The Second Coming of Christ

There are many false theories predicting the date of Jesus’ second coming.  These include speculative dates predicted by Charles T. Russell (founder of Jehovah’s Witnesses) 1914; J.F. Rutherford 1928; Herbert W. Armstrong 1972; Jehovah’s Witnesses (again) 1975; Hal Lindsey 1995.  As the mystical year 2000 approached, it was supposed that 25% of Americans believed that Jesus would come on January 1, 2000.  Millions of fiction books have been sold by prophets saying Jesus would come at a certain date (LaHaye, Robertson, Lindsey, Van Impe, Graham, etc).  Some supposed his return would mark the beginning of a 1000 year reign of Jesus on earth.  It seems not to matter to these false prophets that Jesus had said neither the Son nor the angels knew the time of His return, “but the father only” (Mk 13:32).  

RAPTURE The theory of a “rapture” contradicts plain teachings in Scripture.  (1) His coming will be sudden, but not secret (1 Thes 4:14-17).  “Every eye shall see Him!”  (2) Not only the righteous will be resurrected on “the last day” (Jn 6:40), but all the dead (good and evil) will be raised at the same time (Jn 5:28-29).  The wicked will be punished when Jesus comes again (2 Thes 1:6-10).  The heavens and earth will disintegrate with heat when Jesus returns (2 Peter 3:3-13). 

CONFUSION exists regarding the destruction of Jerusalem in A.D. 70 and Jesus’ second coming.  Jesus described Jerusalem’s destruction (Mt 24:1-51).  He said His kingdom would come during the lifetime of some living in “this generation” (Lk 9:27). 

A 1000 YEAR REIGN OF CHRIST ON EARTH IS A FALSE THEORY CLEARLY CONTRADICTED BY THE BIBLE.  Revelation 20 does NOT SAY anything about Jesus’ second coming to earth, nor that he will ever reign in Jerusalem.  Other scriptures teach that the kingdom (church) started small, not with a world-wide battle (Mt 13:31-33).  The kingdom is not visible, but it is within the heart (Lk 17:20-21).  Jesus NOW reigns as head over His spiritual kingdom, the church of Christ (1 Cor 15:27; Mt 28:18; Col 1:18).  When He returns, He will “lay down” (not begin) His authority as “head over all things pertaining to the church.”  Then the Father will be “all in all” (1 Cor 15:28) through eternity in heaven, the blissfull home of the souls of “just men made perfect” by the blood of Christ (Heb 12:23).  

“Let us lay aside every weight and the sin which so easily ensnares us…” (Heb 12:1)