Introduction

The Bible does not end with the description of Armageddon, or even the drama of heaven and hell, but with a prayer and a promise, “The Spirit and the Bride say, “Come.”…. He who testifies to these things says, “Surely I am coming soon.” Amen. Come, Lord Jesus!” (Rev 22:17, 20). This dialogue reveals a passionate longing for consummation; the Bride (Church) longs to marry the Groom (Christ) so she may be joined with him in marital bliss forever. Such intense intimacy, framed by the apocalyptic end time scenarios of Revelation, provokes the question of where we personally stand in relation to the earnest desire of the Early Church for the imminent Return of Christ.

In all honesty, most of us are focussed on marriages, families, homes, jobs and the life of the church. Things not bad in themselves, but generally a part of a lifestyle seemingly unimpacted by Jesus impending Coming (Matt 24:38). The spirituality of the first Christians flatly contradicts the laid back style of the majority of contemporary Australian believers. When Paul teaches, “the appointed time has grown very short. From now on, let those who have wives live as though they had none, 30 and those who mourn as though they were not mourning, and those who rejoice as though they were not rejoicing, and those who buy as though they had no goods, 31 and those who deal with the world as though they had no dealings with it. For the present form of this world is passing away.” (1 Cor 7:29-31), we are totally out of our depth.

The solution to the contradiction between our “she’ll be right” attitude and the significance of the Second Coming to the apostles, is not to condescendingly suggest that they “got it wrong” in the heat of the persecution, but to search the Scriptures more deeply. To correctly “hear what the Spirit is saying to the churches” (Rev 2:7) today about the End, we must look beyond the various natural and political tragedies of 2011[1] to the inner meaning of the Christ’s Second Advent and how it can be experienced now.

Anticipating a Blessing

To better grasp the relationship between Jesus and the future it is necessary to examine some of his own post-resurrection statements about his personal identity. A good place to start is with the words of the glorified Christ to the church in Laodicea. This was a body of believers whose lukewarm witness[2] placed them in danger of being vomited forth from the mouth of the Son of God (Rev 3:16). Throughout Revelation the mouth of Christ is the organ through which he speaks his Word (1:16; 2:16; 19:15), the Word by which he will judge all (John 1:1-3; 12:48). To be spewed forth from the Lord’s mouth carries with it the great danger of separation from his saving gospel.

To this weakened body of believers Jesus proclaims himself as “the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of God’s creation” (Rev 3:14). The parallel between this text and Jesus’ earlier self introduction, “from Jesus Christ the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead “(Rev 1:5), helps us to understand that Christ is the foundation of the new creation. The expression, “the firstborn of the dead” refers to Jesus’ resurrection[3], as such his own glorified risen life is the content of the new creation[4]. This message of great hope for God’s people becomes even more accentuated as we move towards the climax of Revelation. The Lord’s own testimony is full of excitement for his forthcoming Return,““behold, I am coming soon. Blessed is the one who keeps the words of the prophecy of this book.”” (Rev 22:7). This is wonderful, yet a great hurdle must be overcome for us to eagerly desire the End by which Christ will enfold us. The description of the Lord’s Coming for his Bride in unveils the true nature of our resistance.

Uncomfortable Truths

“And the angel said to me, “Write this: Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb.” …11 Then I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse! The one sitting on it is called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he judges and makes war. Then I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse! The one sitting on it is called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he judges and makes war. 12 His eyes are like a flame of fire, and on his head are many diadems, and he has a name written that no one knows but himself. 13 He is clothed in a robe dipped in blood, and the name by which he is called is The Word of God. 14 And the armies of heaven, arrayed in fine linen, white and pure, were following him on white horses. 15 From his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations, and he will rule them with a rod of iron. He will tread the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God the Almighty. (Rev 19:9, 11-15)

The ordinary human conscience cannot hold together the promise of endless bliss with a proclamation of unmitigated wrath[5] in the context of a wedding feast[6]! To the shamed conscience the thought of oneness with infinite holy love is unbearable, to avoid such a disturbing thought the tragedies of history are taken as proof that a God of unconditional love does not exist. Tragically, these tendencies to deny the love of God not only pervade the world but can also penetrate the church! Uncomfortably, scripture warns us that not all in the church will welcome Jesus’ return; “And now, little children, abide in him, so that when he appears we may have confidence and not shrink from him in shame at his coming.” (1 John 2:28) [7]. How do we recognise such frightened people amongst us?

In the climactic passage to do with the Marriage Supper of the Lamb we read, “Let us rejoice and exult and give him the glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and his Bride has made herself ready” (Rev 19:7). Earthly brides make intense, prolonged and costly preparations for their earthly weddings, but do we consciously and intentionally put our lives in order for the eternal marriage? The current discipleship crisis reveals that we as a Western Christian culture are not readying ourselves for the Return of Jesus in any serious way. This implies that we do not believe that God’s Coming wrath has dealt with once and for all (1 Thess 1:10; Heb 7:27; 9:12, 26; 10:10), for if we were convinced that all divine anger was taken away we would be visibly anticipating the Second Coming with “inexpressible and glory filled joy” (1 Pet 1:8)[8]. Our only way forward is to go back to the fully realised work of Christ’s death and resurrection.

Finished Already

Whatever God completes shares in his state of joyful satisfaction. Thus when the first creation was finished all was blessed and holy (Gen 2:1-3). Adam and Eve were living in this awareness, but they had not yet reached perfection. To enter into full union with their Creator required supreme willingness to an unconditional commitment of intimate covenant love. This was a call to actualise marriage with God[9]. The opportunity for such an absolute act of saying “I will” to God was provided through the command not to eat from the tree of knowledge (Gen 2:17). If, through faith, the first couple had obeyed, their marriage with the LORD would have been consummated. Instead, Adam and Eve rejected the opportunity for union, placed themselves outside of the divine embrace and fell prey to sin, Satan and death. This pattern is similarly repeated in the history of God’s covenant partnership with Israel. Though the LORD completed his pledge to her at Sinai, she was a rebellious and unfaithful wife (Ex 32; Judges 2:16-17; Jer 3:1-3; Hos 1:2 etc.). Only the coming of the Word of the covenant himself (Jesus)[10],could unite God’s loving will to us forever.

Jesus must overcome two seemingly unsurmountable obstacles in bringing about divine –human matrimony. Firstly, God’s holy anger threatens to destroy fallen human existence (Heb 12:25-29). Secondly, humanity’s unbelief about the sincerity of God’s will for marital union leads to stubborn rejection. Both of these barriers are totally overcome in the death-and-resurrection of Christ.

Adam refused to unite his will with the will of his Creator in Eden, Jesus wills to join his will with the will of God in Gethsemane. ““Abba, Father, all things are possible for you. Remove this cup from me. Yet not what I will, but what you will.”” (Mark 14:36) By uniting his will with the will of the Father to take upon himself the cup of divine wrath[11], Jesus effectively says “Yes” to a “for better or for worse” between man and God. It is this union of wills that is the essence of “the blood of the eternal covenant” (Heb 13:20; cf. Luke 22:20; 1 Cor 11:25) and seals marriage with God in Christ beyond annulment by either party.

Paradoxically, the cross looks nothing like a wedding bond; it appears utterly ugly. Isaiah prophesied concerning the death of Christ, “his appearance was so marred, beyond human semblance, and his form beyond that of the children of mankind….he had no form or majesty that we should look at him, and no beauty that we should desire him.” (Isa 52:14, 53:2). In bearing the fullness of dreadful evil on the cross Jesus appears as a Bridegroom that no one would want to marry. Yet it is the rotten blackness of the evil of his Betrothed that he is carrying away. Hidden in the sacrifice of the cross is the final revelation of the unconditional love that God has for his people. More than this, the death of Jesus is the bridge to the new creation.

“After this, Jesus, knowing that all was now finished, said (to fulfill the Scripture), “I thirst.”…. 30 When Jesus had received the sour wine, he said, “It is finished,” and he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.” (John 19:28-30) When the Word made flesh declares, “it is finished”, he knows that he is bringing to perfection the Father’s blessing over the “finished” first creation (Gen 2:1-3). The fullest dimensions of Christ’s sacrifice are however opened up as we look toward the End.

“And he who was seated on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new.” Also he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.” 6 And he said to me, “It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end.”” (Rev 21:5-6) What the Father speaks he only speaks through Christ his Word. God’s utterance at the End,“It is done”, depends on Christ’s words from the cross, “It is finished”. In the death and resurrection of Jesus we witness the passing away of the old world and the coming into being of a new creation that is “imperishable, undefiled, and unfading” (1 Pet 1:4). Living in the hope of the gospel, the Early Church waited eagerly for the return of Christ to impart his glory to everything.

“10 But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, and then the heavens will pass away with a roar, and the heavenly bodies will be burned up and dissolved, and the earth and the works that are done on it will be exposed. 11 Since all these things are thus to be dissolved, what sort of people ought you to be in lives of holiness and godliness, 12 waiting for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be set on fire and dissolved, and the heavenly bodies will melt as they burn! 13 But according to his promise we are waiting for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells.” (2 Pet 3:10-13). This scripture both highlights the passion the apostolic church had for the End, and explains for the failure of the church today to keenly await her heavenly Marriage.

Practicing Righteousness

Peter’s explanation of the zeal of Christians for the End is our anticipation of a universe filled with righteousness (2 Pet 2:13). Similarly, John makes clear that the believers who will “shrink from him in shame at his coming” are those who fail to “practice righteousness” (1 John 2:28-29). Our climactic wedding passage in Revelation is even more expansive; “his Bride has made herself ready;8 it was granted her to clothe herself with fine linen, bright and pure”—for the fine linen is the righteous deeds of the saints.” (Rev 19:7-8). These “righteous deeds” can only be a share in Jesus own acts of righteousness.

Christ’s personal righteousness was embodied in his prayer for his torturers from the cross, ““Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.”” (Luke 23:34). This plea of the Son of God to his Father is a decision to forgo his divine right to call down wrath upon all sinners. The unconditional forgiveness offered through the voluntary atoning sacrifice of the Son of God is the central message of the Christian faith, and is at the core of the overwhelming attractiveness of the Return of Christ.

Jesus calls us to a particular life of discipleship that shares in his unique righteousness, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. 24 For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it. 25 For what does it profit a man if he gains the whole world and loses or forfeits himself? 26 For whoever is ashamed of me and of my words, of him will the Son of Man be ashamed when he comes in his glory and the glory of the Father and of the holy angels. (Luke 9:23-26). Those who follow in the way of the cross will not be shamed at his Coming, but those who refuse this call will be shamed.

To take up the cross daily means a willingness to suffer as Jesus did, with a heart full of forgiveness towards those who hate us. ““I say to you who hear, Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, 28 bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you.” (Luke 6:27-28). “Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.”” (Rom 12:19 cf. Heb 10:30). Those who speak words of blessing over their enemies know they have no reason to “shrink from him in shame at his coming”…because they are already “practicing the righteousness” (1 John 2:28) that will be revealed by Christ at his Return.

Paul offers us a vital key to inspiring a desire for the Coming of the Lord, “For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his.” (Rom 6:5). The “death like his” involves the total renunciation of all spite, anger, wrath, slander, malice, bitterness and vengeance[12]. Those who live this way have a living hope for a “resurrection like this”, a resurrection that awaits the Second Advent. It is the role of the Holy Spirit to make these things real to us.

“if Christ is in you, although the body is dead because of sin, the Spirit is life because of righteousness. 11 If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit who dwells in you.” (Rom 8:10-11). Jesus unconditional sacrificial love moved the Father to send the Spirit to raise his mortal body from death to life. If we like Jesus are willing to suffer for the forgiveness of those who sin against us, we will assuredly experience the power by which the Spirit raised Christ from death (Phil 3:10). Those who abide in these things know that nothing “will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ” (Rom 8:39) and so love his appearing (2 Tim 4:8). When these themes are taken to their logical conclusion hell becomes much more understandable.

Hell

Jesus will judge the world at his coming[13] in terms of his own saving death. Jesus ends the parable of the unforgiving servant with the solemn warning, “And in anger his master delivered him to the torturers until he should pay all his debt[14]. 35 So also my heavenly Father will do to every one of you, if you do not forgive your brother from your heart.”” (Matt 18:34-35). In this way he makes forgiveness an indispensible sign of submission to his Lordship. Those who do not forgive others show that they are not genuine disciples of Jesus[15]. People who finally curse God (Rev 16:9, 11, 21; 22:11, 15), choose separation from him forever (2 Thess 1:9-10) and can never enjoy the blessing of the Marriage Supper of the Lamb (Rev 19:9 cf. 22:13).

Conclusion

The means that the Father appointed for his humanised Son to return to his eternal glory was to forgive the guilty[16]. This is our route to glory as well, a glory that awaits us at the Return of our Groom. If the excitement of the eternal Marriage is not real to our hearts it can only be because we do not know that we are totally forgiven people and ourselves practice unforgiveness. The absence of such practical righteousness is the source of our shame. To lack a powerful and living desire for the Second Coming shows we have grieved the Spirit of God. Paul exhorts, “do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.” (Eph 4:30) The “day of redemption” is the Return of Christ, and the one who has sealed us for this great day is the Holy Spirit of God.

The Lord offers us blessedness, joy and glory NOW. Let us pray to him with a willingness to receive a deeper revelation of the finished work of the cross, and a desire to live a life fully pleasing to him (Col 1:10), a life of practical righteousness. A life of forgiving others.