WHEN WE DELVE INTO THIS VERSE THEOLOGICALLY in relation to our salvation we find that it does not aim at Christ but concerns the person who lives his life in true communion with Christ.

He who is really waiting for the Lord, asking for His quick coming, is the person who is in a true state of waiting and prepared for His coming. We therefore find that this verse is aimed at the person who truly lives asking for God, finding in this verse sufficient enthusiasm to be truly prepared for God’s coming. Were we to count the number of those who are prepared to wait for the Lord and His quick coming we would find a very small percentage, everyone hoping in his conscience how it would be better if Christ were a bit late so as to improve his situation and become equal to the standards of His coming!

Our conclusion from this verse is that it concerns us, to become now of the standard of waiting for Him by being prepared in our consciences and hearts to face Him. Waiting for the Lord is terrific, and His coming greatly needs a ready heart. The Bible therefore says that we must keep vigil and continuously pray, so that even if we stay awake or fall asleep we are ready for the Lord’s coming.1

The truth is that this verse reveals man’s situation and not that of Christ because Christ is continually ready to come and continue His redemptive works. We wait as the Bible says for the great day of redemption that will free our odies for ever from the noose of this world, enclosing us within the fence of His glory to be forever with Him, walking with Him wherever He goes, because we will be in Him in a way and He will also be in us. The fellowship we will gain above is the fellowship of a continual presence before God in glory, because as the Bible says “we are His workmanship”.2 We will always remain witnesses to His Divine workmanship fulfilled on earth, and will be a vision and example to the angels and all the heavenly hosts from whom all the works of redemption Christ fulfilled on earth were hidden. Especially the redemption through the cross, tomb and resurrection, which are matters hidden from the angels due to their nature not having experienced death and resurrection.

The quick coming of Christ and truthful demand of His coming to us to reveal His Being is consequently our practical share and also will become known to all heavenly beings that do not know death and therefore do not know redemption.

Be it known that the quickness of the Lord’s coming is linked to the end of the testimony to Christ, and people’s acceptance of the Son of God in His death and resurrection for the world to come to an end and for time to cease. Sin will be abolished from people’s hearts and the era of the devil and of all his aides will come to an end. Then the new heavens and new earth will appear in which righteousness will live.

We must therefore, dear brothers, extend our prayers and watchfulness. Also concentrate on our selves being ready for the appearance of the Lord and the quickness of His coming, so as to find our elevated comfort for which we suffer due to the length of time we spent in the world, hoping for the day of release through the revelation of the Lord Jesus in Heaven with His holy angels, and the souls of the righteous fulfilled in glory.

July 3, 2005

1 Note Mt 25:13; Lk 12:36-38.

2 Eph 2:10. 1

||    The Orthodox Faith (Dogma)    ||    Family and Youth    ||    Sermons    ||    Bible Study    ||    Devotional    ||    Spirituals    ||    Fasts & Feasts    ||    Coptics    ||    Religious Education    ||    Monasticism    ||    Seasons    ||    Missiology    ||    Ethics    ||    Ecumenical Relations    ||    Church Music    ||    Pentecost    ||    Miscellaneous    ||    Saints    ||    Church History    ||    Pope Shenouda    ||    Patrology    ||    Canon Law    ||    Lent    ||    Pastoral Theology    ||    Father Matta    ||    Bibles    ||    Iconography    ||    Liturgics    ||    Orthodox Biblical topics     ||    Orthodox articles    ||    St Chrysostom    ||   

||    Pope Shenouda    ||    Father Matta    ||    Bishop Mattaous    ||    Fr. Tadros Malaty    ||    Bishop Moussa    ||    Bishop Alexander    ||    Habib Gerguis    ||    Bishop Angealos    ||    Metropolitan Bishoy    ||

||    Prayer of the First Hour    ||    Third Hour    ||    Sixth Hour    ||    Ninth Hour    ||    Vespers (Eleventh Hour)    ||    Compline (Twelfth Hour)    ||    The First Watch of the midnight prayers    ||    The Second Watch of the midnight prayers    ||    The Third Watch of the midnight prayers    ||    The Prayer of the Veil    ||    Various Prayers from the Agbia    ||    Synaxarium