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 37)
The Scope of the Second Coming
Chapter 3 – Themes of the Second Coming
Fulfillment of All Biblical Prophecy (continued)
The apostles wrote for their own generation – that is, the last generation of the biblical age.
Romans 15:4 For whatever was written in earlier times was written for our instruction, so that through perseverance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope.
1 Corinthians 10:11 Now these things happened to them as an example, and they were written for our instruction, upon whom the ends of the ages have come.
The Second Coming was never intended to be the end of life on earth; rather, it was always intended to birth something better – eternally better.
Isaiah 66:9 “Shall I bring to the point of birth and not give delivery?” says the LORD.
“Or shall I who gives delivery shut the womb?” says your God.
Thus “the last days” truly brought prophetic finality. The way the Second Coming describes things is the way they’re always going to be. Regarding this finality – this climax – I’ll have much more to show you in the next chapter.
Coming (Presence)
The most recognizable theme of the Second Coming would have to be “coming.” There are not many words easier to understand than the verb “to come,” but when applied to the spiritual dimension there’s obviously a lot we have to learn.
Recall from the following passages that there’s both a “who” and a “what” aspect to the Second Coming. Here’s an example of each:
Matthew 16:27 “For the Son of Man is going to come in the glory of His Father with His angels, and WILL THEN REPAY EVERY MAN ACCORDING TO HIS DEEDS.
Matthew 16:28 “Truly I say to you, there are some of those who are standing here who will not taste death until they see the Son of Man coming in His kingdom.”
Who is coming? Jesus.
Luke 22:17 And when He had taken a cup and given thanks, He said, “Take this and share it among yourselves;
Luke 22:18 for I say to you, I will not drink of the fruit of the vine from now on until the kingdom of God comes.”
What is coming? The kingdom of God.
Both the who and the what are profoundly important. The part of the book labeled “Implication: God Is One” will address the who; and the part labeled “Implication: His Kingdom Has Come” addresses the what.
The coming of the king and the coming of the kingdom are, of course, one and the same event. Therefore, the who and the what are just two ways of describing the same thing. The most essential element of a kingdom is, of course, a king. When the king comes, his kingdom comes. This is the way ancient Israel received their royalty. England’s kings have a coronation; America’s presidents have an inauguration; Israel’s Messiah “comes” in his kingdom.
When English translations talk about the Second Coming of Christ, the Greek word most often underlying the word “coming” is “parousia.” Besides “coming,” it can also mean “arrival” or “presence.” It carries the connotation of a king arriving to be with his subjects but can also refer to arrivals by common folks. For example, of the 24 occurrences of “parousia” in the Greek New Testament, six refer to simple human presence or arrival: such as 2 Corinthians 7:6-7 where Titus has come to Paul in Macedonia (probably Philippi), or Philippians 2:12 where Paul contrasts the effects of his presence with his absence in regard to the Philippians. This shows us that the coming of the kingdom of God is a very personal thing for God. The what is all bound up in the who.
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