Friday, December 21, 2018
From the Old Testament prophets who by God’s Spirit foretold the virgin birth of Jesus, every detail and biblically authoritative proof of Christ’s first advent is boldly preached and taught. And rightly so. But what’s become of the equally important details of Christ’s second advent?
The virgin birth of Christ and His love for people by coming to redeem the fallen estate of humanity to save “Whoever desires to come after Me” (Mark 8:34a), removes all doubt that Christ is indeed the only true God and Savior, able to convert the soul who is willing to “deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me” (Mark 8:34b). All the biblical truths of Christ’s first advent are true whether believed or not.
But why is it that Christ’s first advent of two thousand years ago gets so much attention while His soon-coming second advent, which incidentally has far more biblical details, gets so little? Is it because people of the Church feel non-threatened by that which is past, but threatened by that which is to come? Why the great imbalance of teaching Christ’s two advents?
Christ’s second advent does not receive even a tenth of the attention as His first. The disparity is remarkable. Not just at Christmas, but throughout the year, many will pontificate every biblical truth as to why Christ’s first advent is true, while even more biblical details surrounding His second advent fall silent.
Christ’s first advent is annually displayed in manger scenes all across America, though great resistance is now mounting to prohibit from public display those scenes. But why are there not also scenes of His second advent when He descends from heaven, not as an Infant, but as the reigning King of Glory, to gather His elect “Immediately after the tribulation” (Matt. 24:29–31)?
With Christ’s first advent two-thousand years behind us, should not every pastor and teacher who loves “the King of kings and Lord of lords” (1 Tim. 6:15) boldly proclaim all the prophetic truths of His second advent to which every believer looks forward with anticipation? YES! But it’s not like that. Why? Is it for fear?
Or is it because men haven’t remained close to Christ’s testimony and taught theological confusion of His second advent and people don’t know which of the choices they’ve been told to believe is correct – whether Christ’s descent from heaven for the gathering of saints is a pre, mid, pre-wrath, or post-millennial event? If one doesn’t know the truth, it’s very confusing. The truth is, however, God taught only one second advent of Christ, and it’s none of the above. All one needs to do is believe the testimony of Jesus Christ.
God said Christ “must remain in heaven until the time comes for God to restore everything” (Acts 3:21 NIV) which occurs “Immediately after the tribulation” (Matt. 24:29–31); for only then “the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first” (1 Thess. 4:16); at “the first resurrection” (Rev. 20:4–6); “at the last day” (John 6:40, 44, 54); “at the last trumpet” (1 Cor. 15:51–52); when “The kingdoms of this world have become the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ, and he shall reign forever and ever!” (Rev. 11:15).
The above truths require sincere and thoughtful preparation, which to many, sounds uninviting, even difficult, and we live in a Church age when most refuse to deal with the difficult. Yet, that’s what Christ promised those who choose to follow Him when He said “Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it” (Matt. 7:13–14).
We have entered the end-times and Christians must be prepared for the economic collapse, the global wars, and the apocalypse now imminent, but the Church remains largely silent and every Christian should ask why? Governments are uniting to create the New World Order, and ramp up the disarming of citizens, which will come to America. The U.N.’s 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development will advance regardless of the human, economic and social tolls.
Pope Francis is even now betraying his own church, having grown very friendly toward communist China which persecutes all religions including Roman Catholicism. Globalists weaponize the weather by aerial spraying of toxic compounds and it’s creating deadly weather: see www.geoengineeringwatch.org. Foods are being weaponized with growth hormones, and our grains are genetically modified: www.gmoevidence.com. Both make people sick and dependent on big pharma, as “those who destroy the earth” (Rev. 11:18) not only cause climate change, but mandate global population reduction and work tirelessly toward that end.
Many Christians refuse to believe that agents of Satan will temporarily win this end-time battle. For example “Jon Hamill, co-founder of Washington, D.C.-based Lamplighter Ministries, whom supporters describe as a prophet — closed his eyes tightly and shouted above the chattering: “In Jesus’ name, we declare the Deep State will not prevail!” Source: Charisma News 12/11/2018. He obviously doesn’t believe Dan. 7:21 and Rev. 13:7 wherein Satan makes war with the saints and overcomes them. It’s never a good idea to pray against God’s Word, but to prepare in it.
Determine now that you and your loved ones, and those in your sphere of influence will be part of the few who enter the narrow gate. If you stay close to the testimony of Jesus Christ and love Him with all your heart, mind, soul and strength, you can have confidence that you will be part of the gathering when Christ descends from heaven “Immediately after the tribulation”. But to get there requires much sincere and thoughtful Spirit-led preparation. In Christ you can do it!
Have a blessed Christmas season and celebration. And when your family is gathered together, take the time to discuss the truths of His second advent which is now before us. Determine one with another that you will be prepared to not only engage but endure to the end, for it was Jesus who said “But he who endures to the end shall be saved” (Matt. 24:13). God bless you and have a wonderful Christmas season!
Marlin J. Yoder
