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TOPIC: Gordon, Samuel Dickey - Quiet Talks About Our Lord's Return (Other Topics in this Collection)
SUBJECT: 15. The Startling Answer
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The Startling Answer
John's Gospel is written on wholly different lines from the first three; they are made up of a certain common group of occurrences running through our Lord's life and ministry. John's is a gathering up of specially selected occurrences to show that, while Jesus was rejected by the leaders, He was accepted by many others of all classes. It contains only a few direct allusions to the Coming.
In the last long quiet talk with the disciples, on the eve of His suffering, while still about the supper table, He speaks of His coming again and receiving them unto Himself, [Note: Joh_14:3.] as a bit of comfort in their distress over His going away. Sometimes in that evening talk He speaks of Himself and the Holy Spirit interchangeably; the coming of the Spirit is as His own and the Father's coming to them. [Note: Joh_14:17-23.] Sometimes He speaks of seeing them again, when He clearly refers to the resurrection appearances. [Note: Joh_16:16-22.] But in the beginning of the talk the Coming is to receive them to Himself that they may be where He is, [Note: Joh_14:3.] and a little later on He refers again to this. [Note: Joh_14:28,
In the great fishing chapter, added at the end of this Gospel, they are walking quietly along the shore, after the good breakfast prepared for their hunger and weariness by our Lord's own thoughtful, loving hands. John is walking near by, when Peter asks about John's future. And our Lord quietly replies that each man shall receive direct his own leading in the plan for his life, by saying, "if I will that he tarry till I come," and so on. [Note: Joh_21:22.] The passage is chiefly interesting to us just now, as indicating His teaching of a spirit of constant expectancy of His coming again, as a thing that might occur in their lifetime. There are some indirect teachings in John, which we come to see belong to the subject, but these are the only direct allusions, and do not add anything new to what has already been gathered.
Let me try to gather up in brief shape these teachings of our Lord in the Gospels, omitting many details so as to get a comprehensive grasp of the chief things taught. There was to be a total destruction of Jerusalem, which we can recognize as having taken place in the year 70 a.d. With this would come a scattering of the Jews among the nations, which we know began at the same time. There is a period of time called "the times of the Gentiles," apparently referring to the world-leadership by nations other than Jewish. But by clear inference there is a definite though unnamed limit to its length. The scattering of the Jews, and their loss of control of Jerusalem, are to continue to the end of this period of Gentile leadership. That period will end with a terrible time called the great tribulation. The initial event of this will be at Jerusalem, in the holy place of the temple, which would necessitate a rebuilding of the Jewish temple at Jerusalem, at some time before this tribulation begins. At some time, in connection with this tribulation, there will be another destruction of Jerusalem, and a fulfilment of all the judgments written in the Scriptures regarding the Jews.
The tribulation will be a terrible time of war, famine, and earthquake for all the earth, and of great persecution and suffering for Christ's people. It will be the most distressing time the old earth has ever known, or ever will know. It will end with disturbances in the solar system. Then the Lord Jesus will come on a cloud in great glory openly before the eyes of all men. His own people will be caught up into the heavens, all the rest of the people being left on the earth. Then will come the Jewish restoration, and the setting up of the Kingdom on the earth.
And then there is a simple picture of the Lord Jesus in His great personal glory, standing on the earth, holding intercourse with His faithful followers regarding matters on the earth. This is spoken of as "the Son of Man coming in His Kingdom." And then there is a final scene of a general judgment of all people on the earth.
Such seems to be the startling answer of the Gospels to our eager question about our Lord's return. We still hold in check the questions that insist on crowding in, as to the probability of such things occurring, and wait in prayerful reverence to learn what more will be found in the other pages of the Book. And as we turn the pages into the Acts and Epistles, a deeply earnest prayer goes up that our hearts may be in such sympathetic touch with our Lord Jesus, that we may be yearning after that, which He is so intently and lovingly urging us to be ready for.
From His Followers' Lips and Pens