I’ll confess that when the topic of Jesus’ return comes up, I get slightly triggered. Sadly, this is a topic which brings more argument than hope.
When I heard that my friend, Chris Davis, was going to be writing a book on the topic I had two thoughts. First, I was worried for his safety (I’m only partially kidding—you can get some pretty nasty letters if you don’t toe the line on eschatology in some quarters). Secondly, I was excited because I knew that Chris would handle this topic with great care and that he would point us to Jesus.
I was not disappointed at all. Through each chapter Davis wades through the quagmire of questions and timelines and charts and gets to the central tenet of the Second Coming: hope.
When you analyze the letters of the New Testament in regards to the second coming what you find is that the topic was not centered upon debate or speculation but given to us for practical living. The Second Coming was a fuel for Christian living.
There was a meme circulating a few years ago with a picture of “Jesus” and the phrase “Jesus is coming look busy”. That’s not what is meant by the return of Christ fueling Christian living. But Christ coming as a judge is also an important aspect of His return. Chapter Six of Bright Hope for Tomorrow focuses upon this aspect.
This, in my opinion, was one of the strongest chapters in the book. The author doesn’t mince words or beat around the bush. He boldly declares:
…if you are hiding something now, it will not be hidden when Jesus returns in his brilliance. So expose it now through confession to God and to others whose presence in those hidden places can prepare you for the light of Jesus on the final day. (Davis, 86)
But it’s not only hard-hitting, it is also hope-filled. He notes that this judgment means that we will be revealed for who we actually are. For Paul, and for any of those who are in union with Christ, this will be a day of blessing. It will reveal our overall character.
There are also a few chapters on how the Second Coming influences our spiritual disciplines as well. This is where the book really shines. That is not the type of thing you typically find in a book on the Second Coming, but it’s certainly what was in the mind of the biblical authors.
For these reasons, this book is a needed addition in your library and an important resource for any discussion of the Second Coming. If this doctrines doesn’t impact our day to day life then we aren’t “using” it the way the biblical authors did. Chris has done good work here in restoring that biblical aim.
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Buy it here.
