PART 5 - THE SECOND COMING,

IS IT IMMINENT?

INTRODUCTION:  2 Thess. 1:1-10.  CONNECTED EVENTS.

          A       "GLORIFIED IN HIS SAINTS."

          B.      'WHEN THE LORD SHALL BE REVEALED."

          C.      "PUNISHMENT OF DISOBEDIENT."

          D.      "WHEN HE SHALL COME."

"IN THAT DAY"

I.      THE QUESTION OF IMMINENCE.

          - IS THE SECOND COMING IMPENDING?

          - ARE THERE SIGNS TO WATCH FOR?

A.      THE PROMISE OF HIS COMING.

          1.       Jesus promised to come again( John 14:1-3 ).

                   a.       Go to prepare a place( 1 Pet. 1:4 ).

                   b.       Come to receive you.

          2.       The testimony of the Angels( Acts 1:10-11 ).

          3.       The Holy Spirit said he would come( Heb. 9:27-28 ).

B.      THE TIME OF HIS COMING.

          1.       A denial of its imminence is not a denial of its reality.

          2.       Did the apostles believe and teach it was imminent?  If so they taught error by the

                   Holy Spirit, for it did not happen.

                   a.       Paul knew he would die first( Acts 20:29-30 ). See 2 Thess. 2:1-3.

                   b.       Peter knew better( 2 Pet. 1:12-14;  John 21:18-19 ).

C.      RECENT ADVENT THEORIES:

          1.       Claim concerning "signs of the times."

          2.       William Miller, 1844 and 1845.

          3.       Charles T. Russell and Judge Rutherford.

          4.       William Marrion Branham.

          5.       Hal Lindsey.  This generation and return of Jews to Palestine in 1948.

II.     THE SIGNS OF THE TIMES.

          - ARE THERE ANY SIGNS BY WHICH THE TIME OF THE COMING OF

          CHRIST CAN BE DETERMINED?

A.      THE TWO QUESTIONS OF MATTHEW 24 ANSWERED.

          1.       Questions asked in response to Jesus' statement( 24:1-2 ).

          2.       "When shall these things be?"  "What will be the sign of thy coming?"

          3.       Jesus answer:  ( vs. 36 ) to the second question( Mark 13:32 ).

                   Noah as an example - They had the warnings of Noah it was coming.

                   So shall his coming be( vs. 37 ).

                   ( vs. 4-34 ) Jesus answers the first question.

B.      THE FALL OF JERUSALEM.  AND THE ANSWER TO THEIR QUESTION!

          1.       ( vs. 14 ).  gospel preached in all the world( Col. 1:6, 23 ).

          2.       ( vs. 15 ).  abomination of desolation( Luke 21:20 ).

          3.       ( vs. 34 ).  This generation.

          4.       ( vs. 16-22 ).  Instructions for survival - at the 2nd coming?

          5.       ( vs. 23-26 ).  False Christs.

C.      We will discuss in detail  Matthew 24 in a separate lesson.

III.    THE GREAT TRIBULATION.

          - THREE THEORIES:         1.  The tribulation.  2.  The rapture.  3.  The duel coming. 

                   Tied together, we need to deal with them.

A.      THE TRIBULATION THEORY.

          1.       The Millennial Scenario.

          2.       The Tribulation Passage( Matthew 24:21 ).

          3.       Contradictions from Matthew 24.

                   a.       Faithful instructed to flee.

                   b.       Woe to them with child.

                   c.       Pray to avoid Winter and Sabbath.

          4.       What is the difference if the faithful are raptured first?

          5.       This tribulation could not refer to the 2nd coming or rapture.

B.      THE RAPTURE THEORY.

          1.       The passage( 1 Thess. 4:14-17 ).

          2.       A general resurrection( John 5:28-29 ).

          3.       Our hope( Acts 24:15;  1 Cor. 15:22-24 ).  The end.

C.      THE DUAL COMING THEORY.

          - Millennialists make a distinction between epiphineia( his manifestation ) and parousia

          ( his presence )  both translated "coming."  They teach that his first return is a parousia

          when he comes for his saints.  Then they teach his 2nd return is an epiphineia when he

          comes with his saints to start the millennium.

          1.       No difference in events.  The difference in definitions imagined.

                   a.       Both translated "coming" in both American Standard and King James.

                   b.       ( 2 Thess. 2:8 )  "Brightness" - epiphineia

                                                         "Coming" - parousia

                   c.       ( 1 Thess. 3:13 )  "Coming with his saints" - parousia.

                                                Millennial theory, parousia, "Comes for his saints."

                   d.       ( 1 Thess. 4:14 )  At this coming Jesus brings sleeping saints with him,but he

                             comes for those who are left.  Doesn't fit the chart. 

                             Presence and Manifestation interchangeable.

          2.       ( 2 Thess. 1:6-10 ).  What will happen at once?

                   a.       He will recompense tribulation to them that trouble the saints.

                   b.       he will recompense rest to the afflicted.

                   c.       He will take vengeance on unrighteous - those who don't obey.

                   d.       He will punish the disobedient.

                   e.       He will reward those who are worthy of the calling with his own calling.

          3.       ( Matt. 16:27 ).  Every man rewarded at once.

                   ( Mark 8:38 ).  Judgment occurs when Jesus comes.  1,000 years too soon

                   for the millennialists.  They say he will be here already for 1,000 years.

          4.       ( Acts 24:15 ).  General resurrection( John 5:28-29 ).

          5,       Is there a difference between "resurrection from" and "resurrection of" the

                   dead?( Acts 23:6 ).

                   a.       Jesus is both( Col. 1:18;  Rev. 1:5 ).

                   b.       Paul's hope( Acts 23:6;  Phil. 3:11 ).

                   c.       Jesus' statements( Luke 20:35;  Matt. 22:30-31 ).

IV.   APOSTOLIC ADMONITIONS.

          - TWO CLASSES OF DISTURBERS, THE SPECULATOR AND THE SKEPTIC.

A.      PAUL TO THE THESSALONIANS( 2 Thess. 2:1-5 ).

          1.       No reason or excuse to speculate.

          2.       Preventative( vs. 15 ).

B.      PETER TO THE DISPERSION( 2 Pet. 3 ).

          1.       The promise of his coming.

          2.       The certainty of his coming.

          3.       The events of his coming.

          4.       Preparation for his coming.

CONCLUSION:

A.      IT IS NOT REVEALED WHEN JESUS WILL COME AGAIN. 

          1.       There is no way to figure it out from the Bible.

          2.       We need to be ready.

B.      WHEN JESUS COMES AGAIN, ALL WILL BE RAISED AND JUDGED AT ONCE,

          AND THE KINGDOM WILL BE DELIVERED BACK TO GOD.

C.      THERE IS ONLY ONE "SECOND COMING."