The Second Advent of Jesus Christ in the Gospels (Doctrinal Bible Church in Huntsville, Alabama)

Doctrinal Bible Church

Pastor-Teacher Bill Wenstrom

Wednesday September 18, 2024

The Day of the Lord Series: The Second Advent of Jesus Christ in the Gospels

Lesson # 40

As we noted in our introduction, there are some “day of the Lord” prophecies which will be fulfilled through the Second Advent of Jesus Christ (Zech. 14:3-8).

At His “Second Advent,” the Lord Jesus Christ will terminate the seventieth week and the Times of the Gentiles.

He will destroy the Tribulational armies, have Antichrist and the False Prophet thrown into the Lake of Fire (Rev. 19:11-19), will imprison Satan for a thousand years (Rev. 20:1-3) and will establish His millennial reign on planet earth (Rev. 20:4-6).

At that time, the Lord and His armies will orbit the earth before landing on the Mount of Olives, which was the site of His Ascension (Acts. 1:9-11).

There will be a great earthquake when our Lord’s foot touches the Mount of Olives (Zech. 14:1-8) and will be a unique day having neither day nor night (Zech. 14:7).

The Lord Jesus Christ describes the Tribulation period in detail and His Second Advent in Matthew 24:29-31 and Luke 21:25-28.

The “Second Advent” of Jesus Christ is taught in both the Old and New Testaments (Deuteronomy 30:3; Psalm 2:1-9; 24:7-10; 96:10-13; 110; Isaiah 9:6-7; 63:1-6; Jeremiah 23:1-8; Daniel 2:44-45; 7:18-27; Zechariah 12; 14:1-9; Matthew 19:28; 24:27-31; Mark 13:24-30; Luke 12:35-40; 17:24-37; 18:8; 21:25-28; Acts 1:10-11; 15:16-18; Romans 11:25-27; 2 Thessalonians 1:7-10; 2:8; 2 Peter 3:3-4; Jude 14-15; Revelation 1:7-8; 2:25-28; 16:15; 19:11-21).

It is important to understand that the Bible teaches that there are distinctions between the rapture and the Second Advent of Christ.

Those who don’t believe in a “pre-tribulation” rapture of the church also fail to see the distinctions between the Second Advent of Christ and the rapture and thus attribute passages dealing with the latter to the former.

For example, the “rapture” precedes the Tribulation whereas the “Second Advent” follows it as indicated by the chronology presented in the book of Revelation.

The “rapture” delivers the church from the Tribulation (1 Thessalonians 1:10; 5:9) while the “Second Advent” delivers Israel from Satan, Antichrist and the Tribulational armies.

Jesus Christ will not judge the inhabitants of the earth at the “rapture” while He will do so at His “Second Advent” (Dan. 12:1-2; Matt. 25:21-36; Ezek. 20:37-38).

The “rapture” is a time of joy (Titus 2:13) whereas the “Second Advent” will be a time of mourning (Zech. 12:10-14; Rev. 1:7).

The “rapture” takes place before the day of wrath or day of the Lord (1 Thess. 5:1-11; Rev. 3:10), however, the “Second Advent” ends the day of the Lord (Matt. 24:29-36).

The “rapture” is seen only by the church and is therefore invisible to the world while the “Second Advent” is the visible manifestation of Christ on the earth (Revelation 1:7).

The Lord meets the church in the earth’s atmosphere at the “rapture,” (1 Thessalonians 4:13-17) whereas the Lord physically lands on the Mount of Olives in Jerusalem at His “Second Advent.” (Zechariah 14:4).

When the “rapture” takes place, believers are taken to the Father’s house by the Lord Jesus Christ (John 14:1-3) while during the “Second Advent” resurrected saints do not see the Father’s house.

The Lord claims His Bride at the “rapture” and takes her to heaven (1 Thess. 4:13-17; John 14:1-3), however, He returns with her at the “Second Advent” (1 Thessalonians 3:13; 2 Thessalonians 1:10; Rev. 19:1-20:6).

The “rapture” results in the resurrection of the church (1 Thess. 4:13-18) while the “Second Advent” results in judgment of the inhabitants of planet earth (Ezek. 20:33-38; Matt. 25:31-46).

Signs do not precede the “rapture” whereas visible signs precede the “Second Advent” (Matthew 24; Mark 13; Luke 21:10-31).

The “rapture” completes God’s program for the church (1 Corinthians 15:51-58) while the “Second Advent” is related to God’s program for Israel (Matthew 24).

The “rapture” is a mystery (1 Corinthians 15:51-57), not known to Old Testament saints whereas the “Second Advent” is prophesied throughout the Old Testament canon.

The “rapture” is imminent (1 Thess. 5:1-2; James 5:7-9; Rom. 13:11-12) while on the other hand the “Second Advent” cannot take place until seven years after the start of the seventieth week when Antichrist establishes a treaty with Israel (Dan. 9:27).

The “rapture” leaves creation unchanged whereas the “Second Advent” entails a change in creation from corruption to perfect environment (Romans 8:18-22).

The “rapture” does not fulfill God’s covenants to Israel whereas the “Second Advent” marks the beginning of their fulfillment through Christ’s millennial reign.

At the “rapture” there is no mention of Satan, however, at the “Second Advent” Satan will be imprisoned for a thousand years (Rev. 19:20-20:3).

The church is nowhere found during the events of the Tribulation period recorded in Revelation 6-18 but appears as Christ’s bride in heaven in Revelation 19:1-10 and comes back with Christ at His Second Advent as recorded in Revelation 19:11-21.

The Second Advent of Jesus Christ is prophesied about in Daniel chapter two and Daniel chapter seven.

The Second Advent of Christ is further described in Zechariah chapters 12 and 14.

The Second Advent of Jesus Christ is described in the Gospels.

Matthew 24:29 “Immediately after the distress of those days “‘the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; the stars will fall from the sky, and the heavenly bodies will be shaken.’ 30 “At that time the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky, and all the nations of the earth will mourn. They will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of the sky, with power and great glory. 31 And he will send his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of the heavens to the other. (NIV84)

Mark 13:24 “But in those days, following that distress, “‘the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; 25 the stars will fall from the sky,

and the heavenly bodies will be shaken.’ 26 “At that time men will see the Son of Man coming in clouds with great power and glory. 27 And he will send his angels and gather his elect from the four winds, from the ends of the earth to the ends of the heavens. (NIV84)

Luke 21:25 “There will be signs in the sun, moon and stars. On the earth, nations will be in anguish and perplexity at the roaring and tossing of the sea. 26 Men will faint from terror, apprehensive of what is coming on the world, for the heavenly bodies will be shaken. 27 At that time they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. 28 When these things begin to take place, stand up and lift up your heads, because your redemption is drawing near.” (NIV84)