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He is Coming Again!, December 8
And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give
every man according as his work shall be.
Revelation 22:12
.
Was Christ a false prophet when He uttered these words? More than
eighteen hundred years have passed since John heard this great truth, and
the Lord has not yet come to reign. But shall we give up looking for His
appearance? Shall we say, “My Lord delayeth his coming”
“And Enoch also, the seventh from Adam, prophesied of these, saying,
Behold, the Lord cometh with ten thousands of his saints” (
Jude 14
).... The
doctrine of Christ’s coming was made known at this early date to the man
who walked with God in continual communion. The godly character of
this prophet is to represent the state of holiness to which the people of God
must attain who expect to be translated to heaven....
Shall we say we have been deceived in regard to the doctrine of Christ’s
near coming? ... Shall we say that all our work to make ready a people
prepared for His coming has been for nought? Never.... “Let us hold fast
the profession of our faith without wavering; ... and let us consider one
another to provoke”—unto doubts and unbelief, and apostasy? No, but
“unto love and to good works: not forsaking the assembling of ourselves
together, ... but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see
the day approaching” (
Hebrews 10:23-25
).
We must have a knowledge of the Scriptures, that we may trace down
the lines of prophecy and ... see that the day is approaching, so that with
increased zeal and effort we may exhort one another to faithfulness.... Give
up our faith? lose our confidence? become impatient? No, no. We will
not think of such a thing.... See how the specifications of the prophecies
have been and are fulfilling. Let us lift up our heads and rejoice, for our
redemption draweth nigh. It is nearer than when we first believed. Shall
we not wait patiently, filled with courage and faith? Shall we not make
ready a people to stand in the day of final reckoning
[349]
8
The Review and Herald, July 31, 1888
.
9
Ibid
.
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