The Second Coming of Christ

By: Dan C. Bailey

The Son of God has already been here upon the earth once. He was born of a virgin. "Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel" (Isaiah 7:14). "Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us" (Matthew 1:23). He was God manifest in the flesh. "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God" (John 1:1). "And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth?" (John 1:14). "And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory" (I Timothy 3:16). He walked upon the Sea of Galilee, stilled the storms, healed the sick, raised the dead, and spake like "... never man spake" (John 7:46). He was "... despised and rejected of men, a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief..." (Isaiah 53:3). He was crucified on the cruel cross at a place called Calvary. "And when they were come to the place, which is called Calvary, there they crucified him, and the malefactors, one on the right hand, and the other on the left" (Luke 23:33). He died upon that cross. "And when Jesus had cried with a loud voice, he said, Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit: and having said thus, he gave up the ghost" (Luke 23:46). And then he was laid in a tomb or "... sepulchre that was hewn in stone, wherein never man before was laid" (Luke 23:53). They sealed the tomb with a stone and set a watch of soldiers to guard it. "So they went, and made the sepulchre sure, sealing the stone, and setting a watch" (Matthew 27:66). However, our Lord did not remain in the cold tomb. He arose from the grave upon the first day of the week. We read about this in Matthew 28:1-6; Mark 16:1-8; Luke 24:1-12; and John 20:1-10. All of these scriptures relate to the first time that Jesus came to earth. In Acts 1:9-11 we read that Christ ascended back up to heaven from whence he came. "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 stedfastly 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."

The scriptures teach that Jesus is going to come a second time. "So 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" (Hebrews 9:28). His coming will not be a figurative coming, but personal and visible. (See Acts 1:9-11). We read in Revelation 1:7, "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." Rather than being in secret it will be seen by all. "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" (Matthew 24:27). He will be "... coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory" (Matthew 24:30). "And he shall send 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" (Matthew 24:31). "But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only" (Matthew 24:36).

Yes, Brethren, our Lord who was resurrected upon the first day of the week is coming back to raise the dead and to judge the world in righteousness. "Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the 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" (John 5:28-29). "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" (Acts 17:30-31). Brethren, "Therefore let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober" (I Thessalonians 5:6). As even our Lord said, "Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come" (Matthew 24:42); and "Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh" (Matthew 24:44).

"He which testifieth these things saith, Surely I come quickly. Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus" (Revelation 22:20). Let us be ready for that great day!