THE PLACE OF THE SECOND ADVENT.
By W. N. Glenn
In the order of events comprising the great work of salvation, the place of the second coming of Christ is of inestimable importance. In that event centers the consummation of the hope of his people. In discussing briefly this point, the reader will please bear in mind that the question of the order of events is not a question of specific date. One consideration which makes it important to know the place of the second advent in the scheme of redemption, is the fact that concerning this event we are told there will be great deception. The enemy of souls will make special effort to mislead the people in regard to the coming of the Lord “the second time . . . unto salvation,” in order that they may not be prepared for that event. Therefore if we do not know at what point in the ever-unfolding plan to look for the returning of the Lord, we will become easy prey to the deceiver; will be either entirely engrossed with the cares or pleasures of this life, or, like the foolish virgins, be found asleep, with no oil in our vessels. Foreseeing the effort of Satan to deceive the world in regard to this important event, our Lord has given this plain warning:— “Take heed that no man deceive you. For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many.” Matt. 24:4, 5. “And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many.” Verse 11. “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.” Verses 23–25. If we should become so careless as not to heed this oft-repeated warning, and thus be ignorant of these things, we certainly will be without excuse. These words of the Saviour were verified in the days of the apostle Paul, when Hymeneus and Philetus erred concerning the truth, saying that the resurrection was past already, and overthrew the truth of6 (86)some. 2 Tim. 2:18. Others went so far as to write letters to the Thessalonians in Paul’s name, saying that the day of Christ was then at hand. This called out a strong appeal and warning to the church from the apostle:— “Now we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by our gathering together unto him, that ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from us, as that the day of Christ is at hand. Let no man deceive you by any means; for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition; who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshiped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God. Remember ye not, that, when I was yet with you, I told you these things?” 2 Thess. 2:1–5. In course of instructions to his disciples in regard to his going away, the Saviour said, “I will come again, and receive you unto myself.” John 14:3. That this coming again for his people means the second advent, is shown by Heb. 9:28, from which we learn that his coming “without sin unto salvation” is his coming “the second time.” These scriptures, in connection with 2 Thess. 2:1, previously quoted, show conclusively that the second advent of Christ is the occasion of the gathering of his people. But there are more testimonies to the same effect. That the second advent is the time of the resurrection of the just is shown by 1 Cor. 15:21–23:— “For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive. But every man in his own order; Christ the first-fruits; afterward they that are Christ’s at his coming.” To make the location emphatic, the next verse says, “Then cometh the end,” etc. Coming at the “end,” the second advent must be when the Gospel shall have been “preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations,” for “then shall the end come.” Matt. 24:14. At the coming of the Lord is the harvest of the earth, and in explanation of the parable of the tares the Lord says, “The harvest is the end of the world; and the reapers are the angels.” Matt. 13:39. To this we add the following further testimony:— “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; 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.” 1 Thess. 4:16, 17. “And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven; and 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. And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet [margin, “with a trumpet and a great voice”], and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.” Matt. 24:30, 31. The second advent of Christ will be at the time of the setting up of his kingdom, and the execution of judgment:— “I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom: Preach the word.” 2 Tim. 4:1, 2. “When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory; and before him shall be gathered all nations; and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats; and he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left. Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. . . . Then shall he also say unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels.” Matt. 25:31–41. “Behold, the Lord cometh with ten thousand of his saints, to execute judgment upon all, and to convince all that are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have ungodly committed, and of all their hard speeches which ungodly sinners have spoken against him.” Jude 14, 15. “Seeing it is a righteous thing with God to recompense tribulation to them that trouble you; and to you who are troubled rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels, in flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ; who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power; when he shall come to be glorified in his saints, and to be admired in all them that believe (because our testimony among you was believed) in that day.” 2 Thess. 1:6–10. “The mystery of iniquity doth already work; only he who now letteth [hindereth] will let, until he be taken out of the way. And then shall that wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming.” Chap. 2:7, 8. The second advent will be when the mansions are prepared in the Father’s house, and the time has come for bestowing upon the righteous their final reward:— “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. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.” John 14:2, 3. “I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith; henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day; and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing.” 2 Tim. 4:7, 8. “Behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be.” Rev. 22:12.