VI. What does the Bible teach about the Second Coming of Christ? A.

It is a fact that Christ will return a second time (See: The Doctrine of Christ, XI). . Christ is coming again (John 14:3; Acts 1:11; 3:19-20; Phil. 3:20-21; I Th. 4:13-18; Heb. 9:28).
13

But I do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning those who have fallen asleep, lest you sorrow as others who have no hope. 14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who sleep in Jesus. 15 For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord will by no means precede those who are asleep. 16 For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. 17 Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord. 18 Therefore comfort on another with these words. I Thessalonians 4:13-18

I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, says the Apostle, and he forthwith instructs them in the very details which they needed to know, perfecting m that particular matter that which was lacking in their faith. The first thing he assures them is that God will bring these departed saints with Jesus when He comes again. In the last verse of chapter 3 he had spoken of the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ with ALL His saints and here he fortifies this assurance. The all includes those who sleep in Jesus for it is as certain that such will be brought with Christ as that Jesus Himself died and rose again. The death and resurrection of Christ are to faith the standard of absolute truth and reality and certainty. All parts of the truth are equally certain and the Apostle desired them to realize this. This most definite assurance, comforting as it must have been, would not solve the difficulty existing to their minds as to how it was to be accomplished. How were these departed saints to be found in Christs glory so as to come with Him at His advent? In what way would this great change be accomplished? This question is answered in the succeeding verses, and the Apostle prefaces his explanation with the words, This we say unto you by the word of the Lord. By this he indicated that he was conveying to them something as a direct and fresh revelation from the Lord, and not merely restating something that had been previously revealed. The item of truth which he makes known to them was just that which they needed to complete their understanding of the coming of the Lord. When the Lord comes the saints will be divided into two classes (1) we which are alive and remain (2) them which are asleep. Evidently the Thessalonians to begin with had not contemplated the possibility of there being this second class at all. Even later they probably imagined that the first class would form the majority and the second the minority; and hence there would be the tendency to treat the second class as a negligible factor. Verse 15 corrects this tendency. The fact was, as the Apostle assures them, that the saints in class one would not preventthat is, go before or have precedence overthose in class two. If there was to be any precedence given at all it would be accorded to class two as verse 16 shows, for there it is stated that the dead in Christ shall rise first. Verses 16 and 17 then speak of the coming of the Lord Jesus for His saints. They reveal to us just how He is going to gather them to Himself so that subsequently He may come with all of them as the last verse of chapter 3 stated. Unless the distinction between the coming for and the coming with is seen no clear view of the Lords coming is possible. How emphatic is that statement: The Lord Himself shall descend. In that supreme hour He will not act by proxy but come Himself! He will descend with an assembling shout. Myriads of angels will serve, for the archangels voice will be heard. The hosts of God will be on the move, for the trumpets of God shall sound. Yet all these will be subsidiary to the mighty action of the Lord Himself. Verse 16 gives us His sudden descension from heaven into the air, and the exertion of His power, the utterance of the voice that wakes the dead. The last clause of verse 16 and verse 17 give us the response that will be at once found in the saints. The first effect of His power will be seen in the resurrection of the dead saints. Then they, with those of us who are alive and remain until that hour, will be caught up to meet the Lord in the air and so be for ever with Him. How simple it all is; and, thank God, as certain of accomplishment as simple. We notice of course that this Scripture does not give us all the details connected with this blessed hope. We might wish to enquire for instance in just what condition the dead in Christ are raised? This we find answered very fully in 1 Corinthians 15. That chapter also informs us of the change that must take place as to the bodies of all saints who are alive when He comes. We must be changed into a spiritual and incorruptible condition ere we are caught up. That chapter also tells us that all will take place in a moment in the twinkling of an eye, which assures us that though the dead in Christ shall rise first, the precedence they are granted will be a matter of but just a moment. In verse 17 observe the word together. The Thessalonians sorrowed and so often do we. Being taught of God to love one another their hearts were torn when death snatched some from their midst. We too know what these wrenches are. We do not sorrow as those who have no hope, nor did they. The life-giving voice of the Son of God is going to reunite us. We shall meet Him, but not in ones or twos or in isolated detachments. We shall be caught up TOGETHER. What a chorus, what a meeting, With the family complete!

Notice also that we are going to meet the Lord. The word used here only occurs thrice elsewhere in the New Testament, viz., in Matthew 25: 1 and 6, and Acts 28: 15. In each case it has the meaning of going forth and returning with. When the brethren from Rome met Paul that was exactly what happened. They went forth as far as Appii Forum and having met him they joined his company and returned with him to Rome. Just so shall we all meet our Lord in the air. Joining His companynever to part from Him we shall subsequently return with Him when He is manifested to the world in His glory. Are not these words enough to comfort all our hearts; enough indeed to fill them with 27 And as it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment, 28 so Christ was offered once to bear the sins of many. To those who eagerly wait for Him He will appear a second time, apart from sin, for salvation. Hebrews 9:27-28

B. Christ will return personally, visibly, gloriously and triumphantly (See: The\Doctrine of Christ, XI). Christ is coming as personally, as visibly and as gloriously as He went (Acts 1:11; I Th. 4:15-17; IITh. 2:7-8; Mt. 25:31-32). 27 Who also said, Men of Galilee, why do you stand gazing up into heaven? This same Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will so come in like manner as you saw Him go into heaven. Acts 1:11 Which also said, ye men of Galilee And which was said by them, not to reproach them with their country, but partly to let them know that they knew them, who they were, and from whence they came; and partly to observe the rich and distinguishing grace of God in choosing such mean and contemptible persons to be the apostles of Christ, and eyewitnesses of his majesty: why stand ye gazing up into heaven? reproving them for their curiosity in looking after Christ with their bodily eyes, who was no more in common to be seen this way, but with an eye of faith; and for their desire after his corporeal presence, which they were not to look for; and as if they expected he would return again immediately, whereas his return will not be till the end of the world: and besides, they were not to remain on that spot, or stand gazing there; they were to go to Jerusalem, and abide there, as Christ had ordered, till they should receive the Holy Spirit in an extraordinary way; and then they were to preach a crucified Christ, and declare that he was risen from the dead, and was gone to heaven, and was ordained to be the Judge of quick and dead. This same Jesus; and not another; the same in person, in body and soul: which is taken up from you into heaven; who was taken up in a cloud out of their sight, and received into heaven, where he will be till the times of the restitution of all things; and which might be matter of grief to them, because of the loss of his bodily presence; though it should have been rather joyful to them, since he was gone to the Father, and as their forerunner, to prepare a place, and make intercession for them: shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven; he shall come in the same flesh, in the same human nature; he shall come in the clouds of heaven, and shall be attended with his mighty angels, as he now was; he shall descend himself in person, as he now ascended in person; and as he went up with a shout, and with the sound of a trumpet, see ( Psalms 47:5 ) so he shall descend with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and the trump of God; and, it may be, he shall descend upon the very spot from whence he ascended; see ( Zechariah 14:4 ) and it is a notion of the Jews, that the resurrection of the Israelites will be there: they F13 say , that ``when the dead shall live, the Mount of Olives shall be cleaved asunder, and all the dead of Israel shall come out from under it; yea, even the righteous which die in captivity shall pass through a subterranean cavern, and come out from under the Mount of Olives.'' C. Christ has a multi-faceted purpose for His return. 1. To receive His own (John 14:3; 17:24; I Th. 4:16-17). And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also. John 14:3 Father, I desire that they also whom You gave Me may be with Me where I am, that they may behold My glory which You have given Me; for You loved Me before the foundation of the world. John 17:24 For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord. I Thessalonians 4:16-17 The Lord himself - That is: Jesus Christ shall descend from heaven; shall descend in like manner as he was seen by his disciples to ascend, i.e. in his human form, but now infinitely more glorious; for thousands of thousands shall minister unto

him, and ten thousand times ten thousand shall stand before him; for the Son of man shall come on the throne of his glory: but who may abide the day of his coming, or stand when he appeareth? With a shout - Or order, and probably in these words: Arise, ye dead, and come to judgment; which order sha ll be repeated by the archangel, who shall accompany it with the sound of the trump of God, whose great and terrible blasts, like those on mount Sinai, sounding louder and louder, shall shake both the heavens and the earth! Observe the order of this terribly glorious day: 1.Jesus, in all the dignity and splendor of his eternal majesty, shall descend from heaven to the mid region, what the apostle calls the air, somewhere within the earth' s atmosphere. 2.Then the , shout or order, shall be given for the dead to arise. 3.Next the archangel, as the herald of Christ, shall repeat the order, Arise, ye dead, and come to judgment! 4.When all the dead in Christ are raised, then the trumpet shall sound, as the signal for them all to flock together to the throne of Christ. It was by the sound of the trumpet that the solemn assemblies, under the law, were convoked; and to such convocations there appears to be here an allusion. 5.When the dead in Christ are raised, their vile bodies being made like unto his glorious body, then, 6.Those who are alive shall be changed, and made immortal. 7.These shall be caught up together with them to meet the Lord in the air. 8.We may suppose that the judgment will now be set, and the books opened, and the dead judged out of the things written in those books. 9.The eternal states of quick and dead being thus determined, then all who shall be found to have made a covenant with him by sacrifice, and to have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb, shall be taken to his eternal glory, and be for ever with the Lord. What an inexpressibly terrific glory will then be exhibited! I forbear to call in here the descriptions which men of a poetic turn have made of this terrible scene, because I cannot trust to their correctness; and it is a subject which we should speak of and contemplate as nearly as possible in the words of Scripture.

2. To reckon with His servants (Mt. 25:19). After a long time the lord of those servants came and settled accounts with them. Matthew 25:19

After a long time ... - By the return of the lord of those servants to reckon with them is denoted the return of Christ to call people to an account for the manner in which they have improved their talents. See Romans 14:12; II Corinthians 5:10; I Thessalonians 4:16; Acts 1:11; Acts 17:31. Reckon with them - To reckon is to settle accounts. Here it means to inquire into their faithfulness, and to reward or punish them accordingly.

3. To judge all (Mt. 25:31-46; II Tim. 4:1, 8; Jude 14-15).

I charge you therefore before God and the Lord Jesus Christ, who will judge the living and the dead at His appearing and His kingdom II Timothy 4:1 Who shall judge the quick and the dead - That is, the Lord Jesus; for he is to be the judge of men; Mat. 25:31-46; II Corinthians 5:10. The word "quick" means "living" (See the Acts 10:42 note; Ephesians 2:1 note); and the idea is, that he would be alike the judge of all who were alive when he should come, and of all who had died; see the notes on I Thessalonians 4:16-17. In view of the fact that all, whether preachers or hearers, must give up their account to the final Judge, Paul charges Timothy to be faithful; and what is there which will more conduce to fidelity in the discharge of duty, than the thought that we must soon give up a solemn account of the manner in which we have performed it?

4. To reward every man according to his works (Mt. 16:27; I Cor. 3:12-15; II Tim. 4:8; I Pet. 5:4). Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give to me on that Day, and not to me only but also to all who have loved His appearing. II Timothy 4:8 when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that does not fade away. I Peter 5:4

A crown of righteousness - That is, a crown won in the cause of righteousness, and conferred as the reward of his conflicts and efforts in the cause of holiness. It was not the crown of ambition; it was not a garland won in struggles for earthly distinction; it was that which was the appropriate reward of his efforts to be personally holy, and to spread the principles of holiness as far as possible through the world. Which the Lord, the righteous Judge, shall give me - The LordJesus, appointed to judge the world, and to dispense the rewards of eternity. It will be seen in the last day that the rewards of heaven are not conferred in an arbitrary manner, but that they are bestowed because they ought to be, or that God is righteous and just in doing it. No man will be admitted to heaven who ought not, under all the circumstances of the case, to be admitted there; no one will be excluded who ought to have been saved. At that day - That is, the time when he will come to judge the world; Matt. 25. Unto all them also that love his appearing - That is, unto all who desire his second coming. To believe in the second advent of the Lord Jesus to judge the world, and to desire his return, became a kind of a criterion by which Christians were known. No others buttrue Christians were supposed to believe in that, and no others truly desired it; compare Revelation 1:7; Revelation 22:20. It is so now. It is one of the characteristics of a true Christian that he sincerely desires the return of his Saviour, and would weLcome his appearing in the clouds of heaven.

5. To complete the salvation of the saints (Rom. 8:23; Heb. 9:28; I Th. 3:13). Not only that, but we also who have the first fruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, eagerly waiting for the adoption, the redemption of our body. Romans 8:23 The redemption of the body - The complete recovery of the body from death and corruption. The particular and striking act of the adoption in the day of judgment will be the raising up of the body from the grave, and rendering it immortal and eternally blessed. The particular effects of the adoption in this world are on the soul. The completion of it on the last day will be seen particularly in the body; and thus the entire man shall be admitted into the favor of God, and restored from all his sins and all the evil consequences of the fall. The apostle here speaks the language of every Christian. The Christian has joys which the world does not know; but he has also sorrows; he sighs over his corruption; he is in the midst of calamity; he is going to the grave; and he looks forward to that complete deliverance, and to that elevated state, when, in the presence of an assembled universe, he shall be acknowledged as a child of God. This elevated privilege gives to Christianity its high value; and the hope of being acknowledged in the presence of the universe as the child of God - the hope of the poorest and the humblest believer - is of infinitely mere value than the prospect of the most princely inheritance, or of the brightest crown that a monarch ever wore.

And as it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment, so Christ was offered once to bear the sins of many. To those who eagerly wait for Him He will appear a second time, apart from sin, for salvation. Hebrews 9:27-28

See Acts 1:11 And may the Lord make you increase and abound in love to one another and to all, just as we do to you, so that He may establish your hearts blameless in holiness before our God and Father at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ with all His saints. I Thessalonians 3:12-13 6. To be glorified in His saints (Col. 3:4; II Th. 1:10). When Christ who is our life appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory. Colossians 3:4 when He comes, in that Day, to be glorified in His saints and to be admired among all those who believe, because our testimony among you was believed. II Thessalonians 1:10

When he shall come to be glorified in his saints - That is, the redeemed in that day will be the means of promoting his glory, or the universe will see his glory manifested in their redemption. His chief glory as seen in that day will be connected with the fact that he has redeemed his people; and he will come in order that all the appropriate honor of such a work may then be manifested. He will be "glorified" then by the numbers that shall have been redeemed; by their patience in the trials through which they have passed; by the triumphs which religion shall have made on the earth; by their praises and songs, and by their ascent with him to the realms of blessedness. And to be admired in all them that believe - This may either mean that he will be admired among or by them that believe; or that the ground of the admiration which he will receive in that day will be what will be seen in them; that is, their graces, their numbers, their joys, their triumphs will be the occasion of producing admiration of him - for he will be regarded as the source of it all. Tyndale renders it: "and to be made marvelous in all them that believe." The latter interpretation seems to me to be the correct one. The general idea is, that Christ in that day will be manifested in a glorious manner, and that the source of his highest triumphs will be what is seen in the saints. His main honor when he returns to the world will not be the outward splendors which will attend his coming, nor the angels that will accompany him, nor the manifestation of his power over the elements, but the church which he has redeemed. It will then be seen that he is worthy of universal admiration, for having redeemed that church. He shall then be admired or glorified in his people: (1)For having conceived the plan of redeeming them; (2)For being willing to become incarnate and to die to save them; (3)For the defense of his church in all its persecutions and trials; (4)For raising his people from the dead; (5)For the virtues and graces which they will exhibit in that day. This appropriate honor of Christ in the church has never yet been fully seen. His people on earth have, in general, most imperfectly reflected his image. They have in general been comparatively few in number, and scattered upon the earth. They have been poor and despised. Often they have been persecuted and regarded as the "filth of the world and the offscouring of all things." The honors ofthis world have been withheld from them. The great have regarded it as no honor to be identified with the church, and the proud have been ashamed to be enrolled among the followers of the Lamb. In the last day all this will be changed, and the assembled church will show to admiring worlds how great and glorious is it, Redeemer, and how glorious was the work of redemption. Because our testimony among you was believed. - The meaning of this seems to be, that they would be among the number of those who would in that day honor the Saviour, because they had embraced what the apostle had preached to them respecting these future scenes. Thus interpreted, this clause should be regarded as connected with II Thessalonians 2:7. "And to you it is a righteous thing that he should give rest with us, because our testimony among you was believed," That is, you have shown that you are true Christians, and it is proper that you should partake of the triumphs and hopes of that day.

7. To receive His bride, His reward for redemption (Mt. 25:10; Eph. 5:25-27; Rev. 19:7-9). Let us be glad and rejoice and give Him glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and His wife has made herself ready. And to her it was granted to be arrayed in fine linen, clean and bright, for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints. Then he said to me, Write: Blessed are those who are called to the marriage supper of the Lamb! And he said to me, These are the true sayings of God. Revelation 19:7-9 For the marriage of the Lamb is come - Of the Lamb of God - the Redeemer of the world. See the notes on Revelation 5:6. The relation of God, and especially of the Messiah, to the church, is often in the Scriptures represented under the image of marriage. See the Isaiah 54:4-6; 62:4-5 notes; II Corinthians 11:2 note; Ephesians 5:23-33note.

Compare Jeremiah 3:14; Jeremiah 31:32; Hosea 2:19-20. The idea is also said to be common in Arabic and Persian poetry. It is to be remembered, also, that papal Rome has just been represented as a frivolous and meretricious woman; and there is a propriety, therefore, in representing the true church as a pure bride, the Lamb' s wife, and the final triumph of that church as a joyous marriage. The meaning is, that the church was now to triumph and rejoice as if in permanent union with her glorious head and Lord. And his wife hath made herself ready - By putting on her beautiful apparel and ornaments. All the preparations had been made for a permanent and uninterrupted union with its Redeemer, and the church was henceforward to be recognized as his beautiful bride, and was no more to appear as a decorated harlot - as it had during the papal supremacy. Between the church under the papacy, and the church in its true form, there is all the difference which there is between an abandoned woman gaily decked with gold and jewels, and a pure virgin chastely and modestly adorned, about to be led to be united in bonds of love to a virtuous husband,

VII. What effect does the Second Coming have on the Church? A. The dead in Christ will rise (I Th. 4:16). For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. B. Believers will meet Jesus in the air to be with Him forever (I Th. 4:17). Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord. C. Believers will receive their new bodies (I Cor. 15:35-49; Phil. 3:20-21). There is one glory of the sun, another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars; for one star differs from another star in glory. So also is the resurrection of the dead. The body is sown in corruption, it is raised in incorruption. It is sown in dishonor, it is raised in glory. It is sown in weakness, it is raised in power. I Corinthians 15:41-43 For our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly body that it may be conformed to His glorious body, according to the working by which He is able even to subdue all things to Himself. Philippians 3:20-21 D. Believers will be transformed into Christs image (I John 3:2). Beloved, now we are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is. E. Believers will be united with Christ in marriage (Rev. 19:7-9).

F. Believers will receive a crown of righteousness (II Tim. 4:8). D. The nature of the reward is multifaceted: 1. Rewards are often depicted as crowns (stephanos bestowed upon a conqueror or victor): a. An incorruptible crown is granted to those who master their flesh (1 Cor. 9:25). b. A crown of hope or joy is bestowed upon those who bore fruit in others lives for Christ (1 Thess. 2: 19). This is sometimes called the soul-winners crown. c. A crown of life is provided for believers who patiently endure trials (James 1:12). d. A crown of righteousness is given to those longing for Christs return (2 Tim. 4:8). e. A crown of glory is rewarded to spiritual shepherds who willingly feed the flock of God (1 Pet. 5:4). Note: Crowns worn by the twenty-four elders in heaven (Rev. 4:4) will be laid before the Father (y. 10). Those who believe these elders symbolize the church see this action as that of believers who cast them before the throne never to wear them again. 2. Rewards include responsible positions in the millennial kingdom (Matt. 25:21 , 23 ; 1 Cor. 6:2; cf. Rev. 20:4). 3. Rewards ultimately refer to a privileged place in heaven where His servants shall serve Him (Rev. 22:3).

G. Believers will live and reign with Christ forever (Mt. 19:28; II Tim. 2:12; Rev. 20:4-6; 22:5). This is a faithful saying: for if we died with Him, we shall also live with Him. If we endure, we shall also reign with Him. If we deny Him, He also will deny us. If we are faithless, He remains faithful; He cannot deny Himself. II Timothy 2:11-13 And I saw thrones, and they sat on them, and judgment was committed to them. Then I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for their witness to Jesus and for the word of God, who had not worshiped the beast or his image, and had not received his mark on their foreheads or on their hands. And they lived and reigned with Christ for a thousand years. But the rest of the dead did not live again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection. Blessed and holy is he who has part in the first resurrection. Over such the second death has no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with Him a thousand years. Revelation 20:4-6