God of the Times and Seasons pt 2

I want to pick up where we left off last month talking about the return of Jesus Christ.

The return of our Savior is really at the core of all of my private study.  Even our current Sunday series on Joshua lays the foundation for our beliefs about literal Israel because there seems to be a literal Israel as a large factor in the Lord’s return.

So let’s do some brief basic study of the familiar passages.  My whole life I’ve been aware of all the basic views, such as pre-mil (millennial), post mil, a-mil and pre-trib, post-trib, or mid trib which we hear a lot about today.  I won’t go into all of those in a simple newsletter format.  Let’s just open the Bible and look at some basic passages.

Beginning with the words of the angel as He ascended and was hidden by a cloud, he said, “This same Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven will so come in like manner as you saw Him go into heaven.”  (Acts 1:11)

Daniel says, “I was watching in the night and behold, One like the Son of Man, coming with the clouds of heaven!”  (Dan 7:13)

And Jesus Himself said, “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.”  (Matt 24:30)

Note the same language as Daniel, “Son of Man”.  That is the key term that He is the fulfillment of Daniel’s prophecy.  Jesus used the same phrase later that same night confessing to the religious leaders after His arrest,  “hereafter you shall see the Son of Man...coming on the clouds of heaven.”  (Matt 26:64)

Clearly this is a sight that everyone on earth and in their graves will see.  What happens after this?  Well, if we keep reading in Daniel seven, well if you keep reading in verse 14, after that the elect are gathered and His Kingdom is established!

Leading up to this moment, Jesus talks about deception.  One big lie will be many claiming to be Christ.  But prior to His coming in the clouds, Matthew twenty-four verses 23-28 distinguishes false christ’s from the true Christ, by saying “For as the lightning comes from the east and flashes to the west, so shall the coming of the Son of Man be.”

I’ve looked back at worldwide trends and events over the last 50 years now. I’ve seen the weakening faith, fervor and fidelity, sexual revolution, globalism, geo politics, world leaders, global finance Jews and land of Israel.  Simultaneously the Bible has been under attack by even it’s own pastors and mainline churches.  In spite of all of these things, they are all following an expected pattern or trending as that Bible predicted, leading up to the Lord’s return—every single one.  And the Bible itself has survived it’s attackers.  It is untarnished, backed by monthly archaeological finds. 

That’s very significant.  And yet you still have deniers who can’t put two and two together.  They say, these are not just coincidental.  Never in history have these factors been the same.  They say, there has always been wars for example.  True, but there have never been wars with potential for global destruction.  They say there has always been immorality, true, but there has never been a sexual revolution like we’ve seen in the last 65 years.  The key distinction is the word global.  And that is what is predicted.   While Israel is surrounded by enemies, many Jews are believing in the Messiah. 

So these, voices are the scoffers predicted by Peter in 2 Peter 3:3-7  “knowing this first: that scoffers will come in the last days walking according to their own lusts, and saying where is the promise of His coming?”

So take heed my friends.  Lift up your eyes.  Jesus said three times in the last chapter of the Bible, “I am coming quickly”  And there we have an invitation, ‘And the Spirit and the bride say, “Come!” And let him who hears say, ‘Come!” And let him who thirsts come.  Whoever desires, let him take the water of life freely.”

Next month, some of the events prior to these, namely the rapture and tribulation.

That’s my two cents...

Pastor Tom