Verse 37

For yet a little while, and he that shall come will come, and will not tarry.

It might arise in the minds of these Hebrews, weakning and discouraging them from a complyance with this exhortation of the Apostle, that it was a long time that they were to be exposed to, and exercised with these troubles, so as that they might justly fear that they should be worn out by them. And indeed there is nothing does more press upon, and try the minds of men in their sufferings, than that they can see no issue out of them. For we are all naturally inclined to desire some rest and peace, if it may stand with the will of God, while we are in this world. To encourage them against the influence of this temptation, the Apostle accommodates a testimony out of the Prophet Habakkuk, which leads him directly to the consideration of the power and efficacy of faith, which he had designed. Habakkuk 2:3, 4. For the vision is yet for an appointed time, but at the end it shall speak and not lie: though it tarry, wait for it, for it will surely come, it will not tarry. Behold, his soul which is lifted up, is not upright in him; but the just shall live by his faith. He speaks of a vision, that is, a prophetical vision of good things which God would effect in due time. And there is the same reason in general of all the promises of God. Therefore what is spoken of one, namely, of the deliverance of the people, may be accommodated to another, namely, the coming of Christ whereby that deliverance is to be wrought. There is in the Prophet a supposition that it seems to be delayed, and the accomplishment of it to be retarded; though it tarry, says he; that is, seem to you so to do. For believers are apt to think long under their sufferings of the seeming delays of the accomplishment of God's promises, and long for the time of it; as wicked men and scoffers harden themselves in their sins and impieties on the same account with respect to God's threatenings (2 Peter 3:1, 2, 3, 4). But says he, it will not tarry; that is, although it seem to you so to do, and you are dejected thereon about it; yet there is an appointed time for it, and that in itself no long time, beyond which it shall not be deferred one moment (Isaiah 60:22; 2 Peter 3). This whole sense the Apostle comprises in this verse, though he does not peculiarly render the words of the Prophet.

1. He respects in this verse the season of the accomplishment of what he now proposes to them. And there are three things therein.

(1.) An acknowledgment that it is not immediately to be looked for. For it is a thing yet to be waited for, yet there remains some time for its accomplishment; and this is that which renders their confidence and patience in sufferings so necessary, as he had before observed.

The delay of the accomplishment of promises is a great exercise of faith and patience. From where are all the exhortations not to faint in our minds, nor to be weary.

(2.) There is a limitation of the time for the accomplishment of what seems so to be delayed, it is [〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉], a little space. Though it seem to tarry, wait for it, it will come, and that ere long, or after a short space of time.

(3.) A farther declaration of the nature of this season in these words [〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉], quantum quantum, or quantillum quantillum; the reduplication of the word may yield a double sense. (1.) A limitation of the time, a very little, a short space not to be feared or reckoned on. (2.) On the other side, a supposition of some duration how long soever it be, yet it is but a little while. According to either sense the design of the Apostle is the same, which is to satisfy the Hebrews that there shall be no such delay in what they looked after and expected, as should be a just cause of despondencies or weariness in them. As if he had said, My brethren, faint not, be not weary nor discouraged, keep up confidence and patience, you know what you wait for and expect, which will be an abundant recompense to you for all your sufferings; and whatever appearances there may be of its tarrying or delay, whatever it may seem to you, yet if you have but a prospect into eternity, be it what it will, it is but a very little while, and so is to be esteemed by you.

2. That which is proposed to them under this limitation is this, that he who shall come will come, and will not tarry. What the Prophet spake of the vision he saw, the Apostle applies to the Person of Christ, for the reasons before mentioned: [〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉], He that shall come, is a periphrasis of Christ, frequently used and applied to him. Once it is used to express his eternity (Revelation 1:8), but generally it has respect to the promise of him. The foundation of the Church was laid in the promise that he should come, and he came in his Spirit to them from the foundation of the world (1 Peter 1:11; ch. 3:18, 19, 20); yet this was he that should come, as is expressed (John 1), this was his coming in the flesh. After his incarnation and ministry, he was now with respect to them, he that was come. Yes, to deny him to be come in answer to that promise, is antichristian (1 John 4:3). Yet after this, he was to come again, on a double account.

1. In the power of his Spirit, and the exercise of his royal authority, for the setting up and settling his Church in the world; whereof there are two parts:

(1.) The assistance of his Spirit, with his miraculous operations to the ministers of the Gospel, which were the powers of the world to come (John 16:7, 8). This was an illustrious advent of Christ, not in his own person, but in that of his vicar and substitute, whom he promised to send in his stead. Hereby he was acquitted from all that dishonour, contempt and reproach, that was cast on him in the world.

(2.) He was to come for the punishment and destruction of his stubborn and inveterate adversaries. And these also were of three sorts. (1.) Those that were so directly to his own person, and by consequence to his Gospel. (2.) Such as were directly enemies to his Gospel, and by consequence to his person. (3.) Such as were declared enemies to them both. (1.) Of the first sort were the Jews who slew him, who murdered him, and cast him out of the vineyard, and thereon continued their hatred against the Gospel, and all that made profession thereof. He was to come to destroy those murderers, and to burn their city, which fell out not long after the writing of this Epistle, and is properly intended in this place. See (Matthew 24:3, 27, 30; 2 Peter 3:4; Jude 14; Revelation 1:7; Mark 16:28; James 5:7, 8). For hereon ensued the deliverance of the Church from the rage and persecution of the Jews, with the illustrious propagation of the Gospel throughout the world. (2.) The pagan Roman Empire was the second sort of his adversaries who were immediate enemies to his Gospel, and consequently to his person. These after the destruction of the former sort, raged with all blood and cruelty against the Church for sundry ages. These therefore he promised he would come and destroy; and the faith of the Church concerning this his coming was, that he that should come, would come, and would not tarry. The description of this coming of Christ is given us (Revelation 6:7, 8, 9, 10). (3.) After this arose a third sort of enemies, who in words owning his person and Gospel opposed all his offices, and persecuted all that would yield obedience to him in the exercise of them, and were thereby consequentially enemies both to his person and Gospel. This was the apostate Christian Church of Rome, or the New Testament Babylon. And in respect of these enemies of his, Christ is still he that is to come, and as such is believed in, and his coming prayed for by all the saints. For he is to destroy the Man of Sin, the head of that apostasy, by the brightness of his coming. For as the opposition made to him did not arise suddenly, and at once, as those forementioned did, especially that of the Jews, whose destruction was therefore speedy and at once, but in a long tract of time grew up gradually to its height; so he will destroy it in like manner. And therefore although he has set his hand to that work, and begun the execution of his judgments on the Antichristian state in some degree, yet as to the utter destruction of it by those plagues which shall befall it in one day, he is still [in non-Latin alphabet], he that is looked for, he that is to come.

2. Christ is [in non-Latin alphabet], with respect to his coming at the last day to judgment. This is known and confessed, and the business of his coming therein is the prayer of the whole Church (Revelation 22:20). And it is an article of faith, whose nature we have described on Chapter 6, verse 5.

It may be now inquired, with respect to whether of these comings, it is said here he shall come, that he is [in non-Latin alphabet]. It is generally referred by interpreters to his last advent at the day of judgment. I doubt not but that also is included, but I dare not exclude the other comings mentioned, as things which were principally suited to the relief of the Church under its distress. For to every state of the Church there is a coming of Christ suited and accommodated to their condition, whereby their faith is kept in continual exercise of desires after it. This was the life of faith under the Old Testament as to his coming in the flesh, until it was accomplished. This faith after his resurrection they lived on, though but for a short season, until he came in the power of his Spirit, and his miraculous operations, so to convince the world of sin, righteousness, and judgment. Nor do I understand how the just can live by faith, without a continual expectation of the coming of Christ in a way suited to the sufferings and deliverance of his Church in that season. For instance, the state was such now with those Hebrews, that if an end were not put to it, or the days were not shortened, no flesh among them could have been saved, as our Savior speaks (Matthew 24:22). In this state the Church looked for such a coming of Christ, as should work out their deliverance, and he came accordingly, as we have showed. Afterwards, the earth was filled with the blood of saints and martyrs, by the power of the Roman Empire. In this state those that were slain, and those that were alive, appointed to death, cried, How long, Lord, holy and just, do you not avenge our blood on them that live on the earth? They exercised faith also in this word, that it was but a little while, and he that shall come, will come; which he did accordingly. And the case is the same with those that suffer under the Antichristian apostasy, they live, pray, and believe in the expectation of the appearance of the brightness of that coming of Christ, wherewith the Man of Sin shall be consumed, and although it seem to tarry, they wait for it: this is the faith and patience of the saints.

Therefore, the end for which this coming of Christ is proposed to the Church, being the supportment and encouragement of their souls to faith and patience, a respect must be had to such a coming as is suited to their relief in their present state and condition. And this to these Hebrews was then [in non-Latin alphabet], in a literal sense. So it is to be accommodated to all other states of the Church. And therein, the consideration of the coming of Christ at the last day to the final and eternal judgment, ought not to be omitted. This is that anchor and great reserve of believers in all their distresses and sufferings, when all appearance of deliverance in the world absolutely ceases, to betake themselves to this, that there is a day approaching, wherein God will judge the world in righteousness, by the Man whom he has ordained. That the Lord Christ shall assuredly come to that judgment, is that which they principally resolve their satisfaction into. See (2 Thessalonians 1:6, 7, 8, 9, 10).

1. It is essential to faith to be acted on the promised coming of Christ to all that look for his appearance.

2. There is a promise of the coming of Christ suited to the state and condition of the Church in all ages.

3. The appearing delay of the accomplishment of any of these promises requires an exercise of the faith and patience of the saints.

IV. Every such coming of Christ has its appointed season beyond which it shall not tarry.

V. This divine disposition of things gives a necessity to the continual exercise of faith, prayer and patience, about the coming of Christ.

VI. Although we may not know the especial dispensations and moments of time that are passing over us, yet all believers may know the state in general of the Church under which they are, and what coming of Christ they are to look for and expect. So is it with us who live under the Antichristian state, which Christ in his appointed time will come and destroy.

VII. Faith in any Church satisfies the souls of men with what is the good and deliverance of that state; although a man do know or is persuaded that personally he shall not see it himself, nor enjoy it. The faith of this kind is for the Church, and not for men's individual persons.

VIII. Under despondencies as to peculiar appearances or comings of Christ, it is the duty of believers to fix and exercise their faith on his illustrious appearance at the last day.

IX. Every particular coming of Christ in a way suited to the present deliverance of the Church, is an infallible pledge of his coming at the last to judgment.

X. Every promised coming of Christ is certain, and shall not be delayed beyond its appointed season, when no difficulties shall be able to stand before it.