2. 1 Thessalonians 4 v 16. For the Lord Himself will come down from heaven Bible Studies on the Second Advent of Jesus

3. I need to say at the beginning of this Bible Study that the Second Advent will be in two stages. The First Stage is THE RAPTURE 1 Thess. 4 vs 16 & 17

4. 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. 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 for ever.

5. The Second Stage is THE REVELATION Zech 14 v 4 On that day His feet will stand on the Mount of Olives, east of Jerusalem, and the Mount of Olives will be split in two from east to west, forming a great valley, with half of the mountain moving north and half moving south.

6. Acts 1 vs 9 to 12 After he said this, he was taken up before their very eyes, and a cloud hid him from their sight. After he said this, he was taken up before their very eyes, and a cloud hid him from their sight. They were looking intently up into the sky as he was going, when suddenly two men dressed in white stood beside them. They were looking intently up into the sky as he was going, when suddenly two men dressed in white stood beside them. "Men of Galilee," they said, "why do you stand here looking into the sky? 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." "Men of Galilee," they said, "why do you stand here looking into the sky? 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." Then they returned to Jerusalem from the hill called the Mount of Olives, a Sabbath day’s walk from the city. Then they returned to Jerusalem from the hill called the Mount of Olives, a Sabbath day’s walk from the city.

7. There are certain procedures that will take place at the Rapture, and also at the Revelation. The sequence of events is written about by Paul in Thess. 4. in Thess. 4.

8. At the Rapture The Lord Jesus comes FOR His saints. At the Revelation The Lord Jesus comes WITH His saints.

9. There are certain words used to indicate the Lord’s appearance at His coming and what type it is. Three Greek words are used and these show us what to expect when we see Jesus.

10. 1. APOCALYPS. It means Unveiling or Revelation. 1 Cor. 1 v 7 Therefore you do not lack any spiritual gift as you eagerly wait for our Lord Jesus Christ to be revealed. Therefore you do not lack any spiritual gift as you eagerly wait for our Lord Jesus Christ to be revealed.

11. 1 Thess. 1 vs 6 & 7 God is just: He will pay back trouble to those who trouble you and give relief to you who are troubled, and to us as well. This will happen when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven in blazing fire with His powerful angels.

12. Unveiled to us will be the great Inexplicable Glory of Christ, and the outstanding characteristics of His person that we have never seen before. The divine disclosure will result In the uncovering of Christ.

13. We shall behold Him as we have never seen Him. His eternal Glory, which has never diminished will be displayed before us. We shall see what Peter, James and John saw on the Mount of Transfiguration.

14. 2. EPIPHENIA. It means Manifestation. Used by Paul in 2 Thess 2 v 8 And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord Jesus will overthrow with the breath of His mouth and destroy by the splendour of His coming.

15. Also in 1 Tim. 6 vs 13 & 14 I charge you to keep this command without spot or blame until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ.

16. At the First Advent our Lord was manifest without the taint of original sin - but restricted by mortality. The Second time He comes He will be without sin and will Manifest His immortality.

17. When He comes He will be in full view of the redeemed. We will see Jesus in actual reality. Our eyes shall behold Him, we shall see Him in His open Glory.

18. 3. PAROUSIA Meaning The Literal Presence It is used in 1 Thess. 2 v 19. For what is our hope, our joy, or the crown in which we will glory in the presence of our Lord Jesus when He comes? Is it not you?

19. Also 1 John 2 v 28. And now, dear children, continue in Him, so that when He appears we may be confident and unashamed before Him at His coming.

20. He will come literally. Jesus spoke about it in Matt. 24. Paul wrote of it: 1 Cor. 15 v 23. Peter refers to it: 2 Pet. 2 v 16. James confirms it: James 5 v 7.

21. At the Rapture Jesus will come for His saints in Person. He will not send someone else to take us to our abode in heaven, He will come for us Himself. He will be visible for the eyes to see, and material enough for us to touch.