The Lord's Return

1 Thessalonians 4:13–18 ESV

13 But we do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about those who are asleep, that you may not grieve as others do who have no hope. 14 For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, through Jesus, God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep. 15 For this we declare to you by a word from the Lord, that we who are alive, who are left 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 cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. 17 Then we who are alive, who are left, 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 encourage one another with these words.

Introduction

The fact of the Lord’s return is a vital truth. We do not know when it will be.

Grace 573

I know not when my Lord may come, at night or noon-day fair, nor if I’ll walk the vale with him, or meet him in the air.

Refrain: But “I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I’ve committed unto him against that day.”

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1. Certain

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Baptist Affirmation of Faith 1966 4. The Lord’s Return

We believe in the personal return of the Lord Jesus Christ to this earth. The precise time of his coming again and of the day of judgment is not revealed, in order that, in the long suffering of God, men may come to repentance and ever seek to be prepared.

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a. Promise

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Acts 1:9–11 ESV

9 And when he had said these things, as they were looking on, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him out of their sight. 10 And while they were gazing into heaven as he went, behold, two men stood by them in white robes, 11 and said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into heaven? This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven.”

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John 14:1–3 ESV

1 “Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. 2 In my Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also.

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1 Thessalonians 4:16–18 ESV

16 For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. 17 Then we who are alive, who are left, 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 encourage one another with these words.

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2. Teaching Concernig the Second Coming

a. Millennium Views

a. Post-Millenniumism

b. Pre-Millenniumism

c. A-Millenniumism

a. Post-Millenniumism

Postmillennialism places the coming of Christ after the millennium, which it conceives as a spiritual presence of Christ working in and through His church to give a golden age, a period of unexampled prosperity in its ministry. Cairns, A. (2002). In Dictionary of Theological Terms (p. 279). Ambassador Emerald International.

b. Pre-Millenniumism

Premillennialists place the coming of Christ before the millennium, which they see as the personal reign of Christ on the earth. Cairns, A. (2002). In Dictionary of Theological Terms (p. 279). Ambassador Emerald International.

c. A-Millenniumism

Amillennialism denies the reality of a thousand-year reign, either in the sense in which the premillennialist or the postmillennialist conceives it. The theory rests upon a totally symbolic interpretation of Rev. 20:2–7 and the same type of treatment of the “millennial” passages of the OT. Most present-day amillennialists view these as descriptions of the blessedness the church now experiences. Cairns, A. (2002). In Dictionary of Theological Terms (p. 279). Ambassador Emerald International.

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2. Dispensationalism

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a. Meaning

Dispensationalists are those who hold that God has tested man again and again, in respect of obedience to some specific revelation of His will. Each period of testing they call a dispensation. They normally claim that there are seven such dispensations: innocence, conscience, human government, promise, law, grace, and the Kingdom. Each of these is “regarded as a new test of the natural man, and each ends in judgement” (C. I. Scofield, Rightly Dividing the Word of Truth, p. 20).

Dispensationalists further claim that each dispensation is distinct from all the others and cannot commingle with them. It is only by grasping this “dispensational truth” (as it is usually referred to by ) that we can “rightly divide the word of truth” (2 Tim. 2:15). Cairns, A. (2002). In Dictionary of Theological Terms (p. 135). Ambassador Emerald International.

b. History

Some of the early Church held a Pre-Millennium view known as Chiliasm also various others at different times. Became more popular in 1830 when a series of 'Prophetic Conferences' were held attended by J N Darby, Plymouth Brethren and Bible translator, Dwight L Moody of Moody and Sankey. Influenced by a prophecy in tongues at the Catholic Apostolic Church in Regent Square, London where Edward Irving was the Pastor. They believed in the continuing role of Apostles and Prophets. Later in 1909 the Dispensationalist view became increasingly popular with the publication of the Schofield Reference Bible which advocates Dispensationlist views.

Pre-milleniumism and Dispenationalism are not are totally identical and there is not full agreement amongst those holding these views. However there are sufficient areas of agreement to warrant us considering them together.

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Seven Dispensations

1. Creation - Innocence

2. Fall - Conscience

3. Noah - Human Government

4. Abraham - Promise

5. Moses - Law

6. Christ - Age of Grace (The Church Age)

7. Christ's Second Coming (Bodily) - The Kingdom (The Millennium)

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Dispensations 6 and 7

i. Age of Grace - The Church Age

Jesus’ offer of a Messianic Kingdom to Israel is rejected.

The so-called postponement theory, which is a necessary link in the premillennial scheme, is devoid of all Scriptural basis. According to it John and Jesus proclaimed that the Kingdom, that is, the Jewish theocracy, was at hand. But because the Jews did not repent and believe, Jesus postponed its establishment until His second coming. Berkhof, L. (1938). Systematic theology (p. 713). Wm. B. Eerdmans publishing co.

God now deals with the Gentiles. We do not know how long this will last, but they say that there will be clear signs of the end, mainly centred around national Israel.

Towards the end Jesus will return but:-

i. It will be a secret return

ii. The Gentile Church will be removed from the earth

iii. The Antichrist is waiting for the removal of the Church to begin his terror on Israel and new Christians

The 144,000 Jews will be converted. (Revelation 7:4-8)

Revelation 7:4–8 (ESV) 4 And I heard the number of the sealed, 144,000, sealed from every tribe of the sons of Israel: 5 12,000 from the tribe of Judah were sealed, 12,000 from the tribe of Reuben, 12,000 from the tribe of Gad, 6 12,000 from the tribe of Asher, 12,000 from the tribe of Naphtali, 12,000 from the tribe of Manasseh, 7 12,000 from the tribe of Simeon, 12,000 from the tribe of Levi, 12,000 from the tribe of Issachar, 8 12,000 from the tribe of Zebulun, 12,000 from the tribe of Joseph, 12,000 from the tribe of Benjamin were sealed.

More than Conquerors: An Interpretation of the Book of Revelation 8. The Sealed Multitude (7:1–17)

To say that the symbol ultimately indicates Israel according to the flesh is wrong. The apostle certainly knew that ten of the twelve tribes had disappeared in Assyria, at least to a great extent; while Judah and Benjamin had lost their national existence when Jerusalem fell, in AD 70. Besides, if Israel according to the flesh were meant, why should Ephraim and Dan be omitted?

Seven Years Tribulation

ii. The Kingdom (The New Millennium)

Christ’s second coming - bodily

God deals with the Jews and national Israel:-

i. Re-population of the earth by the 144,000 Jews and new Christians

ii. The Kingdom of God is fully manifest on earth; glorified believers will rule with Christ during his reign over all kingdoms

3. Book of Revelation

1. Christ in the Midst of the Lampstands – Chapters 1-3

2. The Vision of Heaven and the Seals – Chapters 4-7

3. The Seven Trumpets - Chapters – 8-12

4. The Persecuting Dragon – Chapters 12-14

5. The Seven Bowls – Chapters 15-16

6. The Fall of Babylon – Chapters 17-19

7. The Great Consummation – Chapters 20-22