Page 138 - Biblical Theology Textbook - masters

“Behold, He is coming with clouds, and every eye will see Him.” There will not be a person on earth who
is unaware of Jesus’ return. Jesus Himself describes the manner of His coming. Matthew 24:27 states
that the return of Christ will be like the brightness of lightning illuminating the entire sky from the east
to the west. Verses 30 and 31 of the same chapter describe Jesus coming with power and great glory
and with the sound of a great trumpet, that awakens the righteous dead who are then gathered from
the ends of the earth.

How should we live while we wait?
Christians should be on guard, watching and praying until the day of the Lord. The Bible says in Luke
21:34-36, “But take heed to yourselves, lest your hearts be weighed down with carousing, drunkenness,
and cares of this life, and that Day come on you unexpectedly. For it will come as a snare on all those
who dwell on the face of the whole earth. Watch therefore, and pray always that you may be counted
worthy to escape all these things that will come to pass, and to stand before the Son of Man.”

How will Jesus come back to earth?
We know Jesus’ second coming will be a literal event and will be just like He went to heaven the first
time. Acts 1:9-11 says the following, “Now when He had spoken these things, while they watched, He
was taken up, and a cloud received Him out of their sight. And while they looked steadfastly toward
heaven as He went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel, who also said, ‘Men of Galilee,
why do you stand gazing up into heaven? This same Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will
so come in like manner as you saw Him go into heaven.’”

Will the angels come back with Jesus when He returns?
The Bible says that the angels will return with Jesus and they will come with a loud sound of the trumpet
to gather from the whole earth those who have died in Christ. (Matt 16:27; 24:31; 25:31)

What happens to the righteous at the second coming during the Rapture?
At Jesus’ second coming Phase 1 the righteous dead will be raised to life and taken up to heaven along
with the righteous who are still alive on the earth. 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17 says, “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.”

Following this event is a time of Jacob’s trouble, called the Tribulation which lasts for seven years. In the
middle of this tribulation, the Antichrist will rise to total power and will desecrate the Temple of God in
Jerusalem. The last 3 ½ years of the Tribulation are called the Great Tribulation and is very severe
judgment on rebellious mankind. In fact, nations will gather together in Megiddo, in Israel, to battle
with both Israel and Christ. In this second coming, Christ will destroy the armies of the world with a
spoken word, and the Antichrist and his false prophet will be cast into Hell. The Devil will be bound for
the 1000 years of Christ’s reign on earth and there will be peace on the earth.

Are the wicked destroyed by Christ’s coming?
When Jesus returns to earth the wicked who are left alive will call for the rocks and hills to fall on them
because they cannot look upon the face of Christ (Revelation 6:15-17). The wicked will be destroyed
with everlasting destruction because they did not know God or obey the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ
(2 Thessalonians 1:7-10).

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