As I build my happiness and pursue holiness, I leave behind many things that bind me to this world and hinder me from living a pure life. If someone were to look at my life and try to understand why I deprive myself of many earthly pleasures and sinful enjoyments, it would be worth considering the ultimate purpose of my building. Why do I want to be holy, and what benefit do I gain from practicing self-control in everything?
If my faith is judged from the perspective of this world, it is easy to imagine how strange I appear, and I am given the label ‘sectarian,’ which tells everyone that I am not as ‘normal’ as other people. To many, a sectarian is not a person but a religious fanatic, and few try to understand what I believe or how my hope has changed my life.
Every year, people all over the world wish one another happiness without even understanding the foundations and principles of a happy life. Yes, happiness exists, and it is available to everyone who desires to have it, but its principles and laws must be studied in order to live in it. A house of happiness built on sin will inevitably collapse one day, but a house with a firm Biblical Foundation will stand.
The culmination of my building will be a special event that will change everything and bring an end to this world, to all earthly plans and claims. I am speaking of the Second Coming of Christ. It is also called ‘the end of the world,’ but I cannot understand how something that begins in order never to end can itself be an end. The Second Coming is the beginning of the fullness of light. It is the end of the history of sin and the continuation of life in Eternity. If this event were not to take place, our entire faith, with all its foundations and claims, would be in vain. And what benefit would all our building bring us? At most, a brief existence in this bustling world, only with less bustle.
Death brings all our plans to an end, and if there is no resurrection, we are of all people most miserable. But this is not so. Christ will come, and His Second Coming will take place. I believe this, and it is the foundation of my hope. Everything I do while living in this world is shaped by this expectation. And this event will show all people very clearly what an enormous difference there will be between those who believe in God and await Him and those who gave no thought to their salvation or did nothing in order to be saved.
My love languishes in this world, surrounded by sin. Sin brazenly raises its ugly head and seeks to plant its banner in my heart as well, but love preserves me in this struggle and gives me victory. I do not know how much longer I have been given to live in this world or whether I will be among the living when I meet my Lord, but I am preparing for His Coming and trying to learn as much as possible about my Savior. I strive to become very much like Him in love and character. I am truly eager to meet the One Who saved me from the power of sin, gave me light and strength to live a pure life, taught me to love, and brought about many changes in my heart. My eyes will behold the eyes of my Lord, my arms will embrace Him, my knees will bow before Him, and my lips will praise Him. I will be taken from this world to live forever in the presence of God the Father and the Son.
What a glorious scene will unfold before the entire world! Far away in the sky, a small shining point appears, about half the size of a human hand. As it draws nearer, the light of indescribable glory illuminates the whole Earth.
The attention of everyone alive is fixed on this light. Suddenly, people begin to understand that something momentous is happening in the history of the planet. Its Creator, through Whom all things came into being, is approaching the Earth. Every voice falls silent. The Heavenly procession draws nearer. We see angels and hear their singing. The heavens roll up like a scroll, opening the way for the Lord as He descends closer and closer to the Earth.
The Earth begins to tremble at God’s presence, and a great earthquake takes place, destroying every structure except my little house of happiness. In awe, I watch this glorious event, and my lips whisper words of blessing that come to mind. Oh, that all-penetrating gaze of Jesus! Like a sharp sword, it enters the very depths of my heart, and I look on in fear and trembling, not knowing what will happen to me. Will I be able to stand in His presence? For a time, everything becomes silent. Christ surveys the whole Earth with His all-seeing gaze and pronounces words of Eternal blessing upon His people. A cry of indescribable joy fills all space. The Lord commands all who lie in darkness to awaken. The trumpet of the Archangel announces the hour of awakening; the earth trembles and opens its depths to give back to the Lord all who rest in its dust. The dead in Christ rise first. Their new bodies are clothed in garments of light. Loving friends recognize one another. Mothers receive their children. Those who died in agony cry out with joy at their deliverance and the new incorruptible bodies they have received. The pain of their former death gives way to rapture. This entire joyful company, shouting praises and delight, looks upon the smiling Jesus, and an unseen Power lifts these people onto the cloud upon which the Lord is seated.
Then we who remain alive are changed in the twinkling of an eye, receiving new bodies, and an unseen Power lifts us from the surface of the earth and carries us to meet Jesus. I draw near to my Heavenly Friend, Whom I loved without seeing, Whom I came to know so well without having met Him that I could not live without Him; for Whom I was ready to die and left everything behind. My heart trembles. I do not know what I will hear or what will happen next; I simply fly toward this meeting, anticipating something wonderful. My invisible God has become visible. Our eyes meet, and I cannot hold back tears of joy. My heart tells me that all trials are behind me and that what I have pursued by faith for so long is now beginning. I worship my Savior and cannot take my eyes off Him. Here He is, my dear Jesus, so precious and so near! How beautiful He is—better than ten thousand times ten thousand!
I hear painfully familiar voices calling me by name. I turn and see the radiant faces of my happy friends, many of whom were separated from us by death and the trials of the last days. I am joyfully astonished as I recognize dear, familiar faces, and I fall into their arms. Tears of joy and shouts of happiness fill all space. Then, together and in complete harmony, we begin to look at Jesus once again. How we long to embrace Him too! And He lets us know that this will happen soon.
Out of the corners of our eyes, we look at the Earth and see that it is entirely engulfed by winds and fire. But our gaze returns to Jesus, our voices blend with the singing of the angels, and together we sing a song of victory to the One Who sits upon the throne of glory and is King of kings and Lord of lords.
What wonderful prospects unfold before our imagination!
Our joyful procession begins to move away from the Earth and into outer space. We fly swiftly toward the Heavenly City that has been prepared for us and is rightfully ours.
The entire Heavenly family unites as one rejoicing company. God the Father tenderly embraces each one of us and invites us to enter into His joy, which we gladly do.
Bible verses for this chapter:
Psalm 50:3–6; Mark 8:38; Matthew 24; Mark 13; Luke 21; John 14:1–3; Acts 1:9–11; 1 Corinthians 15:51–54; 1 Thessalonians 4:13–18; 5:1–6; 2 Thessalonians 1:7–10; 2:8; 2 Timothy 3:1–5; Titus 2:13; Hebrews 9:28; Revelation 1:7; 14:14–20; 19:11–21