The Lord’s 2nd Coming Part 1 – Introduction and Basic Teachings about the Lord’s Second Coming

2nd Coming – Introduction Read Hebrews 9:27,28 “so Christ also, shall appear a second time …” Make no mistake about it – Jesus is coming again! That second coming is something that will be known and visible to everyone, and terrifying to some 2nd Coming – Introduction

2nd Coming – Introduction Jesus is particularly coming for those who eagerly await Him One purpose of this study is to present the facts about Christ’s return that we may be motivated to eagerly await Him Read 1 John 2:28 When we eagerly expect Him, our lives are soon placed in order We won’t shrink back in shame, but will look forward to His saying, “Well done” 2nd Coming – Introduction

2nd Coming – Introduction In this study we will also examine the widespread doctrine of pre-millenialism and compare it to Bible teaching An understanding of these other items is also at stake Basic principles of Bible interpretation Interpretation and understanding of the Old Testament, especially the prophets Understanding the New Covenant and the kingdom of God The relationship of the Jews to Christ The importance of Christ’s church in God’s plan 2nd Coming – Introduction

2nd Coming – Introduction The purpose of this study is to stir up hope in those Christians who truly labor in full knowledge of the truth We want to revive in us the rallying cry of the early Christians Maranatha! – O Lord come – see 1 Corinthians 16:22 2nd Coming – Introduction

2nd Coming – Introduction This study consists of three major sections Basic teachings concerning Jesus’ second coming An examination of pre-millenialism The effect of the second coming on the lives of Christians 2nd Coming – Introduction

2nd Coming – Basic Teachings In this section, we are going to discuss six basic points about Jesus’ second coming It is important that we fix each of these points clearly in our mind As we proceed deeper into the study of Christ’s return, we will have some fixed reference points to look back to From our basic reference points we can examine and analyze further teaching 2nd Coming – Basic Teachings

2nd Coming – Basic Teachings Jesus is Coming Soon Read Revelation 22:20 “Yes, I am coming quickly” One of the central points of the Bible is that Jesus is coming soon Read James 5:7,8 “the coming of the Lord is at hand” 2nd Coming – Basic Teachings

2nd Coming – Basic Teachings Jesus is Coming Soon Jesus told the church at Philadelphia, “I am coming quickly; hold fast what you have, in order that no one take your crown” (Revelation 3:11) The Bible emphasizes that Jesus is coming quickly We are to hang on to our faith in the Lord and to endure until He returns 2nd Coming – Basic Teachings

2nd Coming – Basic Teachings Every Eye Shall See Him Read Revelation 1:7 “Behold, He is coming with the clouds, and every eye shall see Him…” It is obvious that when Jesus comes back in the clouds every eye shall see Him Not only those who are alive, but also those who are dead Even those who pierced Him will see Him 2nd Coming – Basic Teachings

2nd Coming – Basic Teachings Every Eye Shall See Him Read Acts 1:9-11 The apostles’ watching Jesus ascend into heaven would be much like us watching a jet airplane take off Just as an airplane disappears through the clouds, so Christ disappeared through the clouds 2nd Coming – Basic Teachings

2nd Coming – Basic Teachings Every Eye Shall See Him Just as an airplane drops through the clouds and becomes visible, so Jesus will suddenly become visible through the clouds at His return Paul adds to our knowledge in 2 Thessalonians 1:7 When Jesus does become visible, He will be with His mighty angels in flaming fire 2nd Coming – Basic Teachings

2nd Coming – Basic Teachings Every Eye Shall See Him When Jesus comes again, it will not be something secret Everyone will know about Christ’s return When He busts through the clouds, every eye shall see Him, even those who pierced Him 2nd Coming – Basic Teachings

2nd Coming – Basic Teachings No One Knows the Time of His Coming Read Matthew 24:35-44 Jesus makes it clear that no one knows the day or hour of His coming He will come like a thief in the night Not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son Himself, knew the time of His return It is interesting that people always want to know when Jesus is coming again 2nd Coming – Basic Teachings

2nd Coming – Basic Teachings No One Knows the Time of His Coming The Bible reveals answers to many questions There is one question the Bible doesn’t answer What is the one question everyone wants an answer to? Even Jesus didn’t know when He was coming again No one knows the time of His coming Should I work with a local congregation? What must I do to be saved? When is Jesus coming again? What kind of life should I live? 2nd Coming – Basic Teachings

2nd Coming – Basic Teachings No One Knows the Time of His Coming “But of that day and hour, no one knows …” (Matthew 24:36) The day of the Lord is going to come like a thief in the night – see 1 Thessalonians 5:1-3 Some have maintained that early Christians expected the Messiah to return shortly and then, when He didn’t come, gradually changed their story 2nd Coming – Basic Teachings

2nd Coming – Basic Teachings No One Knows the Time of His Coming Paul makes it clear in 2 Thessalonians that he knew that the Lord would not return until after the apostasy Read 2 Thessalonians 2:1-3 Finally we are warned by Jesus about the nature of His return – see Revelation 16:15 “Behold, I am coming like a thief” Jesus wants us to be ready when He comes 2nd Coming – Basic Teachings

2nd Coming – Basic Teachings At His Coming All The Dead Shall Rise Read 1 Thessalonians 4:14-17 Paul makes it clear that when Jesus returns, He will bring with Him those who have fallen asleep in Jesus We who are still alive and remain at His return shall be caught up together with them in the clouds The main point here is that the Christian dead will be resurrected at Jesus’ return 2nd Coming – Basic Teachings

2nd Coming – Basic Teachings At His Coming All The Dead Shall Rise Read 1 John 3:2 When Jesus comes back, we Christians shall be changed We don’t yet know what we shall be changed into We know that we shall be like Jesus when He comes 2nd Coming – Basic Teachings

2nd Coming – Basic Teachings At His Coming All The Dead Shall Rise Paul makes the same point – Read Philippians 3:20,21 “…who will conform the body of our humble state into conformity with the body of His glory…” If we are Christians, our bodies will be changed to be like Christ’s at His return 2nd Coming – Basic Teachings

2nd Coming – Basic Teachings At His Coming All The Dead Shall Rise Read John 5:28,29 “…an hour is coming in which all who are in the tombs shall hear His voice, and shall come forth…” Not only are the Christian dead going to be resurrected at the Lord’s return, but all who are in the tombs Jesus said this would occur in “an hour” 2nd Coming – Basic Teachings

2nd Coming – Basic Teachings At His Coming All The Dead Shall Rise When we understand that all the dead shall rise at Christ’s return, it helps us understand Paul’s words to the Corinthians Read 1 Corinthians 15:51-53 “we shall all be changed” “the dead will be raised imperishable” Paul here indicates that all the dead – both Christians and non-Christian – will be raised at the last trumpet 2nd Coming – Basic Teachings

2nd Coming – Basic Teachings At His Coming All The Dead Shall Rise Those whom Jesus calls “good” live in a resurrection of eternal life Those whom Jesus said did “evil” live in a resurrection of eternal judgment This will occur when Jesus returns and the earth is destroyed 2nd Coming – Basic Teachings

2nd Coming – Basic Teachings Destruction of Heaven and Earth Read 2 Peter 3:10 When the day of the Lord comes, the heavens and earth will be destroyed by fire Jesus is not coming to set up an earthly kingdom When He returns, everything in this universe is going to go up in smoke 2nd Coming – Basic Teachings

2nd Coming – Basic Teachings Destruction of Heaven and Earth There have always been those who don’t heed God’s warnings about destruction This is especially true with the world’s current “scientific” position of uniformitarian thought Read 2 Peter 3:3-7 The uniformitarian thinkers – those who say that “all continues just as it was” – are dead wrong 2nd Coming – Basic Teachings

2nd Coming – Basic Teachings Destruction of Heaven and Earth The writer of Hebrews compares the earth’s destruction to the giving of the Law on Mt. Sinai On that day the people were terrified when the earth shook at the voice of Him who uttered the Ten Commandments Read Hebrews 12:25,26 “Yet once more I will shake not only the earth but also the heaven” 2nd Coming – Basic Teachings

2nd Coming – Basic Teachings Destruction of Heaven and Earth The Scriptures from 2 Peter make it clear that both the heavens and earth will be destroyed on the day of the Lord which comes like a thief The passage from Hebrews makes the same point All of this happens at what Peter calls the “day of judgment” – see 2 Peter 3:7 2nd Coming – Basic Teachings

2nd Coming – Basic Teachings Judgment Will Begin At His Coming Read Jude 14,15 When the Lord comes back with His many thousands of holy ones, He is coming back to execute judgment Jesus is coming back to initiate the Day of Judgment 2nd Coming – Basic Teachings

2nd Coming – Basic Teachings Judgment Will Begin At His Coming The same point is made in 2 Thessalonians 1:7-10 When Jesus comes to be marveled at among His saints – when He is first seen by them – He is coming to execute judgment At the same time Jesus is revealed with His mighty angels in flaming fire, He is going to punish those who don’t know God and those who don’t obey the gospel 2nd Coming – Basic Teachings

2nd Coming – Basic Teachings Judgment Will Begin At His Coming Read Matthew 13:36-43 When Jesus interprets the parable of the tares, He makes it clear that the harvest is going to occur at “the end of the age” Revelation 14:14-20 makes the same point 2nd Coming – Basic Teachings

2nd Coming – Basic Teachings Judgment Will Begin At His Coming A picture of that judgment is given in Revelation 20:11-15 God sits on the great white throne and the dead are judged according to what is written in the books If a person’s name is not written in the book of life, he is thrown into the lake of fire 2nd Coming – Basic Teachings

2nd Coming – Basic Teachings Judgment Will Begin At His Coming In Acts 17, Paul gives a lecture to the citizens of Athens, and therein offers proof of the coming Day of Judgment Read Acts 17:30,31 “because He has fixed a day in which He will judge the world” “having furnished proof to all men by raising Him from the dead” The judgment will begin at Jesus’ second coming, and that judgment is just as sure as Jesus’ resurrection from the dead 2nd Coming – Basic Teachings

2nd Coming – Basic Teachings Conclusion Jesus is coming soon to claim His saints, destroy the earth, and initiate judgment The day of His coming is not known; He is coming like a thief in the night When He does come, He will come in the clouds and every eye shall see Him At His coming all the dead – Christian and non-Christian – will be resurrected 2nd Coming – Basic Teachings

The Lord’s 2nd Coming Part 2 – Examination of Pre-millennial doctrine Covering the Introduction through the Rapture