Motivations and Urgency of Evangelism - Evangelism Unlimited

Thomas P. Johnston 169
Millard J. Erickson wrote:
1. Jesus Christ Is Coming Back Quickly!
“In view of the certainty of the second coming and the finality of the judgment which will follow, it is
imperative that we act in accordance with the will of God.” 152
A. B. Simpson called the church to hasten the return of Christ through world evangelism:
“And furthermore let us never forget that this movement is intimately and immediately connected with the
blessed hope of our Lord’s return. Never let us forget our great missionary watchword, ‘This Gospel of the
kingdom must be preached in all the world for a witness to all nations, and then shall the end come.’”
“On the great missionary movement hangs the appointed hour of the millennial dawn, of the marriage of the
Lamb, of the glory of the resurrection, of the time of the restitution of all things. In yonder heavens He waits until
we have fulfilled the last condition that precedes His advent, and then how gladly He will make haste to meet us
with the recompense of our service and the grander opportunities of that kingdom of glory, whose crowns and
sovereignties we shall share with Him.” 153
Sample Old Testament Scripture Regarding the Coming Day of Judgment
1. “Be silent before the Lord LORD! For the day of the LORD is near,” Zeph 1:7.
2. “For the day of their calamity is near, And the impending things are hastening upon them,” Deut 32:35
3. “Wail, for the day of the LORD is near! It will come as destruction from the Almighty,” Isa 13:6
4. “Your doom has come to you, O inhabitant of the land. The time has come, the day is near,” Ezek 7:7
5. “For the day is near, Even the day of the LORD is near; It will be a day of clouds, A time of doom for the nations,”
Ezek 30:3
6. “Alas for the day! For the day of the LORD is near, And it will come as destruction from the Almighty,” Joel 1:15
7. “Blow a trumpet in Zion, And sound an alarm on My holy mountain! Let all the inhabitants of the land tremble, For
the day of the LORD is coming; Surely it is near, A day of darkness and gloom, A day of clouds and thick
darkness,” Joel 2:1-2
8. “For the day of the LORD is near in the valley of decision,” Joel 3:14
9. “For the day of the LORD draws near on all the nations,” Obad 1:15
10. “Near is the great day of the LORD, Near and coming very quickly; Listen, the day of the LORD! In it the warrior
cries out bitterly. A day of wrath is that day, A day of trouble and distress, A day of destruction and desolation, A
day of darkness and gloom, A day of clouds and thick darkness,” Zeph 1:14-15
11. “Then I will draw near to you for judgment; I will be a swift witness,” Mal 3:5.
12. “Before the LORD for He is coming; For He is coming to judge the earth.” Psa 96:13.
13. “The Lord laughs at him; For He sees his day is coming,” Psa 37:13
14. “Behold, the day of the LORD is coming, Cruel, with fury and burning anger, To make the land a desolation; And
He will exterminate its sinners from it,” Isa 13:9
15. “Behold, the day! Behold, it is coming! Your doom has gone forth… their silver and their gold shall not be able to
deliver them in the day of the wrath of the LORD,” Ezek 7:10, 19
16. “‘Behold, the days are coming,’ declares the LORD, ‘that I will punish all who are circumcised with the
uncircumcised,” Jer 9:25 (NKJ); Amos 8:11
[By the way, Jeremiah makes a clear move from days of judgment to days of salvation!
[“‘Behold, the days are coming,’ declares the LORD, ‘When I shall raise up for David a righteous Branch; And He
will reign as king and act wisely And do justice and righteousness in the land,” Jer 23:5 (cf. Jer 23:7; 30:3;
31:27, 31, 38; 33:14)]
17. “‘For behold, the day is coming, burning like a furnace; and all the arrogant and every evildoer will be chaff; and
the day that is coming will set them ablaze,’ says the LORD of hosts, ‘so that it will leave them neither root nor
branch,’” Mal 4:1
18. “For the LORD of Hosts will have a day…,” Isa 2:12
19. “In that Day,” Isa 2:17, 20, Amos 8:9, Mic 5:10-15, Zech 12:3-9.
20. “‘Behold, it is coming and it shall be done,’ declares the Lord God. ‘That is the day of which I have spoken,’”
Ezek 39:8
21. “But who can endure the day of His coming? And who can stand when He appears?” Mal 3:2
152 Millard J. Erickson, Christian Theology (Grand Rapids: Baker, 1991), 1204.
153 A. B. Simpson, Annual Report of the Missionary Crusade (1892), 62-63.