We continue our study with the word "come" in connection
with the return of Christ Jesus to this earth.
16. "Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord come
..." (1 Cor.4:5).
Just a statement of fact that is all. Nothing here about HOW
or WHEN the Lord will come.
17. "For as often as you eat this bread, and drink this cup, you
do show the Lord's death till He come" (1 Cor.11:26).
Just another statement of fact, with nothing about HOW or
WHEN the Lord will come.
18. "When He shall come to be glorified in His saints, and to be
admired in all them that believe (because out testimony among you
was believed) in that day" (2 Thes.1:10).
The CONTEXT is the revealing of Christ with angels and
flaming fire, and with the glory of His power (verses 7-8). In
that day of His return He will be glorified in His saints. It
will be glory indeed, for all the saints of all ages will be
resurrected from the dead or instantly changed, all will be made
immortal in glory. The context certainly gives truth as to the some
of the HOW Christ will come. The WHEN is not mentioned.
19. "Let no man deceive you by any means; that day shall not
come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin
be revealed, the son of perdition" (2 Thes.2:3).
There it is, pretty plain and easy to understand. Look back
at the last words of verse 2. It is the "day of Christ" and some
were falsely saying it was at hand. The letters to the church at
Thessalonica were two of the very first letters Paul wrote, so
most "scholars" will tell you. The letter to 2 Thessalonians was
written about 51 A.D. As early as this, Paul already knew (I
guess so, as he was taught by Christ Himself - see Galatians 1)
that the day of Christ, COULD NOT COME until TWO events took
place (1) a falling away from truth (2) that man of sin be
revealed. This man, in verse 8 called "that Wicked" would come,
be revealed, and whom would be consumed by the spirit of the
Lord's mouth and the BRIGHTNESS of His coming.
Paul by 51 A.D. KNEW this event of THE WICKED man of sin HAD
TO COME before Jesus could return. This man of sin would be
living and working his workings of Satan with all power and signs
and lying wonders, when Jesus would come. This man of sin would
be killed by Christ Himself. This fits in exactly with Revelation
19 where the false prophet (and the beast man) are cast into the
lake of fire. Jesus, in Revelation 19 BACKS UP once more what He
had revealed to Paul decades before.
It was in Paul's mind utterly impossible for Jesus to return
at any "second" before these two events he lays out in 2 Thes.2.
It is obvious then the man of sin, THE wicked, THE false prophet
of Revelation HAS NOT YET COME TO DO HIS WORKINGS OF SATAN, with
miracles and signs and power. Jesus has NOT YET come. He will
come when this man of sin is ON THIS EARTH DOING WHAT PAUL SAID
HE WOULD DO, which is backed up by the book of Revelation!
Now in 51 A.D. Paul may have thought this man of sin would
come in his life time. By the time (in the late 60s) Paul was
facing death, he knew Jesus was not going to come in his life
time. And until this man of sin appears doing the workings of
Satan, Jesus WILL NOT COME! Yes it is just that simple folks.
Jesus cannot come just any second, without the signs to mark His
coming. Ah I know the "secret rapturists" could say Jesus will
invisibly come and THEN the man of sin will come on the world
scene, and later Jesus will come visibly to destroy him. Yes,
that is what they would answer. But you friends have to search
the Scriptures to see if it is taught that Christ's coming will
have "two phases" - one invisible the other visible. I say the
Scriptures teach no such idea. You have to search the Scriptures
to prove who is correct - the fundamentalists or me.
20. "For yet a little while, and He that shall come will come,
and will not tarry" (Heb.10:37).
Here is a statement. Nothing here about HOW or exactly WHEN
Jesus will come. Did Paul think Jesus would come in his lifetime?
Up to writing the book of Hebrews, the answer is probably yes.
The word "tarry" will needs have to be interpreted as God looks
at "tarrying" or waiting to come. I've said before and I'll say
it again, TIME with God is not as we view time. What is 2,000
years to the Eternal, a millionth of a second, not even that. And
this is a living verse, for any generation. When the Father does
decide Jesus is to come again, there will be no tarrying, it will
happen as in one day. I mean to say how long does it take for
Jesus to come from heaven to earth? In God's time, just as quick
as the thought and the word "go" from the Father.
Nothing here proves that the many signs Jesus gave us for
His coming, can be thrown away like horse dung on the dung pile.
21. "But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the
night..." (2 Peter 3:10).
This is a prophecy of the "day of the Lord" - a phrase used
many times by the Old Testament prophets. We find Paul saying the
same thing as Peter in 1 Thes.5:2, "For yourselves know perfectly
that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night." But
Paul goes on to explain what that means. He did not just leave it
to us to figure it out and come up with some invisible "secret
rapture" theology. Notice what Paul went on to say, "For (there's
the connecting word to what he just said) when they shall say,
Peace, and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as
travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape. But
you brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake
you as a thief" (verses 3-4).
The thief statement is not to do with invisibility, but to
do with suddenness, when people are relaxed, thinking all is
peace and safety, sitting back with their feet up, having a beer
and watching the late night talk show. And with the day of the
Lord thief night there will be sudden destruction. Peter
certainly talked about destruction, the heavens passing away,
with great noise, elements melting with heat, much burning up.
And when you read the book of Revelation and all that comes after
the "great day of His wrath is come" (chap.6:17) it is indeed a
time of destruction.
Nothing here about any invisible "secret" coming of the
Lord. Just the opposite, all hell is to break loose, as we say.
22. "The revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave unto Him, to
show unto His servants things which MUST shortly come to pass
..." (Rev.1:1).
Straightforward statement, nothing hard to understand. You
just have to remember that "shortly come to pass" in God's mind,
is not what we humans may think the phrase means. Time with God
is not the same as time with physical mankind. And it's a living
statement. When the things in the book of Revelation start to
come to pass, the time will be relatively short. You only have
about 42 months for most of the book of Revelations to take place.
Now that is a mighty short time in the context of eternity past
and future.
23. "But that which you have already, hold fast till I come"
(Rev.2:25).
Just a statement from Christ as to what to do. The saints
are always to hold fast. Those living in the days of the
prophecies of the book of Revelation will need to hold fast, with
all the lying signs and wonders from the false prophet and the
deceptions of Mystery Babylon Religion. All saints are always to
hold fast, for Jesus' coming is as close as our death, for the
next time to open our eyes in life, it will be glorified eternal
life at the coming of Christ.
24. "...If therefore you shall not watch, I will come on you as a
thief, and you shall not know what hour I will come upon you"
(Rev.3:3).
We have covered this before. The saints who quit the
Christian race, who walk away from God and the Bible, who stop
watching spiritually and stop watching for the signs Jesus gave,
then the coming of Christ, indeed they will have no clue about it being
near, even at the door.
25. "Behold I come quickly: hold that fast which you have, that
no man take your crown" (Rev.3:11).
When the prophecies of Revelation come to pass then Jesus
will indeed come quickly, as 42 months, 1260 days, a time, times,
and half a time (the only lengths of time mentioned in the entire
book of Revelation) is very short in the light of eternity past
and future.
Christians are always to hold fast, to fight the good fight,
to finish the race, and to let nothing or nobody take that crown
of Christian victory away from you.
26. "And the four beasts had each of them six wings about him;
and they were full of eyes within: and they rest not day and
night, saying, Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, which was,
and is, and is to come" (Rev.4:8).
A statement of fact. The Godhead was, and is, and will come.
First the One we now know as the "Son" - who is God and was with
God (John 1) - even He shall come, and when all is under His
feet, He will hand over the Kingdom to the Father (1 Cor.15:23-26
with Rev.21 and 22).
Nothing in this verse to state His coming will be invisible
or "secret" or with disregard to the signs He gave us leading up
to His coming.
27. "Behold I come as a thief. Blessed is he that watcheth, and
keepeth his garments, lest he walk naked, and they see his shame"
(Rev.16:15).
Notice the CONTEXT once more. Chapter 15, the seven last
plagues, to fill up the wrath of God. The sea of glass and those
on it who had gotten victory over the Beast, its image, its mark,
and its number. They stand on the sea of glass. They sing the
song of Moses. It is the time for all nations to come and worship
before the Lord God Almighty.
Going back in the context, see chapter 14:14-20. A white
cloud, and upon the cloud one sat like unto the Son of man. The
sickle to harvest has come. The great winepress of the wrath of
God has come.
The context is the resurrection of the saints, the sea of
glass, the final winepress of the wrath of God. The seven angels
are ready to pour out the seven last plagues. They begin to do
so. The 6th one is the power of the "dragon" (interpreted for us
in Rev.12:9 - Satan the Devil), the man beast, and the false
prophet, all working devil or demon miracles. They go forth to
gather kings of the earth to the battle of the great day of God
Almighty. They gather at Armageddon.
In the context of all this, it is written, "Behold I come as
a thief."
We have seen there is nothing invisible or secret about this
coming. We have seen there is no disregard, ignoring, rejecting,
spurning, or repudiating the signs to usher the coming of Christ.
Jesus will come as a thief, the day and hour not known by
anyone but only the Father, as Jesus has told us. So His servants
must be ready, those living at the time must keep their garments,
prevail with the right spiritual clothing, which is interpreted
for us as the white fine linen of the righteousness of the saints
(chap.19:7,8). And righteousness is interpreted for us as "all
thy commandments are righteousness" (Ps.119:172).
It is as Jesus said in Matthew 24, "But he that shall endure
unto the end shall be saved" (Mat.24:13).
Right to the day and hour that Jesus shall come again, His
servants that are alive, must keep their white garments of
righteousness, otherwise they shall walk spiritually naked and be
ashamed. It was Jesus who said that many in that day would say,
did we not do this and that in your name, and He will say to
them, "I never knew you: Depart from me, you who work
lawlessness" (as the Greek is - Mat.7:21-23).
Nothing here in Revelation 16 to cast aside the signs Jesus
gave to us, so we would know His coming is near, even at the
door.
28. "Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honor to Him; for the
marriage of the Lamb is come, and His wife has made herself
ready" (Rev.19:7).
It is a marriage that takes place after MANY signs have been
fulfilled as written in the book of Revelation, and as given to
us by Christ in the Gospels. This marriage feast may only be seen
by Christ, the angels, and the saints (of course God the Father
will see it) as they are with Him in the air, in the clouds (1
Thes.4:13-18), but MUCH will have taken place on earth before,
and much will be taking place during the marriage feast; like as
the seven last plagues and the working of Satan, the man beast,
and the false prophet, to gather armies of the kings of the earth
to fight Christ and His army of angels and saints (Rev.16:12-16
with 17:12-15).
It is the day of the prophet Zechariah, as he was inspired
to write it in the book by his name, chapter 14.
29. "Behold I come quickly, blessed is he that keepeth the
sayings of the prophecy of this book" (Rev.22:7).
A statement and a promise. Does not sound like the
prophecies of this book can be ignored, disregarded or "done away
with." Does not sound like Jesus can come without the words of
this book of prophecy taking place. Sounds like the signs of
Christ's coming must come to pass before Jesus returns. When
those signs of this book of Revelation come to pass, then our
Lord will be near, even at the door.
30. "And, behold I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to
give every man according as his work shall be" (Rev.22:12).
When this book of prophecy comes to be fulfilled, truly
Jesus' coming will be quick. The prophecies of this book speak
nothing about His return as being invisible, "secret" - a coming
at any second with disregard to all the signs Jesus Himself has
revealed to us, that will take place shortly before and at His
coming again.
31. "He which testifieth these things says, Surely I come
quickly...." (Rev.22:20).
When the prophecies of this revelation of Jesus' does come
to pass, indeed His coming will be very near, even at the door.
His coming will be quick, as quick as the Father saying, "Son,
the time has come - go!"
There is nothing in all of these verses to teach that all
the signs Jesus gave concerning His coming, can be ignored,
forgotten, dismissed, disregarded. There is nothing in all these
verses to teach an any second invisible so called "secret
rapture" without the many signs Jesus gave us, in watching for the
end of this age, and then His coming quickly.
We shall study next the words "cometh" and "comest."
.......................
To be continued
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