That God has purposed to reward His faithful people is clearly set forth in the Scriptures. Now being prepared, they will be assigned, presented or bestowed by our Lord Jesus Christ when He comes again: to establish His Kingdom; to rule from the re-established throne of David; to subdue His enemies and reign gloriously over an earth renewed, through regeneration, to its Edenic beauty and fruitfulness.
    This is what is meant by the heavens having received Him UNTIL the "times of refreshing ... from the presence of the Lord". It is at the time of this "restitution of all things" that God, according to Peter (and all the holy prophets) will send His Son to earth again - this time to "reign in righteousness" over all.
    Now under the curse of sin, the whole creation is pictured as groaning and travailing as it awaits the lifting of that curse (thus, its liberation) in connection with the "adoption" and "manifestation" of the "sons of God" when Jesus comes and assigns to each his divinely appointed position of honor and authority. According

    In the latter part of Chapter 3, Paul has been discussing Christian ministry in perilous times. He ended with an exhortation to CONTINUE in God's Word. In this chapter, the final words to come from his pen, Paul earnestly charges Timothy to an urgent and faithful witness in view of 3 things:

1) The prospect of Christ's OPEN MANIFESTATION as "King of the earth", "King of the nations" and "King of Peace".
2) The ever-increasing CORRUPTION of the times.
3) The certainty of Paul's fast approaching death.

    "I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom".


    "Before", or "In the presence of", suggests that this charge is given under the counsel, guidance and approval of the august witnesses here mentioned. It is "before God" - the holy, righteous, faithful, true, powerful, majestic, awesome and all-glorious One. And

Timothy is meant to receive it as in the conscious presence of "Jesus Christ". He it is who has the right to rule in our hearts and lives; the Saviour - Deliverer - Redeemer to whom we belong by right of purchase; the one anointed of God as both King and Priest; the one to whom ALL JUDGMENT has been given, (Jn. 5:22, 27; Acts 10:42; I Pet. 4:5; comp. Acts 17:30-31).
    "Judge", as used here, suggests: "to separate, select, choose or determine" - hence "to make a distinction". The precise TIME when His impending judgeship will be exercised is, as yet, unknown. However, it corresponds precisely with that of "His APPEARING and His KINGDOM".
    "Appearing" is from the Greek "epiphaneia" - suggesting His public manifestation, or shining forth in radiant brilliancy. Paul uses this word, along with "parousia", in 2 Thessalonians 2:8, of "the manifestation of His BODY-PRESENCE"

(comp. I Tim. 6:14; 2 Tim. 1:10; 4:8; Tit. 2:13).
    Reference to "His Kingdom" here alludes to the long delayed reestablishment of the "theocratic order"; the raising up of the tabernacle, or throne, of David; and the enthronement of Jesus Christ, the Son of Man and Son of David, to reign IN THE MIDST OF HIS PEOPLE as KING OF THE EARTH - which the Father has given Him for His own "possession", (Psa. 2:8, etc.).
    It was on this earth that the son of Man suffered, bled and died - being despised and rejected by those whose salvation He came to procure. But, at His second coming, He is given "the heathen for an inheritance" - only they will then have been transformed into His likeness and made fit for an intimacy of fellowship with the Son of the Highest! And His once castoff people, Israel, will have, at this point, recognized the folly of their sin (in rejecting Him), and cried: "Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord!" (Matt 23:39; comp. Isa. 25:9).
    What, then, could possibly be more appropriate than that He return to the realm of His exile: to conquer, subdue and transform it into a realm of eternal beauty, productiveness, joy and everlasting peace?
    Thus, it is in the solemn, silent, awesome, over-shadowing and conscious presence of the Almighty that Timothy receives this charge.

    Timothy is charged to "PREACH THE WORD!" Not human schemes,

philosophies and doctrines of men, but the Word of God! Not such psychological garbage as: self-love, self-worth, self-esteem and self-realization; for until SELF is utterly denied, crucified and taken out of the program, NO ONE can be a true disciple of Jesus Christ!
    "Self" is the enemy of Man's soul! It is "the body of sin" that must be destroyed. It is "the flesh", wherein dwelleth no good thing that cannot please God, and is, therefore, fit only to be crucified! When it shows signs of resuscitation, it must be crushed and denied - no provision being made for it.
    Timothy's charge is clearly to "Preach the Word!" It is the Word of God that he is to preach; a word that is "quick, powerful and sharper than any two-edged sword"; that is "forever settled" and established - unchanging in the heavens. It will make men wise unto salvation. By it all men will be judged in the last day. Even now it provides the children of God with spiritual nourishment, and, by it, they are cleansed in their daily walk of faith.
    Here is a charge for Timothy to be INSTANTLY ALERT; "be instant in season, out of season" - never losing the sense of URGENCY, but always ready to employ every God-given opportunity to "Preach the Word!" "In Season" suggests the need of constant readiness to bear witness - when it is convenient and considered a "proper time" for doing such a thing, but also "out of season". This involves those sudden, unexpected opportunities

that sometimes seem so INCONVENIENT that one may be tempted to await "a more convenient season". DON'T DO IT! "Preach the Word!" Bear witness by the employment of that Word that "will not return void" - but will, under the blessings of God, accomplish that whereunto He sent it! NEVER are we to insist on God's following OUT TIME-TABLE. Rather, we must always be willing to obey His slightest whisper and patiently await His perfect timing for the harvest that WILL COME from faithful sowing.
    Timothy is to "Preach the Word" in such a way as to meet the particular needs of those to whom he ministers. He is to preach with a view of convincing and bring conviction to the wrong-doer - to the end that the disorder, sin and rebellion in his life may be CORRECTED. He is to so preach as to REBUKE the carnal attitude that insists on a RIGHT to its REBELLION. With the utmost patience, longsuffering and forbearance (and yet, with all authority", he is to "Preach the Word" by way of instruction: beseeching, entreating, imploring, exhorting and encouraging men to walk in the WAY OF GOD'S APPOINTMENT.


    The time is fast approaching when "they will not tolerate wholesome instruction" (Weymouth), but REFUSE TO HEAR THE TRUTH! "Having itching ears", they will be satisfied ONLY with such novelties as gratify their carnal fancies. Thus, they will procure for themselves

such a succession of teachers as will tell them WHAT THEY WANT TO HEAR - announcing "peace", though sudden destruction is about to overtake them!
    Firmly set in their determination to gratify their own wicked lusts, they will have "shut their ears" and hardened their hearts against hearing the truth! (comp. Acts 7:51; 2 Tim. 3:8). They will have turned aside to believe the fictitious stories and vain philosophies of men who aim to "make merchandise" of their souls, (2 Thes. 2:11-12; Titus 1:10-14; I Tim. 1:3- 7; 4:6-7; 2 Peter 2:1-3).
    Here, then, is a true, Biblical reason for a SENSE OF URGENCY in preaching the Word. With evil men and seducers "waxing worse and worse", there is coming a day when men WILL NOT HEAR! That is only a short step away from CANNOT HEAR! Strong delusion, belief of a lie

and damnation await all who WILL NOT HEAR! (2 Thes. 2:9-12). E.G.


to the prophets, the saints are to POSSESS "the greatness of the kingdom UNDER THE WHOLE HEAVEN" (Dan. 7:18, 27). Thus, the Lord will exalt His covenant people to occupy "the high places of the earth" - elsewhere represented as "principalities and powers in the heavenlies", (Eph. 3:10-11; comp. 1:3).
    When Paul, in his Ephesian letter, pictures a New Covenant people as already seated "in the heavenlies, in Christ", he speaks of that which is PROSPECTIVELY ours through identification with the Son of Man. It is NOT our present, literal experience! It is our HOPE - our EXPECTATION! (Rom. 4:17) But, the very anticipation of such a glorious prospect OUGHT to liberate us from the "fear of man" which often so ensnares us as to make us UNFIT for the fulfillment of our "high calling IN CHRIST JESUS"!
    The reward of the faithful is definitely to be a PRE-MILLENNIAL event. It will be: 1) "When the Son of Man shall come in the glory of His Father", (Matt. 16:27; Rev. 22:12); 2) When the Lord GOD comes to rule, (Isa. 40:10); 3) When the "kingdoms of this world", by divine conquest, become "the kingdom of our Lord", (Rev. 11:15-18); and 4) At the "resurrection of the JUST", (Lk. 14:14) when the new bodies of the saints are raised from the grave and re-united with their corresponding "spirits" which the Lord brings WITH Him, (I Thes. 4:14-18). E.G.