The Second Coming
Be patient, then, brothers and sisters, until the Lord’s coming. See how the farmer waits for the land to yield its valuable crop, patiently waiting for the autumn and spring rains. You too, be patient and stand firm, because the Lord’s coming is near. James 5:7,8
James is talking about the second coming of Jesus. He hasn’t come yet – that’s quite obvious. What hinders him from coming?
The scripture tells us why he is waiting and what he is waiting for. As a farmer must wait patiently for his crops to grow, he cannot hurry the process. He cannot take the summer off and hopes for a good harvest. There is much work to do to make sure he has a good harvest. So, in the same way, we as Christians have to wait patiently for Christ’s return. While we wait there is much work to be done to advance God’s kingdom. Both the farmer and the Christian must live by faith, looking for the future reward for their labors. Don’t live as if Christ will never come. Keep working hard and faithfully, the King will come when the time is right.
Jesus said he was coming again. The angels said he is coming again. The word of God teaches HE is coming again!
Many ask is there a new wave coming? Are we in the new wave now? Is there more to come? I believe we have already entered the new wave. Certainly, there is more to come.
The scripture talks about autumn and spring rains. Another reference is in Zechariah 10:1 Ask rain from the Lord at the time of the spring rain. The Lord who makes the storm clouds; and He will give them showers of rain, vegetation in the field to each man. Among other things rain acts as refreshing or blessing. James wrote this letter to Hebrew Christians, who understood Israel’s rain. The autumn rains that came after harvest was to prepare the land for future planting. The spring rains before harvest help prepare and mature the crops.
We have all heard preaching and teachings about the darkness that will cover the earth in the last days, but people forget about the rest of the prophecy. Isaiah 60:1-3 “Arise, shine; for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you. “For behold, darkness will cover the earth and deep darkness the peoples; but the Lord will rise upon you, and His glory will appear upon you. “Nations will come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your rising.
Isaiah is really prophesying about the glorious access of the Gentiles to the church. There’s coming a manifestation of his Glory, Isaiah says. In Acts 2, Peter preached a sermon on the Day of Pentecost, referring to the Lord Jesus Christ and his resurrection. But in Acts 3 Peter’s message reached over into the end times, it’s a message that applies to us.
In Acts 3:19-21 he said “Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins maybe wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord. As we continue to read in Acts 3:20,21 and that he may send the Christ, who has been appointed for you-even Jesus. He must remain in heaven until the time comes for God to restore everything, as he promised long ago through his holy prophets from ancient times.
You can see how Peter connected times of refreshing (we often call them revivals) with the second coming of Christ. Peter taught us that times of refreshing would come from the presence of the Lord in the time of the Lords return.
Here are two things to notice: (1) times of refreshing, and (2) times of restoration. This passage from Acts teaches us that we will experience both just before the Lords Second Coming.
Some will ask what I mean by restoration. I mean restoration of the power of Christ, restoration of the authority of Christ, and restoration of the character of Christ. God wants all three of these characteristics to be exhibited in the life of the church and in the lives of individual Christians.
We know Christ is the head of the church. We are the body. We know your head cannot exercise any authority except through your body, so Jesus is not personally exercising any authority on earth except through His Church. Jesus’ caries out his work through the church, but members of the church have been so weak they haven’t recognized the authority and power of the head, the authority that belongs to them. There are many things the Lord wants to do for many people, but they will not let him.