THE COMING OF THE LORD 1 Thess 3:13

1. Introduction

Jn 14: 3 ‘… I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am’.

Acts 1:11 ‘This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven.’

2. Nature

Personal and bodily

Jesus said: ‘As lightening comes from the East and shines as far as the West so will be the coming of the Son of Man’. He will be seen ‘coming on the clouds of heaven in power and glory’. (Matt 24:26-30).

Paul says, ‘For the Lord himself will descend from heaven, with a cry of command, with the archangel’s call and with the sound of the trumpet of God, And the dead in Christ will rise first’. (I Th 3:13)

‘But Stephen, full of the Holy Spirit, looked up to heaven and saw the glory of God and Jesus standing at the right hand of God’. (Acts 8:56)

‘A light from heaven flashed around him: He fell to the ground ‘A light from heaven flashed around him: He fell to the ground. I am Jesus whom you are persecuting’. (Acts 9:3)

‘… among the lampstands was someone like a son of man, dressed in a robe reaching down to his feet and with a golden sash around his chest. 14 The hair on his head was white like wool, as white as snow, and his eyes were like blazing fire. 15 His feet were like bronze glowing in a furnace, and his voice was like the sound of rushing waters. 16 In his right hand he held seven stars, and coming out of his mouth was a sharp, double-edged sword. His face was like the sun shining in all its brilliance’. (Rev 1:13f)

‘May he strengthen your hearts so that you will be blameless and holy in the presence of our God and Father when our Lord Jesus comes with all his holy ones’. (1 Th 3:13)

3. Purpose

‘… Christ, the firstfruits; then, when he comes, those who belong to him.24 Then the end will come, when he hands over the kingdom to God the Father after he has destroyed all dominion, authority and power.…’ (1 Cor 15:23-24)

4. The Rapture

1 Thess 4: 13 Brothers and sisters, we do not want you to be uninformed about those who sleep in death, so that you do not grieve like the rest of mankind, who have no hope. 14 For we believe that Jesus died and rose again, and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him. 

15 According to the Lord’s word, we tell you that we who are still alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will certainly not precede those who have fallen asleep. 16 For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. 

17 After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever. 18 Therefore encourage one another with these words.

5. Debate

Amillennial * The binding of Satan represents the victory of Christ over the powers of darkness accomplished on the cross. * The 1000 years is symbolic of a long indeterminate period, corresponding to the age of the church: now. * Satan will be loosed briefly to wreak havoc and to persecute the church in the end of the present age.’ * A general resurrection and judgement of evil and good will occur at Christs coming, followed by the creation of a new heavens and a new earth.

Postmillennial * Not really followed today but the gospel will spread across the whole world with such success that it will be like a 1000 years reign which will precede the coming of Christ. The 1000 years may or may not be literal. * The parable of the mustard seed starting small and gradually increasing depicts this, they believe. * This was popular in the 1800s when world conquest and Christianisation was at its peak. There are hardly any post-millennials today.

Classic Premillennial * The binding of Satan is yet in the future. It will take place when Christ returns. * The 1000 years is a literal period during which Christ will reign on earth from Jerusalem, with his people. * The loosing of Satan will bring the Millennium to a climax, followed by the resurrection and judgement of the wicked at the Great White Throne. * The new heavens and new earth will be created after the Millennium: the 1000 years after Christ’s second coming.

Dispensational Premillennial * They believe similarly to classic premillennial but take it further. This view started in 1875 in America and divides the time of humanity up into dispensations. * They separate the covenants of the OT from the NT. They say that the covenant of the OT is for the Jews and is still to be fulfilled. Jerusalem plays a major role in their schemes. * There is division about what is meant by the Tribulation and whether Jesus is coming back to take believers away before, during or after a 7 year period of time. They refer to these are ‘pre-tribs’, ‘mid tribs’ and ‘post tribs’. Under this view the Lord comes four times!

6. Denominations

According to me: Amillennial view - Anglican, Presbyterian, Uniting, Lutheran, half Baptist, half Church of Christ. Post millennial view – no denomination but some perhaps some individuals Premillennial view – (classic would be the more popular of these two camps) – Pentecost, Brethren, half Baptists, half Church of Christ. Catholics would be more Amillennial l but have their own take on it as you would expect.

7. Result

Watch and pray for you know not the hour the Son of Man will come.

THEREFORE ENCOURAGE ONE ANOTHER WITH THESE WORDS!