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      "The Second Avent of Christ"
      Selected Scriptures
      Theme: The Second Advent of Christ will occur in two stages – the Rapture of the church and the Second Coming of Christ to earth.

        1. The Relief of the Christian - "We believe in that ‘Blessed Hope’ …"

          1. The Delay in Christ’s Return

            1. For almost 2,000 years believers have been awaiting the promised return of Jesus Christ – cp. Acts 1:11
            2. During this time of waiting, we have been commissioned to make disciples of all nations – cp. Matthew 28:19-20
            3. The Savior is tremendously merciful and desires that all men everywhere repent and come to the knowledge of God – cp. Acts 17:30
            4. When discussing the delay in our Lord’s return, Peter declares that part of the reason is that God is not willing that any should perish – cp. 2 Peter 3:3-9
            5. Thus, the return of Christ is not based on some arbitrary moment, but is dependent upon the repentance of the final "brick" in the spiritual house of God which is the Church – cp. 1 Peter 2:5

          2. The Deliverance to Christlikeness

            1. Thus, the return of Christ remains an event that dominates our outlook – being the next great event on God’s calendar.
            2. As we wait, however, believers are subject to numerous unwanted and unpleasant struggles:
              1. The struggle against our flesh and the presence of the sin principle within us – Romans 7:24-25
              2. The struggle with the world – which is so set against God that it punishes those who remain true to Him – 2 Timothy 3:12
              3. The struggle with spiritual forces of darkness – Ephesians 6:12.
            3. Thus, with ever increasing vexation of soul, the true follower of Jesus Christ yearns to be present with the Lord in glory – cp. Philippians 1:21-23; Colossians 3:1
            4. The yearning to be with Christ is due in part to the great desire to be fully conformed to Him – 1 John 3:1-3
            5. This is called the great & blessed hope of Christ’s return – which will end all struggle with our flesh, the world, and Satan and will result in the glorification that awaits us – cp. Titus 2:13

        2. The Rapture of the Church – "… the personal, imminent, pretribulational and premillennial coming of the Lord Jesus Christ for His redeemed ones …"

          1. The Details of the Rapture

            1. The first part of the 2nd Advent is the closure of the mystery of the church – the catching away of those who form the body of Christ – 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18
            2. This coming for the church is a promise made directly by Jesus Christ – cp. John 14:1-3
            3. It is described by the use of several qualifying terms that help us to locate this event in God’s prophetic plan:
              1. Personal: The Lord Jesus Christ will come Himself for His bride – "The Lord Himself will descend from Heaven with a shout …" – 1 Thessalonians 4:16
              2. Pending (Imminent): There is nothing that has to occur – no fulfillment of any signs or other events – before Jesus Christ can return – it is the next event for which believers are charged to "eagerly await" – cp. 1 Corinthians 1:7; Titus 2:13
              3. Pretribulational: Since the church is promised deliverance from the time of God’s wrath, the rapture of the church will precede the 7-year Tribulation period of God’s wrath – cp. Revelation 3:10; 1 Thessalonians 1:10; 5:9
              4. Premillennial: Clearly since the Millennium follows the Tribulation, if the Rapture of the Church is prior to the Tribulation it will also be prior to the Millennium.
            4. Thus, at the Rapture of the Church, Christ Jesus does not come to His redeemed ones, He comes "for His redeemed ones" – to take them back to heaven with Him where they will be rewarded for their faithfulness to Him – cp. 1 Corinthians 3:11-15; 2 Corinthians 5:10.

          2. The Deliverance through the Rapture

            1. As mentioned above, believers will be delivered from the wrath of God by means of the Rapture.
            2. In addition, believers are delivered from the persecutions and struggles with sin as mentioned earlier.

        3. The Return of Christ – "… and in His subsequent return to earth, with His saints, to establish His Millennial Kingdom."

          1. The Descent at His Return

            1. This next phrase describes the 2nd Coming of Christ specifically – the time when the Lord actually comes back to earth.
            2. In contrast to the Rapture where Jesus comes for His saints, here He comes to His saints:

                  3. The Rapture

                  The Second Coming

                  1 Thessalonians 4:13-17; 1 Corinthians 15:51-53; John 14:1-3

                  Joel 3:12-16; Revelation 19:11-21; Zechariah 14:1-5; Matthew 24:29-31
                  Saints meet Christ in the Air Lord descends to Mt. Of Olives
                  Lord comes to bless His people without any reference to judgment Emphasis on the judgment that falls on unbelievers of this world
                  No references in context to Millennium Emphasis on the establishment of the Millennium
                  Both living & dead saints receive glorified bodies No reference made to glorification of bodies
                  Rapture occurs before the wrath of God is poured out Second Coming occurs after the wrath of God is poured out
                  Imminent Signs & events must take place
                  The Lord returns to heaven with His saints The Lord descends and remains on earth
                  All believers are removed from the earth leaving only unbelievers All unbelievers are removed from the earth leaving only the righteous
            3. In addition, it must be pointed out that at the 2nd Coming, Jesus returns to the saints at the conclusion of the Tribulation attended by the saints that He had raptured prior to the beginning of the Rapture - cp. Revelation 19:11-16
            4. It is at this time that Jesus actually sets foot on the earth in fulfillment of the prophecies of His return – cp. Zechariah 14:4-11.

          2. The Domination at His Return

            1. Jesus’ agenda at His return is to fulfill all of the Messianic prophecies concerning the establishment of the Kingdom – cp. Revelation 20:4-6
            2. All of the provisions of the Abrahamic Covenant will be fulfilled through the establishment of the Millennial Kingdom:
              1. Palestinian Covenant – Messiah will rule over all of the land promised to Abraham
              2. Davidic Covenant: - Messiah will sit on the throne of David forever
              3. New Covenant – Messiah will be honored and served by the nation of Israel – cp. Romans 11:7, 11-12, 15, 23-27.
            3. All of these provisions springing out of the Abrahamic Covenant were designed to explain and elaborate upon its provisions and will be consummated at the establishment of the Millennial rule of Christ.
            4. Another great purpose of the Millennial Kingdom is to demonstrate to all creation that God alone is Sovereign.
              1. It was on this earth that God’s plan was ostensibly thwarted and it will be on this earth where He must be clearly victorious, defeating all usurpers and establishing His rule.
              2. This rule will be a no-nonsense rule with a rod of iron – Revelation 19:15

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