Confident Expectation
Dearly beloved of God, we are a day closer to the return of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Rejoice!
As the Lord ascended into heaven, two angels stood by his disciples and said, “Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? This same Jesus, Which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen Him go into heaven.”
When this occurs it will fulfill the prophecy in Zechariah 14:4 concerning his coming in the Day of the Lord. Christ’s feet will stand on the Mount of Olives and it will cleave in two. His coming will be as the lightning comes out of the east, and shines unto the west.
According to Matthew 24:27 and following, this will take place after the great tribulation. Every eye will see him come with power and great glory as he comes to earth and stands on the Mount of Olives as the King of kings and Lord of Lords. He will send his angels to gather living Israel to their king. Luke 21: 20-28 reveals more details about his coming in that day. There is no mention of resurrection in Matthew or Luke concerning his coming. I Thessalonians 5 also addresses the Day of the Lord.
God revealed a mystery to the Apostle Paul. Christ Jesus the Lord will come for the Church of the Grace of God before the Day of the Lord and the great tribulation. The Church will meet him in the air, not on the earth.
This coming will involve both the dead in Christ and those who will yet be alive. There will be no signs or seasons that precede this coming; it will be in the twinkling of an eye.
The gathering of the living saints will not precede the raising of the dead in Christ. Christ Jesus will gather together the members of his body up to meet him, first the dead in Christ and then those who are yet living.
“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: Then we which are alive, and remain, shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. Wherefore comfort one another with these words.” I Thessalonians 4: 16-18
“In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, “Death is swallowed up in victory.” I Corinthians 15: 52-54
Thank God for His exceeding great grace and love for us! Christ Jesus our Lord will give us the victory over sin and death. Today’s light affliction is nothing compared to the far more exceeding and heavy weight of glory we will receive when Christ returns for us.
Rejoice forevermore, dearly beloved. He is coming and he will fulfill the purpose of the ages that the Father purposed in him. We will be glorified together with Christ as joint heirs.
The sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us! Live with joy in your heart, with the confident expectation of the hope that is laid up in heaven for you! He is coming!