Jesus said: “Your father Abraham rejoiced at the thought of seeing My day; he saw it and was glad.” (John 8:56 NIV)
Abraham lived nearly two thousand years before the birth of the Lord Jesus. Yet the Bible says that he “saw” His coming and rejoiced in it. How is that possible?
The answer is found in Hebrews 11:13 (NIV), where we read about the believers of the Old Testament: “All these people were still living by faith when they died. They did not receive the things promised; they only saw them and welcomed them from a distance.”
Abraham “saw” by faith what was still far beyond the reach of human sight. He did not know all the details of Jesus’ life and ministry. He saw Him only “from a distance.” Yet that glimpse of God’s promise filled Abraham with great joy.
We live about two thousand years after Jesus’ birth. We know how He lived on earth, we know the teachings He gave, and we celebrate His victory over death. At the same time, like Abraham, we are looking forward to “the day of Jesus”—the day He will return to earth and establish His Kingdom in all its fullness. That day still lies in the future, and we do not know all the details. But through faith we can already rejoice, because we know with certainty that it is coming.
How eagerly are you looking forward to the great day of Jesus?