 |
THE SECOND COMING OF
CHRIST
The second coming of
Christ is a central theme in the New Testament. According to statistics,
the second coming is mentioned 318 times in the 260 chapters of the New
Testament. In our religious world there is much debate and many
questions concerning the second coming of Christ. Because of all the
misconceptions that are taught about the second coming of Christ, let us
look to the Bible to see what it has to say about the second coming and
the end of time.
When Will The Time Be? This question has intrigued some to the point
that predictions have been made as to when the return of Christ would
be. Dates such as 1833,1914,1919,1945,1975 and 1988, just to name a few,
have been predicted and this list is not a complete one at all. Of
course, these years have long since come and gone and Christ has not yet
returned, but this does not diminish from the fact of the certainty of
His return. Notice what the Bible says about the time of the second
coming of Christ: "For yourselves know perfectly well that the day of
the Lord will come as a thief in the night" (1 Thes. 5:2). "But the day
of the Lord will come as a thief in the night..." (2 Pet. 3:10). "But of
that day and hour knoweth no man, no not the angels of heaven, but My
Father only" (Matt. 24:36). It is clear from these passages that the
second coming of Christ will be unannounced, so it is needless for
anyone to try to predict the time or an approximation of Christ's
return. We should not put our faith in any prediction that comes from
man.
The Glorious Appearing Of The Great God: When Christ returns, the
Bible tells us that it will be glorious. As Paul tells Titus about the
grace of God that teaches us how we should live says, "Looking for that
blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Savior
Jesus Christ" (Ti. 2:13). The appearing will be glorious because when
Jesus returns in the clouds everyone will see Him. 1 Thess. 4:16,17,
describing the events of the second coming of Christ, says, "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: 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." This glorious appearing will be
announced with a shout, the voice of the archangel and the trump of God.
Also, the Lord will return in the clouds. The clouds have always been
symbolic of nobility and grandeur. Again, in Rev. 1:7 we read, "Behold,
He cometh with the clouds; and every eye shall see Him, and they also
which pierced Him: and all kindred's of the earth shall wail because of
Him." Notice that this second appearing of Jesus will be known to all.
It will not be a secret appearance that is unknown to people, but it
will be observed by all.
What About Christ Coming Back To Earth? The second coming of Christ
does not include Christ sitting His foot back upon the earth and setting
up His kingdom on the earth. As 1 Thes. 4 and Rev. 1 mentions, Christ's
return will be in the clouds. We are also told that those still living
on earth will be "caught up...in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air
and so shall we ever be with the Lord" (1 Thes. 4:16). The second coming
of Christ is not for Christ to set up His kingdom on earth. In 1 Cor.
15, Paul, discussing the fact that Christians will be raised to be with
Christ, says, "then cometh the end, when He shall have delivered up the
kingdom to God, even the Father; when He shall have put down all rule
and all authority and power" (1 Cor. 15:24). This verse does not mention
anything about setting up a kingdom on earth, but says that Christ will
give the kingdom to the Father. Christ will lay down all rule and
authority which the Father has given to Him (Matt. 28:18; Eph. 1:22,23).
When Christ returns, the dead in Christ will be raised first and given
immortal bodies (1 Cor. 15:50-53). Then those that are alive and remain
will be caught up together with them in the air and so shall they ever
be with the Lord (where? in the air, not on this earth). Our hope and
desire for Christ's return is not for something to happen on earth, but
for that which is beyond this life and beyond this earth. Peter writes
concerning our hope in Christ second coming and says, "Looking for and
hasting unto the coming of the day of God wherein that heavens being on
fire shall melt with fervent heat! Nevertheless we, according to His
promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth
righteousness." Peter then gives the reason of the great expectation of
Christ's return is for our eternal home.
We do not know when Christ will return, but it will be a glorious day if
we are prepared and are in Christ where all spiritual blessings are to
be found. On the other hand, how fearful will the return of Christ be
for those outside of Christ. Knowing this, it should move each one of us
to look at our life and compare it to the Word of God. If we find that
we have not obeyed the gospel of Christ according to the Scriptures,
then we are still in our sins and outside of Christ. In that condition,
we would not enjoy that home in heaven that Christ has prepared. Let us
look seriously at our lives and prepare for the second coming of Christ,
so that it will be a glorious blessing for us.
----- David A. Cox in
Gospel Power,
Vol. 13, No. 37, Sept. 10, 2006.
|
|
