Thoughts in Worship

Message Magazine's Online Devotional for Monday, February 1, 2016

This Week’s Devotional Focus is, “The Second Coming of Jesus Christ.”

I would not normally have so many verses in one devotional thought, but it’s necessary today, and well worth it.

“And he said unto the disciples, The days will come, when ye shall desire to see one of the days of the Son of man, and ye shall not see it. And they shall say to you, See here; or, see there: go not after them, nor follow them. For as the lightning, that lighteneth out of the one part under heaven, shineth unto the other part under heaven; so shall also the Son of man be in his day. But first must he suffer many things, and be rejected of this generation. And as it was in the days of Noe, so shall it be also in the days of the Son of man. They did eat, they drank, they married wives, they were given in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark, and the flood came, and destroyed them all. Likewise also as it was in the days of Lot; they did eat, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they builded; But the same day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven, and destroyed them all. Even thus shall it be in the day when the Son of man is revealed. In that day, he which shall be upon the housetop, and his stuff in the house, let him not come down to take it away: and he that is in the field, let him likewise not return back. Remember Lot’s wife. Whosoever shall seek to save his life shall lose it; and whosoever shall lose his life shall preserve it. I tell you, in that night there shall be two men in one bed; the one shall be taken, and the other shall be left. Two women shall be grinding together; the one shall be taken, and the other left. Two men shall be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left. And they answered and said unto him, Where, Lord? And he said unto them, Wheresoever the body is, thither will the eagles be gathered together.” (Luke 17:22–37).

Today’s theme text has dual time applications and is related to a parallel grouping of Scripture in Matthew 24. Aspects of Jesus’s answer here applied to the catastrophic siege of Jerusalem in 70 A.D. and other aspects applied to the last days and Second Coming of Jesus Christ. As you know, we will here focus on the latter. We will have a closer look at earlier portions of our verses later this week, but today we will focus on vss. 34-37.

Yesterday we highlighted the verse that brings joy and encouragement to the hearts of believers. One day we will be, “caught up” to meet our Lord. Unfortunately, so many are confused about the timing of this grand occasion, and what happens to those who are alive, but don’t get caught up. This is very important because our loving Lord warned His people that there would be counterfeit comings. He said that if someone tells you that He (Jesus) is here, there, or has arrived during some exclusive event, we must not be deceived. We must not go there! Then He commences a description of His coming being loud, visible to all, and inclusive of all His saints (more about this later this week).

The question remains, then, “When Jesus returns for His people, will any be left behind?” If so, who will they be, and what will they be doing? Interestingly, the disciples asked this very question. When one person is taken, where will the one who is left be? It is a foregone conclusion that those who are taken, according to yesterday’s thought, will be caught up to meet their Lord. The mystery surrounds those who are left. What will happen to them? In verse 37, Jesus answered His disciples’ question and said that the eagles would be gathered around the bodies of those who remain. In case we need a bit of clarity on that, let’s read it in Matthew’s account. “For wheresoever the carcase is, there will the eagles be gathered together.” (Matthew 24:28). Ah, now we have two very important clues. What is a carcass? Please look it...