Because of the shortness of human life, we act quickly ourselves and expect others to act so, and we can scarcely avoid carrying the same thought with us when we go to the investigation of God’s Word.

We read – “Yet a little while, and He that shall come, will come.” We think, as we look back at the many centuries which have elapsed since our Lord’s first advent, that it has not been a “little while.” No, to us it has been a long while. Our ideas of long and short periods are drawn from our experience. When you were a child, you thought as a child; you impatiently looked at an hour as a long time, and a year seemed an age if it intervened between you and some coveted object or enjoyment. Since you have grown to manhood or womanhood years are short; how quickly they fly. Your plans and arrangements reach out and embrace numbers of them.

We see then that a long time and a “little while” are accommodative terms, to be understood in harmony with the standpoint of the one using them. When Paul used these words, he was God’s mouthpiece, therefore the word is God’s – and it is from His standpoint, in whose sight “a thousand years are but as yesterday,” and “as a watch in the night.” If we remember that He is from everlasting to everlasting, these many centuries have been but “a little while” to Him. In fact, in His sight it has only been “a little while” since He created Adam.

Let us not be so impatient; there is plenty of time in eternity.

If we can get this standpoint of time – God’s standpoint – it will assist us to see how “God is not slack concerning His promises.” When God promised Eve that her seed should bruise the serpent’s head, she doubtless supposed that God’s promise had failed when one of her sons was slain and the other had become a branded murderer; and when Seth was born, as his name indicates, she thought him the promised seed. She came to die, and yet saw not God’s promise fulfilled. Ages rolled on, floods came and went, Moses and Israel read the promise, but saw no fulfillment.

Had it failed?

No, four thousand years after Jesus appeared on earth; suffered, died, arose, ascended.

Was the promise fulfilled?

No, only in part. Satan’s head (the vital part) is not yet crushed; he rears it higher than ever; his control is greater perhaps than ever before.

Does God’s promise mean less than it says?

No, give Him more time; it is only been “a little while“ since he promised, and “in due time” it will all be fulfilled.

Because He saw that we would wonder whether He is “slack concerning His promises;” and because Jesus counts us His friends, (“I have called you friends; for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you.” John 15:15,) therefore He kindly gives us through Paul, a clue as to how and when this promise will be fulfilled.

Rom 16:20, reads: “The God of peace shall bruise Satan under your feet shortly.”

This is the same promise made to Eve, and though Christ had died, Paul well knew that Satan was not yet bruised.

But God has not forgotten his promise; He will perform, but when?

“Shortly.” Ah, God’s “little while” again.

But why say under your feet? 

What had the Christians at Rome to do with bruising Satan?

Had God’s Word not said the seed should do it?

And was not Christ this seed?

Yes, Jesus is the head over this seed, but we are members of the body under this head, as we read: “The God of our Lord Jesus Christ…gave Him to be the head over all things to the Church, which is His body.” Eph 1:17-22. He is the head, that in all things He might have the pre-eminence. Col 1:18.

Satan was permitted to bruise Jesus, the head. “He was bruised for our iniquity.” He was made perfect through suffering,” and we, the members of the body, must suffer with Him if we would be made perfect – must “fill up the measure of the sufferings of Christ.” The head suffered most, but we must be sharers of the suffering, if we would be glorified together.

Therefore, “count it all joy” and “think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you as though some strange thing happened unto you: But rejoice, inasmuch as you are partakers of Christ’s sufferings; that when (“a little while,” “shortly“) His glory shall be revealed, you may be glad, also, with exceeding joy.” 1 Pet 4:13. Yes, we shall share in the “glory that shall follow,” and part of that glory shall be to crush the serpent. Now he bruises our heel (ours are not vital wounds, they will all heal.) We shall crush his head (a vital part, indicating the utter extinction of evil – when death shall be destroyed, and “him that hath the power of death, that is the devil“). As this has required time for its accomplishment, so have almost all the promises of God.

Take the PROMISE TO ABRAHAM.

God had promised and sworn to Abraham, that his seed should be as the sand of the sea – innumerable – and Abraham believed it; but as years rolled on, he and Sarah thought it a long time. They were getting old, and yet had no child. Finally, to help God to fulfill his promise, (how many Christians want to FORCE a construction on prophecy, in order to help God out of a dilemma, and help him to fulfill his word. Wait; “God is his own interpreter, And He will make it plain.” Yes, they would help God to keep his word,) and as Sarah was too old, her maid must bear the promised seed. This was a human way to fulfill, but God waited fifteen years until they were both old, so that both Abraham and Sarah laughed when they were told that they should yet have a son Isaac. “After I am waxed old shall I have pleasure my lord, being old also?” But the answer was: “Is anything too hard for the Lord? At the time APPOINTED… Sarah shall have a son.”

O, that we could learn –

“It may not be my time, it may not be thy time, and yet in His own time The Lord will perform.”

We continue with our next post.