The Second Coming of Christ: A Fearful Thing

[Bladerunner]

The world does not understand that the second coming of Christ is something to be feared. But neither do many Christians understand this. We have become used to glibly talking about the second coming, when it is a fearful thing, and will be a terrifying event. That is also why Christ omitted mentioning it at His first coming (in grace and mercy) when He quoted from Isaiah 61:2 but stopped with "to proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD..." The complete verse speaks of “the Day of Vengeance of our God”. But then goes on to speak about comforting them that mourn (thus pointing to the Millennium to follow).

To proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all that mourn;

The Day of Vengeance of our God is also called the Day of the LORD; and the Day of the Lord is also called the Great Tribulation; and the second coming of Christ follows upon the heels of the Great Tribulation, but it is still a time of severe Divine Judgments, firstly at the Battle of Armageddon, and then against all the nations which opposed God and Christ.

So how do we know that the second coming of Christ is a fearful time? We can look at some Scriptures beginning with 2 Thessalonians 1:6-10, where we see the word “vengeance” in verse 8, and notice that the end of this judgment is eternal damnation in Hell (“everlasting destruction”), which is deemed to be punishment on those who “obey not the Gospel”:

6 Seeing it is a righteous thing with God to recompense tribulation to them that trouble you;

7 And to you who are troubled rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels,

8 In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ:

9 Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power;

10 When he shall come to be glorified in his saints, and to be admired in all them that believe (because our testimony among you was believed) in that day.

Then we have Jude 1:14,15 which again speaks of executing judgment against the ungodly: And Enoch also, the seventh from Adam, prophesied of these, saying, Behold, the Lord cometh with ten thousands of his saints, To execute judgment upon all, and to convince all that are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have ungodly committed, and of all their hard speeches which ungodly sinners have spoken against him.

Then we have Revelation 1:7, which speaks of UNIVERSAL MOURNING at the second coming of Christ, with His saints and angels (which give the appearance of clouds, hence His coming with “clouds”): Behold, he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him, and they also which pierced him: and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him. Even so, Amen.

In order to obtain a proper understanding of the second coming, we must study Revelation, chapters 4 through 19, as well as all the Old Testament prophecies from Isaiah to Malachi which speak of the Day of the Lord and the second coming of Christ.

Now many Christians teach that the Resurrection/Rapture of the Church and the second coming of Christ are all one event. But as we can see from above, that is a logical and Divine impossibility. On one hand we have the outpouring of God’s wrath against the unbelieving and the ungodly. On the other hand we have the culmination of the salvation of the saints, called “the Blessed Hope”.

Well I have taught the second coming for some time now and do not teach it glibly. Having said that, I do not fear it as those who are following a false religion, eschatology or soteriology should worry about it.

 

[Nehemiah6]

Well I have taught the second coming for some time now and do not teach it glibly. Having said that, I do not fear it as those who are following a false religion, eschatology or soteriology should worry about it.

And what exactly are you driving at? The second coming -- as clearly pointed out -- is fearful for the unbelieving and the ungodly. So which eschatology and which soteriology make believers into unbelievers and therefore fearful? Or do you just have an axe to grind?

 

[Locutus]

Yer both wrong, so it's six of one and half a dozen of the other.

 

[heartofdavid]

There are at least three second comings.

1 thes 4

Rev 14

Rev 19

 

[Muzungu256]

2 Thessalonians 1:7-8
"And to you who are troubled rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels, In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ:"

if u believe in pre-trib rapture how does this scripture work for you??????

 

[Locutus]

There are at least three second comings.

1 thes 4

Rev 14

Rev 19

 

[Nehemiah6]

if u believe in pre-trib rapture how does this scripture work for you??????

Well since that Scripture also says that Christ is "glorified in His saints" at the same time that He comes with His mighty angels, it should be obvious that this is a reference to Revelation 19 (and other Scriptures), where Christ comes with "clouds", and "with power and great glory".

Since angels are generally seen as dressed in white and also radiating light, and the glorified saints are also shown to be dressed in white (and will be radiating light), the appearance of all these saints and angels surrounding Christ at His second coming is the appearance of shining clouds seen from a distance.

Behold, he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him, and they also which pierced him: and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him. Even so, Amen. (Rev 1:7)

The important point to note is that "all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him". Now if Christ were coming bringing blessings, no one would wail, but everyone would rejoice. However, because He "cometh to judge the earth" the whole world is fearful and in great distress (mourning) at His coming with His saints and angels.

 

[Muzungu256]

Well since that Scripture also says that Christ is "glorified in His saints" at the same time that He comes with His mighty angels, it should be obvious that this is a reference to Revelation 19 (and other Scriptures), where Christ comes with "clouds", and "with power and great glory".

Since angels are generally seen as dressed in white and also radiating light, and the glorified saints are also shown to be dressed in white (and will be radiating light), the appearance of all these saints and angels surrounding Christ at His second coming is the appearance of shining clouds seen from a distance.

Behold, he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him, and they also which pierced him: and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him. Even so, Amen. (Rev 1:7)

The important point to note is that "all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him". Now if Christ were coming bringing blessings, no one would wail, but everyone would rejoice. However, because He "cometh to judge the earth" the whole world is fearful and in great distress (mourning) at His coming with His saints and angels.

how is it a reference to rev19 when revelation wasnt written yet??????
so are u saying that the thessalonians go thru the tribulation? Read the verse:

2 Thessalonians 1:7-8
"And to you who are troubled rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels, In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ:"

so its you(thessalonians) get rest, when Jesus is revealed with his mighty angels in flaming fire.
so why would the thessalonians go through the tribulation.

 

[Nehemiah6]

how is it a reference to rev19 when revelation wasnt written yet??????

It is a reference to Rev 19 as well as all Scriptures pertaining to the second coming of Christ. Whether or not Revelation had been written at the time is immaterial. We have the entire Bible before us.

so are u saying that the thessalonians go thru the tribulation?

No that is not what I am saying or what Paul was saying. He was speaking about the evil people who were attacking and persecuting the Christians in Thessalonica: So that we ourselves glory in you in the churches of God for your patience and faith in all your persecutions and tribulations that ye endure (v 4).

Then he went on to assure those Christians that those evildoers (as well as others to come) would be recompensed for their evil deeds either before, or at the second coming of Christ:Seeing it is a righteous thing with God to recompense tribulation to them that trouble you; And to you who are troubled rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels... (vv 6,7)

So this is also what Jude had revealed by quoting Enoch:And Enoch also, the seventh from Adam, prophesied of these, saying, Behold, the Lord cometh with ten thousands of his saints, To execute judgment upon all, and to convince all that are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have ungodly committed, and of all their hard speeches which ungodly sinners have spoken against him.

 

[Muzungu256]

It is a reference to Rev 19 as well as all Scriptures pertaining to the second coming of Christ. Whether or not Revelation had been written at the time is immaterial. We have the entire Bible before us.


No that is not what I am saying or what Paul was saying. He was speaking about the evil people who were attacking and persecuting the Christians in Thessalonica: So that we ourselves glory in you in the churches of God for your patience and faith in all your persecutions and tribulations that ye endure (v 4).

Then he went on to assure those Christians that those evildoers (as well as others to come) would be recompensed for their evil deeds either before, or at the second coming of Christ:Seeing it is a righteous thing with God to recompense tribulation to them that trouble you;And to you who are troubled rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels... (vv 6,7)

ok i overstand you up to the point where u quoted the verse, notice when they gain rest.
they gain rest "when the Lord shall be revealed from heaven in flaming fire" soo. rapture happens same time as second coming according to that? its clear. unless they dont get rest at the rapture but only get rest 7 years later???? i hope u are right, can u explain it to me one more time.

 

[Nehemiah6]

ok i overstand you up to the point where u quoted the verse, notice when they gain rest.
they gain rest "when the Lord shall be revealed from heaven in flaming fire" soo. rapture happens same time as second coming according to that? its clear. unless they dont get rest at the rapture but only get rest 7 years later???? i hope u are right, can u explain it to me one more time.

If you will note, Paul says "rest with us". This is a general word of comfort, first to those Thessalonians, and secondly to all Christians.

What he is saying, as he would also say to you or me if we were presently under severe persecution, is "Rest easy. Do not be troubled by those who trouble you, since all evildoers and persecutors of Christians will surely be recompensed for their evil deeds. If not now, then at the second coming of Christ". I am simply paraphrasing what he has said, but if you review the whole chapter, you will agree that this is what Paul is conveying to us. There is no reference to the Rapture or the Tribulation, but only to the second coming of Christ with His saints and angels.

 

[Locutus]

Yer whole premise is fawlty - I've shown you in other threads were Paul promised relief from persecution at the hands of the Jews and their henchmen.

If that relief did not come in their lifetimes then Paul was wrong or worse he lied.

 

[Blain]

I think I should note that in Christ there is no condemnation so I fail to understand why we should be afraid, if anything I would be excited for so long I wanted to get even just a taste of his glory and majesty imagine if I got the full thing with loud trumpets sounding. But aside from that I do not fear him for fear is not from God If we adore him and we love him and if we revere him then why should we be afraid?

 

[Nehemiah6]

I think I should note that in Christ there is no condemnation so I fail to understand why we should be afraid...

Who is saying anything about Christians being afraid? Of course there is no condemnation, and of course, the Rapture is the Blessed Hope of the believer. The whole point is that there is no fear of God in the West today, and Christians should be telling the unsaved "Be very fearful, since you are facing judgment unless you repent". That is exactly what Paul told those Athenians (Acts 17:30,31).

And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to repent: Because he hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained; whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead.

 

[Blain]

Who is saying anything about Christians being afraid? Of course there is no condemnation, and of course, the Rapture is the Blessed Hope of the believer. The whole point is that there is no fear of God in the West today, and Christians should be telling the unsaved "Be very fearful, since you are facing judgment unless you repent". That is exactly what Paul told those Athenians (Acts 17:30,31).

And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to repent: Because he hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained; whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead.

Well the thing is that many actually do fear his return because they feel they are not worthy and not good enough and if the rapture doesn't happen like a lot of people think it will then we may very well see his return but his return is often times spoken of his wrath and anger and judgement upon the world but my post was more to comfort those who do fear and I should have explained that part first which I apologize for

 

[Bladerunner]

And what exactly are you driving at? The second coming -- as clearly pointed out -- is fearful for the unbelieving and the ungodly. So which eschatology and which soteriology make believers into unbelievers and therefore fearful? Or do you just have an axe to grind?

The ones that do not believe the Rapture comes before the 2nd coming!

 

[Locutus]

How can the unbelieving be in fear of something they don't believe in - not too well thought out I'd say.

 

[heartofdavid]

The 5 foolish virgins were in Christ,saved,but were no doubt fearful.

The verse that says " pray that you may be counted worthy to escape.." Is complimentary of the 10 virgin parable