PRO:What can we know about the second coming??

   Where do we stand after 2, 000 years of false alarms and the current
"future fatigue"? Should we join those who have thrown in the towel on
prophetic study in favor of "more practical, life- related issues"? Or,
if we are convinced that nothing is more practical than to look for our
Lord's return, how should we do that? Should we be expecting an
any-moment return? Or should we be more concerned about preparing for
the coming years of unparalleled trouble that the prophets predicted?

   In an effort to answer some of these questions, Herb Vander Lugt and
Dave Branon have written this booklet. It is our prayer that their work
will lead you to an increased awareness of what the Bible has to say
about our Lord's promised return.

   --- Martin R. De Haan II CONTENTS:

   Christians Divided on the Rapture Question....................2

   Why Would He Return Again ... and Again?......................4

   Some Don't Agree.............................................13

   Now You See Them, Now You Don't..............................18

   World of Joy; World of Terror................................21

   The King Is Back --- To Stay!................................25

   Helping You Help Others......................................29

   Christ's Return and You......................................30
Managing Editor: David Sper Scripture quotations are from the New King
James Version, copyright 1979, 1980, 1982, Thomas Nelson, Inc.,
Publishers Copyright 1988 RADIO BIBLE CLASS, Grand Rapids, Michigan

   CHRISTIANS DIVIDED ON THE

   RAPTURE QUESTION Millions Reported Missing

   News reports arriving from cities around the globe tell of a
mysterious disappearance of thousands and thousands of people. In some
instances entire families have vanished without a trace ....

   Could this headline and lead paragraph appear in your newspaper
tomorrow? Is it possible that Christ could return today and suddenly
remove His children from this earth, leaving an unbelieving world to
wonder where all the Christians have gone?

   This is an extremely practical issue. If Christ could return today,
we need to be ready. We cannot afford to take the future for granted.
Just as a child finds the inner strength to pull his act together when
he thinks his dad is coming through the front door, so those who live
in the expectation that Christ could return at any moment have reason
to live a different and better life. It gives husbands reason to love
their wives and to spend time with their children. It gives managers
incentive to be considerate of their workers and to treat them the way
they would want to be treated. It gives everyone who knows the way to
heaven urgent reason to introduce others to Christ --- before it is too
late.

   But, having said that, could Christ return today? Church people do
not all agree. While all true Christians believe in the return of
Christ, many disagree about the details of when it will occur.

   Some think that Christ will come back at the end of the age just
prior to destroying and recreating the heavens and the earth. This is
termed *amillennialism* because it does not recognize a literal
millennium (1, 000-year reign of Christ on earth).

   Others believe that Christ will return only after a predicted period
of unparalleled trouble. This view is called *posttribula- tionalism*
because it sees Christ coming for His people after the tribulation.

   Still others, however, believe that our Lord will return in two
phases --- once for the salvation of His church and once for the rescue
of the nation of Israel. This view includes those who hold to either a
pretribulational or midtribulational approach to the Lord's return.

   "The return of Christ represents not only the ultimate sense of
accountability but the ultimate sense of hope as well."

   But with these options before us, what do we really know about the
second coming of Christ? To begin, we know that everyone who looks for
Christ's return has reason to live the kind of life that will please
the Lord at His coming. The apostle John recognized this when he wrote,
"...when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as
He is. And everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself, just as
He is pure" (1 John 3:2,3).

   Beyond that incentive for right living, we believe it is very
important for us to be ready for a two-part return of Christ, the first
phase of which could occur at any moment --- maybe even today.

   But what is the evidence for such a position?

   WHY WOULD CHRIST RETURN AGAIN ... AND AGAIN?

   The main evidence for a two-part return of Christ revolves around
(1) God's distinct plans for Israel and the church and (2) prophecies
that describe the time of Christ's return as being both knowable and
unknowable. The reasoning might seem to be a little involved at points,
but the main point to keep in mind is that Scripture teaches us to be
always ready for the Lord's return. The following pages will explain
why that seems to signal a two-part return of Christ --- one for the
church and one for Israel.

   The Distinction Between Israel and the Church

   Basic to this discussion is our belief that the first of these two
returns is for the rescue and removal of the church (1 Corin. 15:51-53;
1 Thess. 4:13-18; 5:9). The second relates to God's plan for Israel
(Ezek. 36:16-38; Jer. 23:5, 6; Rev. 19:11-21). Both have different
places in God's prophetic program.

   Even though both share a common spiritual ancestry that can be
traced back to the faith of Abraham (Gal. 3:7), they have different
places in God's world plan. Israel represents a nation with whom God
has made very earth-centered and geographically related promises (Is.
2:1-6; Ezek. 36-37). The church, on the other hand, is a multinational
organism made up of all true believers in Christ --- Jew or Gentile.
The church is at the center of God's program until "the fullness of the
Gentiles" is fulfilled (Rom. 11:25) and has been given a hope that is
to be realized more in heaven than on earth (1 Thess. 4:13-18).

   The distinction between Israel and the church is basic to
understanding prophecy. Many have called it the key to unlocking what
the Bible says about the future. When the two are kept distinct, many
prophetic details fall into place. Then it becomes evident that some
predictions refer to the Lord's return for the church, while others
relate to His return as the King and Deliverer of Israel.

   "A two-phase return would explain why Israel but not the church is
mentioned in the endtime events of Revelation."

   This provides an explanation for why the church is not specifically
referred to in most of the book of Revelation. Revelation 6-18 (which
describes the "great tribulation" to which Jesus alluded in Matthew
24:15-28) never mentions the church. While an argument from silence is
not the strongest, it does seem significant. It gives credence to the
idea that Christ will have returned to remove the church prior to all
of those endtime events related to the restoration and salvation of the
nation of Israel, called the "time of Jacob's trouble" (Jer. 30:7). The
church will already be with her Lord and will come with Him when He
returns to save Israel and set up His promised earthly kingdom.

   That brings us to a second important reason for being ready for a
two-part return of Christ. The teaching of the Bible includes (a)
prophecies of dramatic events that will occur just prior to the Lord's
second coming to earth and (b) predictions of another coming to earth
at a time that is not expected. It seems reasonable to resolve this
apparent contradiction by seeing them as describing two different
phases of the Lord's return.

   "A two-phase return makes sense if the first phase (for the church)
could happen at any time and the second phase (for Israel) happens at a
definite, presignaled time."

   Just keep in mind that if this discussion seems unrelated to your
real needs and problems, you're missing something. Nothing is more
practical than the return of Christ. When seen properly, nothing
provides more hope. Nothing provides more accountability. Nothing puts
the pains and pleasures of life in better perspective than the promise
of our Lord's return.

   If the Lord were to return today, all of your worst problems and all
of your deepest pleasures would suddenly look entirely different. For
that reason, let's take a closer look at what the Bible has to say
about (1) the any-moment return for the church and (2) the final
presignaled event climaxing the worst trouble the world has ever seen.
The Distinction Between an Any-Moment and a Presignaled Return

   In the Olivet Discourse, delivered only shortly before His
crucifixion, Jesus answered questions raised by His disciples after He
had predicted the destruction of the temple at Jerusalem. They asked,
"Tell us, when will these things be? And what will be the sign of Your
coming, and of the end of the age?" (Matt. 24:3).

   Notice that the disciples' question has three parts: (1) When? (2)
What will be the signs of Christ's coming? (3) What will be the signs
of the end of the age? As we read our Lord's answer, we find that He
began with the sign part of the question. He dealt with the signs of
His coming that will alert all generations (vv. 3-14), the signs of the
end of the age related to Israel (vv. 15-35), and the "when" or time
question related to His unannounced coming for the church (vv. 36-51).

   THE SIGNS OF HIS COMING -- ALERTING ALL GENERATIONS (VV. 3-14). The
Lord began by describing seven events that would occur before His
return. They will be signs of His coming because their purpose will be
to remind His children throughout the age, saying, "Jesus is coming
again." Our Lord talked about false christs (v.5), wars and rumors of
wars (v.6), famines (v.7), pestilences and earthquakes (v. 7),
persecution (v.9), defections from the faith (vv.10-13), and worldwide
preaching of the gospel (v.14).

   It is a fact of history that all seven of these occurrences took
place to some degree during the first century. However, like most
prophecies, the near-at-hand and far-off elements were blended together
into one picture. Therefore, Jesus' statements have different
applications to different generations. To believers who lived and died
under terrible persecution, "the end" in verse 13 is the end of life.
But to those who live during the coming tribulation, it will be the end
of the age. Similarly, the worldwide preaching of the gospel during the
first century was to the Roman world (Col. 1:5, 6), while for us today
it is to the entire globe. These events portrayed by our Lord served as
signs to first- century believers and to those of all subsequent
generations that He is coming again.

   THE SIGNS OF THE END OF THE AGE -- RELATED TO ISRAEL (VV.15-35). At
verse 15, we suddenly find ourselves with a very specific prediction
about "an abomination of desolation." This is followed by a detailed
description of a brief, terrible time of trouble that will end when the
Lord returns. We might be puzzled by the statement about the
"abomination of desolation" in the "holy place." But the Jewish people
to whom Jesus spoke understood it. They knew that according to Daniel
9:24-27 a hostile Gentile ruler would someday desecrate their temple
and initiate a horrendous persecution. While Luke 21:20-24 contains
some elements that were partially fulfilled in the destruction of
Jerusalem and the temple in AD 70, Matthew 24:15-31 focuses on the
endtime. There will be:

   * Enough fear to drive the Jews to the hills (vv.16-18)

   * Unparalleled trouble and woe (vv.19, 20)

   * Great tribulation that would threaten all life if the

   days were not shortened (vv.21, 22)

   * False christs and prophets (vv.23-26)

   * Startling celestial signs and the visible descent of the

   Son of Man "with power and great glory" (vv.29-31).

   These will be the signs that the end of the age is near. Just as the
appearing of buds on trees signals the soon onset of the summer season,
so do these signs show "that it is near, at the very doors" (v.33). In
fact, the generation that sees the beginning of these signs (the
desecration of the Jewish temple depicted in verse 15) will not pass
off the scene before the Lord has returned (v.34).

   THE "WHEN" QUESTION -- RELATED TO HIS UNANNOUNCED RETURN FOR THE
CHURCH (VV.36-51). After reminding His disciples that people who see
the signs He had spoken of can be sure that the return will be near,
Jesus began to answer the "when" question. He didn't set a date. He
said His second coming would catch people by surprise.

   "How can the Lord's second coming catch people by surprise if it is
going to be presignaled by all the spectacular events described in
Matthew 24:15-31?"

   First, Jesus explained that the coming of the Son of Man would be
"as the days of Noah were." In those days, despite Noah's warnings of
danger, the people went about their lives as usual. There was no
concern for an imminent flood, because the people didn't believe it was
coming. There were no heavenly signs or unusual events --- only the
incessant hammering and sawing by Noah and his sons. When the rains
came, the people were caught by surprise.

   After giving a couple of examples of what will happen when His
unexpected coming takes place, our Lord makes this sobering, yet
exciting warning:

   THEREFORE, YOU ALSO BE READY, FOR THE SON OF MAN IS

   COMING AT AN HOUR WHEN YOU DO NOT EXPECT HIM (MATT.

   24:44).

   How can the Lord's second coming catch people by surprise if it is
going to be presignaled by all the striking and spectacular events
described in Matthew 24:15-31? That's a key question. The best answer
seems to be found in seeing the Lord's second coming as occuring in two
stages. First He will come to catch up (or "rapture") His own people.
This event will be unannounced. Then He will return to establish His
kingdom over the earth. This event will be clearly presignaled.

   "Why didn't the Lord spell out the details of His second coming so
clearly that we could put them together and know exactly how and when
it will occur?"

   Matthew 24 describes both stages of Jesus' return: the surprise,
any-moment rapture of believers (vv.36-44) and the glorious return of
Jesus at the close of the tribulation to end the destruction and
establish His kingdom (vv.15-35). He began with the glorious return
because that was the concern of the disciples when they asked the
question. He introduced the unexpected element to prepare them for the
truths about the church age and rapture -- truths that would be made
clear after His ascension.

   Purposeful Ambiguity

   If you have read our Lord's prophetic words recorded in Matthew 24,
Mark 13, and Luke 17 and 21, you probably wish you could find somebody
who would give you a crystal-clear explanation of all He said. If so,
join the club! Many people have had the same experience and asked, "Why
didn't He spell out the details of His second coming so clearly that we
could put them together and know exactly how and when it will occur?"
The answer is quite simple: He didn't set out to give us this kind of
information. His aim was to teach us that we should live in continual
readiness for our meeting with Him.

   In blending together into one picture references to the destruction
of Jerusalem in AD 70, the endtime sacrilege of the temple, the
apostolic persecution, the endtime great tribulation, the signs in the
heavenly bodies, and an unexpected coming, the Lord followed the
pattern of the Old Testament prophets. In their prophecies they also
merged, without explanation about sequence, predictions that would
occur at four different time periods: (1) in their own lifetime, (2) in
the near future, (3) at Messiah's first coming, and (4) at the end of
time. For example, the prophecies of Jesus' birth, exaltation, rule,
suffering, and death (Is. 7:14; 52:13-54:17; Jer. 23:5; Mic. 5:4) were
written in such a way that they could not be placed in chronological
order until they were fulfilled.

   We can be thankful that God doesn't tell each of us individually the
exact time or manner of our death. Similarly, He didn't give us a
precise answer to the what, when, and how questions regarding our
Lord's return. It's better for us to live in the tension produced by
the realization, "Perhaps today, but maybe not in my lifetime."

   Imminency Parables

   At the conclusion of the Olivet Discourse, Jesus told two parables
that shout out the message, "Be ready!"

   In the first one (Matt. 24:45-51), the servant is left in charge
while his master is away on a trip. He begins thinking that the owner
will be gone a long time, so he abuses the people under him and lives
it up. But the master returns unexpectedly and punishes him severely.

   In the second parable (Matt. 25:1-13), 10 virgins are invited to
attend a wedding reception, but they have to wait for the arrival of
the wedding procession. They know it is coming, but they don't know
just when. The procession in which each person carries a lighted torch
arrives, but five of the girls can't join the group because they have
no oil in their torches. However, the five who are prepared become part
of the rejoicing company. The message is clear. "We don't know when
Jesus is coming back. Therefore, be ready!"

   Down through the centuries Bible expositors have applied these
parables to the church. The servant who behaved wickedly and the five
girls who had no oil represent professing Christians who are not truly
saved. When Jesus comes unexpectedly for His own, He will punish them
and exclude them from His banquet hall. What a call to readiness! What
a powerful intimation of imminency!

   SOME DON'T AGREE

   When the Lord appears in the air unexpectedly to take His people to
heaven, many Christians will be just as surprised as non-Christians.
That is because many believers are not convinced that the rapture of
the church could occur at any moment. They know that Jesus is coming
back, but they do not see His return in two stages. They don't keep an
eye on the sky. Let's look at their objections to an imminent rapture.

   OBJECTION: The Any-Moment Rapture Is a Recent Idea in Church History.

   A common objection to the any-moment, pretribulational doctrine of
Christ's return relates to its supposed recent origin. Some
posttribulationists attempt to show that it began in the 1820s with an
unstable Scottish clergyman named Edward Irving. They say that he was
the first person to develop the idea that Christ's return would occur
in two stages, and that an eccentric named Margaret Macdonald picked up
on his teaching during the 1830s. Then, a few years later, J.N. Darby
and several other Plymouth Brethren teachers further developed the idea
of the two-stage return. Posttribulationists tell us to reject the
any-moment rapture idea because it, like the teachings of the Mormons
and Jehovah's Witnesses, is of recent and dubious origin.

   Before we obey these critics and bid farewell to our belief in the
rapture, let's think through their charge. Was the any-moment teaching
really new? Did the two-stage teaching originate with evil,
irresponsible people as posttribulationists claim? Did the teaching of
the second coming develop differently from other important doctrines?
We'll find that each of the above questions can be given a solid answer
of no.

   1. THE ANY-MOMENT IDEA WAS NOT NEW. The writings of the church
fathers are filled with warnings to live in continual readiness for our
Lord's return. These men applied the parable of Jesus about the wise
and foolish virgins to the people of their age, urging them to keep
their lamps burning so they would be ready for Jesus at His return for
them. They probably didn't see the need to develop a concept of two
stages in the Lord's return because they tended to identify the
Antichrist with the Roman Empire and sometimes thought of themselves as
already in the great tribulation.

   Christians down through the centuries, mindful of the warning of
Jesus that His coming would catch the world by surprise, never felt
comfortable saying that Jesus Christ could not come at any moment. Many
Christians expected Christ's return during great natural disasters like
earthquakes or tornadoes. When the dust storms during the early 1930s
caused an eerie daytime darkness in some of our midwestern states, many
Christians panicked, thinking that the second coming was at hand.

   The idea that the Lord could come at any moment certainly did not
originate with Edward Irving. In fact, it didn't even originate with
Darby. He simply tried to develop a biblical viewpoint that would
explain how the imminent-return idea could be harmonized with the
teaching of the Bible about a tribulation *prior* to the return.

   2. THE PLYMOUTH BRETHREN WHO DEVELOPED THE TWO-STAGE TEACHING WERE
BIBLICAL SCHOLARS. The claim that Irving and Macdonald clearly taught
the two-stage second coming doctrine rests on flimsy evidence. In fact,
their writings on this subject are confusing. While Darby and his
Plymouth Brethren associates may have picked up some ideas from Irving
and Macdonald, they developed their teaching through a careful and
systematic study of the Scriptures in the original languages. They were
systematic in the application of the Scriptures. They rejected some
elements of Irving's teachings and produced a sane and coherent
doctrine of last things. These men, like Augustine, Luther, Calvin, and
Wesley, had flaws and blind spots. But like them, they were also
sincere men of God who made tremendous contributions to the church in
both leadership and doctrine.

   3. THE METHOD OF DEVELOPMENT FOR THIS TWO-STAGE RETURN IDEA IS
SIMILAR TO THAT OF OTHER DOCTRINES. The doctrines of justification,
sanctification, and God's sovereignty, though taught by Christian
leaders down through the centuries, were never as fully developed as
they were by Luther, Calvin, and Wesley. Throughout the years of church
history, the Holy Spirit has led the Lord's people into clearer
understanding of God's Word in every area of Christian doctrine,
including that of the second coming.

   In summary, the claim that we should abandon the pretribulation,
any-moment doctrine of Christ's return because of a recent and dubious
origin carries no weight. The logic that rejects a teaching on this
basis demands that we also reject Luther's teaching on justification,
Calvin's insights into God's sovereignty, and Wesley's contributions
toward an understanding of sanctification.

   OBJECTION: The Rapture Is Not in Scripture.

   If we are to consider ourselves people who "go by the Book, " we
have to be careful that we never support an argument by adding to the
Bible something that isn't there. One of those "somethings" that isn't
found in God's Word is the word *rapture*.

   When we use this word to designate the time of Jesus' return in the
air to take His followers to heaven, though, we are not violating
Scripture. For example, the word *Trinity* doesn't appear in the Bible,
but posttribulationists don't deny its truth.

   Where, then, does the term *rapture* come from? In 1 Thessalonians
4:17, Paul said that living believers will be "caught up" with the dead
in Christ to meet the Lord in the air. The Greek word Paul used here is
*harpazo*, which means "to snatch away." When the Bible was translated
into Latin, the scholars rendered *harpazo* as *rapturo*. It is just a
short step then from *rapturo* to the English word *rapture*.
Therefore, although it is true that the word itself does not appear in
our English translation of Scripture, the sense of the word is surely
there. Christians will be snatched away when the Lord descends with a
shout.

   OBJECTION: Jesus' Prophecy About Peter.

   Another objection to the doctrine of imminency stems from what Jesus
told Peter, as recorded in John 21. He said, "When you were younger,
you girded yourself and walked where you wished; but when you are old,
you will stretch out your hands, and another will gird you and carry
you where you do not wish" (v.18). This prophecy, which we know now
indicated that Peter would be arrested and martyred, is used by some to
refute the possibility of imminency. The return of Christ could not
have been imminent because Jesus would have had to wait at least until
Peter had passed from the scene at an old age.

   Age is such a relative term. Does this mean Peter would have to be
75 before Jesus' words would be fulfilled? In the New Testament era,
lifespans were much shorter than they are now. Paul, for example,
called himself "aged" when he wrote to Philemon, and he was probably in
his fifties. Taking into account that Peter was already in his
mid-thirties when Jesus spoke those words, it would not be very many
years until he too could consider himself old.

   Granted, there would have been a few years in the first century
during which anyone who knew of this prediction would have known that
Jesus' coming was not imminent, but that time was brief. Besides, Peter
was "old" by the time Paul wrote his epistles.

   NOW YOU SEE THEM, NOW YOU DON'T

   A few years ago, David Copperfield astounded a national television
audience by making the Statue of Liberty "disappear." Those who watched
the spectacle on TV confessed bewilderment and amazement at such a
grand display of illusion. All the while, the audience knew, and
Copperfield himself agreed, it was all just a trick. The Lady never
left her pedestal.

   How that illusion by this master magician pales in comparison with
what will occur when Jesus Christ appears to end this age and usher in
the day of the Lord! No mirrors, no stage hands, and no trickery will
be needed when the Savior reaches out His arms and makes millions of
people -- both living and dead -- disappear from the earth.

   Here's how Paul described the disappearance of millions into the
heavens.

   BEHOLD, I TELL YOU A MYSTERY: WE SHALL NOT ALL SLEEP, BUT WE SHALL
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
INCORRUPTIBLE, AND WE SHALL BE CHANGED (1 Cor. 15:51,52).

   And in 1 Thessalonians 4:16, 17 he said:

   FOR THE LORD HIMSELF WILL DESCEND FROM HEAVEN WITH A SHOUT, WITH THE
VOICE OF AN ARCHANGEL, AND WITH THE TRUMPET OF GOD. AND THE DEAD IN
CHRIST WILL RISE FIRST. THEN WE WHO ARE ALIVE AND REMAIN SHALL BE
CAUGHT UP TOGETHER WITH THEM IN THE CLOUDS TO MEET THE LORD IN THE AIR.
AND THUS WE SHALL ALWAYS BE WITH THE LORD.

   From these two passages we can learn several things about the
rapture.

   WHO WILL BE RAPTURED? Imagine the thrill of hearing the shout of the
Lord, the voice of the archangel, and the trumpet of God. Imagine
looking up and seeing Jesus with His open arms, ready to hold you for
an eternity. Imagine these things, though, only if you are a Christian.
In both of these passages, Paul is addressing *brethren*, a term that
denotes fellow believers in Jesus Christ. Also, in Paul's letter to the
Thessalonians, he mentioned the "dead in Christ" would rise first. This
indicates that all people who trusted in Jesus from the Day of
Pentecost (the first time anyone was "in Christ") until the moment of
rapture -- both the living and the dead -- would join Jesus. This is an
event solely for Christians.

   WILL THIS BE A SECRET EVENT? Some Bible students refer to this
"catching up" of the church as a secret rapture. They claim that only
Christians will hear the shouts and trumpet blasts. Whether or not this
is true, this event will hardly be secret. When whole congregations of
people disappear, when employees suddenly vanish, when vital public
services are disrupted by mass absenteeism, people will notice. So no
matter how blinded the unbelieving world may be to the events in the
sky, they'll soon know that something extraordinary has occurred.

   WHAT HAPPENS TO BELIEVERS? A quick trip to heaven is just the
beginning of the marvelous things that will happen at the rapture.
Apparently, the moment living believers are ushered into Christ's
presence, they will receive their new bodies. Paul wrote, "...but we
shall all be changed -- in a moment, in a twinkling of an eye, at the
last trumpet .... For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and
this mortal must put on immortality" (1 Cor. 15:51-53).

   "The rapture will hardly be secret. When whole congregations of
people disappear, when employees suddenly vanish, when vital public
services are disrupted by mass absenteeism, people will notice."

   WHERE WILL CHRISTIANS GO? Posttribulationists teach that when Jesus
appears in the sky, believers will rise to meet Him, make a U-turn, and
descend to earth. Then Jesus will set up His earthly kingdom. Besides
the obvious strangeness of the up-and-down scenario, this theory has
another problem. It seems to contradict John 14. After Jesus had made
the Upper Room announcement that He was departing, He reassured His
disciples by telling them that His departure was related to what He was
doing for believers -- preparing an eternal dwelling place for them.
Then He told them He would be coming back to take them to that place.
If Jesus does not take us to be with Him at the rapture, then what
happened to His promise of a place in His Father's house?

   WORLD OF JOY; WORLD OF TERROR

   The rapture will change everything. In addition to calling out the
world's population of Christians, it will create a new society of
people with glorified bodies far removed from the limits of earth. No
longer will this blue marble have a monopoly on the populace. And just
as earth and heaven will be composed of entirely opposite groups of
people, so they will represent totally variant events. The two worlds
will be as different as any two societies have ever been. Let's see
what will be going on in these two divergent worlds in the years that
separate the two stages of Jesus' return.

   A TIME OF JOY: AN AWARDS CEREMONY. Few scenes are as touching and
heartwarming as the awards presentations at the Olympic games. We can
all recall specific athletes and their reactions as they received their
medal and then proudly turned to gaze upon their country's flag as the
national anthem was played.

   In small measure, this can help us see what will transpire for the
raptured believers at the event called the judgment seat of Christ (2
Cor. 5:10). Soon after Jesus has called His people together with a
shout and a trumpet blast, this presentation of rewards will begin in
heaven. Christians will stand before Christ the Judge, either to be
rewarded with crowns (lit. a winner's wreath) for the good things they
have done for God, or to "suffer loss" for their failure or neglect.

   To understand what it means to "suffer loss, " think again of the
Olympic athlete. The medalists earn the prize, while those who lose
must step aside with the realization that they have not gained the
reward. They are still members of their Olympic teams, of course, but
they have suffered loss.

   What, then, will be God's means of judging what was worthy of honor
and what wasn't? First Corinthians 3:13-15 speaks of a trial by fire.
Any works that were done with a selfish motivation will perish in the
fire just as wood, hay, and stubble are consumed. But those things that
were done on earth with God's glory in mind will live on. Like gold and
silver, they cannot be burned. The key elements in testing these works
will be their quality and the motivation behind them. What kind of
rewards can the Christian work toward? At least five distinct crowns
are mentioned in Scripture.

   * An incorruptible crown for overcoming the old nature (1 Cor.
9:25-27).

   * A crown of rejoicing for being a soulwinner (1 Thess. 2:19, 20).

   * A crown of life for enduring persecution and trials (James 1:12;
Rev. 2:10).

   * A crown of righteousness for eagerly looking forward to Christ's
return (2 Tim. 4:8).

   * A crown of glory for shepherding the flock of God (1 Pet. 5:4).

   The glory of the event is only beginning when all the crowns are
handed out, for these rewards are not earned for personal gain. When
Christians receive their crowns at the judgment seat of Christ, they
will give honor to Jesus by casting them at His feet (Rev. 4:10).
Imagine the scene as millions of glorified believers offer their
heavenly rewards to God for His glory!

   A TIME OF TERROR: ANTICHRIST AND JUDGMENT. What a contrast there
will be between the best of times in heaven and the worst of times on
earth! Although things may at first seem to be tolerable, after Jesus
removes the Christians and the restraining power of the Holy Spirit,
the situation will deteriorate quickly. Two events during this time
will spell trouble, terror, and tragedy for those left behind. The
first -- the revealing of Antichrist -- will precipitate the second --
the tribulation.

   Referred to as the "man of sin" in 2 Thessalonians 2:3, Antichrist
will gain power as the final king of the restored Roman Empire. Of
course, a man who achieves the measure of worldwide power that will go
to Antichrist cannot do so without first conning his fellowman into
following him. How he will do this is not exactly known, but he will
probably show that he can create an orderly society out of one that has
been reeling in chaos. In addition, he will work miraculous wonders by
the power of Satan. Yet his benevolence will soon turn to malevolence.
He will fiercely persecute and attempt to slaughter all who accept
Christ and would dare refuse his demand that he be worshiped (Rev.
6:9-11).

   Antichrist will not be the only source of suffering during this time
of tribulation. In addition, these days will be marked by great
calamity that will come as a result of God's judgment and wrath (Joel
1:15, Rev. 11:18; 16:9). Amid this devastation will be the death of one
quarter of the world's population (Rev. 6:8), massive earthquakes (Is.
2:19), catastrophic fires (Is. 24:1,3,6), and sudden destruction (1
Thess. 5:3).

   Near the last part of the great tribulation, Antichrist will
unwittingly begin setting the stage for an event on God's prophetic
calendar that will be the grandest event of all time -- the revelation
of Jesus Christ at His glorious return.

   THE KING IS BACK -- TO STAY!

   The tensions that headline the nightly news from the Middle East in
our day do not compare with the events that will mark the final months
of action during the tribulation. As the clock winds down on the reign
of Antichrist, more and more countries will align together against him
and do battle with him in Palestine.

   At the climax of those hostilities, armies of the "king of the
north" and the "king of the south" will attempt to overrun Antichrist
and his troops. Unfortunately for them and for the people of
neighboring countries in the Middle East, Antichrist will lead his army
to victory. As Daniel describes it, "...he shall enter the countries,
overwhelm them, and pass through. He shall also enter the Glorious
Land, and many countries shall be overthrown" (Dan. 11:40-41).

   Yet all will not be calm in Antichrist's camp. Despite his
victories, he will hear rumors that new armies from the Orient are
ready to attack. Angrily, he will dispatch his troops to Jerusalem.
Indeed, the Eastern armies will arrive, spelling trouble for the Jewish
people. These new armies will stand against the Jews in Jerusalem --
just as Antichrist's troops will. Here's how Zechariah describes it:

   FOR I WILL GATHER ALL THE NATIONS TO BATTLE AGAINST

   JERUSALEM; THE CITY SHALL BE TAKEN, THE HOUSES RIFLED,

   AND THE WOMEN RAVISHED. HALF OF THE CITY SHALL GO INTO

   CAPTIVITY, BUT THE REMNANT OF THE PEOPLE SHALL NOT BE CUT

   OFF FROM THE CITY (Zech. 14:2).

   The scene seems hopeless. The Jews have nowhere to turn as two
opposing armies sweep over them. There appears to be no way out for
this war-wracked people.

   THE WARRIOR-KING INTERVENES. Suddenly, the scene will change. The
heavens will open and Jesus will return. He is portrayed as clothed in
a robe dipped in blood and riding on a white horse as He appears in the
air to send his white-clothed army against the armies of Antichrist
(Rev. 19:11-21). Victory will be swift and complete as the beast is
captured and banished to the lake of fire, and his army is soundly
defeated.

   This, then, is the second coming of Jesus Christ. The King of the
universe, who had appeared in the air just a few years before, will
have come back to end the tribulation and to establish His millennial
kingdom on earth.

   THE JUDGE-KING HOLDS COURT. Among Jesus' first duties as He prepares
to set up His 1, 000-year reign is to sit in judgment on several groups
of people. Remember that He will have already judged many when He
distributed rewards to the raptured saints after they were taken up to
heaven. But now there are new people to examine. In the first days
after our Lord's return to earth, He will judge three groups:

   1. Resurrected believers from before Pentecost, along with martyred
tribulation saints (Dan. 12:1-3).

   2. Jews who had gone through the tribulation (Ezek. 20:33-44). Some
will be allowed to become citizens of the kingdom and some will be cast
into Hades. Their destination will depend on whether they chose to
accept Christ or to follow Antichrist and his revolt.

   3. Gentiles (Matt. 25). What Jesus will do with Gentiles who endured
the tribulation will depend on how they treated Christ's "brethren"
during those devastating years. Those who showed kindness to them
showed their love for Jesus, so they will enter the kingdom. The rest
will be "cast away" either because they worshipped Antichrist or
because they mistreated Jews or both.

   THE CREATOR-KING RE-CREATES. Shortly after Jesus' glorious return,
He will transform this age-old earth, reversing some of the fallout
from the curse of the Garden of Eden. These changes will allow the
inhabitants of earth to enjoy a time of prosperity and happiness
unparalleled in human history. His re-creation will be marked by:

   Increased Productivity. Isaiah said that "the desert shall rejoice
and blossom as the rose; it shall blossom abundantly" (Is. 35:1, 2).
Evidently, new areas of land will be made fruitful, and this new source
of usable land will lead to a time of great prosperity. Even the
fishing will improve (Ezek. 47:9). Better Weather. Notice again the
words of Isaiah, who wrote, "Then He will give the rain for your seed
with which you sow the ground, and bread of the increase of the earth;
it will be fat and plenteous" (Is. 30:23). Jesus' trans- forming work
will include changes in the climate of the earth. The sun will be more
radiant, and even the moon will shine brighter (v.26).

   Peaceful Coexistence of Animals. "The wolf also shall dwell with the
lamb, the leopard shall lie down with the young goat, the calf and the
young lion and fatling together" (Is. 11:6, 7). Although we don't know
how this will affect such things as the food chain among animals, we
can be assured that His plans for this time will surely cause our lives
to be more enjoyable.

   THE RULER-KING REIGNS. The millennial kingdom of our Lord Jesus
Christ will not be a democracy. Rather it will be a benevolent
dictatorship. Another way of describing it would be to call it a
theocracy --- a government led by God. As ruler of the earth during
this time, Jesus will be a king who will "reign and prosper, and
execute judgment and righteousness in the earth" (Jer. 23:5).

   As King, Jesus will do what no other leader in history has been able
to do. He will govern with absolute authority, righteousness, and
justice. Finally, after so many failures on the part of mankind, a
utopian world will have arrived. Jesus will rule as we have always
desired leaders to rule.

   HELPING YOU HELP OTHERS

   As you study the second coming with others, try using these
questions as discussion starters. You'll find that digging into the
Word will create a hunger for clear teaching and analysis of the topic.

   Evidence for an Any-Moment Return

   1. What biblical evidence suggests that Christ's return will be in
two phases?

   2. Why is the distinction between Israel and the church basic to
understanding prophecy?

   3. How can the following conflict be resolved? The Bible teaches
that many dramatic events will precede the Lord's second coming, but it
also predicts that Christ will come unexpectedly.

   4. Why is it so important for us to live with the expectation that
Christ could return at any moment? (2 Pet. 3:10-14; 1 John 2:28-3:3).
Characteristics of the Rapture

   1. List as many characteristics as you can about the rapture of the
church.

   2. According to 1 Corinthians 15:51-53, what is in store for
Christians who will be raptured?

   3. How does Jesus' promise in John 14:1-3 that He would go to
prepare a place for His followers fit into the rapture picture?

   CHRIST'S RETURN AND YOU

   Richard De Haan likes to tell a story on himself that pictures the
readiness Christians should have when they think of the rapture of the
church. When Richard and Marvin were still living at home, their
parents, Dr. and Mrs. M.R. De Haan would often have to go out of town
for speaking engagements. The boys enjoyed the independence of being
left alone -- except for one thing. They hated doing the dishes.

   On one such occasion, they put off sticking their hands in soapy
dishwater as long as possible. They stacked the grimy plates, glasses,
and silverware in the oven after each meal. Soon all the dishes were
dirty and all the spare space was filled. Then, on the night before
their parents were to return, Richard and Marvin rolled up their
sleeves and had a marathon dishwashing session. Although the young
DeHaans never got caught with their dishes dirty, Richard has
commented, "How ashamed we would have been if our parents had come back
earlier than we expected!"

   The imminent return of our Lord Jesus should lead us to a similar
sentiment. How ashamed we would be if He came back and we weren't
expecting Him. Unike our illustration, we do not know exactly when
Jesus will return in the air to take His people to be with Him. As a
result, we should live in a continual state of expectancy. We shouldn't
be stacking our "dirty dishes" all over; we should constantly keep our
lives clean and in line with what God expects from us.

   That's not the only part of our lives that should be affected by the
hope of an any-moment return of our Lord. In addition, we should have a
sense of urgency toward those who don't know Jesus. All too often we
live as if we have all the time in the world to convey the message of
salvation, when in reality we don't even know if we will have the rest
of the day to do so. The prospect of lost opportunities to share the
gospel should propel us into a deeper concern for the lost.

   "Temporal goals lose some of their importance when we realize that
we might not have as much time as we thought to accomplish things of
eternal value."

   Let's look at it another way. Suppose you knew exactly when Jesus
would come back. You would probably have a "To Do" list that would fill
pages:

   * Write letters * Make phone calls * Pay back money owed * Apologize
for wrongs done * Tell neighbors about Jesus * Pray for unsaved family
members * Spend more time reaching out to the lost

   And on and on the list would go. More than anything else, we would
want to get everything squared away before the big day that was coming
closer every second. Although we would be secure in our salvation, we
would want to do all we could to further the Lord's work in the time we
had remaining.

   The fact that we don't know the day and time of Jesus' return,
though, shouldn't deter us from doing exactly that. We may not have the
assurance that we can accomplish everything on that "To Do" list, but
we should have those kinds of goals -- perhaps with more urgency.
Temporal goals lose some of their importance when we realize that we
might not have as much time as we thought to accomplish things of
eternal value.

   There is another, even more important, consideration. Everyone who
knows that Jesus Christ could come back at any moment must do some
serious thinking. Beyond making lists of good things that need to be
done, each person must make sure that he knows Jesus Christ as personal
Savior. That is the single most important commitment any man, woman, or
child could ever make.

   After Jesus returns for His own, those who have never accepted Him
will be left behind to face a time of trouble and difficulty this world
has never before seen. God's wrath will be poured out over the face of
the earth. Death, destruction, deceit and danger will reign. It's a
prospect that should cause every thinking person to consider seriously
the claims of Jesus Christ.

   Yes, Jesus is coming back. Perhaps He will come today. Are you
ready? If not, you can be. Without another second's delay, pray
something like this: "Lord Jesus, I admit that I'm a sinner. I believe
the Bible and what it says about You. Realizing that You gave Your life
for me, that You died for my sins and arose from the dead, I am
trusting You and You alone for my salvation."

   That is the first and most important step in getting ready for His
return, a return that may be today!

   - The End - --- Scripture quotations are from the New King James
Version, (c) 1979, 1980, 1982, Thomas Nelson, Inc., Publishers.

   "What Can We Know About The Second Coming" by Martin De Hann II
Copyright 1988 Radio Bible Class, Grand Rapids, Michigan. Used by
Permission.
