Second coming of Christ and the Life to Come

1. Second coming of Christ and the Life to Come

2. Facts About the 2nd Coming Will be literal and a specific day Will be at an unknown time Will be visible Will be final Will be the day of judgment How do we know any of this about the last day? The Bible

3. 1. Specific & Literal –‘This is really happening…’ • It will be adefiniteday, not a figurative day:

4. 1. Specific & Literal –‘This is really happening…’ • “If it were not so, I would have told you… I will come again and receive you to Myself, that where I am there you may be also” (Jn. 14:2-3) • Different than representative“comings” of Christ • His “coming” on Pentecost with the arrival of his kingdom (Mt. 16:28) • Dispatch of the Spirit to his apostles (Jn. 14:18) • Disciplinary fashion (Rev. 2:5)

5. 2. Unknown Time –‘Don’t bother guessing…’ • When will it happen??? • "No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. Be on guard! Be alert! You do not know when that time will come"  (Mark 13:32-33).   • “Neither an angel nor an archangel, neither a patriarch nor a prophet, have You entrusted with our salvation…” • Guess how many times people incorrectly predicted the end of the world? • “Then if anyone says to you, ‘Look, here is the Christ!’ or ‘There!’ do not believe it.24 For false christs and false prophets will rise and show great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect” (Matthew 24:23)

6. Obsessing When it will Happen –‘Get over it…’ “For you yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so comes as a thief in the night” (1 Thessalonians 5:2) What would you do about a thief coming? “Thief” is a metaphor given for the unknown time of coming of Christ, not that a bad person is coming

7. 3. Highly Visible – ‘A loud entrance…’ • When he does come though, it’s going to be LOUD • “For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. 17 Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord.” (1 Thessalonians 4:16-17)

8. 3. Highly Visible – ‘A loud entrance…’ “I saw heaven standing open and there before me was a white horse, whose rider is called Faithful and True. With justice he judges and makes war. His eyes are like blazing fire, and on his head are many crowns. He has a name written on him that no one knows but he himself. He is dressed in a robe dipped in blood, and his name is the Word of God. The armies of heaven were following him, riding on white horses and dressed in fine linen. white and clean. Out of his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations. 'He will rule them with an iron sceptre.' He treads the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God Almighty. On his robe and on his thigh he has this name written: KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS.” (Revelation 19:11-16)

9. 3. Highly Visible – ‘A loud entrance…’

10. 4. Final Return –‘No takebacks…’ • The second coming will be terminal • Paul depicts the “coming” of Christ as being “the end.” • “But each one in his own order: Christ the firstfruits, afterward those who are Christ’s at His coming. 24 Then comes the end, when He delivers the kingdom to God the Father, when He puts an end to all rule and all authority and power.” (1 Cor. 15:23-24) • This means we do not believe in the Millennial Reign!

11. 4. Final Return –‘No takebacks…’ • Protestant Church believes that the Lord Jesus Christ will come and rule over the world for a thousand years (The Millennial Reign) based upon their view of this: • "Then I saw an angel coming down from heaven, having the key to the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand. He laid hold of the dragon, that serpent of old, who is the Devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years; and he cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal on him, so that he should deceive the nations no more till the thousand years were finished. But after these things he must be released for a little while" (Rev 20:1-3).“Then I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for their witness to Jesus and for the word of God, who had not worshiped the beast or his image, and had not received his mark on their foreheads or on their hands. And they lived and reigned with Christ for a thousand years.” (Rev 20:4) "Now when the thousand years have expired, Satan will be released from his prison and will go out to deceive the nations … The devil, who deceived them, was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone..." (Rev 20:7-10). • They claim that these thousand years will be years of peace on earth

12. 4. Final Return –‘No takebacks…’ Our Coptic Church believes that these thousand years have started with His death on the cross; and will end with His second coming when he will come to judge, not to rule on earth Fr. TadrosMalaty: “For sure, we can say that the Church in her struggle, in spite of her suffering pains, is living in the millennium which is the first resurrection, tasting the pledge of the heavenly places” St. Augustine: “There will be no coming of Jesus before His last appearance for judgment, for His coming is actually happening now in the Church and in her members. As for the first resurrection in the book of Revelation, it is metaphoric, and points to the interpretation of what happens to those who die in sin, then rise for a new life through repentance. So the millennium has indeed began, for Christ has conquered death and won on the cross, and now we His saints rule with Him, and through Him.

13. 5. Day of Judgment‘Day of atonement…’ • Christ will be the judge: • “For the Father… has committed all judgment to the Son… and has given Him authority to execute judgment also, because He is the Son of Man” (John 5:22,27) • “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad” (2 Corinthians 5:10) • Every human being who ever have lived will be judged • “But why do you judge your brother? … For we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ.” (Romans 14:10)

14. The Life to Come‘Finally!’ • The New Jerusalem • “4 And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away.” (Revelation 21:4)

15. The Life to Come‘Finally!’ • The New Jerusalem • “The city had no need of the sun or of the moon to shine in it,for the gloryof God illuminated it. The Lamb is its light. And the nations of those who are savedshall walk in its light, and the kings of the earth bring their glory and honor into it.” (Revelation 21:23-24)

16. The Life to Come‘Finally!’ • The New Jerusalem • “And there shall be no more curse, but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it, and His servants shall serve Him. They shall see His face, and His name shall be on their foreheads. There shall be no night there: They need no lamp nor light of the sun, for the Lord God gives them light. And they shall reign forever and ever.” (Revelation 22:3-5)