The Book Of James Pt 48 Persevering, Patiently Waiting For Jesus To Return

From this part until the end of his letter, the apostle James focuses on encouraging and exhorting believers in Christ to stay on course. 

We know he is speaking to Christians because he uses the word "brethren" five times between verse 7 and the end of the chapter. 

Patient waiting for the coming of Jesus Christ.

James 5:7  Be patient therefore, brethren, unto the coming of the Lord. Behold, the husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth, and hath long patience for it, until he receive the early and latter rain. 

This verse sets the theme for what James emphasizes for us: Believers live patiently waiting for the Lord's return while enduring the hardships of life. 

Christ's return is mentioned three times and patience is mentioned five times in verses 8 through 12. 

The word "patience" means to be long spirited, which is never losing heart, no matter how great our challenges may be. 

"Patience" is continuing on no matter how great our troubles or circumstances become. It means being longsuffering when people injure or sin against us.  

The word "patience" was used of long distance runners needing to pace themselves by breathing deeply, to have enough oxygen to finish a race. 

Paul also compares the Christian's worthy walk to a long race (1 Corinthians 9:24).

In both cases, the idea is running our race patiently all the way unto the end of this life, when our Lord calls us home to heaven. 

Distance running requires proper training, stamina and a heart that will not give up. 

For a Christian, discipleship is our training, and we studied through the book of Acts specifically looking at "Discipleship In Action." 

{These lessons were posted starting late in 2021 and continued through April 2022. They may be accessed in the archives tab.} 

Stamina, and patient endurance comes as we grow in our faith and deepens our relationship with God, through faith in Jesus Christ. 

Stamina and patience comes as the Spirit of God leads us along, guiding us into all truth, and doing the heart work that only He can do. 

James is using some more aorist imperatives. These tell us how we should respond toward God here and now, in light of His past labors to bring us salvation and grant eternal life. 

Wait patiently, Work for Jesus, Anticipating His return. 

James 5:7  Be patient therefore, brethren, unto the coming of the Lord. Behold, the husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth, and hath long patience for it, until he receive the early and latter rain.

The word "therefore" is a bridge word that connects back to the truths James has been teaching us. The idea is that because these things he taught us about, our faith and our Lord are true, we are to live this way. 

"Be patient" is an aorist imperative. Be patient because the work of Christ, His cross and sufferings for us are past events. 

Be patient because His resurrection and enthronement in glory at the right hand of the Father, are accomplished facts. 

Be patient because our salvation is secure, and Christ is the fulfillment of all God's promises to us. 

Be patient because Jesus promised to return and gather His church to bring us home to heaven. 

Therefore, we have every reason to live for the glory and honor of God. In fact, Paul tells us that this is our reasonable service (Romans 12:1-2). 

The second coming of Jesus Christ will happen in two distinct events, separated by the seven years of great tribulation, spoken of by Daniel, Ezekiel and Jesus in Matthew 24.

In the first coming of the Lord, Jesus will stop in the air or atmosphere of the earth, and the dead in Christ will rise. Those who are alive at His coming, will be caught up in the air (the rapture) to meet their loved ones (See 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18). 

Jesus will take us home to heaven and the marriage supper of the lamb follows, as tribulation begins on earth. This is when God progressively judges sinners, until the kingdom is ushered in. 

After the millennial reign of Christ, Satan inspires one final rebellion which is immediately put down by Jesus Christ. 

This is followed by the Great White throne judgment, which is the final judgment that concludes that day of the LORD judgment (See Revelation 19-20).   

{I posted several lessons about the second coming of Jesus Christ in January 2020. These may be found by accessing the archives.} 

These things are also connected to the end times prophecies that will all be literally fulfilled as God said. 

{I posted lessons on the "End Times As God Reveals them" beginning October 27, 2020 and going through January 20, 2021. Again, these are in the archives and you can access them at any time.} 

What will the coming of Jesus be like? 

1 Thessalonians 4:13-18  But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope. 14)  For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him. 15)  For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep. 16)  For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: 17)  Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. 18)  Wherefore comfort one another with these words. 

Jesus said His return would be like the days of Noah (Matthew 24:36-51). It will seem like a normal day and people will fall into their normal routines. However, that day will be dramatically interrupted. 

Jesus will leave heaven with a great shout from the voice of the archangel. The trumpet of God will sound and it will split the air with glorious, awesome and overwhelming sound. 

Jesus will bring with Him all saints who previously died, for they will receive a new glorified body (See Philippians 3:20-21).

Then, Christians alive at that time  will be "caught up" in the air, receiving their glorified bodies in the process. This takes place in the clouds of the atmosphere of earth. 

The word translated "caught up" means to be seized and carried off by great force. This is commonly called the rapture of the believer. 

This is the glorious, wonderful, victorious coming of Jesus Christ to take His bride, the church, home to heaven!

The trumpet of God will sound triumphantly. 

Exodus 19:18-19  And mount Sinai was altogether on a smoke, because the LORD descended upon it in fire: and the smoke thereof ascended as the smoke of a furnace, and the whole mount quaked greatly. 19)  And when the voice of the trumpet sounded long, and waxed louder and louder, Moses spake, and God answered him by a voice. 

It sounded once before when God came down on Mount Sinai to give the law to Moses. It was an overwhelming sound and the people were paralyzed by fear and awe. 

So it will be when Jesus returns. Satan's lies will be exposed. The same Christ rejected by the world, will be revealed as the Great Savior and Redeemer, when He brings Christians home to heaven. 

The dead in Christ will come out of the graves (See John 5:22-29).

We must plant the seed of the Word, and wait for the harvest. 

James 5:7  Be patient therefore, brethren, unto the coming of the Lord. Behold, the husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth, and hath long patience for it, until he receive the early and latter rain.

James uses an agricultural picture to illustrate the idea of waiting patiently for Christ's return. 

A husbandman works in fields and vineyards, plowing, tilling, planting, weeding, feeding and caring for the crops, until the time of harvest. 

He waits for the precious and life sustaining fruits of the earth, whether grains, nuts, fruits or vegetables. They are essential for our lives and it is worth all the work, when the harvest is ready. 

The early rain of seed time and the latter rain of ripening before harvest. The first fell around the beginning of November, after the seed was sown. The latter rains came toward the end of April, to help prepare for a full harvest. 

Without these two rains, the earth would have been unfruitful. God promised to send the rains if they obeyed Him.

Deuteronomy 11:14 I will give you the rain of your land in his due season, the first rain and the latter rain, that thou mayest gather in thy corn, and thy wine, and thy oil, 

Jehovah also told them to pray for these rains. 

Zechariah10:1 Ask ye of the Lord rain in the time of the latter rain; so shall the Lord make bright clouds, and give them showers of rain, to every one grass in the field;

James is reminding us that Christians are to be doing the work of the Lord, in whatever place and capacity He has given us to serve. 

Jesus taught that the field that is ripening and ready for harvest, is the world. Christians and the workers sent out to work in the fields of gospel ministry. 

We are to plant the seed of the word of God, just as Jesus did (Matthew 13). We may encounter those who have already heard the word from someone else, and we bring additional water to it. All the fruit is from God (1 Corinthians 3:6-9). 

All Christians receive gifts and grace from the Spirit of God. Christ dispenses these as He deems best. 

Our gifts are to be used to help Christians grow and mature in the faith. They are designed to do the work of gospel ministry, and to build up the faith of the church. 

Thoughts to Ponder...

James has more to say about waiting patiently for the coming of Jesus Christ, but he gave us this wonderful way to think about it. 

The writer of Hebrews also encourages us to keeping walking the worthy walk with our Lord. 

Right after telling us about all the saints who traveled this same path of faith that we are on, he tells us to run this race patiently. 

All those saints listed in Hebrews 11, are an encouragement for us to persevere patiently, know that the Lord will bless and reward us for our faithfulness to Him.

Looking to Jesus will help us. Remembering His delight is always pleasing His Father, and His great love to take our place on His cross, will properly motivate us. 

Where Christ is today in heaven, so will each believer in Christ appear with him in glory. This is our blessed hope. These words are meant to comfort us as we endure the afflictions of this life. 

I pray that each of us will lean on the everlasting arms of Jehovah. I pray that we will spend much time in His Word, communing with our God. 

I pray that we will expend energy in praying, seeking His will for our lives, praying for His grace and strength to sustain us day by day. 

Bob

Hebrews 12:1-2  Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, 2)  Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.