Read John 14:1-3. It has already been almost 2,000 years since Jesus promised to come again. How can we help others see that, despite the great length of time (which really doesn’t matter), this promise is relevant even to our own generation, so long removed from the time when Jesus spoke it?

 Four times in the book of Revelation Jesus stated, “I am coming soon!” (Rev. 3:11; Rev. 22:7, 12, 20, NIV). The expectation of His soon coming drove the mission of the apostolic church and filled the lives of uncountable Christians throughout the centuries with hope. But generation after generation has died, and this promised event has not yet occurred. And thus, many are enquiring: How much longer will we have to preach that “Jesus is coming soon”? Have these words generated an unrealistic expectation? (See 2 Pet. 3:4.)

 Many Christians have complained about the long “delay” (compare with Matt. 25:5). But how do we, in fact, know that it is a long “delay”? What would have been the “right” time for Christ to have returned? Would it have been 50 years ago, 150, 500? What really matters is the biblical promise that “the Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance” (2 Pet. 3:9, NIV).

 Despite the long centuries since Jesus ascended, the promise of His coming remains relevant, even today. Why? Because all that we have is our own short life (Ps. 90:10), followed by an unconscious rest in the grave (Eccl. 9:5, 10), and then the final resurrection, without any later opportunity to change our destiny (Heb. 9:27). As far as each one of the dead is concerned (as stated in lesson three), because all the dead are asleep and unconscious, the second coming of Christ is never more than a moment or two after they die. For you, in your own personal experience (as for all of God’s people of every age), Christ’s return is no more than a moment after your death. That’s very soon, is it not?

 Every passing day brings us one day closer to the glorious appearing of the Lord Jesus Christ in the clouds of heaven. Though we don’t know when He will come, we can be certain that He will, and that is what really matters.