SECOND COMING OF JESUS CHRIST
DR. JIM DIXON
1 THESSALONIANS 4:15–5:11
NOVEMBER 16, 1980
The word of God tells us that we live on a visited planet. That the eternal Son of God left his throne of glory, came down, and walked this earth. That he humbled himself and became a man. He emptied himself of his godly prerogatives and shared in our humanity. He shared in our joys. He shared in our sorrows. He was subjected to an unjust trial. He gave his life for the sins of the world. He was crucified and buried, but the scriptures tell us that death could not hold him. He rose from the dead in great power and glory, and He now lives and offers resurrection and eternal life to everyone who believes in His name. The word of God tells us, assures us, that Jesus Christ will one day visit this planet again. That event is called the second coming of Jesus Christ.
He will come for both judgment and blessing. He will come to judge the world, and he will come to receive his people unto himself. More than 300 verses in the Bible prophesy the second coming of Jesus Christ. This teaching is clear. For almost 2000 years, the church of Christ has held this doctrine as its central hope. Jesus Christ is coming again. Men may scoff; but God is true. His word will not return unto Him void.
There are three aspects of the second coming about which I would like to share with you this morning. The first has to do with the manner of His coming. How will He come and what will it be like? The second has to do with the timing of His coming. When will He come? The third has to do with our preparation for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.
First then, the manner of his coming. How will He come and what will it be like? As pastors, we get a lot of questions about the second coming of Christ. Some are answered in the Bible, and some are not. Some of these questions are perhaps a little humorous. I remember one gal who came to my office. She was very serious and wanted to know how Jesus was going to wear his hair when he came back. Would He be fashionable? We do not know whether He is going to look like He just came out of bootcamp or if He will have the old Palestinian look.
The Bible simply says through the Apostle Paul that “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; then we who are alive, who are left, shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air; and so we shall always be with the Lord” (1 Thessalonians 4:16-17). John the beloved disciples said, “Behold, he is coming with the clouds and every eye shall see him. Everyone who pierced him and all the nations of the earth will cry out on account of him” (Revelations 1:7). The Lord Jesus said, “Behold, I am coming soon, bringing my recompense, to repay everyone for what he has done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, …the beginning and the end (Revelation 22:12-13). In the book of Acts in the first chapter, we are told that the disciples stood on the Mount of Olives. They saw the Lord Jesus Christ ascend up into heaven. Two angels appeared to them and said, “Why do you stand looking into heaven? This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven” (Acts 1:11).
When we take together all the prophetic verses that describe the event of His coming, we begin to form a picture that the Lord Jesus will descend from heaven. He will come on the clouds of heaven. He will be accompanied by the saints of the generation’s past. The angelic host will accompany him. He will come with a cry of command with the archangel’s call and with the sound of the trumpet of God. He will come for judgment and blessing, and miraculously every eye shall be able to see Him.
There are three words that are used in the Bible to describe this event of the Lord’s coming on the clouds. Three Greek words that reveal much regarding the manner of his coming. First there is the word parousía. This word is used over and over again in the scriptures to refer to the coming of our Lord Jesus. Parousia is a word that literally means presence but is sometimes translated coming. The Greeks used this word to refer to royal visitations. They used it to refer to the coming of a great king who would present himself before his people. No word could be more appropriate for the coming of Jesus Christ because he is King of kings and Lord of lords. He shall one day come to present himself before his creation. The Christian is one who awaits the coming of the King.
The second word that is used in the Bible to refer to the coming of Christ is the word epiphany. This word literally means the appearing. The Apostle Paul says, we await the appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ. This word is very precious to us because at this time our Lord Jesus does not yet appear. “Faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen (Hebrews 11:1). Peter says, “Without having seen him you love him; though you do not now see him you believe in him and rejoice with unutterable and exalted joy. As the outcome of your faith you obtain the salvation of your souls” (1 Peter 1:8-9).One day He shall appear, and we shall see hi face to face and “we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is” (1 John 3:2).
The third word that is used in the Bible to refer to the second coming of Christ, and the most awesome of these three words is the word apocalypses. This word literally means the revealing or the unveiling. One day Jesus Christ will come again, and He will be unveiled. The word of God tells us that when Christ first came to this earth, he was veiled. Humanity could not see His power, His dominion, His majesty, His deity. John says that the Lord Jesus came into the world. The world was made by Him, but the world did not knew him (John 1: 10) Many had eyes to see but could not truly see him. They had ears to hear but could not truly hear him. All they heard and all they saw was the carpenter from Nazareth, the son of Joseph and Mary. They could not truly recognize him.
There were moments in His earthly life when He walked this earth when He was unveiled. Peter, James, and John saw His glory and majesty on the holy mountain when He was transfigured. They saw His heavenly countenance. Peter says, “For we did not follow cleverly devised myths when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we were eyewitnesses of his majesty. For when he received honor and glory from God the Father and the voice was borne to him by the Majestic Glory, ‘This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased,’ we heard this voice borne from heaven, for we were with him on the holy mountain. And we have the prophetic word made more sure. You will do well to pay attention to this as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts (2 Peter 1:16-19). Peter, James, and John saw the unveiling of Christ on that holy mountain. There were His miracles where for a moment in time He was unveiled. By his great power, he calmed the sea and rebuked the wind. The disciples said, “Who is this that even the wind and the sea obey him? (Mark 4:44).
But when he comes again, He will be unveiled for all to see. Everyone will recognize Him as the Lord of glory. Every knee will bow and every tongue confess in the heavens and on earth and under the earth that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father (Philippians 2:10-11). He will come in glory.
We have these descriptions of the event of our Lord’s return. But throughout the Christian centuries, the great question for the church of Christ has not been what will it be like? The great question has been when will it occur? What is the timing of His coming? Throughout history, there have been many mistakes with respect to the timing of Christ’s coming. Many Christians have jumped to false conclusions. The first was around the year A.D. 50. Many Christians in Thessalonica quit their jobs because they believed that the return of Jesus Christ was imminent. The Apostle Paul rebuked them. He told them to go back to work.
In the second century there arose a Christian leader named Montanus, and two women joined him in leadership. Their names were Priscilla and Maximilla. They claimed to be prophets. The three of them gathered a great following and told their followers that Jesus Christ was coming soon. They told their followers to move to two towns in Persia, which is modern day Turkey. They told them to remain and dwell there until Christ came as He would come in their lifetime. They knew it because they had received it by prophetic utterance. But it did not happen. The years passed, and Maximilla died. Then Priscilla died. Finally, Montanus died. The people’s hopes were crushed.
Around the year 455, Arian Vandals sacked the city of Rome. Roman citizens were literally left to starve in the streets, and thousands did. It is a manner of historical record that many Roman women actually ate their young gothic hordes and blockaded the eternal city. The theologian Plaus pronounced the end of the world, the judgment of God, and the immediate return of Jesus Christ. But it did not happen. History went on. Around the year 1000, Otto III ascended to supremacy over Rome. The Roman Catholic Church pronounced the end of the age and the donning of the millennial kingdom. But it did not happen
Just before the year 1500, about the time Columbus was discovering the new world and Michelangelo was creating his great works of art, there arose, a prophet. This man made many prophecies, and many of them came true. But he made one great mistake. He prophesied the return of Christ and the end of the world. He even set the day, but it did not happen. His followers were subjected to futility.
In the 19th century, there arose a man named William Miller, an upstate New York preacher, who had a massive following. His followers were called Millerites. Sometimes they were called Adventists. He had calculated that Jesus Christ must return on or before October 22, 1844, and he told his followers that. As that day drew close, 50,000 of his followers quit their jobs. Many of them put on white robes and went to the top of mountains to await the coming of Christ. Others literally perched in the tops of trees. Still others simply went to their local church and waited in the sanctuary. October 22. 1844 came, but Jesus Christ did not. On October 23, 50,000 Millerites returned to their neighborhoods in embarrassment.
History is full of examples like these abuses regarding the timing of our Lord’s return. Our Lord Jesus Christ said that no man knows the day and the hour of his return, not the angels of God, not even the son of man, but only the Father who is in heaven (Mark 13:32).
Peter tells us that God does not view time like we view time, that God transcends time and space. He sees the beginning from the end. With God one day is as a thousand years and a thousand years is as one day (2 Peter 3:8).
In light of all of this, we might be tempted to say that we do not know anything about the timing of the Lord’s return. We might be tempted to throw our hands in the air and say we do not know whether Christ will come in a day or a thousand years. We might be tempted to say that we are in total darkness regarding the timing of His coming. But that is not true.
It would be a great mistake to conclude that we do not know anything about the timing of the Lord’s return. The Bible tells us that while we do not know the day or the hour, we should recognize the season, the season of the Lord’s return. We do not want to overreact to the mistakes of the past. We do not want to repeat them. One generation will one day see the prophetic signs that are given in the scriptures to accompany the return of Christ. One generation will one day see those signs fulfilled in their midst, and many people believe that we are that generation.
God wants the final generation to recognize the season of his coming. Therefore, he gives prophetic signs in the scriptures, signs that would indicate that His coming is near. We do not have time this morning to review all the prophetic signs that are given in the scriptures regarding the return of our Lord Jesus. Three key signs had to do with the rebirth of the nation of Israel. That is one sign. A second sign has to do with a very volatile international climate, one which is capable of producing global war where hostilities are directed at this newborn nation of Israel. A third key prophetic sign has to do with spiritual apostacy. I will briefly mention whatever I have time to say.
First of all, with respect to Israel, the Bible prophesized throughout the major and minor prophets that the Jews will one day be scattered over the earth. At the close of the age, they will be regathered to their homeland, and there they will dwell forever. This is prophesied clearly in the word of God. This prophecy was not fulfilled in the return of the Jews from the Babylonian exile because they returned only to be scattered again. One day the Bible says they will return, and they will dwell there forever. That will occur at the close of the age. The prophets say just before the great and terrible day of the Lord.
Many believe, with just cause, that we are seeing this prophecy fulfilled in our midst. Around the turn of the century, there were 20,000 Jews living in Palestine. Today, there are multiple millions. In 1948, Israel became a nation again. In 1967, during the six day war when the Arabs would have pushed them into the sea, the Jews won a miraculous victory and repossessed four times their previous geographical land space and repossessed the city of Jerusalem. In accordance with the prophetic scriptures, we are seeing prophecy fulfilled in our midst. No biblical scholar, liberal or conservative, can deny that the Bible prophesizes the return of Jews to their homeland at the close of the age.
A second key prophetic sign relates to a volatile international climate. We live in such a climate today. The Soviet Union does not want peaceful coexistence. They do not want a balance of power. President Carter wanted a SALT II Treaty. Ronald Reagan wants a SALT III. I think we all want a SALT treaty, but the Soviet Union does not want a balance of power. They want an advantage; they want dominion. It is in the heart of man. The PLO does not want a peaceful coexistence with a Jewish state. They want to see the annihilation of the Jewish state and the radical zealot. Jewish Zionist do not want a peaceful coexistence with Palestinian Arabs. They want to see the total removal of Palestinian Arabs. We see hostilities all over the world. We see them in Northern Ireland. We see them in the Middle East. We see them in Vietnam and Cambodia. We see them in South Africa. The heart of man has not progressed in history. In the midst of all of our great technological attainments, the heart of man has made no progress.
When the anger of man is combined with the proliferation of nuclear weaponry, we live in volatile times. Many of these hostilities are directed at this reborn nation of Israel, and the scriptures prophesied that in the end days the king of the North and the king of the South would direct their attentions, their hostile attentions at Israel. Indeed, we live in a day when the nations of the earth have polarized themselves with respect to the nation of Israel. There is great hatred there. There is more that could be said about that.
A third key prophetic sign has to do with spiritual apostasy. The Bible says that the last days will be a time of spiritual apostasy. Paul said concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our gathering to meet him, “We beg you, brethren, not to be quickly shaken in mind or excited, either by spirit or by word, or by letter purporting to be from us, to the effect that the day of the Lord has come. Let no one deceive you in any way; for that day will not come, unless the rebellion comes first (2 Thessalonians 2:1b-3a). This you see was a key prophetic sign. The Greek word that is translated rebellion is the word apostacy. The Greeks used it to refer to spiritual treason and to refer to a falling away from the faith. This is what is prophesied for the last days of falling away from the faith.
The Bible says that “the Spirit expressly says that in later times some will depart from the faith by giving heed to deceitful spirits and doctrines of demons, through the pretensions of liars whose consciences are seared” (1 Timothy 4:1-2). Paul says, regarding the last days, “the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own likings, and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander into myths” (2 Timothy 4:3-4). This is a key prophetic sign.
In the institutional church today, we see spiritual apostacy. Many of the clergy in main line denominations no longer believe in the deity of Christ. Many no longer believe in the full authority and inspiration of the Holy Scriptures. Many no longer believe in the beauty and the necessity of a personal relationship with Jesus Christ—a born again experience, a transformation of life and a personal walk with a living Christ. Many of the modern clergy are confused about moral and ethical values because they have no biblical base. In a recent article in a major magazine, a survey was taken of graduating students from theological and divinity schools all across America. They found that 90% of the graduating students in theological and divinity schools do not believe in the second coming of Jesus Christ. These men and women are going into the ministry. Some surveys would seem to indicate that the average American citizen is more biblical in their perspectives than many of the modern clergy. Spiritual apostacy exists in the church of Christ today. There are many other signs, and we do not have time to go into those.
Daniel said that the last days would be characterized by growth in knowledge, growth in travel. Since the turn of the century and the Industrial Revolution, both knowledge and travel have increased exponentially upon the earth. The Bible says that the last days will see an increase of famines. According to World Vision, today, one quarter of the Earth’s population is starving. That’s more than 1 billion people. The Bible says that the last days will be characterized by an increase of earthquakes, an increase of wars, an increase of sexual deviation, an increase of promiscuity and licentiousness. Channel 7 News Friday night said that we are in the midst of a great epidemic. Channel 7 News Friday night said that one out of every five high school students in this country will have venereal disease before graduation. The Bible says that the last days will be characterized by an increase of crime and lawlessness.
When Paul wrote to Timothy, he told him that the last days would be characterized by a breakdown of the family. Children will rise up against parents; they will be ungrateful. The last days will be characterized. Paul said, by a preoccupation with self, a growth of hedonism and materialism, a preoccupation with pleasure and material things. Paul said to Timothy, “understand this, that in the last days there will come times of stress. For men will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, inhuman, implacable, slanderers, profligates, fierce, haters of good, treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, holding the form of religion but denying the power of it” (2 Timothy 3:1-5a). He said there would arise people of corrupt mind and counterfeit faith; people “who will listen to anybody and can never arrive at a knowledge of the truth” (2 Timothy 3:7).
All of these prophetic signs, to one degree or another, have been manifested in every generation. But when they are taken collectively, they seem particularly appropriate to our time. The three key prophetic signs have to do with the rebirth of the nation of Israel, a volatile international climate, and spiritual apostacy. Many of you heard Dean say last week that he believed the coming of Christ was near. Many Christian leaders all over this country and around the world feel that way. Many of you feel that way. I feel that way, and I do believe that the Spirit of God bears witness that we are in the season of His coming. We do not know the day or the hour. The Lord may come in 10 years, he may come in 20 years. He may come in 30 years. But it does appear that we are in the season of His coming. With Francis Schaeffer, we might well ask how then shall we live? How can we be prepared for the coming of Christ?
If you do not know Jesus Christ this day, the steps that you can take to prepare are clear. You can receive Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior. The Bible says that God is not willing or wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance (2 Peter 3:9). God loved the world so much “that he gave his only begotten son that whosoever believes in him will not perish but have everlasting life” (John 3:16). The Lord Jesus said, behold, I stand at the door to your life and I knock. If anyone will open the door, I will come in and live with him and he with me (Revelation 3:20). If you do not know Jesus Christ today, you can know Him. You can say, “Lord Jesus, come into my life. I want to live for You. And by His Spirit, He will come in, and He will be eternally your Lord and Savior.
For those of us here who know Him as Lord and Savior, His desire is that we use the time that remains to grow in sanctification. When He comes again, he does not want to see us sitting around. He wants to see us active. He does not want to see us sitting on a mountaintop wearing a white robe. He certainly does not want to see us perched in the top of a tree. He does not want us to quit our jobs. He wants to see us up and about the ministry of the kingdom of Christ. He wants to see us living balanced godly lifestyles. He wants to see us growing in our love for each other and our love for Him. He wants to see us reaching out in love to a needy world. He wants to see us faithful. He wants to see us obedient to His word.
I have oftentimes heard people ask, “What would you do if you knew Christ was coming tonight?” Of course, you could never know that because God has not told us the day or the hour. But if miraculously you knew that Christ was coming tonight at midnight, what would you do today? Would you go home and watch the Bronco game? There is nothing wrong with that. You probably would not do it though. Would you go home and take a nap? Would you go out and grab a bite tonight? Maybe it would be your last chance to go to Marie Calendars. I doubt that you would do that, though there is nothing wrong with it. Would you go to a movie. No. You would probably radically change your plans for this day. I think that is why God has never told us the day or the hour because when he comes He wants to find us living godly, balanced, consistent, and steadfast lifestyles that honor Him. He wants to see Christians living that way in every generation.
Even if the Lord Jesus Christ never comes in your lifetime, you will still see Him face to face. You will give an account. Luke 18:8 says, “when the son of man comes again, will he find faith on the earth?” That is His great desire, that He finds us faithful. That when he comes, He finds us seeking first His kingdom and His righteousness. He finds us trusting Him for our every need. He finds us looking forward to the day when we will see him face to face, when we will be like him and see him as He is.
Shall we look to the Lord in prayer? Dear Father, thank You for Your love for us. Thank You for Your offer of eternal life and salvation through Your son Jesus Christ. Lord, if there are individuals here who do not know You as Lord and Savior, let this be the moment when they say, “Lord Jesus, come into my life. I want to live for you.” Thank You Lord for Your faithfulness. Thank You, Lord Jesus, for Your love for us, that You loved us so much that You left heaven’s glory and came to this earth and walked it. You lived with us. You died for us. You rose from the dead. And Lord, we thank You that You are coming again. We look forward to the day when we will see You face to face. Lord, help us to be faithful that we might be found by You without spot or blemish. We pray these things, Lord Jesus, in your precious name. Amen.