Jesus told the story of the widow who kept asking the ungodly judge to give her legal protection. He finally gave her what she wanted just to shut her up. Jesus contrasted this judge to God, and said that He will quickly bring justice for His people who are crying out to Him day and night. He then asks the question, "When the Son of Man comes, will He find faith on the earth?" (Luke 18:1-8).
When Jesus returns, what will He find? Will He find a people who are persistent in prayer, bringing His justice into the earth? Or will He find that His people have given up and lost heart against the ungodly authorities in the earth? Will He find faith in the earth? Will the sound of the gospel be heard reverberating through the earth at His coming? Will His people be speaking His Word? Will we endure to the end, preaching, confessing, and proclaiming His Word?
Jesus said the gospel will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all the nations, and then the end will come. (Matthew 24:14). The sound of His word, and the sound of faith in Him, is to be resounding in the earth! Who will be speaking the Word of God at the time of His return? Out of whose mouths will it come? Will people be silent, afraid to speak, and afraid to live as a Christian? He promises salvation to those who endure to the end, and the crown of life to those who love Him. (Matthew 24:13, James 1:12). Those who see Him as He is, will be like Him at His coming. (1 John 3:2-3).
Jesus taught a lesson in the parable of the talents. (Matthew 25:14-30). Will we take what he's given us and hide it in the ground, thinking we will preserve it, being too afraid to take a risk? Have we neglected to have children and teach them the ways of the Lord? Are we too wrapped up in our own lives, preserving and protecting what we have? When we raise children, we are increasing faith into the next generation. If two people have three or four children who are trained in the ways of the Lord, they've increased faith in the earth. Where two or three are gathered in His name, He is in the midst. A couple having children is a family increasing faith in the earth. This brings the presence of God into their midst. (Matthew 18:19-20).
In Noah's day, was there faith in the earth? Very little. But God set aside a family to repopulate the earth from. As it was in the days of Noah, so it will be when Jesus returns. In Noah's day people were going on about their lives, not understanding what was about to come. Today, people are going about their lives, not understanding what is about to come--that HE is about to come. (Matthew 24:32-41). What will He find when He returns? Will He find faith on the earth?
Why did God say to bring the tithes into the storehouse? So there may be food in His house. (Malachi 3:10). So there's food--sustenance--in the house of God. So His people survive and do not die off, do not give up, and so faith continues from generation to generation. We maintain the house of God so when Jesus comes back, faith will have prevailed.
The torch has been passed on to us. We must not drop it or let it go out, but pass it on to the next generation. So when Jesus returns, the seed of faith that He planted here the first time He came, will be full grown and welcome His return, His justice and judgment in the earth. Will He find faith on the earth? Yes! We will endure to the end. Our faith will pass the test, and be found to be more precious than gold. Come quickly Lord Jesus! (1 Peter 1:7, Rev 22:20).