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Topic: Parablesblog - The Next Appearance of Christ - by Joseph Herrin
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Julie Gilbert
Senior Member
Joined: 07/29/2007 Location: United States
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 2593
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Posted: 01/09/2009 at 11:11pm
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The
Next Appearance of Christ
Posted:
09 Jan 2009 10:07 AM CST
II
Thessalonians 1:7-2:1 When the Lord Yahshua shall be
revealed from heaven with His mighty angels in flaming fire, dealing out
retribution to those who do not know God and to those who do not obey the gospel
of our Lord Yahshua. And these will pay the penalty of age lasting destruction,
away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power, when He comes to be glorified in His saints on that day, and to be
marveled at among all who have believed — for our testimony to you was believed.
To this end also we pray for you always that our God may count you worthy of
your calling, and fulfill every desire for goodness and the work of faith with
power; in order that the
name of our Lord Yahshua may be glorified in you, and you in Him,
according to the grace of our God and the Lord Yahshua Christ.
The common
conception of the next appearance of Christ is a reflection of the church’s lack
of understanding of Christ in them. The church ever thinks of a Christ that is
far away, sitting in heaven, who must return bodily to be among His disciples
once more. Rarely does a believer understand the mystery of Christ dwelling in
them, nor do they understand the desire of the Father for Christ to be fully
formed in all of His sons and daughters.
The image of Christ returning
bodily in the clouds of the sky to catch up His saints into heaven is commonly
presented to the body of Christ to describe what His appearance at the end of
the church age will be like. The idea of Christians suddenly being raptured out
of this world, leaving cars careening wildly, homes empty, airplanes without
pilots, and a host of other calamitous disappearances has been popularized by
books such as the Left Behind series, as
well as in movies, in thousands of sermons, and in a multitude of fiction and
non-fiction books on the Bible. Such a concept is not Scripturally supported,
and the next appearance of Christ will not resemble these fables in any
way.
The apostle Paul in writing to the church in Thessalonica described
the next appearing of Christ. The apostle spoke of “when He comes to be glorified
in His saints on that day...”
The next appearing of Christ will not be in the literal clouds of the heavens.
It will be a manifestation of Christ “in His saints.”
Consider for a
moment how much in error the Jewish believers were concerning the appearing of
the Messiah 2,000 years ago. They were looking for the Messiah to appear in a
manner totally foreign to reality. Despite the testimony of Scriptures, and
prophecies concerning a virgin giving birth, of a Savior whose form would not be
one to stir desire, and of a suffering servant, the Jews had adopted a very
different belief of the appearing of Christ. The Jews were looking for that
which was pleasing to them, to their flesh, their ambition, and their religious
pride. They anticipated a conquering king who would sit on the throne of David
and loose the yoke of Rome from about their necks. They were looking to a
Messiah who would re-establish the glory of Solomon’s kingdom and who would
elevate them among the nations.
Christians today should take a lesson
from Solomon.
Ecclesiastes 1:9 That which has been is that which will
be, and that which has been done is that which will be done. So, there is
nothing new under the sun.
Christians today are repeating the error of
the Jews 2,000 years ago. The church has the Scriptures, and they study them
after a fashion on a very regular basis. Yet the conclusions they are arriving
at are all wrong. They are expecting the Lord to return in a manner pleasing to
their own carnal desires. They anticipate living for their own pleasures now,
and when the world begins to enter into tribulation they expect to be raptured
out and spared all suffering and judgment. How easy it is to neglect an entire
body of Scriptures that speak otherwise.
Christ will only receive His
bride to Himself after she has been purified. He will not rapture a fleshly,
pleasure seeking, idol loving group of unrighteous confessors into His presence
to spend eternity with Him. Judgment must begin at the house of God. Many will
be purged, purified and refined, but the wicked will continue to act
wickedly.
God has always been seeking a habitation. The tabernacle and
temple of the Old Testament were merely physical illustrations of that spiritual
temple God seeks to dwell within. Christ manifested great zeal when He found the
money changers and merchants had set up shop in His Father’s house. This was
also a parable. The people of God today resemble the temple in the time of
Herod. The church is pursuing all things material. The sound of the merchants
and money changers rings loudly within the souls of the people of God. They are
focused upon their next expenditure, their next acquisition, when God has
created them to be a house of prayer.
Christ must cleanse the house
before He can appear in glory in the midst of it. Surely the church is deceived
to believe that they will be partakers of the glory of Christ apart from first
silencing all the noise and activity of worldly pursuit in their lives. All
idols must be cast down. All trafficking in the things of a fallen world must
end. The church must return to her first love. She must devote herself to Christ
as a pure virgin, for the harlotry of her behavior has brought a great reproach
in this hour.
When Christ has purified, cleansed vessels, then He will
appear in glory in
them. The glory of this appearing will differ for each individual
according to their worthiness. Christians do not like to speak of qualifying
themselves for reward and glory. They prefer to believe that all will be based
upon grace and forgiveness and given as a free gift. This frees them from
personal responsibility. They need not crucify the flesh, nor suffer, nor take
up the cross. They prefer the fable that all will receive the same poured out
abundance of reward and glory at the appearing of Christ. Once more they have
neglected a host of Scriptures.
I Peter 4:12-13 Beloved, do not be
surprised at the fiery ordeal among you, which comes upon you for your testing,
as though some strange thing were happening to you; but to the degree that you share the
sufferings of Christ, keep on rejoicing; so that also at the revelation of His
glory, you may rejoice with exultation.
To the degree that YOU share in the sufferings of Christ, you will
also partake of His glory. No suffering, no glory. Do not be deceived. God will
not be mocked. You will reap according to that which you sow.
II Timothy
2:12 If we endure, we
shall also reign with Him; If we deny Him, He also will deny
us...
I Peter 5:10 And after you have suffered for a
little while, the God of all grace, who called you to His eternal glory in
Christ, will Himself perfect, confirm, strengthen and establish
you.
God is not unjust that He would pour forth the same reward
upon all Christians simply because of their confession. He will examine each
man’s life and works. God will not be mocked. There are many who honor God with
their lips while their hearts are far from Him. He will judge each man’s life
according to that which he has done.
Romans 2:5-11 But because of your
stubbornness and unrepentant heart you are storing up wrath for yourself in the
day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God, who will render to every man
according to his deeds: to those who by perseverance in doing good seek
for glory and honor and immortality, eternal life; but to those who are
selfishly ambitious and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, wrath
and indignation. There will be tribulation and distress for every soul of man
who does evil, of the Jew first and also of the Greek, but glory and honor and
peace to every man who does good, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. For there is no partiality with
God.
People of God, you are called to obedience. You are called to
hear the voice of the Spirit and do as He says in all things. All those who
follow Christ with a whole heart will experience suffering. God will always lead
His children to suffer that they might be perfected. He is a rewarder of the
obedient. None who follow the Spirit, embracing difficulties and suffering, will
ever come out the loser in the deal.
Romans 8:18 For I consider that
the sufferings of
this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed
in us.
Let not the Christian who avoids suffering by failing to
submit to the leadership of the Spirit of Christ be deceived into thinking that
they will receive reward for their carnal actions. When Christ comes to be
revealed in His
saints, those who have avoided the working of the cross will find that
His appearing is unobserved in their members. This is Paul’s warning to the
Thessalonian church. There are a number of Scriptures that reveal that not all
of God’s people will be partakers of the glory of Christ’s next appearing. It is
those who have made themselves ready who will experience His glorious appearing
in
them.
Hebrews 9:27-28 And inasmuch as it is appointed for men
to die once and after this comes judgment, so Christ also,
having been offered once to bear the sins of many, shall appear a second time for
salvation without reference to sin, to those who eagerly await
Him.
Does not the apostle here speak of the second appearing of
Christ? He qualifies this event by saying His appearing will be “to those who
eagerly await Him.” Those who eagerly await the appearing of Christ are those
who are making themselves ready. Those who are living for pleasure, rather than
for the will of God, will not experience the next appearance of
Christ.
Christian, take this to heart. Be warned. You may very well miss
the appearing of Christ just as the Jews failed to discern His appearing 2,000
years ago. There is nothing new under the Sun. Just like the Jews, when many
Christians observe the appearance of Christ in His saints, many
Christians will deny that this is that which was prophesied. They will declare
that it cannot possibly be the appearing of Christ, for they are not partakers
of it. They will even set themselves to persecute those in whom Christ has
appeared as the Jews persecuted the Son of God at His first appearing. “That
which has been, is that which will be.” Those
who do not learn from history are doomed to repeat it.
Coming In the Clouds
How is it that the
church has so misunderstood the nature of the Lord's next appearing? How have
they failed to comprehend that Christ must appear in His saints, when it is
testified in Scripture. One of the means by which this has happened is that the
church has taken a literal meaning of an expression that is repeated throughout
the Bible, rather than seeing its spiritual understanding. Let me cite some of
the verses that contain this expression.
Daniel 7:13-14 I kept looking
in the night visions, and behold, with the clouds of heaven
One like a Son of Man was coming, and He came up to the Ancient of Days and was
presented before Him. And to Him was given dominion, glory and a kingdom, that
all the peoples, nations, and men of every language might serve Him. His
dominion is an everlasting dominion which will not pass away; and His kingdom is
one which will not be destroyed.
This is the first mention of Christ
appearing “with the clouds of heaven.” Prophecy teachers today would have you
believe these clouds are literal rain clouds. This is a great error. The clouds
are not the puffy white clouds we see in the sky, they are symbolic of the
overcoming saints, ascended to heavenly places in Christ. The Scriptures use
such language to describe the overcomers.
Please take time to read the
following passage, as it is critical to understanding this
symbolism.
Hebrews 11:32-12:1 And what more shall I say? For time will
fail me if I tell of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, of David and Samuel and
the prophets, who by faith conquered kingdoms, performed acts of righteousness,
obtained promises, shut the mouths of lions, quenched the power of fire, escaped
the edge of the sword, from weakness were made strong, became mighty in war, put
foreign armies to flight. Women received back their dead by resurrection; and
others were tortured, not accepting their release, in order that they might
obtain a better resurrection; and others experienced mockings and scourgings,
yes, also chains and imprisonment. They were stoned, they were sawn in two, they
were tempted, they were put to death with the sword; they went about in
sheepskins, in goatskins, being destitute, afflicted, ill-treated (men of whom
the world was not worthy), wandering in deserts and mountains and caves and
holes in the ground. And all these, having gained approval through their faith,
did not receive what was promised, because God had provided something better for
us, so that apart from us they should not be made perfect. Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of
witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance, and
the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race
that is set before us...
This entire passage describes those who have led
an overcoming life. These were those of whom the world is not worthy. Even as a
cloud rises above the earth, so do these victorious people of God stand far
above the level of this evil age. They are described as “a great cloud of witnesses.” This
is a heavenly body of God’s elect, called out ones from the earth.
We can
know with assurance that it is people that Daniel was speaking of when he wrote
of the Son of Man appearing before the Ancient of Days with the clouds of
heaven, for we are told that the Son of Man is given ruling authority over all
people and nations and tongues. We know that Christ is not to rule alone in the
age to come. Those who attain to the first resurrection will rule with
Him.
Revelation 20:4-6 And I saw thrones, and they sat
upon them, and judgment was given to them. And I saw the souls of those who
had been beheaded because of the testimony of Yahshua and because of the word of
God, and those who had not worshiped the beast or his image, and had not
received the mark upon their forehead and upon their hand; and they came to life
and reigned with Christ for a thousand years. The rest of the dead did
not come to life until the thousand years were completed. This is the first
resurrection. Blessed and holy is the one who has a part in the first
resurrection ; over these the second death has no power, but they will be
priests of God and of Christ and will reign with Him for a thousand
years.
The Son of Man will appear with “the clouds” to receive ruling
authority over the earth. These clouds are not cumulus, nor cirrhus, nor
stratus. They are the souls of the overcomers. Let us understand the Scriptures
to discern what they are truly declaring, laying aside the fables of Babylon.
Many will miss the appearing of Christ, for they are looking for it to occur in
the wrong place. Christ will appear in His saints, not in the clouds of the
upper atmosphere.
Matthew 24:30-31 And then the sign of the Son of Man
will appear in the sky, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man
coming in the clouds of the sky with power and great glory. And He will
send forth His angels with a great trumpet and they will gather together His
elect from the four winds, from one end of the sky to the
other.
Did you notice that this passage does not say that the
people of God will be gathered from the earth. No! The angels will “gather
together His elect from the four winds.” This speaks of an area above the earth.
This imagery is repeated as He says, “from one end of the SKY to the other.” What is it that are found in
the sky? It is clouds, and these clouds represent the overcoming people of God.
These will be gathered together at the appearing of Christ. These are not
physical clouds being referred to here.
Matthew 26:64 Yahshua said to
him, "You have said it yourself; nevertheless I tell you, hereafter you shall
see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of Power, and coming in the clouds of
heaven."
Need I say it again. The clouds that Christ will appear
upon are His people. It is that which Paul described to the Thessalonians.
Christ must appear “in His
saints.”
Mark 14:62-63 And Yahshua said, "I am; and you shall
see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of Power, and coming with the clouds of
heaven."
Notice that Mark says Christ will come with the clouds of heaven,
but Matthew said in
the clouds of heaven.
Both expressions are correct. Matthew uses the
Greek word epi. Mark uses the Greek word meta. Both words express the idea that
Christ is superimposed upon His people; accompanying them, being IN their midst.
Strong’s Concordance defines these words as follows.
epi; a primary preposition; properly, meaning
superimposition (of time, place, order, etc.), as a relation of distribution
[with the genitive case], i.e. over, upon, etc.
meta: a primary preposition (often used adverbially);
properly, denoting accompaniment; "amid" (local or causal); modified variously
according to the case
Does this not explain beautifully what will
occur at the next appearing of Christ? Christ will be revealed “amid” His
people. He will be observed accompanying them. He will be in them, and they will
be in Him.
One passage that often confuses Christians is found in Acts
where the ascension of Christ is described.
Acts 1:9-11 And after He
had said these things, He was lifted up while they were looking on, and a cloud received Him out of
their sight. And as they were gazing intently into the sky while He was
departing, behold, two men in white clothing stood beside them; and they also
said, "Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into the sky? This Yahshua, who has been taken
up from you into heaven, will come in just the same way as you have watched Him
go into heaven."
Was it a literal, physical cloud that the
disciples saw receiving Christ into the heavens. I do not doubt that this is
what their physical eyes saw. In actuality, however, it was all those overcomers
who had gone before who gladly received Christ into heaven. It was that great
cloud of witnesses, many of whom are described in the 11th chapter of Hebrews.
With great joy these ones received Christ into their midst.
Some may
argue that these were already dead and in the grave, awaiting the resurrection.
Yet we read that after the crucifixion that these overcomers, prophets, and
patriarchs came out of the grave and were seen by many, testifying of the
Messiah. Would not these ones then have ascended to heaven to await their
King?
Matthew 27:51-53 And behold, the veil of the temple was torn in
two from top to bottom, and the earth shook; and the rocks were split, and the
tombs were opened ; and many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were
raised; and coming out of the tombs after His resurrection they entered the holy
city and appeared to many.
These could not come out of the grave until
after the resurrection of Christ, for He is the firstborn from the dead. Yet
they did come out, for the One who is the resurrection and the life raised them
from the dead. These did not return to the grave, for it is appointed to man
“once to die.” These ascended to the Father and awaited the return of their
Savior. Christ was received into heaven by the clouds, and He will appear again
in the same way, in the midst of His overcomers.
If you understand that
Christ is in you even now, why would you look for His glorious appearing
anywhere else other than in you? It is an unbelieving church that is looking for
the appearing of Christ outside of themselves. God, however, has a much higher
and greater plan. He seeks to have Christ revealed in glory in the midst of His
saints.
Matthew 24:30 And they will see the Son of Man
coming in the clouds of the sky with power and great glory.
John
17:22-24 "And the
glory which You have given Me I have given to them; that
they may be one, just as We are one; I in them, and You in Me,
that they may be perfected in unity, that the world may know that You did send
Me, and did love them, even as You did love Me.
The glory of Christ will
be revealed in His disciples. Christ will appear in them. He will be seen in the
clouds, that heavenly host of overcomers who abide in heavenly places, no longer
bound to this fallen earth. These are those who have set their affections on
things above, not on the earth below. These look to the return of Christ, for
His appearing will be glorious.
Romans 8:18 For I consider that the
sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed
in us.
II Corinthians 3:18 But we all, with unveiled face
beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the
same image from glory to glory...
Ephesians 5:27 That He might present to Himself
the church in all her glory, having no spot or wrinkle or any such thing;
but that she should be holy and blameless.
Colossians 3:4 When Christ, who is our
life, is revealed,
then you also will be
revealed with Him in glory.
It should be abundantly evident from
these verses and many more, that the clouds upon which the Lord will appear with
power and glory are none other than His body of overcoming saints. This will be
His next appearing - in His
saints. Will you witness this appearing? Will you experience His
appearing in you? All those who have this hope, purify themselves as He is
pure.
Heart4God Website: http://www.heart4god.ws Parables Blog: http://www.parablesblog.blogspot.com
Mailing
Address: Joseph Herrin P.O. Box 5546 Macon, GA 31208 |
__________________ See, the former things have taken place, and new things I declare; before they spring into being I announce them to you. Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See I am doing a new thing
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