Thoughts on the Second Advent of Christ.
By J. A. SMITH.
THERE are various views concerning Christian baptism, the Sabbath, sanctification, and other Bible subjects. There are also different views concerning the second advent of Christ. Indeed there has never been a Bible subject promulgated, but negative arguments have been brought to bear against it by somebody. Now the people of God are scripturally looking for the194literal second coming of Jesus Christ to take place in the future. This causes some investigation on the subject among their opponents, and hence they come to various conclusions on the matter. Some believe that the second coming of Christ was at the destruction of Jerusalem; some think he comes at the death of the saints; and some believe that he comes at the conversion of sinners. Thus they have their conclusions at variance from the right one. They have the second coming of Christ at every place but the right one. When was Christ to come, and how was he to come? We have said that some believe that he came the second time at the destruction of Jerusalem, some believe that he comes at the death of saints, and others believe that he comes at the conversion of sinners. Before we notice these positions we will show what will take place in connection with the second advent of Christ. 1. The Scriptures teach that Christ will come the second time. Heb. ix, 28. "And unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation." We learn from this that Christ was to come the second time, not millions of times, as would be the case if he comes every time a saint dies, or when sinners are converted. See John xiv, 1-3. Here are the words of Christ himself. He here speaks of his ascension and descension. This is clear proof that he will come again from whence he has gone. See also the following scriptures: Acts i, 9-11; Titus ii, 13; 1 John iii, 2. 2. Christ's second coming will be literal and visible to all. This is very clearly taught by several texts of Scripture. Acts i, 9-11. "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 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.'" From this we learn that Christ was taken up to Heaven in a cloud. The disciples beheld him as he ascended; therefore, he must have been personal and visible. While they were looking steadfastly up toward Heaven, two angels stood by them and informed them that this same Jesus will come in like manner. How did Jesus ascend to Heaven? Personally and visibly. How will he come again? Personally and visibly. This is evident from Matt. xxiv, 30. There we learn that the tribes or nations of the earth will mourn. Why are they going to mourn? Because they will see the Son of man come in the clouds of heaven, as taught in Acts i, 2. If the second advent of Christ will be spiritual, how could the tribes of the earth see him? They could not. See also Mark xiv, 62; 1 John iii, 2; Rev. i, 7. 3. The sinners then living at the time of the second advent will be destroyed. This is clearly taught in 2 Thess. i, 6-10. Here we learn that Jesus will be revealed from Heaven in flaming fire, to take vengeance on them that know not God and obey not the gospel of 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. See also chapter ii, 7, 8; Matt. xiii, 24-30, 37-43; Luke xvii, 26-30. From the above passages we learn that all sinners then living will be destroyed. We also learn, by consulting Rev. xvi, that the wrath of God will be poured out without mixture upon the wicked in connection with the second appearing of Christ. 4. The righteous living will be changed, and the righteous dead resurrected. See 1 Cor. xv, 51, 52. "Behold I shew you a mystery. We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump; for the trumpet shall sound and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed." Compare this with 1 Thess. iv, 13-17; also see 1 John iii, 2; Phil. iii, 20, 21. 5. The immortal saints will ascend to Heaven with their Lord. John xiii, 36. "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." Verse 36. "Simon Peter said unto him, Lord, whither goest thou? Jesus answered him: Whither I go thou canst not follow me now, but thou shalt follow me afterward." When will the disciples follow him to where he has gone? Answer, "I will come again," says Christ, "and receive you unto myself, that where I am there ye may be also." John xiv, 1-3. 6. The earth will be left desolate. This is evident from the facts already noticed. The wicked will all be destroyed, and the saints will be caught up to meet their descending Lord, and be ever with him in the Father's house, which is now in Heaven. The earth then will be destitute of all living inhabitants. Behold the day of the Lord cometh cruel both with wrath and fierce anger to lay the land desolate, and he shall destroy the sinners thereof out of it." Isa. xiii, 9. When will the day of the Lord come? Answer, In connection with the second coming of Christ. The seven last plagues, which is the wrath of God, are poured out in connection with Christ's second coming, and they mark the commencement of the day of the Lord. Both the day of the Lord and the second coming of our Lord will come as a thief. Matt. xxiv, 43, 44; Rev. iii, 3; and xvi, 15; 1 Thess. v, 2, 4; 2 Pet. iii, 10, and iv, 13-28; Rev. xxv, 22, 33; Zeph. i, 2, 3, 7-18; iii, 6-8; Matt. xiii, 24-30, 37-43; Luke xvii, 26-30; 2 Thess. i, 6-10; ii, 7-8; Rev. xix, 11-21. Now these all refer to one period, when all the wicked will be destroyed, which will be at the second coming of Jesus Christ. We have clearly shown what will take place at the second advent of Christ. We have shown that he will come the second time, and only the second time, not millions of times, which would be the case if he comes every time sinners are converted or saints die; we have shown that his second coming will be personal and visible to all; that all, both righteous and wicked, will behold him when he shall make his appearing in the clouds of Heaven; we have shown that all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and that all the wicked will be destroyed with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his power; we have shown that the righteous living will be changed, and the righteous dead will be resurrected; we have shown that all the righteous will go to Heaven with their ascending Lord; and we have shown that the earth will be left desolate of all living inhabitants, from the facts that the righteous will all go to Heaven, and all the sinners will be destroyed. Let the reader mark all these events as to take place at the second advent of Christ. These events were to take place at the second advent of Christ, at whatever time that was to take place. Whenever Christ makes his advent, we may look for all these things to transpire. We are now prepared to notice those different views concerning the second advent of Christ. Did he come at the destruction of Jerusalem? We affirm that he did not. The following reasons show that he did not make his second advent at the destruction of Jerusalem: 1. The followers of Jesus Christ were to be persecuted for a time, times, and the division of a time, of 1260 years. The destruction of Jerusalem was in A. D. 70; hence the period of 1260 years must be after A. D. 70; so it must be evident that the saints were on the earth 1260 years, at least, after the second advent of Christ, if his second advent was at the destruction of Jerusalem; hence they were not redeemed at his second advent as the Scriptures teach they will be. Again, let us look at the signs of the second advent, which were the darkening of the sun and moon, and the falling of the stars. The darkening of the sun and moon was to take place within the limits of the 1260 years, or the days of the persecution of the people of God, which days commenced A. D. 538. Add the 1260 years to this period, and we find the end A. D. 1798. Before these days should be quite over, the sun and moon were to be darkened. Mark xiii, 24. We have seen that the 1260 must be after the destruction of Jerusalem. They could not be before that event. The signs in the darkening of the sun and moon, and the falling of the stars, were to take place to show that Christ's second coming was at hand, even at the door. The destruction of Jerusalem was A. D. 70, and these signs were not fulfilled till in the years 1780 and 1833. Then if Christ came at the destruction of Jerusalem, he came before the signs of his second coming took place. These signs were not given to show that he had come, but to show that he would; that his coming was at hand, even at the door; but those who have the second coming of Christ at the destruction of Jerusalem, have his coming a long time before the signs of his coming take place. Hence it is evident that the second coming of Christ was not at the destruction of Jerusalem, because it was not preceded by the aforesaid signs of his coming. 2. The second proof that the second advent of Christ was not at the destruction of Jerusalem, is drawn from the book of Revelation. The book of Revelation speaks of the second coming of Christ, which was to take place yet in the future when that book was written. Chap. iii, 3; xvi, 15. When was the book of Revelations written? It is generally conceded to have been written A. D. 96, which was 26 years after the destruction of Jerusalem A. D. 70. Hence we see that the second advent of Christ was still in the future in A. D. 96. Then how can any one believe that he came at Jerusalem 26 years previous? The book of Revelation is a prophetic book, and the things contained therein were to meet their fulfillment still in the future, when the book was written; therefore, the second advent of Christ was still in the future also. 3. We have seen what is to take place at the second advent of Christ. At whatever time Christ should come, these specifications were to occur at the same time. Did these all occur at the destruction of Jerusalem? If they did not occur then, it is evident that Christ did not make his second advent there. Did he come personally and visibly then? Did the tribes or nations of the earth mourn then? Were all the sinners destroyed then from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his power? Were the saints of God resurrected then? and did all the living saints then put on immortality? Did they all mount up with wings as eagles, and go to the Father's house, so to be ever with the Lord? Was the earth left desolate without any inhabitants? Oh, no. Then it must be evident that the Lord Jesus did not come the second time without sin unto salvation then. Jesus promised when he should come again he would receive his disciples unto himself, that where he was there they should be also. But if he came at the destruction of Jerusalem, he did not fulfill his promise. Instead of the disciples saying, Lo, this is our God, we have waited for him, and he will save us, this is the Lord, we have waited for him, we will be glad and rejoice in his salvation, Isa. xxv, 9, they fled from Jerusalem into the mountains, as they would from a sinking ship. This they were commanded to do in Matt. xxiv, 15, 16; Luke xxi, 20, 21. It is evident that Christ did not come at the destruction of Jerusalem. He did not promise he would come then. The disciples were not required to look for him then. They had not been waiting for him to come then, neither were they expecting to be redeemed then. If Christ's second advent was at the destruction of Jerusalem, he will never come again; for he was only to come the second time; and if he came at Jerusalem, he had not come at the death of any of the saints, or at the conversion of any sinners previous to that time. Neither has he come since on any of these occasions. As we have proved, the saints of God were to be redeemed from earth and go to Heaven at the second advent of Christ; but they were not redeemed at the destruction of Jerusalem, and, of course, never will be redeemed. When they die, they never will be resurrected. Their only hope is in this life; therefore, they are of all men the most miserable. They that are fallen asleep in Christ are perished; yea, "death is an eternal sleep." All this is the result of the doctrine that Christ came at the destruction of Jerusalem.195 2. Does Christ come at the death of the saints? If he does, he made his second advent before the destruction of Jerusalem. Stephen is the first martyr of whom we have any record after the ascension. Then Christ made his appearing there. That was his second advent. When the next disciple died, Christ came again. Was this the second time? It would be the third time! If he came every time a saint died, each successive time that he came, would be adding a number to the times that he had previously come; and if this be the case, he came, and does come oftener than he promised to come. It is absurd to claim that Christ's second coming is at the death of his saints. The Scriptures teach that Christ was only to come the second time; but if he comes every time a saint dies, has he not come millions of times? Paul says, "And unto them that look for him, shall he appear the second time," not millions of times. Heb. ix, 28. Here Paul says he shall appear. How? Visibly, because they are going to look for him. I do not see how a person could look for him, if his coming is spiritual, and of course could not be seen. We have shown what will take place at the second advent of the Saviour. Do all these events occur at the death of saints? Oh, no. No one believes they do. Well then, Christ does not come at death. 3. Does he come at the conversion of sinners? If he does, he does not come at the death of saints, neither did he come at Jerusalem. If his second advent was to be at the conversion of sinners, he made his second advent on the day of Pentecost, when there were about three thousand souls converted. A few days afterward he came again, when about five thousand souls were converted. This, on this view, was his third coming. But Christ only promised to come the second time. The things that are to occur at the second advent of Christ forbid the idea of his coming at the conversion of sinners. These things do not transpire at the conversion of sinners; hence it is evident that he does not come then. Christ has nowhere promised to come at the conversion of sinners, or at the death of saints. The apostles never taught that his coming was at such times, and the whole Bible is silent on that matter. The Bible teaches that Christ's second coming is to be personal and visible to all. It declares that the inhabitants of the earth shall see him, which they could not do if his coming was not literal. The people of God will know when he comes, and so will the wicked. The wicked will call for rocks and mountains to fall on them, and hide them from his awful presence. But the righteous will say in that day: "Lo, this is our God, we have waited for him and he will save us; this is the Lord, we have waited for him; we will be glad and rejoice in his salvation." Isa. xxv, 9. That blessed day is near at hand. God's people are now waiting for the Lord. They may be taught by different ones that he came at the destruction of Jerusalem, or that he comes at the conversion of sinners, or when saints die. They may be told that Jesus Christ is in the secret chamber or in the desert, and that any just person is Christ, or that any one can be Christ; they do not believe this kind of doctrine. But when that glorious day shall come, when Jesus shall be revealed in the clouds of Heaven with power and great glory, they shall lift up their voices in triumph, and say, Lo, this is our God. This is the Saviour for whom we have been waiting, and he will save us. We will be glad and rejoice in his salvation. May the Lord hasten that glad glad day in his own good time.