Late in Time

 

“But now he has appeared once for all at the end of the ages to do away with sin by the sacrifice of himself.”

—Hebrews 9:26

Many will recognize the phrase, “Late in time, behold Him come” from the popular carol, Hark the Herald Angels Sing. ¹ It reveals the sigh of “at long last” that comes after people wait for something for a very long time.

The scripture passage from Hebrews 9:26-28 tell us that just as He (the Christ) has appeared once for all:

He will appear a second time…to those who are waiting for Him.

In many verses of Scripture, we see another expression of “late in time”—the term, “last days.” This refers to the period begun by the coming of Christ and in which we now live. It reminds us that “soon” He will bring to pass all that the New Testament promises, as well as those ancient Old Testament prophecies relating to His second coming.

We also read of this “late in time” occurrence in Galatians 4:4-5:

“But when the time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under law, to redeem those under law, that we might receive the full rights of sons.

Quite appropriately, these verses speak of a late pregnancy in which the mother waits longingly for the birth.

We have been reminded throughout Advent of the urgency of waiting in a prepared manner for Christ’s second coming. But, I see another application of the principle of waiting until “late in time” He comes.

If you have ever prayed and waited over months and years, even decades for a promise that God has given you to be fulfilled, receive encouragement that God will reward your faith and perseverance. He never gives us a prayer that He doesn’t intend to answer.

However, we must also realize that our times are in God’s hands. Just as the nation Israel waited without knowing when the fulfillment of His promises for the first coming of the Messiah would happen—and we wait, not knowing when He will come again—we also can expect a “coming” in response to our God-breathed prayers at a time and in a way that we can’t know in advance.

Be encouraged that God acts in regard to His children just as He does in regard to nations and His own Kingdom. We can expect that “late in time”—or “in the fullness of time”—He will come in response to our prayers. Praise be to God!

______________________

1 Wesley, Charles, Hark! The Herald Angels Sing. Public domain.