We are to occupy till He comes!
Jesus spoke the following parable in Luke chapter 19:
11 Now as they heard these things, He spoke another parable, because He was near Jerusalem and because they thought the Kingdom of God would appear immediately.
12 Therefore He said: “A certain Nobleman went into a far country to receive for Himself a Kingdom and to return.
13 So He called ten of His servants, delivered to them ten minas, and said to them, ‘Do business till I come.’
14 But His citizens hated Him, and sent a delegation after him, saying, ‘We will not have this man to reign over us.’
15 “And so it was that when He returned, having received the Kingdom, he then commanded these servants, to whom He had given the money, to be called to Him, that He might know how much every man had gained by trading.
16 Then came the first, saying, ‘Master, Your mina has earned ten minas.’
17 And He said to him, ‘Well done, good servant; because you were faithful in a very little, have authority over ten cities.’
18 And the second came, saying, ‘Master, Your mina has earned five minas.’
19 Likewise He said to him, ‘You also be over five cities.’
20 “Then another came, saying, ‘Master, here is Your mina, which I have kept put away in a handkerchief.
21 For I feared You, because You are an austere man. You collect what you did not deposit, and reap what you did not sow.’
22 And He said to him, ‘Out of your own mouth I will judge you, you wicked servant. You knew that I was an austere man, collecting what I did not deposit and reaping what I did not sow.
23 Why then did you not put My money in the bank, that at My coming I might have collected it with interest?’
24 “And He said to those who stood by, ‘Take the mina from him, and give it to him who has ten minas.’
25 (But they said to Him, ‘Master, he has ten minas.’)
26 ‘For I say to you, that to everyone who has will be given; and from him who does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him.
27 But bring here those enemies of Mine, who did not want Me to reign over them, and slay them before Me.'”
We are not to sit idly by and do nothing awaiting His return. But instead, we are to be productive for the Kingdom.
Back in 1996, a certain “prophet” strongly suggested in his teachings that Jesus would return at Tabernacles in the fall of that year. One family in particular, sold all their possessions and simply waited for the feast days to begin. They were devastated and homeless.
Jesus spoke in Matthew chapter 24:
36 “But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, but My Father only.
37 But as the days of Noah were, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be.
38 For as in the days before the flood, they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark,
39 and did not know until the flood came and took them all away, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be.
Notice that Jesus rewarded His servants for their performance. He does not expect the same performance from everyone, but our performance is based on what we have been given as “talents” before we were formed in the womb. Don’t compare yourself to others! Simply be productive with what you have been given and you will be rewarded appropriately.
There are two aspects of going to Heaven. One is the fact that you made it there. The other is the rewards from what you accomplished for the Kingdom prior to the harpazo. These are referred to as crowns of authority.
We should look at His delay as a further opportunity to achieve results for Him. Some results will come by testifying, some will come by works, and some will come by financially supporting others who are in need.
The last servant did not know Jesus and suffered judgment. Those whom he represents will go through the Great Tribulation. Productive servants will be spared this judgment on the world.