The Second Coming of our Messiah Jesus is probably the single most public published Christian event in recent times. The idea of The All-Powerful Jesus of Heaven and earth returning for His own is more in the minds of people than ever before.
There are thousands who teach and depict a rather imaginative and fictitious scenario of Jesus’ Coming and therefore the coming events are much distorted.
But, what does Jesus have to say about these events that must soon take place? Let us hear it in terms of what the Bible says. Let us here it from our Messiah Himself.
“Behold, I come as a thief. Blessed is he that watcheth, and keepeth his garments, lest he walk naked, and they see his shame.” (Revelation16:15)
“For ye yourselves perfectly well know, that the day of God as a thief in the night so cometh; As soon as they begin to say, Peace! and safety! then suddenly upon them cometh destruction, just as the birththroe unto her that is with child, and in nowise shall they escape. But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that the day upon you as upon thieves should lay hold;”(1 Thessalonians 5:2-4)
“And while they were looking steadfastly into heaven, as He was going His way, then lo! two men had taken their stand beside them, in white garments, who also said, Men of Galilee! Why stand ye looking into heaven? This Jesus, Who hath been taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye yourselves have gazed upon Him going into heaven.” (Acts 1:10-11)
Glorious is the evidence given to us of the resurrection and exaltation of our once crucified Redeemer, that through Him our faith and hope may be in God. Great numbers of disciples had frequent opportunities of seeing and conversing with Him after His death, and could not possibly mistake Him for any other.
They saw him ascend, in our nature, to heaven, and heard the Angels attestation concerning Him. Most Gladdening Truth!!!!! He has carried our nature to the right hand of God, and will in due time return, for our salvation, to judge the quick and the dead.
What we have heard from Jesus and His ministers, we can perfectly know, that the precise date and time of that day is altogether concealed. It will as unexpectedly as a thief who breaks into a house at midnight, when the master and all his family are asleep overtake the wicked in the most sudden, agonising and unavoidable manner.
But we, the children of God, the brothers of Jesus, are not like others under the power of spiritual darkness, that we should sleep secure in sin, faithless and unconcerned about that awful event, or unprepared for it, and therefore, though it may unexpectedly surprise us, it cannot issue in our ruin.
Why Will He Come Again?
“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. And if I go to prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself, that where I am, there ye may be also.” (John 14:2,3)
For in Heaven, where God The Father dwells in the highest manifestations of Himself, there are many mansions. If it had been otherwise, Jesus would have faithfully and kindly undeceived us. But He went away from us by death to purchase that glory for us. And by His ascension He took possession of it in our name, and to prepare everything in the best manner for our arrival there.
And as surely as Jesus went in that manner to prepare Heaven for us, He has quickly returned, by His Spirit to prepare us for it. At death He will receive our souls. And at His second appearance our whole person into His immediate presence and fellowship. That we may be forever where He already is in His Divine Nature. Gloriously honoured will they be who by Jesus’ love are washed from the guilt, dominion and filth of their sins in His Blood, and made kings and priests to Him and His Father.
How Will He Come Again?
The Second Coming Will Be Universally Visible.
“Behold, He comes with the clouds, and every eye will see Him, and they also which pierced Him, and all kindred’s of the earth shall wail because of Him. Even so, Amen.”(Revelation 1:7)
Every eye shall see Jesus’ appearance.
The clouds and winds convey the influences of His Power, Angelic hosts, made by Himself, surrounded His seat and bear His message.
“Who layeth His chambers in the waters: Who maketh the clouds His chariots: Who walketh upon the wings of the wind.”(Psalm 104:3)
“The chariots of God are two myriads – thousands repeated, my Master is among them, Sinai is in the sanctuary!.”(Psalm 68:17)
“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.” (Matthew 24:30)
“And unto you who are afflicted release with us, by the revealing of the Master Jesus from heaven, with His messengers of power.” (2 Thessalonians 1:7)
“But whensoever the Son of Man shall come in His glory, and all the messengers with Him, then will He sit on His throne of glory:.” (Matthew 25:31)
“For whosoever shall be ashamed of Me and of My Words, of Him shall The Son of man be ashamed when He comes in His own Glory, and in His Fathers, and of The Holy Angels.” (Luke 9:26)
Happy are they who boldly confess Jesus, whatever they may suffer on His account. What is lost for him on earth will be than compensated in Heaven. But dreadful is their eternal state who prefer the honours, profits, and pleasures of a present world, than Jesus’ everlasting salvation, or who are ashamed of His Truths and Ways.
“And I beheld and heard the voice of many Angels round about The Throne. And the Beasts and the Elders and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand and thousands of thousands.” (Revelation 5:11)
What great power, and glory, all of creation will look upon, when Jesus comes with all His Mighty mighty messengers (angels), millions upon millions, yes even billions.
At the grave of Jesus, a single angel appeared to the roman soldiers who were guarding it, and the Bible says that they fell down as dead. “a single angel.”
On the Mount of Transfiguration, when Jesus took three of His disciples with Him, Moses and Elijah appeared standing next to Jesus, then a cloud overshadowed them and a voice came out of it saying, “This is My Beloved Son, Hear Him”, the disciples fell to the ground as dead and Jesus had to raise them.
Can we begin to even imagine, that if “holy men” fell to their faces because of a voice, what will happen to the wicked when God appears with all the messengers (angels) of heaven?
The Second Coming Will Be Audible
“Because Jesus Himself with a word of command with a chief messenger’s voice, and with a trumpet of God, shall descend from heaven, and the dead in the Messiah shall rise first.”(1 Thessalonians 4:16)
In that important day, Jesus shall visibly and in Great Glory descend from Heaven, and in a most solemn manner, somewhat similar to the thunders at Sinai, summon the world to appear at His tribunal. Everything, the living and the dead will hear the Trump of God.
What Will Take Place At The Second Coming?
The Righteous Living Will Be Translated
“In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump! For the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal, must put on immortality.”(1 Corinthians 15:52,53)
Marvellous is the change that shall be made on our bodies to qualify them for their Heavenly glories. With what joy may we even now, through Jesus, triumph over death and the grave!
Certain is God’s glory and His exaltation, and no less certain our resurrection and future glory together with Him.
“For our citizenship in the heavens have its rise; wherefore a Saviour also do we ardently await, the Master Jesus the Messiah.” (Philippians 3:20,21)
Let us “never” follow or imitate man, but make Jesus our pattern whose temper and conduct is quite the reverse. For being citizens of the heavenly Jerusalem, our hearts and affections must be set upon things above, and carry on a constant correspondence with Father, Son, and Holy Spirit; looking longing, and hoping for Jesus’ descent to receive us to Himself!
Then in the twinkling of an eye He will transform these vile and mortal bodies of ours into the beautiful resemblance of His Own Glorious Body, by the working of That Almighty Power.
“So will it be at the conclusion of the age: the messengers will come forth, and seperate the wicked from among the righteous. And will cast them into the furnace of fire; there will be a wailing and gnashing of teeth.” (Matthew 13:49,50)
When the messengers (angels) come they will make an awful separation between the saints and the hypocrites in the last judgment.
If Jesus be our Roof, our Righteousness, our Riches, our Ornament, great, inexpressibly great, shall be our everlasting happiness and honour! While millions are connected together for their additional misery, and are tormented in hell, we will be ransomed by Jesus.
What Happens To The Wicked
“And the kings of the earth, and the great men, and the rich men, and the chief captains, and the mighty men, and every bondman, and every free man, hid themselves in the dens and in the rocks of the mountains; and said to the rocks and the mountains, “Fall on us, and hide us from the Face of Him that sitteth on the Throne, and from the wrath of The Lamb: For the Great day of His Wrath has Come, and who shall be able to stand?”(Revelation 6:15-17)
“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.”(Matthew 24:30)
“But the seventh from Adam, Enoch, prophesied even to these, saying, Lo! God hath come with His holy myriads, to execute judgment against all and to convict all the unrighteous of all their works of unrighteousness which they committed in unrighteousness, and of all the hard things they have spoken against Him, sinners, unholy!.”(Jude 14,15)
Enoch foretold Jesus’ glorious coming, attended by His saints and messengers (angels) to the last judgment. Publically all ungodly persons will be exposed and condemned to eternal punishment. Their premeditated malicious and wicked deeds, their virulent speeches which they have thrown out against Jesus’ person, gospel, cause, and upon His members and faithful servants, will not go unpunished.
“Near is the great day of God, near and very speedy, the noise of the day of God, a strong man there bitterly crying out! A day of indignation, that day! Day of danger and distress, day of rush and of crash, day of obscurity and deep gloom, day of cloud and thick darkness.”(Zephenia1:14;15)
What a dreadful and fearful ruin wait upon of the enemies of God’s Son!
The wrath of God will be theirs. These refusers of Jesus’ atoning sacrifice must themselves fall a sacrifice to the provoked vengeance of God. Nothing can save them! Yes, every sin, secret or open, is taken into account as a ground of their punishment. Alas, how terrible to fall into The Hands of an Angry God! How dreadful The Judgments on The Day of God! How will it strike sinners dumb with horror, and consume them as with fire!
“And then shall be revealed the Lawless One, whom the Master Jesus will slay with the Spirit of His mouth, and paralyse with the forthshining of His presence.” (2 Thessalonians 2:8)
Dreadful is His wrath! Furious, swift, terrible and runious, are the miseries, the effects of His vengeance upon impenitent sinners!
They, who have plagued the people of God, shall have their fill of vexation and misery at last. What fearful work must the unrestrained fury, of The Almighty God make in hell, forever and ever!
“For lo! the day cometh, that burneth as a furnace; and all the proud and everyone who worketh lawlessness shall be stubble, and the day that cometh shall consume them utterly; saith God of hosts, that it shall leave them neither root nor branch.”(Malachi 4:1)
“And the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah reducing to ashes He condemned, an example of such as should be unrighteous having set forth;” (2 Peter 2:6)
Let us seriously remember how the Hebrew ancestors, after God had miraculously delivered them from their Egyptian bondage, were almost every one of them cut off by terrible judgments in the wilderness for their disobedience and unbelief. And how the highly dignified messengers (angels) who revolted from God by sin, were cast down into hell, and like condemned and chained prisoners, till the last judgment.
When there torments shall be completed, and they, with all apostates and impenitent unbelievers, shall depart into the most tremendous everlasting punishment! And in what a fearful manner God, by fire, and brimstone from heaven, destroyed the sodomites and their neighbours of Gomorrah, Admah, and Zeboim, for their unnatural lust, men with men, and set them and their country as an emblem of that everlasting destruction which is prepared for wicked messengers and men.
“And ye shall tread down the lawless, for they shall be ashes under the soles of your feet, in the day when I am working with effect, saith God of hosts.”(Malachi 4:3)
The wicked shall be destroyed, and God’s people shall triumph over them. They have condemned and murdered The Righteous Messiah Jesus, and many of His faithful servants, who never offered them the least violence or injury. But the time is at hand when God shall fully punish these and their other abominations. Dreadful is the miseries that follow them to hell!
Signs of His Coming
- Wars And Distress Of Nations
- Earthquakes
- As In The Days Of Noah
- Gospel Preached World Wide
- Tribulation
- False Christ’s
- Signs In The Sun, Moon, And Stars
But He answering, said unto them, “Are ye not beholding all these things? Verily I say unto you: In no wise shall there be left here stone upon stone, which shall not be thrown down.” And as He was sitting upon the Mount of Olives, the disciples came unto Him, privately, saying, “Tell us, when these things shall be, and what the sign of Thy presence, and the conclusion of the age.” And answering, Jesus said unto them, “Be taking heed lest anyone deceive you. For many will come upon My Name, saying, I am the Messiah, and will deceive many.” (Matthew 24:2,5)
Before the destruction of Jerusalem many false teachers and pretended messiah’s appeared. There were many wars, commotions, famines, pestilences and earthquakes. And today, the world is filled with the same miseries. Jesus said; “See ye not all these things?”
Additional Signs
- An Increase in Knowledge. Daniel 12:4
- Increased Demonic Activity. Revelation 16:13,14
- Departure from Faith. 2 Timothy 4:3,4
- Economic Woes. James 5:1-8
- Rise in False Teachings. 2 Peter 3:3-7
- Disobedience and Anarchy. 2 Timothy 3:1
Increase in Knowledge:
“But Thou, O Daniel, shut up the words and seal the book, even to the time of the end: many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased.” (Daniel 12:4)
Many are indeed running to and fro, running after money, jumping from one religion to another, travelling the globe, running to and fro in confusion.
Knowledge: NASA, Information availability(www), technology, religion, science.
Increased Demonic Activity:
“And I saw out of the mouth of the dragon, and out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of the false-prophet, three impure spirits, as frogs; For they are spirits of demons doing signs, which are to go forth unto the kings of the whole habital earth, to gather them together unto the battle of the great day of God the Almighty!” (Revelation 16:13,14)
False religions, new age, witchcraft, voodoo, ect.
Departure from Faith:
“For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine: but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears: And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables. But watch thou in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of thy ministry.” (2 Timothy 4:3,4)
Such a great number of men, because of their own pride, lusts and passions, have become enraged against the pure doctrines of the gospel. They no longer want to hear them, but seek out, and multiply to themselves, such false teachers as tickle their ears with new and unscriptural doctrines. Doctrines of men, and doctrines of devils. They prefer to turn a deaf ear to the truths of the gospel. They eagerly listen to and embrace every vain, empty, and senseless story, to amuse themselves and keep their consciences easy. They jump from church to church. From religion to religion.
Economic Woes:
“Go to now, ye rich men, weep and howl for your miseries that shall come upon you. Your riches are corrupted, and your garments are moth-eaten. Ye have lived in pleasure on the earth, and been wanton; ye have nourished your hearts as in the day of slaughter. Ye have condemned and killed the just; and ye doth not resist you.” (James 5:1,2,5,6) Be alarmed you rich unbelievers. Dreadful calamities shall quickly overtake you, except you repent.
Rise in False Teachings:
Of this, first taking note, that there will come in the last days, with scoffing, scoffers, after their own coveting going on, And saying, “Where is the promise of His presence? For since the fathers fell asleep, all things thus remain from the beginning of creation.” For this they wilfully forget, that there were heavens from old, and an earth on account of water and by means of water compacted, by God’s word, by which means the world that that then was, was with water being flooded perished. While the heavens and earth that now are, by the same word have been stored with fire, being kept unto the day of judgment and destruction of the unrighteous men. (2 Peter 3:3-7)
We have been fully warned that, in the last days, there would arise profane despisers and deriders of the most important points of Revelation.
They wilfully shut their eyes against the truths of Scripture . They mock and ridicule the great day of The God. They deny His coming. They argue that the earth will not be destroyed by The Power of God. By Fire.
Disobedience and Anarchy:
“This, know also that in the last days perilous times shall come.” (2 Timothy 3:1)
“And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads, for your redemption draweth nigh.” (Luke 21:28)
Discern the signs of the times! And with fervent prayer, and watchfulness, avoid the dangerous snare of earthly cares and pleasures. Be ever ready for the judgment seat! For the world is in jeopardy every hour! Let us therefore watch and be sober, that we may be prepared and be ready when our Master Jesus Shall Come!
Yet in this situation of perilous times, we as the children of God, can have the comfortable testimony of The Spirit Of God, that Jesus, will protect His church against its enemies.
The Battle of Armageddon:
“And he gathered them together into a place, called in Hebrew tongue, Armageddon.” (Revelation 16:16)
The enemies of God will be abolished, and receive a terrible defeat at the battle of Armageddon.
“I will also gather all nations, and will bring them down into the valley of Jehoshaphat, and will plead with them there for my people and for my heritage Israel, whom they have scattered among the nations, and parted my land.”(Joel 3:2)
This chiefly relates to the destruction of the antichristians in which the just judgment of God will be fearfully manifested. The valley of Jehoshaphat denotes the place where God will destroy them, as He did the enemies of Jehoshaphat in the valley of Berachah, and may be the same as Armageddon, or the valley before Jerusalem.
There will be a general combination against God’s people, abundantly furnished with weapons of war. But Jesus, by the instruments of His wrath will suddenly cut them off, trample them under His feet, ruin all ranks, and deprive them of all their comforts. Amidst the terrible commotions attending the fall of God’s enemies, Jesus will remarkably comfort, protect, and strengthen His people.
“There shall no evil befall thee, neither shall any plague come near thy dwelling.” (Psalm 91:10)
“There shall fall at thy side a thousand, yea myriads at that thy right hand, unto thee shall it not come nigh; Save only with thy own eyes shalt thou discern, and the recompense of the lawless shall thou see. Because thou hast made God my refuge, the Most High, thou hast made thy dwelling-place.” (Psalm 91:7-9)
While Jesus is The Father’s Darling, protected, guarded, attended, heard in His prayers, honoured, and crowned with life and glory everlasting, let us with wonder behold the happiness of all the saints, who make God their refuge and delightful habitation, who Know His Name, set their love on Him, and call on Him. They are secured against every disappointment and danger. Guarded by angels, delivered from, and victorious over, the devil, that fowler, dragon and lion of hell. God will attend them in their troubles, hear their prayers, and give them peace.
“And arrayed with a mantle sprinkled with blood, and His Name hath been called, The Word of God. And the armies which were in heaven were following Him upon white horses, clothed with fine linen, white, pure; And out of His mouth is going forth a sharp sword, that therewith He may smite the nations, and He shall shepherd them with a sceptre of iron, and He treadeth the wine-press of the wrath of the anger of God the Almighty ” (Revelation 19:13-15)
Jesus is rendered “distinguished and glorious” by the blood of His vanquished and slaughtered enemies. The white horses, upon which the Messiah and His army ride to conquer the army of satan, denote their high honour and certain success and triumph, and represent the glorious and everlasting gospel, which shall then prevail with light and purity, speed and power through the earth. His sharp sword and iron rod denote His dreadful threatening and righteous judgments on idolatrous and wicked nations. His treading the wine press denotes Him squeezing and crushing His enemies into death and ruin by the terrible impressions of His heavy, infinite, and irresistible wrath.
“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 worshiped his image. These both were cast alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone. And the remnant were slain with the sword of Him that sat upon the horse, which sword proceedeth out of His mouth: and all the fowls were filled with their flesh.” (Revelation 19:20,21)
According to Jesus’ awful threatening, and by His influence, the whole power of the antichrist, civil and ecclesiastical, is totally ruined, and, while the souls of its wicked supporters are cast into hell, the ravenous beasts feed on the slain carcasses, and the saints of God divide the spoil, and with great satisfaction, rejoice in this righteous vengeance, as it manifests the glory of God’s perfections and opens the way for the happiest and most glorious state of the church on earth.
And I heard the altar, saying, “Yea! God the Almighty: True and righteous are Thy judgments!” (Revelation 16:7)
“I beheld till the thrones were cast down, and the Ancient of Days did sit, whose garment was white as snow and The Hair of His Head like pure wool: His Throne was like the fiery flame, and His wheels as burning fire. A fiery stream issued and came forth from before Him, and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before Him: the judgment was set, and the books were opened. I saw in the night visions, and behold, one like The Son of man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the ancient of days, and they brought him near before him. And there was given Him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages, should serve him: His dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and His kingdom which shall not be destroyed. But the saints of The Most High; shall take the kingdom, and posses the kingdom forever, even forever and ever. Until the Ancient of days came, and judgment was given to the saints of The Most High; and the time came that the saints possessed the kingdom. But the judgment shall sit, and they shall take away his dominion, to consume and to destroy it unto the end. And the kingdom and dominion, and the greatness of the kingdom under the whole heaven, shall be given to the people of the saints of The Most High, whose kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and all dominions shall serve and obey Him.” (Daniel 7:9,10,13,14,18,22,26,27)
The Gospel Kingdom of Jesus will be established in the world. His white robes denote His unspotted righteousness and holiness in all His proceedings. His white hairs represent His eternity, venerable majesty, and the ripeness of His counsels. His fiery throne denotes His awful scrutiny and fearful condemnations. Its burning wheels and fiery stream denote the swift execution of His sentences and fearful severity of His judgments. His numerous ministers are His messengers in His providence. The opening of the books, denote the exact discovery He makes on men’s works, and the infinite equity and regularity of his decisions. The power here given to The Son of Man implies not only His ascension into heaven, but His authority to destroy the antichristian powers, in order that His Gospel Church may fill the whole world, especially in the millennium.
“And behold, I come quickly, and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be.” (Revelation 22:12)
Ravishing and abundant will be our enjoyment of Jesus and His Spirit. All His purchased salvation. All the consolations. All the Fullness of God in Him. Divinely acknowledged and immediately illuminated, we will reign; with Him forever more!
“And the Spirit and the bride say Come. And let Him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely”. (Revelation 22:17)
Here the church, which is us, the bride, request that our Messiah Jesus, would come quickly to fulfil all his gracious promises, and also an invitation to sinful men, to come and freely receive His promised blessings.
In Revelation 22:20, again the plea rings out into the Heavens. He that beareth witness of these things saith, “Yea! I come speedily.” “Come, Master Jesus!”
We do not know when, Jesus will return. But we do know that our Master Jesus, said it will be soon.
Therefore live in a manner that pleases God. Be Ready! Be Prepared! It will happen! In a blink of an eye!
In the Old Testament it is recorded more than One thousand times of our Messiah´s coming. In the New Testament, of the Second Coming, it is recorded a few hundred times. May The Holy Spirit, proceeding from, and sent by Jesus, work it in you, that you will be ready at all times, and believe that His Day is at Hand.
In the exercise of an assured faith, let us always receive His fullness, and look, long, and wait for His Second Coming. Soon we shall be forever with Jesus! Soon we can exchange this precious, precious, precious book of God, “The Bible” for seeing Him as He Is, and knowing Him even as we are known in The face our Messiah Jesus!
COME, JESUS, COME!
Let us then, in a humble dependence on, and patient waiting for Jesus, avoid all carnal views of His Kingdom, or curious prying into God’s secrets. For there is a need of great activity in His honourable work and of preparation for His second coming at which we must give our account.
While the world rages in wickedness, let the “great commission” be the delight of our souls! The joint effectual fervent prayers of righteous men avail much.