The COMPLETE Truth About The Second Coming of Christ

with well over 300 references directly referencing the second coming of Christ in the New Testament the problem we face is actually too much information as opposed to too little information even among Christians with great trust in the Bible they seem to agree with the important fact of his coming but strongly disagree with what comes before and comes after the event who will return a lot of us have been caught gazing into the distance after a car or a bus has carried a loved one away especially if that is a final parting maybe we are trying to postpone the pain this is what happened to the people of Galilee when Jesus left into the clouds Jesus had spent less than two months with them after he came back from the dead and he was gone long after he had gone the disciples still stared into the heavens it had to take two angels to bring their attention back to Earth again the Angels reassured the disciples that Jesus would return acts 1 11 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 first thing that you need to note is that they used his human name they did not use any of his Divine names or titles another thing you can note is that it is the same Jesus Disciples of Jesus do not worry we may change indeed we should change for the better but he will not Hebrews 13 8 Jesus Christ the same yesterday and today and forever we must not forget that this person who has ascended to the highest Heaven is the same one who descended to lowest Earth Ephesians 4 9 and 10. now that he ascended what is it but that he also descended first into the lower parts of the Earth he that descended is the same also that ascended up far above all Heavens that he might fill all things this human comprehension of the human Jesus is enshrined in the four Gospels from these appears a clear picture of a distinct personality loved by Sinners hated by Pretenders adored by the poor and feared by the powerful his tongue could be softer and sharper than any other one it is this Jesus who will return to the planet Earth one day he will not have changed he will be no less human than he was when walking the dusty roads reclining at meal tables sleeping in a boat riding a donkey or washing feet however it should be pointed out that there had already been a significant change in his Humanity before he left the Earth God gave him a new body when he raised him out of the Tomb this glorious body has the same appearance even to the disfigurements of the crucifixion with scars on the head back side hands and feet but it was no longer subject to the Natural rules of Aging deterioration and death when he returns he will not be older still in Prime still 33 except that his hair will be Snow White Revelation 1 14. his head and his hairs were white like wool as white as snow and his eyes were as a flame of fire Revelation 1 14 a symbol of his sharing the nature of his father the Ancient of Days this transformation of his body has not made Jesus less human but more human which God had planned all human beings to be and by his grace what many will be in this Jesus is our Pioneer blazing away for us to follow Hebrew 2 10. for it became him for whom are all things and by whom are all things in bringing many sons on the glory to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings but he will not leave us to find our own way he will come back and take us to be with him for he himself is the way John 14 3-6 and if I go and prepare a place for you I will come again and receive you unto myself that where I am there ye may be also and wither I go ye know and the way you know Thomas saith unto him Lord we know not wither thou goest and how can we know the way Jesus saith unto him I am the way the truth and the life no man cometh onto the father but by me subsequently we will also have glorious bodies just like Jesus however we will be the exact same people that we have always been it is for this reason Christians speak of Resurrection as opposed to reincarnation as reincarnation indicates a change in identity also we must remember that Jesus was not always a human being certainly he was not always Jesus that was a name he acquired when he was incarnate embodied and when he became human Matthew 1 21. and he shall bring forth a son and thou shall call his name Jesus for he shall save his people from their sins in contrast to us he existed before his conception and was the only person who ever decided to be born Jesus was the Eternal Son of God the word he was the Divine being before he was a human being therefore it is important that the Angels used his human name when they promised his return to Earth it is the son of man who will appear in the clouds Daniel 7 13. I saw in the night visions and behold one like the son of man came with the clouds of heaven and came to the Ancient of Days and they brought him near before him Mark 14 62. and Jesus said I am and ye shall see the son of man sitting on the right hand of power and coming in the Clouds Of Heaven it is the embodied Christ who will be returning to Earth not to any intangible Apparition of the son of God Daniel 3 25. he answered and said lo I see four men loose walking in the midst of the fire and they have no hurt and the form of the fourth is like the son of God some who found such a bodily return difficult to accept have spiritualized his coming identifying it with the coming of his Spirit to the church at Pentecost or his coming to every individual believer in conversion but none of these interpretations does Justice to the promise that the same Jesus will come back as we see in Acts 1 11. acts 1 11. 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 Jesus who invited the disciples to touch him who ate fish in their presence who walked to Emmaus and broke bread who told Thomas to examine his wounds who cooked breakfast on the shores of Galilee it is this Jesus who will return one day the fundamental focus of Jesus Christ Sermon on the Mount of Olives is his appeal to alertness and watchfulness he is surely imparting a principle that applies to all of us he is urging his people to be prepared and expectant the Olivet discourses is a powerful and focused argument for one thing Readiness most of the statements and Parables contributes to one simple message be ready Christ will come when you least expect him while Christians wait he emphasizes four vital virtues they should cultivate number one humility first he preemptively punctures the pride of those that set the precise hour of his coming but of that day and hour no one knows it takes a certain amount of humility to accept one's ignorance on such a crucial issue I can think of several good reasons that we do not know this date there are few valid reasons why we don't know this date for one reason if everyone knew the exact hour of Christ's coming many people would be tempted to put off obeying God if people knew they had exactly 10 years many would imagine they had time to sin for nine and a half years then plan to repent shortly before Christ comes too many people already conduct their lives in this manner others might exploit the coming end of the world as an excuse to be lazy or irresponsible thousands would undoubtedly choose to spend the remaining days on the hillside and lawn chairs no one believer a non-believer would be able to keep a proper perspective on the future if the hour of Christ's coming was known it would be impossible to think or operate normally under these conditions we'd lose the delicate balance of expectation and patience that God mandates in fact no matter when he comes we should hope that he finds Us Faithful if we knew the exact moment ahead of time it would cast doubt on our motivation and jeopardize an opportunity to demonstrate our undivided dedication to him even the angels are not privy to this of that day and hour no one knows not even the angels in heaven Mark's account further informs us that Jesus himself did not know the time Mark 13 verse 32 new international version but about that day or hour no one knows not even the angels in Heaven nor the son but only the father number two alertness in addition Christ calls us to be vigilant and expectant he compares the imminency of his return to the suddenness of The Genesis Flood Matthew 24 verses 36-42 new international version but about that day or hour no one knows not even the angels in Heaven nor the son but only the father as it was in the days of Noah so it will be at the coming of the son of man for in the days before the flood people were eating and drinking marrying and giving in marriage up to the day Noah entered the Ark and they knew nothing about what would happen until the flood came and took them all away this is how it will be at the coming of the son of man two men will be in the field one will be taken and the other left two women will be grinding with a hand Mill one will be taken and the other left therefore keep watch because you do not know on what day your Lord will come the flood is an amazing illustration of Jesus's teaching the majority of Noah's time was caught entirely off guard unprepared and unprepared it was too late for them by the time the flood arrived and they understood it when Christ returns it will be the same we know from the Old Testament that the days of Noah before to the flood was a time when the Earth was controlled by unfettered wickedness Genesis 6 verse 5 says of that time Genesis 6 verse 5 new international version the Lord saw how great the wickedness of the human race had become on Earth and that every inclination of the thoughts of the human heart was only Evil all the time however Jesus's message isn't primarily about the tremendous depravity of those days he is not discussing acts that are fundamentally Wicked when he adds they were eating and drinking marrying and giving in marriage rather these were activities that were carried out on a regular basis people were going about their daily routines as usual the day the Reigns began the world citizens ate their breakfast as normal weddings had been planned for that day there had been no forewarning no extended stretch of gray clouds to alert them that judgment was approaching they were all Carried Away by the flood which arrived without warning from above they were completely caught off guard however the central parts of ordinary existence are eating and drinking marrying and giving in marriage their daily lives had devolved to the point where they only cared about sensual Pursuits their life philosophy was exactly what the Apostle Paul predicted for someone who has no Prospect of Resurrection they completely disregarded all spiritual obligations they were so preoccupied with gratifying their Central desires that they revered those appetites as Gods those individuals were afflicted by sinful spiritual apathy in their midst live Noah whom Peter writing under the guidance of the Holy Spirit refers to as a preacher of righteousness Peter 2 verse 5 King James Version Peter also says that Peter 3 verses 19 to 20 King James Version by which also he went and preached unto the spirits in prison which some were disobedient when Once the long-suffering of God waited in the days of Noah while the ark wasn't preparing wherein few that is eight Souls were saved by water Noah was building a huge Ark and that was certainly no secret in his neighborhood Noah had found Grace in the eyes of the Lord and he knew the flood was coming his very lifestyle stood as a warning to his neighbors and there is little doubt that this preacher of righteousness also gave them many verbal warnings until the day the Lord closed the door of the Ark if the people had listened if they had spiritual ears to hear they would have received ample warnings of the coming flood but they utterly ignored Noah as usual they went on with their life there is no doubt that many of them lived in the same philosophy as the scoffers in Peters 3 verses 3 to 4. above all you must understand that in the last days scoffers will come scoffing and following their own evil desires they will say where is this coming he promised ever since our ancestors died everything goes on as it has since the beginning of creation life goes on but only fools imagine it will go on forever the wise hearer will stay ready even though we cannot know the precise day and hour the average person today is likewise utterly oblivious to the inevitability of Christ's sudden return sadly even many professing Christians live their lives without ever giving a thought to the possibility that they could find themselves in the presence of Christ at any moment that sort of apathy makes us dull and spiritually sluggish Christ's aim in the second half of the Olivet discourse is to move our hearts with a desire to be constantly alert and watchful for his return more desperately they need to turn to the Lord the more impervious they will be to his truth though they will suffer the worst imaginable consequences of human sin they will nonetheless arrogantly refuse to repent Revelation 9 verses 20 to 21 New International Version the rest of mankind who were not killed by these plagues still did not repent of the work of their hands they did not stop worshiping demons and Idols of gold silver bronze Stone and wood Idols that cannot see or hear or walk nor did they repent of their murders their magic Arts their sexual immorality or their thefts number three readiness to illustrate the statement you do not know what hour your lord is coming Christ Compares his arrival to a thief's invasion Matthew 24 verses 43-44 new international version but understand this if the owner of the house had known at what time of night the thief was coming he would have kept watch and would not have let his house be broken into so you also must be ready because the son of man will come at an hour when you do not expect him it could seem impious to compare Christ's arrival to the prowling entry of an ordinary burglar if the word had not been used by Christ himself there is no reasonable comparison between the thief's character and that of God's innocent son however there is a valid and important metaphor regarding the secrecy and surprise of a thief's appearance as well as a secondary lesson about the householder's wisdom no burglar in his right mind would announce his arrival and no homeowner in his right mind would leave the house unlocked and unattended if he knew a thief was approaching at a specific time continue the metaphor if the homeowner knows for sure that the burglar is coming even if he doesn't know when the thief would arrive he will be constantly on guard and ready for the thief we are aware that Christ is on his way we have no idea what time it is as a result it is in our best interest to be prepared at all times the idea of a thief in the night appears multiple times in the New Testament teaching on the second coming Thessalonians 5 verse 2 new international version for you know very well that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night Peter 3 verse 10 New Living Translation but the day of the Lord will come as unexpectedly as a thief then the heavens will pass away with a terrible noise and the Very elements themselves would disappear in Fire and the Earth and everything on it will be found to deserve judgment Revelations 3 verse 3 New International Version remember therefore what you have received and heard hold it fast and repent but if you do not wake up I will come like a thief and you will not know at what time I will come to you Revelation 16 verse 15 King James Version behold I come as a thief blessed is he that watcheth and keepeth his garments lest he walk naked and they see his shame take note of how frequent the thief is associated with the day of the Lord judgment the sadness unexpectedness and finality of Christ's coming are only a few of the aspects that make the Lord's day so terrifying and in terms of the ungodly Christ's coming will be similar to that of a thief he will steal everything from them what should individuals do in order to be ready for the Lord's return first and foremost he is requesting Soul Readiness he is pleading with the people to reconcile with God he's talking about instantaneously separating those who have been redeemed from those who will be damned thus the Readiness he's talking about starts with salvation be ready is almost an Evangelical plea to the Lost second he is pleading with those who have already been rescued to be faithful as the parable that follows demonstrates the parable illustrates the statement at the end of verse 44. the son of man is coming and an hour you do not expect Matthew 24 verses 45-51 new international version who then is the faithful and wise servant whom the master has put in charge of the servants in this household to give them their food at the proper time it will be good for that servant whose Mass defines him doing so when he returns truly I tell you he will put him in charge of all his possessions but suppose that servant is wicked and says to himself my master is staying away a long time and he then begins to beat his fellow servants and to eat and drink with drunkards the master of that servant will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he is not aware of he will cut him to pieces and assign him a place with the Hypocrites where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth number four faithfulness The Parables imagery is obvious the master represents Jesus Christ the happy servant true Christians and the bad servant unbelievers human life is depicted as a stewardship in which the servants are given control and Duty for the Master's property the Masters goods are metaphors for the time abilities resources and opportunities that God has given to us God blessed us with everything we had Corinthians 4 verse 7 New International Version for who makes you different from anyone else what do you have that you did not receive and if you did receive it why do you boast as though you did not we are responsible for how we manage what he has given us and there will come a day when each of us will have to account for our actions Romans 14 verse 12 New International Version so then each of us will give an account of ourselves to God according to the parable the servants must account for themselves when the master returns the Blessed servant is the one who is found carrying out his master's orders he is rewarded by being given command of all the Masters possessions he has given broad authority to manage all of the Master's assets except for the master himself he is effectively elevated to the highest possible seat of authority and privilege this reflects Christians who have been found to be faithful to the Lord they will rule and reign in the Kingdom alongside Christ foreign translation if we endure hardship we will reign with him if we deny him he will deny us Revelation 20 verse 6 New International Version blessed and holy are those who share in the first resurrection the second death has no power over them but they will be Priests of God and of Christ and will reign with him for a thousand years Romans 8 verse 17 New International Version now if we are children then we are heirs Heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory they become co-heirs with Christ inheriting all of the Kingdom's benefits they are even granted the right to sit with Christ on his throne Revelation 3 verse 21 New International Version to the one who is Victorious I will give the right to sit with me on my Throne just as I was Victorious and sat down with my father on his throne an unbeliever is represented by the evil servant it's worth noting that his heart is devoid of any expectation for the Master's return He says in his heart Matthew 24 verse 48 New International Version but suppose that servant is wicked and says to himself my master is staying away a long time in this lack of expectation gives him a false sense of confidence in his wickedness fact portrayed by the evil servant is crucial everyone including those who deny God's existence will render an account to God for their conduct in this life he gave them life in all their possessions and all their abilities they have nothing whatsoever that was not entrusted to them by God they too are his stewards albeit Unfaithful ones and he has every right to ask for an explanation the master appears unexpectedly in the parable taking the bad servant off guard the nature of the servant's punishment indicates that he represents an unbeliever he is thrown into the midst of the Hypocrites where according to Jesus they will perish Matthew 24 51 new international version he will cut him to pieces and assign him a place with the Hypocrites where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth here Jesus has slipped out of the language of the parable which dealt with the temporal Earthly realities and into the language of Eternity as a result he clarified The Parables message and underscored the importance of the warning he was giving the imagery of weeping and gnashing of teeth is powerful it eludes to Hell's never-ending Agony and suffering the word weeping canot grief personal regret for missed opportunities conscious pangs from knowing that once punishment is just and anguished for knowing that judgment is final and Redemption has passed the phrase gnashing of teeth conjures up images of unending Agony laws and pure misery Christ frequently emphasized the utter misery of Hell encouraging people to be reconciled to God in order to avoid the coming retribution in his portrayals of endless suffering there is no Twisted Joy only anguish there is a gracious purpose in his portraits of everlasting punishment he is urging his hearers to believe while there is still opportunity and in this Parable he is demonstrating the Folly of assuming the Lord will postpone his return so negating the urgency of the Gospel however The Parables message extends Beyond a mere call to Faith it's also a call to faithfulness the Blessed servant exemplifies the mindset that Believers should have while they await the return of the Lord we're all curious about what will happen in the final days leading up to the Lord Jesus Christ's return in second Timothy 3 verse 2 for men shall be lovers of their own selves Covetous boasters proud blasphemers disobedient to parents unthankful Unholy while we are on the lookout for these signs we must be cautious not to become complicit in them this is to inform you that if you see size in the world you must not be a part of those who do them the Bible warns us to be on the lookout for these things the first characteristic is that they are lovers of themselves the first point made here is that people will only love themselves other words for this are selfish and greedy we don't have to look far to find these characters and people selfishness is the attitude of being concerned with one's own interest above the interest of others however the Bible commands us to through selfish ambition or conceit but in lowliness of Mind Let each esteem others better than himself let each of you look out not only for his own interests but also for the interests of others Philippians 2 verse 3 through 4 it's worth noting that Paul Compares selfishness to empty conceit In this passage which can be translated as vanity or arrogance it denotes having an overly high opinion of oneself selfishness or empty conceit is frequently manifested by establishing oneself while demeaning another it is one of the works of the flesh according to the Bible Galatians 5 verse 20-22 now the works of the flesh are evident which are adultery fornication idolatry sorcery hatred contentions jealousies Alberts of Wrath selfish Ambitions descensions heresies Envy murders drunkenness revelries and the like of which I tell you beforehand just as I told you in the past that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God but the fruit of the spirit is love joy peace long-suffering kindness goodness faithfulness self disorder and all evil practices for where envy and strife is there is confusion in every evil work James 3 verse 16 because of their selfishness the children of Israel will fully put God to the test by demanding the food they craved Psalm 78 verse 18. and they tempted God in their heart by asking meat for their lust Philippians 2 also contains the antithesis of selfishness being united with Christ having tenderness and compassion Philippians 2 verse 1 through 4 therefore if there is any consultation in Christ if any comfort of love if any Fellowship of the spirit if any affection and mercy fulfill my Joy by being like-minded having the same love being of one Accord of one mind let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit but in lowliness of mind let it steam others better than himself let each of you look out not only for his own interests but also for the interests of others combating selfish ambition requires genuine humility unpretentious humility heals and strengthens relationships being humble entails having a realistic view of oneself in relation to God for I say through the grace given to me to everyone who is among among you not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think but to think soberly as God has dealt to each one a Measure of Faith Romans 12 verse 3 prayer and a love of scripture are also required turn my heart toward your statutes and not towards selfish gain Psalm 119 verse 36 love is capable of covering a wide range of sins including selfishness we cannot be selfish if we are truly devoted to one another in brotherly love having the attitude of Christ means demonstrating tenderness and compassion for all those with whom we come into contact the Christian character is exactly the opposite of selfishness First Corinthians 10 verse 24 let no man seek his own but every man another's wealth First Corinthians 13 verse 4 love is patient love is kind it does not envy it does not boast it is not proud it is not rude it is not self-seeking it is not easily angered it keeps Noah count of wrongs Love Takes no pleasure in evil but rejoices in the truth the second characteristic is lovers of money let me begin with the question should we hate money money is necessary and we should not despise it we live in a world where money is required to send missionaries around the world to preach the gospel let's be clear money is not evil however we must look to God as our source what does it mean to be a lover of money it means people will love money more than God they will love money more than their family members or more than righteousness in his first letter to his young disciple Timothy the Apostle Paul stated For the Love of Money is a root of all kinds of evil some people eager for money have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs First Timothy 6 verse 10 the Bible makes it abundantly clear that this erroneous type of Love is at the root of all evil in the world wealth itself is morally neutral however when money begins to control us trouble begins Luke 16 verse 13 through 14 no servant can serve two masters either he will hate the one and love the other or he will be devoted to one and despise the other you cannot serve both God and money 14. the Pharisees who are lovers of money heard all of this and were scoffing at Jesus no one can serve two masters Jesus said in The Sermon on the Mount in addition Jesus instructs us to lay up Treasures in Heaven In this passage Jesus Compares a love of money to idolatry he refers to money as a master that we serve at the expense of God God commands us to have no other gods before the only true and living God Exodus 20 verse 3 Thou shalt have no other gods before me that is the first and most important commandment anything other than our creature God that takes precedence in our lives is an idol and we are guilty of breaking the first commandment the third characteristic is boasters who take pleasure in promoting their accomplishments without acknowledging God who made it possible James 4 verse 16 as it is you boast in your arrogance all such boasting is evil First Corinthians 1 verse 31 therefore as it is written let the one who boasts boast in the Lord the praise boast in the Lord appears in First Corinthians 1 verse 31 in Jeremiah chapter 9 verse 24 says let the one who boasts boast in the Lord Paul's declaration about boasts and in the Lord has nothing to do with worldly possessions or changing reality it is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus who has become for us wisdom from God that is our righteousness Holiness and Redemption brothers and sisters think of what you were when you were called not many of you were Wise by human standards not many were influential not many were of noble birth but God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise God shows the weak things of the world to shame the strong God chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things and the things that are not to nullify that things that are so that no one may boast before him it is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus who has become for us wisdom from God that is our righteousness Holiness and Redemption First Corinthians 1 verse 26 through 30 true boasting in the Lord is actually boasting about the Lord boasting about his great attributes boasting about what he has done for us what he is still doing and what he has promised to do as Jeremiah 9 verse 23 through 24 says this is what the Lord says let not the wise boast of their wisdom or the strong boast of their strength or the rich boast of their riches but let the one who boasts boast about this that they have the understanding to know me that I am the Lord who exercises kindness Justice and righteousness on Earth for in these I Delight declares the Lord the fourth category is proudness Proverbs 8 verse 13 to fear the lord is to hate evil I hate pride and arrogance evil behavior and perverse speech as stated in the preceding verse there is a distinction between the kind of Pride that God despises in Proverbs 8 verse 13 and the kind of Pride we can feel about a job well done or the kind of Pride we express over loved one's accomplishments second Corinthians 7 verse 4 I have spoken to you with great frankness I take pride in you I am greatly encouraged in all our troubles my joy knows no bounds the kind of Pride that stems from self-righteousness or conceit on the other hand is sin and God despises it because it prevents people from seeking him Psalm 10 verse 4 in his pride the wicked man does not seek him and all his thoughts there is no room for God Psalm 10 verse 4 explains that the proud are so consumed with themselves that their thoughts are far from God and his pride the wicked does not seek him and all his thoughts there is no room for God this kind of haughty pride is the opposite of the spirit of humility that God seeks blessed are the poor in spirit for theirs is the kingdom of heaven Matthew 5 verse 3 the poor in spirit are those who recognize their spiritual bankruptcy and inability to approach God apart from his divine grace the proud on the other hand are so blinded by their pride that they believe they have no need for God or worse that God should accept them exactly as they are because they deserve it the consequences of Pride are mentioned numerous times in the Bible Proverbs 16 Verse 18 through 19 tells us that Pride goes Before Destruction a haughty spirit before a fall better to be lowly in spirit and among the oppressed than to share plunder with the proud Satan was cast out of Heaven because of Pride Isaiah 14 verse 12-15 how art thou fallen from Heaven o Lucifer son of the morning how art thou cut down to the ground which didst weaken the Nations for thou haste said in thine heart I will Ascend into heaven I will exalt my throne above the stars of God I will sit also upon the Mount of the congregation in the sides of the north I will Ascend above the heights of the clouds I will be like the most high yet Thou shalt be brought down to Hell to the sides of the pit he had the audacity to try to Dethrone God as the rightful ruler of the universe however Satan will be cast down to Hell In God's final judgment there is only disaster ahead for those who rise up in defiance of God Isaiah 14 verse 22 many people have been deterred from accepting Jesus Christ as their savior because of their pride admitting sin and admitting that we can do nothing to inherent eternal life in our own strength is a constant stumbling block for prideful people we are not to boast about ourselves instead we are to proclaim the glory of God in God's work what we say about ourselves is meaningless What God Says About Us is what makes the difference second Corinthians 10 verse 18 for it is not the one who commends himself who is approved but the one whom the Lord commends why is pride such a sin giving ourselves credit for something that God has accomplished is pride taken the glory that belongs solely to God and keeping it for ourselves is pride self-worship is at the heart of Pride anything we achieve in this world would not be possible without God enabling and sustaining us First Corinthians 4 verse 7 for whom maketh thee to differ from another and what hast thou that thou didst not receive now if thou didst receive it why Dost thou Glory as if thou hadest not received it this is why we give God the glory he is the only one who deserves it the fifth are blasphemers to blasphemy is to speak despairingly of God or to be defiantly irreverent blasphemy is defined as the verbal or written denunciation of God's name character work or attributes in the law that God gave to Moses blasphemy was a serious offense God was to be worshiped and obeyed by the Israelites in Leviticus 24 verse 10-16 a man blasphemed God's name to the Hebrews a name was more than just a label it was a representation of a person's personality Isaiah 36 tells the story of sennacherib King of Assyria and his attempt to demoralize Jerusalem before he attacked after pointing out assyria's many victories he says Isaiah 36 verse 20 who of all the gods of these countries have been able to save their lands from me how then can the Lord deliver Jerusalem from my hand sanakra blasphemy God by equating Israel's god with the false gods of the surrounding Nations the king of Judah Hezekiah mentions this blasphemy in his prayer to God asking that God delivered them in order to defend his own honor Isaiah 34 verse 4 and 17 and that's exactly what God did Isaiah 37 verse 36-38 explains then the angel of the Lord went out and put to death on hundred and eighty five thousand in the Assyrian Camp when the people got up the next morning there were all the dead bodies so sannakrib king of Assyria broke camp and withdrew he returned to Nineveh and stayed there one day while he was worshiping in the temple of his God nishrak his sons a drumalek and sorry sir killed him with the sword and they escaped to the land of Ararat and esar Haddon his son succeeded him as king fortunately even blasphemy is forgiven by Jesus First Timothy 1 verse 13 Paul was a blasphemer who attempted to make others blasphemy Acts 26 verse 11 even Jesus's brothers thought he was insane Mark 3 verse 21 everyone repented and was forgiven blasphemy is defined as both intentional and direct as a result a follower of Jesus Christ will not cannot commit blasphemy nonetheless we must be careful to reflect God's holiness and never misrepresent God's glory Authority or character being disobedient to your parents is the sixth characteristic the command to honor and obey parents is found throughout scripture beginning in Exodus when God gives the Ten Commandments Exodus 20 verse 12 and continuing through the Old Testament Deuteronomy 5 verse 16 and into the new Leviticus 19 Verse 3 ye shall fear every man his mother and his father and keep my sabbaths I am the Lord your God Proverbs 23 verse 22 here can unto thy father that begat thee and despise not thy mother when she is old both Jesus and the Apostle Paul reaffirmed the fifth commandment and the promise that comes with it Matthew 15 verse 4 for God commanded saying honor thy father and mother and he that curseth father or mother let him die the death Matthew 19 verse 19. honor thy father and thy mother and thou shall out love thy neighbor as thyself Ephesians 6 verse 1 through 3 children obey your parents in the Lord for this is right honor thy father and mother which is the first commandment with promise that it may be well with thee and thou mayest live long on the earth Colossians 3 verse 20 children obey your parents in all things for this is well pleasing unto the Lord Ephesians 6 verse 1 through 3 children obey your parents in the Lord for this is right honor thy father and mother which is the first commandment with promise that it may be well with thee and thou mayest live long on the earth children are encouraged to obey because it will bring them blessings and a long life whereas disobedient children who dishonor their parents are warned that their actions will bring them punishment and shame Exodus 20 verse 12 honor thy father and thy mother that thy days may be long upon land which the Lord thy God giveth thee Leviticus 20 verse 9 for everyone that curseth his father or his mother shall be surely put to death he hath cursed his father or his mother his blood shall be upon Him Deuteronomy 21 verse 18. if a man have a stubborn and rebellious son which will not obey the voice of his father or the voice of his mother and that when they have chastened him will not hearken unto them Deuteronomy 27 verse 16 cursed be he that saeth light by his father or his mother and all the people shall say Amen proverbs 10 verse 1 the Proverbs of Solomon a wise son maketh a glad father but a foolish son is the heaviness of his mother Proverbs 15 verse 5 a fool despaceth his father's instruction but he that regardeth proof is prudent Proverbs 20 verse 20 whoso cursed his father or his mother his lamp shall be put out in obscure Darkness proverbs 30 verse 17 the eye that mocketh at his father and despaceth to obey his mother the Ravens of the valley shall pick it out and the Young Eagles shall eat it Matthew 15 verse 4 for God commanded saying honor thy father and mother and he that cursed father or mother let him die the death Jeremiah 35 17-19 therefore the saith the Lord God of hosts the god of Israel behold I will bring upon Judah and upon all the inhabitants of Jerusalem all the evil that I have pronounced against them because I have spoken unto them but they have not heard and I have called unto them but they have not answered and Jeremiah said unto the house of the requites thus sat the Lord of hosts the god of Israel because ye have obeyed the Commandment of jonadab your father and kept all his precepts and done according unto all that he hath commanded you therefore thus saith the Lord of hosts the god of Israel jonadab the son of rehab shall not want a man to stand before me forever Ephesians 6 verse 3 that it may be well with thee and thou mayest live long on the earth Colossians 3 verse 20 children obey your parents in all things for this is well pleasing unto the Lord widespread disobey obedience to parents will characterize Society in the end times Exodus 4 verse 22 and thou shalt say unto Pharaoh thus sat the Lord Israel is my son even my firstborn the nation of Israel whom God refers to as his children serves as a model for disobedient children God repeatedly commands Israel to obey him promising great blessing in exchange for obedience and dire consequences in exchange for a Disobedience Joshua 11 23 so Joshua took the whole land according to all that the Lord said unto Moses and Joshua gave it for an inheritance unto Israel according to their divisions by their tribes and the land rested from war and Joshua's day Israel obeyed God and was blessed with victory over their enemies later as the whole Book of Judges show Israel's Disobedience brought trouble the Bible teaches that it is necessary to correct disobedient children discipline is a part of life for everyone and those who defy their parents Authority should be punished Proverbs 19 Verse 18 says discipline your children for in that there is hope do not be a willing party to their death in this verse discipline of child is presented as a matter of life and death if left unchecked Disobedience will lead to a child's ruined Proverbs 13 verse 24 he that spareth his wrath hath it his son but he that loveth him chasteneth him be times to turn a blind eye to Rebellion is to hate the rebellious child Matthew 6 verse 20 belay it for yourselves treasure in heaven where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt and where thieves do not break through nor steal Galatians 6 verse 8-9 for he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption but he that soweth to the spirit shall of the spirit reap life Everlasting and let us not be wary in well doing for in due season we shall reap if we faint not Ephesians 1 verse 3 through 4 blessed be the God and father of our Lord Jesus Christ who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in Heavenly places in Christ according as he hath chosen Us in him before the foundation of the world that we should be holy and Without Blame before him in love the last characteristic is being Unholy the lack of Holiness is everywhere and it appears to be normal things that were once considered shameful are now considered fashionable and people are embracing them there is nowhere you look that you do not see these things the world is polluted the world wants us to believe that everyone is Unholy and it is futile to run after unholiness Psalm 24 verse 4 he that hath Clean Hands and a pure heart who hath not lifted up his soul into vanity nor sworn deceitfully all of these highlights of what is already happening in the world should alert us to the fact that we need to be prepared and stay alert while waiting for Jesus's second coming we must not fall into any of these traps and ensure that we remain in Christ because we have been found by grace and transferred into the Light of Christ the Bible also covers the topic of the Antichrist to learn about that click here when Jesus comes back to Earth there are signs that we will be warned to keep an eye out for in the Bible the Bible is a history book but it is unlike any other history book available in any public library the Bible's history starts with the Earth's creation and ends with the world's end Jesus told us to watch and pray what do we watch we cannot stand still and watch the clouds wait for him to appear that is not what he meant he meant keep an eye on what's going on in the world and see what signs I gave you to help you prepare signals assigns so let's look at Matthew chapter 24 where the disciples asked him what will be the signs or signals of your return what would we do if we don't know when it's going to happen to their inquiry Jesus gave a direct and unambiguous answer we can thank God that he responded in such a straightforward manner Matthew 24 3 to 5. while Jesus was Seated on the Mount of Olives the disciples came to him privately and said tell us when will this destruction of the temple take place and what will be the sign of your coming and of the end completion consummation of the age Jesus answered be careful that no one misleads you deceiving you and leading you into error for many will come in my name misusing it and appropriating the strength of the name which belongs to me saying I am the Christ the Messiah the anointed and they will mislead many in the Book of Revelation he gives a much more detailed and comprehensive response but here he gives a rundown of the signs that will precede his arrival the disciples approached Jesus secretly as he was Seated on the Mount of Olives this Converse takes place in Matthew 24 3-36 now in that passage he gave four distinct signs of his coming the first sign is disasters in the world and he notes for example Wars famines and earthquakes the church not the world is the second sign of his coming that takes us to the third sign of the end times Jerusalem's distress then Jesus says that the fourth sign of his coming will come instantly after that so we shall know when he is coming and we shall be ready there will be no risk of false prophets or Messiahs when that sign comes there will be no deception and it will be too quick what will happen is that all natural light will be switched off the sun will go dark and the Stars will fall Matthew 24 29-31 Amplified Bible immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened and the moon will not provide its light and the Stars will fall from the sky and the powers of the heavens will be shaken and at that time the sign of the son of man coming in his glory will appear in the sky and then all the tribes of the earth and especially Israel will mourn regretting their rebellion and rejection of the Messiah and they will see the son of man coming on the Clouds Of Heaven with power and great glory in brilliance and splendor and he will send his angels with a loud trumpet and they will gather together his elect God's chosen ones from the Four Winds from one end of the Heavens to the other there are many predictions of this through the Bible Isaiah predicts it the heavens will be rolled up like a carpet Isaiah 34 4 Amplified Bible all the hosts of heaven will be dissolved and the skies will be rolled up like a scroll all their hosts the stars and the planets will also wither away as a leaf with us from the vine and as a fig Withers from the fig tree the natural light will be gone leaving only artificial light Illuminating the Earth what is happening what is going on people may ask this is it Christians will exclaim the sun stars and moon stop shining right before that happens God turns off the lights of Heaven to prepare for the blaze of light from the lightning that will mark his return then he comes on the clouds back to planet Earth and we meet him we are not meeting in an Earthly Stadium because there isn't one large enough to accommodate such a large crowd we'll reach him in the air and that will suffice isn't that a fantastic Prospect when you see all these things you know he is at the gates just about to walk through he says the son of man will come after that time of tribulation here distress connects with Matthew 24 to 21 to point to a specific period of Great Tribulation the adverbial expression immediately after emphasizes that the celestial signs and the coming of Jesus will occur after the time of great distress just described in Mark 24 15 to 28. Heavenly disturbances the end of the age will come with great disturbances in the heavens with darkened Skies falling stars the disruption of the forces of this age and finally the coming of Jesus at his coming he will gather the elect from the ends of Heaven these events most likely refer to his coming at the end of the time of tribulation which would correspond with the time of Judgment of the Nations several prophetic passages describe the cosmic disturbances that will proceed and surround the Glorious return of Jesus Joel 2 10 Amplified Bible the earth quakes before them the heavens tremble the Sun and the Moon grow dark and the Stars lose their brightness Revelation 6 12 to 14. Amplified Bible I looked when he the lamb broke open The Sixth Seal and there was a great earthquake and the sun became black as sackcloth made of hair and the whole Moon became like blood and the stars of the sky fell to the Earth like a fig tree shedding its late summer figs when shaken by a strong wind the sky was split separated from the land and rolled up like a scroll and every mountain and Island were dislodged and moved out of their places the sign of the son of man will appear in heaven it is difficult to say exactly what this sign is it seems to precede his return as described in Revelation 19 11. perhaps this sign is somehow related to the incredible Cosmic disturbances that will precede the great event Revelation 19 11. and I saw heaven opened and behold a white horse and he who is riding it is called faithful and true trustworthy loyal Incorruptible steady and in righteousness he judges and wages war on the rebellious Nations aside from the signs in the skies there are other signs of the return of the Lord to find out more on that topic click here

Channel: Grace Digital Network

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Length: 60min 51sec (3651 seconds)

Published: Tue Jul 04 2023