Which Coming of Christ?

Intro

Practically all Christians wait for the promised coming of Christ.

But - which coming are we waiting for?

First, there are at least 2 different forms of Christ’s future return.

Second, these two future returns of Christ will take at different times and for different reasons.

The problem is -

some Bible teachers teach that they are one and the same

others interchange bible references

Example

“thief in the night” - most Christians believe this phrase applies to the rapture

Jesus prophesied about the coming of the Son of Man

In the Olivet Discourse (Matthew 24-26) Jesus answers the questions asked by his disciples concerning the return

The question -

Matthew 24:3 NASB 2020

3 And as He was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to Him privately, saying, “Tell us, when will these things happen, and what will be the sign of Your coming, and of the end of the age?”

The answer -

Jesus lays down a series of events leading to His return

wars and rumors of wars - Matt 24.4-8

natural calamaties - Matthew 24.4-8

Matthew 24:4–8 NASB 2020

4 And Jesus answered and said to them, “See to it that no one misleads you. 5 For many will come in My name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and they will mislead many people. 6 And you will be hearing of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not alarmed, for those things must take place, but that is not yet the end. 7 For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and there will be famines and earthquakes in various places. 8 But all these things are merely the beginning of birth pains.

gospel is preached all over the world - Matthew 24.14

Matthew 24:14 NASB 2020

14 This gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all the nations, and then the end will come.

the rise of the antichrist -

Matthew 24:15–21 NASB 2020

15 “Therefore when you see the abomination of desolation which was spoken of through Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place—let the reader understand— 16 then those who are in Judea must flee to the mountains. 17 Whoever is on the housetop must not go down to get things out of his house. 18 And whoever is in the field must not turn back to get his cloak. 19 But woe to those women who are pregnant, and to those who are nursing babies in those days! 20 Moreover, pray that when you flee, it will not be in the winter, or on a Sabbath. 21 For then there will be a great tribulation, such as has not occurred since the beginning of the world until now, nor ever will again.

then, His return

Matthew 24:29–30 NASB 2020

29 “But immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, and the stars will fall from the sky, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken. 30 And then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the son of man coming on the clouds of the sky with power and great glory.

SO - this “coming of Christ” takes place “after the great tribulation

Jesus mentioned His coming like a thief in the night

Matthew 24:43–44 NASB 2020

43 But be sure of this, that if the head of the house had known at what time of the night the thief was coming, he would have been on the alert and would not have allowed his house to be broken into. 44 For this reason you must be ready as well; for the Son of Man is coming at an hour when you do not think He will.

Peter understood this to be the “great day of the Lord”

2 Peter 3:10 NASB 2020

10 But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, in which the heavens will pass away with a roar and the elements will be destroyed with intense heat, and the earth and its works will be discovered.

John saw this in his visions

Revelation 16:13–16 NASB 2020

13 And I saw coming out of the mouth of the dragon, and out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet, three unclean spirits like frogs; 14 for they are spirits of demons, performing signs, which go out to the kings of the entire world, to gather them together for the war of the great day of God, the Almighty. 15 (“Behold, I am coming like a thief. Blessed is the one who stays awake and keeps his clothes, so that he will not walk about naked and people will not see his shame.”) 16 And they gathered them together to the place which in Hebrew is called Har-Magedon.

Paul also mentioned this -

1 Thessalonians 5:1–6 NASB 2020

1 Now as to the periods and times, brothers and sisters, you have no need of anything to be written to you. 2 For you yourselves know full well that the day of the Lord is coming just like a thief in the night. 3 While they are saying, “Peace and safety!” then sudden destruction will come upon them like labor pains upon a pregnant woman, and they will not escape. 4 But you, brothers and sisters, are not in darkness, so that the day would overtake you like a thief; 5 for you are all sons of light and sons of day. We are not of night nor of darkness; 6 so then, let’s not sleep as others do, but let’s be alert and sober.

Jesus warned the church about this coming like a thief event

Revelation 3:3 NASB 2020

3 So remember what you have received and heard; and keep it, and repent. Then if you are not alert, I will come like a thief, and you will not know at what hour I will come to you.

Jesus mentioned His “other coming” in a different way

John 14:1–3 NASB 2020

1 “Do not let your heart be troubled; believe in God, believe also in Me. 2 In My Father’s house are many rooms; if that were not so, I would have told you, because I am going there to prepare a place for you. 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I am coming again and will take you to Myself, so that where I am, there you also will be.

John 12:26 NASB 2020

26 If anyone serves Me, he must follow Me; and where I am, there My servant will be also; if anyone serves Me, the Father will honor him.

Paul disclosed this in different way

1 Thessalonians 4:13–18 NASB 2020

13 But we do not want you to be uninformed, brothers and sisters, about those who are asleep, so that you will not grieve as indeed the rest of mankind do, who have no hope. 14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose from the dead, so also God will bring with Him those who have fallen asleep through Jesus. 15 For we say this to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord will not precede those who have fallen asleep. 16 For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. 17 Then we who are alive, who remain, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord. 18 Therefore, comfort one another with these words.

Also in 1 Cor 15 -

1 Corinthians 15:50–54 NASB 2020

50 Now I say this, brothers and sisters, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable. 51 Behold, I am telling you a mystery; we will not all sleep, but we will 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 imperishable, and we will be changed. 53 For this perishable must put on the imperishable, and this mortal must put on immortality. 54 But when this perishable puts on the imperishable, and this mortal puts on immortality, then will come about the saying that is written: “Death has been swallowed up in victory.

Conclusion

Does it matter which one are we waiting for?

Yes, because the “rapture” takes place before the Tribulation, the “second coming” takes place after the G.T.

the Rapture is for the Church “overcomer”

the Second coming is for the great day of the Lord

Yes, because Jesus promised to “keep His faithful ones from the hour of the testing” - Rev 3.10

Revelation 3:10 NASB 2020

10 Because you have kept My word of perseverance, I also will keep you from the hour of the testing, that hour which is about to come upon the whole world, to test those who live on the earth.