The Word of Truth
Christ’s Return
In this series on the Word of Truth we
have studied some basic and yet very essential doctrines of the Bible. We have
seen that the Bible is the most profound and enlightening book in the entire
world. It is God’s Word to us. The Word of truth tells us about God and about
who we are. It declares to us the tragedy of sin and the great grace and love
of God that saves us.
The Bible is more than a book of
facts. It is alive and powerful and it pierces deep into the thoughts and
intents of our hearts.[1]
And it reveals to us a faith rooted not in speculative philosophies but in
history. Christianity is an historical religion. It is historical not only in
the sense that its promises and principles are rooted in real people and
events. It is historical because God has acted decisively in history revealing
Himself and His plan of salvation. And He will act again decisively to bring
all of history to its predestined climax with the second coming of Jesus
Christ.
People have often asked where history
is going. Does life have meaning and purpose? The Bible, the Word of truth
gives us the answer. Each and every day brings us closer to the turning point
in history and the dawning of a new age[2] Let’s read part of a message preached by the
apostle Peter.
Repent therefore and be
converted, that your sins may
be blotted out, so that
times of refreshing may come
from the presence of the
Lord, 20 and that He may send
Jesus Christ, who was
preached to you before, 21 whom
heaven must receive until the times of restoration of all
things, which God
has spoken by the mouth of all His holy
prophets since the world
began.
(Acts 3:19-21) [my emphasis]
God sent Jesus Christ to save us from
the power and penalty of sin. Christ died paying the penalty for sin that he
might reconcile us to God.[3]
And Peter said that God will send Christ again in a moment called “the times of
restoration of all things.”
The Greek word translated
“restoration”[4]
means to restore or to re-establish back to perfection that which has fallen
into great ruin. With the return of Jesus Christ God’s people will receive
everlasting life and glory and the earth will be restored to paradise. Let’s
examine several truths about the second coming of Christ. We don’t have time to
examine every aspect, but we can learn enough to fill our hearts with hope. The
first truth is the certainty of Christ’s return.
Now when He had spoken these
things, while they
watched, He was taken up,
and a cloud received Him
out of their sight. 10
And while they looked steadfastly
toward heaven as He went up,
behold, two men stood
by them in white apparel, 11
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 1:9-11)
The Word of God tells us that the same
Jesus who was born in Bethlehem, who died for our sins and was resurrected from
death and ascended into heaven, will return the same way he left; on the clouds
of heaven.
Then the sign of the Son of
Man will appear in heaven,
and then all the tribes of
the earth will mourn, and they
will see the Son of Man
coming on the clouds of heaven
with power and great glory.[5]
(Matthew 24:30)
When the Lord Jesus Christ returns
everyone on earth will see him. And he will be revealed in power and great
glory. In his first coming Jesus was despised and rejected. He was crucified as
a criminal. But with his return the whole world will see him as the King of
kings and the Lord of lords. And with his return all of God’s people will be
gathered together and granted everlasting life.
And He will send His angels
with a great sound of a
trumpet, and they will
gather together His elect from
the four winds, from one end
of heaven to the other.
(Matthew 24:31)
What a tremendous truth this is! At
the return of Jesus Christ all of God’s people from every age of time and from
every part of the world will be granted everlasting life.
But now Christ is risen from
the dead, and has become
the firstfruits of those who
have fallen asleep. 21 For since
by man came death, by Man also came
the resurrection
of the dead. 22
For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ all
shall be made alive. 23
But each one in his own order:
Christ the firstfruits,
afterward those who are Christ’s at
His
coming.
(1 Corinthians 15:20-23)
Jesus Christ was the firstfruits from
the dead. His resurrection was the inauguration of the full resurrection to
come. Christ’s resurrection guarantees that at his return all of God’s people
will be granted immortality. In John 14:19 Jesus said, “Because I live, you
will live also.” And Colossians 3:4 declares, “When Christ who is our life appears, then you also will appear with Him in
glory.” Let’s continue in 1 Corinthians 15.
Now this I say, brethren,
that flesh and blood cannot
inherit the kingdom of God;
nor does corruption inherit
incorruption. 51
Behold, I tell you a mystery: We shall not
all sleep, but we shall all
be changed— 52 in a moment,
in the twinkling of an eye,
at the last trumpet. For the
trumpet will sound, and the
dead will be raised incorruptible,
and we shall be changed. 53
For this corruptible must put
on incorruption, and this
mortal must put on immortality.
54 So when this
corruptible has put on incorruption, and this
mortal has put on
immortality, then shall be brought to pass
the saying that is written:
“Death is swallowed up in victory.”
(1 Corinthians 15:50-54)
At the return of Jesus Christ every
believer who has died will be raised up from the dead. And every believer who
is alive at the time will be changed. And all of us together will put on
immortality and glory. How many tears have been shed at the death of someone we
love? How many hearts have been broken with grief? There is a day coming with
the return of Jesus Christ when all of this sorrow will be swallowed up with
life and joy! God’s people will be filled with a joy that will never end.
But at Christ’s return many others
will mourn. We read earlier in Matthew 24 that everyone on earth will see
Christ return with power and glory. And we were also told that many would
mourn. Here’s why.
Now
I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse.
And He who sat on him was
called Faithful and True,
and in righteousness He
judges and makes war.
12 His eyes were like a flame of fire, and on His
head were
many crowns. He had a name
written that no one knew
except Himself. 13 He
was clothed with a robe dipped in
blood, and His name is
called The Word of God.
14 And the armies
in heaven, clothed in fine linen, white
and clean, followed Him on
white horses. 15 Now out of
His mouth goes a sharp sword,
that with it He should strike
the nations. And He Himself
will rule them with a rod of iron.
He Himself treads the
winepress of the fierceness and wrath
of Almighty God. 16
And He has on His robe and on His thigh
a name written: KING OF
KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS.
(Revelation 19:11-16)
The return of Christ brings
everlasting life and glory to God’s people. But it will also bring war against
God’s enemies. And divine judgment, justice and wrath upon the wicked and
unrepentant. So often in life it seems like evil prevails. Selfish pride,
arrogance and injustice rule the day. But when Jesus Christ returns, in the
times of restoration of al things, justice will prevail and evil will be
crushed[6]
Acts 17:31 tells us that God
will judge the world in righteousness
by the Man whom
He has ordained. He has
given assurance of this to all
by raising Him from the dead.
When Christ returns the wicked will be
punished and the kingdom of God will be established on a renewed earth.
Then the seventh angel
sounded: And there were loud
voices in heaven, saying,
“The kingdoms of this world
have become the kingdoms of our Lord and of His
Christ,
and He shall reign forever
and ever!” 16 And the twenty-four
elders who sat before God on
their thrones fell on their
faces and worshiped God, 17
saying:
“We give You thanks, O Lord God Almighty,
The One who is and who was and who is to come,
Because You have taken Your great power and reigned.
18 The nations were angry, and Your wrath has come,
And the time of the dead, that they should be judged,
And that You should reward Your servants the prophets
“We give You thanks, O Lord God Almighty,
The One who is and who was and who is to come,
Because You have taken Your great power and reigned.
18 The nations were angry, and Your wrath has come,
And the time of the dead, that they should be judged,
And that You should reward Your servants the prophets
and the saints,
And those who fear Your name, small and great,
And should destroy those who destroy the earth.”
And those who fear Your name, small and great,
And should destroy those who destroy the earth.”
(Revelation 11:15-18)
The long rebellion of the world
against God will end with the victorious return of Jesus Christ. And the earth
that has been destroyed by sinners will be renewed and restored. The Bible
tells us that with the return of Christ there will be everlasting peace.[7]
Men will learn war no more.[8]
There will be no more sickness or disease.[9] No
more will sorrow or crying will be heard.[10]
The dessert will blossom like a rose.[11]
And the earth will be restored like the garden of Eden.[12]
As we read earlier, the return of Jesus Christ will bring about the restoration
of all things.
But when will Christ return? In
Matthew 24 Jesus Christ gave his fullest teaching concerning the fulfillment of
history, his return and the dawning of a new age. He said that as history comes
to its climax our world would endure wars, famines and other natural disasters.
Christ called these events “the beginning of sorrows”[13]
or more literally, “birth pangs.” Famines, earthquakes and war are a part of
life in sinful world. But by calling these events “the beginning of labor
pains” Christ intended for us to understand that these events will become more
and more intense as we draw near to the end.
Then in the last years of this age[14]
there will be a person known as the Anti-Christ.[15]
He is also called “the abomination of desolation”[16]
and “the lawlessness one.”[17]
This evil person will claim to be God[18]
and demand worship. And this will lead to a time of severe persecution against
God’s people called the “great tribulation.”[19]
This time of trouble will be cut short[20]
by the return of Jesus Christ.
Immediately after the tribulation of those
days the sun
will be darkened, and the
moon will not give its light;
the stars will fall from
heaven, and the powers of the
heavens will be shaken. 30
Then the sign of the Son
of Man will appear in
heaven, and then all the tribes
of the earth will mourn, and
they will see the Son of
Man coming on the clouds of
heaven with power
and great glory.
(Matthew
24:29, 30)
As we near the end of this age Jesus
Christ will return in power and glory. In Luke 21:28 Jesus Christ said when we
see the signs of the end of this age,
when these things begin to
happen, look up and lift up
your heads, because your
redemption draws near.
In the light of this great truth
concerning the return of Christ how should we then live? Knowing the truth
matters. To understand the truth is to understand what is real and factual so
that you can live in the light of that reality. In light of our salvation and
the sure and certain return of Christ here is how we are to live.
For the grace of God that
brings salvation has appeared
to all men, 12 teaching us
that, denying ungodliness and
worldly lusts, we should live
soberly, righteously, and godly
in the present age, 13 looking for
the blessed hope and
glorious appearing of our
great God and Savior Jesus Christ,
14 who gave
Himself for us, that He might redeem us from
every lawless deed and
purify for Himself His own special
people, zealous for good
works.
(Titus 2:11-14)
As we eagerly anticipate the return of
Jesus Christ let us reject the deceitful values of this world. Let us strive to
live soberly, with a sound mind healed by the Word of God. Let us live
righteously; doing what is right. And let us live godly lives, with firm
devotion to God our Father, the Author of life.
Appendix
A
To understand the end times we need to understand Daniel's 70th Week. This week is described in Daniel.
Dan 9:24 - Seventy weeks are determined For your people and for your holy city, To finish the transgression, To make an end of sins, To make reconciliation for iniquity, To bring in everlasting righteousness, To seal up vision and prophecy, And to anoint the Most Holy.
Daniel is given a prophecy concerning the fulfillment of the promise of God to establish His people and His kingdom. The seventy weeks are years. Therefore there are 70 sets of seven years prophesied. Daniel tells us that the 70 "weeks" are decreed regarding two things: 1) your people (Israel) and 2) your holy city (Jerusalem). Then he lists six goals for establishing this period of years.
1.
To finish transgression
2.
To put an end to sin
3.
To atone for wickedness
4.
To bring in everlasting righteousness
5.
To seal up vision and prophecy
6.
To anoint the Most Holy
7.
In the next verse he elaborates on this 70 "weeks" of years...
Daniel 9:25 - Know therefore and understand, That from the going forth of the command To restore and build Jerusalem Until Messiah the Prince, There shall be seven weeks and sixty-two weeks; The street shall be built again, and the wall, Even in troublesome times.
§ (7
weeks + 62 weeks = 69 weeks)
§ 69 X
7 years = 483 Years
In 445 B.C. Artaxerxes Longimanus issued a decree to rebuild Jerusalem (cf. Neh 2:5). From 445 B.C. to Jesus Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem = 483 years exactly! Daniel continues...
Daniel 9:26, 27 - And after the sixty-two weeks Messiah shall be cut off, but not for Himself; And the people of the prince who is to come Shall destroy the city and the sanctuary. The end of it shall be with a flood, And till the end of the war desolations are determined. Then he shall confirm a covenant with many for one week; But in the middle of the week He shall bring an end to sacrifice and offering. and on the wing of abominations shall be one who makes desolate, Even until the consummation, which is determined, Is poured out on the desolate.
§ 69
weeks+ 1 week = 70th week = Daniel's 70th Week. The 70th week refers to the last
seven years of this age. At the end of the first 69 weeks the Messiah was cut
off, that is he died for the sins of the people. From Christ’s death until now
the prophetic time clock has stopped. There has been a long period of time
between the 69 week and the 70th week; over 2000 years now. But at
some point in the future the prophetic clock will begin again to begin the 7oth
week or the last seven years of this age.
We are told in verse 27 that the "prince who is to come" will confirm a covenant with many for one "week (7 years)." Most agree that this "ruler" refers to the Antichrist. Therefore the 70th Week of Daniel will begin by the signing of a seven-year covenant by Antichrist with many. Most also agree that this will be a covenant of peace between Israel and the "many." Perhaps between Israel and the Muslim countries that surround it.
69 Weeks are past, and only the 70th week remains before ‘everlasting righteousness’ can be brought to Israel and the most Holy One will be anointed, reclaiming rule over the earth from Satan.
Daniel's seventieth week is also referred to in the book of Revelation. Although the prophecies do not explicitly mention Daniel the correlation is unmistakable.
Rev 13:4-5 - So they worshiped the dragon who gave authority to the beast; and they worshiped the beast, saying, “Who is like the beast? Who is able to make war with him?” 5 And he was given a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies, and he was given authority to continue for forty-two months.
§ 42
months = 3 ½ years
§ 3 ½
years = “the middle of the seven”
Dan 12:11-12 - And from the time that the daily sacrifice is taken away, and the abomination of desolation is set up, there shall be one thousand two hundred and ninety days. 12 Blessed is he who waits, and comes to the one thousand three hundred and thirty-five days.
§ 1,290
days = [ 1,260 days + 30 days ]
§ 1,335
days = [ 1,290 days + 45 days ]
Daniel prophesies of "the middle of the week" (Dan. 9:27 above) which is 3½ years or 1,260 days. Then at the end of the book he mentions that from time that the Abomination of Desolation is set up - which is at the "middle of the week," there will be 1,290 days - this is 30 days more than the 3½ years. Then he says that "blessed is the one" who reaches the 1,335 days. This is 45 more days than the 1,260 + 30. Each of these periods have a significant point of reference. Rev. 13:5 tells us that he will rule for 42 months or 1,260 days. Daniel 9:27 states the Abomination of Desolation will be set up until the “is poured out on the desolate." and last, we are told that one is blessed if he reaches the 1,335 days. Therefore, we can put together this picture. The Antichrist will rule until the end of the 70th week or 1,260 days. But his persecution of believers will be cut short (Matthew 24:22) and Christ will return for God’s people “immediately after the tribulation (Matthew 24:29). Thirty days later the Antichrist will meet his "end." The book of Revelation tells us that his "end" will be at Armageddon. The next event will be the establishment of the millennial reign of Christ which we can surmise will happen 45 days later.
[1]
Hebrews 4:12
[2]
Romans 13:11, 12a
[3]
1 Peter 3:18
[4]
Apokatastasis –to rebuild or
re-establish after a state of ruin.
[5]
Revelation 1:7
[6]
Isaiah 11:3-5
[7]
Isaiah 9:7
[8]
Isaiah 2:4; Micah 4:3
[9]
Isaiah 33:24; 35:5, 6;
[10]
Revelation 21:4
[11]
Isaiah 35:1, 2, 6, 7
[12]
Ezekiel 36:33-35
[13]
Matthew 24:8
[14]
See appendix A at the end of this teaching
[15]
1 John 2:18
[16]
Matthew 24:15
[17]
2 Thessalonians 2:9
[18]
2 Thessalonians 2:4
[19]
Matthew 24:21
[20]
Matthew 24:27