3.The Return of Christ

     Let’s be quite clear about one thing - rejecting the Dispensational Premillennial scenario about the end does NOT mean that we reject what the New Testament teaches about the 2^nd Coming of Jesus!  Part of the error is to assume that the two are synonymous (i.e. that Dispensationalism is what the Bible teaches).  I take very seriously what the New Testament writers said about the return of Jesus and I am firmly convinced that Jesus will return, but not in the way defined by Dispensationalism.^[1] 

     There are a number of other passages in the New Testament that probably refer to the 2^nd Coming/Return of Christ, but I have listed here only those that specifically seem to mention it.

From the Gospels

       Matthew 16:27/ Jesus will come in glory with angels to recompense each person's deeds

       Matthew 24:35 - 25:13/ the coming of the Son of Man will coincide with the end of this heaven and earth (see: Psalm 102:25-26; 2Peter 3:7,10-14) and the point that Jesus seemed to emphasize most was that “no one knows the day or hour” (24:35-36).  He followed that up with several illustrations that all seem to underscore that same point - the inability of anyone to know ahead of time when it would happen.  Noah and his family were warned of what was coming beforehand, but not as to exactly “when” it would occur, while the wicked “did not understand” and were taken away in the flood (24:37-39).  Men and women working side by side will be suddenly separated without last-minute warning (24:40-42).  It will be like the unexpected and unannounced visit of a thief, where only long-term prior preparation would help (24:43-44).  Christ’s return will resemble a manager’s “surprise visit” to workers in the midst of their normal activities (24:45-51).  It will also be the sudden arrival of the bridegroom’s party to pick up the bride and her maids to go to the wedding place, which is best prepared for by being ready for a long wait (25:1-13).  Finally, it will resemble the return of a manager after a long absence to settle accounts with his servants (25:14-30).  Did you notice the consistent “punch-line” emphasized and then stated at the end these illustrations - “be alert, because you don’t know when”!  Essentially, the single point of each illustration was that there will be NOT be any last-minute warning signs by which people have time to quickly repent!

     Matthew 25:31-46/ Jesus will come in glory with angels, humanity will be judged and divided to separate eternal fates (see: John 5:28-29)

     Luke 17:22-30/ Jesus’ return will be like lightning, unbelievers will be caught in the midst of their normal affairs of life and suddenly destroyed

     Luke 19:11-27/ Jesus described Himself as a nobleman going away to receive a kingdom and then return, but He left instructions for His servants and His absence allows some of His “citizens” (those under His authority but who refuse to submit to Him) to rebel against Him.  When He returns, servants are rewarded according to their use of what they had and rebels refusing His authority from a distance are destroyed rather than ruled over by force.  That is what the “kingdom” era will be like.

     John 14:1-3/ Jesus will return for His people, so they can join Him in His realm

From the Book of Acts

     Acts 1:9-11/ Jesus will return as He left (in the clouds), not as He came (incarnated as a human child that must grow and develop)

     Acts 3:19-21/ Jesus' return will coincide with a period of restoration (“of all things”), as the prophets foretold (New Heaven & Earth? - Isaiah 65:17-25).

       Jesus as future judge of all is mentioned in 17:31, but for all of the emphasis some ministries give to Jesus return, the 2^nd coming is remarkably absent from the record of the Apostles’ ministries and preaching in the book of Acts.  For them, the “main thing” was the Gospel of Jesus’ death, burial, and resurrection - the events of the first coming.  Does this suggest that “2^nd Coming/futurist prophecy” oriented evangelism is somewhat misguided?  The Gospel to lost people is that Jesus died for our sins, was buried, and raised again (1Corinthians 15:1-4), not the 2^nd Coming (which for lost people will be bad news).

From the Letters

       1 Corinthians 1:7/ Jesus will be revealed

       1 Corinthians 15:20-28/ Saints will be raised at Jesus' return and then comes “the end” when Jesus turns the Kingdom back over to the Father.  Rather than commence His reign when He returns, Paul taught that Jesus reigns now (during the Church Age) until the last enemy “death” is finally defeated when the saints are raised when Christ returns.

       Philippians 3:18-21/ don't focus on earth, for our citizenship is in heaven, awaiting Jesus who will return to gather His people and change them for glory (see: 1Corinthians 15:50-54).

       Colossians 3:1-4/ when Christ is revealed, we will be revealed with Him in glory, so stop focusing on this planet (similar to Philippians 3:18-21)

       1 Thessalonians 1:10/ wait for Jesus, who will save us from the wrath to come (judgment)

       1 Thessalonians 3:13/ Jesus will return with the hagioi (“holy ones” - saints or angels?)

       1 Thessalonians 4:16,17/ Jesus will return (with noise), the dead in Christ raise first, then living saints join Him in the air (compare with John 14:1-6, where He returns to take His people elsewhere rather than join them for another earthly age, as well as 1Corinthians 15:50-54 and Philippians 3:20-21).

     2 Thessalonians 1:7-8,10/ revealed from heaven in fire/with angels to punish unbelievers with eternal separation from God, but glorified by His people

     2:1-4,8/ saints will be gathered to the Lord when He comes, but a great apostasy (falling away from the authentic faith) will precede Jesus' return, with a blasphemer arising "within" the naos (temple/shrine/church) claiming divine authority to be destroyed by the Lord’s breath (words?) and appearance (2^nd coming?)

     1 Timothy 6:14/ keep the commandment holy until Jesus appears

     Titus 2:11-13/ saints should live godly lives as they await His return

     Hebrews 9:28/ Jesus will return, not to pardon sin again, but for those awaiting Him

     James 5:7-8/ be patient until the Lord returns

     1 Peter 2:12(?)/ keep your behavior excellent so God will be glorified when He visits

     1 Peter 5:4/ elders admonished to do their work properly for the reward when Jesus returns

     2Peter 3:3-13/ In spite of mockers and apparent delay, the "coming of the Lord/day of the Lord" will come and it will bring the destruction of the present universe by fire, followed by a new heaven and earth characterized by righteousness (compare with Matthew 24:35-37).

From the Apocalypse

     For all of the attention that the Book of Revelation receives, I am not sure I could point to any particular passage that clearly speaks of the 2^nd Coming, except for possibly 1:7 - “He is coming with the clouds and every eye will see Him” and Revelation 22:7.  The impact of the first coming is clearly identified: Jesus is ruler of the earth’s kings and has released His people from their sins and made them a kingdom (1:5-6), He has taken His seat on Heaven’s throne (3:21), He purchased with His blood an international priestly kingdom (5:9-10).  Since Jesus will return as He left rather than how He came (be born and grow up again -Acts 1:11), the threatened “birth but caught up to heaven” image in 12:5 must be the first coming.

     How one outlines the book will have a lot to do with how the image in 19:11-21 is handled (I think the beast and false prophet seized is the downfall of Imperial Rome and its emperor-worshipping priesthoods), but my identification of the “1,000 years” as the church age would suggest that the return of Jesus in the book of Revelation is not the picture in 19:11-21, but the “fiery rescue from heaven” of the saints in 20:9 (paralleled in 2Thessalonians 1:7-8).

Conclusions

     I have drawn several conclusions from this material.  Jesus will return with angels.  His return will be a sudden and surprising event for all, for there will be no “last-minute” warning signs by which the unfaithful can pull a postponed repentance and save their neck.  When Jesus’ returns, it appears that the unrighteous are removed first (Matthew 13:30,41-42; 24:37-41), then the righteous will be gathered in the following order: the dead in Christ, then those physically alive at His coming (1Thessalonians 4:14-17).  It appears that Jesus’ return will coincide with the end of this universe (Matthew 24:35-37; 2Peter 3:3-13).  All of humanity will be judged/ separated to two eternal fates (Matthew 24:31-46; John 5:28-29; Revelation 20:10-15).  The righteous will then inherit a new heaven and earth (2Peter 3:10-13; Revelation 21:1 - 22:6). 

     I cannot find any solid evidence that Jesus will return to again dwell on this earth as a ruler for an extended period of time - in fact, such is ruled out by Jeremiah 22:30.  Jesus is coming back to gather, change (1Corinthians 15:50-52), and take His people elsewhere to be with Him in glory (John 14:1-3; Philippians 3:18-21; 1Thessalonians 4:13-18).  When Jesus returns, the saints will be raised and this is the final defeat of the last enemy (death) and Jesus will turn the kingdom back over to God the Father (1Corinthians 15:20-26).

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Charles E. McCoy

10/09/2006