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 The Purpose of His [Second] Coming

by
J. W. Whitney

The plan of salvation would be incomplete if it did not include the second coming of Christ. It is that glorious event which brings to full fruition all of the benefits and blessings of the gospel.

At the first advent of Christ, the seed of the kingdom was sown. The full harvest is to be gathered at the second advent. The purpose of the coming of Christ the second time is nine-fold: namely, to come for His people, to raise the dead, to translate the living, to judge the world, to save His people, to destroy the wicked, to restore all things, to reign forever, and to give the kingdom to His people.

He will come for His people.

When preparing His disciples for His departure, Jesus stated clearly the purpose of His second coming. He said, "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).

It has been the purpose of God from the very beginning that His people should be with Him through all eternity.

Listen to what Paul says, "According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love" (Ephesians 1:4). It is plain that He wanted His people to dwell with Him--another evidence that God's people must be a holy people. Christ returned to heaven from the earth in order to make preparation for this plan to be carried out. He is now preparing a place for His people, and He will come again to take them to Himself that where He is, there they may be also.

His people will be gathered together by His angels when He comes. We read, "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" (Matthew 24:31).

He will come to raise the dead.

At the time Jesus comes, most of His people will be sleeping in death, and therefore one of the primary purposes of the coming of Christ is to awake the sleeping saints and give them an immortal existence. This is plainly stated thus: "For 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).

He will come to translate the living.

Some of the people of God will be living at that time, not having tasted death. These will be united with those that have been raised from the dead, and both classes together will be caught up to be with Jesus. "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).

All will be changed! When this takes place, both classes will be changed from their mortal, corruptible state and given a glorious immortality. "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 Corinthians 15:51-53). This will make them like their divine Master. " . . . 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).

He will come to judge the world.

Another purpose for which Christ will come the second time will be to judge the world. It is impossible that this should be done before the end of all things, for God holds men responsible, not only for the commission of their own deeds, but also for the consequences resulting from their deeds. Thus Jeremiah said that God's "eyes are open upon all the ways of the sons of men: to give every one according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings" (Jeremiah 32:19). "I the Lord search the heart, I try the reins, even to give every man according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings" (Jeremiah 17:10).

Now it is obvious that while the ways of a man may be manifested at his death, the fruit of his doings will not be manifested until the very end of time. Thus the stream of poison that had its source in infidel pens of men may continue to flow through all time, while the Christian fortitude of the martyrs and the faithful self-sacrifice, zeal, and earnestness of true Christians may be fountains of perpetual blessing to the world until the close of human probation. Therefore, the final reward or punishment must be delayed until the ultimate results of every good and evil action can be surveyed at a glance and the fruits of a man's actions or doings rightly estimated.

In the second chapter of Daniel, we read about the stone which smote the image. This stone represented the kingdom of God which is to destroy the existing world order and take its place in the earth, filling the entire earth and remaining forever. This destruction has not yet taken place. The feet of iron and clay still exist in the modern nations of Europe, partly strong and partly broken. The stone has not yet struck, but the preceding kingdoms of Babylon, Medo-Persia, Greece, and Rome have already passed away. Those who composed the subjects of these kingdoms are dead. This prophecy, however, informs us that when the stone strikes, when the kingdom of God comes, then the iron, clay, brass, silver, and gold are to be broken to pieces together and carried away; and no place will be found for them. Those represented by the gold, silver, brass, iron, and clay must be raised from the dead to receive the punishment predicted in this prophecy and to be sent into eternal destruction as punishment for their sins in a day long ago. To this agree the words of David who said, "for he cometh to judge the earth: he shall judge the world with righteousness, and the people with his truth" (Psalm 96:13).

Paul makes it very clear that the judgment of both the living and the dead will take place at the second coming of Christ. "I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the [living] and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom" (2 Timothy 4:1). It was at this time that Paul expected to get his reward for faithfulness, for he says again, "Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing" (2 Timothy 4:8).

Jesus spoke about a final separation. It is at the second coming of Christ that this great and final separation between the righteous and the wicked will take place. "When 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: And 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).

At this judgment every man will be rewarded in exact accordance with his works. Rewards and punishments will be apportioned to the righteous and the wicked. "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" (Matthew 16:27).

He will come to save His people.

The second coming of Christ is for the purpose of bringing complete salvation to His people--salvation from death and the grave forever. Thus we read in the words of Paul: "So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation" (Hebrews 9:28).

Of this glorious time we read: "He will swallow up death in victory; and the Lord GOD will wipe away tears from off all faces; and the rebuke of his people shall he take away from off all the earth: for the LORD hath spoken it. And it shall be said in that day, Lo, this is our God; we have waited for him, and he will save us: this is the LORD; we have waited for him, we will be glad and rejoice in his salvation" (Isaiah 25:8-9).

He will come to destroy the wicked.

The sixth reason for which the Lord will come the second time will be to destroy the wicked, those who have rejected His mercy and His truth. " . . . when 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 Thessalonians 1:7-8).

Concerning this same punishment we read: "But with righteousness shall he judge the poor, and reprove with equity for the meek of the earth: and he shall smite the earth with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips shall he slay the wicked" (Isaiah 11:4).

John wrote of this destruction of the wicked at the coming of Christ as follows: "And the nations were angry, and thy wrath is come, and the time of the dead, that they should be judged, and that thou shouldest give reward unto thy servants the prophets, and to the saints, and them that fear thy name, small and great; and shouldest destroy them which destroy the earth" (Revelation 11:18).

He will come to restore all things.

Another wonderful purpose of God in the second coming of Christ is the restoration of all things which have been lost through the introduction of sin into this world. At the beginning of the history of the world, mankind was placed in the garden of Eden and given the privilege of eating of the tree of life. It was God's plan or purpose for man that he should ever remain in this paradise and possess eternal life. This plan was thwarted by sin, but God has kept His purpose for man in mind through all the ages that have passed since then, and through Christ all things will be restored to those who receive salvation. This has been foretold by many of the prophets. Peter speaks of it in this way: "And he shall send Jesus Christ, which before was preached unto you: Whom the heaven must receive until the times of restitution of all things, which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets since the world began" (Acts 3:20-21).

A description of the restored earth with the redeemed race upon it is found in the last two chapters in the Bible. It is the second coming of Christ which prepares the way for the establishment of this new earth where the people of God shall dwell throughout eternity.

He will come to reign forever.

Jesus will come as king of kings to reign forever. "And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war. . . . And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS" (Revelation 19:11, 16). The kingdom over which He will rule will be an everlasting kingdom.

"And in the days of these kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom, which shall never be destroyed: and the kingdom shall not be left to other people, but it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand for ever" (Daniel 2:44).

"And there was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages, should serve him: his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed" (Daniel 7:14). It shall stand forever.

"And I will make her that halted a remnant, and her that was cast far off a strong nation: and the LORD shall reign over them in mount Zion from henceforth, even for ever" (Micah 4:7).

" . . . of his kingdom there shall be no end" (Luke 1:33).

There are many more references I could give where the Bible teaches that Christ is to have dominion over the new earth.

He will come to give the kingdom to His people.

Of this kingdom the people of God shall be joint heirs with Christ, and the coming of Christ will assure to His people that which has been promised to the faithful.

"And the kingdom and dominion, and the greatness of the kingdom under the whole heaven, shall be given to the people of the saints of the most High, whose kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and all dominions shall serve and obey him" (Daniel 7:27).

"Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world" (Matthew 25:34).

"And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation; And hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth" (Revelation 5:9-10).

Surely with all of these wonderful and glorious purposes to be worked out by the coming of Christ, we cannot afford to give up the precious doctrine of His coming. This is indeed a blessed hope as we contemplate the stupendous events of the near future, the events which cluster around the glorious appearing of Christ. There comes from our eager hearts the cry of John, "Even so, come, Lord Jesus" (Revelation 22:20).

Our Lord's Own Prophecy

Beginning with the twenty-third chapter of Matthew there is recorded what is evidently the last public address given by Jesus to the Jewish nation. In this address which was delivered in the court of the temple at Jerusalem, He strongly denounced the hypocrisy of the Jewish leaders.

At the close of His address, Christ said, "Wherefore, behold, I send unto you prophets, and wise men, and scribes: and some of them ye shall kill and crucify; and some of them shall ye scourge in your synagogues, and persecute them from city to city: That upon you may come all the righteous blood shed upon the earth, from the blood of righteous Abel unto the blood of Zacharias son of Barachias, whom ye slew between the temple and the altar. Verily I say unto you, All these things shall come upon this generation" (Matthew 23:34-36). The last words that Jesus said unto them in closing His address were, "Behold, your house is left unto you desolate. For 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 23:38-39).

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© 1957 J. W. Whitney

Click here if you have a question for Pastor Elvin Dillard (great grandson of J. W. Whitney).

All Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, King James Version (KJV).

For clarity and ease of reading, this sermon has been edited and condensed by Barbara Carpenter and Wynona Haun (granddaughters of J. W. Whitney) with special help from Elvin Dillard and Marie Haun. The author's primary message remains.

Please feel free to duplicate the sermon for nonprofit purposes, and be sure to include the credits and Web address on all reproductions. You are welcome to contact us with questions and comments.

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