Living in the In-Between - Devotion 1

Suffering Servant, Coming King

“Behold, I am coming soon, bringing my recompense with me, to repay each one for what he has done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end.” Revelation 22:12-13 

Every year, we are all encouraged to make New Year’s resolutions. The usual suspects are health and fitness, saving money, paying off debt, and spending more time with family. For those who follow God, spending more time in the Bible and serving more may be things you consider.  

The reality is that most resolutions fall by the wayside within about four months. Change is hard, and keeping a resolution about the things we feel we need to change can be difficult. 

Jesus came to us as Emmanuel (God with us) for the purpose of glorifying the Father and finishing His plan of salvation. He did so by dying on the cross and raising from the dead. After spending time with His followers, Jesus returned to Heaven with the promise that He would be with us and that He would return. 

Jesus came in the first Advent, and He will return for His second Advent. 

During the Christmas season, we looked at a passage in Micah chapter 5 where Bethlehem is mentioned as Jesus’ birthplace. However, what Jesus would accomplish was also a major prophecy that He would fulfill. 

“And he shall stand and shepherd his flock in the strength of the Lord, in the majesty of the name of the Lord his God. And they shall dwell secure, for now he shall be great to the ends of the earth. And he shall be their peace.” Micah 5:4-5 

Jesus would shepherd His flock (as the Messiah), and He would unify the people of God. He would bring security and be their peace. He would be our peace. However, these words presented a problem for the Jewish people when Jesus came. Their expectation was that the Messiah would come and overthrow all other nations and free them from their physical oppression. The prophets seem to believe this as well. What they did not see (that we can see because of what we know after Jesus came) is that the Messiah, Jesus, would do two things at two different times. 

I recently read, “Because we have the benefit of New Testament revelation and historical hindsight, we understand that hidden within the mystery of God’s redemptive plan for the world is a plan to send the Messiah in two distinct advents. The Messiah would come the first time to be the Savior of the world and the second time to be the King of the world.”  

Jesus first came as the suffering servant. He came to live a perfect life, to be our example of how to have a relationship with the Father, and to die in our place. He came to pay the price for our sin which would have taken our lives because the “wages of sin is death” (Romans 6:23). He was rejected so that you would never have to be.  

Jesus is coming again, but this time, He will come as the King of kings and the Lord of lords. He will make all things right, and He will come for His people. He will judge sin and those who know Him as Savior will be welcomed into the very presence of God Himself. Each one will be repaid for what they have done. Every person has a choice: to allow Jesus to bear the weight of that payment by giving their life to Him and trusting Him as their Savior or to bear the weight of that payment upon themselves and be judged accordingly.  

This is not a resolution that will fail. Jesus is coming back.  

“‘I, Jesus, have sent my angel to testify to you about these things for the churches. I am the root and the descendant of David, the bright morning star.’ The Spirit and the Bride say, ‘Come.’ And let the one who hears say, ‘Come.’ And let the one who is thirsty come; let the one who desires take the water of life without price.” Revelation 22:16-17 

You have read about Jesus and how to receive salvation and forgiveness for your sin in other sections of this book. If you have waited, will you receive Jesus today? Will you ask Him to forgive you of your sin, confess that Jesus is Lord of your life, and believe that He died in your place and rose from the dead? Will you trust in Jesus today?  

Jesus is returning and, quite possibly, very soon. As we wait, we are living in the in-between. That has been stated a lot. How do we live during this time as we wait? What does God ask of us?  

The answer is quite simple to state but difficult to live out consistently.  

Love God. Love People. 

I look forward to our final week together. As we consider how to love God and love people during the rest of our time, may we look forward to Jesus’ second Advent and respond just like the Apostle John did to Jesus’ declaration: 

“He who testifies to these things says, ‘Surely I am coming soon.’ Amen. Come, Lord Jesus!” Revelation 22:20