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THE SECOND COMING OF JESUS CHRIST
FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 28
1 Thessalonians 4:15-17

Acts 1:6-11

 

“…the Lord himself shall descend

from heaven with a shout…”

 

THE SECOND COMING OF JESUS CHRIST
 
In the days before going to the cross, Jesus spoke at length with His disciples, preparing them for the day of His departure, but also leaving them with the promise of His return. He told them in John 14:2-3: “I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.” He was speaking of going to die on the cross, such that through His death and resurrection, He could pave the way for their salvation. But He also promised that He was coming again to receive them unto Himself. As Jesus ascended into heaven, two men in white apparel, possibly angels, told the disciples: “Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven” (Acts 1:11).
 
Since then, believers have been looking forward to the return of the Lord Jesus Christ. In 1 Thessalonians 4:15-17, Paul offered a further tantalising glimpse of what would happen at the Lord’s return. This is the first of a series of events relating to the Lord’s return. What is described here is Jesus’ return for the saints as He comes in the clouds in mid-air to receive the dead in Christ and the living saints. However, He does not come all the way to earth. That will happen only seven years later at the end of the Great Tribulation.
 
Paul explained that it will be a sudden glorious event. It will begin with a triumphant shout from heaven, with the voice of the archangel and the trump of God sounding. In the Old Testament, trumpets were used not only to call for the people to gather, but also to signal victory in triumph. Perhaps both thoughts are evident here, as all believers are called to meet the Lord in the air, and victory over sin and death is declared. All who have died in Christ will rise in their glorified bodies, and the living saints will be raptured, all to meet in a victorious reunion in the clouds of the air. Then the beginning of the end has come. The Lord calls to the church and says, “Your time is up, your work is done! Come, let us celebrate and rejoice!”
 
THOUGHT: Am I genuinely looking forward to the Lord’s return?

PRAYER: “Even so, come, Lord Jesus.” (Rev 22:20)

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