
Towards The Final Unveiling by Kobus Swart
The years approaching 2000 were filled with prophecy of catastrophic events and the imminent return of King Jesus, none of which happened as the calendar changed. The lack of substance to these declarations has left many people cynical about the church’s stated confidence in the coming Kingdom of God. We need to look again, do our homework more thoroughly, and articulate more clearly if we want others to find genuine hope in the Good News of the Kingdom.
With the ascension of Jesus, a cloud received Him out of the sign of the disciples, and He was concealed behind the veil from the eyes of man. However, two men in white robes uttered these words: “This very Jesus who was taken up among you to heaven will come as certainly–and mysteriously–as he left.” (Acts 1:11 Msg). There is going to be a final unveiling – this time, of the corporate Christ! However, He will remain out of sight until…
Has our failure to embrace and live out a Kingdom which is already present through the finished work of Christ, resulted in an elongation of His waiting as well as an ongoing turmoil in our world? Despite decades of passionate evangelism, the Kingdom that is proclaimed as “among us” is by our passivity contra-indicated as belonging only to the future. Wouldn’t we do better to welcome that Kingdom actively and participate in the reconciliation of “all things” to God? Surely the surrender of both individual self and corporate church to God’s current purposes, together with a fresh
engagement with the Holy Spirit, will enable us to participate in God’s redemptive plan? Creation cries out “for the sons of God to be revealed” because there is no plan “B”.
God is busy raising a STANDARD by which He will measure or judge that which has been built by man. This standard of perfection by which everything will be measured, is His Son. The difficult times of pain throughout the world are simply birth pangs. All creation is in travail – an anxious longing, waiting for the unveiling of the Son in the sons.
Isn’t it time for “it is finished” to come to light?
About the author:
KOBUS SWART is the founder of Bizweni Community Church in Somerset West, near Cape Town, South Africa, where he and his family reside. The Bizweni property also houses many vital community services meeting the diverse needs of many in the greater community. Being in full-time ministry since 1974, Kobus has continued to lead ministry teams nationally and internationally and participates with the local city eldership in on-going synergistic support.