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20 Studies in Bible Prophecy
Study 15 - The Return of Jesus Christ
in Person to this Planet
The rapture
will be aerial, the King's appearing will be earthly.
Failure to comprehend this two-phase aspect of
the advent results in confusion, and it is necessary
to differentiate between Christ's coming for and
with His saints. If we look closely at Old Testament
predictions relative to the coming of the Lord,
there is "no effort to synthesize the prophecies;
and the effort to decide which prophecies apply
to the church age, which apply to the millennial
era, and which apply to the age to come, ignored
the basic fact of the prophetic perspective."
(So writes Dr. Eldon Ladd in THE GOSPEL OF THE
KINGDOM).
Old Testament
prophecy pictures things to come without disclosing
the varied stages in the fulfilment of God's purpose.
The long-distance view of the prophets did not
disclose the details, and perhaps this fact is
clarified in the words of (1 Pet. 1:12), "not
unto themselves, but unto us did they minister."
It is only when we study the New Testament that
we see the advent presented in two stages, and
it is essential to acknowledge the difference.
If we examine the announcement of (Matt. 25:6), concerning the coming of the Bridegroom, and
(Rev. 19:11, 15) where the figure used is highly
military, a two-phase appearing is the only answer.
The Rev. lan MacPherson observes, "To try
to make a composite photograph of these two portraits
and force them to apply to a single historic occurrence
is logically impossible. In the former Christ
comes to make love: in the latter to make war.
The first analogy is marital, the second military.
The one is nuptial, the other martial." So
in thinking of the return of the Lord this distinction
is necessary and avers Prof. G. G. Findlay, "Christ
is pledged to a definite and visible return to
this earth in language than which none can be
found more expressive and positive."
Returning
to this picture in the Apocalypse, the language
is quite explicit regarding the military appearance
of the event with the Almighty riding forth to
judge and make war. This is surely the day foretold
in (Jude 14, 15) "Behold, the Lord cometh
with ten thousand of His saints, to execute judgment
upon all." This can mean nothing less than
a military coming, and when we consult (Zech.
14:4-8) we find that Christ's feet will descend
upon the Mount of Olives and that then topographical
changes will take place. As Prof. Dwight Pentecost
observes, "Such predicted changes in the
topography of Palestine make full allowance for
the temple site so that it i& not necessary
to interpret the prophecy of Ezekiel non-literally."
If we rightly
divide the word of truth, the next great event
in the prophetic drama is the removal of the church.
As believers we are not waiting for the end of
the world; we are anticipating the trumpet sound
to summon us up higher, as Paul states in (1 Thess.
4:17), "to meet the Lord in the air."
The word "meet" comes from a Greek word
meaning a "meeting to return with".
The word was used when some dignitary paid an
official visit and was met by leading citizens
to be escorted on the final stage. So suggests
Dr. John Eadie in his excellent coverage of these
epistles, "The Lord is descending to the
earth, they (the believers) are caught up on His
progress to meet Him, and thus God brings them
with Him."
Prophetic
students differ in their opinion as to whether
the rapture will be simultaneous with the revelation
of Jesus Christ to reign. It is argued by some
that when the Christians are "caught up"
(carried off by force), they will instantly return
with the Lord to the earth to make an end in judgment.
But the Greek word "harpazo" does not
require such an interpretation; indeed, certain
predicted events concerning the church, following
her removal from the earth, makes such a view
impossible. These are the judgment seat of Christ,
the presentation of the completed bride to Christ,
and the marriage of the Lamb followed by the supper.
Such events necessitate a certain period of time
between the rapture and the revelation, such a
period being provided for by Daniel's seventieth
week. The rapture and the revelation cannot therefore
be simultaneous.
If we consult
the Book of the Revelation, the church is not
on earth beyond chapter 3. This could not be the
case if the rapture did not take place until after
the events of chapter 6, and Samuel German puts
it clearly in GLORIOUS MORN, "The church
not being mentioned in this connection evidences
that it is not an over-sight, but is according
to the intention and purpose of God to show that
His people, the church, will be with Christ in
heaven while the judgments of chapter 6 onwards
take place on the earth." This period is
referred to in Scripture as "the TRIBULATION,
the Great One" (Rev. 7:14). This period,
while involving the whole earth, will have special
relation to Israel. The prophet Jeremiah referred
to it as "the time of Jacob's trouble"
(30:7), while the "day of the Lord"
is also a familiar designation in the Old Testament
prophetic utterances.
So it can
be well imagined that a world without a church
and under the rule of Antichrist, will long for
the second advent, and as recorded in (Rev. 19:11f), out of the open heaven the Conqueror rides
forth in triumph. So says Dr. Rene Pache, "The
main event announced by the prophets is not the
judgment of the world, nor the restoration of
Israel, nor even the triumph of the church: it
is the glorious advent of the Son of God."
The greatest event of the future will be the return
of the Lord Jesus Christ, as He departed from
the earth at His ascension, physically, visibly
and personally.
As we think
of that glorious event there are a number of things
about that day that demand our attention. Let
us examine the manifestation of Christ on earth
in power and great glory.
First,
it will be the day of Christ's visible manifestation.
The Bible
says that "every eye shall see Him"
(Rev. 1:7). He will be publicly manifested,
and in the execution of judgment God will be glorified.
Such will be the visible manifested that the earth
shall mourn, and this will have particular reference
to Israel (Zech. 12:10).
This return
to earth was the subject of Old Testament prediction.
We think in particular of (Zech. 14:4). Seismic
studies in this area have confirmed that there
is a geological fault running east and west, precisely
through the centre of the Mount of Olives. One
writer observes that the fault is such that it
could split at any moment. "It is awaiting
the foot." Surely if Christ's first advent
to the world, with a view to redeem, is the focal
point of all history, then it is surely admissible
to expect a second coming of the same Person to
our planet in accord with His pledged Word. Christ
must reign (1 Cor. 15:25). Christ must and will
return to be exalted in the very place where
once He was rejected, and rule where once He was
abased. Though critics of Bible truth would suggest
this hope to be nothing more than "a fancy
which grew up in the luxuriant soil of Jewish
apocalyptic", it is the solid belief of the
church past and present, and the almost universal
article of her creed.
Secondly,
it will be a day when vast confluence of Gentile
military might will converge on Palestine.
Great
military conflagration will be evident when the
Prince of Peace arrives on the earth to crush all
human power and make wars to cease to the ends of
the earth. (Ps. 46 : 9). Optimistic leaders in the
political realm have longed for the day when men
would learn war no more, and yet, as one writer
points out, while the number of doctors, teachers
and engineers is currently on the increase, albeit,
slowly, the number of army officers is rising sharply.
Such promises of world-disarmament as outlined in
(Isa. 2:4 and Mic. 4:1-4) cannot find fulfilment
prior to the appearance of the Prince of Peace.
Such
Scriptures as (Zech. 14:3-5 and Rev. 19:11f) depict
Jesus Christ as coming to the earth at the head
of the armies of heaven. Palestine is rapidly becoming
the strategic centre of the world, and when Jesus
returns to the earth a colossal war will be in progress,
a war too awful to contemplate. This conflagration
will be climaxed by His coming to smite the earth
with the sword. As history rushes towards this climatic
day, the revolution in the international, scientific,
economic, moral and spiritual realms would seem
to fit into "a prophetic pattern which describes
the end of the age." (Dr. Walvoord in THE NATIONS
IN PROPHECY). This very crisis is but a psychological
build-up for world-government under the Antichrist
(Rev. 13:1-10). The "mystery of iniquity"
(2 Thess. 2:7) is already working and will culminate
in the satanic masterpiece, the Man of Sin.
This
federation of Gentile might which will converge
on Palestine to confront and contest the Antichrist
in his occupation of the Holy Land has already been
studied in Notes 9, 10 and 11. Palestine will be
engulfed by forces who will be employed in a resolute
effort to drive Jehovah from the earth and extirpate
His earthly people, the Jews. But in that moment,
when victory seems certain for the enemies of Israel,
there will take place the invasion by the Lord and
His armies. This will bring to an end "the
times of the Gentiles" and usher in Israel's
day of glory and prominence. The "stone"
kingdom of Daniel's vision will begin to take shape,
and Israel will become the head and not the tail
(Deut. 28:13).
Thirdly,
it will be a day when the consummation of God's
world-programme will necessitate the judgment of
the nations.
Judgment
is God's "strange work" and the fact of
it is written large across the pages of the Bible.
Before the millennial reign of Christ is inaugurated,
with all its accompaniments of peace and plenty,
the living nations will be arraigned before God (Psa. 96:13, Matt. 25:31-46, John 5:22). Since
this judgment will be the subject of the following
study notes, suffice it to state here that the Lord
will separate this great conclave of nations into
two companies, like a shepherd dividing his sheep
from the goats. The former will enter the blessings
of the earthly kingdom, while the latter will be
excluded and banished to eternal fire. This will
be preparatory to the Lord setting up His millennial
reign.
Fourthly,
it will be a day when Jesus will manifest His sovereign
authority throughout the earth.
Having
crushed every enemy the Lord will establish His
kingdom of love and peace for a millennium of years,
and, writes Dr. Tatford, "Every ruler will
acknowledge His suzerainty, and the whole universe
will be brought into subjection to the Supreme Ruler
for He shall put down all rule, authority and power."
This will occupy us in Study No. 17. This is the
final goal of the divine plan for the earth, and
is the only adequate confirmation and explanation
of the Old Testament promises made to Israel. An
earthly kingdom over which Jesus shall reign is
woven into the fabric of both Testaments. Kingship
was prophesied of Him in the Old Testament (Psa.
2:6; Jer. 23:5) while the doctrinal writings of
the New Testament ascribe it to Him. The book of
the Revelation salutes Him as King. As G. Eldon
Ladd puts it, "The church age is the period
of Christ's concealed glory; the age to come will
be the age of the Father's sovereignty when Christ
delivers His rule to the Father and becomes Himself
subject to the Father (1 Cor. 15:24-28). The millennium
will be the period of the manifestation of Christ's
glory ... the triumph of God's Kingdom within history."
Then and only then will the angels' Christmas message
of "peace on earth" have its fulfilment.
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