CHRIST’S GLORIOUS COMING.
If there is any doctrine plainly taught in the Scriptures of truth, it is that of Christ’s second coming. It is of equal importance with His first advent. The following concerning that noted event is clearly and explicitly set forth:— 3. That coming is not an outpouring of His Spirit; for the Spirit was sent as the substitute of the Lord’s own presence. John 16:7. 4. It is not a secret or local coming, as set forth in any of the various “isms” of the present day. Matt. 24:26. 10. At His coming the wicked will perish in the brightness of His glory, and the good will receive their reward. 2 Thess. 1:7–9; Matt. 16:27. 12. Signs will precede that coming that all may know when it is near; and yet no one shall know the day or the hour. To these signs the church of God will give heed, tho the wicked will be in darkness because of their sin. Luke 21:25–27; Matt. 24:29–35; 1 Thess. 5:1–6. The above enumerations could be augmented and the citations be multiplied greatly; but these we believe are sufficient to arouse in every mind that possesses an interest in these things (and who does not?) a desire to study further. Notwithstanding these plain, obvious instructions concerning so precious an event, one so pregnant in import of all that concerns the Christian, it is little understood by many Christians, and lightly regarded by nearly all. What would we think of the affections and feelings of a bride who would be indifferent at the delay of the bridegroom when all things were ready? We could but conclude that her love was indeed small. Yet it is not wholly lack of affection that is responsible for the attitude of believers. The importance of the second advent of our Lord in His great plan of redemption has made it the subject of especial7attack by Satan. He has sent his agents into the church to pervert the doctrine. He has brought obloquy and reproach upon it and the Bible by the numerous time-settings that foolish men have made contrary to express Scripture statement. He has made one of the most blessed things of the Bible the butt of jest and quip and joke and gibe. And worse than all these, he has brought division and confusion into the ranks of Adventists over the significance of words which declare or describe the event. These words, having reference to the one great event, are made to mean different things; and we are taught that there is to be (or already is) a “secret rapture” of the saints, by which some—the first-fruits—are made immortal, and at which time Christ appears only to those so changed. After that He will come again with these immortal ones, and rule over the wicked. We have not space to give in full the erroneous views; the truth will be taught when it is shown that the words in question apply to one and the same event. Three of these words are— “parousia,” “apokalupsis,” “epiphaneia.” 1. Parousia (pronounced par-oo-see’ah) is translated in the common version by the words “coming” and “presence.” By referring to these it will be seen that the word means, as defined, “personal presence.” It is rendered “coming” twenty-one times, and “presence” twice. Instances of its use may be seen in the following: Matt. 24:3, 27; 1 Cor. 16:17; 2 Cor. 7:6; 1 Thess. 4:15; 2 Thess. 2:8; 1 John 2:28; 2 Cor. 10:10. Its meaning is personal, bodily presence. 2. Apokalupsis (pronounced ap-ok-al’oo-psis) means “disclosure,” “revelation,” and is rendered, “appearing,” “coming,” “lighten,” “manifestation,” “be revealed,” “revelation.” It is the title in Greek of the last book of the Bible. It occurs eighteen times in the original. Following are instances of its use: Rom. 2:5; Gal. 1:12; Rev. 1:1; 2 Thess. 1:7; 1 Peter 1:7; 4:13; 1 Cor. 1:7. The word simply means disclosure, or revelation, of that to which it is applied. All these terms, when referring to the future coming of our Lord, have reference to the same event. The first, parousia, means His personal presence. Once the Son of God walked among men in human form, a brother to humanity. He was visible. Men talked with Him, felt Him, looked upon Him, distinguished Him from others, knew Him by His personal appearance. He went away bodily. He is coming again as He went away, the very “same Jesus” with whom the twelve were associated, who stilled the waves, healed the sick, raised the dead, and spoke such words of cheer and comfort and counsel as man had never heard before. He is coming again. His own personal presence will be manifest among men. He will come in all the glory of a king, attended by ten thousand times ten thousand angels, with mighty shout and soundings of heavenly trumpets which will reverberate throughout the universe. “The Lord Himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the Archangel, and with the trump of God.” This is His parousia, the approach of His personal presence. Then will the Son of God be revealed. He was not revealed when here upon the earth. He came for the one sole purpose to declare, to reveal, the Father, and so save men. He Himself was not revealed. “No man knoweth the Son but the Father.” When He went from the earth to return to heaven, He left His people, His church, “His body, the fulness of Him that filleth all in all,” to reveal Him; but poor and imperfect has been the revelation. Not till He appears will men see Him and know Him as He is. Not as a poor mortal will He come, not as a babe in Bethlehem’s manger, but as the King of glory who has the right to reign. “There is a King of glory,
Ere long on earth to rise,
Sung in prophetic story,
Descending from the skies;
The Babe of Bethlehem, ’tis He;
It is the Man of Calvary,—
Not crowned with thorns and gory,
But crowned with glory now!
Not crowned with thorns to-day,
Not mocked and led away;
But crowned with everlasting glory now.”
Then will Christ be seen as He is, unveiled, in all the wonderful glory of His blessed character. And that coming, that disclosure, will be His epiphany, the glorious outshining of the excellences within. In that glory His people will rejoice. He will be “glorified in His saints, and admired in all them that believe.” His life is their life; His glory is their glory. But to those who have chosen selfishness, sin, and Satan, that glory will be overpowering in its brightness, and they will utterly consume with the spirit of His mouth, and be destroyed literally by “the forthshining [epiphaneia] of His presence [parousia].” 2 Thess. 2:8. His glorious presence will but manifest the outshining of His divinity, the revelation of His character.