophets will rise up and deceive many.

 12 "And because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold.

 13 "But he who endures to the end shall be saved.

 14 "And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come.   (NKJV)

I am leaving this passage to you to read and understand, because we have a short time online.

Conclusion

Do you know what the most important news story of our generation will be?

The Second Coming of Christ will be the most important event of this generation.

Christ is coming back!

Make no mistake about it.

Jesus Christ will literally come back to the city of Jerusalem, to the top of the Mount of Olives, to begin governing the entire earth!

There will be a divine, one-world government.

The King of kings is soon returning to establish the Kingdom of God upon this earth; you should be getting ready for it.

It will affect your business, your economic future, your personal safety and everything around you.

Your entire life is about to change.

Let me close this message here.

This is the right time for Jesus to come again as a King and restore the Kingdom of God.

We are living during the end time.

And surely, He is coming again to restore the Kingdom of God.

So accept Jesus as your personal savior, have a rebirth into the Kingdom of God and live a life acceptable to the Kingdom of God.