Layman’s Corner

Q: Sharon writes – What will be the manner of Christ’s second coming and can we really be sure He is coming back?

A:  Our Saviour is coming again. Before parting with His disciples on the earth, He Himself gave them the promise of His return. “Let not your heart be troubled,” He said. “In My Father’s house are many mansions: . . . I go to prepare a place for you, and if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there you may be also.” John 14:1-3.

He did not leave them in doubt as to the manner of His coming. “The Son of man shall come in His glory, and all the holy angels with Him…” Matthew 25:31.  Carefully He warned them against deception: “If they shall say to you, Behold, He is in the desert; go not forth: behold, He is in the secret chambers; believe it not. For as the lightning comes out of the east, and shines even unto the west; so, shall also the coming of the Son of man be.” Matthew 24:26, 27. This warning is for us today. At Christ’s ascension the angels declared to the disciples that He would “so come in like manner” as they had seen Him go into Heaven. Acts 1:11. He ascended bodily, and they saw Him as He left them and was received by the cloud. He will return on a great white cloud, and “every eye shall see Him.” Revelation 1:7. “And they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. He shall send His angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together His elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other. Matthew 24:30, 31 “The Lord Himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the Archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up (or raptured) together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so, shall we ever be with the Lord. Wherefore comfort one another with these words.” 1 Thessalonians 4:16-18. Lightening, the sound of a trumpet, a shout, there will be no secret about Christ’s second coming. You will not need to grab a paper or tune into the latest news. It will be the most visible and noisiest event ever to take place on planet earth

Christ is coming, coming with clouds and with great glory. A multitude of shining angels will attend Him. He will come to raise the righteous dead, and to change the living saints from glory to glory. There will be a relinking of the family chain. When we look upon our loved ones at a funeral who have passed away, we may think of the morning when the trump of God shall sound, when the “dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.” 1 Corinthians 15:52. That time is near. A little while, and we shall see the King in His beauty. A little while, and He will wipe all tears from our eyes.

Send your Bible questions to Jeff and Beverly: laymanscornerqa@gmail.com