For a description of the (Y2) reading plan, see the “About” page.
Matt. 24
What does it mean for you to be ready for the Lord’s return? When the disciples asked Jesus, “what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?”, I wonder if they equated His “coming” with His future return. As far as I can tell, the truth about Jesus’ coming death, resurrection, and ascension back to heaven had still not sunk in. Maybe they were still expecting Him to change His behavior and become the conquering king that everybody was hoping for. Of course, the question makes perfect sense to us in hindsight. So perhaps it was for our benefit that they were moved to ask it.
As with most prophecy in the Bible, it seems that events and timelines are blurred in Jesus’ response. Thus, much of it is a muddled mess to my feeble mind. But there are a few messages that stand out quite clearly.
- We need to be aware that wickedness will increase. It will not be easy to stand firm, to continue to love God with all that we are, and to let His love flow through us to others. But we must.
- We won’t need to go looking for Jesus when He returns or rely on somebody else to give us the news. The whole world will know when it happens. “For as lightning that comes from the east is visible even in the west, so will be the coming of the Son of Man.” (Matt. 24:27).
- The reality of Christ’s return isn’t something you can put on the back burner of your life and deal with when the time is at hand. We won’t know when the time is at hand. There will be no signal that says, “Ready or not, here I come!” It will just happen. Neither can we set our lives aside as if there will be no tomorrow. Rather, we need to serve God in everything we endeavor to do in life, walking in obedience to Him. For, “it will be good for that servant whose master finds him doing [the work he was given to do] when he returns”. (Matt. 24:46).
Deut. 29-30
What would happen if they carefully followed the covenant (see v. 9)? God gave them a choice—life or death—and urged them to choose life. What does that tell you about our relationship with God? Nothing has changed since the beginning. Jesus told His disciples in Matthew 24 the same thing that God told His people through Moses here in Deuteronomy. No matter what is going on around us or what others are doing, we need to “love the LORD your God, listen to His voice, and hold fast to Him.” (Deut. 30:20a). God’s covenant with His people, which He revealed through the law and the prophets and sealed in His Son, Jesus Christ, and His plan for redemption and restoration have always and will ever be not just with the direct descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, “but also with those who are not here today”. (Deut. 29:15b).