II Timothy 4: 17-18
But the Lord stood with me, and strengthened me, in order that through me the proclamation might be fully accomplished, and that all the Gentiles might hear; and I was delivered out of the lion's mouth.
And the Lord will rescue me from every evil attack and will bring me safely to His heavenly Kingdom. To Him be glory for ever and ever. Amen.
Paul wrote this to Timothy from prison in Rome.
His testimony was that God was protecting and delivering him, so that he could finish the task God had given to him: to preach Jesus to all the Gentiles in the whole known world of the time. Paul knew that his life would soon be over, and that he had finished that work (see vs. 6-8).
Jesus had said that the Gospel of the Kingdom would be preached throughout the whole world, then the end would come (Matthew 24:14). So when Paul finished his course, and the Gospel was preached to the whole world, then why did Jesus not come then?
God wanted Jesus as His Son to have "many brothers" (Romans 8:29); so I think that He wanted so many more brothers and sisters for His Son that He continued to let the World carry on, generation after generation, gathering more and more children into His Family from every tribe, every Nation, through all this time.
Now that all the signs for the end of the World are present in this time right now, I think that when all people in all the Nations have heard, of whom many have not, then it really will be the end of this age of mankind, and Jesus will return in our lifetimes.
But Paul also thought Christ's return would be in his lifetime. So I am in good company. But will God still delay the culmination of this World in order to grow His Family even larger? How many is "many"?
Or maybe "all" the signs aren't present, and I missed some. Then God will continue to work His Plan for this World through our indvidual personal lives, and we must continue to carry on.
Like Paul, the Lord will also stand with us to strengthen us, and deliver us from every evil attack, to bring us safely to His heavenly Kingdom.
And He will receive all the glory for ever and ever. Amen.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
