01.057. THE END OF OUR AGE
Lesson Fifty THE END OF OUR AGE Scripture Reading: Acts 1:1-10; Matthew 24:3-14; Hebrews 9:23-28.
Scriptures to Memorize: “This Jesus, who was received up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye beheld him going into heaven” (Acts 1:11). “So Christ also, having been once offered to bear the sins of many, shall appear a second time, apart from sin, to them that wait for him, unto salvation” (Hebrews 9:28). “He who testifieth these things saith, Yea: I come quickly. Amen: come, Lord Jesus” (Revelation 22:20).
154. Q. What do we mean by “the end of our age”?
A. By “the end of our age,” we mean the end of the present or Christian Dispensation.
155. Q. When will the Christian Dispensation end?
A. The Christian Dispensation will end when Christ comes again.
Matthew 24:14, Matthew 24:37-39, Acts 1:11, Hebrews 9:28, etc.
156. Q. Is the doctrine of the Second Coming of Christ prominent in the Scriptures?
A. It is one of the most outstanding doctrines of the New Testament Scriptures.
(1) The Second Coming is said to be “the blessed hope” of every true Christian (Titus 2:11-14). (2) Those who study what the Scriptures teach with reference to this subject are said to be “blessed” (Revelation 1:3). (3) One verse in every twenty-five in the New ‘Testament, mentions or alludes to the Second Coming. (4) Jesus Himself had much to say about His return. See Matthew 25:1-30; Matthew 24:3-51; Mark 13:3-8; Mark 13:14-37; Luke 17:22-37; Luke 21:10-36; Luke 12:35-48, etc. (5) The closing words of the New Testament anticipate the Lord’s return. Revelation 22:20—“Come, Lord Jesus.”
157. Q. What do the Scriptures teach with respect to the nature of the Second Coming?
A. The Scriptures teach that the Second Coming of Christ will be (1) personal, (2) outward and visible, and (3) glorious.
(1) Personal, i.e., not merely in political, social, reformatory or religious movements. The Lord will come Himself. 1 Thessalonians 4:16—“For the Lord Himself shall descend from heaven”; cf. Acts 1:11. (2) Outward and visible. Revelation 1:7—“he cometh with the clouds; and every eye shall see him.” John 5:28—“all that are in the tombs shall hear his voice.” “We do not know how all men at one time can see a bodily Christ; but we also do not know the nature of Christ’s body . . . The telephone has made it possible for men widely separated to hear the same voice; it is equally possible that all men may see the same Christ coming in the clouds” (Strong, Systematic Theology, p. 1005). May we not reasonably conclude that such inventions as the radio and television are but preparatory for this glorious event? (3) Glorious. Luke 21:27—“Then shall they see the Son of man coming in a cloud with power and great glory.” He will come in Majesty: not as the suffering Savior, but as the reigning Sovereign. See 2 Thessalonians 1:7, Mark 8:38, Luke 9:26, Titus 2:13, etc.
158. Q. What do the Scriptures teach with regard to the time of the Second Coming?
A. The Scriptures teach that the exact time of Christ’s Second Coming is not revealed to man.
(1) Matthew 24:36—“But of that day and hour knoweth no man, not even the angels of heaven, neither the Son, but the Father only.” Acts 1:7—“It is not for you to know times or seasons, which the Father hath set within his own authority.” (2) The exact time of the Second Coming has been purposely concealed from us, for three reasons: (a) to prevent irreligiousness followed by last-minute reformation; (b) to stimulate in the hearts of His people the blessed hope of His appearing; and (c) to heighten their anticipation of the glorious event. See Mark 13:33-37 : “Take ye heed, watch and pray . . . and what I say unto you, I say unto all, Watch!”
159. Q. What are to be the purposes of the Second Coming?
A. The Scriptures teach that Christ will come to complete His conquest of evil in all its forms, and to complete the salvation of His people.
(1) He comes to expose sin in all its forms (1 Corinthians 4:5).
(2) He comes to judge the nations (Isaiah 2:4, Acts 17:31).
(3) He comes to destroy the Anti-christ (2 Thessalonians 2:8).
(4) He comes to receive His Bride, the True Church, unto Himself (1 Thessalonians 4:16-17, Ephesians 5:25-27, Revelation 19:7-8).
(5) He comes to glorify His saints (1 Corinthians 15:22-23).
(6) He comes to reign until Satan shall have been subjugated and his evil works abolished (1 Corinthians 15:25-26, Revelation 20:1-3).
(7) He comes to gloriously consummate God’s eternal purpose and plan (Acts 3:20-21), Cf. 1 John 3:8, Revelation 22:12, etc.
160. Q. What conditions are to prevail throughout the world immediately prior to the Second Coming of Christ?
A. The Scriptures teach that sensualism, irreligiousness and lawlessness are to prevail generally throughout the world in the age immediately preceding our Lord’s return.
(1) Conditions will be the same as in the age before the Flood, says Jesus. Matthew 24:37-39. (2) The characteristics of the antediluvian age may be summarized as follows: (a) religious apostasy; (b) moral degeneracy; (c) evil thinking; (d) lawlessness; (e) sensualism; (f) preoccupation, such that when the Flood come, it came upon an unbelieving, unsuspecting and unprepared race; (g) vain striving of the Holy Spirit with men. Genesis 6:1-13. (3) These conditions are to prevail likewise in the age immediately preceding our Lord’s return. See Luke 17:26-32; 1 Timothy 4:1-3; 2 Timothy 3:1-5, etc.
161. Q. What are to be the precursors of the Second Coming of Christ?
A. The following conditions and happenings: (l) world-wide irreligiousness and apostasy; (2) world-wide social and political unrest; (3) the return of the Jews to Palestine; (4) the rise of the Antichrist.
(1) World-wide irreligiousness and apostasy; i.e., a general falling away from the faith (2 Thessalonians 2:1-3, 1 Timothy 4:1-3, 2 Peter 3:1-4), a corresponding moral degeneracy (2 Timothy 3:1-14, Matthew 24:37-39), and the rise of the spirit of the antichrist (1 John 2:22; 1 John 4:3; 2 John 1:7). (2) Worldwide social and political unrest. Luke 21:25-28, Matthew 24:5-8. (3) The return of the Jews to Jerusalem and the Holy Land. Jeremiah 32:36-42, Ezekiel 11:16-20. Luke 21:24—“until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled.” See Romans 11:1-36. Note, in this connection, the achievements and possibilities of the present-day Zionist Movement. (4) The rise of the Antichrist himself ; a great world ruler or dictator, who will embody in his person and plans, intense hatred of, and opposition to, the Christian religion. See 2 Thessalonians 2:1-10. He will be the very embodiment of Satan in the flesh, and will be Satan’s agent in a last desperate effort to defeat the execution of God’s purpose and plan for the human race. (5) In addition to all this there will be the completion of the Gospel proclamation, so far as the present-day church order is concerned. Matthew 24:14.
162. Q. What great events are to occur in close connection with the Second Coming of Christ?
A. Apparently, the following: (l) The First Resurrection, (2) The Translation of the Church, (3) The Great Tribulation, (4) The Second Coming, (5) The Conversion of the Jews, and (6) The Millenial Reign of Christ.
(1) The First Resurrection. 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17. Revelation 20:4-6, “they lived, and reigned with Christ a thousand years. The rest of the dead lived not until the thousand years should be finished. This is the first resurrection.” In this connection, note the clear distinction running throughout the New Testament, between the “resurrection from the dead,” and the “resurrection of the dead” (cf. Php 3:11). The former phrase, many believe, alludes to the First Resurrection (cf. John 5:29—“they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life”); and the latter phrase, to the final resurrection of all humanity, particularly the wicked and lost (cf. John 5:29—“they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of judgment”), which will evidently follow the Millenium. Note: “the rest of the dead lived not until the thousand years should be finished” (Revelation 20:5). (2) The Translation of the Church, i.e., the true Bride of Christ. 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17. As the Jewish Dispensation came to its close with the Ascension of the Son of God; so the Christian Dispensation will end with the Ascension of the Holy Spirit and the Bride of Christ. (3) The Great Tribulation. Naturally the Translation of the Church will bring to an end all Gospel testimony on the earth, and as a result the Antichrist will reign supreme and unchallenged for the time being. A period of great tribulation will ensue, Matthew 24:21. This period of tribulation will culminate in world conflict, and in the last great battle of Armageddon (i.e., Megiddo, at the foot of Mount Carmel). Revelation 16:12-16, (4) The Second Coming will, many believe, occur in connection with this great battle. Christ will come, not for His saints, but with them, to abolish all human government and to inaugurate His millenial reign. Cf. Revelation 20:6. (5) The Conversion of the Jews. Christ’s appearing will be so definite and undeniable, and will be accompanied by such signal manifestations of the Spirit, that the Jews will no longer reject Him. The conversion of the Jewish nation, in the main, will be the result. See Romans 11:1-36. From that time on, through the united proclamation of the primitive Gospel by both Jews and Gentiles, the knowledge of the Lord will cover the earth as the waters cover the sea. (6) The Millenial Reign of Christ. It is held by many that the Second Coming will precede and usher in the Millenium. The numerous injunctions of Christ to His people, to watch for His Second Coming, and to be ready for it at any moment, would be meaningless if that event were always a thousand years in the future, i.e., after the Millenium. It is held, too, that Christ will reign personally; that He will sit upon the throne of David in Jerusalem (Psalms 132:11, Isaiah 9:7); and that from His throne in Jerusalem He will rule and judge the nations in righteousness. Thus the dream of the old Hebrew prophets of a Golden Age of righteousness, peace and plenty, will be realized. See Isaiah 11:1-9; Isaiah 35:5-10; Isaiah 55:6-13; Isaiah 65:17-25, etc.
163. Q. What, then, should be the attitude of all Christians with respect to the Second Coming of Christ?
A. They should desire, anticipate, pray for, watch for, and be ready at any moment for the glorious appearing of their Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
Mark 13:33—“Take ye heed, watch and pray. 2 Peter 3:12—“looking for and earnestly desiring the coming of the day of God.” How unfortunate that the modern Church should have allowed this precious and great doctrine to become lost in the rubbish of materialism and religious indifference! May the Lord hasten the day of His glorious appearing! “Come, Lord Jesus” (Revelation 22:20).
REVIEW EXAMINATION OVER LESSON FIFTY 154.Q.What do we mean by “the end of our age”?
155. Q. When will the Christian Dispensation end?
156. Q. Is the doctrine of the Second Coming of Christ prominent in the Scriptures?
157. Q. What do the Scriptures teach with respect to the nature of the Second Coming?
158. Q. What do the Scriptures teach with regard to the time of the Second Coming?
159. Q. What are to be the purposes of the Second Coming?
160. Q. What conditions are to prevail throughout the world immediately prior to the Second Coming of Christ?
161. Q. What are to be the precursors of the Second Coming of Christ?
162. Q. What great events are to occur in close connection with the Second Coming of Christ?
163. Q. What, then, should be the attitude of all Christians with respect to the Second Coming of Christ?