Christ’s Second Coming according to the Bible.

[phipps]

No second chance.

The people scoffed at Noah and even though they saw the animals go into the ark guided by an unseen hand, they still considered Noah a fanatic and crazy, refusing to go in. Only Noah and the seven other people in his family went into the ark. The non belief of the scoffers did not stop the flood. The time came when the rain, something they had never seen before that time, started to fall, eventually covering the whole earth. The Bible says the water covered the tops of the highest mountains. People, terrified, climbed to the highest places, but when they got there it was just a temporary reprieve. They saw the ark floating on the water knowing that Noah and his family were safe inside and they were lost. Once the door of that ark was closed, they did not have a second chance.

Those who listened to God’s warning and entered the ark were saved. The people who were sceptical and scoffed, not believing, had no second chance. The flood came and all were destroyed. Jesus said when I come again it will be the same. There are many people today who have not studied history carefully enough. The idea of a rapture followed by a second chance is a relatively new doctrine. Jesus, as well as the apostles, taught that there would be no second chance after Jesus returns and there is no mention of a rapture. Read Matthew 13 or 2 Thessalonians chapters 1 and 2.

Neither the Roman Catholic Church, nor any of the Protestant churches, had heard of or knew of this doctrine even fifteen hundred years after Christ and in the days of Martin Luther, as this doctrine had not yet existed. The doctrine of the rapture was invented later in the sixteenth century and not until about a hundred years ago did it become popular in Protestant churches.

What is going to happen when Jesus comes? It says, “And to give you who are troubled rest with us when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with His mighty angels, in flaming fire taking vengeance on those who do not know God, and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord, Jesus Christ" (2 Thessalonians 1:7-8), "whom the Lord will consume with the brightness of His coming" (2 Thessalonians 2:8). Are they going to get a second chance? No. When Jesus comes again, you will either be saved or lost and that is the end. The Bible says you will either go up to heaven with Jesus, or you will be destroyed by the brightness of His coming.

God’s elect will say, “Behold, 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” (Isaiah 25:9). In this world, not only is it the unbelievers, but Christians also suffer grief, trouble, trial and bereavement. When Jesus comes, that experience will be over. At last we will be reunited with our loved ones. The graves will be opened up and God’s children will awake and rise from their dusty beds and go up on the clouds to meet the Lord in the air.

 

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[phipps]

Will there be a rapture? Yes. Will it be a secret? NO!

Rapture means "to be carried away with power," and it is true that when Jesus comes the living righteous will be caught up to meet the Lord in the air (1 Thessalonians 4:16-17). But many have come to believe that this rapture will take place quietly - that faithful
Christians all around the world will suddenly disappear and that life here on earth will continue for a seven-year period of tribulation.
During this time, they say, many will be converted and have a "second chance" at salvation before Christ's final coming.

Although the secret rapture scenario may appear comforting at first glance, there is absolutely no scriptural support for it. The Bible plainly teaches that when Jesus comes again, every one of our senses will be bombarded with evidence!

 

[phipps]

The Righteous will be with the Lord at His Second Return to this World.

Friends, the Bible clearly teaches that the righteous dead will be with the Lord in heaven only after they are rewarded with the precious gift of immortality at the second coming of Christ (1 Thessalonians 4:13-18).

The righteous dead are resting in their graves awaiting the second coming of their King. It is only when Christ appears the second time that the saints will be resurrected and forever be with their Lord (John 14:1-3). From this passage in John 14, Christ Himself makes it clear that the disciples will be with Him in heaven when He comes again the second time. In the meantime, He tells them where He was going, they cannot follow Him, but that they will follow Him later on, "Simon Peter said to Him, “Lord, where are You going?” Jesus answered him, “Where I am going you cannot follow Me now, but you shall follow Me afterward” (John 13:36).

They must wait for Him to go and prepare a place for them. After that, He will come back and take them to where He is (John 14:1-3). So the disciples of Christ understood that they will be with their Lord in heaven not at the point of death but when He came back the second time (1 Peter 1:3-4; Colossians 1:5).

The apostle Paul summarizes with these beautiful words:

"For our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly body that it may be conformed to His glorious body, according to the working by which He is able even to subdue all things to Himself" (Philippians 3:20-21).

In contrast to the popular teaching that is making the rounds in Christendom that the spirits of the righteous dead reside in the presence of God, Scripture actually makes it clear that it is a few living people and angels who reside in the presence of God in heaven. The Bible records the account of some few persons who were given the precious privilege to be taken into heaven ahead of the general provision that God has made for the righteous at the end of time (John 5:28-29; 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17).

On the mount of transfiguration, Elijah and Moses represented the two classes of people who will enter the city of God because of what Christ had done for the human race. Elijah is a figure of all those who will live to see Jesus come the second time. Like Elijah, these saints of God will be translated into heaven without seeing death. Moses on the other hand represents all the saints of God who will be resurrected from the dead, and taken into the city of God in heaven (Luke 14:13-14; Revelation 20:4-6; 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17).

Only living beings dwell in the presence of God. Christ rightly stated that our God is not a God of the dead, but of the living (Luke 20:38). It is only the living that dwell in His presence. Just like David, the righteous dead have not ascended up into heaven yet (Acts 2:29, 34). They rest in their graves awaiting the glorious resurrection to happen at the second coming of Christ (1 Thessalonians 4:16).

 

[phipps]

 

[A Freeman]

View attachment 96254

"Mountains" is a Biblical code word for "governments", just as the "seas" and "waters" are a Biblical code word for the people. And similarly, "islands" rise up out of the "sea" and sit above it.

Isaiah 2:1-4 (see also Micah 4:1-3)
2:1 The word that Isaiah the son of Amoz saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem.
2:2 And it shall come to pass in the last days, [that] the mountain of the "I AM"'s house shall be established in the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills; and all nations shall flow unto it.
2:3 And many people shall go and say, Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of the "I AM", to the House of the God of Jacob; and He will teach us of His Ways, and we will walk in His paths: for out of Zion shall go forth the Law, and the Word of the "I AM" from Jerusalem.
2:4 And he shall judge among the nations, and shall rebuke many people: and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruninghooks: nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more.

Isaiah 17:12-13
17:12 Woe to the multitude of many people, [which] make a noise like the noise of the "seas"; and to the rushing of nations, [that] make a rushing like the rushing of mighty waters!
17:13 The nations shall rush like the rushing of many "waters": but [God] shall rebuke them, and they shall flee far off, and shall be chased as the chaff of the mountains before the wind, and like a rolling thing before the whirlwind.

Revelation 17:15 And he saith unto me, The "waters" which thou sawest, where the "Whore" sitteth, are peoples, and multitudes, and nations, and tongues.

Hence Christ-Jesus' statement about having the faith to remove "mountains" (governments), which tower over and look down upon the "seas" (of people).

Matthew 21:21 Jesus answered and said unto them, Verily I say unto you, If ye have faith, and doubt not, ye shall not only do this [which is done] to the Fig tree, but also if ye shall say unto this "mountain" (government), Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the "sea" (people); it shall be done.

It should be self-evident that the above verse isn't talking about casting a beautiful, physical mountain, which God made, into the sea. It's talking about governments, which oppress and rule over the people from high places that we should be fighting against with God's Help (Eph. 6:12-18).

It is God's government, governed by His Christ, that will establish true freedom, true justice, true peace, true prosperity and true safety and security for all who have faith (trust in God).

 

[A Freeman]

The Scriptural Marks of Christ

There seems to be a huge disconnect between popular beliefs concerning Christ's Second Coming and what the Scriptures actually say about it.

gibraltar-messenger.net

 

[phipps]

 

[Red Sky at Morning]

View attachment 101838

Zechariah 14…

“3Then shall the LORD go forth, and fight against those nations, as when he fought in the day of battle. 4And his feet shall stand in that day upon the mount of Olives, which is before Jerusalem on the east, and the mount of Olives shall cleave in the midst thereof toward the east and toward the west, and there shall be a very great valley; and half of the mountain shall remove toward the north, and half of it toward the south.”

Two different events perhaps?

 

[phipps]

Zechariah 14…

“3Then shall the LORD go forth, and fight against those nations, as when he fought in the day of battle. 4And his feet shall stand in that day upon the mount of Olives, which is before Jerusalem on the east, and the mount of Olives shall cleave in the midst thereof toward the east and toward the west, and there shall be a very great valley; and half of the mountain shall remove toward the north, and half of it toward the south.”

Two different events perhaps?

Yes they are two separate events.

When Jesus returns the second time His feet will not touch the earth. The righteous will meet Him in the air as 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17 says.

When Jesus returns the third time at the end of the millennium, His feet will stand on the Mount of Olives. The Holy City, New Jerusalem will come down from heaven as the mountain splits to the north and south, forming a wide plain for the city to rest on as verse 4 says.

Zechariah 14 was a dual prophecy. These things were to have happened to literal Israel had they remained faithful to God. However they will still be fulfilled but on a grander scale after the millennium.

This matches with Revelation 20:7-15 where after the thousand years in heaven, the New Jerusalem will descend out of heaven onto the earth. Jesus and the saints will be in it upon its decent. Satan will then gather the unrepentant nations who were raised from the dead and try to attack and take the Holy City. At the last moment, the Lord will intervene and establish His eternal kingdom on earth.

 

[Red Sky at Morning]

Yes they are two separate events.

When Jesus returns the second time His feet will not touch the earth. The righteous will meet Him in the air as 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17 says.

When Jesus returns the third time at the end of the millennium, His feet will stand on the Mount of Olives. The Holy City, New Jerusalem will come down from heaven as the mountain splits to the north and south, forming a wide plain for the city to rest on as verse 4 says.

Zechariah 14 was a duo prophecy. These things were to have happened to literal Israel had they remained faithful to God. However they will still be fulfilled but on a grander scale after the millennium.

This matches with Revelation 20:7-15 where after the thousand years in heaven, the New Jerusalem will descend out of heaven onto the earth. Jesus and the saints will be in it upon its decent. Satan will then gather the unrepentant nations who were raised from the dead and try to attack and take the Holy City. At the last moment, the Lord will intervene and establish His eternal kingdom on earth.

Third time? Ok I’m confused! Who has been ruling on the throne of David for the Millennium then? Have I missed something?

 

[phipps]

Third time? Ok I’m confused! Who has been ruling on the throne of David for the Millennium then? Have I missed something?

Jesus will be ruling on the throne of David. In Matthew 1 we have the genealogy of Jesus. We are shown that Jesus was of the line of David. Luke 3:23-38 does the same thing backwards. Isaiah made it clear that the Jesus was to come in the lineage of David (Isaiah 9:6-7). The throne was promised to David forever by God. This means Jesus is of the royal line and the fulfilment of the promise to David. God's Kingdom is forever and Jesus will be King and ruling on David's throne which is His of course.

Biblically there is no earthly kingdom of peace for 1000 years.

Jesus and the saved go back to heaven after He returns the second time and will be there for the millennium, "And I saw thrones, and they sat on them, and judgment was committed to them. Then I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for their witness to Jesus and for the word of God, who had not worshiped the beast or his image, and had not received his mark on their foreheads or on their hands. And they lived and reigned with Christ for a thousand years" (Revelation 20:4).

Revelation 20:6 says, "Blessed and holy is he who has part in the first resurrection. Over such the second death has no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with Him a thousand years." The first resurrection is the resurrections of the righteous when Jesus returns the second time.

At the same time on earth, Satan will be bound for that same 1000 years, "Then I saw an angel coming down from heaven, having the key to the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand. He laid hold of the dragon, that serpent of old, who is the Devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years" (Revelation 20:1-2).

Revelation 20:7, “Now when the thousand years have expired, Satan will be released from his prison.”

At the end of it the millennium, the Holy city, New Jerusalem comes down to earth out of heaven with Jesus and the Saints (Revelation 21:2-4, 22). Remember Revelation 20 says that the saints are living and reigning with Jesus in heaven for 1000 years. So this means the saints are not going to be on the earth during the millennium.

Heaven and the New earth will be Christ's Kingdom with New Jerusalem as it capital city. "Then the kingdom and dominion, And the greatness of the kingdoms under the whole heaven, Shall be given to the people, the saints of the Most High. His kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, And all dominions shall serve and obey Him" (Daniel 7:27).

 

[phipps]

I should have mentioned in my previous post that biblically Jesus comes to this earth three times.

The first time is when He was born into this world as a baby.

The second time is when He will return for the righteous and will go back to heaven with them (Matthew 24:30-31; 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17; 1 Corinthians 15:51–55; 1 John 3:2; Philippians 3:20-21;John 13:33, 36; 14:2-3).

The third time is when He will return to earth at the end of the millennium with the righteous in the Holy City, New Jerusalem (Zechariah 14:5, 14:4, 10; Revelation 20:4). Whenever we read about Jesus returning with the righteous, we know that is the third coming because the second is when He returns for the righteous and goes back to heaven with them.

 

[phipps]

Will there be a second chance?

Those who teach a secret rapture claim that during the tribulation those not raptured will be given another chance to be saved.

Let it be categorically stated that absolutely nowhere does Scripture speak of any second chance, nor does the Bible anywhere speak of people being saved after Jesus comes. This is just another man made doctrine that is indeed pleasing to the carnal heart of man and the devils intention to have those who would wait perish with Christ’s coming. The Bible in fact actually teaches the opposite. Notice these clear Scriptures;

2 Corinthians 6:2, “For He says: “In an acceptable time I have heard you, and in the day of salvation I have helped you.” Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation."

Revelation 22:11-12, “He who is unjust, let him be unjust still; he who is filthy, let him be filthy still; he who is righteous, let him be righteous still; he who is holy, let him be holy still.”

When Jesus comes the second time, He carries “in his hand a sharp sickle” (Revelation 14:14). This is the reaping time after sixty centuries of the sowing of the seeds of sin. This is the harvest time, and “the harvest is the end of the world” (Matthew 13:39).

“So He who sat on the cloud thrust in His sickle on the earth, and the earth was reaped” (Revelation 14:16).

Jeremiah 8:20 truly says, “The harvest is past, the summer is ended, and we are not saved.”

There can be no saving after the reaping of earth’s harvest at the coming of Christ. When Jesus and His Holy angels appear, then “before him shall be gathered all nations” (Matthew 25:32).

There will only be two classes in that great company. The destiny of each has been set by what he did before the coming of Christ. Let us stand firm on the Word of God alone and reject these man made, Satan driven, pleasing ideas that form the bulk of the whole secret rapture theory.

The attitude of so many Christians seems to be that you should live a Holy life now so you don’t have to go through the Great Tribulation, but even if you don’t you will get another chance after this so-called secret rapture.

But as we have seen in scripture and by this manufactured doctrine, when judgement comes there is no second chance. When people die in their sins they are lost forever, there is no second chance. Why should the Second Coming be any different.

Blessings.

 

[phipps]

Now I hear many about to say ..."Oh but we need not worry about this because the church will be "raptured" away before the tribulation begins."

Well, if you believe this false teaching like so many other professing Christians do, then let me direct you to the clearest Bible verse which proves the rapture theory to be false.

Matthew 13:24-30, "Another parable He put forth to them, saying: “The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field; but while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat and went his way. But when the grain had sprouted and produced a crop, then the tares also appeared. So the servants of the owner came and said to him, ‘Sir, did you not sow good seed in your field? How then does it have tares?’ He said to them, ‘An enemy has done this.’ The servants said to him, ‘Do you want us then to go and gather them up?’ But he said, ‘No, lest while you gather up the tares you also uproot the wheat with them. Let both grow together until the harvest, and at the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, “First gather together the tares and bind them in bundles to burn them, but gather the wheat into my barn.” ’ ”

The explanation of the Parable.
Matthew 13:38-40, "The field is the world, the good seeds are the sons of the kingdom, but the tares are the sons of the wicked one. The enemy who sowed them is the devil, the harvest is the end of the age, and the reapers are the angels. Therefore as the tares are gathered and burned in the fire, so it will be at the end of this age."

Now those who hold to this "rapture" theory believe that the church will be taken away to heaven and then the rest of the inhabitants of the world will CONTINUE TO LIVE ON EARTH through the great tribulation. So according to the "rapture" supporters, there will be a separation BEFORE the end of the world. And yet the Bible verses above clearly state that there will be no separation, and that the separation will take place ONLY at the END OF THE WORLD, which is when Jesus returns at the ONE AND ONLY physical, literal, loud, fiery second coming (Matthew 24:27; 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17; Revelation 1:7; 2 Peter 3:10).

And did you notice another truth? It is the wicked who are "gathered" first, NOT the church.

This secret rapture teaching is nothing more than one of Satan's invented teachings to make people think they need not be prepared for any tribulation. And what will happen to all those poor souls who thought they would be raptured away when they find themselves in the thick of great persecution? They will find it is too late to prepare and will end up falling away and be forever lost!

 

[phipps]

You ever wonder why Hollywood always promote the “rapture” theory in their movies? Because they want people to believe they’re going to be “gone” pre-tribulation and before the Antichrist is revealed.

The truth is the pre-tribulation rapture doctrine is a lie from Satan completely void of ANY scriptural back up!

 

[phipps]

This is the first resurrection. "Blessed and holy is he who has part in the first resurrection. Over such the second death has no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with Him a thousand years” (Revelation 20:6).

It is called the first resurrection. The saved—“blessed and holy” from all ages—will be raised in it.

 

[phipps]

Matthew 24:37-39, "But as the days of Noe were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark, And knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be."

2 Peter 3:3-4, "Knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts, And saying, Where is the promise of his coming? for since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation."

2 Peter 3:9, "The LORD is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance."

Matthew 24:44, "Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh."