Matthew 24:40-44 NKJV
“Then two men will be in the field: one will be taken and the other left. Two women will be grinding at the mill: one will be taken and the other left. Watch therefore, for you do not know what hour your Lord is coming. But know this, that if the master of the house had known what hour the thief would come, he would have watched and not allowed his house to be broken into. Therefore you also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.”
INSIGHT
-These verses reveal true events concerning the second coming of Jesus Christ, the Son of Man. An illustration is given of individuals going on with their daily duties, where one will be raptured and another left. The second example is that of a thief who will break into a house at an hour not known to the owner. If the owner knew, he would remain vigilant and not allow the thief to break in. Prior to these demonstrations, we find Noah who was warned of the catastrophic flood to come and he obeyed, and built an ark. When it got in it rained for forty days and forty nights, and all who were outside perished. Since the hour is not known when the Jesus will return, it is prudent to get ready lest any of us should perish. John 3:16 is clear that it is through God’s love that He gave us His only Begotten Son that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life.
PRAYER
Dear Lord we honor You and bless Your name. We surrender our hearts unto You, we surrender our lives unto You, we surrender our desires unto You. May You forgive us all our sins and iniquities, and wash us with Your precious blood. May You deliver us from all evil and grant us rest in all areas of our lives. We believe in You and trust in You dear Lord Jesus. May You grant us Your true salvation and pour out Your Holy Spirit upon us, our households and nation. May You prepare us for Your second coming dear Jesus. May You guide us throughout the week and help us in all our endeavors. We give You praise and exult Your name, and it is in Jesus mighty name we pray. Amen
Further reading: Genesis 7:1-24, Acts 16:31
2 Peter 3:3-4 NKJV
“knowing this first: that scoffers will come in the last days, walking according to their own lusts, and saying, “Where is the promise of His coming? For since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of creation.”
INSIGHT
–Believers should not be surprised to find that there are those who scoff at the message of Jesus’ second coming. Those who desire to continue in sin and their own lusts but justify their actions through falsehood and ignorance of the true message of repentance and the way of righteousness. Some are never convinced that Jesus will ever come again since our ancestors fell and life continues normally. Those from other religions like Judaism believe in the second coming but estimate that Jesus will return to rebuild the Jerusalem temple. John the Baptist proclaimed the message of repentance. He spoke of Jesus who will gather His wheat into the barn, that is believers; and burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire, that is those who do not believe in Him.
PRAYER
Dear Lord Jesus, You are Good and Your mercies endures forever. Your truth endures to all generations. We enter Your gates with thanksgiving now and forever more, and Your courts with praise. We enter with thankful hearts, blessing Your holy name for You are Holy and Just, and Your mercies endures forever. We repent all our sins and iniquities, the sins of our families, the sins of our communities, the sins of leaders, nation and entire world. We pay for the nation of Israel, the peace of the people and their salvation. May You baptize us afresh Holy Spirit and grant us the gift of salvation for us, our children, our generations, and the entire world. We call You Abba Father for You are our God, our Salvation and our Shield, our sure Foundation, for we belong to You. All glory and honor belong to You now and forever. Amen
Further reading: Matthew 3:1-12, Acts 2:38-39
Revelation 22:7 NKJV
“Behold, I am coming quickly! Blessed is he who keeps the words of the prophecy of this book.”
INSIGHT
–Jesus gives a parenthetical response that He is coming quickly. Therefore His second coming is inevitable according to God’s timing and not man’s. Matthew 7:24-27 reveals that, whoever hears God’s word and does them is like a wise man who built his house in the rock, and when the rain, floods and wind came, the house will not fall since it is founded on the rock. On the other hand, the one who hears God’s word and does not do them is like a foolish man who built his house on the sand, and when the rain, floods and wind came the house fell. We are called not only to hear God’s word but to do it in reparation for Jesus’ second coming.
PRAYER
Dear Lord Jesus Your word is a lamb to our feet and a light to our path, we desire more of You and Your word daily. The entrance of Your words Lord gives light and understanding to the simple, may You increase us in faith and wisdom precious Holy Spirit. May Your word continue to illuminate our lives as we are the light and salt of the earth. In Your light we see light dear Lord Jesus, the light of Your salvation as we wait for Your second coming. We desire to know You more and more, and to meditate on Your word daily. May You teach us to hear Your word and to apply it every time. May You save us, our families, nation and economy dear Lord Jesus. May You heal all those who are sick and deliver the oppressed. May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, be with us now and forevermore. Amen
Further reading: James 1:22-25, Psalms 1:1-6
Hebrews 10:24-25 NKJV
“And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching.”
INSIGHT
–Apostle Paul exhorts believers to hold fast love for one another even as we wait for the Day of the Lord. Jesus summarizes the commandments and the prophets into the law of love saying, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself” (Matthew 22:37-39). We are called to love for, love covers a multitude of sins (1 Peter 4:8), and love can never fail (1 Corinthians 4:8).
PRAYER
We approach Your throne of grace with confidence dear Lord Jesus that we may obtain mercy and grace to help us during our time of need. This is our time of need dear Jesus we need You. We need Your mercy that comes before judgement. May Your mercy and grace uphold us even when we are weak and without favor. May Your mercy and grace speak a blessing unto us, our families, communities and nation. May Your mercy and righteous judgement speak on our behalf and remove every accusation against us. May You forgive us and purify us with Your precious blood, and sanctify us body, soul and spirit, and prepare us for Your Day Lord. May You fill us the fruit of love that we may love You with all our heart’s, minds and soul, and love our neighbors as ourselves. May You teach us to always do good works as You have called each one of us to do. May You deliver all the street families and give them a safer and better habitation, food and all other needs for the glory and honor of Your name. May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, be with us now and forever more. Amen
Further reading: 1 John 4:7-11, 1 Corinthians 13:13
John 5:28-30 NKJV
“Do not marvel at this; for the hour is coming in which all who are in the graves will hear His voice and come forth—those who have done good, to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil, to the resurrection of condemnation. I can of Myself do nothing. As I hear, I judge; and My judgment is righteous, because I do not seek My own will but the will of the Father who sent Me.”
INSIGHT
–Jesus speaks of the events that will take place at His second coming. 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17 makes it clear that when Jesus descends from heaven, the trumpet will sound accompanied by the voice of an archangel. Those who die in Christ will rise first and then those who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet Jesus in the air.
SUMMARY
The Greek word tachu, which is translated soon or quickly, means without unnecessary delay. It does not mean immediately. The word soon also underscores the tension between the already and the not yet aspects of God’s kingdom. While certain promises and prophecies have been fulfilled, others await completion. This tension calls believers to live in a state of readiness, keeping faith and obedience as they await the fulfillment of God’s promises. Jesus is coming quickly and calls us to keep the words of prophecy in the Bible (Revelation 22:7). Some people scoff at the message of the second coming and continue in their lusts saying that the fathers slept and everything continues normally from the beginning of creation. Oblivious of the fact that the fire is reserved until the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men (2 Peter 3:3-7). The illustration of these events is given that; two men will be in the field: one will be taken and the other left. Two women will be grinding at the mill: one will be taken and the other left. We are therefore called to watch for we do not know what hour the Lord will come, an hour we do not expect (Matthew 24:40-44). An emphasis is also given on upholding love and good works, and exhorting one another, and so much the more as we see the Day approaching (Hebrews 10:24-25). We are challenged as believers to trust in God, His precepts, His unfailing love, His perfect timing and recognize that His plans unfold according to His divine wisdom. The assurance that Jesus is coming soon, serves as a reminder of His sovereignty and faithfulness, encouraging believers to remain steadfast in their hope and commitment to His purposes.
PRAYER
Dear Lord Jesus, we believe in You and Your second coming. We believe that You are indeed coming again, and we have hope of eternal life. May You release the gift of salvation unto us, our families, communities, nation, and all nations of the world. May You our God of peace, sanctify us through and through body, soul and spirit and keep us blameless at Your coming dear Lord Jesus Christ. May You grant Your true salvation to us and all people dear merciful Savior. Lord may You do exceedingly abundantly more than we can ask of or think of according to the power that is at work in us. Lord we trust in You and exalt You. We believe that You are able to do more than we can think of or imagine. We believe that we shall be extremely fruitful since we abide in You and You in us. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow us all the days of our lives and we shall dwell in Your house forever. May You bless us and keep us loving Father, may You shine Your face upon us and be gracious to us. May You lift up Your countenance towards us and give us peace. Amen
Further reading: 1 Thessalonians 5:2-4