TODAY BY THE GRACE OF GOD, WE SHALL BE STUDYING IN DETAILS,
BIBLE DOCTRINE 18: THE SECOND COMING OF CHRIST
God’s Word teaches:
That the Second Coming of Christ will be just as literal and visible as His going away, and He is coming to execute judgment upon the ungodly.
He will also, then, set up His Kingdom and reign on this present earth for a thousand years – Zechariah 14:3,4; Matthew 25:31- 46; 26:64; Mark 13:24-37; 2 Thessalonians 1:7-10; 2:8; Jude 14,15.
Zechariah 14:3 Then shall the LORD go forth, and fight against those nations, as when he fought in the day of battle. 14:4 And his feet shall stand in that day upon the mount of Olives, which is before Jerusalem on the east, and the mount of Olives shall cleave in the midst thereof toward the east and toward the west, and there shall be a very great valley; and half of the mountain shall remove toward the north, and half of it toward the south.
Matthew 26:64 Jesus saith unto him, Thou hast said: nevertheless I say unto you, Hereafter shall ye see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven.
Mark 13:24 But in those days, after that tribulation, the sun shall be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, 13:25 And the stars of heaven shall fall, and the powers that are in heaven shall be shaken. 13:26 And then shall they see the Son of man coming in the clouds with great power and glory. 13:27 And then shall he send his angels, and shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from the uttermost part of the earth to the uttermost part of heaven. 13:28 Now learn a parable of the fig tree; When her branch is yet tender, and putteth forth leaves, ye know that summer is near: 13:29 So ye in like manner, when ye shall see these things come to pass, know that it is nigh, even at the doors. 13:30 Verily I say unto you, that this generation shall not pass, till all these things be done. 13:31 Heaven and earth shall pass away: but my words shall not pass away. 13:32 But of that day and that hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels which are in heaven, neither the Son, but the Father. 13:33 Take ye heed, watch and pray: for ye know not when the time is. 13:34 For the Son of man is as a man taking a far journey, who left his house, and gave authority to his servants, and to every man his work, and commanded the porter to watch. 13:35 Watch ye therefore: for ye know not when the master of the house cometh, at even, or at midnight, or at the cockcrowing, or in the morning: 13:36 Lest coming suddenly he find you sleeping. 13:37 And what I say unto you I say unto all, Watch.
2 Thessalonians 1:7 And to you who are troubled rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels, 1:8 In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ: 1:9 Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power; 1:10 When he shall come to be glorified in his saints, and to be admired in all them that believe (because our testimony among you was believed) in that day.
2 Thessalonians 2:8 And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming:
Jude 1:14 And Enoch also, the seventh from Adam, prophesied of these, saying, Behold, the Lord cometh with ten thousands of his saints, 1:15 To execute judgment upon all, and to convince all that are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have ungodly committed, and of all their hard speeches which ungodly sinners have spoken against him.
The Scriptures abound with evidence that speaks of the certainty of Christ’s Second Coming.
Our Lord Jesus spoke of His return several times once leading the disciples to enquire about the signs that would herald that certain event.
A study of the Scriptures indicates that certain prophecies concerning Christ and some future programme of God are not yet fulfilled and would only be after the Second Advent of Christ.
However, all the signs preceding the Second Advent are being fulfilled daily.
Going through the Olivet discourse of Matthew 24 and 25, the following signs of His coming are clear.
Jesus Himself said there would be deceptions (Matthew 24:4,5,11,24),
Matthew 24:4 And Jesus answered and said unto them, Take heed that no man deceive you. 24:5 For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many.
false Christs (Matthew 24:5,23-26),
Matthew 24:23 Then if any man shall say unto you, Lo, here is Christ, or there; believe it not. 24:24 For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect. 24:25 Behold, I have told you before.
wars and rumours of wars (Matthew 24:6,7),
Matthew 24:6 And ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet.
famines (Matthew 24:7), pestilences and earthquakes, Anti- Semitism (
Matthew 24:7 For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places.
Matthew 24:9; Mark 13:9,13),
offences
Matthew 24:9 Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you: and ye shall be hated of all nations for my name’s sake.
(Matthew 24:10), betrayals, hatred, false prophets
Matthew 24:10 And then shall many be offended, and shall betray one another, and shall hate one another. 24:11 And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many.
(Matthew 24:11), lawlessness and martyrdom.
Matthew 24:9 Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you: and ye shall be hated of all nations for my name’s sake.
Matthew 24:12 And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold.
He said the impact of the Second Coming would be as universal as when “the lightening cometh out of the east and shineth unto the west…” It would make all “the tribes of the earth to mourn”.
They will be deep in spiritual lethargy and indifference as was the case in the time of Noah’s flood (Matthew 24:27,30,37).
Matthew 24:27 For as the lightning cometh out of the east, and shineth even unto the west; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. 24:30 And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. 24:37 But as the days of Noe were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.
The Holy Spirit through the apostle confirmed that Christ shall appear “the second time
” (Hebrews 9:28)
Hebrews 9:28 So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation.
and would then reward His faithful servants with crowns of glory, praise and honour
1 Peter 5:4 And when the chief Shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away.
and His adversaries with fiery indignation (1 Peter 5:4; 1:7; Hebrews 10:27).
Hebrews 10:27 But a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries.
James the apostle also encouraged the believers: “Be ye also patient, stablish your hearts: for the coming of the Lord draweth near.”
The angel of God confirmed that “this same Jesus which is taken up from you into heaven shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven” (Acts 1:11).
Acts 1:11 Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven.
The prophecy in Isaiah 9:6, that the government (of the whole world) would be on His (Christ’s) shoulders is yet to be fulfilled.
Isaiah 9:6 For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.
Also some prophecies in Isaiah 61 concerning our Lord Jesus Christ were only partially fulfilled at His first coming.
Christ Himself confirmed in Luke 4:21 that “This day is this scripture fulfilled in your ears”. The rest of the prophecies in that chapter will be fulfilled after His second advent.
The exactitude with which the old time prophecies concerning the first coming of Christ were fulfilled points to the infallibility of the Scriptures and to the certainty of those prophecies concerning His second advent.
Prophecies on His virgin birth, details of His earthly life, His death and resurrection were all literally fulfilled to the letter, and so would those relating to His Second Coming.
Apart from the fulfillment of the prophecies concerning Christ, other divine purposes which the second advent would fulfilled include: 1) the comfort of the Church (John 14:1-3; 16:20-22);
John 14:1 Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. 14:2 In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. 14:3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.
John 16:20 Verily, verily, I say unto you, That ye shall weep and lament, but the world shall rejoice: and ye shall be sorrowful, but your sorrow shall be turned into joy. 16:21 A woman when she is in travail hath sorrow, because her hour is come: but as soon as she is delivered of the child, she remembereth no more the anguish, for joy that a man is born into the world. 16:22 And ye now therefore have sorrow: but I will see you again, and your heart shall rejoice, and your joy no man taketh from you.
2) the restoration of Israel to her sovereignty as prophesied in the scripture (Isaiah 32:18; 33:20-24);
Isaiah 32:18 And my people shall dwell in a peaceable habitation, and in sure dwellings, and in quiet resting places;
3) the judgment of the earth (Revelation 20:11-15; John 5:22);
.John 5:22 For the Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment unto the Son:
4) the renovation of the earth (Isaiah 66:22; Revelation 21:1);
Isaiah 66:22 For as the new heavens and the new earth, which I will make, shall remain before me, saith the LORD, so shall your seed and your name remain.
Revelation 21:1 And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea.
5) the restoration of all things as God wants it (Romans 8:20-23; Jeremiah 12:4,11).
Romans 8:20 For the creature was made subject to vanity, not willingly, but by reason of him who hath subjected the same in hope, 8:21 Because the creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God. 8:22 For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now. 8:23 And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body.
The greatest event that will precede the Second Coming of Christ is the rapture – the catching away of the saints to meet the Lord in the air and to be with Him forever.
1 Thessalonians 4:13 But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope. 4:14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him. 4:15 For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep. 4:16 For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: 4:17 Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.
The rapture lies in the valley between the mountains of Christ’s first and second coming.
It is a part of the mystery of the Church, which in the Old Testament age “was not made known unto the sons of men” as it was revealed in the New Testament to “His holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit”.
The rapture should, however, not be confused with the Second Coming.
The two events are distinct and separated by seven years.
Specifically, the Second Coming refers to Christ’s coming to the earth to live as He did in the first coming to be seen by every eye.
In the rapture, Christ would come to the earth but stop in the air where the saints will meet Him.
It is not every eye that will see Christ at the rapture.
When Christ meets the saints in the air He will take them to heaven where they would remain for the period of the great tribulation.
It is during this seven-year period that the marriage supper of the Lamb (Revelation 19:18,19)
Revelation 19:5 And a voice came out of the throne, saying, Praise our God, all ye his servants, and ye that fear him, both small and great. 19:6 And I heard as it were the voice of a great multitude, and as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of mighty thunderings, saying, Alleluia: for the Lord God omnipotent reigneth. 19:7 Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready. 19:8 And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints. 19:9 And he saith unto me, Write, Blessed are they which are called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb. And he saith unto me, These are the true sayings of God.
and the judgment of saints for reward will take place in heaven
2 Corinthians 5:10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad.
(1 Corinthians 3:12-15; 2 Corinthians 5:10).
In other words, the rapture is the time Christ comes for the saints to take them to heaven.
In the Second Coming, however, He will come to the earth to live and fulfill a definite part of God’s timetable for the earth and man.
Christ would come with the saints raptured seven years earlier.
Whereas RAPTURE can take place any moment without warning, the second coming cannot happen until after both the rapture and the great tribulation.
At His second coming, Christ will reign on earth for one thousand years with the saints. Christened the Millennial Reign, Christ’s rule would be characterized by unprecedented peace, prosperity and blessings on the earth (Isaiah 11:1-9).
Isaiah 11:1 And there shall come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse, and a Branch shall grow out of his roots: 11:2 And the spirit of the LORD shall rest upon him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the LORD; 11:3 And shall make him of quick understanding in the fear of the LORD: and he shall not judge after the sight of his eyes, neither reprove after the hearing of his ears: 11:4 But with righteousness shall he judge the poor, and reprove with equity for the meek of the earth: and he shall smite the earth with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips shall he slay the wicked. 11:5 And righteousness shall be the girdle of his loins, and faithfulness the girdle of his reins. 11:6 The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid; and the calf and the young lion and the fatling together; and a little child shall lead them. 11:7 And the cow and the bear shall feed; their young ones shall lie down together: and the lion shall eat straw like the ox. 11:8 And the sucking child shall play on the hole of the asp, and the weaned child shall put his hand on the cockatrice’ den. 11:9 They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain: for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the LORD, as the waters cover the sea.
Satan, the author of heartache, strife, and contention would be bound for the duration of Christ’s Millennial Reign (Revelation 20:2,3).
Revelation 20:2 And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years, 20:3 And cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal upon him, that he should deceive the nations no more, till the thousand years should be fulfilled: and after that he must be loosed a little season.
Satan and his cohorts will mobilize forces against Christ and to frustrate His coming again to establish the Millennial Reign, just in the same way he tried to use Herod to stop Christ’s survival at His first coming (His birth)
. He was defeated at that time and again he would be defeated.
The battle against Christ and His host is called the Battle of Armageddon (Revelation 19:11-21; 20:1-4).
Revelation 19:11 And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war. 19:12 His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on his head were many crowns; and he had a name written, that no man knew, but he himself. 19:13 And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God. 19:14 And the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean. 19:15 And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. 19:16 And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS. 19:17 And I saw an angel standing in the sun; and he cried with a loud voice, saying to all the fowls that fly in the midst of heaven, Come and gather yourselves together unto the supper of the great God; 19:18 That ye may eat the flesh of kings, and the flesh of captains, and the flesh of mighty men, and the flesh of horses, and of them that sit on them, and the flesh of all men, both free and bond, both small and great. 19:19 And I saw the beast, and the kings of the earth, and their armies, gathered together to make war against him that sat on the horse, and against his army. 19:20 And the beast was taken, and with him the false prophet that wrought miracles before him, with which he deceived them that had received the mark of the beast, and them that worshipped his image. These both were cast alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone. 19:21 And the remnant were slain with the sword of him that sat upon the horse, which sword proceeded out of his mouth: and all the fowls were filled with their flesh.
Revelation 20:1 And I saw an angel come down from heaven, having the key of the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand. 20:2 And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years, 20:3 And cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal upon him, that he should deceive the nations no more, till the thousand years should be fulfilled: and after that he must be loosed a little season. 20:4 And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years.
There will be a great and terrible slaughter of the army of the antichrist gathered from the nations of the earth through the efforts of the evil spirits sent out over the earth by Satan, the antichrist and the false prophet (Revelation 17:13,14).
Revelation 17:13 These have one mind, and shall give their power and strength unto the beast. 17:14 These shall make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb shall overcome them: for he is Lord of lords, and King of kings: and they that are with him are called, and chosen, and faithful.
This Satan’s last attempt to wrongfully take the kingdom from Christ will fail.
The world and the Church are called to prepare for this great event.
The world is admonished to repent and come to Christ before the day of the Lord (John 3:1-8).
John 3:3 Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. 3:7 Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again.
Acts 3:19 Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord; 3:20 And he shall send Jesus Christ, which before was preached unto you:
Acts 17:30 And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to repent: 17:31 Because he hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained; whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead.
The Church as a bride is called to be ready, holy, spotless, watchful, prayerful and busy preaching His word until He comes (Hebrews 12:14; 1 John 3:1-3; 2 Timothy 4:1,2; Ephesians 5:25-27). “
Hebrews 12:14 Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord:
1 John 3:1 Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not. 3:2 Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is. 3:3 And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure.
Ephesians 5:25 Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; 5:26 That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, 5:27 That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.
2 Timothy 4:1 I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom; 4:2 Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine.
Behold, he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him” (Revelation 1:7).
Revelation 1:7 Behold, he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him, and they also which pierced him: and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him. Even so, Amen.
The doctrine of the second coming of Christ, is part of the twenty two, He said you in particular should hold unto till He comes.
Revelation 2:25 But that which ye have already hold fast till I come.
Revelation 3:10 Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth. 3:11 Behold, I come quickly: hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown.
Receive grace to do so till He comes in Jesus name.
Let us pray.
Leave a Reply