The King is Coming!
Its meaning
What does it mean when “those crazy Christians” exclaim, “The King is coming!”? Well, let’s first clarify who a Christian is so there are minimal misunderstandings. A Christian is simply a person who follows the teachings of Jesus Christ and, indeed, Christ Himself. “Christ” means “the anointed one”. We believe He is God, the Creator of all and we love and wish to obey Him because we trust Him. That’s it! It’s true, we are human and don’t always “do it right” but like King David, whose heart was with God (even though he sinned in a most heinous way, but repented), we try our best to be like Christ – loving and just.
We proclaim “the King is coming” because we believe it. It gives us profound hope. Jesus (Yeshua) was born on earth and died on the cross for our sins. The Bible predicted it and it happened. The Bible also predicts He will return as King and judge over all evil. He is the Lion of Judah and we are excited about His return to earth.
The gospel
Many places in the Bible proclaim the gospel, the Good News, that those who believe in Him will live forever with Him in complete peace. John 3:16 is the most famous and well-known verse, “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” But here’s the caveat: It is not enough to simply believe He exists. It’s a start but it is so much more than that. He loves us so much that He offers us a way of complete redemption and transformation. I am no longer who I once was. I am a child of the living God and am a completely different person, now devoted to Him. Oh yes, I mess up! But my heart repents and receives forgiveness when I do. Remember, the only difference between Judas Iscariot and Peter, the disciple was repentance. They both denied Him, but Peter repented and was forgiven.
Belief
So, belief that God exists is not enough. He asks us to trust and love Him. Even His enemies believe He exists. Enemies often present themselves as wolves in sheep’s clothing too! They are found everywhere! Churches have many. Someone proclaiming to be a Christian and quoting Bible verses does not mean he or she is a child of God. “And then many will fall away and betray one another and hate one another. And many false prophets will arise and lead many astray. And because lawlessness will be increased, the love of many will grow cold. But the one who endures to the end will be saved” (Matthew 24:10-13).
Hate is spewed from the most surprising places and we must be on guard. The enemy seeks to “kill, steal and destroy” (John 10:10).
The World We Live In
Many of us realize we are living in unprecedented and scary times. Many Christ-followers even feel as if we are in the “end times”. Whether we are or aren’t, our own personal lives are a mere 80-90 years at best! We will all die to this life one day, but we do not cease to exist! This is a sobering and important point to understand. Being a child of God means we live and love in the light. Darkness is not the opposite of light. It is the absence of light. If our light source gives us eternal life and peace, then removing ourselves from the light source means we live in eternal darkness and chaos. We actually have a glimpse of that on earth. We deal with illness, depression and pain. Some deal with horrific things we cannot even fathom. As I write this, we are coming up on the 20th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks on America. The images are painful to watch and yet, watch it we must because that is where compassion comes from. Through that time, we also witnessed people helping people; some even giving their own lives. That’s where God’s heart is for us – to help one another.
Hope
Just as darkness is the absence of light, fear is the absence of hope. “For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline” (2 Timothy 1:7).
We know Jesus will return as our benevolent, loving and just king. Those of us who put our trust in Him put our entire hope in this! Whether He returns in our lifetime or not, we will be part of His entourage when He is crowned as the final and everlasting King. To me, that is exciting! Therefore, let us not put our hope where it does not belong. True, others can and should help us in our times of need, but who do I look to for help through this difficult life? Christ, and Christ alone. “Maranatha” means Come, Lord Jesus!
Tonya Noren
September 9, 2021