In his second sermon the Apostle Peter already pointed out the fact that the Redeemer remains in heaven until the times of restitution of all things that God has proclaimed since the beginning through his holy prophets (Acts 3:19-21). The Greek text applies the word “Apokatastasis,” which literally means “Restoration of a former state.” In the Church of Jesus Christ all things must be restored to their original state before the Return of Christ. The Lord Himself promised this in Mt. 17:11 and Mk. 9:12: “Elias truly shall first come, and restore all things.” This is taking place now, before the Bridegroom can take home His Bride.

After the delivery of the last message (Mal. 4), which is a forerunner to the second coming of Christ, the Lord is now sending out His servants to offer the invitation to the marriage supper: “Tell them which are bidden, Behold, I have prepared my dinner … and all things are ready …” (Mt. 22:1-14). It is up to the invited ones to decide whether they are going to find an excuse or hear and obey the call. In Mt. 24:45-47 we read about a wise servant whom the Lord had set over His household to give out the spiritual food in due season before the coming of the bridegroom. For the redeemed this means that the Will of God must now become a reality in their lives, as it first happened with the Redeemer: “My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work.” (Jn. 4:34). We are now awaiting the completion of God’s work of Redemption with the Church; therefore, our spiritual food must be directly connected to the Will of God, for only then will this Scripture be fulfilled for us: “By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all ... For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified.” (Heb. 10:10-14).

In Mt. 24:48-51 we have the example of an evil servant who says in his heart, “My Lord delayeth his coming …” and begins to smite his fellow servants. A wise servant shares God’s Word, the spiritual food, the hidden manna, with the Church and sows the good seed that comes up in all the sons and daughters of God. An evil servant sows interpretations that lead to dissension and smites all the other servants who do not agree with his viewpoint. Any minister who did not receive a direct, personal calling will find it hard to believe that someone else was, indeed, directly called. When the calling is in connection with the plan of Salvation, then only those who have been foreordained since the foundation of the world can believe (Eph. 1:1-5). Whether it was in the times of the prophets or with our Lord and then with the apostles — only those who were of God heard and believed His Word (Jn. 8:47). All the others rejected it. The same thing is happening today. Nevertheless, when it comes to a calling, the following words of our Lord are for ever valid: “He that heareth you heareth me; and he that despiseth you despiseth me; and he that despiseth me despiseth him that sent me.” (Lk. 10:16).

In Mt. 25 the midnight cry goes forth: “Behold, the bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him.” The wise virgins “… that were ready went in with him to the marriage: and the door was shut.” This is the most important lesson in connection with the Return of Christ: At the very end, the emphasis is placed on the fact that only the wise virgins reached the final goal.

The virgin Mary was chosen by God so the Redeemer could come into humanity, just as the Church is destined to receive the divine seed in order that Christ can be manifested in all the redeemed (Col. 3:1-4). The issue is the realisation of the divine plan of Salvation, which will have its climax at the Return of Christ. At that time, 1. Cor. 15 will be fulfilled and our mortal bodies shall be changed and receive immortality: “And as we have borne the image of the earthy, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly.” (v. 49).

In regard to Mary, there are two statements in Lk. 1 that are of special importance: “… I know not a man ...” (v. 34) and “Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word.” (v. 38). Mary had found favour with God (v. 30); she received the Word of promise, brought to her by the Angel Gabriel, so the Word could become flesh and the Son of God would be born. The following prophecies were fulfilled:

The divine seed was to come through the woman (Gen. 3:15). “Wherefore then serveth the law? It was added because of transgressions, till the seed should come to whom the promise was made …” (Gal. 3:19).

“I will be his father, and he shall be my son.” (2. Sam. 7:14). “And again, I will be to him a Father, and he shall be to me a Son …” (Heb. 1:5b).

“Thou art my Son; this day have I begotten thee.” (Ps. 2:7). “For unto which of the angels said he at any time, Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee?” (Heb. 1:5a).

Through begetting, which was an act of creation at the same time, the divine seed was placed into Mary; therefore, He is the “only begotten” Son (Jn. 3:16), the firstborn among many brethren (Rom. 8:29), the beginning of the new creation of God (Rev. 3:14), and also the firstborn of every creature (Col. 1:14-15). When someone is in Christ, he is a new creature (2. Cor. 5:17).

The following Scriptures were also fulfilled: “… thou art he that took me out of the womb.” (Ps. 22:10) and“He shall cry unto me, Thou art my father, my God, and the rock of my salvation. Also I will make him my firstborn, higher than the kings of the earth.” (Ps. 89:27-28). The events that were part of the first coming of Christ were summarised by the resurrected Lord as follows: “These are the words which I spake unto you, while I was yet with you, that all things must be fulfilled, which were written in the law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in the psalms, concerning me. Then opened he their understanding, that they might understand the scriptures.” (Lk. 24:44-45).

What is the concern today? Even now the issue is the fulfilment of all things that have been predicted for our time. Through the virgin Mary and through the Redeemer Himself every prophecy from the Old Testament was fulfilled back then. Through the wise virgins and the Redeemer Himself all the prophecies in the Holy Scripture for this time period are now being fulfilled. As Mary did in her time, we accept the promise willingly and say, “… be it unto me according to thy word.” (Lk. 1:38). In response to her statement, “… I know not a man …,” the angel explained,“The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God.” (Lk. 1:34-35).

Just like Mary received the Word of promise by faith and the Holy Ghost came upon her, so do the true believers now receive the promised Word for this time by true faith and are filled with the same power of the Holy Spirit.

We have been given the greatest promises of all times and shall experience it when the man-child, the overcomers, with birth pains shall emerge from the Church and in a crowning moment be taken up to God and to His throne.

In his second sermon the Apostle Peter already pointed out the fact that the Redeemer remains in heaven until the times of restitution of all things that God has proclaimed since the beginning through his holy prophets (Acts 3:19-21). The Greek text applies the word “Apokatastasis,” which literally means “Restoration of a former state.” In the Church of Jesus Christ all things must be restored to their original state before the Return of Christ. The Lord Himself promised this in Mt. 17:11 and Mk. 9:12: “Elias truly shall first come, and restore all things.” This is taking place now, before the Bridegroom can take home His Bride.

After the delivery of the last message (Mal. 4), which is a forerunner to the second coming of Christ, the Lord is now sending out His servants to offer the invitation to the marriage supper: “Tell them which are bidden, Behold, I have prepared my dinner … and all things are ready …” (Mt. 22:1-14). It is up to the invited ones to decide whether they are going to find an excuse or hear and obey the call. In Mt. 24:45-47 we read about a wise servant whom the Lord had set over His household to give out the spiritual food in due season before the coming of the bridegroom. For the redeemed this means that the Will of God must now become a reality in their lives, as it first happened with the Redeemer: “My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work.” (Jn. 4:34). We are now awaiting the completion of God’s work of Redemption with the Church; therefore, our spiritual food must be directly connected to the Will of God, for only then will this Scripture be fulfilled for us: “By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all ... For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified.” (Heb. 10:10-14). 

In Mt. 24:48-51 we have the example of an evil servant who says in his heart, “My Lord delayeth his coming …” and begins to smite his fellow servants. A wise servant shares God’s Word, the spiritual food, the hidden manna, with the Church and sows the good seed that comes up in all the sons and daughters of God. An evil servant sows interpretations that lead to dissension and smites all the other servants who do not agree with his viewpoint. Any minister who did not receive a direct, personal calling will find it hard to believe that someone else was, indeed, directly called. When the calling is in connection with the plan of Salvation, then only those who have been foreordained since the foundation of the world can believe (Eph. 1:1-5). Whether it was in the times of the prophets or with our Lord and then with the apostles — only those who were of God heard and believed His Word (Jn. 8:47). All the others rejected it. The same thing is happening today. Nevertheless, when it comes to a calling, the following words of our Lord are for ever valid: “He that heareth you heareth me; and he that despiseth you despiseth me; and he that despiseth me despiseth him that sent me.” (Lk. 10:16).

In Mt. 25 the midnight cry goes forth: “Behold, the bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him.” The wise virgins “… that were ready went in with him to the marriage: and the door was shut.” This is the most important lesson in connection with the Return of Christ: At the very end, the emphasis is placed on the fact that only the wise virgins reached the final goal. 

The virgin Mary was chosen by God so the Redeemer could come into humanity, just as the Church is destined to receive the divine seed in order that Christ can be manifested in all the redeemed (Col. 3:1-4). The issue is the realisation of the divine plan of Salvation, which will have its climax at the Return of Christ. At that time, 1. Cor. 15 will be fulfilled and our mortal bodies shall be changed and receive immortality: “And as we have borne the image of the earthy, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly.” (v. 49).

In regard to Mary, there are two statements in Lk. 1 that are of special importance: “… I know not a man ...” (v. 34) and “Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word.” (v. 38). Mary had found favour with God (v. 30); she received the Word of promise, brought to her by the Angel Gabriel, so the Word could become flesh and the Son of God would be born. The following prophecies were fulfilled:

The divine seed was to come through the woman (Gen. 3:15). “Wherefore then serveth the law? It was added because of transgressions, till the seed should come to whom the promise was made …” (Gal. 3:19).

“I will be his father, and he shall be my son.” (2. Sam. 7:14). “And again, I will be to him a Father, and he shall be to me a Son …” (Heb. 1:5b).

“Thou art my Son; this day have I begotten thee.” (Ps. 2:7). “For unto which of the angels said he at any time, Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee?” (Heb. 1:5a).

Through begetting, which was an act of creation at the same time, the divine seed was placed into Mary; therefore, He is the “only begotten” Son (Jn. 3:16), the firstborn among many brethren (Rom. 8:29), the beginning of the new creation of God (Rev. 3:14), and also the firstborn of every creature (Col. 1:14-15). When someone is in Christ, he is a new creature (2. Cor. 5:17).

The following Scriptures were also fulfilled: “… thou art he that took me out of the womb.” (Ps. 22:10) and  “He shall cry unto me, Thou art my father, my God, and the rock of my salvation. Also I will make him my firstborn, higher than the kings of the earth.” (Ps. 89:27-28). The events that were part of the first coming of Christ were summarised by the resurrected Lord as follows: “These are the words which I spake unto you, while I was yet with you, that all things must be fulfilled, which were written in the law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in the psalms, concerning me. Then opened he their understanding, that they might understand the scriptures.” (Lk. 24:44-45).

What is the concern today? Even now the issue is the fulfilment of all things that have been predicted for our time. Through the virgin Mary and through the Redeemer Himself every prophecy from the Old Testament was fulfilled back then. Through the wise virgins and the Redeemer Himself all the prophecies in the Holy Scripture for this time period are now being fulfilled. As Mary did in her time, we accept the promise willingly and say, “… be it unto me according to thy word.” (Lk. 1:38). In response to her statement, “… I know not a man …,” the angel explained,  “The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God.” (Lk. 1:34-35).

Just like Mary received the Word of promise by faith and the Holy Ghost came upon her, so do the true believers now receive the promised Word for this time by true faith and are filled with the same power of the Holy Spirit. 

We have been given the greatest promises of all times and shall experience it when the man-child, the overcomers, with birth pains shall emerge from the Church and in a crowning moment be taken up to God and to His throne.