Tuesday, September 10, 2024

The commands about Jesus’ return.

 I have done an interesting study about the commands the Bible gives concerning the return of Jesus. Over the years, I have befriended many a Christian who does not know what to do with the return of Christ and seems not to want to pay much attention to his return. The Bible, however, paints quite a different picture about what our attitude should be. I do notice the repetition. We are told to watch and be ready a multitude of times. We are to be diligent and careful. We are even to hold fast and overcome.

These are all commands, not an option for the spiritual Christian. We are, in every generation, supposed to be looking for the return of the King of Kings.

In the end, I copied all the verses out, for those who want to verify the Scripture.

 

The commands for us about his return:

1.      Be patient and careful with your life. (James 5:8)

2.      Be sober and hope to the end. (1 Peter 1:13)

3.        Give diligence to make your calling and election sure. (2 Peter 1:10, 11)

4.      Be diligent to be blameless. (2 Peter 3:11-14)

5.      Be careful to follow his commands. (Revelation 22:12-14)

6.        Repent (Matthew 4:17)

7.        Work for your reward (Matthew 16:27)

8.      Watch and be ready for his coming. (Matthew 24:42-44)

9.        Be doing your duty. (Matthew 24:45-46)

10.   Watch. (Matthew 25:13)

11.   Be good and be faithful. (Matthew 25:20-23)

12.   Do not hide your talent. (Matthew 25:25)

13.   Treat others as Jesus that you may inherit. (Matthew 25:34-41)

14.   Be not ashamed. (Mark 8:38)

15.   Watch and pray. (Mark 13: 33-37)

16.   Watch and be ready. (Luke 12:36-38)

17.   Be ready. (Luke 12:42)

18.   Be diligent with what you have been given. (Luke 19:15-24)

19.   Watch for your redemption is near. (Luke 21:27,28)

20.   Read and hear for the time is at hand. (Revelation 1:3)

21.   Repent. (Revelation 2:16)

22.   Keep my works to the end. (Revelation 2:26)

23.   Hold fast, repent, and watch. (Revelation 3:3)

24.   Hold fast. (Revelation 3:11)

25.   Overcome. (Revelation 3:12)

26.   Overcome. (Revelation 3:21)

I note that there are lots of repetitions. It was not my design to consolidate the repetitions, but rather let them speak for themselves. Watch is the most common theme, followed by be diligent or be careful. It is interesting to note that there is even one command to read. Of course, that command is to read Revelation, the very book concerned much with his coming back.  We are to repent, to overcome, and to hold fast. It does appear that every Christian should be concerned and watching for his return. Are you watching today?

Here is the list of commands again, with the Bible verses copied so you might see the actual commands.

 

1.      James 5:8
Be ye also patient; stablish your hearts: for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh.

Be patient and careful with your life.

2.      1 Peter 1:13
13 Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ;

Be sober and hope to the end.

3.      2 Peter 1: 10,11
10 Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall:11 For so an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.

Give diligence to make your calling and election sure.

4.      2 Peter 3:11-14
11 Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness,12 Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat?13 Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness.14 Wherefore, beloved, seeing that ye look for such things, be diligent that ye may be found of him in peace, without spot, and blameless.

Be diligent to be blameless.

5.      Revelation 22:12-14
12 And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be.13 I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last.14 Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city.

Be careful to follow his commands.

6.      Matthew 4: 17
17 From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.

Repent

7.      Matthew 16:27
27 For the Son of man shall come in the glory of his Father with his angels; and then he shall reward every man according to his works.

 

Work for your reward.

 

8.      Matthew 24:42-44
42 Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come.43 But know this, that if the goodman of the house had known in what watch the thief would come, he would have watched, and would not have suffered his house to be broken up.44 Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh. 

Watch and be ready for his coming.

9.      Matthew 24:45,46
45 Who then is a faithful and wise servant, whom his lord hath made ruler over his household, to give them meat in due season?46 Blessed is that servant, whom his lord when he cometh shall find so doing.

 Be doing your duty.

10.   Matthew 25:13
13 Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh.

Watch.

11.   Matthew 25:20- 23
20 And so he that had received five talents came and brought other five talents, saying, Lord, thou deliveredst unto me five talents: behold, I have gained beside them five talents more.21 His lord said unto him, Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.22 He also that had received two talents came and said, Lord, thou deliveredst unto me two talents: behold, I have gained two other talents beside them.23 His lord said unto him, Well done, good and faithful servant; thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.

Be good and faithful.

12.   Matthew 25:25
25 And I was afraid, and went and hid thy talent in the earth: lo, there thou hast that is thine.

Do not hide thy talent.

13.   Matthew 25:34,40,41, 45
34 Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world:
40 And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me. 41 Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels: 45 Then shall he answer them, saying, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me.

Treat others as Jesus that you may inherit.

14.   Mark 8:38
38 Whosoever therefore shall be ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation; of him also shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he cometh in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.

Be not ashamed.

15.   Mark 13: 33-37
33 Take ye heed, watch and pray: for ye know not when the time is.34 For the Son of Man is as a man taking a far journey, who left his house, and gave authority to his servants, and to every man his work, and commanded the porter to watch.35 Watch ye therefore: for ye know not when the master of the house cometh, at even, or at midnight, or at the cockcrowing, or in the morning:36 Lest coming suddenly he find you sleeping.37 And what I say unto you I say unto all, Watch.

Watch and pray.

16.   Luke 12:36-38
36 And ye yourselves like unto men that wait for their lord, when he will return from the wedding; that when he cometh and knocketh, they may open unto him immediately.37 Blessed are those servants, whom the lord when he cometh shall find watching: verily I say unto you, that he shall gird himself, and make them to sit down to meat, and will come forth and serve them.38 And if he shall come in the second watch, or come in the third watch, and find them so, blessed are those servants.

Watch and be ready.

17.   Luke 12:40
40 Be ye therefore ready also: for the Son of man cometh at an hour when ye think not.

Be ready.

18.   Luke 19:15-24
15 And it came to pass, that when he was returned, having received the kingdom, then he commanded these servants to be called unto him, to whom he had given the money, that he might know how much every man had gained by trading.16 Then came the first, saying, Lord, thy pound hath gained ten pounds.17 And he said unto him, Well, thou good servant: because thou hast been faithful in a very little, have thou authority over ten cities.18 And the second came, saying, Lord, thy pound hath gained five pounds.19 And he said likewise to him, Be thou also over five cities.20 And another came, saying, Lord, behold, here is thy pound, which I have kept laid up in a napkin:21 For I feared thee, because thou art an austere man: thou takest up that thou layedst not down, and reapest that thou didst not sow.22 And he saith unto him, Out of thine own mouth will I judge thee, thou wicked servant. Thou knewest that I was an austere man, taking up that I laid not down, and reaping that I did not sow:23 Wherefore then gavest not thou my money into the bank, that at my coming I might have required mine own with usury?24 And he said unto them that stood by, Take from him the pound, and give it to him that hath ten pounds.

Be diligent with what you have been given.

19.   Luke 21:27,28
27 And then shall they see the Son of man coming in a cloud with power and great glory.28 And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh.

Watch for your redemption is near.

20.   Revelation 1:3
Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written therein: for the time is at hand.

Read and hear for the time is at hand

21.   Revelation 2:16
16 Repent; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will fight against them with the sword of my mouth.
Repent

22.   Revelation 2:26
26 And he that overcometh, and keepeth my works unto the end, to him will I give power over the nations:
Keep my works to the end

23.   Revelation 3:3
Remember therefore how thou hast received and heard, and hold fast, and repent. If therefore thou shalt not watch, I will come on thee as a thief, and thou shalt not know what hour I will come upon thee.
Hold fast, repent, and watch

24.   Revelation 3:11
11 Behold, I come quickly: hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown.
Hold fast.

25.   Revelation 3:12
12 Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the temple of my God, and he shall go no more out: and I will write upon him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, which is new Jerusalem, which cometh down out of heaven from my God: and I will write upon him my new name.
He that overcomes will be a pillar in the temple, and he will write upon him the name of God, the name of his city, and a new name

26.   Revelation 3:21
21 To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne.
He that overcometh will sit with him in the throne

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