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The Return of the King

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Dr. Alexander Kurian

 

Some Basic Observations

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1. Jesus’ return is explicitly referred to 1,845 times in the Bible - 1,527 times in the OT and 318 times in the NT.

2. Jesus Christ Himself refers to His return at least 21 times.

3. People are exhorted over 50 times to be ready for the return of Jesus.

4. Jesus’ Second Coming is mentioned eight times for every reference to His first coming.

5. The first prophecy of the Bible concerns the Second Coming (Jude 14). The final prophecy of the Bible also deals with the Second Coming (Rev.22:20).

6. The Second Coming is second only to Faith as the most dominant subject in the NT.

7. Twice in the book of Revelation we are told that the door of heaven will be opened – at the rapture to receive the church (4:1); for Christ and His church to march back to the earth (19:11).

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Central passages: Zech.14: 1-4; Dan.7:13-14; Matt.24:27, 29-30; 2 Thessa.1:7-10; Rev.19.

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Rev.19 & the Second Coming

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An Outline of Rev. 19

1. The Hallelujah Choruses (19:1-6)

2. The Announcement of the Marriage Supper of the Lamb (19:7-10)

3. The Announcement of the Advent of Christ (19:11-16)

4. The Announcement of Armageddon (19:17-21)

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The Advent of Christ (19: 11-16)

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1. The Appellatives of Christ (19:11-13)

   • Faithful & True (Perfections of His nature)

   • A Name written which no one knows

   • The Word of God (His eternality & incarnation)

   • King of Kings (His dignity & royalty)

   • Lord of Lords (His authority & sovereignty)

2. The Appearance of Christ (19:12-13,15)

   • His Eyes

   • His Head

   • His Robe

   • His Sword

3. The Armies of Christ (19:14; see also Jude 14-15; 2 Thessa.1:7-10;; Matt.25:31 Zech.14:5)

4. The Authority of Christ (19:15-16)

5. The Avenging of Christ (19:17-21)

   • The Righteous Judge

   • The Righteous Warrior

   • The Righteous King

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The Judgments at the Second Coming

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1. The Judgment of the Gentiles at the end of the Tribulation (Joel 3:1-2; Matt.25:31-46).

2. The Judgment of Israel at the end of the Tribulation (Matt.25:1-30; Ezk.20:34-38).

3. The Judgment of Satan and of the fallen angels after the Millennium, but prior to the Great White Throne Judgment (Jude 6; Rev.20:10)

4. The Judgment of the Unsaved at the Great White Throne after the Millennial Kingdom (Rev.20:11-15).

 

The Resurrection Program

 

Two kinds of Resurrection:

• The Resurrection to Life

• The Resurrection to Judgment (Jn.5:28-29)

 

The Resurrection Program (1 Cori.15:20-24):

• Christ

• “They that are Christ’s at His coming”

• Then comes the end of the resurrection

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The Resurrection Program can be explained in this way:

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1. The Resurrection of Christ

2. The Resurrection of all those who are Christ’s – part of the first resurrection or resurrection to life – which would include Church age saints at the rapture, tribulation saints (Rev.20:3-5) and OT saints at the end of the tribulation/at the time of the second advent (Dan.12;1-2; Isa.26:19).

3. The Resurrection to Damnation or the second/final resurrection of the unsaved dead at the Great White Throne, at the end of the millennial age (Rev.20:5, 11-14).

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The Application of Christ’s Second Coming

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David Jeremiah has outlined ten practical admonitions in the NT epistles in relation to Christ’s return:

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1. Refrain from judging others (1 Cori.4:5)

2. Remember the Lord’s table (1 Cori.11;26)

3. Respond to life spiritually (Colo.3:1-4)

4. Relate to one another in love (1 Thessa.3:12-13)

5. Restore the bereaved (1 Thessa.4:13-18)

6. Recommit ourselves to the ministry (2 Tim.4:1-2)

7. Refuse to neglect church (Heb.10:24-25)

8. Remain steadfast (James 5:7-8)

9. Renounce sin in our lives (1 John 2:28-29)

10. Reach the lost (Jude 21-23).