THE SECOND COMING PART 1 - THE TRIUMPHANT REUNION

The Second Coming | Part 1 - The Triumphant Reunion


Our God shall come, and shall not keep silence: a fire shall devour before Him, and it shall be very tempestuous round about Him.  (See Psalm 50:3.)

The warfare between good and evil will reach its triumphant conclusion in the Second Coming of Jesus.  Since the fall of mankind, Jesus coming in glory to take His faithful people home, has been the focus of every Second Coming of Jesus longing heart, the hope that inspired courage and gave fortitude in trial.  In the deep darkness of Job’s fiery trial, he clung by faith to the promise of a coming Redeemer.  Job knew that it would not be in his lifetime, but nevertheless he was strengthened by the assurance that the day would come when, in his own flesh, he would live again and see his God.

“For I know that my Redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth: And though after my skin [dies] worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God:  Whom I shall see for myself, and mine eyes shall behold, and not another.”  (Job 19:25-27, KJV)

The hope of the Messiah’s glorious coming was kept alive by patriarchs and prophets down through long centuries.  The Israelites of Jesus’s day rejected Him as their Messiah because their focus was on the glory of His Second Coming, rather than the humbleness of His first coming.  Now that event, so long dreamed of, so long hoped for, is about to take place.  The Second Coming, which has inspired missionaries, strengthened martyrs and encouraged multitudes, is soon to break upon the world . . . as an overwhelming surprise.  

The majority of the world today no longer looks with longing for the Jesus’ return.  Scripture predicted:

“There shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts, And saying, Where is the promise of his coming? For since the fathers fell asleep all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation.”  (2 Peter 3:3, 4, KJV)

This prophecy has its fulfillment in the current generation.  Most people no longer believe that Jesus’ return is imminent.  Instead, many say, “That is what my grandparents used to say.  Now, they are dead and we’re still here!”  This wide-spread disbelief in Jesus' soon return is one of the most telling indicators that the Second Coming truly is very near.
skeptic

“There shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts, And saying, Where is the promise of his coming?” (2 Peter 3:3, KJV)

Jesus wanted His people to be ready and not taken by surprise by His return.  He warned:

“Be ye therefore ready also: for the Son of man cometh at an hour when ye think not.”  (Luke 12:40, KJV)

This will be no “secret rapture” that whisks the saints out of the earth without anyone knowing.  The Second Coming will be the most glorious event human eyes have ever seen.  It will envelop the heavens with indescribable glory, light and beauty.

Scripture clearly states:

“For as the lightning cometh out of the east, and shineth even unto the west; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.”  (Matthew 24:27, KJV)

Jesus Himself foretold the very public nature of His return to earth.  At His trial, He warned the priests sitting in judgment of Him:

“Hereafter shall ye see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven.”  (Matthew 26:64, KJV)

The Second Coming will be witnessed by every person living on earth.

“Behold, he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him, and they also which pierced him: and all kindreds of the earth [who are lost] shall wail because of him.”  (Revelation 1:7, KJV)

If the Second Coming were just a “secret rapture,” than the lost would not “wail because of Him.”  Those who have clung to sin, rejecting Heaven’s free offer of mercy and forgiveness will seek death rather than face Him who died for them.  John the Revelator saw the reaction of the lost when they witnessed the Second Coming of Jesus:

“And the heaven departed as a scroll when it is rolled together; and every mountain and island were moved out of their places. And the kings of the earth, . . . and the mighty men, and every bondman, and every free man, hid themselves in the dens  and in the rocks of the mountains; And said to the mountains and rocks, Fall on us, and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb: For the great day of his wrath is come; and who shall be able to stand?”  (Revelation 6:14-17, KJV)

Upon the lost, at the Second Coming, descends never-ending night, but to the righteous, the dawning of never-ending day.  All who have loved their Christ and followed Him in obedience and trust will rejoice to see Him return.

And it shall be said in that day, Lo, this is our God; we have waited for Him, and He will save us: this is Lord; we have waited for Him, we will be glad and rejoice in His salvation.”  (See Isaiah 25:9.)
silhouette of a mother holding her child

The Second Coming will be a reunion: a reunion of the Christ with His faithful, waiting ones, and a reunion of friends and family, long separated by death.

The Second Coming will be a reunion: a reunion of the Christ with His faithful, waiting ones, and a reunion of friends and family, long separated by death.  Many who have lost loved ones in death have been heartsick at the thought of never seeing their loved ones again.  Even those who believe their loved ones will be in Heaven have wondered if they would recognize each other there.  Scripture provides loving assurance that no one who has died loving God will be forgotten and left behind.  Not only shall we be able to recognize our loved ones, but the dead who have been resurrected shall be raised up to the clouds first, and then the living righteous who remain will be caught up into the clouds with them.

But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with Him. For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent [go before] them which are asleep. For 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 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.  (See 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18.)

Mothers will receive their babies, torn from their arms in death.  Friends, long parted, will recognize each other and with joy embrace.  It will be a reunion unlike any ever before witnessed.  It will be a reunion of the redeemed with their Redeemer.  But it will be more than even that.

God, the great source of light and life and love, is the one who made this reunion possible.

For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.  For God sent not His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.  (See John 3:16, 17.)

Without the self-sacrificing love of God, in being willing to sacrifice His only Son to save sinners, none of this would be possible.  The return of Jesus and His redeemed to Heaven will be a reunion of the Heavenly Father with His long-lost, but never forgotten, ever beloved children.

It is because of the Father’s love, that this reunion is possible.

“He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?  Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's elect?  It is God that justifieth.”  (Romans 8:32, 33, KJV)

1 Corinthians 2:9 The joy of the Father at the return of His earth-born children will be unbounded.  No words can describe the emotions that will thrill the heart of Infinite Love when He sees the joyous throng, ransomed from death, gathered about His throne, there to love and be loved throughout the ceaseless cycles of eternity.  In that glad hour, as He looks upon the host of the redeemed, the heart of Infinite Love can only find expression for His love and joy in singing!

“In that day it shall be said to Jerusalem, Fear thou not: and to Zion, Let not thine hands be slack. The Lord thy God in the midst of thee is mighty; he will save, he will rejoice over thee with joy; he will rest in his love, he will joy over thee with singing.”  (Zephaniah 3:16, 17, KJV)

No words can describe the scene.  No pen can capture the joy of that hour.  It will be experienced only by those who have sacrificed all to follow their Saviour all the way back to the Father’s home.

“Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness, Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat?

“Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for a new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness.

“Wherefore, beloved, seeing that ye look for such things, be diligent that ye may be found of him in peace, without spot, and blameless.”  (2 Peter 3:10-14, KJV)