The Second Coming of Christ

By: Thomas E. Trask

The next great event for our planet will be the rapture of the Church — when Jesus comes again. At His ascension, the angel said to Jesus’ disciples, “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 1:11).1 What a marvelous promise.

Scripture is filled with admonitions and instructions concerning Christ’s return. Jesus said, “When these things begin
to come to pass.” What things was He talking about? Wars and rumors of wars, pestilences, earthquakes, hurricanes, tornadoes, famines, and natural tragedies. Jesus continued, “And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh” (Luke 21:28). The Bible tells us that He is coming for those that look for His appearing.

Matthew 25:1–13 tells the story of the five wise and the five foolish virgins. The five wise virgins had oil in their lamps. To what is that referring? It refers to preparedness, being ready. The five foolish virgins did not take oil in their lamps. When the bridegroom came and the 10 virgins arose, only the five who had oil in their lamps were ready to meet the Lord. The five foolish tried to buy oil from those who had oil. This tells us that we must be ready.

How is one made ready? First, he must know Jesus Christ as his Lord and Savior. Second, he must be living an over- coming, holy life, expecting Him to come. Is anyone perfect? No. But there is a difference between willful disobedience and serving the Lord to the best of one’s ability.

I believe Israel is God’s time clock. Keep your eye on Israel. The church of Jesus Christ has a front-row seat. The world is frightened and paralyzed, but the Church is mobilized. Men’s hearts may fail them for fear, but the church of Jesus Christ has a Blessed Hope. “And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure” (1 John 3:3).

I encourage pastors to preach on the Second Coming; help people know that Jesus is coming “at an hour when ye think not” (Luke 12:40), “in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye” (1 Corinthians 15:52). There will not be opportunity for people to get ready when Jesus returns. It will happen suddenly. Scripture says that “there shall be two … in one bed; the one shall be taken, and the other left…. Two men shall be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left” (Luke 17:34-36). We need to prepare, and we need to prepare the church.

We need to be preachers of the Second Coming because it brings hope, not the hopelessness the world has. The world throws up its hands when it looks at the problems and cares of society. They have no hope. But the Church knows these things must happen, and then we will “see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory” (Matthew 24:30). “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” (1 Thessalonians 4:17). What a glorious promise.

Pastor, emphasize the day and hour in which we live, the signs that point to the soon return of Jesus Christ, and that He could return today.

“When the trumpet of the Lord shall sound, and time shall be no more,

And the morning breaks eternal, bright and fair;
When the saved of earth shall gather over on the other shore, And the roll is called up yonder, I’ll be there.”

As a boy I remember coming home from school and going into the house. I would holler, “Mother, are you there?”

Dad was usually doing church visitation, but if mother was not there or was not answering, it scared me. Has the Rap- ture taken place? Have I missed it? When I heard her voice, “Yes, I’m here,” then I knew the Rapture had not taken place. I had a consciousness and an awareness that the Rapture could happen at any moment.

Preach the Second Coming, teach it, and live with expectation for Jesus is coming soon.

ENDNOTE
1. Scriptures are KJV.

© Thomas E. Trask
Reprinted from Enrichment journal, used with permission.