BEING READY FOR HIS COMING
(week 31/10)
OLUBI JOHNSON
We are now in the season of the first phase of Christ’s second coming: His coming in us in the perfection and fullness of Christ to break, rule and disciple the nations to close this age and usher in the millennial reign of Christ.
Ephesians 4:11-15 MKJV: And truly He gave some to be apostles, and some to be prophets, and some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers, (12) for the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ. (13) And this until we all come into the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a full-grown man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ; (14) so that we no longer may be infants, tossed to and fro and carried about by every wind of doctrine, in the dishonesty of men, in cunning craftiness, to the wiles of deceit. (15) But that you, speaking the truth in love, may in all things grow up to Him who is the Head, even Christ;
2 Thessalonians 1:10 LITV: when He comes to be glorified in His saints, and to be admired in all those who believe in that Day, because our testimony to you was believed.
Matthew 24:14 ESV: And this gospel of the kingdom will be proclaimed throughout the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.
It is vital to be prepared and ready for this coming in us.
How are we then to do this?
We are to use our faith and patience to prepare and to be ready like the wise virgins symbolized by the Lord Jesus in the parable:
Matthew 25:1-13 MKJV: Then shall the kingdom of Heaven be likened to ten virgins, who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. (2) And five of them were wise, and five were foolish. (3) The foolish ones took their lamps, but took no oil with them. (4) But the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps. (5) While the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept. (6) And at midnight there was a cry made, Behold, the bridegroom comes! Go out to meet him. (7) Then all those virgins arose and trimmed their lamps. (8) And the foolish said to the wise, Give us some of your oil, for our lamps have gone out. (9) But the wise answered, saying, No, lest there be not enough for us and you. But rather go to those who sell, and buy for yourselves. (10) And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came. And they who were ready went in with him to the marriage, and the door was shut. (11) Afterwards the other virgins came also, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us. (12) But he answered and said, Truly I say to you, I do not know you. (13) Therefore watch, for you do not know either the day or the hour in which the Son of Man comes.
In this parable, all the virgins are Christians: they all have honest hearts that believe in the Lord Jesus.
Our lamps represent our spirits:
Proverbs 20:27 MKJV: The spirit of man is the lamp of Jehovah, searching all the inward parts of the belly.
Our vessels represen t our physical bodies:
2 Corinthians 4:7 MKJV: But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, so that the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us;
Five are wise: having the spirit of wisdom and revelation; five are foolish not having the spirit of wisdom and revelation.
The wise became wise through prayer and submission and obedience to the present day prophetic and apostolic ministries and so have received the spirit of wisdom and revelation and have oil in their vessels. The foolish are born-again and so have oil in their lamps but not in their vessels. Oil typifies in this context the life of God.
Now, we buy oil from them that sell the apostolic and prophetic ministries providing covering in the church; so we can receive the life of God in sufficient measure in our vessels.
Zechariah 4:12-14 KJV: and I answered again, and said unto him, what be these two olive branches which through the two golden pipes empty the golden oil out of themselves? (13) And he answered me and said, Knowest thou not what these be? And I said, No, my lord. (14) Then said he, these are the two anointed ones that stand by the Lord of the whole earth.
Ephesians 2:20 KJV: and are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone;
We do not buy only with money, but also and more importantly with:
1. Attitude of reverence (Heb. 13:17).
2. Esteeming them highly in love (1 Th. 5:13)
3. Diligent practice of their instructions, which includes giving of offerings to them:
Galatians 6:6-8 AMP: let him who receives instruction in the Word [of God] share all good things with his teacher [contributing to his support]. (7) Do not be deceived and deluded and misled; God will not allow Himself to be sneered at (scorned, disdained, or mocked by mere pretensions or professions, or by His precepts being set aside.) [He inevitably deludes himself who attempts to delude God.] For whatever a man sows, that and that only is what he will reap. (8) For he who sows to his own flesh (lower nature, sensuality) will from the flesh reap decay and ruin and destruction, but he who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life.
In our article next week, we will see how to be prepared and ready in more detail.
