Christ's Return

Christ’s return is both literal and imminent. He will return bodily, personally, visible.

When talking about the return of Christ we must look at a few items on the prophecy timetable.

The Rapture

John 14:1–4 KJV 1900

Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also. And whither I go ye know, and the way ye know.

1 Thessalonians 4:13–18 KJV 1900

But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him. 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. Wherefore comfort one another with these words.

When will the rapture happen?

To be clear even the strictest tribulationalist say that their position on the rapture is a theory.

The position you take on the rapture depends primarily on how you interpret the Bible.

Literally - The tribulation is God’s wrath meant to punish Israel and the unbelieving.

Dan. 9:24 Jer. 30:7

Daniel 9:24 KJV 1900

Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people and upon thy holy city, to finish the transgression, and to make an end of sins, and to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness, and to seal up the vision and prophecy, and to anoint the most Holy.

Jeremiah 30:7 KJV 1900

Alas! for that day is great, so that none is like it: It is even the time of Jacob’s trouble; But he shall be saved out of it.

partial literal partial allegorical- The church is the spiritual Israel and will go through the tribulation.

Allegorical- There is no literal meaning it is all up to personal interpretation.

There are multiple promises in the New Testament from God to the church that His wrath will not be towards it.

In Matt 24 Jesus states that there is going to be a Great Tribulation, and it seems that it is referring to the last half of the tribulation period. Jesus does not say that the first half of the tribulation is not God’s wrath. We must be careful to call the tribulation what it is. God’s wrath pored out upon the earth to prepare it for His millennial kingdom.

His Second Coming

His return will Start the millennial kingdom.

The literal 1000 year reign of Christ on this earth.

Acts 1:11 KJV 1900

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 ye have seen him go into heaven.

Zechariah 14:4 KJV 1900

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.

Revelation 20:4 KJV 1900

And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years.

The Destruction of Heaven and Earth

Revelation 21:1–2 KJV 1900

And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea. And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.

2 Peter 3:7 KJV 1900

But the heavens and the earth, which are now, by the same word are kept in store, reserved unto fire against the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men.

2 Peter 3:9 KJV 1900

The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.

2 Peter 3:10 KJV 1900

But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up.

Revelation 21:5 KJV 1900

And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And he said unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful.

Isaiah 66:22–24 KJV 1900

For as the new heavens and the new earth, which I will make, Shall remain before me, saith the Lord, So shall your seed and your name remain. And it shall come to pass, that from one new moon to another, And from one sabbath to another, Shall all flesh come to worship before me, saith the Lord. And they shall go forth, and look Upon the carcases of the men that have transgressed against me: For their worm shall not die, Neither shall their fire be quenched; And they shall be an abhorring unto all flesh.