05.14. THE SECOND COMING OF CHRIST (No. 2)
THE SECOND COMING OF CHRIST.
(Lesson No. 2). A short time before the crucifixion of Christ, he said to his disciples:
"Let not your hearts be troubled: believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you; for I go to prepare a place for you, I come again, and will receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also."(John 14:1-3).
After the resurrection his disciples were with him on the Mount of Olives, when they saw him ascend. As they were intently gazing after him; two men, in shining apparel said to them:
"Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye looking into heaven? this Jesus, who was received up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye behold him going into heaven." (Acts 1:11).
Among those who believe the Bible there has never been a question touching the fact that Jesus will come for his saints. There has been some controversy as to the time when he will come again. With most people when they are told something will take place in which they are interested, they are anxious to know: When will it take place? If they are not told they usually become the more interested in the WHEN, and if not told they try to determine within themselves, or by some means to learn the exact date. Much time and energy has been wasted by men in trying to determine the time of the Lord’s second coming, and that in the face of the Lord’s statement that even he did not know, nor the angels in heaven the date of the second coming. He said:
"But of that day and hour knoweth no one, not even the angels in heaven, neither the Son, but the Father only." (Matthew 24:36).
Even in the days of the apostles, and through the centuries since then, there have been those declaring the second coming of Christ was imminent. Jesus said:
"If the master of the house had known in what watch the thief was coming, he would have watched, and would not have suffered his house to be broken through. Therefore be ye also ready; for in an hour that ye think not the Son of man cometh." (Matthew 24:43-44). The great concern of the Christian should ever be: "Be ye also ready." Whether morning, noon, or night; be ready for his coming. There is no time to make preparation after the trump has sounded. The "foolish virgins" were unprepared; so also there will be some who are not ready when the Lord comes. (See Matthew 25:1-13). The world has grown wicked, seemingly man has gone from "bad to worse." When Noah appeared crying for men to repent; heedlessly they continued their wayward course. He continued to build the ark. The Lord said:
"And it came to pass in the days of Noah, even so shall it be also in the days of the Son of man, They ate, they drank, they were given in marriage, until the day that Noah entered into the ark, and the flood came, and destroyed them all." (Luke 17:26-27). The people continued their wicked course, giving no serious attention to the preaching of Noah. Unexpectedly on their part the flood was upon them. So will it be when the Lord comes again. The Lord will come suddenly, with vengeance on the wicked; and to be admired by his saints. It will be the time when the Lord comes,
"From heaven with the angels of his power in flaming fire, rendering vengeance to them that know not God, and to them that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ: who suffer punishment, even eternal destruction from the face of the Lord and from the glory of his might, when he shall come to be glorified in his saints, and to be marveled at in all them that believe (because our testimony unto you was believed) in that day." (2 Thessalonians 1:7-10). When the Lord comes from heaven to be marveled at by the saints, the wicked will at that time be punished!
COMING WITH HIS ANGELS The description found in Matthew 25:31-46 is not speculative, but declares without doubt that Christ is coming in his glory with all the holy angels and before him will be all nations; the wicked will be separated from the righteous, and cast into everlasting punishment, and the righteous will receive eternal life. It is the universal judgment, the time of the end. TO JUDGE THE QUICK AND THE DEAD
"I charge thee in the sight of God, and of Christ Jesus, who shall judge the living and the dead, and at his appearing and his kingdom: preach the word." (2 Timothy 4:1). The living and the dead will be judged at has appearing!’ WHEN WILL HE COME?
"Marvel not at this: for the hour cometh, in which all that are hi the tombs shall hear his voice, and shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of judgment." (Damnation). (John 5:28-29). That the Lord makes reference to the general resurrection is certain. The resurrection in which ALL that are in the tombs will come forth. All will come forth at the same hour. THE LAST DAY.
"And this is the will of him that sent me, that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up at the last day" (John 6:39),
"And this is the will of my Father, that every one that beholdeth the Son, and believeth on him, should have eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day." (John 6:40).
"No man can come to me, except the Father that sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day." (John 6:44).
"There shall be a resurrection both of the just and unjust." (Acts 24:15). When will the resurrection of the just and unjust take place? The resurrection of the just will take place at the "LAST DAY." Do the scriptures say the wicked will be judged at the "LAST DAY?". Yes, that is what "the good book Do say." Read:
"He that rejecteth me, and receiveth not my sayings, hath one that judgeth him: the word that I spake, the same shall judge him in the last day." (John 12:48).
CHRIST IN HEAVEN—TILL WHEN? On the Mount of Olives, near the home of Mary, Martha, and Lazarus, Christ was with the disciples, when he ascended to heaven. (Luke 24:50; Acts 1:11). How long will Christ remain in heaven—when will he come again? The record declares of him:
"Whom the heavens must receive until the times of restoration of all things, whereof Cod spake by the mouth of his holy prophets that have been from of old." (Acts 3:21).
Christ is to remain in heaven till when? Till all the things spoken by God’s holy prophets "since the world began."
It will be informative to some to have their attention called to some of the things spoken by the prophets.
Read:
"For, behold, I create new heavens and a new earth; and the former things shall not be remembered, nor come into mind." (Isaiah 65:17).
"For as the new heavens and the new earth, which I shall make shall remain before me, saith Jehovah, so shall your seed and your name remain." (Isaiah 66:22).
How long will the Lord remain in heaven? Till all the things spoken of by the mouth of God’s holy prophets are fulfilled. But the Lord promised a "new heavens" and "new earth." It must follow then that he will not cease to be "received" by heaven till the fulfillment of the promises made by the prophets of God. The "New heavens and the new earth" are not the only promises made fey the prophets. Read further:
"I will ransom them from the power of Sheol; I will redeem them from death." (Hosea 13:14). The "new heavens and the new earth" have not yet appeared. The dead have not been resurrected, hence not delivered from "death." Of Christ it was said:
"Sit thou at my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool." (Psalms 110:1; Acts 2:34; Hebrews 1:13).
"But the day of the Lord will come; in which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall be dissolved with fervent heat, and the earth and the works that are therein shall be burned up. Seeing that these things are thus all to be dissolved, what manner of person ought ye to be in all holy living and godliness, looking for and earnestly desiring the coming of the day of God, by reason of which the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat: But, according to his promise, we look for new heaven and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness." (2 Peter 3:10-13). The heavens will "receive" Christ till all these things spoken of by the holy prophets are fulfilled. Death will not be destroyed till the last one within the hadean world are raised from the tomb. There will be no two resurrections, one of the righteous and another more than a thousand years latter—of the wicked! At the
"Your heart shall live forever." (Psalms 22:26). Begone with all Sadistic idea of death! When death, with his keen sythe enters the family circle, and with the icy breath kisses to sleep some of our loved ones, and bears them from us, we bow our heads like the ripened grain; we array ourselves in mourning; the heart is sore, and the voice is broken; smiles are banished from our faces, and joy from our hearts. We sympathize with those thus bereaved; but we must be philosophers. That which we commit to the tomb is not the loved one, it is only the house in which your loved one for a time lived. The loved one with all that he constitutes the personality and individuality, continues to live. To the Christian death is not a calamity, it is but the gateway, the vestibule to the eternal home, where pain, sorrow incident to this life are wholly unknown. Death but breaks the little dark prison house in which the man dwells and allows the spirit to unfold its golden pinions, and we "fly away" to those celestial mansions that await those who loved the Lord. Let us not think of the departed ones as the infidel when he tells us that it is all of life to live, and all of death to die, nor as the modern Sadducees when they teach that man ceases to exist when death comes.
"Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his saints." (Psalms 15:1-5).
Saints are the children of God. His eyes are over them, and his ears open to their prayers. They are his friends. We find great pleasure when our friends are near us, are delighted when they are free from pain and sorrow, even as the Lord delights in his saints, friends being freed from this body of dull mortality and living in a state where sorrow and pain are unknown.
"Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter. Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. For I am persuaded that-neither death nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of Christ Jesus our Lord." (Romans 8:35-39).
Paul declares that none of the things named could separate us from the Love of God which is in Christ the Lord. But please note, this man of God does not contemplate this life only, for he declares plainly, that "death" can’t separate us from that love. Love never faileth. To be conquerors through the love of God, we must be active even in death as in tribulation and persecution. Christians take courage though you must fall under the stroke of death, death can not hold dominion over you. You will conquer through the love of God, and, In the rapture of a heart filled with love, cry aloud:
"O, death, where is thy victory." "O, Grave, where is thy conquest?" We are victors through Jesus Christ, for through him we triumph. The righteous live forever.
TOPICS FOR INVESTIGATION AND DISCUSSION.
The Kingdom—Present and Future.
The Gospel Age.
Last Days.
Judging and Reigning.
QUESTIONS.
What does John 14:1-3 teach? What assurance is given his disciples?
What notable event happened on the Mount of Olives?
Quote promise made in Acts 1:11.
Is Christ’s second coming questionable?
Give proof that no one knows when he will return.
What does Matthew 24:43-44 teach?
Why is it necessary that Christians watch continually?
What should be Christian’s great concern?
Will there be time for conversion after Christ returns?
Give a resume of Matthew 25:1-13.
Compare status of men when flood came, with status when the Lord will return.
How will the Lord come? Contrast the wicked and the saints when he comes.
Does this coming day of Judgment mean a period of time or dispensation?
Are there two ages of judgment? (Matthew 25:31-46).
To whom was Christ speaking in Matthew 25:24?
Who will be assembled before the judge of all mankind?
What will be the fate of those assembled?
What is meant by the "Quick and the Dead?* ’
Describe the judgment as pictured in John 5:28-29.
Will all come forth at the same hour?
What is meant by the "Last Day?* ’
How is one to come to Christ? Give proof.
When will the resurrection of the just and unjust be?
How long will Christ remain in heaven?
What promise did the prophets make?
Have the New heavens and the new earth appeared?
Who will dwell in the new heaven and new earth?
Explain 1 Corinthians 15:26.
How many resurrections will there be?
Discuss body and spirit—life and death.
What is death? What is death to a Christian?
How should we feel when death enters our family circle?
Why do we mourn when death takes a loved one?
What things separate one from Christ?
If we love Christ can we be separated from him? Prove.
What is said of love?
Does death hold dominion over the Christian?
Does Paul contemplate this life only?
How may we be conquerors through the love of God?
Will the Christian overcome death and the grave?
Who will triumph eternally?
What will be the state of the righteous?
How often is it thought that the wicked are happy, and Prosperous and Successful?
Such a view does not know the horrors of the pillow at night, nor the final reward of the wicked.
Always do your best; Angels can do no better.
Some sins are attended by temporary worldly pleasure; but righteousness brings eternal joy.
There must be more than glamor to make people worthy of your confidence.
Love never ends nor can it be measured by passing seasons or wrinkles of age.
Permanent victories are not won in a day.