Comfort each other

For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord. Therefore comfort one another with these words. – 1 Thessalonians 4.16-18

When I was young, oh so young, and in Bible College I knew a lot more. I knew, for example, exactly how all of eschatology was going to play out. I had it nailed down, kind of like how I had predestination figured out.

I still believe what I have always believed. I still think it best fulfils a literal interpretation of the scriptures. I believe that the next thing to happen is the rapture of the church followed by seven years of tribulation then the return of Christ to set up His 1000 year reign on earth.

Eschatology can be one of the most divisive issues of theology. It can be he source of more contention than comfort. We comfort each other with the knowledge that Jesus is coming again.

The very end of the New Testament said ‘even so come Lord Jesus.’ Ireland’s own St Patrick said he was looking for the ‘soon coming of our Lord and Saviour.’ It has been our hope for 2000 years.

No matter how bad it gets we have the comfort that Jesus is coming again! Things aren’t going to get any better. In fact Jesus said that evil is only going to get worse.

David wrote in Psalm 94 that we can dance in delight at God’s comfort. Jesus sent the Holy Spirit as our Comforter in this troubled world. God wants us to give each other comfort.

Jesus is coming. There can be great comfort in those words. We all need a bit of comfort at the moment.