Galatians 4:4 KJV, “But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law.”
Ellen G. White, The Spirit of Prophecy The Great Controversy Between Christ and His Angels and Satan and His Angels, Vol 2, 1877, Ch 1, p. 17, Steam Press, Battle Creek, MI: “As there are none among the sons of men to herald the advent of the Messiah, angels must now do that work which it was the honored privilege of men to do. But the angels, with the glad tidings of the birth of the Saviour, are sent to the humble shepherds, and not to the learned Jews, who profess to be the expounders of prophecy; for they have no heart to receive it.”
EG White, p. 21, “The churches of our time are seeking worldly aggrandizement, and are as unwilling to see the light of the prophecies, and receive the evidences of their fulfillment, which show that Christ is soon to come, as were the Jews in reference to his first appearing.”
1 John 2:15-17 KJV, “Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.”
The Jews were expecting temporal prosperity. They were not anticipating the humble birth of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. They were looking for a mighty king that will set up an earthly kingdom for their temporal enjoyment. Their hearts were not moved by the sacred reality of the prophecies. They were blinded by the allures of Satan.
Luke 18:7-8 KJV, “And shall not God avenge his own elect, which cry day and night unto him, though he bear long with them? I tell you that he will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless when the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth?”
We are seeing the same attitude like the Jews in our time. Some are paying lip service to the second coming of Christ. Others are professing to believe but unwilling to deny self to obey what God requires for these times. There are few whose hearts are in the truth of Christ’s appearing. Yet there are many whose hearts are in the temporal treasure this world is offering.
Micah 6:8 KJV, “He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the Lord require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?”
Matthew 24:14 KJV, “And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come.”
I am excited and anticipate the literal second coming of Christ just as I believe that He is the literal Son of the Living God!
Sincerely in the Blessed Hope.