THE TIME IS AT HAND
(Imminent)
If the apostles were correct in saying that the coming of the Lord Jesus was drawing near, they were also correct in saying that the coming of the Lord was ready. The phrase at hand is used in a more urgent sense than that of the word eggizo or drawing near. The word eggus is used to mean ready or up to the point. Interestingly, Jesus first used the term as it pertained to His coming:
John 2:13 And the Jews' passover was at hand, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem,
John 7:2 Now the Jews' feast of tabernacles was at hand.
One thing we can know for certain is we could never know that the time was near or ready until the signs in Matthew 24 came to pass. Once again, we must remember what Christ said immediately after He described the signs that would come to pass just before His return:
Hebrews 6:8 But that which beareth thorns and briers is rejected, and
is nigh unto cursing; whose end is to be burned.
Hebrews 8:13 In that he saith, A new covenant, he hath made the first
old. Now that which decayeth and waxeth old is ready to vanish away.
Revelation 1:3 Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the words
of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written therein: for
the time is at hand.
Revelation 22:10 And he saith unto me, Seal not the sayings of the
prophecy of this book: for the time is at hand.