CHRIST'S SECOND COMING

International Tract and Missionary Society · Oakland, California · Oct 19, 1888

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 14, No. 40.

CHRIST'S SECOND COMING.

"Let not your heart be troubled; ye believe in God, believe also in me. 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 14:1-3.

THESE words were spoken by our Saviour himself, in his talk to his disciples, in the evening of the day on which he was crucified. He had been with them in constant companionship for over three years, and besides the tie of personal love which bound them to him, they had given him reverence as "the Christ, the Son of the living God," and had "trusted that it had been he which should have redeemed Israel." They had looked for a speedy deliverance from the Roman yoke, and now consternation and grief had taken hold of their hearts as they listened to his words: "Little children, yet a little while I am with you. Ye shall seek me; and as I said unto the Jews, Whither I go, ye cannot come; so now I say to you." John 13:33. Peter voiced the common desire, and said, "Lord, whither goest thou?" and to this question the Saviour replied, "Whither I go, thou canst not follow me now; but thou shalt follow me afterwards." And then, in the words quoted at the beginning of this chapter, he proceeded to comfort their troubled hearts, telling them how and when they could follow him and be with him.

The "glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ" (Titus 2:13), is the "blessed hope" that is set before the church of Christ. It has been the hope of the church in all ages. The ancient prophets foretold in minutest detail "the sufferings of Christ," and at his first advent the "sure word of prophecy" was fulfilled to the letter; but "the glory that should follow" was no less the theme of inspired penmen, and the followers of Christ were pointed forward to the time when his glory should be revealed, as the time when they also should "appear with him in glory," and "be glad also with exceeding joy." 1 Peter 4:13; Col. 3:4. It was with this hope that our Saviour comforted his sorrowing disciples.

That Christ will come again is as sure as that he was once here upon earth, and that he is now "gone into Heaven, and is on the right hand of God; angels and authorities and powers being made subject unto him." 1 Peter 3:22. Said he, "If I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself." He was here; he has gone; and he will certainly come again. This is the testimony of Christ himself, and of all the holy men in whom was his Spirit.

"I will come again." This means "another time," "once more." Not thousands of times, as they would have us believe who claim that in fulfillment of his promise he comes whenever a saint dies, but only once more will he come again, to consummate the great plan of salvation. To this the apostle bears emphatic testimony, in these words: "And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the

Judgment; so Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation." Heb. 9:27, 28. It is appointed unto men once to die; in order that men might have life, Christ was once offered for sin, bearing "our sins in his own body on the tree;" and so, when his work for sinners shall have been finished, he will come once more—"the second time"—not bearing the sins of the world, as at his first advent, but for the salvation of those who, by means of his sacrifice and mediation, have "put away sin."

The fact having been settled beyond all controversy, that Christ will come to this earth again, the question naturally arises in our minds, namely: How will he come? This question must be answered by the Bible, if it is answered at all, and to it we will turn for light. Anything that throws light upon Christ's second coming must be of first importance.

As to the manner of his coming we need not remain long in doubt. As the disciples stood gazing up into heaven after their ascending Lord, two shining ones—messengers from the heavenly courts—appeared and said to them: "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 1:11. And how did he go into heaven? The same writer who records this, says of Christ's ascension: "And he led them [his disciples] out as far as to Bethany, and he lifted up his hands, and blessed them. And it came to pass, while he blessed them, he was parted from them, and carried up into heaven." Luke 24:50, 51. Even "while they beheld, he was taken up, and a cloud received him out of their sight." Acts 1:9. So his coming will be personal and visible. Said the angels, "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." Says Paul, "The Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout." 1 Thess. 4:16. It will be the same one who was baptized by John in the Jordan, and who from that day "went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil;" the same one who, weary and faint, sat by Jacob's well, and found refreshment in revealing to a poor sinner the fountain of living waters; the very one who by wicked hands was crucified and slain, being "wounded for our transgressions," and "bruised for our iniquities;" the one who was placed by loving hands in Joseph's new tomb, "whom God hath raised up, having loosed the pains of death; because it was not possible that he should be holden of it."

"This same Jesus" who ascended bodily into heaven, while the disciples beheld, will return in the same manner that he ascended.

It was the knowledge that Christ himself would come in person, that animated the patriarch in his deep affliction, when he said: "For I know that my Redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth. And though after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God; whom I shall see for myself, and mine eyes shall behold, and not another." Job 19:25-27. "Whom I shall see for myself, and not a stranger," is the reading according to the margin. And this serves to connect the hope of the patriarch with the promise of Christ. The disciples mourned the anticipated departure of the Saviour, as that of a dear friend and companion, as well as the one who should redeem Israel; and the patriarch triumphed, even in his sore distress, in the thought that when his Redeemer should stand at the latter day upon the earth, he should see in him a friend, and not a stranger. Happy is the man whose acquaintance with Christ is such that he can look forward to his return with the same fond anticipation.

Jesus "shall so come in like manner" as he went into heaven. How did he go? While they beheld he was taken up, and a cloud received him out of their sight. Then when he comes a cloud will attend him, and he will be seen. And the beloved disciples testified: "Behold, he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him." Rev. 1:7. Again he says, describing his prophetic vision: "And I looked, and behold a white cloud, and upon the cloud one sat like unto the Son of man, having on his head a golden crown, and in his hand a sharp sickle." Rev. 14:14. Christ, speaking of events connected with his coming, said: "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." Matt. 24:30.

Now notice how the coming of Christ will correspond with his departure. When he departed, a cloud received him out of sight; so the cloud must have been the last thing seen. When he shall come again, the first thing that will be seen will be a white cloud. This will be "the sign of the Son of man in heaven." Then as it draws nearer, the form of Jesus will be discerned, sitting upon the cloud, and then all his glory will be revealed.

He will come as he departed. But whereas only a few saw him go away, "every eye shall see him" when he returns. He will come "in the glory of his Father" (Matt. 16:27), accompanied by "all the holy angels." Matt. 25:31.

"He comes not an infant in Bethlehem born, He comes not to lie in a manger; He comes not again to be treated with scorn, He comes not a shelterless stranger; He comes not to Gethsemane, To weep and sweat blood in the garden; He comes not to die on the tree, To purchase for rebels a pardon. Oh, no; glory, bright glory, Environs him now."

He will then "sit upon the throne of his glory," and "a fire shall devour before him, and it shall be very tempestuous round about him." Ps. 50:3. He shall descend "with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God" (1 Thess. 4:16), and "the heavens and the earth shall shake" (Joel 3:16). None will be able to hide from their eyes "the brightness of his coming;" "for as the lightning, that lighteneth out of the one part under heaven, shineth unto the other part under heaven, so shall also the Son of man be in his day." Luke 17:24. Surely the question, "How will he come?" is sufficiently answered.