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THE SECOND COMING "Behold, He cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see Him, and they also which pierced Him: and all kindreds of the earth shall wail ..." Revelation 1:7 |
 'Champion of the World,' by Rik Berry. Used by permission. |
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THE SECOND COMING "Behold, He cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see Him, and they also which pierced Him: and all kindreds of the earth shall wail ..." Revelation 1:7 |
'Champion of the World,' by Rik Berry. Used by permission. |
Copyright © 1976, 1977, 1997 by Diane S. Dew
I. We know that Jesus Christ will definitely come again, for His return
has been predicted
for many centuries.
A. In the Old Testament.
Psalms
50:3-6; Isaiah 66:15, 16, 18, 23, 24; Daniel 7:13, 14
Zechariah
12:10; Zechariah 14:4-8
B. In the New Testament.
1. By Jesus Himself.
John 14:3
Revelation 2:25; 22:7, 12, 20
2. By angels.
Acts 1:11
3. By the early church leaders.
Acts 3:20, 21; 1 Corinthians 1:7; 4:5; 11:26; 15:20-25;
16:22
Philippians 3:20, 21; Colossians 3:4; 1 Thessalonians
4:16; 5:23
2 Thessalonians 1:7, 8; 2:1-8; 1 Timothy 6:14;
2 Timothy 4:1, 2, 8
Titus 2:11-14; Hebrews 9:28; James 5:8; 1 Peter
1:7
II. The first time Jesus came for salvation (Hebrews 9:28), but the
second time
it will be to judge the nations (Psalms 50:3-6;
Matthew 25:32, 41; 2 Peter 3:7;
Jude 14, 15; Revelation 19:15, 16).
A. To believers this promise offers hope
(1 Thessalonians 4:18; Titus 2:13;
2 Peter 3:13; 1 John 3:2,
3) and comfort (1 Thessalonians 4:18). John
wanted and prayed for His
soon return (Revelation 22:20).
B. To the unsaved, however, it will be
a time of great fear and disaster (Amos
5:18-19; Luke 21:26;
Revelation 6:12-17). They shall even seek death, but
it "shall flee from
them" (Revelation 6:16; 9:6).
III. How shall He come?
A. Bodily (physically).
Zechariah 14:1, 4; Acts 1:11; 1 Thessalonians 4:16
B. Visibly (not secretly).
Matthew 24:26, 27; 25:31, 32 "When the Son of man shall
come in his glory
... before him shall be gathered all
nations..."
Luke 21:27 "And then shall they see the Son of man coming
in a cloud with
power and great glory."
Acts 1:11 "...Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing
up into heaven? this same
Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven,
shall so come in like manner as ye
have seen him go into heaven."
1 John 3:2 "... when he shall appear, we shall be like
him; for we shall see him as he is.."
Revelation 1:7 "Behold, he cometh with clouds; and every
eye shall see Him, and
they also which pierced him: and all kindred
of the earth shall wail because of him."
C. Gloriously; with power (authority).
Matthew 16:27; 24:30; 25:31; Mark 8:38; 13:26; 14:62
Luke 9:26; 21:27; Titus 2:13
D. With angels.
Matthew 16:27; 24:31; 25:31; Mark 8:38; 13:27
1 Thessalonians 4:13, 16; 2 Thessalonians 1:7
E. In the clouds.
Matthew 24:30; 26:30, 64; Mark 13:26; 14:62; Luke 21:27
Acts 1:9-11; 1 Thessalonians 4:16-18; Revelation 1:7
F. With the sound of a trumpet.
Matthew 24:31; 1 Corinthians 15:51, 52; 1 Thessalonians 4:16-18
G. Suddenly and unexpectedly.
Matthew 24:37-39, 44; 25:13, etc.; Mark 13:36
Luke 12:40; 21:34, 35; 1 Thessalonians 5:3
1. As in the days
of Noah (Matthew 24:37; Luke 17:26): they "knew not until
the
flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son
of
man be."
1 Corinthians 15:51, 52
2. "As a thief in the night."
1 Thessalonians 5:2, 4; 2 Peter 3:10; Revelation 3:3; 16:15
3. "In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye."
1 Corinthians 15:52
4. As a flash of lightning.
Matthew 24:27, 36, 42-44, 47; Luke 17:24
IV. Jesus' disciples asked Him, "What shall be the sign of Thy
coming and the end of
the world?" (Matthew 24:3) He told them,
"When ye shall see all these things, know
that it is near, even at the doors" (Matthew
24:33; Luke 21:28-31).
A. Society.
1. Lawlessness and wickedness.
Romans 1:18-32; Matthew 24:37 with Genesis
6:5
2 Timothy 3:13; Revelation 9:20, 21 murders
and robberies
2. Corruption and immorality.
Matthew 24:37 with Genesis 6:11, 12; Romans
1:26, 27, 29, 31
2 Timothy 3:1-4
3. Family breakdown.
a. Disobedience to parents.
Matthew 24:37
with Romans 1:30
Romans 1:30;
2 Timothy 3:2
b. Betrayal of loved ones.
Mark 13:12; Luke 21:16; John 16:2
c. Homosexuality.
2 Timothy 3:1-4
4. Violence.
Matthew 24:37 with Genesis 6:11, 13 as
in the days of Noah:
"... and the earth was filled with violence!"
5. Pleasure-seeking.
Matthew 24:37 with Genesis 6:1, 2
2 Thessalonians 2:12; 2 Timothy 3:1-4; 2
Peter 2:3
B. Economy.
1. Food shortages (famines).
Matthew 24:7; Revelation 6:6, 8
2. Covetousness and selfishness.
2 Timothy 3:1, 2
3. Computerized number system.
Revelation 13:16-18
C. Religion.
1. Hypocrisy and apostasy.
2 Thessalonians 2:3-8; 2 Timothy 3:1, 5
2. Cults and false doctrines.
Mark 13:22; 1 Timothy 4:1; 1 John 4:1-3
3. Spiritual deception.
Matthew 24:4, 5, 11, 23-26; Luke 21:8; 2 Timothy 3:13
4. Persecution and martyrdom.
Matthew 24:9; 10:23; Luke 21:12; 2 Timothy
3:3
Revelation 2:10; 6:9-11; 11:7; 13:7; 18:24;
20:4
5. Gospel "preached in all the world."
Matthew 24:14; Revelation 14:6
6. False church (harlot) system.
Revelation 17 and 18
D. Education - Increased knowledge and travel.
Daniel 12:4; 2 Timothy 3:7
E. Government.
1. Wars.
Matthew 24:6, 7; Luke 21:9-11
2. "Distress of nations, with perplexity."
Luke 21:25
3. Failure of peace conferences.
Daniel 8:25; 11:21; 1 Thessalonians 5:3
4. World government dictator; antichrist reign.
2 Thessalonians 2:34; Revelation 13:5
F. The Nation of Israel.
The return of the Jews to Palestine and re-establishment of the nation of Israel.
Deuteronomy 30; Isaiah 66:8; Luke 21:24
G. Creation.
1. Earthquakes.
Zechariah 14:4, 5
Joel 2:10
Matthew 24:7
Luke 21:11
Revelation 6:12, 14-16; 8:5; 11:13; 16:18-21
2. Pestilences and plagues.
Luke 21:11; Revelation 15:1, 6, 8; 16
3. Changes in the sun, moon, seasons, etc.
Zechariah 14:6-8; Joel 2:10, 30, 31; Matthew
24:29
Mark 13:24, 25; Luke 21:25; Acts 2:20 Revelation
6:12, 13; 8:10-12
V. Jesus' disciples asked Him, "When shall these things be?" (Matthew
24:3) Though it is
not for us to know the day or the hour (Matthew
24:36; 25:13; Mark 13:32, 33; Luke
12:40), we are aware of the "times and seasons"
(1 Thessalonians 5:1) and thereby know
that His coming is near.
Matthew 24:33 "it is
near, even at the door"
Philippians 4:5 "the
Lord is at hand"
Hebrews 10:25 "ye see
the day approaching"
James 5:8 "the coming
of the Lord draweth nigh"
James 5:9 "behold,
the Judge standeth before the door!"
1 Peter 4:7 "the end
of all things is at hand"
1 John 2:18 "it is
the last time"
Revelation 3:11; 22:7,
12, 20 "Behold, I come quickly ... Surely I come quickly!"
Revelation 22:10 "the
time is at hand"
VI. The important thing is not so much knowing how or when He shall
appear, but to be
ready when He comes.
Matthew 24:42
"Watch therefore"
Matthew 25:5, 10
"While the bridegroom tarried they all slumbered and slept ....
they
that were ready went in .... and the door was shut."
Matthew 24:44
"Be ye also ready"
Mark 13:33-37
"Watch and pray"
Luke 12:40
"Be ye therefore ready also ..."
Luke 21:34
"take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be over charged
with
surfeiting, and drunkenness, and cares of this life, and so that day
come upon you unawares."
Luke 21:36
"Watch ye therefore, and pray always"
Philippians 4:5; Hebrews
10:25; James 5:8, 9
1 Thessalonians 5:4,
6 "watch and be sober"
1 Peter 4:7
"But the end of all things is at hand: be ye therefore sober, and
watch unto prayer."
2 Peter 3:11, 14
"Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner
of
persons ought ye to be ... be diligent that ye may be found of Him
in peace, without spot,
and
blameless."
Revelation 2:25
"hold fast"
Revelation 3:11
"hold that fast"
Revelation 16:15
"Blessed is he that watcheth and keepeth his garments
(righteousness)"
VII. The prevalent attitude of the day concerning Christ's second coming has been one of delay.
A. This in itself is a fulfillment of prophecy, proving that we are living in the end times.
2 Peter 3:3, 4 "There shall come in the last days scoffers
... saying, where is the
promise of His coming? for since the fathers fell asleep, all
things continue as they were ..."
B. Peter goes on to explain (in verses
8-9) that if it seems to be taking "a long time"
(Matthew 25:19) for the
Lord to return, it is just because of the patience of God,
that none should perish.
C. Jesus told a parable about a servant
who held this opinion "in his heart, ‘My lord
delayeth his coming.' " The
story shows us that such an attitude causes people not
to prepare themselves for
His return.
Matthew 24:48-50; Luke 12:45-47
D. People in Ezekiel's day said, "The Lord
seeth us not; the Lord hath forsaken the
earth" (chapter 8:12; 9:9).
They committed great abominations in His sight, for
they "worshipped the sun"
(8:16) and "filled the land with violence" (8:17). God's
message through the prophet
Ezekiel is relevant to the time in which we live:
Ezekiel 12:22-28 "Son of man, what is that proverb ye
have in the land of Israel,
saying, The days are prolonged, and every vision
faileth? ... Tell them therefore, thus
saith the Lord, I will make this proverb
to cease ... I will speak, and the word that I shall
speak shall come to pass, it shall be no more
prolonged ... Son of man, behold! they of
the house of Israel say, The vision that he seeth
is for many days to come, and he
prophesieth of the times that are far off. Therefore
say unto them, Thus saith the Lord
God; there shall none of My words be prolonged
any more, but the word which I have
spoken shall be done, saith the Lord God."
E. The time is shorter than we think. "Say
not ye, There are yet four months, and then
cometh harvest? Behold, I
say unto you, Lift up your eyes, and look on the fields;
for they are white already
to harvest." (John 4:35)
© 1976, 1977, 1997 by Diane S. Dew
Dear
Friend: Truly these
are the "last days." Do not become caught up in "the cares of this world."
Spend time with God in prayer, in the study of His Word, and do not forsake
"the gathering of yourselves together, as the manner of some is, especially
as ye see the day approaching." (Heb. 10:26). This is the last hour.... Jesus
is coming soon... We must "work...while it is day; the night cometh when
no man can work." (Jn 9:4) "Occupy until I come," Jesus said. In other words,
keep busy. "Redeeming the time, because the days are evil." (Eph 5:16,
cp. Col 4:5)
"So teach us to number our days, that we may present to Thee a heart of wisdom."
(Psa 90:12 NAS)
Diane Dew's Testimony | Loneliness: A Study in the Scriptures
'The Backslider in Heart' | Treasure of God | The River of God
Diane S. Dew, P.O. Box 340945, Milw. WI 53234