Many predict the end of the world, but Scripture is clear: God alone knows when Jesus will return.
Tag: Judgment Day
I do not know every detail concerning the second coming of Christ. I only know what the Bible has to say about that event. In this post I will try to lay out the major tenants of Christ’s coming that I believe can be supported by the scriptures. If I have missed something please let me know.
Christ Is Coming
In my mind one of the most important aspects of Christ’s coming is its certainty. That he is coming again is backed up by four major witnesses.
In Matthew 12 we see three different instances where the Pharisees tried to find fault in Jesus and in his disciples. The last instance they accused him of casting out demons by the authority and power of Beelzebub. In other words, they were saying, “Satan is behind the words and power of Jesus.” Jesus then begins (v25f) to prove why it is that he cannot be casting out demons by the power of a demon. Starting in verse 33 we read, “Either make the tree good and its fruit good, or else make the tree bad and its fruit bad; for a tree is known by its fruit.” We should not expect good things to come from someone who does not practice good. For example, we would not want to encourage a habitual traffic offender to become a driving instructor. A tree is known by its fruit.
The Preacher writes in Ecclesiastes 8:11, “Because the sentence against an evil work is not executed speedily, therefore the heart of the sons of men is fully set in them to do evil.” If a criminal successfully eludes being caught, he is certainly going to be more willing to commit the crime again. Unfortunately, man has this same outlook on their spiritual life. Because God does not come quickly, man is inclined to commit evil. Man says, God has not come yet, so I’m safe to continue in sin.
In court a man might claim he hit another fellow because he was defending himself. The judge or jury would look through his case, and if they felt he was “justified,” they might proclaim him not guilty. We use this word justification frequently in relation to our justice system. A man might commit an act that at any other time would be considered against the law, but if he is justified in doing so, the judgment will prove him free from guilt.
As has been shown in earlier entries on this site, prophecy provides proof that 1) the prophet of old prophesied truth, and thus 2) spoke of the future in a way that no man, apart from the power of an all knowing being, could. Therefore, we can deduce that if the prophets of old were confirmed by what they spoke, there must be a Higher power providing these men with the ability to foreknow.
Daniel Defoe makes an interesting observation through the eyes of Robinson Crusoe when he describes the “Savages” that had come to the island. These intruders, he finds, had encroached upon his turf for the past 20+ years, but he had no notion of their existence. Upon realizing how often he had not recognized them, he remarks that the mind is only afraid when it recognizes the dangers that lay ahead. Though a danger exists, it is not until we recognize danger that we become fully aware of its potential hazards for our life. It is no wonder then that Christ warns us in Matthew 24:42, “Watch therefore, for you do not know what hour your Lord is coming.” Christ makes it very clear that we do not know when He will return again for judgment, but we must always be watching.
In his latter days, Solomon recalled his former deeds: “I made my works great, I built myself houses, and planted myself vineyards. I made myself gardens and orchards, and I planted all kinds of fruit trees in them. I made myself water pools from which to water the growing trees of the grove. I acquired male and female servants, and had servants born in my house. Yes, I had greater possessions of herds and flocks than all who were in Jerusalem before me. I also gathered for myself silver and gold and the special treasures of kings and of provinces. I acquired male and female singers, the delights of the sons of men, and musical instruments of all kinds. So I became great and excelled more than all who were before me in Jerusalem” (Ecclesiastes 2:4-9).
“Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air” (I Thessalonians 4:17). What a day that will be! When in Hebrews 8:6 the writer tells us that the better (new) covenant is established on better promises this day must have been in mind. Every child of God watches and waits for this great day, hastening its coming (II Peter 3:12). Everyone that has this hope in them endures every trial, even the passing of dear loved ones in the Lord, knowing that it won’t be very long until Christ returns to receive His own. It is no wonder then that I Thessalonians 4:18 reads, “Therefore comfort one another with these words.”