I'm back, probably briefly. I am sleeping better now so I thought I would tackle the topic of The Second Coming more coherently this time around:
The Second Coming involves:
a) The Trumpet
b) The bodily Resurrection
c) Final judgement
The main data points will include 1Thess. 4; 2Thess. 1-2; 1Cor. 15; Acts 1; Matt. 24-25.
Paul tells the Thessalonians that the Lord will return "with a cry of command, with the archangel’s call and with the sound of God’s trumpet, will descend from heaven, and the dead in Christ will rise first." This second coming of the Lord seems to be further illustrated in 2Thess. 1 wherein Paul details judgement on the wicked when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with his mighty angels; glorification and marveling of the Lord will ensure on behalf of the saints. In 2 Thess. 2 Paul reiterates the coming of the Lord and the gathering of believers to him. He states that this will not take place until the Lord destroys the lawless one. In 1Cor. 15. Paul tells the Corinthians a mystery: "We will not all die, but we will all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed." In Acts 1 we have the Lord ascending up to heaven as the disciples watch on. Two angels appear and state: "Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking up toward heaven? This Jesus, who has been taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven".
I will now highlight Matt. 24-25 in an attempt to pull some of this together. Matt. 24 highlights the destruction of the temple, the Lord's coming, and the end of the age. The gospel will be proclaimed throughout the world (cf. Col. 1:23), the desolating sacrilege will be standing in the holy place (cf. 2Thess. 2:1-12), the flight from Jerusalem will commence, whilst deception and suffering will abound, then: "immediately after the suffering of those days:
the sun will be darkened,
and the moon will not give its light;
the stars will fall from heaven,
and the powers of heaven will be shaken.
Then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see ‘the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven’ with power and great glory. And he will send out his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other." (cf. 1Thess. 4:16-17; 1Cor. 15:52). Now, an objection can be raised here that Matt. 24:31 does not have resurrection in view. However, I think that objection fails in light of the the "gathering" motif which echos Paul in 1Thess. 4:16-17; 2Thess. 2:1. Furthermore, the parable in Matt. 13:36-43 states that the sending of the angels by the Lord to gather the elect (and the reprobate) will occur at the "end of the age" whence final judgement shall be meted out (cf. Matt. 25:31-46). The discourse continues with Jesus stating that "this generation will not pass away until all these things have taken place." Jesus goes on to state that "about that day and hour no one knows, neither the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father". Now, I think it's important to note here the word usage of "day" and "hour". Jesus does not know the precise time of his coming in terms of "days" and "hours", but he seems to be under the impression that his arrival will happen within "that generation". This is further indicated by the parables which continue the discourse -- Jesus likens his temporary absence to a man going on a long journey for a long time. Now, when one went on a journey in the ancient world, perhaps they could not predict the precise "day" nor "hour" when they would return; however, they would return within a generation indeed.
So, to wrap up: The judgement which occurred on Jerusalem in 70 AD seems to be inescapably intertwined with the imminent manifestation of the Lord Jesus who will usher in his eternal kingdom and judge the nations.
PS: The above is not my official position. It is a general outline of a view that I am looking to debunk. Please do so. I will perhaps play devils advocate if I find your data unsatisfactory. Thank you, KINDLY.
The Second Coming involves:
a) The Trumpet
b) The bodily Resurrection
c) Final judgement
The main data points will include 1Thess. 4; 2Thess. 1-2; 1Cor. 15; Acts 1; Matt. 24-25.
Paul tells the Thessalonians that the Lord will return "with a cry of command, with the archangel’s call and with the sound of God’s trumpet, will descend from heaven, and the dead in Christ will rise first." This second coming of the Lord seems to be further illustrated in 2Thess. 1 wherein Paul details judgement on the wicked when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with his mighty angels; glorification and marveling of the Lord will ensure on behalf of the saints. In 2 Thess. 2 Paul reiterates the coming of the Lord and the gathering of believers to him. He states that this will not take place until the Lord destroys the lawless one. In 1Cor. 15. Paul tells the Corinthians a mystery: "We will not all die, but we will all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed." In Acts 1 we have the Lord ascending up to heaven as the disciples watch on. Two angels appear and state: "Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking up toward heaven? This Jesus, who has been taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven".
I will now highlight Matt. 24-25 in an attempt to pull some of this together. Matt. 24 highlights the destruction of the temple, the Lord's coming, and the end of the age. The gospel will be proclaimed throughout the world (cf. Col. 1:23), the desolating sacrilege will be standing in the holy place (cf. 2Thess. 2:1-12), the flight from Jerusalem will commence, whilst deception and suffering will abound, then: "immediately after the suffering of those days:
the sun will be darkened,
and the moon will not give its light;
the stars will fall from heaven,
and the powers of heaven will be shaken.
Then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see ‘the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven’ with power and great glory. And he will send out his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other." (cf. 1Thess. 4:16-17; 1Cor. 15:52). Now, an objection can be raised here that Matt. 24:31 does not have resurrection in view. However, I think that objection fails in light of the the "gathering" motif which echos Paul in 1Thess. 4:16-17; 2Thess. 2:1. Furthermore, the parable in Matt. 13:36-43 states that the sending of the angels by the Lord to gather the elect (and the reprobate) will occur at the "end of the age" whence final judgement shall be meted out (cf. Matt. 25:31-46). The discourse continues with Jesus stating that "this generation will not pass away until all these things have taken place." Jesus goes on to state that "about that day and hour no one knows, neither the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father". Now, I think it's important to note here the word usage of "day" and "hour". Jesus does not know the precise time of his coming in terms of "days" and "hours", but he seems to be under the impression that his arrival will happen within "that generation". This is further indicated by the parables which continue the discourse -- Jesus likens his temporary absence to a man going on a long journey for a long time. Now, when one went on a journey in the ancient world, perhaps they could not predict the precise "day" nor "hour" when they would return; however, they would return within a generation indeed.
So, to wrap up: The judgement which occurred on Jerusalem in 70 AD seems to be inescapably intertwined with the imminent manifestation of the Lord Jesus who will usher in his eternal kingdom and judge the nations.
PS: The above is not my official position. It is a general outline of a view that I am looking to debunk. Please do so. I will perhaps play devils advocate if I find your data unsatisfactory. Thank you, KINDLY.
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