THE COMING OF CHRIST AGAIN.....
AND THE SO-CALLED "SECRET RAPTURE"
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The topic of Christ's return has been for the past 150 years one of the major subjects of interest and debate by theologians and "fundamental" Christianity. There are many verses in the New Testament that speak of Christ to come, His coming again, His presence, His return. Do these verses show that He will bodily, literally - at one specific event - come, return to this earth? As a child growing up in a Church of England school, and a local neiborhood church, neither taught the second coming of Christ. But in reading for myself the New Testament I could see the literal return of Jesus to this earth was taught.
by
Keith Hunt
There are basically two teachings regarding the coming of Christ.
1.Christ will not bodily return but has returned already through the coming of the Holy Spirit into individual lives.
2.Christ will return literally, bodily, at one specific time in the future.
Those that teach that Christ will bodily return are not in complete agreement as to whether He will stand on the earth at that time or return to heaven. Or will it be a secret return to catch away the saints for 3-1/2 or 7 years (while the great tribulation takes place) and then return visibly?
By searching the scriptures line upon line, here a little, there a little (Isaiah 2:10) and putting them together and with the help of God's Spirit (John 16:13), we can come to know the truth.
INSTRUCTIONS:
Following you will find a scripture reference, a set of questions and a set of notes on the verses sighted. We recommend you read the scripture carefully and the context in which it is found, thinking through each of the questions listed. We recommend you mark your Bible freely and make notes in the margin. Further study helps could be Strong's Exhaustive Concordance and Nave's Topical Bible. We suggest you read over notes on the questions only after you have given some thought to them yourself. We want you to think for yourself and believe us only when you can see it supported by the Bible.
CHRIST SAID "I WILL COME AGAIN"
John 13:33, 14:1-2 Did Christ tell His disciples that He must leave them?
Acts 3:21 Where did Christ go to? Is not verse 20 showing it is Jesus that Peter is talking about?
Hebrews 4:14 Where did Paul say Christ went to?
Acts 2:29-36 Did Peter say specifically where Christ is now - note verse 33.
Note: Jesus said He must leave this earth, and He ascended to heaven to sit on the right hand of the Father.
John 14:1-3 Did Christ promise He would "come again'? See also Mat. 24:42-414, 25:13; Luke 18:8; Acts 1:11. Were the disciples told again (at the ascension of Christ into heaven) that Jesus would return?
Acts 3:12-21 Did Peter in his second recorded sermon bodily proclaim that the heavens had only received Christ until a certain time and then He would be sent back?
1Pet. 1:7, 13; 4:13, 5:4; 2Pet. 1:16 Did Peter continue to preach the "coming of Christ"?
Note: The books of first and second Peter were written some 30 years after Peter gave his second sermon of Acts 3.
Jam. 5:7,8 Did the apostle James write about the coming of the Lord"?
1John 2:28; 3:2 Did not John also talk about "His coming"? Who is John speaking about here? Read Chapter 2: 21-28.
Jude 14 Is Jude proclaiming the coming of the Lord?
Rev. 22:12,20 In the last chapter of the Bible is Christ still telling us He will come?
Note: The book of Revelation was the last book of the Bible to be written (around 90-100 A.D.). If you have a red letter edition you will notice that verse 12 and "surely I come quickly" in verse 20 are in red - signifying these are the words of Christ. The Apostle Paul also preached and wrote much about the promise Jesus gave us that he would "come again," some of the passages are 1Cor. 1: '7, 4:5; 15:23; Col. 3:4; 1Thes. 1:10; 2:19; Tit. 2:12; Heb. 9:28. It does not make sense that the apostles of the New Testament would, years after the coming of the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost, continue to preach and write about the coming of Christ as an event that had not yet happened and that they looked forward to, if in fact Christ had returned via the Holy Spirit.
FALSE TEACHING
Mat. 24:26; Mark 13:21 Did Jesus warn that some would claim He had already come before His true return would take place?
2 Thes. 2:1-2. Did false teachers proclaim that very idea in the life time of the apostle Paul?
Note: The King James rendering "is at hand" in verse 2 is misleading. The Greek word is in the perfect tense, which signifies an action done in the past and its effect existing in the present. The interlinear Greek-English New Testament by G.R.Berry renders this word, "is present." See also some other translations, such as the Amplified Bible or the New International Version.
2 Peter 3:1-4 Did Peter prophecy that in the last days people would scoff at the teachings of Christ's return?
Note: Not only do the Bible agnostics ridicule the idea that Christ will return, that He will "come again" but a large portion of Christendom dose not preach or believe it either.
THE SIGNS CHRIST GAVE
Mat. 24:30; 26:64; Luke 21:27; Rev. 1:7 When Christ "comes again" will it be with clouds?
Mat. 16:27; 24:30-31; 25:31; 2 Thes. 1:7 Will angels accompany Christ at His coming?
Mat. 24:27. Will the coming of the Lord be like lighting?
Note: Lighting comes quickly, but it comes visibly. It shines for all to see. In such a manner Jesus said His coming would be.
1 Thes. 3:13; Jude:14 Will the saints be with Christ at His return?
Mat. 24:30-31; 1 Thes. 4:l-17; 1 Cor. 15:20-23. Do the saints come with Christ at His return because the resurrection takes place at that time?
Mat. 24:31; 1 Thes. 4:16. Will Christ descend from heaven quietly?
1 Cor. 15:51-52 Will the raising of the dead (the resurrection) and the changing from mortal to immortality, for those living, take place at the Last Trump?
Rev. 11:15-19 What happens when the 7th angel sounds? Is this a trumpet blast (see Chapter 8:1-26)? Is Christ to have great power? Are the dead to be judged and rewarded at this time? Is the heaven of God to become visible?
Note: The 7th angel is the 7th trumpet. There are only seven trumpet blasts in the book of Revelation. We have seen that Paul said it was at the last trump that the resurrection would take place and Christ would return. Some would place great emphasis on the Greek words used for "come" - "presence" - "appear" as used in connection with Christ's return. The truth is these Greek words by themselves do not prove or disprove that Jesus will return bodily at some specific time, but the context in which these words are used does show us what the coming of Christ will be like. We have seen from the foregoing scriptures that the coming of Christ will be accompanied by clouds, angels, saints, lighting, fire and a trumpet sound.
Can it be said that the ever presence of the Holy Spirit or the presence of Christ today via the Holy Spirit in the minds of Christians is accompanied with clouds, lightning, fire or a trumpet sound from heaven?' When a sinner repents and accepts Christ into his life, when the Holy Spirit is given to such an individual upon baptism and the laying on of' hands, do the heavens open to show God's throne? Do the nations of the earth mourn? Do they see Christ in the clouds? Are people caught up into the air to be with Christ? NO! There is only one way to understand those scriptures we have studied - they mean what they say and they say what they mean. Those scriptures will literally come to pass when Christ comes again.
CHRIST WILL COME VISIBLY
Acts 1:6-12 1.Were the disciples or saints with Christ at this time? 2.Was Jesus there with them bodily, in person? 3.Did the disciples see Jesus ascend into heaven? 4.Did a cloud receive Him out of their sight? 5.Were angels present also at this time? 6.Were the disciples told that Christ would return in like manner - in similar fashion, as He went? 7.Did Jesus ascend bodily from the mount called Olivet?
Note: The disciples were told that Jesus would return in like manner - similar but not exactly as He left. We have already seen that on His return He will come with much more glory and power - many more angels and saints - much more noise and heavenly signs than on His ascension to heaven, but He will return with the same basic phenomena as He went - clouds, angels, disciples, bodily, visibly seen.
Rev. 1:7; Mat. 24:27 Are we told again the Christ will come visibly? Will every living person see Him?
Note: The Greek word "astrape" used in Mat. 24:27 may mean the lightning of thunderstorms or any brilliant illumination. Now what light comes out of the east and shines unto the west? The sun does! Can we see the sun? Yes. Christ's presence now is like the sun in full strength (Rev. 1:16). Jesus went on to say in Mat. 24:30 that all tribes or nations of the earth would see Him on His return. The expression "and they also which pierced him" in Rev. 1:7 does not necessarily mean that one Roman soldier who literally pierced Jesus' side will see Him at this time, or that the Jews who were living then will be alive at His coming. It probably refers to the whole human family, you and me. Our sins took his life. It could be possible that this refers to the last generation of Jews, the house of David, who will, upon seeing Him, acknowledge that He is their saviour (Zech. 12: 9-14). The main point of Rev. 1:7 is to show that all who are alive when He returns will be able to see Him.
THE MOUNT OF OLIVES
Act 1:12 Did the ascension of Christ to heaven take place on the mount called Olivet?
Zech. 14:1-14; Rev. 14:1-14 1.Do both these passages show that the "Lord" - "a Lamb" will stand with His feet on the Mount of Olives? 2.Is it at this time when Christ will fight against all nations? 3.Those that are with Christ at this time, are they called Firstfruits?
Note: Christians of all ages are called Firstfruits (Jam. 1:18) of God's creation. Paul has already instructed us (1 Cor. 15:20-23; 1 Thes. 14:13-17) that true Christians will be with Christ (via a resurrection or instantaneous change) at His coming. Job was a servant of God. He is one of the Firstfruits. He knew he would be in the resurrection and that his Redeemer (Christ) would at that time stand on the earth. Yes, Christ will descend to and stand on the very mount that He ascended from over 1900 years ago - the Mount of Olivet near Jerusalem.
CAN WE KNOW THE EXACT TIME OF CHRIST'S COMING?
Luke 21:24-35 1.Will God intervene in the affairs of this world with supernatural power before Christ's return? 2.Are we Christians told to take heed, be watchful so the day of His return does not come on us unexpectedly? 3.Will the world as a whole be expecting Christ's return?
Mat. 24:37-39 1.To what period in history did Jesus compare His return? 2.Did the people of Noah's day really expect God's supernatural intervention? 3.Will people today expect God's intervention and Christ's coming?
Luke 21:36; Mat. 25:13 1.What did Christ tell His disciples to do? 2.Why?
Note: These utterances of Jesus have often been taken to say only the disciples of Christ's day would not know the day or the hour of His return, but we today can know. This is not true. Notice: Luke 12:40-48. Jesus had said we must be ready - watchful, for He would come when we least expect it. Peter specifically asked Jesus if what He said only applied to them, of that generation, or to all. Christ plainly went on to show it applied especially to those alive when He comes. It is plain then that those of the generation at His coming would not know the day or hour. Though we cannot know the day of His return, Jesus did give us signs to watch for, that would tell us His coming is near. These signs are mainly contained in Mat. 24; Mark 13; Luke 21 and the book of Revelation.
WHEN CHRIST WILL NOT RETURN
A concept on Christ's return is that He will come after a thousand years of peace and harmony on this earth has expired. That man will bring about peace among all nations, that man will by his own power, bring UTOPIA to this earth and then Christ will return.
Act 3:21 What does Peter tell us about the restoration of all things? Must Christ be sent back to restore order and peace?
Isa. 33:5-9 When the Lord dwells in Zion what condition will the earth be in?
Rev. 19:11-21 Is Christ coming to a world that is at peace - that will welcome Him with open loving arms, or is He not coming to fight and destroy those that destroy the earth, and to rule all nations?
Rev. 5:6-10; 20:1-6 1.Will the saints of God reign with Christ a thousand years? 2.Where will they reign? 3.When is Satan chained up before or after the 1,000 years? 4.Those that reign with Christ, are they in the first resurrection?
Note: The first resurrection takes place at the coming of Christ, then these immortal saints reign with Christ for a 1,000 year period. It is one, two, three - Christ's coming, the resurrection, the 1,000 year reign. Christ does not come after a millennium (1,000 years) of perfect human rule. He comes before it. He comes to restore peace and harmony.
THE SECRET RAPTURE???
There is a popular doctrine amongst so-called "fundamental religionists" called the "Rapture". The word "rapture" is nowhere to be found in the Bible. Rapture comes from the word "rapere," meaning to seize (the same word, incidentally, from which the word "rape" is taken). The term rapture has come into common usage however, and is applied to the statement of Paul that believers will be "caught up....in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air......" (I Thes. 4:17). This catching up or rapture is said to be a separate event from the second coming of Christ at the end of the age.
According to this teaching, Christ will return in two separate events:
(a) First, He will come in the air before the tribulation period and gather His own (the rapture) secretly (b) At the close of the tribulation period (which some say will be 3-1/2 years; others 7 years), He will come again, this time openly and in glory (the revelation). Thus, the rapture is set in contrast to the revelation and two second comings (or two phases of the second coming) are taught.
THE THIEF PASSAGES
The "Thief" passages of the New Testament are the most used and most heavily relied on texts to support the rapture. The first phase of Christ's coming is taught to be quietly, as "a thief in the night," whereas the second phase is taught to be with power and glory.
1 Thes. 4:16,17 1.Is there any word here that Christ will come invisibly? 2.Does He come quietly or with a great deal of noise? 3.Where are the saints transported to - heaven, or just above the earth? 4.Would tens of thousands of saints still be visible to others on the earth if they only go as high as the clouds?
2 Pet. 3:10-12 1.Does this "Day of the Lord" come as a thief? 2.Is there quietness at this time or great noise? 3.Shall we then understand "thief in the night" to mean - secretly, quietly, invisibly, or as meaning unexpectedly?
Mat. 24:37-44 1.What specific day is Christ talking about? 2.Did Christ say anything about coming invisibly or quietly? 3.Are the words "secretly" - "quietly" - or "invisibly" used here?
Note: Now, notice the "thief" section of Matthew 24:43. Let's read the whole context. Begin with verse 26. If some say to you, Christ has secretly come - that He is over here or He is over there - Do NOT BELIEVE IT, for (v.27) the coming of Christ will be like LIGHTNING - swift, bright and suddenly. Verse 29 - the Tribulation and then (v.30) after that the Son of man comes in clouds with great glory. He at this time (when He comes in glory, after the tribulation not before, as the rapturists teach) sends His angels with a trumpet sound (1 Thes. 4:16,17) to gather the elect (Christians) unto Him. Yes, for where the carcass is, there will the eagles be gathered together (v. 28). Christ has come and received His disciples unto Himself; that where He is there they may be also (John 14:3).
Continue with verse 32. Christ says - be observant, just as you can observe the times of the year by physical phenomena - be observant, be ready for my return because you will not know the exact day (v.36). As people in Noah's day did not know the exact day of the flood, were not prepared for it.... even Noah did not know the precise day....but he was prepared. So watch and be ready for on that day my disciples will be resurrected to meet with me (v. 36-44). The day of Christ's return will come on the world like a thief breaks into a house, unexpectedly. Only to those watching will it not be a surprise.
The whole context of this passage shows that Christ is talking about the literal day of His return. That day will be AFTER the tribulation, and THEN the saints are gathered to Him by the angels with a trumpet sound.
Paul taught Christ's glorious visible return and the gathering of the Saints to Him at that time (1 Cor. 15: 17-19, 22, 23, 50-53 and 1 Thes. 4:13-17).
The '"Day of the Lord" (1 Thes. 5:2-3) - Christ's return will come upon the world as a "thief in the night" but it will NOT catch the true Christian unawares (verses 4-6).
Christ is pictured as coming as a "thief" (Rev. 16:15). Again we ask, does this mean He will return secretly, invisibly, in clandestine fashion? That's a fair question, but here's another question we must ponder concerning "thieves." When thieves rob a home, do they come invisibly? No, not at all. A thief usually comes at night when the household is away or sleeping. He comes unaware to them, he catches them off guard, surprises them. You never know when a thief is coming. If you did then you would be prepared for him. Christ will not come invisibly, any more than a thief comes invisibly. He will come unexpectedly though. No one will know the day or hour that He will come. Jesus said: "Watch therefore, for you know not what hour your Lord doth come, but know this, that if the goodman of the house had known in what watch the thief would come, he would have watched and would not have suffered his house to be broken up. Therefore be you also ready, for in such an hour as you think not the Son of man cometh" (Mat.24:42-44).
Jesus likened His coming to a "thief" in respect to the time of His coming - a surprise!
THE GREEK LANGUAGE
Another argument used to teach the "two second comings" is that the Greek language teaches it. One writer once wrote: "The two phases of Christ's second coming are clearly distinguished in the Greek. The 'parousia'.... is His coming FOR His saints.....the 'apokalupsis' (the revealing, unveiling, making manifest) is His coming WITH His saints".
But is this true?
Note: Such statements are either a deliberate falsehood, intended to deceive, or come from a lack of study and research. All of the various Greek words such as "Parousia" and "Apokalupsis" are used interchangeably in regard to Christ's coming. A distinction of two separate events was never intended by the writers of the New Testament.
This can be easily proven by taking a Greek concordance such as Strong's and looking up all the places where the Greek words "Parousia" and "Apokalupsis" are used.
In Mat.24:37 we read of the "coming (Parousia) of the son of man," while Luke's account of the same passage uses "Apokalupsis" (when the son of man is revealed - Luke 17:26,30).
In 2 Thess. 1:7-10 we read: "The Lord Jesus shall be revealed (apokalupsis) from heaven with His mighty angels in flaming fire, taking vengeance on them that know not God.... when He shall come to be glorified in His saint." If the rapture had taken place 7 or 3-1/2 years before this, the saints would have already been glorified.
Christians are pictured as "waiting" for the coming (apokalupsis) of our Lord Jesus (1 Cor. 1:7) If the Apokalupsis is a separate coming - after the Parousia - how could Christians be waiting for the Apokalupsis? According to this, they should not be waiting on the Apokalupsis, for they would have already been raptured a number of years earlier at the Parousia!
Notice another scripture.
2 Thes. 2:3-8. The Greek word used in v.8 for "coming" is "Parousia". What will Christ do to "that wicked (one individual) who has seated himself in the Temple of God, showing himself that he is God" (verse 4)? Christ's coming to execute judgement on this individual is His Parousia - His powerful coming. Notice this verse not only says that that wicked one will be destroyed at the parousia of Christ, but it says His parousia will be with brightness. Plainly, Christ's parousia will not be an invisible, secret event at all.
GREAT TRIBULATION AND PROTECTION
There is one last element of the "rapture" teaching that needs studying. The rapturists say that a great tribulation will come on the earth in the last days, but Christians will be spared this trouble because Christ will protect them by bringing them all up to heaven. A mere recent theory - an adaptation from the rapture doctrine is that God will grant protection for His people by sending them all into a central location on this earth where they will all be housed and fed until Christ returns.
Dan. 12:1-3; Jer. 30:7 Did both Daniel and Jeremiah foretell of one supreme time of trouble that would be like no other? Does Daniel show that a resurrection takes place around this same time? Will the wise shine as the sun and stars?
Mat.24:21 Did Christ also mention this Great Tribulation, unequalled in all earth history?
Note: The Bible does speak of a coming tribulation - let's see if we can find out approximately when this tribulation is to come.
Mat. 24:29-31 Can you find three main events shown to us in these verses?
Note: Christ gives us a sequence of 3 events to occur before the resurrection of the saints (v.31). These three events are: 1. tribulation 2. heavenly signs 3. Christ's return
Mat.24:15-26; Luke 21:20-24 What does Christ tell His followers in Judea to do when they see a particular "abomination" standing in the holy place (Jerusalem) and the city of Jerusalem encompassed about by armies? Will some try to persuade true Christians at that time into believing Jesus has returned?
Note: If there were to be a "secret rapture" to heaven, Christ's followers would not have to be physically fleeing from Jerusalem or concerned about either winter, the Sabbath day or armies. If all true Christians have been "raptured away" they would not have to be concerned about being led astray (as Jesus warned them) into believing Christ was over in some desert spot somewhere. If they had been raptured they would already be with Christ.
Luke 21:11-17 Before the great signs in heaven did Jesus forecast a time of great persecution on His true followers? Will some of His followers be put to death?
Note: We have seen (Mat.24) that the heavenly signs occur after the tribulation and Christ makes it very plain here in Luke that before the signs of heaven take place a persecution (even into death for some) of His servants will occur. The tribulation that comes before the heavenly signs includes persecution of true Christians. But if all Christians have been raptured away to heaven no persecution could come on them.
Rev. 6:9-7 What does the fifth seal tell us must happen to some of God's servants (note v. 11)? What makes up the next seal, the sixth? Are these the same events that we have seen recorded in Mat. 24 and Luke 21?
John 17:15 Did Jesus ever pray that His followers would be "raptured" out of this world? What did Jesus ask the Father to do?
Luke 21:36 Will some be granted protection from this time of trouble? Rev. 3:7-11 Are the Christians represented here promised protection? Is the place of protection stated?
Note: Some say this passage of scripture typifies those Christians who will be given protection during the great tribulation - who will "escape all these things that shall come to pass..." (Luke 21:36). That may be true, but there is nothing in this passage to say those Christians will be "raptured" to heaven or transported to some central hide-out location on this earth. Daniel was protected by God while in the lions den while in the empire of Babylon (Dan. 6:16-24). Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego were protected while in the fiery furnace while being subjected to bondage in Babylon (Dan. 3:8-29). God is able to protect any of His servants whatever situation and place they are in. He is able to protect them right where they are, in their area of the world.
Rev. 12:10-17 What is the prophetic time setting for this prophecy? Note verse 10. Did some overcomers have to die? Is the woman persecuted by the dragon? Does this passage say the woman was raptured to heaven or that she went to only one specific location on this earth? What does God use to help the woman? Does the dragon manage to make war with the woman's remnant seed?
Note: A "woman" in prophecy symbolizes a church (see 2 Cor. 11:1-2; Eph. 5:23-29). The "dragon" is Satan (Rev. 12:9). "'The wings of a great eagle" represent protection from God (see Ex. 19:1-4). Water as a flood can symbolize people, multitudes, nations (Rev. 17:15). Whatever safety or protection is given here to those accounted worthy to receive it (Luke 21:36) It is NOT protection in heaven via a secret rapture, nor does it state the woman will go to some specific location in only one particular country on earth. Notice! The woman represents the church - world wide, in every nation - true followers of Christ wherever they be. So likewise the wilderness, the earth, that helps the woman represents the whole world, the earth in Australia, the earth in Argentina, the wilderness in Palestine, Switzerland, Russia. The earth in Europe, Canada, the wilderness in the United States, etc. If you are one of those accounted worthy to escape these terrible times ahead, God is able to protect you right where you are, in your particular part of the earth, in your wilderness. Some must suffer martyrdom, be put to death for following Christ, but remember, nowhere does your Bible say martyrdom is a sin. The apostles Peter, Paul, James, Stephen, and many others suffered martyrdom. John and others died a natural death. They will all be in the first resurrection. The greatest martyr of them all was the one who said "I will come again" - Jesus Christ. ............................ Written in 1983 All Studies by Keith Hunt may be copied, published, e-mailed, and distributed as led by the Spirit. Mr.Hunt trusts nothing will be changed without his consent. |
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