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The
Second Coming of Jesus
(For a more comprehensive
explanation of end time events, read A
Glimpse Into the Future.)
The second coming of Jesus will be as literal
as was His going away. See John 14:3; Acts 1:9-11. The general
term, the “second coming of Christ,” encompasses two separate
events.
First is the Rapture
of the Church, when Jesus comes to catch away His waiting
Bride. The word rapture means, “being carried away in body
or spirit,” and this is literally what will happen. This will
be experienced only by those who are part of the Bride of
Christ (Revelation 19:6-9). Scripture is very plain concerning
the fact that no man knows the day nor the hour of the Rapture.
It will be an instantaneous happening, and numerous warnings
are given in Scripture concerning the dangers of neglecting
to prepare for this event.
The second part is the Revelation
of Christ, when He returns with His saints to execute
judgment upon the ungodly and to set up His millennial kingdom
on earth.
RAPTURE:
Matthew
24:40-44 — Then shall two be in the field;
the one shall be taken, and the other left. Two women shall
be grinding at the mill; the one shall be taken, and the other
left. Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord
doth come. But know this, that if the goodman of the house
had known in what watch the thief would come, he would have
watched, and would not have suffered his house to be broken
up. Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye
think not the Son of man cometh.
1 Thessalonians
4:15-17 — For this we say unto you by the
word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto
the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep.
For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout,
with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God:
and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are
alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in
the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever
be with the Lord.
REVELATION:
Zechariah
14:3-4 — Then shall the Lord go forth, and
fight against those nations, as when he fought in the day
of battle. And his feet shall stand in that day upon the mount
of Olives, which is before Jerusalem on the east, and the
mount of Olives shall cleave in the midst thereof toward the
east and toward the west, and there shall be a very great
valley; and half of the mountain shall remove toward the north,
and half of it toward the south.
2 Thessalonians
1:7-10 — And to you who are troubled rest
with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven
with his mighty angels, In flaming fire taking vengeance on
them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our
Lord Jesus Christ: Who shall be punished with everlasting
destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory
of his power; When he shall come to be glorified in his saints,
and to be admired in all them that believe (because our testimony
among you was believed) in that day.
Jude 1:14-15
— And Enoch also, the seventh from Adam, prophesied of these,
saying, Behold, the Lord cometh with ten thousands of his
saints, To execute judgment upon all, and to convince all
that are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds which
they have ungodly committed, and of all their hard speeches
which ungodly sinners have spoken against him.
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