The Two Advents of Jesus Christ

Major Events of the Second Advent

II

Lesson VIII

March 6, 2005

I The Order of the Second Advent's Four Major Events

1) The Rapture

2) The Great Tribulation

3) The Return and Revelation of Jesus Christ

4) The Reign of Christ for 1000 years or the Millennium

II We shall look again at the Scriptures to find our reasons for believing that these are events yet to be fulfilled

1) The Rapture or Removal of the Church, from Earth to Heaven

a) 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17 If these verses do not teach such an event, what do they teach?

b) 1 Corinthians 15:51-58 If these verses do not describe a sudden event, what do they describe?

c) At the time of the First Advent, the birth of John began a series of events connected with that Advent. In like manner, the Rapture will begin a series of events to fulfill the many prophecies of the events of the Second Advent.

d) The Rapture is not the Second Advent, but a preliminary event of the Second Advent.

2) The Great Tribulation on this earth

a) Matthew 24:21 Great tribulation “such as was not”

b) Daniel 12:1 Time of trouble “such as never was”

c) Revelation 16:18 An earthquake “such as was not”

d) Jeremiah 30:7 Alas! That day is great “none is like it”

e) Deuteronomy 4:30-31 Tribulation “in the latter days”

Tribulation for the Church from the world is one thing

John, 16:33, John 15:19, Romans 8:22

Tribulation caused by the wrath of God is another subject

Revelation 16:1

3) The Return and Revelation of Jesus Christ immediately after this Great Tribulation

a) Matthew 24:27-30 As we said before, if Christ is to return immediately after the Tribulation, then the Tribulation must be immediately before His return. Because Christ has not yet returned, this tribulation must be in the future.

b) Acts 1:11 The return of Christ must be as literal as the fact that He came from Heaven and returned to Heaven at the time of the First Advent.

c) Revelation 1:7 If every eye is to see Him, then His return must be literal and visible cf Isaiah 33:17

d) The Great Tribulation and the Return of Christ after it are the two major themes of the Book of the Revelation.

4) The Reign of Christ on this earth for 1000 years (Millennium)

a) Revelation 20:1-7 If these verses do not mean what they say, why not?

b) Psalm 96:10 Say among the heathen the Lord reigneth

c) Psalm 97:1 The Lord reigneth…”

d) Psalm 98: 1-9 He comes to judge..

e) Zechariah 14:9 Shall be King

f) Isaiah 11:1-9 What is this if not a better day ?

III Will these events become history like other prophetic events?

Ezekiel 12:25-28

Deuteronomy 18:20-22

We are persuaded that they will