As I build my happiness and strive for 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 deny myself many earthly pleasures and sinful enjoyments, it would be worth considering what the ultimate purpose of my building is. For what reason do I want to be holy, and what benefit do I gain from my self-restraint in everything?
If my faith is judged from the perspective of this world, one may conclude that I look strange, and I am labeled a “cult member,” which tells everyone that I am not as “normal” as other people. To many, a cult member is not a person but a fanatic devoted to his faith, and few try to understand what I believe and how my hope has changed my life.
Every year people throughout 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 certainly collapse one day, but a house that has 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, then all our faith, with its foundations and claims, would be in vain. And what benefit would we gain from all our building? At most, a brief existence in this vain world without much vanity.
Death brings all our plans to an end, and if there is no resurrection, then we are of all men 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 done in accordance with this expectation of mine. 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 to be saved.
My love languishes in this world, living amid sin. Sin boldly raises its ugly head and desires to plant its banner in my heart as well, but love keeps me in this struggle and gives me victory. I do not know how much longer I am destined to live in this world or whether I will be among the living who meet my Lord, but I am preparing for His Coming and trying to learn as much as possible about my Savior. I seek 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 see 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 open before the whole world! Far away in the sky, a small shining point appears, about half the size of a man’s hand. And 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 taking place 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 back like a scroll, opening the way for the Lord, Who 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. Trembling, I watch this glorious phenomenon, 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 falls silent. Christ surveys the whole Earth with His all-seeing gaze and pronounces words of Eternal blessing upon His people. A shout of indescribable joy fills all creation. The Lord commands all who lie in darkness to awake. The trumpet of the Archangel announces the hour of awakening; the earth trembles and opens its depths to yield up 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 suffering cry out with joy at their deliverance and at receiving new, incorruptible bodies. The pain of their former death is replaced by rapture. And this entire joyful company, with shouts of praise and delight, looks upon the smiling Jesus, while an unknown 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 unknown Power lifts us from the surface of the earth, carrying 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 good. 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 over and that now begins what I pursued for so long by faith. I worship my Savior and cannot take my eyes off Him. Here He is, my precious Jesus, so dear and close to me! How beautiful He is! Fairer than ten thousand!
I hear voices, painfully familiar, 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 by the trials of the last days. I am pleasantly surprised as I recognize dear, familiar faces, and I fall into the arms of these people. Tears of joy and cries of happiness fill all creation. Then together, in perfect unity, we once again begin to look upon Jesus. How we long to embrace Him too! And He lets us know that this will happen soon.
Out of the corner 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 open before our imagination!
Our joyful procession begins to move away from the Earth and enters open space. We swiftly fly toward the Heavenly City that has been prepared for us and is rightfully ours.
The entire Heavenly family is united into one rejoicing community. God the Father tenderly embraces each of us and invites us to enter into His joy, which we gladly do.
Questions for Reflection
Please read 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 in the light of this chapter. Were you able to picture the Second Coming? What did you understand from this chapter? Will the Second Coming be a visible event, or will it take place in some other way? Do you believe that this event will one day take place? What are you doing now to be among those who will be taken to Heaven? Does Christ’s Coming depend on my belief in this event? Do you know when Jesus will come? The Lord is now standing at the door and knocking. Does this mean that He has already come? Why must the Second Coming take place? Will Satan be able to counterfeit the Second Coming? Will he make such attempts? What should we do to be among those who will be taken to Heaven? Does agape love play any role in my preparation to move to Eternity? Is it important to love one another in the last days, or should we read more spiritual literature and pray instead? Will there be a different kind of love in Heaven? Is it worth spending time on love now?