"The Coming One."

“Who is Coming?”
“THE Lord Jesus Christ, the only-begotten Son of God, the Heir of all things.” The Blessed One, who was cast out, rejected, and crucified on earth, but whom God has raised from the dead, is coming again. Scripture is very plain and clear as to this momentous fact we have both the words of the Saviour Himself, and also the repeated testimony of the Holy Ghost through His servants. The Christian is warned that scoffers shall come in the last days, saying, “Where is the promise of His coming” (2 Pet. 3:3, 4,3Knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts, 4And saying, Where is the promise of his coming? for since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation. (2 Peter 3:3‑4)) and can rest with joy upon the sure word of Scripture, which replies, “Yet a little while and He that shall come, will come, and will not tarry” (Heb. 10:3737For yet a little while, and he that shall come will come, and will not tarry. (Hebrews 10:37)). Let us turn to a few passages which treat of this important truth.
In John 14:2, 32In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. 3And 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 14:2‑3). we find the Lord saying, “In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And 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.” In Acts 1:10, 11,10And while they looked stedfastly toward heaven as he went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel; 11Which also 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. (Acts 1:10‑11) when He ascended on high, the two men that appeared in white apparel said to the disciples, “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.” Again, in 1 Thessalonians 4:16,16For 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: (1 Thessalonians 4:16) “The Lord Himself shall descend from heaven with a shout,” &c.; and in chapter 1:9, the Thessalonian saints are spoken of as having “turned to God from idols, to serve the living and true God, and to wait for His Son from heaven, whom He raised from the dead, even Jesus,” &c. Surely this is sufficient proof to every subject heart as to the blessed truth of the Lord’s return, and as to the identity of His glorious Person. But, dear reader, are you ready to meet Him?
When is He Coming?
The moment of the Lord’s return is uncertain; no one knoweth the day nor the hour, but it is presented in such a manner that the children of God might always be kept in the attitude of watching for Him, and He has positively and repeatedly declared that He is coming quickly (Rev. 3:11; 22:7,12, 2011Behold, I come quickly: hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown. (Revelation 3:11)
7Behold, I come quickly: blessed is he that keepeth the sayings of the prophecy of this book. (Revelation 22:7)
12And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be. (Revelation 22:12)
20He which testifieth these things saith, Surely I come quickly. Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus. (Revelation 22:20)). The Lord said to His own, “ Let your loins be girded about and your lights burning, and ye yourselves like unto men that wait for their Lord,” &c. (Luke 12:3636And ye yourselves like unto men that wait for their lord, when he will return from the wedding; that when he cometh and knocketh, they may open unto him immediately. (Luke 12:36)). “Watch, therefore, for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come” (Matt. 24:4242Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come. (Matthew 24:42)). “What I say unto you, I say unto all, Watch” (Mark 13:3737And what I say unto you I say unto all, Watch. (Mark 13:37)). “Watch, therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour” (Matt. 25:1313Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh. (Matthew 25:13)). In Hebrews 10:3737For yet a little while, and he that shall come will come, and will not tarry. (Hebrews 10:37) we have the blessed words, “For yet a little while and He that shall come, will come, and will not tarry.”
Three times in the Book of the Revelation we find the promise, “Behold, I come quickly” (Rev. 3:11; 22:7,1211Behold, I come quickly: hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown. (Revelation 3:11)
7Behold, I come quickly: blessed is he that keepeth the sayings of the prophecy of this book. (Revelation 22:7)
12And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be. (Revelation 22:12)), and it almost closes with the emphatic words. “Surely I come quickly” (Rev. 22:2020He which testifieth these things saith, Surely I come quickly. Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus. (Revelation 22:20)). Sad indeed that so many should question this blessed and, glorious truth, and others deny it altogether, with such a mass of Scripture testimony with regard to it. Dear reader, at any moment the Lord may come, are you ready to meet Him?
How Is He Coming?
There is much misunderstanding in the minds of many as to the manner in which the Lord is coming. One class of persons speak as though He had already come, because Christ dwells in the heart of the believer; another class apply the Scriptures which treat of His return, to the Christian’s death, or falling asleep, when he departs to be with Christ” (Phil. 1:2323For I am in a strait betwixt two, having a desire to depart, and to be with Christ; which is far better: (Philippians 1:23)). Now, although it is perfectly true that Christ dwells in the Christian, and also that if he falls asleep he is absent from the body and present with the Lord, yet both of these facts are quite distinct from His coming. This is very clearly proved from many Scriptures For instance, take Philippians 3:20, 21,20For our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ: 21Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself. (Philippians 3:20‑21) “Our conversation is in heaven, from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto His glorious body,” &c. Now, let me ask any candid reader, does this take place when we receive Christ, or when we fall asleep? It needs no proof that such is not the fact. In the one case the mortal body remains the same, in the other it goes to corruption; but when the Saviour comes, the bodies of His sleeping saints shall be raised, and the bodies of the living ones changed and fashioned like unto His own glorious body (Phil. 3:20-2120For our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ: 21Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself. (Philippians 3:20‑21).) How, then, is the Lord Jesus coming? He is coming personally, the very man Jesus who died for sinners at Calvary, and now sits at God’s right hand, is coming again. “The Lord Himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel and the trump of God,” &c. He is coming personally and alone to receive His people unto Himself, that where He is, that there they may be also (1 Thess. 4:1616For 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: (1 Thessalonians 4:16); John 14:2-32In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. 3And 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 14:2‑3)). After this event we find that He will also come to judge and reign, accompanied with all His saints and with all His holy angels (Zech. 14:55And ye shall flee to the valley of the mountains; for the valley of the mountains shall reach unto Azal: yea, ye shall flee, like as ye fled from before the earthquake in the days of Uzziah king of Judah: and the Lord my God shall come, and all the saints with thee. (Zechariah 14:5); Matt. 25:31-3231When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory: 32And before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats: (Matthew 25:31‑32)), a train worthy of the King of kings and Lord of lords.
Where Is He Coming?
On this subject again we find the greatest confusion in men’s minds, whereas the Word of God is most explicit. We must remember that He will come first for His people, and then afterward with them to judge and reign. When He comes for His own, we read that “the Lord Himself shall descend from heaven with a shout.... 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,” &c. (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)). When He comes in judgment and to take His power and reign, we read that, “His feet shall stand in that day upon the Mount of Olives” (Zech. 14:44And his feet shall stand in that day upon the mount of Olives, which is before Jerusalem on the east, and the mount of Olives shall cleave in the midst thereof toward the east and toward the west, and there shall be a very great valley; and half of the mountain shall remove toward the north, and half of it toward the south. (Zechariah 14:4)); and in Acts 1:11-12,11Which also 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. 12Then returned they unto Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is from Jerusalem a sabbath day's journey. (Acts 1:11‑12) we also find that the disciples to whom the promise was made that Jesus should so come in like manner as they had seen Him go into heaven, returned to Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet. So that God has clearly revealed that Christ will come into the air for His people, and to the Mount of Olives when He comes for His kingdom. Dear reader, are you amongst those who would be caught up to meet Him if He were to come in the air now (and when He comes, it will be in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye (1 Cor. 15:5252In 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. (1 Corinthians 15:52)); or are you still in your sins, in danger of being overtaken by the awful judgments of the Day of the Lord?
Why Is He Coming?
Lastly, let us ask, and briefly answer the question, “Why is Jesus Coming?” He will have a two-fold object in view, blessing for the righteous, judgment for the ungodly. At His coming in the air, they that are Christ’s (1 Cor. 15:2323But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ's at his coming. (1 Corinthians 15:23)) in a moment will be removed from this scene, the dead saints being raised, and the living being changed (1 Cor. 15:5252In 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. (1 Corinthians 15:52)); the corruptible thus putting on in-corruption, the mortal putting on immortality (1 Cor. 15:53-5453For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. 54So 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. (1 Corinthians 15:53‑54)), so to be forever with the Lord. He will come to claim the fruit of His mighty triumph at Calvary, to deliver forever from the power of Satan, sin, and death, all who have been washed from their sins in His own precious blood, and to perfect them both spirit, soul, and body in heavenly glory with and like Himself forever and forever (1 Thess. 5:23,23And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. (1 Thessalonians 5:23) and 1 John 3:22Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is. (1 John 3:2)). At His coming in judgment, we read, “The Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with His mighty angels, in flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ (2 Thess. 1:7-87And to you who are troubled rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels, 8In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ: (2 Thessalonians 1:7‑8)). He will come to judge the world in righteousness, the living’ nations being gathered together before Him for that purpose (Matt. 25:31-32,31When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory: 32And before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats: (Matthew 25:31‑32) and Joel 3:9-149Proclaim ye this among the Gentiles; Prepare war, wake up the mighty men, let all the men of war draw near; let them come up: 10Beat your plowshares into swords, and your pruninghooks into spears: let the weak say, I am strong. 11Assemble yourselves, and come, all ye heathen, and gather yourselves together round about: thither cause thy mighty ones to come down, O Lord. 12Let the heathen be wakened, and come up to the valley of Jehoshaphat: for there will I sit to judge all the heathen round about. 13Put ye in the sickle, for the harvest is ripe: come, get you down; for the press is full, the fats overflow; for their wickedness is great. 14Multitudes, multitudes in the valley of decision: for the day of the Lord is near in the valley of decision. (Joel 3:9‑14)); for the Lord’s determination is to gather the nations and assemble the kingdoms to pour upon them His indignation, even all His fierce anger, &c. (Zeph. 3:88Therefore wait ye upon me, saith the Lord, until the day that I rise up to the prey: for my determination is to gather the nations, that I may assemble the kingdoms, to pour upon them mine indignation, even all my fierce anger: for all the earth shall be devoured with the fire of my jealousy. (Zephaniah 3:8)). He will then avenge Himself upon His enemies, and deliver and bring into the blessing of His kingdom and righteous rule, a remnant of all Israel (Zech. 13:9,9And I will bring the third part through the fire, and will refine them as silver is refined, and will try them as gold is tried: they shall call on my name, and I will hear them: I will say, It is my people: and they shall say, The Lord is my God. (Zechariah 13:9) Rom. 11:25-26,25For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in. 26And so all Israel shall be saved: as it is written, There shall come out of Sion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob: (Romans 11:25‑26) and Ezek. 20:34-3834And I will bring you out from the people, and will gather you out of the countries wherein ye are scattered, with a mighty hand, and with a stretched out arm, and with fury poured out. 35And I will bring you into the wilderness of the people, and there will I plead with you face to face. 36Like as I pleaded with your fathers in the wilderness of the land of Egypt, so will I plead with you, saith the Lord God. 37And I will cause you to pass under the rod, and I will bring you into the bond of the covenant: 38And I will purge out from among you the rebels, and them that transgress against me: I will bring them forth out of the country where they sojourn, and they shall not enter into the land of Israel: and ye shall know that I am the Lord. (Ezekiel 20:34‑38)), and a multitude of Gentiles (Rev. 7:9-179After this I beheld, and, lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands; 10And cried with a loud voice, saying, Salvation to our God which sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb. 11And all the angels stood round about the throne, and about the elders and the four beasts, and fell before the throne on their faces, and worshipped God, 12Saying, Amen: Blessing, and glory, and wisdom, and thanksgiving, and honor, and power, and might, be unto our God for ever and ever. Amen. 13And one of the elders answered, saying unto me, What are these which are arrayed in white robes? and whence came they? 14And I said unto him, Sir, thou knowest. And he said to me, These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. 15Therefore are they before the throne of God, and serve him day and night in his temple: and he that sitteth on the throne shall dwell among them. 16They shall hunger no more, neither thirst any more; neither shall the sun light on them, nor any heat. 17For the Lamb which is in the midst of the throne shall feed them, and shall lead them unto living fountains of waters: and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes. (Revelation 7:9‑17)), and reign over this, earth for a thousand years (Rev. 20:4-64And 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. 5But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection. 6Blessed 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. (Revelation 20:4‑6)).
Beloved reader, in the light of the coming li of the Just One, and the blessed and solemn events which will accompany His, return, let me ask you once again, are you ready to meet Him, does the thought of His return fill your soul with all joy and peace, and lead you to re-echo the precious words of the Spirit of God? Amen, even so, come Lord Jesus (Rev. 22:2020He which testifieth these things saith, Surely I come quickly. Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus. (Revelation 22:20)); or does it strike your heart with dread and terror, because you are still unsaved, still in your sins. Oh! if so, delay no longer, flee from the wrath to come. A prudent man foreseeth the, evil, and hideth himself: but the simple pass on and are punished (Prov. 27:1212A prudent man foreseeth the evil, and hideth himself; but the simple pass on, and are punished. (Proverbs 27:12)). Jesus is willing and waiting to receive you, and him that cometh to Him, He will in no wise cast out (John 6:3737All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out. (John 6:37)). Come just as you are, and you shall hear His blessed voice, saying, “Thy sins are forgiven, thy faith hath saved thee; go in peace.” (Luke 7:48-5048And he said unto her, Thy sins are forgiven. 49And they that sat at meat with him began to say within themselves, Who is this that forgiveth sins also? 50And he said to the woman, Thy faith hath saved thee; go in peace. (Luke 7:48‑50).)
E. H. C.