The second coming of Christ: threat or joy?

From the site centerhope.info

The second coming of Christ. What feelings cause in you these words? Fear? Anxiety? Joy? Reading the Bible, we understand that it’s the good news: Christ will come a second time, to give eternal life to all who believed in Him. At this time, will disappear all the suffering, worries and fears. See what said about this event believers at all times.

The prophet Isaiah: “And shall say in that day: here It is, our God! on Him we have trusted, and He saved us.” (25:9).

The doctrine of the Second coming is the main content of the Scriptures. From that day, as the first couple sadly said goodbye to Edema, children of faith began to wait for the coming of the Promised one, Who would destroy the power of the destroyer and brought back a lost Paradise. The coming of the Messiah in glory, was the focus of all hope of Holy men of old. Enoch, the seventh from Adam, was awarded the afar look to the coming deliverer: “the Lord cometh with ten thousands of His saints, to execute judgment upon all” (Jude 1:14, 15). The Patriarch job in the night of his suffering cries with unwavering hope: “I know that my Redeemer liveth, and that in the end He will stand upon the earth my skin disintegrating this, and in my flesh I shall see God. I will see Him myself; my eyes were not the eyes of another will see Him” (job 19:25-27).

The prophet Isaiah says: “death will be Absorbed forever, and the Lord will wipe away God’s tears from all faces and will remove the reproach of His people over all the land; for thus saith the Lord. And I will say in that day: here It is, our God! on Him we have trusted, and He saved us. … will rejoice and be glad in His salvation” (Isaiah 25:8, 9).

Jesus Christ: “I will Come again and receive you unto Myself” (John 14:3).

Just before parting with His disciples, the Saviour comforted them with the assurance that He would come again: “let not your heart be troubled; ye believe in God believe also in Me. In My Father’s house has 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 to Myself, that you also may be where I am”” (John 14:1-3).

The angels, delayed after the ascension of Christ on the mount of olives told the disciples the promise of His return: “This same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, will so come in like manner as ye have seen Him go into heaven” (Acts 1:11). And the Apostle Paul, inspired by the Holy Spirit, testified: “Because the Lord Himself with a shout, with the voice of the Archangel and with the trumpet of God shall descend from heaven” (1 Thessalonians 4:16). And the prophet from the island of Patmos says: “Behold, he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see Him” (Revelation 1:7).

Around the coming of Christ centered glory “the restitution of all that God spoke by the mouth of all His Holy prophets since the world began” (Acts 3:21). Then there will be an end to the domination of evil; “the kingdoms of this world will become the[Kingdom] of our Lord and of His Christ; and he shall reign forever and ever” (Revelation 11:15). Then on earth the long-awaited Kingdom of peace the Messiah.

The coming of the Lord in all ages have been inspired by the hope of His followers. Saying goodbye to the disciples on the mount of olives, the Savior promised to come back. It covered the future of His disciples, filling their hearts with joy and hope, which could not displace any suffering and trial. In the midst of suffering and persecution “appearing of the Great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ” was for them “the blessed hope”. When the Thessalonian Christians sorrowfully buried their loved ones, those who hoped to see the coming of the Lord, the Apostle Paul, their mentor, reminded them of the resurrection, which will occur during the apparition, the Savior. Then the dead in Christ will rise and together with the living will meet the Lord (see 1 Thessalonians 4:16, 17).

Richard Baxter: “the Thoughts of the coming of the Lord are for me the most encouraging and joyful.”

From the dungeons, from the flames of the fires and of the scaffold, where saints and martyrs has testified to the truth, through all the centuries, heard their voice of faith and hope. Being “confident in His resurrection and also in his during His coming — says one of these Christians, — they despised death, they were above it.” They were willing to go to the grave, then to “come out of it liberated.” They expected the Lord “on the clouds of heaven in the glory of the Father”, “Which should bring the righteous”. The Waldenses were fed the same faith. Wycliffe waited for the appearance of the Redeemer as the hope of the Church.

Luther said, “the Great day will come when it’s depraved Kingdom will be overthrown”.

“This ancient world of the near from your end,” said Melanchthon. Calvin urged believers “not to waver, but with hope waiting for the coming of Christ as one of the great events,” emphasizing that “the entire Christian family should expect of this day… we should feel a hunger to for Christ; we must seek It, meditate about It until comes the dawn of that great day when our Lord in His fullness will manifest the glory of His Kingdom.”

Faith and righteous character of God manifest in the fact that they love and the blessed hope waited His coming. If death be the last enemy, is destroyed Sunday, it should make us pray and yearn for the Second coming of Christ, when it will be won complete victory. “The early onset of this day have to wait with faith for all believers, this day will be their atonement and will be fulfilled all the desires and aspirations of their souls. Oh, God, hurry, hasten this blessed day!” Such was the hope of Christians at all times.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published.