Never Late

¹³ Brothers and sisters, we do not want you to be uninformed about those who sleep in death, so that you do not grieve like the rest of mankind, who have no hope. ¹⁴ For we believe that Jesus died and rose again, and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him. ¹⁵ According to the Lord’s word, we tell you that we who are still alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will certainly not precede those who have fallen asleep. ¹⁶ For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. ¹⁷ After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever. ¹⁸ Therefore encourage one another with these words. —1 Thessalonians 4

Ok. Wait a minute. It’s been, what? Over 2000 years since Jesus walked on this earth? What’s He waiting for? Look at the mess this world is in! Why is He taking so long?

Valid questions, and if you’re a believer (even if you’re not) have not these questions been asked by you, or of you? I know I have. How long, Lord?

First, we need to discuss this little thing called TIME. Without going into stuff about which I really have no idea (like quantum physics), to me the most fascinating thing about time is God exists outside of time.

He created time. Time, that is, the measure of time, requires motion. God put in place the heavens and the earth; He made the stars, the planets, galaxies, and everything in them or on them, from the atoms to the molecules to the consolidation of everything it takes to make something, be it a star or a person or an animal or a rock. To whatever level you want to take it, everything is made up of what GOD created. (Genesis 1, John 1:3)

And everything is encased in time and measured in limits of time.

All created and put in place by God.

Second:

But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day. –2 Peter 3:8

So why does the Lord tarry?

Paul in Romans (chapter 11) indicates perhaps Jesus tarries “…until the full number of the Gentiles has come in…” We must remember that Israel IS God’s chosen nation, but not all Israelites are believers in Yeshua (Christ). So God extended His grace to the Gentiles:

¹¹ …salvation has come to the Gentiles to make Israel envious. ¹²But if their transgression (rejection of Christ) means riches for the world, and their loss means riches for the Gentiles, how much greater riches will their full inclusion bring!

¹⁶For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. ¹⁷For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. ¹⁸Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son. —John 3

“For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the Lord. ⁹“As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.”  –Isaiah 55.8-9

His Grace is sufficient. Believe in Him. His love for His children is everlasting.

God’s timing is always perfect. And Jesus is coming.

Therefore encourage one another with these words.