Come Out to Meet Him

“In the middle of the night there was a shout: ‘Here’s the groom! Come out to meet him.'” Matthew 25:6

In 332 BC, Alexander the Great advanced south along the Mediterranean coast after capturing Tyre and Gaza. Previously, he had asked Jerusalem to send supplies, but the high priest, Jaddua, refused, citing his oath of loyalty to Persia. According to Josephus, upon hearing of Alexander’s approach, Jaddua and the people prayed and offered sacrifices. They received a divine message in a dream: to have courage, prepare the city, open the gates, and go out to meet the king. In response, the people dressed in white, the priests donned linen robes, and the high priest wore his purple and scarlet robe with the golden plate inscribed with God’s name on his turban. The procession waited at Sapha, a lookout point, and when Alexander saw them, he bowed before the name of God and approached the high priest.

Historians debate the accuracy of Josephus’ account, but the described custom was widespread in the ancient world. When a king approached a city, its citizens would come out to meet him on the road and escort him back inside. The Greek term for this practice is apantēsis. Matthew mentions it in the parable of the ten virgins, and Paul refers to it when discussing Jesus’ return. This week’s readings pose a direct question: when the King comes, will you be ready to meet Him?

Joshua 24:1-3a, 14-25 describes a gathering with God. Joshua calls the tribes to Shechem, where they present themselves before God (24:1). He recounts their history, starting with Abraham’s family serving other gods beyond the Euphrates (24:2-3). He then asks them: “Choose for yourselves today the one you will worship…. As for me and my family, we will worship Yahweh” (24:15). The people commit to serving the LORD, and Joshua issues a surprising warning: “You will not be able to worship Yahweh, because He is a holy God” (24:19). Knowing human nature, Joshua enforces a covenant between the people and God that day (24:25). Our willingness to meet God also depends the New Covenant Jesus established with His blood (Luke 22:20).

Psalm 70 depicts waiting individuals praying urgent prayers. David urges God, “Hurry to rescue me” (70:1), and concludes with, “You are my help and my deliverer; LORD, do not delay” (70:5). In the middle, he prays for all who seek God: “Let all who seek You rejoice and be glad in You; let those who love Your salvation continually say, ‘God is great!'” (70:4). This long-standing prayer tradition continues in the church for over two thousand years. The Bible’s final prayer is succinct: “Come, Lord Jesus!” (Revelation 22:20). Prepared believers eagerly await the King’s return.

Psalm 78:1-7 emphasizes that readiness is passed down through generations via testimony. Asaph states, “We will tell the next generation about the praises of the LORD, His power, and His marvelous deeds” (78:4). The aim is to foster trust: “so they may place their confidence in God, remember His works, and obey His commands” (78:7). Joshua declares, “As for me and my family.” Asaph shows a family does this by sharing its story.

Amos 5:18-24. Some individuals in Amos’s time viewed the Day of the LORD as a joyful celebration. Amos, however, warns them: “What will the Day of the LORD be for you? It will be darkness and not light” (5:18). They offered sacrifices, celebrated festivals, and sang with harps, yet God responded, “Take away from Me the noise of your songs! I will not listen to the music of your harps” (5:23). He desired their worship to reflect their lives: “Let justice flow like water, and righteousness, like an unfailing stream” (5:24). Amos depicts people who appeared prepared but were unready, holding lamps with empty flasks. For worship leaders and singers today, this passage raises a challenging question: Does your life reflect your song?

Matthew 25:1-13 recounts Jesus’s parable of ten young women awaiting a groom with lamps. Five have extra oil; five do not. When the groom is delayed and all fall asleep, a shout at midnight announces his arrival: “Here’s the groom! Come out to meet him” (25:6). The term for “meet” is apantēsis, used for a city welcoming its king. The five prepared women trim their lamps and join the groom for the wedding feast, but “the door was shut” (25:10). When others arrive calling out, the groom replies, “I do not know you” (25:12). The key message is that being ready depends on being known by the groom. Jesus ends with a warning: “Be alert, because you don’t know either the day or the hour” (25:13).

1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 addresses the concerns of Thessalonian believers about loved ones who died before Jesus’ return. Paul reassures them with the gospel: “Since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, in the same way God will bring with Him those who have fallen asleep through Jesus” (4:14). He then describes the future meeting. The Lord will descend “with a shout,” reminiscent of the midnight cry in the parable (4:16). The dead in Christ will rise first, and those alive will join them “to meet the Lord in the air” (4:17). Paul references Matthew’s term, apantēsis. Imagine the people of Jerusalem walking out to Sapha dressed in white; the church going out to meet her King and welcoming Him to the world He created. “And so we will always be with the Lord.” This hope influences Christian grief, allowing us to mourn with hope (4:13).

Going Out to Meet Him

Long before we go to meet Jesus, He has already come to meet us. He left His Father’s side, took on flesh, and traveled the roads of Galilee searching for the lost. The Groom came for His bride, and He will return, prompting His people to go out to meet Him with joy. Until then, we demonstrate readiness and extend a warm welcome. Decide today whom you will worship, and declare it aloud in your home. When waiting feels lengthy, pray Psalm 70. Share a story of God’s faithfulness with someone younger than you this week. Ask God to reveal where your worship and daily life have become disconnected, and take one step toward justice and mercy in your community. If someone you know is mourning, sit with them and read 1 Thessalonians 4 together, as Paul intended: “Therefore encourage one another with these words.”

Points to Ponder

• Joshua told Israel to choose. What does choosing to worship God look like in your daily routine this week?
• Who in the next generation needs to hear the story of God’s work in your life?
• Amos confronted worship that covered injustice. Where do your worship and your conduct need to come back into line?
• The wise virgins kept oil for a long wait. What practices keep your faith burning when Jesus’ return feels distant?
• How does the hope of meeting the Lord change the way you grieve?

Prayer

Lord Jesus, You are the Bridegroom who seeks His bride. You died, rose, and will return with a shout. Prepare us, keep our lamps burning, and restore our songs to match our lives. Let justice and righteousness flow from Your people. Help us pass Your works to the next generation so they trust in You. When nights feel long, teach us to pray, “LORD, do not delay.” In grief, give us hope from Your empty tomb. When the shout comes, may we joyfully go out to meet You. Come, Lord Jesus. Amen.

“Then we who are still alive will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air; and so we will always be with the Lord. Therefore encourage one another with these words.” 1 Thessalonians 4:17-18