Bible Readings for the Home Circle Part 92

1. Is Christ coming again?

"I will come _again_." John 14:3.

2. How does Paul speak of this coming?

"Unto them that look for Him shall He appear _the second time_ without sin unto salvation." Heb. 9:28.

3. Did the early disciples think that death would be the second coming of Christ?

"Peter seeing him [John] saith to Jesus, Lord, and what shall this man do?

Jesus saith unto him, If I will that he tarry _till I come_, what is that to thee? follow thou Me. Then went this saying abroad among the brethren, that that disciple _should not die_: yet Jesus said not unto him, He shall not die; but, If I will that he tarry _till I come_, what is that to thee?" John 21:21-23.

NOTES.-From this it is evident that the early disciples regarded death and the coming of Christ as two separate events.

" 'Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh.' Some people say that means death; but the Word of G.o.d does not say it means death. Death is our enemy, but our Lord hath the keys of death; He has conquered death, h.e.l.l, and the grave.... Christ is the Prince of Life; there is no death where He is; death flees at His coming; dead bodies sprang to life when He touched them or spoke to them. His coming is not death. He is the resurrection and the life. When He sets up His kingdom, there is to be no death, but life forevermore."-_"__The Second Coming of Christ,__"__ by D. L. Moody, pages 10, 11._

4. At His ascension, how did the angels say Christ would come again?

[Ill.u.s.tration.]

The Ascension. "This same Jesus ... shall so come in like manner as ye have seen Him go into heaven." Acts 1:11.

"And when He had spoken these things, while they beheld, He was taken up; and _a cloud received Him out of their sight_. And while they looked steadfastly toward heaven as He went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel; which 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 1:9-11.

5. How did Christ Himself say He would come?

"For the Son of man shall come _in the glory of His Father with His angels_." Matt. 16:27. "Then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming _in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory_." Matt. 24: 30. "For whosoever shall be ashamed of Me and of My words, of him shall the Son of man be ashamed, when _He shall come in His own glory, and in His Father's, and of the holy angels_." Luke 9:26.

6. How many will see Him when He comes?

"Behold, He cometh with clouds; and _every eye shall see Him_, and they also which pierced Him." Rev. 1:7.

NOTE.-Christ's second coming will be as real as was His first, and as visible as His ascension, and far more glorious. To spiritualize our Lord's return is to pervert the obvious meaning of His promise, "I will come again," and nullify the whole plan of redemption; for the reward of the faithful of all ages is to be given at this most glorious of all events.

7. What wonderful demonstration will accompany the Lord's coming?

"The Lord Himself shall descend from heaven _with a shout, with the voice of the Archangel, and with the trump of G.o.d_: and the dead in Christ shall rise first." 1 Thess. 4:16.

8. What warning has Christ given concerning false views of the manner of His coming?

"Then if any man shall say unto you, _Lo, here is Christ, or there; believe it not_. For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall show great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect. Behold, I have told you before. Wherefore if they shall say unto you, Behold, He is in the _desert_; go not forth: behold, He is in the _secret chambers_; believe it not." Matt. 24:23-26.

9. How visible is His coming to be?

"For as the lightning cometh out of the east, and s.h.i.+neth even unto the west; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be." Verse 27.

Object Of Christ's Coming

[Ill.u.s.tration.]

The Transfiguration. "Behold, I come quickly; and My reward is with Me."

Rev. 22:12.

1. For what purpose did Christ say He would come again?

"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_." John 14:2, 3.

2. What part will the angels have in this event?

"And He shall send His angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and _they shall gather together His elect_ from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other." Matt. 24:31.

3. What takes place at the sounding of the trumpet?

"For the Lord Himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the Archangel, and with the trump of G.o.d: and _the dead in Christ shall rise first_." 1 Thess. 4:16.

4. What will be done with the righteous living?

"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." Verse 17.

5. What change will then take place in both the living and the sleeping saints?

"We shall not all sleep, but _we shall all be changed_, 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_." 1 Cor. 15:51-53.

6. When are the saints to be like Jesus?

"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.

7. How many will receive a reward when Christ comes?

"For 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_." Matt. 16:27.

8. What does He say He will bring with Him when He comes?

"Behold, I come quickly; and _My reward is with Me_, to give every man according as his works shall be." Rev. 22:12.

9. What promise is made to those who look for Him?