the second coming of Christ (Matthew 24:27 and Luke 17:24)
| Matthew 24:27, King James Version |
Matthew 24:27, Community of Christ Inspired Version |
For as the lightning cometh out of the east, and
shineth even unto the west; so shall also the coming
of the Son of man be. |
For as the light of the morning cometh out of the east,
and shineth even unto the west, and covereth the whole
earth; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. |
| Luke 17:24, King James Version |
Luke 17:24, Community of Christ Inspired Version |
For as the lightning that lighteneth out of the one
part under heaven, shineth unto the other part under
heaven; so shall also the Son of man be in his day. |
For as the light of the morning, that shineth out of the
one part under heaven, and lighteneth to the other part
under heaven; so shall also the Son of man be in his day.
|
commentary by Adam Rutherford, from Pyramidology, Book IV, 1972, page 1487:
The translation of the Greek word astrape by "lightning" in Matthew 24:27, Luke 17:24 in our
English Bibles is misleading and is partly responsible for wrong conclusions regarding the
manner of the Second Advent. It is true that astrape means "lightning" but it also has a wider
meaning. Liddell and Scott's Greek-English Lexicon gives the meaning of astrape in New
Testament Greek as "any bright light". Jesus Himself, as recorded in Luke 11:36 speaks
of "the bright shining (astrape) of a lamp". The same Greek word is used again in Our Lord's
Great Prophecy of Matthew 24, where in verse 27 He speaks of a bright light "coming forth
from the east and shining even unto the west". There is only one bright light that does this,
namely the sun (moonlight is faint and the starlight is small). So the correct translation of
Matthew 24:27 is "For as the sunlight (astrape) cometh forth from the east and shineth even
unto the west, so shall also the presence (parousia) of the Son of man be." Only those who
are awake and watching see the first gleams of light and watch the increasing light and
dawn, whilst later when the sun rises in the sky and moves over to the west, it is observed
by all. So likewise, only those awake to the signs of the times and watching discern the Lord's
presence in the early days of the Second Advent, whilst later, when He manifests Himself,
"every eye shall see Him", for His parousia, i.e. His presence continues throughout the
Millennium.
interpretation by John McDonnell
Although I view what I call the Confrontation as the first stage of the Second Coming of Christ,
I usually reserve the term Second Coming to mean His coming to reign on Earth for a thousand
years, which will take place several years after the Confrontation. In between the Confrontation
and the Second Coming, I anticipate an increasing Presence, like the glory of the rising sun.
|
| Malachi 4:2, King James Version |
|
But unto you that fear my name shall the Sun of righteousness arise with healing in his wings ...
|
Must the Mount of Olives be the first point of return?
The ascension of Jesus into heaven as described in Acts 1:9-12 is also a prophecy of the
manner in which Jesus will return. There is no indication or concern where this will begin. However,
the fact that the ascension happened on the eastern slope of the Mount of Olives (Luke 24:50;
Acts 1:12) naturally invites comparison to Zechariah 14:1-5 with its statement "And his feet shall
stand in that day upon the mount of Olives" (verse 4). And the prophecies of Jesus concerning
the destruction of Jerusalem and the signs of His coming (in Matthew 24) were spoken on the
Mount of Olives (verse 3). All of this seems to offer many an excuse for believing that is where
the Second Coming of Christ will begin. But would what is described in Zechariah 14:1-5 fulfill the
angels' words, "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)? I don't think so. I believe that Jesus will
return in the clouds of heaven first to those supposed to be doing His work on Earth. The place
or places this will happen is or are presently unknown (Hebrews 9:28). What is described in
Zechariah 14:1-5 seems to me to be near the end of the second coming process, when Christ
will destroy the wicked gathered against Him.
|
| Zechariah 14:1-5, King James Version |
Behold, the day of the Lord cometh, and thy spoil shall be divided in the midst of thee. For
I will gather all nations against Jerusalem to battle; and the city shall be taken, and the houses
rifled, and the women ravished; and half of the city shall go forth into captivity, and the residue
of the people shall not be cut off from the city. Then shall the Lord go forth, and fight against
those nations, as when he fought in the day of battle. And his feet shall stand in that day upon
the mount of Olives, which is before Jerusalem on the east, and the mount of Olives shall
cleave in the midst thereof toward the east and toward the west, and there shall be a very
great valley; and half of the mountain shall remove toward the north, and half of it toward the
south. And ye shall flee to the valley of the mountains; for the valley of the mountains shall
reach unto Azal: yea, ye shall flee, like as ye fled from before the earthquake in the days of
Uzziah king of Judah: and the Lord my God shall come, and all the saints with thee.
|
| Community of Christ Doctrine and Covenants 45:6-10 |
6 And it shall come to pass that he that feareth me shall be looking forth for the great day
of the Lord to come, even for the signs of the coming of the Son of man; and they shall see
signs and wonders, for they shall be shown forth in the heavens above, and in the earth
beneath; and they shall behold blood and fire, and vapors of smoke; and before the day of
Lord shall come, the sun shall be darkened, and the moon be turned into blood, and stars
fall from heaven; and the remnant shall be gathered unto this place [the Mount of Olives];
and then they shall look for me, and and behold I will come; and they shall see me in the
clouds of heaven, clothed with power and great glory, with all the holy angels; and he that
watches not for me shall be cut off.
7 But before the arm of the Lord shall fall, an angel shall sound his trump, and the saints
that have slept, shall come forth to meet me in the cloud; wherefore if ye have slept in
peace, blessed are you, for as you now behold me and know that I am, even so shall ye
come unto me and your souls shall live, and your redemption shall be perfected, and the
saints shall come forth from the four quarters of the earth.
8 Then shall the arm of the Lord fall upon the nations, and then shall the Lord set his foot
upon this mount [the Mount of Olives], and it shall cleave in twain, and the earth shall
tremble and reel to and fro; and the heavens also shall shake, and the Lord shall utter his
voice and all the ends of the earth shall hear it, and the nations of the earth shall mourn,
and they that have laughed shall see their folly, and calamity shall cover the mocker, and
the scorner shall be consumed, and they that have watched for iniquity, shall be hewn
down and cast into the fire.
9 And then shall the Jews look upon me and say, What are these wounds in thy hands,
and in thy feet? Then shall they know that I am the Lord; for I will say unto them, These
wounds are the wounds with which I was wounded in the house of my friends. I am he who
was lifted up. I am Jesus that was crucified. I am the Son of God. And then shall they weep
because of their iniquities; they shall they lament because they persecuted their King.
10 And then shall the heathen nations be redeemed, and they that knew no law shall have
part in the first resurrection; and it shall be tolerable for them; and Satan shall be bound
that he shall have no place in the hearts of the children of men. And at that day when I
shall come in my glory, shall the parable be fulfilled which I spake concerning the ten
virgins; for they that are wise and have received the truth, and have taken the Holy Spirit
for their guide, and have not been deceived, verily I say unto you, They shall not be hewn
down and cast into the fire, but shall abide the day, and the earth shall be given unto them
for an inheritance; and they shall multiply and wax strong, and their children shall grow up
without sin unto salvation, for the Lord shall be in their midst, and his glory shall be upon
them, and he will be their King and their lawgiver.
|
|