Circumstances of His Return
I will come to you.
John 14:18
I will come to you.
John 14:18
There is no lack of books about prophecy. Any Christian bookstore has any number of titles.
And there is no lack of different opinions on the details of prophecy. One good case in point is the rapture. Some believe that, at his coming, Christ will sweep his church up into the air and then return immediately to the earth to establish his kingdom. This is called posttribulation rapture. Some believe that Christ will come for his church at the beginning of the great tribulation, sweep them up into the air and return with them to heaven for a seven year period, and then return to earth to establish his kingdom. This is called pretribulation rapture.
Others believe the latter scenario, except that Christ will come for them in the middle of the great tribulation, at the 3 and 1/2 year mark. This is called midtribulation rapture. And if you get to talking with some who hold these opinions, you'll find that they themselves have changed from pre- to mid- to post-tribulationism along the way . . . and maybe back again. And while they might vigorously argue for their position, all these have one thing in common: They are all sincere, devout believers who look at the same Scriptures (maybe in different sequence) and draw different conclusions.
There are similar questions abounding as to the identity of the Antichrist, the Beast, the False Prophet and so on.
Nevertheless, there is some unanimity of opinion about the broad outlines of prophecy. Because it is the purpose of this book to explore what happens after the convulsive events of the latter days, rather than those events themselves, here is a very abbreviated, simplified, plain-language survey of the circumstances of the return of Jesus Christ.
The 70th seven, or the last of the seven year periods of Daniel, remains to be fulfilled. This is to finish the transgression, to make an end of sins, and to bring in everlasting righteousness, and to seal up the vision and prophecy, and to anoint the Most Holy.
This is the place to start when attempting to put the prophetic puzzle pieces together.
Daniel's seventieth week begins when Antichrist, head of the revived Holy Roman Empire, makes a covenant with Israel.1 He promises a period of rest and peace. After 3 and 1/2 years, however, he breaks this covenant by ordering sacrifices and offerings to cease at the restored Temple. He then becomes as much an enemy as before he was a friend to Israel. He conquers Israel,2 and establishes a residence there.3 No less than two-thirds of the Jewish nation perishes in the carnage.4 God permits it to happen to prepare Israel to receive the Messiah.
At the same time, as symbolized by the broken seals, blown trumpets and poured out vials of Revelation, a series of catastrophic punishments is directed against the entire gentile world as retribution for its continued rejection of God and his will throughout the ages.
While this time of great trouble is underway, pre- and mid-tribulation rapturists believe that they will be in heaven, to stand before the judgment seat of Christ to receive appropriate rewards, and to participate in the the marriage supper of the Lamb, the marriage of Christ and the church. Posttribulation rapturists believe that, even though on the earth at this tumultuous time, that they will be protected by God against the horrors falling on the world around them.
Next comes deliverance. The army of the Antichrist assembles in the Valley of Jehoshaphat, also known as the Kidron Valley lying at the foot of the Mount of Olives. In full view of this army, Christ will roar out of heaven (like the "Rimu" of Taurus) with trumpet blasts and shouts, and come in a terrible display of power.5 He lands on the Mount of Olives. It splits open.6
His first act is to throw both the Antichrist and his compatriot, the False Prophet,7 into the lake of fire.8 He does this quickly. He will then slay the entire army that is in the valley.9 The Jews of Jerusalem will be eyewitnesses. After seeing that, they will then be ready to accept the Messiah. In fact, when they look at him, and see the holes in his hands, they mourn for him with intensity, just as they would for a lost first-born child.
Jesus Christ then binds Satan, and throws him into 'the bottomless pit.'10 He determines which of the individuals of the nations of the world gains entry into the kingdom by their attitude towards the Jews during the tribulation.11
He appoints his saints to their respective positions in the new government, assigns them their jobs, and takes up residence in Jerusalem.
The kingdom is underway!
Now the breathtaking second coming of Christ -- this once-in-history event -- is history, just like the first coming. That time he came like a lamb to the slaughter. This time he comes as the roaring, victorious Lion of the tribe of Judah, the God and man come to rule with a rod of iron for those who need a rod of iron, and with tenderness and mercy for those who need tenderness and mercy.
The kingdom is underway!
FOOTNOTES
Chapter 10
CIRCUMSTANCES OF HIS RETURN
1. Dan. 9:27
2. Zech. 14:2
3. Dan. 11:45
4. Zech. 13:8,9
5. 2 Thess. 1:7,8; Rev. 19:14,15
6. Zech. 14:4
7. Rev. 13:11-18
8. Rev. 19:20
9. Rev. 19:21
10. Rev. 20:3
11. Matt. 25:31-46