SPLENDOR OF THE SECOND COMING
I. DAY OF THE LORD: TWO EXTREMES AT THE END-OF-THE-AGE.
The day of the LORD is Great and very Terrible (Joel 2:11; Malachi 4:5)
A. The Day of the Lord refers to the unusual End-Time events related to the Second Coming of Jesus. These events
(positive and negative) will come to fullness in the final 3½ years before Jesus returns and culminate with the 2nd Coming
of Christ. (2 Thessalonians 2:3; Hebrews 10:25; 2 Peter 3:10)
B. The 2nd Coming of Jesus is the culmination of the day of the Lord. Next to the crucifixion of Christ it will be the
most dramatic and most glorious event in human history. The return of Jesus to the planet will the great revealing of the
face of Christ as the Bridegroom, King and Judge
“Your people shall be volunteers In the day of Your power (king); In the beauties of holiness, from the womb
of the morning, You have the dew of Your youth. The LORD has sworn And will not relent, “You are a priest
forever According to the order of Melchizedek.” The Lord is at Your right hand He shall execute kings in the
day of His wrath. (judge)”
“Go forth, O daughters of Zion, and see King Solomon with the crown with which his mother crowned him
on
the day of his wedding the day of the gladness of his heart.(bridegroom)” Song of Solomon 3:11
C. The 2nd Coming will openly manifest the height of what was accomplished in the cross of Christ which is the bringing
down of the New Jerusalem, the gathering together of heaven and earth so that in that context fullness of God’s personality
might expressed and Him dwell with redeemed humanity in their resurrected bodies.
“For it pleased the Father that in Him all the fullness should dwell, and by Him to reconcile all things to
Himself, by Him, whether things on earth or things in heaven, having made peace through the blood of His
cross. And you, who once were alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now He has
reconciled in the body of His flesh through death, to present you holy, and blameless, and above reproach
in His sight—“ Colossians 1:19-22
“…having made known to us the mystery of His will, according to His good pleasure which He purposed in
Himself, that in the dispensation of the fullness of the times He might gather together in one all things in
Christ, both which are in heaven and which are on earth—in Him.” Ephesians 1:9-10
“Then I, John, saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride
adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from heaven saying, “Behold, the tabernacle of God is
with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people. God Himself will be with them and be
their God.” Revelation 21:2-3
D. The Day of the Lord is a time period where God’s zeal for righteousness, for His people and against wickedness is
fully and openly manifests.
“The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, (the promise of His coming 2 Pet. 3:4) as some count
slackness, but is longsuffering not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.”
2 Peter 3:9
II. CULTIVATING INSIGHT CONCERNING THE 2ND COMING IS ESSENTIAL
A. We cannot claim ignorance concerning the Day of the Lord. We must give ourselves to searching out the 2nd
Coming events.
“But I do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning those who have fallen asleep, lest you sorrow
as others who have no hope. 1 Thessalonians 4:13
“For I do not desire, brethren, that you should be ignorant of this mystery,(salvation of Israel) lest you should
be wise in your own opinion, that blindness in part has happened to Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles
has come in. And so all Israel will be saved (at the 2nd Coming)…” Romans 11:25-26
B. Studying and meditating on the 2nd Coming we keep us from deception and connect us with truth
“Now as He sat on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to Him privately, saying, “Tell us, when will these
things be? And what will be the sign of Your coming, and of the end of the age?” and Jesus answered and
said to them: “Take heed that no one deceives you.” Matthew 24:3-4
“And Jesus, answering them, began to say: “Take heed that no one deceives you.” Mark 13:5
“Now, brethren, concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our gathering together to Him, we ask
you, not to be soon shaken in mind or troubled, (no need to be confused) either by spirit or by word or by
letter, as if from us, as though the day of Christ (the 2nd Coming) had come. Let no one deceive you by any
means; for that Day (the 2nd Coming) will not come unless the falling away comes first, and the man of sin is
revealed, the son of perdition, who opposes and exalts himself above all that is called God or that is
worshiped, so that he sits as God in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God.” 2 Thessalonians 2:1-4
“…so that you come short in no gift, eagerly waiting for the revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ, who will also
confirm you to the end, that you may be blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ.” 1 Corinthians 1:7-8
C. The second coming motivates us to righteousness
“The night is far spent, the day is at hand. Therefore let us cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on
the armor of light.” Romans 13:12-13
“…so that you come short in no gift, eagerly waiting for the revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ, who will also
confirm you to the end, that you may be blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ.” 1 Corinthians 1:7-8
“Beloved, now we are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that
when He is revealed, (2nd Coming) we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is. And everyone who has
this hope in Him purifies himself, just as He is pure.” 1 John 3:2-3
III. THE SPLENDOR OF HIS COMING
A. Every eye will see Him at the Second Coming.
Behold, He is coming with clouds, and every eye will see Him, even they who pierced Him. And all the tribes
of the earth will mourn because of Him. Even so, Amen. Revelation 1:7
B. He coming with the cloud of His glory-
“Then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and
they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.” Matthew 24:30
“Jesus said to him, “It is as you said. Nevertheless, I say to you, hereafter you will see the Son of Man sitting
at the right hand of the Power, and coming on the clouds of heaven” Matthew 26:64
“the stars of heaven will fall, and the powers in the heavens will be shaken. 26 Then they will see the Son of
Man coming in the clouds with great power and glory.” Mark 13:26
“Jesus said, “I am. And you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Power, and coming with
the clouds of heaven” Mark 14:62
“Then they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory.” Luke 21:27
“Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in
the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord.” 1 Thessalonians 4:17
“Behold, He is coming with clouds, and every eye will see Him, even they who pierced Him. And all the tribes
of the earth will mourn because of Him. Even so, Amen.” Revelation 1:7
“And they heard a loud voice from heaven saying to them, “Come up here” And they ascended to heaven in
a cloud, and their enemies saw them.” Revelation 11:12
“Then I looked, and behold, a white cloud, and on the cloud sat One like the Son of Man, having on His head
a golden crown, and in His hand a sharp sickle. And another angel came out of the temple, crying with a loud
voice to Him who sat on the cloud, “Thrust in Your sickle and reap, for the time has come for You to reap, for
the harvest of the earth is ripe” So He who sat on the cloud thrust in His sickle on the earth, and the earth
was reaped.” Revelation 14:14-16
C. Jesus will come with the zeal and vengeance of the Father-
“when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with His mighty angels, in flaming fire taking vengeance on
those who do not know God, and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ”
2 Thessalonians 1:7-8
D. The 2nd coming will be filled with brightness, radiant beauty and great power-
“And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord will consume with the breath of His mouth and
destroy with the brightness of His coming.” 2 Thessalonians 2:8
“who being the brightness of His glory and the express image of His person, and upholding all things by the
word of His power, when He had by Himself purged our sins, sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on
high,” Hebrews 1:3
Then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and
they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. Matthew 24:30
“Then they will see the Son of Man coming in the clouds with great power and glory.” Mark 13:26
“Then they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. Luke 21:27
“These shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His
power, 2 Thessalonians 1:9
E. Jesus will come with the all hosts of heaven-
“For the Son of Man will come in the glory of His Father with His angels, and then He will reward each
according to his works.” Matthew 16:27
“And He will send His angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they will gather together His elect from the
four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.” Matthew 24:31
“When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the holy angels with Him, then He will sit on the throne of
His glory.” Matthew 25:31
F. The 2nd Coming will be accompanied with divine lightning.
G. I do not believe that the mention of lightning in the second coming verse imply and instantaneous event but that it
could possibly mean that the lightning of the glory of God from around the throne of God will accompany the coming of
Jesus to the planet.
“And from the throne proceeded lightings, thunderings, and voices. Seven lamps of fire were burning before
the throne, which are the seven Spirits of God.” Revelation 4:5
“For as the lightning comes from the east and flashes to the west, so also will the coming of the Son of Man
be.” Matthew 24:27
“For as the lightning that flashes out of one part under heaven shines to the other part under heaven, so
also the Son of Man will be in His day”. Luke 17:24
H. The reason why I do not believe that the 2nd Coming is instantaneous is because there is a clear process
described in 1 Thessalonians 4:13-17
IV. THE SEQUENCE THE SECOND COMING
“But I do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning those who have fallen asleep, lest you sorrow as
others who have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him
those who sleep in Jesus. For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain
until the coming of the Lord will by no means precede those who are asleep. For the Lord Himself will
descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the
dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the
clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord. Therefore comfort one another
with these words.” 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18
A. The Lord Himself will descend from heaven –
1. With a shout (voice of an archangel)
2. The trumpet of God
B. And the dead in Christ will rise first
“Your dead shall live; together with my dead body they shall arise. Awake and sing, you who dwell in dust; for
your dew is like the dew of herbs, and the earth shall cast out the dead.” Isaiah 26:19
C. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them-
1. The transformation of our natural bodies to becoming spiritual bodies is instantaneous.
“Behold, I tell 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 trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible,
and we shall be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on
immortality.” 1 Corinthians 15:51-53
2. We will join the saints who have gone before us in the clouds of heaven.
V. THE PURPOSE OF THE SECOND COMING
A. Jesus is coming to the planet to destroy the Anti Christ and his kingdom. He will answer the cry of the earth when the
proclaim, “who is able to make war with the beast” (Rev 13:4)
“And then the lawless one will be revealed,(Anti Christ) whom the Lord will consume with the breath of His
mouth and destroy with the brightness of His coming.” 2 Thessalonians 2:8
B. Jesus will come back to put an end to the Armageddon Campaign by destroying the Anti Christ, his armies and
casting the Anti Christ and the False Prophet into the Lake of Fire (Ezekiel 38-39, Zechariah 12-14, Zephaniah 2-3,
Psalm 2; 24; 45; 58; 83; 110; 118; 149; Isaiah 9:4; 11:26; 34; 63; Joel 2-3; Revelation 14; 19)
C. The 2nd Coming is setting up of the Throne of Glory in Jerusalem from which Christ will rule the nations of the earth.
(Ps 2; 24; 110; Isaiah 2; 4;9; 11; 24-27; 60-62; Daniel 2:44; Jeremiah 3:17; 23:5-6; Zechariah 6:12-13; Ezekiel 40-48.)
D. One of the main purposes of the 2nd Coming is to deliver Jerusalem and save Israel. (Romans 11:25-26)
E. Jesus comes back to the earth, physically and personally as to bring all things under His feet and prepare the
earth as a habitation of the Father. (Isaiah 40:3-5; 1 Corinthians 15:23-28)
VI. THE SECOND COMING PROCESSION
A. Second Coming of Christ – the time Jesus appears in the sky to all the people of the earth at the end of the age to
bring judgment to sinners and vindication to God’s people (Hebrews 9:28). The Second Coming by definition demands
that He come to earth and set up an earthly kingdom not just appear in the sky to catch His people away (rapture) to
Himself.
B. The nature of the Second Coming events: is a 3-stage process that includes many events instead of it being only
one event that happens one afternoon. First, Jesus comes across the entire earth in the sky (Revelation 1:7), Second, He
comes across the land (Isaiah 63:1-6). Third, Jesus enters into Jerusalem (Matthew 23:39; Psalm 24:7-10) using the 7
Bowls to destroy the armies of the Antichrist and thus to win the Armageddon campaign (Revelation 19:11-21) at the
Battle of Jerusalem. Jesus releases the 7 bowls of wrath as Moses released the ten plagues of Egypt.
VII. SCRIPTURES DESCRIBING THE RAPTURE
A. He will come from heaven to catch up all His people to meet Him in the clouds.
For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the
trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. 17 Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught
up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord.
(1 Thessalonians 4:16-17)
B. He will come from heaven with all His people.
that He may establish your hearts blameless in holiness before our…Father at the coming of our Lord Jesus
Christ with all His saints. (1 Thessalonians 3:13)
Now, brethren, concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our gathering together to Him
(2 Thessalonians 2:1)
Let both grow together until the harvest, and at the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, "First gather
together the tares and bind them in bundles to burn them, but gather the wheat into my barn."
(Matthew 13:30)
C. He will come in flaming fire with His saints.
when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with His mighty angels, 8 in flaming fire taking vengeance on
those who do not know God, and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ.
(2 Thessalonians 1:7-8)
D. At His Coming, we will receive resurrected bodies that radiate His light.
Behold, I tell you a mystery: We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed-- 52 in a moment, in the
twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible,
and we shall be changed. (1 Corinthians 15:51-52)
There is one glory of the sun, another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars; for one star differs
from another star in glory. 42 So also is the resurrection of the dead. The body is sown in corruption, it is
raised in incorruption. (1 Corinthians 15:41-42)
The Son of Man will send out His angels, and they will gather out of His kingdom all things that offend, and
those who practice lawlessness, 42 and will cast them into the furnace of fire. There will be wailing and
gnashing of teeth. 43 Then the righteous will shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father.
(Matthew 13:41-43)