The Second Advent of Christ
“And His feet shall stand in that day upon the mount of Olives” - Zechariah 14:4
Introduction
The second advent of Christ (also called the second coming of Christ) refers to the future return of Jesus Christ back to this earth. It refers to the same Jesus that was born in Bethlehem, was crucified under Pontius Pilate, and raised from the dead in which afterward He appeared before many witnesses. That was the first time that Christ came into the world.
Even as Abraham rejoiced to see his day, “the day of the Lord”, the Prophets of Israel also prophesied that the Messiah would come into the world.
Perhaps the most prolific of these to predict the advent of “the stone out of heaven” … the “Messiah the Prince” was Daniel the Prophet.
And not just the prophets to Israel. Indeed, if one wonders how the Magi new that there would be one “born King of the Jews” and at what particular time would be Christ’s birth, it was that they understood the whereabouts and the timing by knowing the prophecies of Daniel of whom their predecessors ministered alongside with in Babylon. The book of Daniel adequately relates that collaboration of Daniel with those Magi who were the priestly magicians of Babylon. It’s no wonder then… that much of the book of Daniel was written not in Hebrew (language of the Jews) but rather in Aramaic (language of the Chaldean Babylonians).
During the days of Jesus there was indeed a passionate awaiting for the Messiah not only from Jewish zealots of that time, but also from John the Baptist and his followers, and from others as well. The Samaritan, “woman at the well” who spoke with Jesus also had the expectation that "when Messiah comes, He will tell us all things”.
Scripture Speaks of Two Advents of Christ ... Not just One
- "If therefore Scripture compels you to admit that two advents of Christ were predicted to take place,--one in which He would appear suffering, and dishonoured, and without comeliness; but the other in which He would come glorious and Judge of all, as has been made manifest in many of the forecited passages,--shall we not suppose that the word of God has proclaimed that Elijah shall be the precursor of the great and terrible day, that is, of His second advent?" Justin Martyr, "Dialogue with Trypho", Chapter 49.
Now although we quote here from St. Justin ... we could just as well and easily quote from St. Irenaeus, St. Tertullian, St. Hippolytus,
St. Lactantius, St. Cyril, etc. For they all teach in harmony with Justin but in even more detail. So there is no doubt as to what the early church proclaimed concerning the second advent of Christ.
What must be understood at this point is that Jesus came to fulfill prophecies concerning him. Many prophecies were indeed fulfilled. But, the rejection of Jesus and His crucifixion (which was also prophesied) postponed remaining prophecies that will be fulfilled when Jesus Christ returns at His second coming. Even as there were prophesies concerning his first work as the sacrificial lamb, there are prophesies concerning Christ and His return at the end of the age as the Lion out of the tribe of Judah… at his second coming.
The Lamb and the Lion
At first, when God sent forth His Son into the world, the Son stood before the Prophet, John the Baptist where it was pronounced, “Behold, the lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world”. Jesus was this lamb, the sacrificial lamb that was to be offered once and for all for the sins of the whole world. The Apostles made it clear to us believers that the shed blood of Christ is what purchased our redemption as Paul said to the Ephesian church, referring to them as “the church of God which He has purchased with His own blood”. Acts 20:28
Now, remember the following point for we will explain and explore it later: Through the Church age, Jesus is the lamb. Through the millennial age (which is yet to come) Jesus is the Lion.
At the second coming of Jesus Christ, he will return to the earth to rule and reign as King of Kings and Lord of Lords and will fulfill the prophecy of being the Lion.
You can’t be the lion unless your first willing to be a lamb. Jesus is and always will be both.
The Two Stemmed Branch
- "And there shall come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse, and a Branch shall grow out of his roots:"
- Isa. 11:1
Jesse, was the father of King David. This verse tells us that a branch would come from his roots referring to Jesus as that branch. It was Mary, the mother of Jesus that had her ancestry back to King David, son of Jesse.
But Jesus had an additional origin, a heavenly eternal father from whom He was the eternal Son of God.
Did you know that the Prophets spoke of the Messiah as a double stemmed branch? Next time you are near a tree, take a look at its branches. You will notice that a branch grows out into a double stem. Jesus is both God and man.
The Anointed One, the Messiah, was to be a double stemmed branch. Concerning prophesy, One stem of the branch would have its fulfillment when Jesus would come into the world the first time.
"And speak unto him, saying, Thus, speaks the LORD of hosts, saying, BEHOLD THE MAN whose name is The BRANCH; and he shall grow up out of his place, and he shall build the temple of the LORD:"
Zech. 6:12
Jesus grew up out of his place when he left his heavenly abode as the eternal Son of God…the Word, and became flesh and dwelt among us, was born in Bethlehem, spent two years in Egypt, and then as a child grew up in Nazareth, son of Mary and Joseph (the Carpenter's son). He then proclaimed His truth in Jerusalem, Galilee, Capernaum, Samaria, etc. Jesus was both God and man (and always will be), when He came the first time to us but He laid aside His glory.
As Jesus spoke with the Scholars, they discussed the Temple in Jerusalem. Read above again the prophecy from Zechariah.
Jesus said that if the temple were to be destroyed, he would rebuild it in three days. The Scholars were angry with Jesus for making such a claim as they knew the temple in Jerusalem actually required 40 years to build. However, Jesus spoke about his body… the temple, that would be crucified on the cross and that after three days He would raise it up… hence, the resurrection of his body, “the temple of the Lord”. This prophetical stem of the branch was fulfilled at Christ’s first advent when he was crucified and then resurrected.
And again, Isaiah says, there shall be a root of Jesse, and he that shall RISE to reign over the nations; in him shall the Gentiles trust (Rom. 15:12).
Both stems of the branch are mentioned in the above passage. Did Jesus fulfill both at His first coming? Notice, “and He that shall rise”, this he did already fulfill when He rose from the dead. But, the other part, “to reign over the nations” is the second stem yet to be fulfilled.
Now let’s consider the second stem of the branch:
“Behold, THE DAYS ARE COMING,” says the LORD, “That I will raise to David a Branch of righteousness; A King shall reign and prosper, and execute judgment and righteousness in the earth."
Jer. 23:5
“And He has on His robe and on His thigh a name written: KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS."
Rev. 19:16
This is yet to be fulfilled and will be fulfilled at the SECOND COMING OF JESUS CHRIST.
Now let’s realize the following:
Jesus was to sacrifice, suffer, and die as the lamb to be offered at his first coming.
He is to reign, prosper, and execute judgement as the lion of David’s Judah at His second coming.
- He came to be a servant, He will come again to be the King
- Jesus rode the donkey, he will ride the White Stallion of Revelation.
- Jesus wore the crown of thorns, he will wear the King’s Crown of Revelation.
- He came to pay a price, He will come again and this time His reward is with Him.
- He came the first time but the world knew him not, refused to see, rejected him and scorned Him as King of the Jews, he will come again and everyone will know it is he because every eye will see him, every knee will bow, and every tongue will confess that he is King of Kings and Lord of Lords.
- Jesus was the lamb, he will also be the lion.
Two stems… two advents ... one has already been fulfilled, one is yet to be fulfilled.
A Tree and its Branches
Before continuing our insight into the second coming of Christ, let’s consider a beautiful look at the two stemmed branch springing from the tree of Golgatha. Think about the tree of life in the garden of Eden first. Adam could have stretched forth his hand to eat of the tree and "live forever". But what did Jesus, the last Adam do? He stretched forth his hands on the cross. The cross is made of wood and that from a tree. But this tree is not the tree of life it is the cross, the tree of crucifixion… of curse, sin, and death.
“Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us (for it is written, “Cursed is every one who hangs on a tree”)”
Gal. 3:13
Consider this image. The tree on the hill of Golgotha is where Jesus was crucified. He indeed payed for our sins to the uttermost in that he became sin for us. And he was cursed for us by being made a curse. And, he died the death for us. He did not just pay for sin externally… he took away with him in his death the sins of the whole world. You see, from this tree of death came the outgrowth of a two stemmed branch which was his outstretched hands. His left hand and his right hand… the two stemmed branch of the tree as the nails went through his hands and also into the tree itself. Jesus made himself the two stemmed branch of that tree of crucifixion so that he could become the cross where our sin could be laid and nailed to that tree and in Christ be put to death (taken away).
“For He who knew no sin, was made to be sin for us that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him”.
2 Cor. 5:21
Likewise, we are not merely given righteousness but more accurately we literally become the righteousness of God in Him.
Jesus knew no sin. This means he himself did no sin and therefore was not guilty of any sin. But, he became sin for us so that he could save us and redeem us and in exchange make us his righteousness.
Also, Jesus endured separation from God on that tree. When he became sin, the holy Father forsook him and Jesus cried out. Yet, the Father did this as he made Christ the one who would be abandoned because of our sin so that we will never have to be and could never be separated from God... never ever!
“For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord”.
Rom. 8:38-39
No wonder Jesus said, “it is finished (payed in full)”
Notice how it is impossible for us to be separated from the love of God WHICH IS IN CHRIST JESUS. What does it mean when it says WHICH IS IN CHRIST JESUS? In him we are always and forever united to God and his love. It was Jesus who did this for us.
Jesus Himself is Coming Again
One of the clearest proclamations of the Word of God is that Jesus is coming again and that It will be Jesus Himself.
“You men of Galilee, why stand you 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".
Acts 1:11
“This same Jesus” will come again.
The second coming of Christ will not be an avatar, a fifth buddha, nor a metaphysical principle, nor a vision or hologram. It will not be a new golden age, a new world order, nor a final evolutionary step. It will not be a new age Christ, a Christ consciousness, or any other false Christ. It will be the same Jesus who ascended to heaven and will come again in like manner.
False Christs and the Imposter
Jesus taught and forewarned that before His second coming… there would be false Christs who will claim to be the Christ. Then, afterward, there would come an imposter… the Antichrist… who would claim to be God. Then, after this, Jesus said He would return. Concerning the false Christs, Jesus said the following:
The End of the Age
We do not know the day or the hour of His coming but we are to know the “times and the seasons”. We are also told by our lord that he is to come again at the end of this current age.
An age is an epoch… meaning a segment or unit of time. Think about various units of time that we are familiar with, such as: a second, a minute, an hour, a day, a week, a month, a year, a century, a millennium, and finally there is “an age”.
14 Reasons for the Second Coming of Jesus Christ
- To finish the transgression
- To make an end of sins
- To make reconciliation for iniquity
- To bring in everlasting righteousness
- To seal up the vision and prophecy
- To anoint the most holy
- To destroy the Antichrist
- To separate the wheat from the tares (the seed of Adam vs. the wicked)
- To separate the nations for judgement
- To dash all current satanic kingdoms and earthly political systems to pieces
- To bind Satan for a thousand years
- To establish His Kingdom over the whole Earth
- To usher in perfect environment, prosperity, blessing, and peace.
- To baptize the earth and upon all flesh with the Holy Spirit to restore harmony, energy, and vitality, and to cover the earth with the knowledge of the Lord as the water covers the sea.
Conclusion
The purpose of this writing was not to prove that Christ will come again. But rather to declare what the scriptures teach us. For no proof is necessary. The second advent of Christ is a foundational expectation of the faith and no one claiming to be a Christian should ever doubt it. For the second advent stands on the authority of God's word and is the chief message of the prophets. To disavow the second advent is to disavow God's word, the prophets, the apostles, and the faith; which is to disavow Christ himself. Finally, let us recall the creed of the saints:
"From thence he shall come to judge the quick and the dead." - The Apostles Creed
"And He will come again with glory to judge both the living and the dead, whose kingdom will have no end." - The Nicene Creed
"Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven;" - The Lord's Prayer
Glossary
Advent- 1. A) the coming of Christ at the Incarnation (first advent). B) the second coming (second advent). 2. a coming into place, view, or being; arrival.
Daniel the Prophet: A Prophet of Israel, circa 500 bc, who was taken into captivity along with his people when the Babylonian King, Nebuchadnezzar, besieged Jerusalem and took Daniel and the people out of their country and exiled them to Babylon.
Golgotha: is the Aramaic word for “place of the skull”. It is the hilltop site outside of but near Jerusalem where Jesus was crucified. The site is also referred to as “Calvary.”
“King of the Jews”: The title that Roman General, Mark Antony (of Cleopatra fame) allowed the Jews to entitle their King. As the Jews were under Roman occupation with that geography belonging to the Roman empire, they could not have a King of Israel. Rome compromised allowing them to use the term “King of the Jews” (i.e. Herod Antipas, King of the Jews in whom was rebuked by John the Baptist).
Pontius Pilate: The Roman governor who in the days of Jesus had official authority over the realm of Palestine Judea.
Principalities: Refers to the political rulers in the spirit dimension and located around the atmosphere of the earth. Specifically, the rulers of this present evil age… apostate angels who are in governmental positions over the current earth kingdom.
Prophecy: 1) Seeing into the future and proclaiming what was seen and/or revealing knowledge of the future received from revelation, signs, or instruction. Bible Prophecy- 2) Foretelling about the Messiah. 3) Information about future events or developments in God’s plan for man, the earth, and the Kingdom of God.
Magi: Babylonian magicians. They were mathematicians, astrologers, seers, prophets, and the interpreters of dreams and riddles. They were a mystery cult and held their knowledge secret, within ritual, or within their own mystical places. They were in service to the King of Babylon to offer counsel and understanding.
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