When You Think Not

October 4

The Bible is a book of prose and poetry and of history and of prophecy. Its language is soaring when recounting the exploits of mighty kings and tender when whispering sweetly of a man’s love for his spouse or of God’s love for man. It is accurately documented when chronicling the exploits of God’s people. There is no other ancient manuscript that has as many original source scrolls.

When it speaks of the unfolding of future events, its language is deliberately veiled in terms that can be understood only by those who are living in the time frame to which it is being addressed. All others find themselves in a fog of confusion that shrouds their understanding and which even scholars find baffling.

But when the Apostle Paul expounds to us regarding the end times in I Thessalonians 4:15-18, we must take note. He says, “According to the Lord’s own word…we who are alive and remain until the return of Jesus, will not precede those who have fallen asleep. The Lord Himself will descend from Heaven with a mighty shout of command and we will hear the voice of the archangel and the blast of the trumpet call of God and the dead in Christ shall rise first,,,

“Then we who are alive will be caught up together with them and meet the Lord in the air; and we shall be forever with Him…” If this doesn’t stir the soul of the believer, nothing will! And to add to the sense of anticipation, Paul states in I Corinthians 15:52, that it will all occur, “…in the twinkling of an eye.” The reality of this amazing eventuality encourages us to be ready, for as Jesus said, “At an hour when you think not, the Son of Man shall come…” Matthew 24:44.