With the exception of the certainty of death, the one eschatological truth on which conservative Christians agree, is the second coming of Jesus Christ.  The second coming is the pivotal event on which all other understandings of end-times themes and doctrines turn.  It is the basis of all Christian hope, the one event which will mark the beginning of the completion of God's plan and the ushering in of the earthly reign of Christ..   Since the first utterance of the angel on the Mount of Olives at Christ's ascension, the Second Coming of Jesus Christ has been the event toward which prophecy and time itself  have been hurtling to fulfill.  

A.                The Reality of the Second Coming

Many Scriptures indicate clearly that Christ is to return.  Jesus Himself promises that he will come again.  In His great address on the end times (Matt. 24-25) He says, Then will appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory (Matt. 24:30.  Several other times in this same speech he mentions the coming of the Son of man (vv. 27,37, 39, 42, 44).  Toward the end of the discussion we read: When the Son of Man comes in His glory and all the angels with him, then He will sit on His glorious throne (Matthew 25:31).  All of the teaching in this speech, including the parables, presuppose the second coming.  Later that week in His hearing before Caiphas, Jesus said, But I tell you, hereafter you will see the Son of Man seated at the right hand of Power, and coming on the clouds of heaven (Matt. 26:54).  While Matthew records more on the second coming, than do the other Gospel writers, Mark, Luke, and John also include some of Jesus' comments on the second coming.  We find in Mark 13:26 and Luke 21:27, for example, almost identical declarations that the people living in the last days will see the Son of Man coming in clouds with power and glory.  And John tells us that in the upper room Jesus promised His disciples, And when I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and I will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also (John 14:3). 

In addition to Jesus' own words there are numerous other direct statements in the New Testament regarding His return (Acts 1:11; 3:19-21).  Paul wrote of the second coming on several occasions.  He assured the Philippians, that our commonwealth is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will change our lowly body to be like His glorious body, by the power which enables him even to subject all things to Himself (Phil. 3:20-21).  This passage, in a book not specifically eschatological, is particularly significant.  It shows the practical effect which the second coming will have upon us.  But perhaps Paul's most direct statement is in I Thessalonians 4:15-16:

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 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:

Other statements are found in II Thessalonians 1:7, 10; and Titus 2:13.  But the references are not limited to Jesus and Paul.  Many other New Testament writers mention the second coming (Hebrews 9:28; James 5:7-8; I Peter 1:7, 13; II Peter 1:16; 3:4, 12; I John 2:28).  Clearly, the second coming is one of the most widely taught truths in the New Testament writings.

While the fact of the second coming is clearly stated in Scripture, the time of Christ's return is not.  Indeed, the Bible makes it clear that we do not know and cannot ascertain that exact time when Jesus will return.  Although God has set a definite time, that time has not been revealed.  Jesus indicated that neither He nor the angels knew the time of His return and neither would His disciples (Mark 13:32-33, 35; Matthew 24:36-44).  Apparently, the time of His return was one of the matters to which Jesus was referring when, just before His ascension, He responded to His disciples' question whether He would now restore the kingdom to Israel with: It is not for you to know times or seasons which the Father has fixed by His own authority (Acts 1:7).  Instead of satisfying their curiosity, Jesus told the disciples that they were to be His witnesses worldwide.  That the time of His return is not to be revealed explains Jesus' repeated emphasis upon its unexpectedness and the consequent need for watchfulness (Matt. 24:44, 50; 25:13; Mark 13:35).

Whereas, the timing of the second coming is not certain, the characteristics of the event are clear.   First, Christ's second coming will be personal.  A few years ago in all the major papers in the United States a full page ad was taken out asserting that the Christ was here already and that he would be appearing to the nation soon.  The ad went on to state that this person had the Spirit of the Christ and would be leading us into all wisdom and knowledge.  One can almost hear the words of Jesus echoing in the background, Although many will come in that day and say "here is the Christ," but do not believe them (Matthew 24).  The Scriptures make it  clear that Jesus Himself will be coming again, not some representative on His behalf.  This personal appearing of Christ, is simply assumed throughout Biblical references to His return.  Jesus says, for example, AI will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also (John 14:3).  Paul's statement that the Lord Himself will descend from heaven (I Thess. 4:16) leaves little doubt that the return will be personal in nature.  The word of the angels at Jesus' ascension, This same Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw Him go into heaven (acts 1:11), argues conclusively that His return will be just as personal as was His departure.

There are those who claim that Jesus' promise to return was fulfilled on Pentecost through a spiritual coming.    Since Pentecost,  Christ has indeed been with and in each believer from the moment of new birth on.  However, several considerations prevent our regarding this spiritual presence in the believer as the full meaning of the coming which Jesus promised.  The statement again in Acts chapter 11, clearly states that Jesus will return in the same manner that He left.  Jesus took definite pains to assure the disciples that He was physically alive and not merely spiritually alive ( i.e.  ate fish, had the disciples touch Him, etc.) 

Finally, the second coming will be both visible and unexpected.

 Matthew 24:30 says, And they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.  Although the second coming will be preceded by several signs- the desolating sacrilege (Matt. 24:15), great tribulation (24:21), darkening of the sun (24:29), they will not indicate the exact time of Jesus' return.  Consequently, there will be many for whom His return will be quite unexpected.  It will be as in the days of Noah (Matt. 24:37).  Although Noah spent some time in the construction of the ark, none of his contemporaries, except for his own family, prepared themselves for the flood.  People will be feeling secure, but sudden destruction will come upon them (IThess. 5:2-3).  Jesus' teaching suggests that because of the long delay before the second coming, some will be lulled into inattention (Matt. 25:1-13; II Peter 3:3-4).  When the parousia finally occurs, however, it will happen so quickly that there will be not time to prepare

(Matt. 25:8-10).

B.                The Relationship between the Imminence of Christ's Coming and World Missions

Central to the doctrine of the Second Coming is the imminent return of Christ.  As was mentioned previously, scripture indicates that the second coming will be unexpected and sudden, but could it occur at any time or are there some prophecies which must first be fulfilled?  Imminent means that a certain event will occur.  It is not guesswork or wishful thinking but rather infallible and sure.  The coming of Jesus for His church could happen at any moment.  The term used to encapsulate this notion of a sudden and unexpected return of Christ for His church is the word imminent.  The word carries with it a sense of impending or nearness.  Like the lightning strike of an approaching storm, it is unpredictable as to a time but sure in its reality and swiftness.  In relation to Christ's return, imminent can be likened to the birth pangs of labor.  Christ's return is preceded by reliable signs and prophecies.  It is definite and soon, but the exact time is uncertain.  In light of this we must be prepared at all times for that possibility, lest we be caught unawares.  Several arguments support this notion of imminence.

First, Jesus urged His disciples to be ready for His coming, since they did not know when it would take place (Matt. 24-25).  If there are other events which must take place before Christ returns, it is difficult to understand why He spoke of the time as unknown, for we would know at least that the return will not occur until those events have transpired.  Second, there is a repeated emphasis that we are to wait eagerly, for the Lord's coming is at hand.  Many passages indicate that the coming would be very soon and perhaps at any moment (Rom. 8:19-25; I Cor. 1:7; Phil. 4:5; Titus 2:13; James 5:8-9; Jude 2:10).  And finally, Paul's statement that we await our blessed hope (Titus 2:13) requires that the next event in God's plan be the coming of the Lord.  If the next event were instead to be the great tribulation, we could hardly have hope and anticipation.  Instead, fear and apprehension would be our reaction.  Since the return of our Lord is the next event on God's timetable, there is no reason why it could not happen at any time.

When examined closely, however, these arguments are not fully persuasive.  Do the commands of Christ to watch for His coming and the warnings that His return will occur at an unlikely time and without clear signs necessarily mean that it is imminent?  There has already been an intervening period of almost two thousand years.  While we do not know how long the delay will be,  nor consequently, the precise time of Christ's coming, we can still know that it is not yet.  Not knowing when it will occur does not preclude knowing certain times when it will occur.

Further, Jesus' statements did not at the time they were expressed mean that the second coming was imminent.  He indicated through at least three of His parable (the nobleman who went to a far country, Luke 19:11-27; the wise and foolish virgins, Matthew 25:5; and the talents, Matthew 25:19) that there was to be a delay.  Similarly, the parable of the servants (Matt. 24:45-51) involves a period of time for the events to prove their character.  In addition, certain events had to transpire before the second coming; for example, Peter would grow old and feable (John 21:18), the gospel would be preached to all nations (Matt. 24:14), and the temple would be destroyed (Matt. 24:2).   If these events had to occur before Jesus would return, the second coming could not have happened immediately.  His saying, Watch and You do not know the hour, is not inconsistent with a delay to allow certain events to happen.  This is not to say that it is inappropriate to speak of imminence.  It is, however, the complex of events surrounding the second coming, rather than the single event itself that is imminent.  Perhaps we should speak of this complex as imminent and the second coming as impending.

The imminence of the Lord's return is the reason for the urgency in missions.  If Christ's return could happen at any moment, then it is imperative that as many as possible hear the gospel and be saved.  Additionally, Jesus said that the gospel must be preached to all nations and then the end would come (Matt. 24:14).  Whereas, we do not know the time of His return, Jesus intimates that His church plays a key role in determining how soon He will return.  Christ's return will be hastened when His church reaches the unreached and the gospel is preached unto all nations.

C.                The Certainty of a Premillennial Second Coming of Christ

Over the years there has been considerable discussion in Christian theology regarding the chronological relationship between Christ's second coming and certain other events.  In particular this discussion has involved two major questions: Will there be a millennium, an earthly reign of Jesus Christ and will the second coming take place before or after that period?

The Scriptures clearly indicate that Jesus Christ will establish a one thousand year earthly reign.  The key passage for this Premillennial view is

Revelation 20:4-6:

And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years.  But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection.  Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years.

Here is evidence of a thousand year period and two resurrections, one at the beginning and the other at the end.

We must now address the question of which millennial view to adopt.  There are strong biblical grounds for rejecting postmillenialism.  Postmillenialists believe the preaching of the gospel will usher in a thousand years of peace as people receive the gospel and become part of the kingdom of God.  According to them, the kingdom will be realized and then Christ will come when the world has become the kingdom of God.  Jesus' teaching regarding great wickedness and the cooling off of the faith of many before His return seems to conflict quite sharply with postmillennial optimism.  That a clear depiction of an earthly reign of Christ without His physical presence is nowhere found in Scriptures seems to be another major weakness of this position.

This leaves us with a choice between amillenialism and premillennialism.  The issue comes down to the biblical references to the millennium- are there sufficient grounds for adopting the more complicated Premillennial view rather than the simpler amillennial conception?  It is sometimes contended that the whole Premillennial conception rests upon a single passage of Scripture, and that doctrine should not be based upon a single passage.  But, if one view can account for a specific reference better than can another; and both views explain the rest of Scripture about equally well, then the former view must certainly be judged more adequate than the latter. 

We note here that there are no biblical passages with which premillennialism cannot cope or which it cannot adequately explain.  Nor is the premillennialist view based solely upon one passage in the Bible.  Intimations of it are found in a number of places.  For example, Paul writes, For as in Adam all dies, so also in Christ shall all be made alive.  But each in his own order: Christ the first fruits, then at His coming those who belong to Christ.  Then come the end, when He delivers the kingdom of God the Father after destroying every rule and every authority and power ( I Cor. 15:22-24).  It appears that just as the first coming and resurrection of Christ were distinct events separated by time, so will there be an interval between the second coming and the end.  We should also observe that while the two resurrections are spoken of explicitly in Revelation 20, there are other passages which hint at either a resurrection of a select group (Luke 14:14; 20:35; I Cor. 15:23; Phil. 3:11; I Thess. 4:16) or a resurrection in two stages (Dan. 12:2; John 5:29).  In Philippians 3:11, for example, Paul speaks of his hope of attaining the resurrection from the dead.  The phrase literally reads, the out-resurrection out from among the dead ones.  Accordingly, the Premillennial view is the more believable one.

D.               The Events Surrounding the Rapture of the Church

Whereas, all evangelicals agree that the second coming of Christ is imminent and premillennial, and that Christ is returning for His bride in an event known as the rapture, the second coming in relation to the tribulation period is fraught with varied views and opinions.  Will the rapture occur before or after the tribulation?  Or will the rapture occur sometime during the tribulation period?  What is meant by being kept from wrath? 

By far, the most popular view of the rapture today is what is know as a pre-tribulation rapture of the church.  According to this view, Christ will come for His saints; afterward He will come with His saints.  The first stage of Christ's coming is called the Rapture.  The word rapture does not occur in the Scriptures, but, like the word Trinity, the concept is there.   Rapture means a snatching away and refers to the exit of the church from the earth before the wrath of God is poured out during the tribulation period.  There are several distinctive ideas held by pre-tribulationalists. 

The first concerns the nature of the tribulation.  It will indeed be a great tribulation.  Whereas some other end times writers emphasize the difficulties and persecutions experienced by the church throughout its history, pretribulationists stress the uniqueness of the tribulation.  It will be quite unparalleled within history.  It will be a period of transition concluding God's dealings with the Gentiles and preparing for the millennium and the events which will transpire therein.  The tribulation, according to pre-tribulation rapture theorists, is not to be understood as in any sense a time for disciplining believers or purifying the church.

A second major idea of pretribulationism is the rapture of the church.  Christ will come at the beginning of the great tribulation to remove the church from the world.  This coming in a sense will be secret.  No unbelieving eye will observe it.  The rapture, according to pretribulationists, is pictured in I Thessalonians 4:17: Then we who are alive, who are left, shall be caught up together with the dead in Christ in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air; and so we shall always be with the Lord.  Note that in the rapture Christ will not descend all the way to earth, as He will when He comes with the church at the end of the tribulation.

Pretribulationists maintain that there will be two phases in Christ's coming, or one could even say two comings.  There will also be three resurrections.  The first will be the resurrection of the righteous dead at the rapture, for Paul teaches that believers who are alive at the time will not precede those who are dead.  Then at the end of the tribulation there will be a resurrection of those saints who have died during the tribulation.  Finally, at the end of the millennium, there will be a resurrection of unbelievers.

This all means that the church will be absent during the tribulation.  That is the point of the rapture, to deliver the church from the tribulation.  We can expect deliverance because Paul promised that the Thessalonians that they would not experience the wrath which God will pour out upon unbelievers: For God has not destined us for wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ (I Thess 5:9); Jesus . . . . delivers us from the wrath to come (I Thess. 1:10).

But what of the references in Matthew 24 which indicate that some of the elect will be present during the tribulation?  According to those who hold to a pre-tribulation rapture view, we must understand that the disciple's asking what would be the sign of Jesus' coming and of the end of the age (24:3; Acts 1:6) occurred within a Jewish framework.  And accordingly, Jesus' discussion here pertains primarily to the future of Israel.  It is significant that the Gospel uses the general term elect rather than church, body of Christ, or any similar expression.  It is elect Jews, not the church, who will be present during the tribulation.  However, the elect is not a term used exclusively for the Jewish believers.  In several passages, the church as a whole is referred to as the elect (Romans 8:33; Col. 3:12; I Peter 1:1; II John 1:1).  But perhaps the most telling passage is found in Revelation 7.  In this vision John the apostle is asked who the multitudes are before the throne of God.  The angel replies: These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb (Rev. 7:14).  Notice, these are those who went through the great tribulation.  What of their identity?  Are they Jewish believers?  Notice again that the passage says these are of every kindred, tribe, tongue, and nation.  When the Bible refers to the nations it is always contrasting the Jews with the gentile nations.  Therefore, the millions before the throne are Jewish and non-Jewish believers.

           Finally, according to pre-tribulation rapture theorists, as has been mentioned earlier, the Lord's return is imminent.  Since His return will precede the tribulation, nothing remains to be fulfilled prior to the rapture.  Indeed, many precedents for the beginning of the tribulation period can be seen today: the faith of many growing cold and wickedness is increasing.  His coming for the church, then, could occur at any time, even within the next instant.

Jesus urged watchfulness upon His hearers, since they did not know the time  of His return (Matt. 25:13).  The parable of the ten virgins conveys this message.  Just as in the time of Noah, there will be no warning signs (Matt. 24:36-39).  The wicked knew nothing until the flood came and took them away.  The coming of the Lord will be like a thief in the night (Matt. 24:43).  Or like the master who returns at an unexpected time (Matt. 24:45-51).  There will be a sudden separation.  Two men will be working in the field; two women will be grinding at the mill.  In each case, one will be taken and the other left.  What clearer depiction of the rapture could there be?  Since it can occur at any moment, watchfulness and diligent activity are very much the order.

There is another basis for the belief that Christ's return is imminent. The church can have a blessed hope (Titus 2:13) only if the next major event to transpire is the coming of Christ.  If the Antichrist and the great tribulation were the next items on the eschatological agenda, Paul would have told the church to expect suffering, persecution, anguish.  But instead he instructs the Thessalonians to comfort one another with the fact of Christ's second coming (I Thess. 4:18).  Since the next event, to which the church is to look forward with hopeful anticipation, is the coming of Christ for the church, there is nothing to prevent it from happening at any time.

Much of the pre-tribulation rapture view is important to eschatology, especially the importance of imminence and being ready for Christ's return, however, the bulk of pr-tribulation rapture views, rest on only a few obscure passages , specifically in I Thessalonians.  

Finally, there will be at least two judgments.  The church will be judged at the time of the rapture.  It is there that rewards for faithfulness will be handed out.  The church will not be involved, however, in the separation of the sheep and goats at the end of the millennium.  Its status will already have been determined. 

E.                My personal experience and understanding of Christ our coming King