III. The Manner Of Christ's Coming

A. Will Christ Come Back As He Went?

1. Did Christ Go Up In A Cloud?

Acts 1:

    9 And when he had spoken these things, while they beheld, he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight.

    11 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.

TEXTS OF INTEREST

Psalms 104:

    3 Who layeth the beams of his chambers in the waters: who maketh the clouds his chariot: who walketh upon the wings of the wind:

Psalms 68:

    17 The chariots of God are twenty thousand, even thousands of angels: the Lord is among them, as in Sinai, in the holy place.

2. Will The Same Christ (Jesus) Come Back?

Acts 1:

    11 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.

Luke 24:

    36 And as they thus spake, Jesus himself stood in the midst of them, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you.

    37 But they were terrified and affrighted, and supposed that they had seen a spirit.

    38 And he said unto them, Why are ye troubled? and why do thoughts arise in your hearts?

    39 Behold my hands and my feet, that it is I myself: handle me, and see; for a spirit hath not flesh and bones, as ye see me have.

    40 And when he had thus spoken, he shewed them his hands and his feet.

    41 And while they yet believed not for joy, and wondered, he said unto them, Have ye here any meat?

    42 And they gave him a piece of a broiled fish, and of an honeycomb.

    43 And he took it, and did eat before them.

    50 And he led them out as far as to Bethany, and he lifted up his hands, and blessed them.

    51 And it came to pass, while he blessed them, he was parted from them, and carried up into heaven.

John 20:

    26 And after eight days again his disciples were within, and Thomas with them: then came Jesus, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst, and said, Peace be unto you.

    27 Then saith he to Thomas, Reach hither thy finger, and behold my hands; and reach hither thy hand, and thrust it into my side: and be not faithless, but believing.

NOTE:

    Jesus had a body made of flesh and bones with hands and feet. He was not a spirit. Acts 1:11 says that “this same Jesus” will return.

B. Will Christ Come Back Unexpectedly?

1. Will Christ Come As A Thief?

2 peter 3:

    10 But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up.

1 Thessalonians 5:

    2 For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night.

    3 For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape.

    4 But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief.

Revelation 3:

    3 Remember therefore how thou hast received and heard, and hold fast, and repent. If therefore thou shalt not watch, I will come on thee as a thief, and thou shalt not know what hour I will come upon thee.

Revelation 16:

    15 Behold, I come as a thief. Blessed is he that watcheth, and keepeth his garments, lest he walk naked, and they see his shame.

NOTE:

    Christ will come as a thief only to those who are not expecting Him. If a person could know ahead of time that a thief is coming, he would be watching and waiting and would not be caught by surprise. Everyone has an opportunity to know that Christ is coming. “Blessed is he that watcheth.”

Matthew 24:

    38 For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark,

    39 And knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.

    44 Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh.

Luke 21:

    34 And take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting, and drunkenness, and cares of this life, and so that day come upon you unawares.

    35 For as a snare shall it come on all them that dwell on the face of the whole earth.

    36 Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man.

2. Will Any Man Ever Know The Day Or Hour Of Christ’s Return?

Matthew 24:

    30 And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and 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.

    36 But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only.

    42 Watch therefore; for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come.

    44 Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh.

Revelation 3:

    3 Remember therefore how thou hast received and heard, and hold fast, and repent. If therefore thou shalt not watch, I will come on thee as a thief, and thou shalt not know what hour I will come upon thee.

C. Will Christ Be Coming In Clouds?

1. Will Christ Be Coming In Clouds Like He Left?

Matthew 24:

    30 And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and 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.

Luke 21:

    27 And then shall they see the Son of man coming in a cloud with power and great glory.

1 Thessalonians 4:

    16 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:

    17 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.

Revelation 1:

    7 Behold, he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him, and they also which pierced him: and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him. Even so, Amen.

Matthew 26:

    64 Jesus saith unto him, Thou hast said: nevertheless I say unto you, Hereafter shall ye see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven.

Mark 13:

    26 And then shall they see the Son of man coming in the clouds with great power and glory.

Mark 14:

    62 And Jesus said, I am: and ye shall see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven.

Daniel 7:

    13 I saw in the night visions, and, behold, one like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of days, and they brought him near before him.

2. What Is The Sign Of His Coming?

Matthew 24:

    30 And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and 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.

NOTE:

    As can be seen in this verse and in the previous section Christ will be coming in the clouds of Heaven. The glorious clouds, which everyone will be able to see, are a sign by which one can identify all other counterfeit comings.

3. What Makes The Clouds That Christ Returns In?

Psalms 104:

    3 Who layeth the beams of his chambers in the waters: who maketh the clouds his chariot: who walketh upon the wings of the wind:

Psalms 68:

    17 The chariots of God are twenty thousand, even thousands of angels: the Lord is among them, as in Sinai, in the holy place.

NOTE:

    It is apparent from the two texts above that the glorious angels form the clouds in which Christ returns.

TEXTS OF INTEREST:

Revelation 5:

    11 And I beheld, and I heard the voice of many angels round about the throne, and the beasts, and the elders: and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands;

Hebrews 12:

    22 But ye are come unto mount Sion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels,

Matthew 25:

    31 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:

Luke 21:

    26 Men’s hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth: for the powers of heaven shall be shaken.

    27 And then shall they see the Son of man coming in a cloud with power and great glory.

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