The 2nd Advent of Christ

Good morning folks. Yesterday, Someone put up an argument in one of my very innocent posts. So since he backed out without hearing my side completely and I believe this is an issue that involve all Christians and might have caused much confusion in the past, I have decided to fully posit an explanation. Now, whether my position is acceptable will be entirely up to you. 

So here is his argument. That Jesus will never come again or had already come. Now here are his scriptural references

Matt 10:23; Matt 16:28

So I will start with the first point. Will Jesus never come again? Jesus does say he is coming soon. That part is obvious. The scriptures above say he is coming soon. But the question has always been. How soon will Jesus come? How do we know when he will come?

Matt 10:23 seems as if Jesus is saying he will come before the disciples have completed evangelization of all the towns of Israel.

Now this became the natural interpretation of a lot of people especially some of the bible scholars, that Jesus had come already. While who tried to oppose it tried to explain it away like am doing now and have therefore concocted various explanations to suit it just like am doing. I have studied previous thoughts on this and I have arrived on a conclusion. First, we check the beginning and then the end, then once we have established balance, we have the truth. The bible contains a lot of such controversial mysteries that are not accessible to comprehension by any ordinary study.

Now, first truth we need to establish is the fact that Jesus does promise to come soon. Now what is the manner by which he is to come back?

Mat 16:27  For the Son of man shall come in the glory of his Father with his angels; and then he shall reward every man according to his works.

So it is not possible that the second advent will be an event we could pass off. Maybe switch to another channel while it occurs in another channel (hehehe!). Its a major event. It is important that you know that the second advent marks the millennia reign of Christ, when the Anti-Christ will be routed and cast into hell and Jesus will reign for a 1000yrs. Rev 19:11-21.

So you see the corrupt politicians here especially here in Nigeria, I am certain that this hasn't happened yet. (GEJ is still on the throne).

So why postulate something like this if it isn't obviously true. These are people who intend to discredit the bible. But the issue is what is Jesus really saying? Lets take the Matthew 10:23 into consideration.

Mat 10:23  But when they persecute you in this city, flee ye into another: for verily I say unto you, Ye shall not have gone over the cities of Israel, till the Son of man be come.

So what is Jesus saying here? Is he by any means indicating that salvation rests with the Jews alone? So is salvation restricted to the land of Israel alone? will judgement come just after the evangelization of the cities of Israel? Did he die for just Israel?

It is important to know that Jerusalem was annihilated 40yrs after this statement. Of course, we cannot assume that all the cities of Israel haven't been evangelized.

A lot of times, prophecies in the bible are wrapped up in allegory. So a lot of times, the allegory signifies even much more. In Acts of the Apostles, he sent them into all the world. not just Jerusalem

Act 1:8  But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth. 

So putting this scripture in retrospect, the cities of Israel here refers to the whole world. I think this scripture below settles that.

Mat 24:14  And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come. 

Wherefore remember, that ye being in time past Gentiles in the flesh, who are called Uncircumcision by that which is called the Circumcision in the flesh made by hands;
That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world:
 But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ.
 For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us;
Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace;
And that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby:
And came and preached peace to you which were afar off, and to them that were nigh.

(Eph 2:14-17)

The challenge we have with the scriptures is that many do not want to understand the bible but rather try to demonize the bible only. So they read what they want to see only.

Now lets go to the second scripture posited

Mat 16:27  For the Son of man shall come in the glory of his Father with his angels; and then he shall reward every man according to his works.
Mat 16:28  Verily I say unto you, There be some standing here, which shall not taste of death, till they see the Son of man coming in his kingdom. 

So the curious fellow begin to ask, Does this mean that some of the Apostles haven't died till now, since we have already established the fact that Jesus has not come yet. It is important to note that the 2nd Coming of Christ isn't the rapture as shown in 2 Thessalonians. The 2nd Advent comes with judgement. 

So what does this scripture say? Some have postulated that the resurrection of Christ and his appearance to his disciples is the 2nd coming. I disagree with that theory. The scripture is similar to this one:

 Jesus saith unto him, If I will that he tarry till I come, what is that to thee? follow thou me.
  Then went this saying abroad among the brethren, that that disciple should not die: yet Jesus said not unto him, He shall not die; but, If I will that he tarry till I come, what is that to thee? (John 21:22-23)

Like I always say, these scriptures indicates the possibility of immortality. Even the disciples thought so. But of course, his living forever wasn't what Jesus was talking about here. But he sure indicated its possibility. Now, I believe strongly in the immortality of the Christian, you can look for my earlier post on it. The disciples probably believed he will come in their lifetime, but from verse 23, they also thought he wouldn't. But it is important he said he will come again, so his resurrection was not his 2nd coming. 

Let me tell you what I think of Matt 16:28: The key verse is in the verse 27, ... for the son of man shall come in the glory of the father...

Then he used the word see. ...till they see the Son of man coming in his Kingdom. 

One disciple we know didn't die till he had written about his vision of the Son of man coming in his Kingdom as written in the book of Revelations chapter 19. The word used for see was translated from the Greek word, eido:from the strong Greek dictionary means

eidō
i'-do
A primary verb; used only in certain past tenses, the others being borrowed from the equivalent, G3700 and G3708; properly to see (literally or figuratively); by implication (in the perfect only) to know: - be aware, behold, X can (+ not tell), consider, (have) known (-ledge), look (on), perceive, see, be sure, tell, understand, wist, wot. Compare G3700.
 

But if I also do not close my eyes to the possibility that there are some millennia year old guy around. I would really love to meet him/her. I am not narrowed minded. 

On the other hand, I also believe Jesus was merely indicating that his coming could be in their lifetime or long after. After all, He himself said no one knew that day, not even the Son. So he probably didn't know about that day during his stay on earth. 

Mar 13:32  But of that day and that hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels which are in heaven, neither the Son, but the Father.
 

So definitely also wouldn't be limiting it to their lifetime. 

I do hope this helps in explaining this scripture. But remember to first keep the two ends of the truth then find the balance in between. So first we established the fact that Jesus is coming soon and then we established that he hadn't come yet by all indication else we would have been before a throne and lake of fire would have been an obvious reality and not virtual. Its an event that cannot be mistaken or overlooked. We also established the 2nd coming is not his resurrection since after his resurrection he still spoke of his coming. 

Have a nice day. You can post your criticism, observation etc. Will welcome it greatly