Standing Before The Lord

 For as the lightning comes from the east and flashes to the west, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be. 

“Immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken. (matt 24:27;29)

For the stars of heaven and their constellations

Will not give their light;

The sun will be darkened in its going forth,

And the moon will not cause its light to shine. (Is 13:10)

That the Lord Jesus Christ will return and establish a new heavens and a new earth is a essential doctrine of the Christian faith. This earth's days as is... corrupt, fallen, sin cursed is passing away. And we are nearer to that day now more than we can imagine. In the sense as how we look at time it seems as if it will never occur. But we forget that time is of no consequence to the only true God of this creation. For one day is as a thousand years and a thousand years as one day.  This One, True, Holy and Righteous God is outside time as we know it. But He hasn't forgotten, He is a God who can not lie and what is written will come to fruition. 

But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in which the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will melt with fervent heat; both the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up. (2 Peter 3:10)

For as the lightning that flashes out of one part under heaven shines to the other part under heaven, so also the Son of Man will be in His day. (Luke 17:24)

“But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.  Take heed, watch and pray; for you do not know when the time is. (Mark 13:32-33)

People go about every day living Godless lives. No thought of God and thankfulness for the God of Scripture's blessings....life, breath and all things. Even many Christians, so called, think God owes them a prosperous life. A life of wealth and health and earthly blessings galore. God owes us nothing. But through his One and Only Son gives us all the blessings of eternal life in a new heavens and new earth to come where righteous dwells. 

But: this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.  For everyone practicing evil hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed. (Luke 17:19-20)

They willfully forget that by the word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of water and in the water, by which the world that then existed perished, being flooded with water...(2 Peter 3:5-6) 

But the heavens and the earth which are now preserved by the same word, are reserved for fire until the day of judgement and perdition of ungodly men.   

For the majority of this world,  it will be a day of darkness not light. A day of clouds and gloominess...people hiding themselves in caves and in the rocks of the mountains. Saying "hide us from the face of Him who sits on the throne and from the wrath of the lamb! For the great day of His wrath has come." 

And as it was in the days of Noah, so it will be also in the days of the Son of Man:  They ate, they drank, they married wives, they were given in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, and the flood came and destroyed them all.  Likewise as it was also in the days of Lot: They ate, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they built;  but on the day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven and destroyed them all.  Even so will it be in the day when the Son of Man is revealed. (Luke 17:26-30)

Most know the story of Lot and the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah. 

Consumed by the wrath of God as the Lord told Abraham "because the outcry against Sodom and  Gomorrah is great and because their sin is very grave." 

Their destruction is a type that will be meaded out on all the world who has deserted and denied the God of Scripture. Who has refused to accept and believe and obey the only name under heaven by which we can be saved. (Acts 4:12) 

“He who believes in Him (Jesus the Christ) is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. (John 3:18)

But concerning the times and the seasons, brethren, you have no need that I should write to you. For you yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so comes as a thief in the night.  For when they say, “Peace and safety!” then sudden destruction comes upon them, as labor pains upon a pregnant woman. And they shall not escape. (1 Thess 5:1-3)

all this happens after....

The Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first.  Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord.  Therefore comfort one another with these words. 1 Thess 4:16-18)

Remember there were no chapters and verses in the original and copies of the manuscripts....before the Lord comes as a thief in the night....God's chosen are caught up to be with the Lord.....same event that happens just before the Lord comes as a thief in the night...God rescues His Chosen people from the destruction of the world. 

other Scripture referring to the Lord's coming as a thief ....

"Look, I come like a thief ! Blessed is the one who stays awake and remains clothed, so as not to go naked and be shamefully exposed." (Revelation 16:15) "Therefore keep watch, because you do not know on what day your LORD will come.  But understand this: If the owner of the house had known at what time of night the thief was coming, he would have kept watch and would not have let his house be broken into.  So you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him.(Matthew 24:42-44 )

God's people should be attentive and bold about the gospel. Knowing that at any time God  the Son may return to gather His people and establish the new heavens and new earth where righteousness dwells. No Christ. No hope. Only fear and dread of the judgement that is coming on the whole world. For you must be perfect as the Father in heaven is perfect. Only One is. God's only Son.  The eternal, Holy, Righteous Word who was in the beginning with God and was God. The Word who became flesh and dwelt among us. God made Him (Jesus) who had no sin to be a sin offering for us. So that in Him we might become the righeousness of God. A people called from darkness to light and from death to life. A people He calls His own. Born again. A people to whom....

He gave the right to become children of God,  those who believe in His name:  who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. (John 1:12-13)

As you therefore have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him, rooted and built up in Him and established in the faith, as you have been taught, abounding in it with thanksgiving. (col. 2:6-7)

Truly, these times of ignorance God overlooked, but now commands all people everywhere to repent, because He has appointed a day on which He will judge the world in righteousness by the Man whom He has ordained. He has given assurance of this to all by raising Him from the dead.” (Acts 17:30-31)

Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus,  who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God,  but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men.  And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross.  Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name,  that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth,  and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. (Phil 2:5-11)

No number of good works anyone does can atone or make them right before God. The Old Testament prophet and King,  David understood that:

Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, And in sin my mother conceived me. (Ps. 51:5)

as the Apostle Paul quotes from the Old Testament ...In Romans 3:11-12

as it is written:

“None is righteous, no, not one;

   no one understands;

    no one seeks for God.

  All have turned aside; together they have become worthless;

    no one does good,  not even one.” (Rom. 3:10-11; Ps. 14:1-3;53:1-3; Eccl. 7:20)

 It took a perfect human being to do that. Only one fulfills that requirement. Jesus the Christ.  theanthropos-God/Man

For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. (Heb. 4:15)

Tempted yes...sinful No. 

For God made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him. (2 Cor 5:21)

And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness:

God was manifested in the flesh,

Justified in the Spirit,

Seen by angels,

Preached among the Gentiles,

Believed on in the world,

Received up in glory. (1 Tim 3:16)

Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling; for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure.(Phil. 2:12)

For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each of us may receive what is due us for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad. (2 Cor 5:10)

God works in the hearts of His beloved chosen. That they might be more like His Son and enter into the joy of the Lord. Which is everlasting life.  (1 Thess 4:3-8)