Why the Wait?

Who then is a faithful and wise servant, whom his master made ruler over his household, to give them food in due season? Blessed is that servant whom his master, when he comes, will find so doing (Matthew 24:45-46).

William Barclay wrote the following (The Gospel f Matthew), “There is a fable which tells of three apprentice devils who were coming to this earth to finish their apprenticeship. They were talking to Satan, the chief of the devils, about their plans to tempt and to ruin men. The first said, ‘I will tell them that there is no God.’ Satan said, ‘That will not delude many, for they know that there is a God.’ The second said, ‘I will tell men that there is no hell.’ Satan answered, ‘You will deceive no one that way; men know even now that there is a hell for sin.’ The third said, ‘I will tell men that there is no hurry.’ ‘Go,’ said Satan, ‘and you will ruin men by the thousand.’ The most dangerous of all delusions is that there is plenty of time.”

I have been asked numerous times, “Why is it taking so long for Jesus to return?” and “It’s been 2,000 years since Jesus ascended into heaven, when will He come back?” There are a couple of reasons to consider: (1) He is giving an extended amount of time for people to repent of sin and be saved. The Apostle Peter wrote (2 Peter 3:8-9), But, beloved, do not forget this one thing, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance. The Apostle Paul wrote (Romans 11:25-27), For I do not desire, brethren, that you should be ignorant of this mystery, lest you should be wise in your own opinion, that blindness in part has happened to Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in. And so all Israel will be saved, as it is written: “The Deliverer will come out of Zion, and He will turn away ungodliness from Jacob; for this is My covenant with them, when I take away their sins.” Jesus promised He would return. He is patiently waiting for the full number of those who will be saved, to be saved.

(2) He is waiting for evil to run its course. John the Apostle wrote (Revelation 14:15-16), And another angel came out of the temple, crying with a loud voice to Him who sat on the cloud, "Thrust in Your sickle and reap, for the time has come for You to reap, for the harvest of the earth is ripe." So He who sat on the cloud thrust in His sickle on the earth, and the earth was reaped. There is, in God’s plan for the ages, a time when the full harvest of the souls on earth will be reaped. That time has not yet come.

Many Christians wonder why the Lord’s coming is delayed. Many in the anti-Christian camp criticize and mock Christians for believing in the 2nd coming of Jesus because it has been 2,000 years since He promised He would return (2 Peter 3:3-4). That’s why Jesus encourages us to be patient, watch, wait, and be prepared for His return because we do not know the day or the hour when that will happen. Amen.

Pastor