 
Illustration. Coming In Glory. "Behold, He cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see Him." Rev. 1:7.
1. Is Christ coming again? “I will come again.” John 14:3. 2. How does Paul speak of this coming? “Unto them that look for Him shall He appear the second time without sin unto salvation.” Heb. 9:28. 3. Did the early disciples think that death would be the second coming of Christ? “Peter seeing him [John] saith to Jesus, Lord, and what shall this man do? Jesus saith unto him, If I will that he tarry till I come, what is that to thee? follow thou Me. Then went this saying abroad among the brethren, that that disciple should not die: yet Jesus said not unto him, He shall not die; but, If I will that he tarry till I come, what is that to thee?” John 21:21-23. Notes.—From this it is evident that the early disciples regarded death and the coming of Christ as two separate events. “ ‘Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh.’ Some people say that means death; but the Word of God does not say it means death. Death is our enemy, but our Lord hath the keys of death; He has conquered death, hell, and the grave.... Christ is the Prince of Life; there is no death where He is; death flees at His coming; dead bodies sprang to life when He touched them or spoke to them. His coming is not death. He is the resurrection and the life. When He sets up His kingdom, there is to be no death, but life forevermore.”—“The Second Coming of Christ,” by D. L. Moody, pages 10, 11. 4. At His ascension, how did the angels say Christ would come again? [pg 338]
Illustration. [pg 339]The Ascension. "This same Jesus ... shall so come in like manner as ye have seen Him go into heaven." Acts 1:11. “And when He had spoken these things, while they beheld, He was taken up; and a cloud received Him out of their sight. And while they looked steadfastly toward heaven as He went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel; which also said, 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 1:9-11. 5. How did Christ Himself say He would come? “For the Son of man shall come in the glory of His Father with His angels.” Matt. 16:27. “Then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.” Matt. 24: 30. “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.” Luke 9:26. 6. How many will see Him when He comes? “Behold, He cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see Him, and they also which pierced Him.” Rev. 1:7. Note.—Christ's second coming will be as real as was His first, and as visible as His ascension, and far more glorious. To spiritualize our Lord's return is to pervert the obvious meaning of His promise, “I will come again,” and nullify the whole plan of redemption; for the reward of the faithful of all ages is to be given at this most glorious of all events. 7. What wonderful demonstration will accompany the Lord's coming? “The Lord Himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the Archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first.” 1 Thess. 4:16. 8. What warning has Christ given concerning false views of the manner of His coming? “Then if any man shall say unto you, Lo, here is Christ, or there; believe it not. For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall show great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect. Behold, I have told you before. Wherefore if they shall say unto you, Behold, He is in the desert; go not forth: behold, He is in the secret chambers; believe it not.” Matt. 24:23-26. 9. How visible is His coming to be? “For as the lightning cometh out of the east, and shineth even unto the west; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.” Verse 27. |
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