Advent Season is a season of waiting for the coming of Jesus, first as a baby to be born to save the world from sin, and now for His Second Coming to take those of us who are Born-Again Believers to our Heavenly home. We are looking for Him to return. Romans 15:13 says, “Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you believe so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.” (CSB) We have hope as we look forward to Jesus coming again to receive us to Himself.
Just as the Jewish people were, and some still are, looking for the Messiah to come, we are looking for Him to come again. It is a hope that burns in our hearts and the thought of His coming again brings joy and peace in our hearts. “looking for the blessed hope and the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Christ Jesus,” (Titus 2:13 NASB) God IS our hope. It is when we believe in God and trust Him with our lives that the Holy Spirit plants that hope inside of us. The moment we ask Jesus to save us from our sins be our Lord and Savior and relinquish control to Him, that hope is put into our hearts, and He calls us His own. “Behold, the eye of the Lord is on those who fear Him, On those who hope for His lovingkindness,” (Psalm 33:18 NASB)
This is more than an “I hope this will happen”, it is more of a deep expectancy. As Believers, we should be focused on and looking intently, for Jesus to come back. The Bible tells us that no one knows the day or hour, not even Jesus Himself. “But concerning that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father only.” (Matthew 24:36 ESV) The Jewish people were looking intently for the Messiah to come and rescue them. They just didn’t expect Him to come into the world as a baby, and so they missed His coming the first time. They thought that Jesus was a troublemaker and blasphemer, but they couldn’t explain the miracles He did or the large group of followers He had. We, as Believers, must not be like they were, looking but not recognizing Him.
The Bible tells us what the signs of His coming are to be like. “But as the days of Noah were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark, And knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.” (Matthew 24:37-39 KJV) Just like the Jewish leaders, we don’t have an excuse because God told us what to look for. There are many prophecies about Jesus’ return. We only need to look around us and see that the condition of things is much like they were in Noah’s day. Instead of our culture improving, it seems as if we are heading into a downward spiral of sin, degradation, violence, and hatred. This will be the condition of the world when Jesus comes back. We must be alert to His coming. Jesus told us that His return would be like a thief in the night. (Matthew 24:42-44) This is why we must be vigilant in living for Him, witnessing to others of His love for them, and looking expectantly for Him to return.
Are you looking forward to Jesus coming again? This Season, just as we are looking forward to celebrating His coming as a Baby in a manger, we must look forward to His return. He is coming soon, and that is our great hope!
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