The Presentation of the Bride to the Lord Jesus Christ Through the Purging Process

What is the next program of the Lord? It is the presentation of the Bride namely the church to the Lord Jesus Christ through the purging process. The church must be bold denouncing error and separating from the unbelieving world which will destroy the Word. Any thing that destroys the Light must be dealt seriously. Our coming judgement seat of Christ is compared to the great contest in the New Testament. As we read the use of race illustrated this point in 1 Corinthians 9:24-25 saying “Knowing ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run that ye may obtain. And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible.” God will provide gold metal to every Christian who meet God’s standard. This incorruptible reward and crown will continue forever.

In 2 Timothy 2:1-7 Paul tells his son Timothy certain qualifications that he needs to do to please the Lord. “Thou therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. And the things that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also. Thou therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. No man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this life; that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a soldier. And if a man also strive for masteries, yet is he not crowned, except he strive lawfully. The husbandman that laboureth must be first partaker of the fruits. Consider what I say; and the Lord give thee understanding in all things.” How much more does God need to say? Those who please God will be those who discipline themselves to put His Word and plan first in the line before anything else. We ask the Lord, “How do you want me to serve you, Lord?” The answer is that our love must be the greatest to the Lord Jesus who died for us and put His spirit in us. We need to trust Him faithful and we can not say, “I can not do it.” If we deny Him, He can not be your God. Thus as long as we live in this world we must please Christ.

Do we know what Paul says about reward? We read in Colossians 2:18 “Let no man beguile you of your reward.” It is sad to say that it is happening all the time. The Christians are hearing the different voice and following deliberately the wrong church and they are loosing their reward. However some may say “I do not care about reward.” We must care about it, for Christ had died and paid the infinite price to make possible for us to have reward. Truly we must be willing to take what He wants you to receive otherwise He is not our Lord. Thus Paul reminded us by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit that we must be careful and do not let anyone loose it.

When will all these happen? The answer is at the Second Coming of the Lord Jesus Christ. We read in Revelation 19:7-9 “Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready. And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints. And he saith unto me, Write, Blessed are they which are called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb. And he saith unto me, These are the true sayings of God.” When the church is raptured from this earth, the great tribulation will occur to this world and those who do not belong to the Lord Jesus Christ. But to those who love the Lord there will be a blessed day for them where they can see Jesus face to face. In Revelation 20:4, 6 we also see some of the rewards that will be given in the millennial kingdom. “And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them.....they live and reigned with Christ a thousand years.” “Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years.” Thus we will rule the world together with God for a thousand years and in that millennial kingdom Satan will be bounded. We will be like Jesus, and we will be revealed in the glory and final sanctification and to see Jesus Christ.

The Great Judgment Seat Of Christ

1. What is the Judgement Seat of Christ?

Do we need to go to the judgement seat of Christ? The answer is yes and all Christians will be there. One may continue to say that the moment we believe in the Lord we have been cleansed by the blood of Christ from all our sins and judgement forever. So what is the judgement seat of Christ for then? The answer is that judgment seat of Christ is not to determine our salvation but your reward for serving Christ and obeying His known will in our lives. 2 Corinthians 5:10 tell us, “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad.” Take notes what Paul said here when he used the pronoun “we” in the phrase “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ.” He was talking to the Christians and not to the unbelievers. Everything will all be exposed and unveiled in that time before the Lord. In Romans 14:10 Paul warned the Christians who are in pride and judging others. “But why dost thou judge thy brother? Or why dost thou set at nought thy brother? For we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ.” Every Christian who ever lived will appear before the Judgement seat of Christ. It will not be a pleasant experience for many Christians but a sad experience because of what they have done in their Christian living on this earth.

Thus Paul said in 1 Corinthians 3:12-15 that the Christians have the foundation built upon the Lord Jesus Christ. “Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble; Every man's work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is. If any man's work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward. If any man's work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire.” This passage tells us about the Christians who will be fired and rested their works by the Lord Jesus Christ. All things the Christians have done on this earth will be fired.

What is this fire? In Revelation 1:14 says that Jesus Christ has eyes as a flaming fire. This is to say that the Lord Jesus Christ does not have outside fire as His help to know what He is examining. His own eye can provide fire because “For our God is consuming fire” (Hebrew 12:29). The Bible gives us an example through the life of Lot who lived in the midst of the wicked people and compromised with them. Lot suffered lost because of his disobedience and he lost his family by fire but he himself will be saved.

2. The Method of Judgement of God

How will the Lord judge the Christians? And what method will He use? It is important to know that the way of judgement that God will do will be more different from our method of judgement each other even ourselves. In Luke 8:17 Jesus said, “For nothing is secret, that shall not be made manifest; neither any thing hid, that shall not be known and come abroad.” Everything in that day will be revealed. Romans 2:16 tell us that “In the day when God shall judge the secrets of man by Jesus Christ according to my gospel.” “Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord come, who both will bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and will make manifest the counsels of the hearts and then shall every man have praise of God” (1 Corinthians 4:5). “For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart” (Hebrews 4:12). Based on these passages we can see the different method of judgement of God and of man. Our judgement upon other people even for ourselves based on our visible things but God’s is based on heart searching.

The Lord will not only judge people according to their secret attitude but He will also judge them according to how much they really know God’s revealed word. In Luke 12:47-48 Jesus Christ says concerning knowing the will of God, “And that servant, which knew his lord's will, and prepared not himself, neither did according to his will, shall be beaten with many stripes. But he that knew not, and did commit things worthy of stripes, shall be beaten with few stripes. For unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required: and to whom men have committed much, of him they will ask the more.” In this passage we notice that the servants of God who are partly ignorant of the will of God will suffer less than who know God’s will and rejected it. But both these servants are beaten, because ignorance is not the excuse when we have opportunity to discover God’s truth. The Lord is aware of our motives for neglecting His Word but nevertheless those who are in the greater light have the greater responsibility.

3. The granting of the reward

1 Corinthians 3:12-15 “Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble; Every man's work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is. If any man's work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward. If any man's work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire.” As we read again 1 Corinthians 3:12-15, what then do we think about the gold, silver and precious stone that are mentioned here to guarantee our survival in the judgement seat of Christ? In the first place we need to understand that the things we do for the Lord Jesus Christ must be based on our love for Him. We remember the sadness of the heart of Jesus in the book of Revelation 2 for the church of Ephesus. After the Christians in the church of Ephesus have worked so hard, the Lord Jesus said to them, “Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee because thou have left thy first love.” This is to say that the Lord Jesus is more concerned on why we serve Him than how much we serve Him. He is more interested on why we give sacrificially for His works than how much we give to Him. If we do things because of our love for Christ and for His glory we will be rewarded and honoured in that great day. The church of Ephesus in Revelation 2 was doing many things in the church but it was based on routine and tradition. Thousands of Christians are doing the same things right now in this world. It is just a habit in attending the church each Sunday and giving the offering but nevertheless it is just a routine. This is worthless before the Lord Jesus Christ. Thus, the Lord Jesus Christ said to the church of Ephesus in Revelation 2:5 “Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent.”

In addition to what the apostle John has recorded in the book of Revelation, the apostle Paul said in Romans 12:9 “Let love be without dissimulation Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good.” It means that we do not play game with truth and error, Satan and God, and darkness and light. We need to have the attitude like the Lord Jesus Christ that He absolutely hated the error, evil, corruption, deception and apostasy. There is no compromise and loving confrontation with evil. John the Baptist was the greatest man that ever lived born of the woman who lived without compromise (Matthew 11:11). Because the strong conviction of John the Baptist in his message without compromise he loved to tell the truth to Pharisees, Saducees and those who lived in those days. Therefore let love be without dissimulation.

The Bible tells us that the only possible way to perpetuate the most precious the church has namely the truth of God in the written word, is to separate from those who distort, damage, pollute, and destroy the Word of God. It means we need to separate ourselves from those who involved in this matter. This is to say we need to excommunicate those who have involved in these matters. What did Paul say to those who lost their discernment concerning truth in the church of Corinth? We read in 2 Corinthians 6:14-7:1 “Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers; for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness? And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel? And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you, And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty. Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.” Having read this passage we say this is unpleasant. The issue here is that just like a doctor talking to one person that part of his body must be removed and need to have surgery. If it is not done, it will destroy his entire life and die. However the most pleasant thing that the doctor can say is to tell that person that there will be separation of the contaminating, poisoning part of the body or else death will come. Amputation is the loving act in order to save that person.

As the Lord set the church and the church should serve the Lord but the church must destroy the elements which destroy the purity of the church and the truth of the Word of God. The truth of the Word of God is the most neglected by many so-called Christians. Compromising is the main issue in many churches in this world but the truth can not be compromised. The apostle of love said in his epistle concerning those who destroy and contaminate God’s truth in 2 John 10-11 “If there come any unto you, and bring not this doctrine, receive him not into your house, neither bid him God speed: For he that biddeth him God speed is partaker of his evil deeds.” Thus if we do not love God enough and doing the things that He entrusted to us according to His command, and if we open deliberately the door of our Bible class, church and home for teaching and influence to the ones who undermine and deny the truth concerning the Lord Jesus Christ, then we will loose our reward. So the basic truth that we study here is we must love the Lord Jesus Christ wholeheartedly and be faithful to what the Lord has given to us.

The Future Plan Of God For The Church

1. According to Jesus

What is the Church? And what is the future plan of God for the Church? In what programs of God the church will be included? In order to know the answers to these questions it is important to study what the Lord Jesus Christ said about the church while He was in this earth during His public ministry. We read in Matthew 16:18 when Jesus said, “I will build my church.” This is to say that the program of God for the church is still in the future when He says this word. It implies that the Lord Jesus Christ sees the different plan of God for Israel and the church. God has a special purpose for Israel and the church as well, but the plan of God to both groups of people is not the same. Israel already exists for many years but the church (local church) does not exist during the ministry of Jesus in His first coming. John the Baptist also indicates about the plan of God for the church in John 3:29-30 that the church is not only in the future but he himself does not have opportunity to belong to it. As he says, “He that hath the bride is the bridegroom: but the friend of the bridegroom, which standeth and heareth him, rejoiceth greatly because of the bridegroom’s voice: this my joy therefore is fulfilled. He must increase, but I must decrease.” The friend of the bridegroom is different from the bride because the bride is the church. So the question is when is the beginning of the church? After the ascension of the Lord Jesus Christ, His disciples based on the great commission that they received, went out to preach the gospel not only in Jerusalem but also in Judea and Samaria which we can see as the beginning of the church.

2. According to the apostle Paul

Paul tells us in Ephesians 3:5-6 that the church is the brand new thing which is never known before. Paul says, “Which in other ages was not made known unto the sons of men, as it is now revealed unto his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit.” What is that hidden in the past but now revealed? It is “That the Gentiles should be fellow heirs and of the same body, and partakers of his promise in Christ by the gospel.”

Before the Pentecost, the believers were in two groups namely the Jews and Gentiles. The Gentiles should become the Jews in some extents to be fully involved in the program of God. But Paul said in this passage that now the mystery is the new arrangement in the plan of God. The Gentiles do not need to become Jews in order to be acceptable before the Lord because in the body of Christ there is no Jew and Gentile. This mystery was revealed and begun in the day of Pentecost as the Lord Jesus Christ says that few days after he left to heaven, the Holy Spirit of God would baptise them who trust in Him namely the bride of Christ, the true church of Jesus Christ. The proof of this promise was fulfilled in the day of Pentecost. God is calling people to this new organism, the church to Himself and when it is complete; there will be rapture of the church. Now Jesus is preparing for the time of the rapture that every believer will meet Him face to face in the air. This will be the end of God’s program for the church on this earth.

In the study of the plan of God for the church, we are not only to know when the church is begun in God’s program, but we need to understand who will belong to this church. The church is not only the small percentage Christians on this earth but every believer in the Lord Jesus Christ from generation to generation. They are the sanctified people in the Lord because in Hebrew 10:10 said that we who believe in the Lord Jesus Christ are sanctified by the blood of Christ, once for all. In Philippians 1:6 Paul says, “Being confident of this very thing that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform until the day of Jesus Christ.” Every Christian the moment he is born again he is sanctified by God and he is in this earth in the process of sanctification day by day. His sinful nature will be banished away and he is called a saint. However we need to understand clearly that the idea of saint that we are talking about is totally different to what the world offers to man. Many people have said that only those who have done great things to people and to the church are worthy to be called the saints. What they have said is absolutely a contradiction to what the Word of God says. Every born again Christian in the New Testament is worthy to be called a saint. In 1 Corinthins 1:2-3 we read what Paul says to the Christians in the church of Corinth. “Unto the church of God which is at Corinth, to them that are sanctified in Chris Jesus, called to be saints, with all that in every place call upon the name of Jesus Christ our Lord, both theirs and ours. Grace be unto you, and peace, from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ.”

a. The Sanctified people is the Saint

What do we have to do to be a saint? What do we have to do to be sanctified by the blood of Jesus Christ? The only answer to these questions is we must believe in the Lord Jesus Christ. Apart from believing in the Lord Jesus Christ, there is nothing that the Christians need to do to be sanctified. It is all settled the moment we believe in Him. God is taking care of this matter but the process of sanctification is begun at the moment we are saved, up to the time of the rapture. In this process, the Holy Spirit is used by God to sanctify us through the written Word of God. However it is sad to know that many Christians set aside the Scripture and focus on the matter of dreams, visions and speaking in tongues, and ever experiencing and some other things.

In John 17:17 Jesus prayed saying “Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.” The Word of God is the instrument sanctifying God’s people. As Paul said in 2 Corinthians 3:18 “ We all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.” We need to come to the Word of God to reveal ourselves clearly. Thus in the process of sanctification, the Word of God does two things for us, Christians. Firstly, it shows that we are not in the light of other people but in the light of God. Secondly, it shows us how far we have fallen short from God’s standard of Christian living. Thus the Bible is the cleansing agent to remove the defilement of our sins as Ephesians 5:26 when Paul spoke of the washing of the water by the Word.

The Old Testament Teaching on The Second Coming of Jesus Christ

While Jesus Christ was with His disciples, His teachings were not lacking concerning His Second Coming to prepare them for that great day. When Jesus ascended before His disciples, two angels spoke to the disciples in the Mount of Olives saying “Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? This same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven” (Acts 1:11). He will be coming to the earth at the same top namely at the Mount of Olives and He will come visibly, physically in glory. Thus we must be ready.

The prophecy of the Second Coming of the Lord Jesus was not mentioned by Jesus Himself or His apostle but the Holy Spirit has been speaking about His Second Coming hundreds years before His first coming. This is to say that the Old Testament Scriptures does not only give the prophecy of His first Coming such Isaiah 7:14, Micah 5 and Zechariah 9 but also hundreds of passages devoted for His Second Coming. The passages right from the book of Genesis to Revelation contain many prophecies of His return. The following passages are eight prophetic passages in the Old Testament about the Second Coming as at His first coming.

1. Genesis 3:15

“And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.”

2. Numbers 14:17-19

“I shall see him, but not now: I shall behold him, but not nigh: there shall come a Star out of Jacob, and a Sceptre shall rise out of Israel, and shall smite the corners of Moab, and destroy all the children of Sheth. And Edom shall be a possession, Seir also shall be a possession for his enemies; and Israel shall do valiantly. Out of Jacob shall come he that shall have dominion, and shall destroy him that remaineth of the city.”

3. Deuteronomy 30:1-20

“And it shall come to pass, when all these things are come upon thee, the blessing and the curse, which I have set before thee, and thou shalt call them to mind among all the nations, whither the LORD thy God hath driven thee, And shalt return unto the LORD thy God, and shalt obey his voice according to all that I command thee this day, thou and thy children, with all thine heart, and with all thy soul; That then the LORD thy God will turn thy captivity, and have compassion upon thee, and will return and gather thee from all the nations, whither the LORD thy God hath scattered thee. If any of thine be driven out unto the outmost parts of heaven, from thence will the LORD thy God gather thee, and from thence will he fetch thee: And the LORD thy God will bring thee into the land which thy fathers possessed, and thou shalt possess it; and he will do thee good, and multiply thee above thy fathers. And the LORD thy God will circumcise thine heart, and the heart of thy seed, to love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, that thou mayest live. And the LORD thy God will put all these curses upon thine enemies, and on them that hate thee, which persecuted thee. And thou shalt return and obey the voice of the LORD, and do all his commandments which I command thee this day. And the LORD thy God will make thee plenteous in every work of thine hand, in the fruit of thy body, and in the fruit of thy cattle, and in the fruit of thy land, for good: for the LORD will again rejoice over thee for good, as he rejoiced over thy fathers: If thou shalt hearken unto the voice of the LORD thy God, to keep his commandments and his statutes which are written in this book of the law, and if thou turn unto the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul. For this commandment which I command thee this day, it is not hidden from thee, neither is it far off. It is not in heaven, that thou shouldest say, Who shall go up for us to heaven, and bring it unto us, that we may hear it, and do it? Neither is it beyond the sea, that thou shouldest say, Who shall go over the sea for us, and bring it unto us, that we may hear it, and do it? But the word is very nigh unto thee, in thy mouth, and in thy heart, that thou mayest do it. See, I have set before thee this day life and good, and death and evil; In that I command thee this day to love the LORD thy God, to walk in his ways, and to keep his commandments and his statutes and his judgments, that thou mayest live and multiply: and the LORD thy God shall bless thee in the land whither thou goest to possess it. But if thine heart turn away, so that thou wilt not hear, but shalt be drawn away, and worship other gods, and serve them; I denounce unto you this day, that ye shall surely perish, and that ye shall not prolong your days upon the land, whither thou passest over Jordan to go to possess it. I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live: That thou mayest love the LORD thy God, and that thou mayest obey his voice, and that thou mayest cleave unto him: for he is thy life, and the length of thy days: that thou mayest dwell in the land which the LORD sware unto thy fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to give them.”

4. 1 Samuel 2:30-35

“Wherefore the LORD God of Israel saith, I said indeed that thy house, and the house of thy father, should walk before me for ever: but now the LORD saith, Be it far from me; for them that honour me I will honour, and they that despise me shall be lightly esteemed. Behold, the days come, that I will cut off thine arm, and the arm of thy father's house, that there shall not be an old man in thine house. And thou shalt see an enemy in my habitation, in all the wealth which God shall give Israel: and there shall not be an old man in thine house for ever. And the man of thine, whom I shall not cut off from mine altar, shall be to consume thine eyes, and to grieve thine heart: and all the increase of thine house shall die in the flower of their age. And this shall be a sign unto thee, that shall come upon thy two sons, on Hophni and Phinehas; in one day they shall die both of them. And I will raise me up a faithful priest, that shall do according to that which is in mine heart and in my mind: and I will build him a sure house; and he shall walk before mine anointed for ever.”

5. Psalms 2:7-9

“I will declare the decree: the LORD hath said unto me, Thou art my Son; this day have I begotten thee. Ask of me, and I shall give thee the heathen for thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession. Thou shalt break them with a rod of iron; thou shalt dash them in pieces like a potter's vessel.”

6. Psalms 72:8-11

“He shall have dominion also from sea to sea, and from the river unto the ends of the earth. They that dwell in the wilderness shall bow before him; and his enemies shall lick the dust. The kings of Tarshish and of the isles shall bring presents: the kings of Sheba and Seba shall offer gifts. Yea, all kings shall fall down before him: all nations shall serve him.”

7. Psalms 110:1-4

“The LORD said unto my Lord, Sit thou at my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool. The LORD shall send the rod of thy strength out of Zion: rule thou in the midst of thine enemies. Thy people shall be willing in the day of thy power, in the beauties of holiness from the womb of the morning: thou hast the dew of thy youth. The LORD hath sworn, and will not repent, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchizedek.”

8. Isaiah 2:1-4

“The word that Isaiah the son of Amoz saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem. And it shall come to pass in the last days, that the mountain of the LORD's house shall be established in the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills; and all nations shall flow unto it. And many people shall go and say, Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths: for out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem. And he shall judge among the nations, and shall rebuke many people: and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruninghooks: nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more.”

Apart from these eight prophetic passages there are still many prophetic passages given in the Old Testament about the Second Coming and what He will do for this world through Israel at the coming of His beloved Son. The problem today is that there are many people who are ignorant for His Coming, though it is not because of the lacking of Bible references. God the Father has told about the coming of His Son, and the Lord Jesus Christ told the disciples and the people about the things related to His Second Coming, and yet we are slow in heart to believe what the Lord said. Thus we may conclude that we must study the word of God faithfully and diligently because God loves the diligent student of His Word.

Jesus' Teaching on His Second Coming

1. According to the gospel of Luke

a. Luke 9:26-31

What was Jesus saying about His Second Coming in Matthew, Mark, Luke and John? The answers to this question we will see just from one book namely the gospel of Luke. The very word of Jesus concerning His coming we find in Luke 9:26-27 when he says, “For whosoever shall be ashamed of me and of my words, of him shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he shall come in his own glory, and in his Father’s and of the Holy angels. But I tell you of a truth, there be some standing here, which shall not taste of death, till they see the kingdom of God.” What does it mean when Jesus says He will come with the glory of the Father and of the Holy angels? And what does it mean also when the Lord Jesus says that “there be some standing here, which shall not of death, till they see the kingdom of God?” The answers are found in the following verses. “And it came to pass about an eight days after these sayings, he took Peter and John and James, and went up into a mountain to pray. And as he prayed, the fashion of his countenance was altered and his raiment was white and glistering. And, behold, there talked with him two men, which were Moses and Elijah: Who appeared in glory, and spake of his decease which he should accomplish at Jerusalem” (Luke 9:28-31). This was regarding His crucifixion, which He will accomplish in Jerusalem. Three of the disciples saw the transfiguration of Christ which the preview of His Second Coming. This is the advance indication to the three disciples what Christ looks like to see him in the glory. This was the preview because the two dead men came and the voice of the father from heaven saying, “this is my beloved son in which I am pleased.”

b. Luke 12:36-40

Another passage that recorded by Luke the teaching of the Lord Jesus Christ concerning His Second Coming to this earth is found in Luke 12:36. It says, “And ye yourselves like unto men that wait for their lord, when he will return from the wedding; that when he cometh and knocketh, they may open unto him immediately.” In this verse, Jesus describes Himself as the bridegroom who is going to bring His bride. And Jesus continued to say, “Blessed are those servants, whom the lord when he cometh shall find watching: verily I say unto you, that he shall gird himself, and make them to sit down to meat, and will come forth and serve them. And if he shall come in the second watch, or come in the third watch, and find them so, blessed are those servants. And this know, that if the goodman of the house had known what hour the thief would come, have suffered his house to be broken through” (Luke 12:37-39). This is to say that no one knows when the coming of the Lord Jesus except God the Father. We need to be ready at all times as we continue to read in Luke 12:40 “Be ye therefore ready also: for the Son of man cometh at an hour when ye think not.” We should not think that He will not come and then we do our own things and not of the Lord. In this short passage we see the constant reminder for every true believer in the Lord Jesus Christ that we need to prepare ourselves for the coming of the Lord and be ready at any time.

c. Luke 13:24-30

Luke 13:24-27 “Strive to enter in at the strait gate: for many, I say unto you, will seek to enter in, and shall not be able. When once the master of the house is risen up, and hath shut to the door, and ye begin to stand without, and to knock at the door, saying, Lord, Lord, open unto us; and he shall answer and say unto you, I know you not whence ye are: Then shall ye begin to say, We have eaten and drunk in thy presence, and thou hast taught in our streets. But he shall say, I tell you, I know you not whence ye are; depart from me, all ye workers of iniquity.” Hearing this word from the Lord Jesus Christ we are reminded that it is not the wonderful and dramatic works that the Lord expect from all of us but the faithfulness of us to what He has commanded us to do. We think of those who are just professing Christians, they may claim to the Lord for what they have been doing as so-called Christians but at the end the Lord does not count their works. The judgement will be given to those people.

Furthermore the Lord Jesus continued to say what the things will happen in His Second Coming as we see in Luke 13:29-30. He says, “And they shall come from the east, and from the south, and shall sit down in the kingdom of God. And behold, there are last which shall be first, and there are first which shall be last.” There will be a great joy for those who know the Lord Jesus Christ as their Lord and Saviour. All believers in the world will be gathered together in the kingdom of God. The question we ask, what about those who are just merely pretenders as Christians? The answer is given in Luke 13:28 that “There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth, when ye shall see Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, and all the prophets, in the kingdom of God, and you yourselves thrust out.” How horrible it is for those who do not believe in the Lord Jesus Christ! Knowing this great judgement from the Lord the unbelievers may say that they do not want to enter such situation but when they are urged to believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, it is absolutely rejected. This is the situation of many people that they do not want to go to hell but their attitude and behaviour never bother about the reality of hell. If in this life a man does not come to know the Lord Jesus Christ, then there is no opportunity anymore after his death as the writer of Hebrews said “And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgement” (Hebrews 9:27).

d. Luke 17:20-24

When Jesus Christ was with the Pharisees, they asked a question of when the kingdom of God is coming. As we read in Lukas 17:20-21 we see the clear answer from the Lord Jesus Christ to those unbelieving Jews. Luke 17:20-21 saying, “And when he was demanded of the Pharisees, when the kingdom of God should come, he answered them and said, The kingdom of God cometh not with observation: Neither shall they say, Lo here! Or, lo there! For, behold, the kingdom of God is within you.” In other word, Jesus was saying “I am the King and I am in the midst of you and I am here.” However the Lord Jesus said to His disciples not to the Pharisees concerning the coming of the Lord. We read in Luke 17:22-24 “And he said unto the disciples, The days will come, when ye shall desire to see one of the days of the Son of man, and ye shall not see it. And they shall say to you, See here; or, see there: go not after them, nor follow them. (Why?) For as the lightning, that lighteneth out of the one part under heaven, shineth unto the other part under heaven; so shall also the Son of man be in his day.” These are the things that will happen just before the Second Coming of the Lord because of the apostasy of the church and the growing numbers of the apostates, the great deception will occur. If there are people who claim as the King we should know one thing that Christ is the King. We do not have to wonder whether He is coming or not, because everybody will see Him. There is nothing secret but it will be visible.

e. Luke 18:8

Luke 18:8 “I tell you that he will avenge them speedily, Nevertheless when the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth?” It implies that the situation at the Second Coming of Christ in the world will be so terrible. The Antichrist will absolutely control the world with his power because it is the final program of the Antichrist. However the Lord will show His mercy to His people and Israel will be saved despite of the horrible things happen in this world.

f. Luke 19:12

In Luke 19:12 Jesus gives the parables saying, “A certain nobleman went into a far country to receive for himself a kingdom and to return.” The context of this passage tells that this nobleman gave certain responsibility to each of his servants while he was not around that when he came back he would find his servants doing what he had commanded. However this parable tells that some have done much, some have done little but one man has done nothing because he is a disobedient servant. Whatever the Lord gives to us, we must do it wholeheartedly to please our God. We need to do what He has commanded us in His Holy Scripture.

g. Luke 21:7

In Luke 21:7, we notice that the more Jesus spoke about His Second Coming, the more anxious the disciples were. In this occasion the disciples were asking Jesus concerning His Second Coming. As we read, “And they asked him, saying, Master, but when shall these things be? And what sign will there be when these things shall come to pass?” To answer this question, the Lord Jesus in the whole chapter of Luke 21 explained all the details that will happen in the coming of the Lord.

h. Luke 22:16-18

Luke 22:16 “For I say unto you, I will not any more eat thereof, until it be fulfilled in the kingdom of God. And he took the cup, and gave thanks, and said, Take this, and divide it among yourselves: For I say unto you, I will not drink of the fruit of the vine, until the kingdom of God shall come.” When Jesus said this word to His disciples in the upper room, He was telling them the nearest of His crucifixion and death. In 1 Corinthians 11 reminded the Christians in the church of Corinth concerning what the Lord Jesus said in Luke 22:16. Paul wrote this revelation of God by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit saying, “For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do show the Lord’s death till he come” (1 Corinthians 11:26). This is the Holy Communion that every church of the Lord Jesus Christ must do because in so doing, the believers in the Lord will remember what Jesus has done for us and anticipate for His coming when we will see Him face to face. There is no greater comfort then knowing the coming of the Lord Jesus. He right now is preparing a mansion for us and He will take us there. This is the tremendous assurance for those who believe in Him.

The Apostles' Teaching on The Second Coming of Christ

1. According to the apostle Paul

In 2 Thessalonians 3:5 we read “And the Lord direct your hearts into the love of God, and into the patient waiting for Christ.” What Paul wrote here is the example of the church of Thessalonica as they journey this earth and waiting for the Second Coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. For every church today must follow as what Paul said to the church of Thessalonians namely we need the love of God and the patient in waiting for Christ.

Another aspect of the events in the Second Coming of the Lord Jesus Christ we find in 1 Corinthians 15. The passage tells us exactly what kind of resurrection body we will have when the Lord fixes the day. The body that we have right now is made of dust of this earth and the Lord will not allow this kind of body to enter His kingdom. Flesh and Blood can not inherit of the kingdom of God but we shall pattern after the resurrection body of our Lord Jesus Christ. Jesus has the body that is flesh and bone and not flesh and blood. The book of Leviticus clearly said that the life of the body is in the blood (Leviticus 17:11). Thus our body in the Second Coming of the Lord Jesus will be changed in to the glorified body as Paul said in 1 Corinthians 15:51-52 “Behold, I show you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.” Paul did not only teach the Second Coming of the Lord Jesus Christ on these two epistles but rather in all his epistles he did emphasise that the recipients of his letters might continue to be ready for the return of the Lord.

2. According to the apostle James

In James 5:7-8 “Be patient therefore, brethren, unto the coming of the Lord. Behold, the husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of he earth, and hath long patience for it, until he receive the early and latter rain. Be ye also patient; stablish your hearts: for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh.” This is the practical emphasis James gave concerning the Second Coming of the Lord Jesus Christ. As the recipients of his epistle were living as strangers and pilgrims in other lands, James comforted them with this wonderful of God. On the other hand, James reminded the believers about the judgement of the Lord as he said in James 5:9 “Grudge not one against another, brethren, lest ye be condemned: behold, the judge standeth before the door.” The Lord Jesus said that God has committed all judgement to the Son of man. Jesus Christ will also judge the world and every one of us must appear before the throne judgement of God.

3. According to the apostle Peter

In 2 Peter 3:3-4 we are also told about the Second Coming of the Lord Jesus Christ “Knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their owns lusts. And, where is the promise of his coming? for since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation.” Peter knew that there would be people who would be asking in that way because they have doubted concerning the promises of God. For this reason Peter gave the answer in 2 Peter 3:5-6 “For this they willingly are ignorant of, that by the word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of the water and in the water: Whereby the world that then was, being overflowed with water, perished.” Furthermore Peter describes the details of the fulfilment of God’s promises (2 Peter 3:7-9). Indeed God never forgets His promises but He will come to judge the world. In the past because of the wickedness of the people the Lord has judged the world with Genesis’ flood and He will judge and destroy the world again for the same reason at the Second Coming of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Now Peter warned the recipients of his epistles to be ready in any time for the Coming of the Lord because no one will know when He will return. Thus 2 Peter 3:10-12 tells the absolute truth of the Second Coming of the Lord Jesus. It says “But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up. Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness, Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat?” Every material and substance in this world will be destroyed automatically by the power of the Lord Jesus Christ then followed by the new heaven and new earth that is the prophetic program of God who can not lie. Everything will be fulfilled according to what the Lord said in His word.

4. According to the Apostle Jude

The apostle Jude has a testimony for the coming events connected to the coming of our Lord. We notice the whole book of Jude is talking about the apostasies that will happen in the church as the signs of the nearest return of the Lord Jesus to this earth. As Jude explains what those apostates will do in the church and to the believers, Jude reminds his recipients that they have a God who is able to keep them from falling. As we read in Jude 24 saying “Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy.” Thus despite of the wickedness of this world by the power of God we who believe in Him will be preserved and saved for God’s glory. The Lord will preserve us till the Lord Jesus Christ returns where we can see Him face to face.

5. According to the apostle John

The apostle John whom Jesus Christ loved was exiled at the land of Patmos until the end of his life. However it was during his exile in this island, sixty years after Jesus had died and returned to heaven, Jesus gave him the panorama of the coming events connected to the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ. The apostle John before the Lord gave him the marvellous revelation of God concerning the coming events in the book of Revelation; Paul has reminded the believers in his first epistle concerning the coming of the Lord. This is to prepare us for the book of Revelation as we read in 1 John 2:28 “And now, little children, abide in him; that, when he shall appear, we may have confidence, and not be ashamed before him at his coming.” Furthermore John said in 1 John 3:2-3 “but we know that, when he shall appear we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is. And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure.” Thus we need to get ready for His coming. We must not be ashamed when He comes but we must be purified by looking and having anticipation, long for the coming of the Lord.

In the book of Revelation chapter 1, Christ gave us a symbolic presentation of His Second Coming and chapter 2-3 is representing the church of the age. In these two chapters of Revelation we see the warning that the Lord gave to each of the seven churches that they might listen with their spiritual ears because Christ will come. Every church is tested according to their works and faithfulness to His word and not according to what they have achieved in this world.

Beginning from Revelation 4 to 19 we see that God sends forth the horse. The seventieth year week of Daniel namely seven years period between the Rapture of the church and the second coming of the Lord Jesus Christ with His glorified church and during these seven years, fantastic things will happen upon this earth and the planets in heaven above where the church will be purified at the judgement seat of Christ. It is during this period of time that the people of Israel in this earth will make a covenant with the Antichrist. In the midst of troubles and war in Israel, two witnesses will come down from heaven to Jerusalem prophesying about the Lord Jesus Christ. As a result of their preaching there will be 144,000 Jews shield by God. They will believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and as soon as they are saved they will be evangelists in Jerusalem and the whole world. Some people will be saved as a result of their evangelistic preaching but in those days they will be persecuted and martyred. Thus there will be horrible chaos and destruction for the whole world that never be known before. Everything that the Lord has said will be fulfilled.

Having seen what will happen in the seventieth year week of Daniel, in Revelation 20:1-6, we see the great promise of the great millennium. This event will follow immediately after the end of the seven years of the great tribulation. One thousand years of the reign of Christ in this earth will be inaugurated by His Second Coming in which those who trusted in the Lord Jesus Christ will be allowed to enter His kingdom for a thousand years. After the millennial, Satan will be loosed from the bound and even those who reject Christ in their heart will be resurrected, facing the Lord Jesus Christ as a Judge in the great white throne for the final judgement of the world.

Lastly in Revelation 21-22 we see the new heaven and the new earth, the New Jerusalem, the marvellous promise of God about His kingdom. It is marvellous to know that the whole last book of the Bible devoted to the Second Coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, which Paul never knew because he had already died before the book of Revelation was written. Therefore the Thessalonians knew the times and the seasons perfectly, which they knew nothing about the book of Revelation as we have in the completed Bible. Thus we may conclude with this question, why did Paul, James, Peter, Jude and John write so much about the Second Coming of the Lord Jesus Christ? The answer is because the Lord Jesus Himself emphasised so much about His Second Coming to this world. In Matthew, Mark, Luke and John we are told so much about the Lord’s coming. Therefore just before Jesus went to heaven He gave the terminuses command to the apostles as the great commission. “Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptising them in the name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost, Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world (Matt 28:19-20). These are the things that Paul, John, Jude and Peter were doing. All the apostles have committed to obey what the Lord Jesus Christ has commanded to them in the great commission. As for us believers in the Lord Jesus Christ the same command is given that we must do as the apostles have done. We need to have the proper emphasis of the Second Coming of Christ otherwise the church has not done and preached the whole counsel of God.

The Importance of Studying The Second Coming of Jesus Christ: The Example Of The Church Of Thessalonica

The church of Thessalonica was the only church in the New Testament times in which the apostle Paul acknowledged their great understanding of the Second Coming of the Lord Jesus Christ. The knowledge that the church of Thessalonica had can not be compared even to the most faithful churches in our days. Looking at the background of these Thessalonians that before the coming of Paul to this city, there was none even one Christian in the city. However, Paul, having spent time to teach and preach the word of God, the church had grown rapidly in their understanding of the mystery of the Second Coming of the Lord Jesus Christ.

1. At the Missionary Journey of Paul

The beginning of the church of Thessalonica was at the second missionary journey of Paul together with Silas and Timothy. Before they entered the city of Thessalonica, Paul and his companions Timothy and Silas were badly treated at the first arrival in Europe in the city of Philippi. They were unjustly beaten, put to the prison because of the preaching of the gospel of Jesus Christ. However by the providence of God they managed to escape from this city and continued their ways westward across and reached the country of Macedonia. Act 17:1-4 recorded that their arrival was truly by the leading and direction of the Lord. It was in this time that Paul held one of the greatest Bible Conferences in all the history. “Now when they had passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where was a synagogue of the Jews: And Paul, as his manner was, went in unto them, and three Sabbaths days reasoned with them out of the scriptures, Opening and alleging, that Christ must needs have suffered, and risen again from the dead; and that this Jesus, whom I preach unto you, is Christ. And some of them believed, and consorted with Paul and Silas; and of the devout Greeks a great multitude, and of the chief women not a few.”

Paul and his little band missionary arrived in the new mission field where apparently there was not even Christian there before they came. There was no any means to tell others about the gospel such TV, Radio, etc. There was not financial guarantee at all, in fact only three to four weeks available to do the necessary things and preach the gospel but it brought the greatest impact to the people. The powerful testimony for Christ was established in that city. Not only the church was established but also their understanding of the Word of God and faith had grown in their hearts of the program of God through the Lord Jesus Christ.

2. The Sending of the Letter to the Church of Thessalonica

The main key Luke has recorded in Acts is the teaching concerning the dead and resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ as predicted in the Old Testament. After the departure of Paul and the group from the city of Thessalonica, then Paul soon wrote a little letter to them concerning the teaching of the word of God, concerning the meaning of the dead and the resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ. As Paul wrote to them about the heart of the gospel, he was able to tell them about the Second Coming of the Lord Jesus Christ that amazed us that how much they knew about the Second Coming of the Lord Jesus Christ.

First Thessalonians is the first letter Paul wrote to the brand new church of Thessalonica. This was written for even after Paul pleaded from that city, he still did not know what had happened to those new Christians, whether they were so discouraged and scattered, or whether the church was broken up and destroyed. The heart of Paul was deeply burnt, and then he wrote a letter to them as he said in 1 Thessalonians 5:1-2 “But of the times and the seasons, brethren, ye have no need that I write unto you. (Why) For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night.”

When we read that verse, we, Christians who live in this generation are amazed about the knowledge that the Thessalonians have. Their knowledge of the Second Coming of the Lord Jesus Christ was so perfect, mature, complete and even the great apostle said that he did not need to tell them about all these. The times and the seasons are prophetic time and season just like Jesus told to his disciples in Acts 1:7 that the time and the season are in the father’s hand and you do not have to know when will be the time. This is to say that the new Christians in the church of Thessalonica knew perfectly what will happen and what the order of the events when Christ returns. The church of Thessalonica was just a new-born church in which Paul served for few weeks but their understanding of the Word of God was really great. This is the question to all believers in this generation, how long have we known the Lord Jesus Christ and how long have we had the Bible in our own language to read, study and understand? We are ashamed to ourselves because of the knowledge that we have so little though we have the Bible in our own hand.

3. The Maturity of the Christians in the church of Thessalonica

The church in Thessalonica perhaps was just two months old and yet they have known so much about the significant of the dead and resurrection the Messiah predicted in the Old Testament. They also knew about the things that will happen at the Second Coming of the Lord Jesus Christ. In fact in 1 and 2 Thessalonians Paul wrote to this little church that every single chapter of this book is referring to the Second Coming of the Lord Jesus Christ.

For example, let us see some of the passages in first Thessalonians concerning the Second Coming of the Lord Jesus Christ. At the end of 1 Thessalonians 1 in verse 10 “To wait for his Son from heaven....even Jesus which delivered us from the wrath to come.” In 1 Thessalonians 2:19 says “For what is our hope, or joy or crown of rejoicing? Are not even ye in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at his coming? In 1 Thessalonians 3:13 “To the end he may stablish your hearts unblamable in holiness before God, even our Father, at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ with all his saints.” The Lord Jesus Christ will be coming therefore we must be prepared in our heart for that great event. This was further described in 1 Thessalonians 4:16-18 “For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of th archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. Wherefore comfort one another with these words.” This is the great promises of the rapture of the church that will take place. In 1 Thessalonians 5 is full of prophecy of the events of the coming of the Lord and the climax is found in 1 Thessalonians 5:23 “And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.” That every part and every aspect of our being might be so sanctified and cleansed from the habits of sins for the joyful union with the Lord in that day.

In 2 Thessalonians 1 we can see also some of the things and promises that will happen at the Second Coming of the Lord Jesus Christ and His angels. Everything has been described in the book including the coming of the Antichrist as mentioned in 2 Thessalonians 2 that the Antichrist will claim that he is God. Thus Paul told them in 2 Thessalonians 2:5 “Remember ye not, that, when I was yet with you, I told you these things?” Paul has told them about the great apostasy and what the Antichrist will do in the temple because all these are the prophetic programs of God. Having seen all this truth mastered by the church of Thessalonians, we marvel for the zeal of learning that these believers have concerning the Word of God. It is absolutely that there is no even one church in our days that have such zeal in the Word of God. In fact we wonder when are the church and Bible classes started, how much the Bible prophetic of the word of God is given? Some may say that the study of the prophetic books is difficult to understand and complicated. But one thing that we need to know is that all the prophetic truth in the Bible is intended by God for us to know and learn.