“Promise?”
“I promise!”
Really now, some people’s promises don’t carry all that much weight. Do you know anyone like that?
On the other hand, there are certain individuals to whom you would never say, “Promise me?” That’s because if they told you something, you know for certain you can count on it. Jesus would be a good example. Can you imagine asking Jesus to promise you what He said was true?
A key promise Jesus made was about His return to the earth. What He said was then affirmed throughout the New Testament by others who were close to Him.
The only problem is that the promise hasn’t yet come true. I believe it will, though. You’ll have to decide for yourself whether or not to believe this promise.
In essence, Revelation 16:15 is that promise being made once again. “Behold, I come like a thief! Blessed is he who stays awake…”
This second coming of Jesus is described in Revelation 19 verses 11-16. But nowhere in the book are we given a hint as to precisely when this remarkable return will take place. We do know, however, that when our Lord does return, it will be in power and great glory. That’s also when the beast and the false prophet will be “thrown alive into the fiery lake of burning sulfur” (19-20).
Would it be to our advantage for the actual time of our Lord’s return to be revealed in Revelation? Maybe, but probably not.
I for one am content to leave the options regarding such specifics in God’s hands.
Doing that, we can still remain confident when the kings of the earth gather to do battle on that great day of God Almighty. That’s because we know assuredly that we have aligned ourselves with the winning side.
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