The Second Coming - Part 3

John Hoole October 13, 2002

One of the most famous moments in World War II occurred early in the war when the Japanese stormed the Philippines and forces U.S. General Douglas MacArthur to leave the islands. MacArthur left the Philippines, but not before issuing his famous promise: "I shall return !!" And he did, walking ashore at Leyte in the Philippines several years later as a victorious general.
MacArthur wasn't the first, or the greatest, leader to promise his own return. Jesus Christ said, "I will come again," in John 14:3. Let's once again read the entire context of these words.
John 14:1-3 NKJV
1 Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me.
2 In My Father's house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.
3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also.

In the verses we just read, Jesus didn't tell his disciples exactly when He was going to return. But He did tell us some very important things. Things that should bring comfort to each of us.
He starts to unfold some of the events in His timetable, and about what He was going to be doing before He returned.
As we continue our study of the Second Coming of Christ; I want to focus on the answer to several questions.
1. How will Jesus return?
2. Where will Jesus return?
3. What will Jesus do when He returns?
4. What are the purposes for His return?
5. Who makes up the armies that return with Jesus?
6. What are the signs of His soon coming?

How Jesus will return
Last week we briefly looked at the passage in Acts 1, that describes the scene when Jesus ascended from earth to heaven. Let's go back to what the angels said in the verses we read a moment ago in Acts 1:9-11, I think we will find that the angels gave the disciples additional information about the second coming of Christ. Not only did they say Christ Himself was going to return again, but they also said how He was going to come.
Specifically, in Acts 1:11 (NKJV) the angels say:
11 ЕЕ."Men of Galilee, why do you stand gazing up into heaven? This same Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will so come in the same manner as you saw Him go into heaven."

HOW IS JESUS GOING TO COME TO EARTH?
The angels said He was going to come back in the same manner in which He left.

HOW DID JESUS LEAVE WHEN HE RETURNED TO HIS FATHER?
Christ's return will be physical
One thing those words tell us is this: The second coming of Christ will be physical. When Jesus left, the disciples watched Jesus as He rose from the earth into the clouds. They saw him in his physical body disappear out of sight. The angels said He would return in the same manner.
Though it is true that Christ is present everywhere and indwells every Christian, bodily He has remained in heaven. And at the Second Coming, He will return bodily to the earth. Just as his ascension to heaven was bodily, so the Second Coming will be a bodily return to the earth. Jesus will come back to earth in His body, not as a spirit. He will be touchable.
Jesus will return visibly
The next thing the angels told the disciples was that Jesus would return visibly. The disciples visibly watched Jesus as He left them. Acts 1:9 tells us Jesus was taken up before their very eyes, until the clouds hid Him from their sight.
Jesus will not come incognito. His coming again will be visible to the whole world. He ascended into heaven as a man. He will return in a human but glorified body.
Revelation 1:7 NIV
7 Look, he is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see him.

The visible return of Jesus Christ in the skies, described in Rev. 19:11-20, will rank as one of the most spectacular events in history.
Matthew 24:27 (NIV)
27 For as lightning that comes from the east is visible even in the west, so will be the coming of the Son of Man.
This will truly be a spectacular event.

There is yet another aspect of how Jesus will return. It is not mentioned in Acts 1, where we are told that Christ's coming will be physical and visible but is found in a number of other Passages.
Jesus' return will be glorious
When Jesus came the first time, He came in obscurity and humiliation.
Isaiah 53:2-3 NIV
2 Е..He had no beauty or majesty to attract us to him, nothing in his appearance that we should desire him.
3 He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows, and familiar with suffering. Like one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not.

When Jesus comes the second time, it will be a much different story. The return of Christ will be magnificent. He will come as a mighty Warrior and a conquering King.
Matthew 24:30 says:
"ЕAnd they will see the Son of Man arrive on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory."

The main theme of the book of Revelation is the disclosure of the glory of Christ at his second coming. The high point of the book is chapter 19. All previous chapters lead up to it; and all remaining chapters indicate the events following his revelation.
Actually, those that closely followed Christ during his first coming, got an early glimpse of this glory of Christ.
John 1:14 NKJV
14 And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.

How is Jesus Coming?
o Physically - in his glorified human body
o Visibly - every eye shall see him.
o Gloriously - with power and great glory

Where Jesus returns
The Bible tells us that when Jesus returns to the earth, every eye will see Him (Rev. 1:7; Matt. 24:27).
His coming will be witnessed by the entire world. However, while His return will be worldwide in this sense, He has to actually "touch down" somewhere.
WHERE WILL JESUS RETURN TO EARTH?
The Bible seems to be clear that Jesus will return to earth from the same place He left. The Mount of Olives. This mount is just to the east of the Temple mount, with only the small Kidron Valley between them.
There are three key passages that relate to this place, as far as Endtimes prophecy is concerned.
The first passage is Zechariah 14:4 NIV
4 On that day his feet will stand on the Mount of Olives, east of Jerusalem, and the Mount of Olives will be split in two from east to west, forming a great valley, with half of the mountain moving north and half moving south.

The second key passage is Acts 1:9-11, which we read earlier, and depicts the scene when Jesus left his disciples and return to heaven. That scene took place on the Mount of Olives. When the angels said He would return in the same manner, it could simply mean that He will return physically and visibly like He went away. But could it also carry the idea that He would return to the same place from which He left?
The third Passage are the two chapters, Matthew 24 & 25.
These two chapters make up what is often called the Olivet discourse, because it took place on the Mount of Olives. Early in that sermon, Jesus identified some of the signs of His return. The Mount of Olives is very much a key place with regards to the Second Coming of Christ.
The armies coming with Christ
I asked you a question last week. I would like to ask it again, and spend more time answering it than we did a week ago.
IS CHRIST ALONE WHEN HE COMES BACK TO EARTH?
No!!

WHO IS COMING WITH HIM?
Revelation 19:14 (NKJV) says:
14 And the armies in heaven, clothed in fine linen, white and clean, followed Him on white horses.
So, we know there are armies (plural) following Christ.

WHO MAKE UP THESE ARMIES?
1. The saints of the church age.
Everyone who has accepted Christ as their savior since the beginning of the Church, on the Day of Pentecost, until the Rapture of the Church, are among these armies.
A Christian woman was once telling a pastor about the assurance of her salvation. She said, "I have taken a one-way ticket to glory and do not intend to come back." To this the man of God replies: "You are sure going to miss a lot. I have taken a round-trip ticket. I am not only going to meet Christ in glory, but I am coming back with Him in power and great glory to the earth."
Every Christian of the Church age has a round-trip ticket. When Jesus returns from heaven to destroy the Antichrist, judge the nations, and set up His kingdom, we are going to be with Him.
Earlier in the 19th chapter, we learn who these are that are clothed in fine linen, clean and white.
Revelation 19:7-8 NIV
7 Let us rejoice and be glad and give him glory! For the wedding of the Lamb has come, and his bride has made herself ready. 8 Fine linen, bright and clean, was given her to wear. Fine linen stands for the righteous acts of the saints.

So, one group making up the armies is the Church, the Bride of Christ.
Jude 14 (NKJV) adds:
14 Now Enoch, the seventh from Adam, prophesied about these men also, saying, "Behold, the Lord comes with ten thousands of His saints.

I don't think there is any question that those making up the Church are among these armies.
2. The angels of God
2 Thessalonians 1:7 (NIV) speaks of...."when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven in blazing fire with his powerful angels." Angels are also among the armies coming with Christ.
Matthew 25:31 (NIV) adds:
31 "When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his throne in heavenly glory."

So we see that, along with the Church, God's holy angels will also accompany Christ when He returns to the earth.
WHAT ABOUT THE OLD TESTAMENT SAINTS AND THE TRIBULATION SAINTS?
WILL THEY BE PART OF THE ARMIES COMING WITH JESUS?

When we get into our study of the 1,000-year reign of Christ, we will see that the Bible tells us who will be reigning with Christ. We know these two groups will be here on earth during that time. So, how did they get here?
They must have returned to earth as part of these armies, but if that is true, their return is different than that of the Church.
CAN YOU TELL ME HOW THEIR RETURN IS DIFFERENT?
The difference is this: Their bodies have not yet been resurrected.
First, let's look at the Tribulation saints.
The chronology of the events of Revelation 19 & 20, which surround the 2nd coming is this:
o The wedding of the Bride (the Church) and the Bridegroom (Christ). (Rev. 19:7-9)
o Christ and the armies descend from heaven (Rev. 19:11-16).
o And angel summons the birds to observe the battle (Rev. 19:17-18).
o The armies on earth make war against Christ (verse 19)
o The Antichrist and False Prophet are captured and sent to the Lake of Fire (Verse 20)
o Their armies are destroyed and the birds gorge themselves (Verse 21)
o Satan is capture and bound with chains and sent to the Bottomless Pit (Rev. 20:1-3)
o John then sees the souls of the saints who died during the tribulation and then sees their bodies being resurrected. (Rev. 20:4)

Let's read the four verses that relate the last two events in our chronology.
Revelation 20:1-4 NIV
1 And I saw an angel coming down out of heaven, having the key to the Abyss and holding in his hand a great chain.
2 He seized the dragon, that ancient serpent, who is the devil, or Satan, and bound him for a thousand years.
3 He threw him into the Abyss, and locked and sealed it over him, to keep him from deceiving the nations anymore until the thousand years were ended. After that, he must be set free for a short time.
4 I saw thrones on which were seated those who had been given authority to judge. And I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded because of their testimony for Jesus and because of the word of God. They had not worshiped the beast or his image and had not received his mark on their foreheads or their hands. They came to life and reigned with Christ a thousand years.

This resurrection of Tribulation saints occurs after all the events preceding it, which means that if the Tribulation saints were included in the armies, they would not, at the time of the descent, yet have their resurrected bodies. The same is essentially true of Old Testament saints. But, in their case, we need to review what we learned in an early lesson.
WHEN OLD TESTAMENT SAINTS DIED, WHERE DID THEY GO?
When Christ died on the cross, He went to Paradise. Christ told the thief on the cross, "this day you will be with me in Paradise." When Old Testament saints died, they went to a place called Paradise. In Luke 16, this place is called Abraham's Bosom. This is one of the two compartments of Sheol (Hades in the New Testament). The other place, or compartment, is called a "place of torment." Those who were not righteous went there when they died.
When Christ ascended to His Father, Ephesians 4 and Hebrews 2:14-15 tells us He took with Him all those who were in Paradise. That means that today the Paradise compartment of Sheol is empty. All Old Testament saints were taken to heaven. But they are still awaiting the resurrection of their bodies.
Another reason that makes me think they are in heaven today is found in Revelation 19:9.
Revelation 19:9 NIV
9 Then the angel said to me, "Write: `Blessed are those who are invited to the wedding supper of the Lamb!'" And he added, "These are the true words of God."

Who are those invited as guests to the wedding? Certainly it is someone other than the Bride (Church) and the Groom (Christ). Most likely the guests are the Old Testament and Tribulation saints who are in heaven. When they attend the wedding, they will still be in their soulish existence, and without physical bodies as yet.
Daniel is the prophet who tells us when the bodies of Old Testament saint will be resurrected. In an earlier lesson, we noted the sequence of events of Daniel 11, which depict the Tribulation period as it relates to Daniel's people, the Jews. In the next chapter, he records this prophecy.
Daniel 12:1-2 NIV
1 At that time Michael, the great prince who protects your people, will arise. There will be a time of distress such as has not happened from the beginning of nations until then. But at that time your people - everyone whose name is found written in the book - will be delivered. 2 Multitudes who sleep in the dust of the earth will awake: some to everlasting life, others to shame and everlasting contempt.

Before continuing, notice again the first 3 words. "At that timeЕ."
AT WHAT TIME?
To answer this question, you have to go back into the previous chapter - Chapter 11. Verse 40 say, "at the time of the endЕ"
So when Daniel says "at that time", in Chapter 12, verse 1, he is referring back to all the activity that is portrayed in the last 6 verses of Chapter 11.
In past lessons, twice I have showed you a map that displays the activity described in these 6 verses. Let's quickly look at the sequence of these military maneuvers once again.
Daniel 11:40-44 NIV
40 At the time of the end the king of the South [most likely = Egypt] will engage him in battle, and the king of the North will storm out against him with chariots and cavalry and a great fleet of ships. He will invade many countries and sweep through them like a flood.
41 He will also invade the Beautiful Land. Many countries will fall, but Edom, Moab and the leaders of Ammon will be delivered from his hand.
42 He will extend his power over many countries; Egypt will not escape.
43 He will gain control of the treasures of gold and silver and all the riches of Egypt, with the Libyans and Nubians in submission.
44 But reports from the east and the north will alarm him, and he will set out in a great rage to destroy and annihilate many.

While the Antichrist and his armies are rampaging around the Middle East, he suddenly hears "rumors" that disturb him. Something about armies approaching from the east and north toward him. Now notice what Revelation 16:12 (NIV) adds concerning this 200,000,000 (Rev. 9:16) man army from the east.
12 The sixth angel poured out his bowl on the great river Euphrates, and its water was dried up to prepare the way for the kings from the East.

Back in Daniel 11, we were told, in verse 44, that the Antichrist is actually subduing Egypt and other northern African countries when he receives the "rumors" about the kings of the east.
To confront these invading armies, the Antichrist had earlier set his home base in Jerusalem. We learn that when we continue reading in Daniel 11, which we were reading a moment ago. His specific headquarters is in the rebuilt Jewish Temple, where he had earlier proclaimed himself to be god.
Daniel 11:45 NIV
45 He will pitch his royal tents between the seas at the beautiful holy mountain [Mt. Moriah - where the Dome of the Rock currently sits]. Yet he will come to his end, and no one will help him.

As the fight ensues, other nations will join in this Battle. This is quickly leading to the height of the Battle of Armageddon. In the very next verse - Daniel 12:1 - Daniel refers back to that time and those events and calls it a time of great distress for Israel worse than anything in their history.
When Daniel wrote of "a time of trouble, such as never was before," I can't help connecting that with Jesus' words in Matthew 24.
Matthew 24:21 NKJV
21 For then there will be great tribulation, such as has not been since the beginning of the world until this time, no, nor ever shall be.

You may remember me saying that Matthew 24 is primarily Jewish in nature. The gospel of Matthew is the most Jewish book in the New Testament. Like Daniel, these words in verse 21 are speaking to Daniel's people, the Jew.
Continuing in Daniel 12:1, we find Daniel using those 3 words - "at that time" - again. The first time finds him describing a time of unparalleled tribulation for the Jews. The second time he speaks of the deliverance of his people, the Jews.
Daniel 12:1 NIV
1 Е..But at that time your people - everyone whose name is found written in the book - will be delivered.

On the heels of these words about the Tribulation, God gives Daniel insight on the subject of the resurrection of Daniel's people.
Daniel 12:2 NIV
2 Multitudes who sleep in the dust of the earth will awake: some to everlasting life, others to shame and everlasting contempt.

Just a few verses later, God assures Daniel that he personally will be part of that group who arise from the grave to receive his inheritance.
Daniel 12:13 NKJV
13 But you [Daniel], go your way till the end; for you shall rest [die], and will arise to your inheritance at the end of the days."

Again, to review, the end of days have just been described as the end of the Tribulation as depicted in Chapter 11. And immediately following in the sequence of events, Daniel is told that he and his people will be rescued or delivered.
It is my opinion that it is quite possible that the resurrection of the Old Testament saints and the Tribulation saints will be one and the same resurrection. The Tribulation saints are really part of the Old Testament age. There is a parenthesis of time between them, a gap called the Church Age. And we know that both the Old Testament and Tribulation saints are resurrected following the end of the Tribulation.
Before leaving this topic of Old Testament and Tribulation saints, I need to mention 3 groups of people. From the Bible, we know that two groups of saints from the Tribulation, and one group from the Old Testament saints, already have their physical bodies when the Second Coming occurs. And I am not talking at all about Enoch and Elijah.
DO YOU KNOW WHO WILL ALREADY HAVE THEIR PHYSICAL BODIES WHEN CHRIST RETURNS?
The first group of saints are those who are mentioned in Matthew 27.
Matthew 27:52-53 NKJV
52 And the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised;
53 And coming out of the graves after His resurrection, they went into the holy city and appeared to many.

What we have here is a group of Old Testament saints whose bodies were resurrected and they walked on earth and were seen by many people. I believe Christ took these to heaven with Him when He ascended to His Father.
The second group are the Two Witnesses mentioned in Revelation 11.
Revelation 11:11-12 NIV
11 But after the three and a half days a breath of life from God entered them, and they stood on their feet, and terror struck those who saw them.
12 Then they heard a loud voice from heaven saying to them, "Come up here." And they went up to heaven in a cloud, while their enemies looked on.

So we know these two are in heaven today with their resurrected bodies.
The third group are the 144,000 Jewish evangelists that are first mentioned in Revelation 7. This group of people were sealed by God, which meant the forces of evil could not harm them. Their ministry lasted the first 3╜ years of the Tribulation. We are not told when they left earth and went to heaven but in Revelation 14:1, we find them standing with the Lamb in heaven.
So, we have three groups of people who have already been raptured and are in heaven prior to the Second Coming of Christ. Two of these groups had their bodies resurrected prior to their rapture. The 144,000 didn't need a resurrection because the never died.
So far today, we have discussed what the Bible says aboutЕ.
o How Jesus returns to earth.
o Where Jesus returns to earth
o Who returns with Him.

Let's go to our next subject concerning the Second Coming of Jesus Christ.
What Jesus will do when He returns
WHAT DOES CHRIST DO IMMEDIATELY UPON ARRIVING ON EARTH?
Six things are mentioned, five of which take place if fairly short order. The sixth takes a little time to complete. The first five things that happen quickly are:
1. He destroys the armies of the Antichrist.
Returning again to the sequence of events portrayed in Revelation 19.
Revelation 19:19 NKJV
19 And I saw the beast, the kings of the earth, and their armies, gathered together to make war against Him who sat on the horse and against His army.

The beast is the Antichrist. He is often referred to in this manner in the book of Revelation. And he is making war against the one sitting on the horse, and against his army.
According to verse 11, earlier in the chapter, we know that the person sitting on the horse is Christ. And his armies are the saints, clothed in white which accompany him back to earth.
Revelation 19:21 NKJV, tells us the action Christ takes.
21 And the rest [that's all the armies of the Antichrist] were killed with the sword which proceeded from the mouth of Him who sat on the horse. And all the birds were filled with their flesh.

So one thing that happens upon Christ's arrival to earth, is the destruction of the armies of the Antichrist. Again, return to the sequence of events in Revelation 19 for the second thing Christ does.

2. The Antichrist and his right-hand man, the False Prophet, are cast into the lake of fire.
Revelation 19:20 NKJV
20 Then the beast (that's the Antichrist) was captured, and with him the false prophet who worked signs in his presence, by which he deceived those who received the mark of the beast and those who worshiped his image. These two were cast alive into the lake of fire burning with brimstone.

Here we have the second thing that occurs when Christ arrives. The Antichrist and the False Prophet will be cast alive into the Lake of Fire.
Now for the third thing Christ does in short order.

3. Satan is put in chains and cast into the bottomless pit
With point #2, we have completed Revelation, chapter 19, and now, with point #3, we begin chapter 20.
Revelation 20:1-3 NKJV
1 Then I saw an angel coming down from heaven, having the key to the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand.
2 He laid hold of the dragon, that serpent of old, who is the Devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years;
3 and he cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal on him, so that he should deceive the nations no more till the thousand years were finished. But after these things he must be released for a little while.

So, this is the 3rd thing that happens. An angel, having a chain, binds Satan and throws him into the bottomless pit.

4. The fourth thing that takes place after Christ returns to earth is to deliver the Jews from their persecutors.
This will take place both in Israel and Edom (Jordan). This may be part of item #1, above.
Romans 11:26 NIV
26 And so all Israel will be saved, as it is written: "The deliverer will come from Zion; he will turn godlessness away from Jacob.

5. The fifth thing that takes place is the judgment of the nations.
Joel 3:2 NIV
2 I will gather all nations and bring them down to the Valley of Jehoshaphat. There I will enter into judgment against them concerning my inheritance, my people Israel, for they scattered my people among the nations and divided up my land.

Joel 3:12 NIV
12 Let the nations be roused; let them advance into the Valley of Jehoshaphat, for there I will sit to judge all the nations on every side.

That takes care of that activity which will be accomplished in a very short time. The sixth will take more time.
6. The sixth thing that takes place is the setting up of His (Christ's) kingdom here on earth for 1,000 years.
Revelation 20:4 NKJV
4 And I saw thrones, and they sat on them, and judgment was committed to them. Then I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for their witness to Jesus and for the word of God, who had not worshiped the beast or his image, and had not received his mark on their foreheads or on their hands. And they lived and reigned with Christ for a thousand years.

We have already looked at a large number of Scriptures dealing with the Second Coming, none of which tells us precisely when that event will occur.
In Matthew 24, the disciples asked Jesus when they would know He would be coming.
Matthew 24:1-3 NIV
1 Jesus left the temple and was walking away when his disciples came up to him to call his attention to its buildings.
2 "Do you see all these things?" he asked. "I tell you the truth, not one stone here will be left on another; every one will be thrown down."
3 As Jesus was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to him privately. "Tell us," they said, "when will this happen, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?"

Jesus did answer that question in chapter 24, by giving them a number of signs of his return. Other signs are also given by other New Testament writers, like Paul and Peter.
WHAT ARE SOME OF THE SIGNS GIVEN CONCERNING THE COMING OF CHRIST?
Here is a rather extensive list:
o False Christs (Matt. 24:5)
o Wars and rumors of war (Matt. 24:6)
o Famines (Matt. 24:7)
o Earthquakes (Matt. 24:7)
o Pestilence (Matt. 24:7)
o As in the days of Noah (Lk 17:26-27)
o As it was in the days of Lot (Lk 17:28)
o Increased knowledge (Daniel 12:4)
o Increased travel (Daniel 12:4)
o Spiritual decline worldwide (1 Tim. 4:1)
o Rebirth of Israel (Ezekiel 37)
o Restoration of Hebrew language (Zeph. 3:9)
o Strong Arab-Israeli conflict (Psalm 83:2-8)
o Return of Ethiopian Jews (Zeph. 3:10)
o Fertility of Israel (Isaiah 27:6)
o Rebuilding of Jerusalem (Jer. 31:38-40)
o Plans to rebuild Temple (Isa. 2:2; Dan 8:14)
o Red Heifer sacrifices (Ezekiel 36:25)
o Revived Roman Empire (Daniel 2 & 7)
o Alignment of nations (Dan. 2 & 7; Ez. 38)
o Plans for one-world gov't (Daniel 7:14)
o Plans for one-world religion (Rev. 13:11-18)

As we analyze the evidence about these signs of the Second Coming, we see they naturally fall into two categories.
General condition
Unique signs.

To all of these signs, you could also add those recorded in 2 Timothy 3.
2 Tim 3:1-7 NKJV
1 But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come: 2 For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, 3 unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, 4 traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, 5 having a form of godliness but denying its power. And from such people turn away! 6 For of this sort are those who creep into households and make captives of gullible women loaded down with sins, led away by various lusts, 7 always learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.

Questions, comments & suggestions to John Hoole