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VII. Coming Events and Signs of
the Times
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Chapter 73
:
Manner of Christ's Coming
1. IS
Christ coming again?
"I will come again." John 14:3.
2.
How does Paul speak of this coming?
"Unto them that look for Him shall He appear the
second time without sin unto salvation." Heb. 9:28.
3.
Did the early disciples think that death would he the
second coming of Christ?
"Peter seeing him. [John] says to Jesus, Lord, and what
shall this man do? Jesus says unto him, If I will that
he tarry till I come, what is that to thee?
follow thou Me. Then went this saying abroad among the
brethren, that that disciple should not die: yet
Jesus said not unto him, He shall not die; but, If I
will that he tarry till I come, what is that to
thee?" John 21:21-23.
NOTES.-From this it is evident that the early
disciples regarded death and the coming of Christ as
two separate events.
" 'Therefore be you also ready: for in such an hour
as you think not the Son of man cometh.' Some people
say that means death; but the Word of God does not
say it means death. Death is our enemy, but our Lord
hath the keys of death; He has conquered death,
hell, and the grave. . . . Christ is the Prince of
life; there is no death where He is; death flees at
His coming; dead bodies sprang to life when He
touched them or spoke to them. His coming is not
death. He is the resurrection and the life. When- He
sets up His kingdom, there is to be no death, but
life for evermore."-"The Second Coming of
Christ," by D. L. Moody, pages 10, 11.
4. At
His ascension, how did the angels say Christ would come
again?
"And when He had spoken these things, while they beheld,
He was taken up; and a cloud received Him out of
their sight. And while they looked steadfastly
toward heaven as He went up, behold, two men stood by
them in white apparel; which also said, Ye men of
Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same
Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall
so come in like manner as you have seen Him go into
heaven." Acts 1:9-11.
5.
How did Christ Himself say He would come?
"For the Son of man shall come in the glory of His
Father with His angels." Matt. 16:27. "Then shall
all
the tribes of the
earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming
in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory."
Matt. 24:30. "For whosoever shall be ashamed of Me and
of My words, of him shall the Son of man be ashamed,
when He shall come in His own glory, and in His
Father's, and of the holy angels." Luke 9:26.
6.
How many will see Him when He comes?
"Behold, He comes with clouds; and every eye shall
see Him, and they also which pierced Him." Rev. 1:7.
NOTE.-Christ's second coming will be as real as was
His first, and as visible as His ascension, and far
more glorious. To spiritualize our Lord's return is
to pervert the obvious meaning of His promise, "I
will come again," and nullify the whole plan of
redemption; for the reward of the faithful of all
ages is to be given at this most glorious of all
events.
7.
What wonderful demonstration will accompany the Lord's
coming?
"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." 1 Thess. 4:16.
8.
What warning has Christ given concerning false views of
the manner of His coming?
"Then if any man shall say unto you, Lo, here is
Christ, or there; believe it not. For there shall
arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall show
great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were
possible, they shall deceive the very elect. Behold, I
have told you before. Wherefore if they shall say unto
you, Behold, He is in the desert; go not forth:
behold, He is in the secret chambers; believe it
not." Matt. 24:23-26.
9.
How visible is His coming to be?
"For as the lightning comes out of the east, and shines
even unto the west; so shall also the coming of the Son
of man be." Verse 27. |
