Finding Jesus in the Bible…So We Can Follow Him in Life
Bible Reading Plans
- Plan One: New Testament Only
- Plan Two: New Testament + Psalms
- Plan Three: New Testament + History
- Plan Four: The Entire Bible – Year 1 of 3, Year 2 of 3, Year 3 of 3
Don’t know which plan? Go to A Christ-Centered Bible Reading Plan: Quick Start.
Extras
Verse of the Day, Audio Capsule, and Video Minute
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(Today’s Reading)
The Implications of the Second Coming as Accomplished Fact
(Book Installment 7)
The Scope of the Second Coming
Chapter 1 – References to the Second Coming
References to the Second Coming in Isaiah (continued)
This next quotation from Isaiah might be familiar to you, but you wouldn’t necessarily associate it with the Second Coming. I’ll explain why you should, but just read through it first. As usual, the parts I put in bold refer to the Second Coming.
Isaiah 9:6 For a child will be born to us, a son will be given to us;
And the government will rest on His shoulders;
And His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace.
Isaiah 9:7 There will be no end to the increase of His government or of peace, On the throne of David and over his kingdom,
To establish it and to uphold it with justice and righteousness
From then on and forevermore.
The zeal of the LORD of hosts will accomplish this.
The key words for us in this prophecy are “government” and “kingdom” because they refer to the kingdom of God. (It’s the only kingdom that never ends.) This subject was the central message not just of Jesus’ own preaching, but also of John the Baptist before Him. Hear what each of them proclaimed.
Matthew 3:1 Now in those days John the Baptist came, preaching in the wilderness of Judea, saying,
Matthew 3:2 “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”
Matthew 4:17 From that time Jesus began to preach and say, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”
The Jewish people had been hearing about God’s promises of a kingdom for centuries. Those promises even go back to the garden of Eden. To hear that it was finally “at hand” would have been very exciting. Of course, it was still decades away for those who heard John the Baptist and Jesus – but it was going to happen before their generation passed away!
There are multiple promises in Isaiah 9:6-7, but they were fulfilled in stages. For example, “For a child will be born to us, a son will be given to us;” was fulfilled when Jesus was conceived and born. “His name will be called Wonderful Counselor…Prince of Peace,” was fulfilled partially during the years that Jesus taught on earth, and then fully when He was raised from the dead and seated at the right hand of God. As for “And the government will rest on His shoulders;” it was fulfilled partially when Jesus was at the right hand of God, and then fully when the Second Coming became accomplished fact. The Second Coming is also when “His name will be called …Mighty God, Eternal Father…” was fulfilled.
The New Testament ends in a cliffhanger. From Acts through Revelation we heard over and over about “God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.” Two! Only in the Second Coming, which happened not long after the book of Revelation was written, was Jesus revealed to have been the God and Father Himself. One! Trinitarianism is poor explanation for this, but I will give you the Bible’s explanation for it when we get to the part of this book titled “Implication: God Is One.”
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