Christ's Coming in Power

From: Messages of God's Love: 1944

Mark 13:3³And as he sat upon the mount of Olives over against the temple, Peter and James and John and Andrew asked him privately, (Mark 13:3) to 27

There is a high ridge east of the city of Jerusalem, called the Mount of Olives, because o f many olive trees growing there, and a quiet place where Jesus came with the disciples away from the crowded city. From there they could see the Temple which Jesus had just said would be broken down.

He had before told them that He must die and be raised, and return to His Father, but also that He would come again with power (Matt. 16:27²⁷For 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. (Matthew 16:27)). The disciples asked Jesus when all this would be, and what sign there would be.

Before Jesus answered their questions He warned them of men who would say they were Christ, and will do wonders, but were false. His coming would be very different, and could not be mistaken, for He would appear in the clouds with brightest glory.

He told them that His “elect,” those of the “seed of Abraham” as prosed, will be gathered from all parts of the earth for blessing (Gen. 13:15¹⁵For all the land which thou seest, to thee will I give it, and to thy seed for ever. (Genesis 13:15); Matt. 23:39³⁹For I say unto you, Ye shall not see me henceforth, till ye shall say, Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord. (Matthew 23:39)).

Jesus told them what would he a “sign,” it had already been written by the prophet Daniel (Dan. 9:27²⁷And he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week: and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease, and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make it desolate, even until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate. (Daniel 9:27)): an “abomination” would be seen “standing where it ought not.” A wicked man will cause the sacrifices and worship of the Jews to stop, and he will set up an idol in the Temple to be worshipped instead of God. This “sign” would be seen before Christ’s coming with power, while there would be awful trouble to the saved people in Judea, and they must. flee to the mountains (See also Matt. 24:15,16¹⁵When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place, (whoso readeth, let him understand:) ¹⁶Then let them which be in Judea flee into the mountains: (Matthew 24:15‑16); Rev.13:14,15). This most wicked man, called “the man of sin” and “the false prophet,” will go into the Temple, and declare himself to be God, and all who do not believe in God, will obey that most wicked man (Matt. 24:15¹⁵When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place, (whoso readeth, let him understand:) (Matthew 24:15); 2 Thess. 2:3-12³Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition; ⁴Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God. ⁵Remember ye not, that, when I was yet with you, I told you these things? ⁶And now ye know what withholdeth that he might be revealed in his time. ⁷For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way. ⁸And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming: ⁹Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders, ¹⁰And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved. ¹¹And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie: ¹²That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness. (2 Thessalonians 2:3‑12)).

But that wicked one’s power will end when the true Christ appears in the heavens, and his awful judgment is told (Rev. 19:20²⁰And the beast was taken, and with him the false prophet that wrought miracles before him, with which he deceived them that had received the mark of the beast, and them that worshipped his image. These both were cast alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone. (Revelation 19:20)).

Jesus told the disciples that before His coming the gospel of the Kingdom must be told in all nations (vs. 10). Those disciples told of Jesus, the coming King.

When the most awful troubles are endured, men of the nation of Israel will tell of the Messiah to come.

“Of that day and that hour, knoweth no man, no, not the angels, neither the Son, but the Father.” Mark 13:32³²But of that day and that hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels which are in heaven, neither the Son, but the Father. (Mark 13:32).

We who are now the Lord’s are told of another coming in the air, to call all who have trusted Him as Saviour, before the time of trouble told here. Of this no “sign” is given.

“I will come again and receive you unto Myself.” John 14:3³And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also. (John 14:3).

“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 tether with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.” 1 Thess. 4:16,17¹⁶For 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: ¹⁷Then 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. (1 Thessalonians 4:16‑17).

ML 07/02/1944

Click here to show subject links in the text for more information.