the Bible, would be entirely needless. But all the abovenamed facts were once matters of prophecy, and have been so fulfilled. And yet the prophecies which foretold them were no more clear, than that that same being who has gone into heaven and set down on the right hand of the throne of God, shall come again in a manner altogether unlike his first advent. If the one has been accomplished, so will the other be in due time. Let us then hear the testimony of God on this point: "Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many: and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation.”* But how shall he come the second time? "And when he had spoken these things, while they beheld, 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; which also said, 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. Then returned they unto Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is from Jerusalem a Sabbath-day's journey."+ In this text the prophecy is explained and illustrated by the statement of a matter of fact. If, therefore, Jesus Christ went to heaven in his own proper person, in a cloud, we must look for him in the same person and the same manner. This text might suffice on this point; but I will give one more: "And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. And he shall send forth his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other." This certainly is coming "to them that look for him without sin (or a sin-offering) unto salvation." If so, it is his second coming. Again: All the tribes of the earth shall see him and mourn. Hence, his appearance must be visible to all the world. But such an appearing has never yet taken place. And among all who have endeavored to refer it to the destruction of Jerusalem or to other circumstances, none have ever had the fortune to find one single witness to testify he saw such a scene as the coming of the Son of man on that occasion. Indeed, if there is any meaning in language, if we may ever *Heb. ix. 28. Acts i. 9-12. Matt. xxiv. 30, 31. ..... depend upon the testimony of the Bible, we must look for a yet future and literal coming of the Son of man in the clouds of heaven. Once more: I wish to inquire, by what authority are the wars, famines, pestilences, earthquakes, false prophets and false-christs of the chapter construed as being literal, and then so immediately, in the same connection, without any intimation of a change from a literal to a figurative meaning, the appearing of the real Christ is called a spiritual or figurative appearing. I protest against such violence to plain scripture. 2. THE OBJECTS OF HIS ADVENT AND ABODE AMONG MEN. "And to you (1.) To destroy the wicked of the earth. who are troubled, rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels, taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power; when he shall come to be glorified in his saints, and to be admired in all them that believe in that day."* Here is a testimony that the wicked, all who do not obey the gospel, will be destroyed from the presence of the Lord when he comes. This earth is to be his abode, and the wicked must be banished from it. Again: "Ask of me, and I shall give thee the heathen for thine inheritance and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession. And thou shalt break them with a rod of iron, and dash them in pieces like a potter's vessel." According to this text, when the Son of God comes to take possession of his inheritance, he will break and dash in pieces his enemies. Once more : "The good seed are the children of the kingdom; the tares are the children of the wicked one; the enemy that sowed them is the devil; the harvest is the end of the world; the reapers are the angels. As therefore the tares are gathered and burned in the fire; so shall it be in the end of this world. The Son of man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend and them which do iniquity, and shall cast them into a furnace of fire. Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father." All this is to take place at the end of the aion, age, or time. The wicked are all to be gathered out of Christ's kingdom which he has purchased. * 2 Thess. i. 7-10. † Ps. ii. 8, 9. Matt. xiii. 37-43. Take one text more: "For, behold, the Lord cometh out of his place to punish the inhabitants of the earth for their iniquity: the earth also shall disclose her blood, and shall no more cover her slain."* This is to take place at the time when the dead live. (2.) The second object is, to raise from the dead, and glorify the righteous. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him. For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel and the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first."+ "Marvel not at this; for the hour is coming, in which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice, and shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation." The object of the resurrection of the righteous is, that they may live forever. "For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive. But every man in his own order: Christ the first-fruits; afterward they that are Christ's at his coming." But how shall they who are Christ's at his coming rise? The apostle answers, verses 42, 43, 44, 52, 53: "It is sown in corruption, it is raised in incorruption: it is sown in dishonor, it is raised in glory: it is sown in weakness, it is raised in power: it is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body." "The dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality." Yes, the children of God know that when he shall appear, they shall be like him, for they shall see him as he is. "O what a blessed hope is ours, While here on earth we stay!" Christ is the believer's life. "And when he who is our life shall appear, then shall we also appear with him in glory." It was this blessed hope which cheered the patriarchs, comforted the prophets, supported the apostles, and bore up the martyrs amid the flames. They looked for and "desired a better resurrection." (3.) The third object of his advent is, to change to immortality the living saints; and to receive to himself, forever, both the dead and living in him. "Behold, I show 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 trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.' Again: "For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air and so shall we be ever with the Lord."+ An idea has been entertained that when the seventh or last trump shall sound, and the mystery of God be finished, a state of unparalleled anarchy will ensue, during which Christians will be the objects of the hatred and persecution of the wicked; and a time of martyrdom ensue. But if we may believe the apostle, instead of meeting persecution at the last trump, the Christian will be glorified in the twinkling of an eye; and be caught up to meet the Lord in the air, and be forever with him. Thus also the Savior: "And they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven, with power and great glory. And he shall send forth his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other." (4.) The fourth object is, to burn and renew the heavens and the earth, and fit it up as the abode of the saints. "Whereby the world that then was, being overflowed with water, perished: but the heavens and the earth which are now, by the same word, are kept in store, reserved unto fire against the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men. But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up. Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness." "His promise." Where has God promised this? "For, behold, the Lord will come with fire, and with his chariots like a whirlwind, to render his anger with fury, and his rebuke with flames of fire. For by fire and by his sword will the Lord plead with all flesh and the slain of the Lord shall be many." "For, behold, I create new heavens and a new earth: and the former shall not be remembered nor come into mind. But be ye glad and rejoice FOREVER in that which I create: for, behold, I create Jerusalem a rejoicing, * 1 Cor. xv. 51, 52. : 1 Thess. iv. 16, 17. and her people a joy.* This is God's promise, and this God will perform when he comes in glory. "And he shall send Jesus Christ, which before was preached unto you: whom the heavens must receive until the times of restitution of all things, which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets, since the world began." Here we are told that God has promised a restitution of all things, by the mouth of all his holy prophets, since the world began. Also, that the heavens must receive Jesus Christ until that time. "Sit thou at my right hand, until I make thy foes thy footstool." "And ye shall tread down the wicked; for they shall be ashes under the soles of your feet." They shall be Christ's footstool. The earth is to be restored to its paradisical state, and under Jesus Christ, the second Adam, all things are to be subdued. There shall then be no more curse; neither sorrow nor crying; neither shall there be any more death. "O glorious hour, O blest abode ! (5.) The fifth object of his advent and abode among men is, to reign upon the throne of David over the house of Jacob forever and ever. He is Abraham's promised seed, to whom the promise of the land of Canaan was made for an EVERLASTING POSSESSION. But who are the house of Jacob, over whom he is to reign? Not all the literal descendants of Jacob; for "they are not all Israel who are of Israel;" and while they shall come from the four winds, and sit down with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, in the kingdom of God, the Jews, as such, shall be cast out; and only those who are Christ's, and Abraham's seed, will find admission. "Henceforth," says the apostle, "know we no man after the flesh; yea, though we have known Christ after the flesh, [as a Jew] yet now henceforth know we him so no more.". As a Jew, then, Christ himself will no more be known; but as the head of the whole church, both Jew and Gentile. "Therefore, if any man be in Christ he is a new creature," (not a Jew or Gentile;) "old things are done away, and, behold, all things have become new." The Jewish economy, and distinctions originating in it, are done away, and the subjects of David's throne are new creatures, members of Christ's "body, of his flesh and his bones." * Isa. lxvi. 15, 16. lxv. 17, 18. Ps. cx. 1. † Acts iii. 20, 21. |