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The Second Advent

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Pacific Press Publishing Company · Oakland, California · May 6, 1897

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 23, No. 18.

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The Second Advent

By Editor

No. 552. The Second Advent.

(1) Does the second advent take place before the plagues come upon the wicked, and after the tribulation of the saints at the hands of the beast? Are the saints caught up between the tribulation and the plague? If they are not then caught up, whence come the men in heaven not able to enter the temple on account of God's glory? Rev. 15:8. (2) Do the saints sit in judgment on the earth or in the air? Rev. 20:4. If not upon earth, when do they return to set up the everlasting kingdom? Over whom do they reign during the thousand years? Rev. 20:5, 6. If in the air, why? since the earth will be freed from the wicked if the plagues come before the wicked are caught up. C. E. C.
(1) The second advent of Christ takes place after the plagues are poured out upon the wicked; for those whom the plagues do not destroy are destroyed at his presence, when he appears. See Rev. 16:17 and 19:21. His coming is yet future under the sixth plague. See Rev. 16:15. The tribulation of the saints under the persecuting power of the beast extended from A.D. 538 to 1798. See Dan. 7:25 and parallel scriptures. The saints are therefore caught up after both the tribulation and plagues. Rev. 15:8 in the original does not say “no man,” but “none,” or “no one.” See Revised Version. Yet there are men in heaven. When Christ ascended he led “a multitude of captives” (Eph. 4:8, margin), who were raised at his resurrection (Matt. 27:52, 53). These assist him in his heavenly work. Rev. 4:4.
(2) The saints sit in judgment in heaven in the holy city, with Christ. Compare John 14:1-3; Rev. 20:4; 14:1-5; 19:1. The everlasting kingdom begins in the holy city above, the capital of the new earth, which will come down upon the earth at the close of the thousand years. Revelation 20 and 21. The saints reign in judgment with Christ over the wicked, a judgment which will be executed at the close of the thousand years. The last question has been answered in the foregoing. For further information see Bible Students’ Library, No. 55 (“The Judgment, Its Events, and Their Order”) and No. 65 (“The Great Day of the Lord”); prices, respectively 15 and 5 cents.