The Glorious Appearing
From Tribulation To Jubilation
Matthew 24:29-31
Tonight I want to begin a new series on the 2nd Coming of Christ. We’ll take about 13 weeks to study about it.
Often we put a lot of attention on the rapture of the church and kind of lump all the events that it triggers together, but I want to make sure we have our minds clear on the difference between the rapture and the 2nd coming.
There are some theologians who say they are one and the same, but I understand them to be two distinct events. The next event on God's prophetic calendar for the church is the rapture of the church or the catching away of the church. Seven years after that there will be the 2nd coming of Christ.
That means following the 2nd coming is when we encounter the new heaven and earth, the Holy City, streets of gold, gates of pearl and a time without tears.
This is the time when there is no devil and no evil, no disasters or disease or death. So I hope it will be an exciting and informative study for us and I encourage you to be here every Wednesday that you can to be a part of it.
Let’s begin in Matthew 24. Now in this chapter, Jesus is answering some of the questions of the disciples. They had a lot of questions!
In fact, at the beginning of the chapter they ask Jesus three questions: “when will these things be, what will be the sign of our coming, and what will be the end of the age”?
So Jesus begins to answer those questions. And He answers in three ways or from three different perspectives.
He answers as it related to Israel, as it relates to the rapture of the church and, beginning at verse 29, as it relates to the 2nd coming.
Do when we come to verse 29, we are after the rapture, after the tribulation, and at the time of the Battle of Armageddon and at the point of the return of Christ to the earth.
Matthew 24:29-31
Notice what He says, first of all about
1. The Period of His Coming
Notice the phrase at the beginning of verse 29: "immediately after the tribulation of those days".
Let’s take just a moment to make sure we are all on the same page. The tribulation is the seven year period following the rapture of the church. First the church must be taken out for the tribulation to begin
Scripture teaches us that the church is taken off the earth for this period of time. I know a lot of people question that. They think it arrogant to believe the church will miss the tribulation. It has nothing to do with arrogance and everything to do with grace. To deny a pre-tribulation rapture is to confess your ignorance of the grace of God.
There is ample Old Testament and New Testament Scripture and illustration to support the pre-tribulation rapture of the church.
For instance, in the Book of Revelation beginning at the first chapter you find that Jesus deals with the church. And in chapters 2 & 3 He deals with the church.
In Revelation 4 however, John is caught up to heaven in verse 1 in a picture of the rapture. From that time on, He no longer deals with the church on earth. We see the church in heaven but not on earth. In chapters 6-19 no longer is the church mentioned on earth. And all the activities of judgment are on earth but the church is not there. The church is omitted completely.
Why? Because the church has been caught up to heaven. And what takes place on earth is the tribulation time, judgment after judgment after judgment. Three series of judgment in judgments of seven. Twenty-one different judgments in the three judgments.
Now this tribulation time is a period of seven years that is defined scripturally in two 31/2 year periods. The last 3½ years is known as the Great Tribulation. It is the most intensive part of the period.
The anti-Christ rises to power and becomes a world leader. As such he is able to establish a treaty with Israel.
In Daniel 9:27 the Bible says, "And he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week: and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease, and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make it desolate, even until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate."
That is simply telling us that is he will break the treaty. At the time this peace treaty is broken by antichrist, he will declare himself to be god.
He moves into a temple which has been rebuilt in Jerusalem, he moves into the Holy of Holies and set himself up as god himself, demanding that the world, including the Jews, worship him. And of course at this point they know he is an imposter.
You may be thinking, it just seems so improbable that all of this could happen. But I will promise you if someone came on the scene today and was able to convince Israel that he could guarantee their peace and their safety from all their Arab enemies that surround them, and give them full control of the Temple Mount and let them build a temple and worship as they see fit, they would sign that treaty in a heartbeat.
Others question how the United States would ever bow to a world leader. We have a president who does it all the time! He’s sold us down the river with United Nations accords and agreements that give away our sovereignty as a nation.
It’s already happening. And once the church is removed, and what little scripturally sense there is in Washington is gone, the liberals will have us cozied up with the anti-Christ before Americans know what is happening. The socialists that are in control today have already begun the process.
Of course they will sign a treaty of peace. No one has been able to do this. But one, one day will be able to guarantee their peace and their safety and they will sign this treaty of peace. And 3½ years in, he will break it. And as a result of all of that world chaos ensues.
The anti-Christ will require people to swear allegiance to him by accepting a mark. It will be a number of some sorts, an identification mark of some sort, maybe a computer chip worn on the person himself. People are already chip-implanting their pets and children.
This mark will allow people to buy groceries and medicine. It is the end result of the governmental control that our leaders are seeking to impose on us through things like mandated health care and expanded welfare. We are becoming more and more dependent upon the government to take care of us.
For the first time in American history we have more people receiving government assistance of some sort than we have paying taxes.
During the tribulation, many are going to be martyred in Christ's name for refusing to take the mark of the beast. They will refuse to worship the antichrist.
And during this time, God will have 144,000 Jewish evangelists working to turnthe attention of the world to God. They will finally get around to doing what God told Abraham they would do way back in Genesis 12.
In the meantime, war and earthquakes and volcanic eruptions and tidal waves and pestilence and disease will be rampant upon the earth causing billions of people to die. A fourth of the world’s population will be destroyed at one time according to the book of Revelation. There are about 6 billion people in the world right now, so that means 1.5 billion being destroyed at one time.
The Bible talks about all the sea life being destroyed. The Bible talks about the sea being turned into blood. It talks about every mountain being removed out of its place. This will be a cataclysmic time.
So that’s just a little thumbnail sketch of the period of time when Jesus comes. Next think about the
2. The Preparation for His Coming
Verse 29
Several things are mentioned as the earth prepares for His coming.
First, there will be
Disturbance in the Natural world.
The sun will be darkened. We don't know what will darken the sun. It may be just a divine act of God. It may be God will use events in nature.
It may be God will use man's abuse of the ecology. It may be God will use some kind of war between mankind. The sun will be darkened. The moon will be darkened. Stars and planets will be falling from the sky.
But notice this verse also indicates there will be
Distraction in the Spiritual World
The powers of heaven are shaken, the Bible says. I think God's controlling force will be removed from the universe. We know from Scripture that there is a controlling force in the universe which is God.
Scientists tell us that if the earth was tilted just a minutia from its axes that we would burn up or if it was tilted the other way we would freeze to death. What keeps the earth exactly as it is? I think it is the controlling power of God. And if God removes His hand it would imbalance nature.
We are told that the whole creation is groaning as it awaits the day of redemption that is coming. And I think we have an indication here that the one who keeps the planets, the stars in their places is one day going to withdraw His influence, and when He does nature is going to be imbalanced.
By the way, there is a lesson in that for us right now. It is important to keep in mind God not only created this world, but it is He Who keeps it all balanced and running along, and if He can control all that He can take care of you.
Then he says there will be
Disruption in the International World
Verse 30
This is one of the reasons we know this is not the rapture. This is the 2nd coming. In the rapture Jesus comes as a thief in the night. A thief doesn't tell you when He is coming. When Jesus comes for the church only those who are saved will know it. He is coming to steal away His jewels. He is coming just for those who know Him.
But when He comes in His glorious appearing every eye will see. He is going to come and everyone will know it. Power and great glory on the clouds of heaven. He wants everybody to know it. Everybody will see Him. That is when He comes in all of His glory as King of Kings and Lord of Lords.
But notice it says the international community will mourn because of His coming. Because of what is happening on the earth, nations will be distressed. There will be confusion and perplexity of leadership. There will be roaring or tidal waves, roaring and tossing of the sea. The balance of ecology will be destroyed. Multitudes will be slaughtered.
Finally, notice
3. The Place of His Coming
To where will Jesus return when He comes?
Let me give you two Scripture references.
Isaiah 34:1-8
Revelation 16:16
Now Isaiah mentions Edom and Bozrah is Petra. Now Petra is the place of safety to which God has gathered the believing remnant of Israel during the tribulation. Then Revelation talks about Megiddo or Armageddon, mentioned by the prophet Joel as well.
Now if you look at that on a map, it means this great battlefield extends some 200 miles, all the way from Edom down in the southern part of Jordan, north past the valley of Armageddon in the northern part of Israel, all the way past the border of present day Israel into Lebanon.
In fact, Revelation 14:20 tells us there will be a river of blood that will be up to the horses’ bridles 200 hundred miles long.
So obviously, this area, the battle of Armageddon, is of significance when we talk about the place of the Lord’s return.
In fact, if you take Isaiah 34 literally, the indication is He will fight from the heavens against His enemies. Revelation 19:21 says His enemies were killed by the sword that proceeds from the mouth of Him Who sat on the horse.”
So I think it highly probable that the Battle of Armageddon is settled by the power of the Voice of God.
So obviously the battle site is important.
But there is another location that is really the center of attention when it comes to the return of Christ and that is the Mount of Olives.
Look at Acts 1:9-11
You can look at that a couple of different ways, but I think we are being told not only that Jesus will return in the same way He was taken but also the same spot from which He was taken.
In fact, that is exactly what the prophet Zechariah tells.
Zechariah 14:1-4
And as an exact fulfillment of that prophecy, Jesus will return to the very place of His ascension.
Now quickly, let’s look at
4. The People at His Coming
Who is involved in His appearing?
- Those in Heaven
Obviously that includes Christ Himself. It is all about Him. He is to be marveled at at His appearing.
Revelation 19:14 says the armies of heaven will appear with Him. That means the raptured church, the Bride of Christ will be with Him.
Old Testament saints will be there. They are called "the friends of the bridegroom".
2 Thessalonians says the angels will be included. The mighty angels will be there.
The martyred tribulation saints will be there. In Revelation 7 we read of the saints under the altar who cry out to Him saying, “How long will it be, how long before you avenge our brethren on the earth who are being slaughtered because they would not take the mark of the beast? And He said, rest for a little while.” So those killed during the tribulation will be with Him when He comes.
Then there may be some tribulation saints alive when He returns and they will be raptured at this time when He comes. That would include believing Jews who are on the earth.
So heaven will be involved.
Then
- those on earth are going to be involved
That is the unbelievers. And as we read a moment ago they will be killed at the battle of Armageddon
The anti-Christ and false prophet are also involved and are cast into the lake of fire as Jesus just cleans house on the earth
And then
-the one under the earth is involved
Satan himself is bound and cast into a bottomless pit for 1.000 years.
5. The Process Of His Coming
First, a sign will appear
Matthew 24:29-30
What is that sign of the Son of Man? I don’t know and we are not told. Old Bible scholars thought it might be a blazing cross in the sky. Others have thought it was one thing or another but I believe the sign of the Son of Man may just be the Son of Man Himself coming on the clouds of glory. The sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky.
And then
A Savior will appear
He is coming back physically. It will be Jesus Himself. He is coming back personally. He is coming back bodily. It will be the same Jesus that came out of the tomb, the same Jesus that ascended back to heaven, the same Jesus the disciples saw go up, the same Jesus who had the nail prints in His hands, the same Jesus who walked the dusty streets of Israel, the same Jesus who walked the beaches of the Sea of Galilee, the same Jesus who walked on the water. He is coming back physically, and
He is coming back gloriously. It says He is coming on the clouds of heaven. I have given you all these Scriptures that talk about Jesus coming on the clouds of heaven. These aren't just the clouds we see in the sky, he is talking about glory clouds, the clouds of glory.
One final thing
6. The Purpose of His Coming
He is coming back to establish His Kingdom on earth for a thousand years. And in that Kingdom there will be peace and prosperity, and plenty. There will be a perfect balance in the ecology. The curse is going to be taken from the earth and prophecy will be fulfilled. All the Old Testament prophecies and covenants will be fulfilled from Abraham to David. And the covenants with Israel will be fulfilled. And Christ will reign on the throne of His father David upon this earth.
Praise the Lord! He is coming! Amen?!
Let’s pray
