Are We To "Watch" For the Coming of Christ?

The world is seeing an increase in the speculation about the “Second Coming” of Jesus Christ back to the world. More writing, more preaching, more discussion is taking place about how world troubles are coming to a climax. Prophecy is more rampant with the conflict between the Western world and the radical elements of Islam. People seem to pay more attention to the possibilities of world collapse.

Throughout civilization, systems have been devised to control and care for people. These systems have been based on a wide range of political ideologies and personal ambitions. Also tribal and communal traditions and religious movements have entered into the systems of the control of people. These forces have spawned governments that run the gamut, from representative democracies to personal dictatorships. A good deal of human history seems to be the story of both the collisions and the harmonious relations of these governments.
If much of history can be regarded as a human search for a more perfect form of government, then we as Christians can contribute to the solution by developing a deep understanding of and reliance on God’s government. God’s government does not breathe a fragile existence. It is eternal and always developing. It is strong and beneficial to all who enter into it.

The prophet Isaiah spoke of God’s government and its establishment on earth when he said, “Of the increase of His government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon His kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth and forever” (Isaiah 9:7).

What is the most perfect form of government? It is a KINGDOM with a PERFECT KING. The world has seen many kingdoms. The rule of a king can be a nightmare if he is evil and uncaring for his people. Human kingdoms have a way of becoming oppressive.

Jesus Christ came announcing the Kingdom of God with Himself as the King. If He was the Son of God, and God is perfect, then this would be THE perfect form of government. The people of His time had seen much human tyranny in government. Could this new Kingdom be the answer?

The Bible not only contains the statement of God’s law and government, it relates countless stories of the struggle to follow in strict adherence to this law. But the Bible is more than just a recounting of the attempts of men and women to interpret God’s government. Its passages reach deep into the truth of our being.

Jeremiah provides certain insight into God’s government when he writes, “I will put My law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people” (Jer. 31:33).

Now the question for the Christian is:
What is this law in our inward parts and how can that law in operation help us to improve our relations with and our life in this world? Well, the answer surely comes through the revelation of God’s Word. IN REALITY, THERE IS ONLY ONE REAL GOVERNMENT AND THE OTHERS WE SEE AROUND US ARE ONLY TEMPORARY POWERS. This government is explained to us in the scriptures in the term “Kingdom”.

For instance, in Colossians 1:13 Paul says, “Who has delivered us from the power of darkness, and has translated us into the Kingdom of His dear Son.” Colossians 1 goes on to tell us many of the attributes that are in the Kingdom by this Person, this King. But, in fact, it is not a tangible, material thing such as we think of when we think of human governments or world governments. This government we are talking about is the government of a Person, and the Kingdom is the kingdom of a Person.

The Father gives His Son to humanity and works by that Son. As John 3:16 so vividly says, “For God so loved the world that He GAVE... “. So the true government of God is nothing but an operation of that Son and a manifestation of that Son; and thus the true Kingdom is the kingdom of that Son. AND THAT KINGDOM IS WITHIN EVERY CHRISTIAN BY A LIVING UNION WITH CHRIST WITHIN.

Speaking of the everlasting Kingdom, John in his epistle declares to every born again Christian that NOW they have eternal life dwelling in them. The Kingdom, the government, is nothing but the life of Christ in the believer. Coming to the knowledge of this and operating in this knowledge makes the Kingdom of God work in the Christian.

The Christian has the Kingdom already working and its government is already intact by the Person of Christ in them. What then is this law in our inward parts? THIS LAW IS CHRIST operating through the believer in his daily activity. It is in operation when the Christian rises in the morning knowing that this is Christ getting up, this is Christ going about the day, this is Christ on the job, this is Christ driving the car, this is Christ keeping house. Only such consciousness as this brings about the rule of the true Kingdom.

This Kingdom is only experienced by those who have been birthed into it, for you must be born again into the Kingdom, as Jesus tells Nicodemus. Birthing into this Kingdom places the creature at the disposal of a government that rules over the whole universe.

Now there would be many who would draw our consciousness away from the Christ Kingdom within us to the establishment of an earthly kingdom at the second coming. Sad to say, many Christians have been diverted from the Kingdom of God within us to the establishing of some human kingdom. The Seventh Day Adventists, Jehovah’s Witnesses and others have accentuated the second coming of Christ back to earth. Prophecy is in the forefront of their teaching.

I, myself, back in the 1960’s during the Cuban missile crisis and the confrontational unrest in the world, began to look at prophecy concerning the end time and Christ’s coming. I deeply studied the Olivet prophecy of Matthew 24, Mark 13 and Luke 21. After all, we are told by Jesus to: “Take heed, watch and pray, for you do not know when the time is ... and what I say to you, I say to all, WATCH!” (Mark 13:33,37). I took the word “watch” to mean getting deeply involved in prophecy, time periods, supposed end time world situations, etc. I had the book of Daniel’s “Time of the Gentiles” and “Seventy-weeks” prophecies figured out almost down to particular years. The Jews establishing a new homeland in Palestine in 1948 became an important consideration in prophesied coming events. After all, it looked like nuclear war between the US and Russia was inevitable. I was concerned for my family and friends. Let’s face it - I was scared!

I had 1975 figured out as the year of Christ’s return, and what happened? - it didn’t happen! After trying to make quick adjustments in my calculations for a few years, I began to come to a knowledge which has carried through to this day.

Sure, we are to “watch”. But the watching is not to be an obsessive dwelling on Christ’s physical return. Christians are to watch the world events only as spectators watching a football game.

Christ did not come back in 1844 as many modern Christians thought He would. Nor did He come in 1914 or in 1975. He may even have already come back in 70 AD as the Preterists propose.

BUT THE TIME SHOULD NOT BE IMPORTANT TO THOSE OF US WHO ARE BORN AGAIN INTO A LIVING UNION WITH JESUS CHRIST WITHIN US. For us, Jesus Christ within US is infinitely more important than any material, physical presence of Christ in the world. For us, Christ HAS COME! We do not need to know a time - it is only necessary for us to KNOW HIM, TO HAVE AN INTIMATE FELLOWSHIP AND UNDERSTANDING OF OUR UNION WITH HIM NOW!

In fact, it would be prudent to forget the “times” (because none of us knows predicted events for certain). But let none of us forget HIM - JESUS CHRIST WITHIN - who made the times and the universe. The lesson God wishes to teach His children is for them to get their minds off of dates and onto Christ within - TRUSTING in His Kingdom NOW to guide our lives.

The trouble with all of us is our impatience. Is it not better to express a patience and internal peace and let the matter rest with God and His Son? If we do, we can then place the emphasis where it belongs. We can trust on a DAILY basis for the guidance, protection and power of our living union with Christ. Christ HAS COME to me, joined His Spirit to my human spirit.

As far as I am concerned, the second coming of Christ may have been in 70 AD, or let Christ come physically to the world tomorrow, or next year - or even the next century. It doesn’t matter!

But Jesus Christ is my King - right now!
Your King - right now!
We are blessed with His rulership
RIGHT NOW - FROM WITHIN!

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