Second Advent of Jesus Christ

The Day of the Second Advent

In Acts 2:20, darkness is a reference to the day of the Second Advent. The day of the Second Advent is characterized by supernatural darkness. When Jesus Christ returns, every eye will see Him. Rev 1:7.

“‘THE SUN WILL BE TURNED INTO DARKNESS AND THE MOON INTO BLOOD, BEFORE THE GREAT AND GLORIOUS DAY OF THE LORD SHALL COME.” (Acts 2:20, NASB)

“BEHOLD, HE IS COMING WITH THE CLOUDS, and every eye will see Him, even those who pierced Him; and all the tribes of the earth will mourn over Him. So it is to be. Amen.” (Revelation 1:7, NASB)

The darkness will be similar to the darkness of the day of our Lord’s crucifixion when He was hidden from human eyes. The darkness of the Second Advent will focus all attention on Jesus Christ. In addition, the darkness of the Second Advent will protect the Jewish believers in Jerusalem besieged by the King of the North. Zech. 12:2-3; Zech 14:1-4; Isaiah 63:1-6; Dan. 11.

““Behold, I am going to make Jerusalem a cup that causes reeling to all the peoples around; and when the siege is against Jerusalem, it will also be against Judah. “It will come about in that day that I will make Jerusalem a heavy stone for all the peoples; all who lift it will be severely injured. And all the nations of the earth will be gathered against it.” (Zechariah 12:2-3, NASB)

“Behold, a day is coming for the LORD when the spoil taken from you will be divided among you. For I will gather all the nations against Jerusalem to battle, and the city will be captured, the houses plundered, the women ravished and half of the city exiled, but the rest of the people will not be cut off from the city. Then the LORD will go forth and fight against those nations, as when He fights on a day of battle. In that day His feet will stand on the Mount of Olives, which is in front of Jerusalem on the east; and the Mount of Olives will be split in its middle from east to west by a very large valley, so that half of the mountain will move toward the north and the other half toward the south.” (Zechariah 14:1-4, NASB)

Additional passages about the Second Advent. Isaiah 13:9-10; Ezek. 32:7-8; Joel 2:10-11; Joel 3:15; Amos 5:18; Zech. 14:6; Matt. 24:29; Luke 21:25-27; Mark 14:24; Rev. 6:12.

“Behold, the day of the LORD is coming, Cruel, with fury and burning anger, To make the land a desolation; And He will exterminate its sinners from it. For the stars of heaven and their constellations Will not flash forth their light; The sun will be dark when it rises And the moon will not shed its light.” (Isaiah 13:9-10, NASB)

“Alas, you who are longing for the day of the LORD, For what purpose will the day of the LORD be to you? It will be darkness and not light;” (Amos 5:18, NASB)

“"But immediately after the tribulation of those days THE SUN WILL BE DARKENED, AND THE MOON WILL NOT GIVE ITS LIGHT, AND THE STARS WILL FALL from the sky, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken.” (Matthew 24:29, NASB)

Signs of the Second Advent

There will be numerous signs and events that will precede our Lord’s Second Advent. More importantly, there will be Bible doctrine available to the Tribulational believers to learn and apply to their situation. They will know when the end of the Jewish Age will come heralded by His return, the Second Advent. The Bible doctrine in their souls will guide them just as it has guided all believers in the plan of God in all dispensations.

Our Lord was asked by His disciples in Matthew 24:3 of the signs of His return. The word “age” is αἰών (aiōn) and means an age or specific period of time. In the King James Version, this word was incorrectly translated “world.” However, it is the Greek word for “age.” The Church Age was interjected just prior to the last seven years of the Age of Israel, thus leaving the seven years of the Tribulation as the completion of the Jewish Age. The Tribulation period will not begin until the Rapture of the Church.

"As He was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to Him privately, saying, "Tell us, when will these things happen, and what will be the sign of Your coming, and of the end of the age?"" (Matthew 24:3, NASB)

“And as he sat upon the mount of Olives, the disciples came unto him privately, saying, Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world?” (Matthew 24:3, KJV)

There will be signs of the Second Advent of Christ. There will be many wars, rumors of wars, famines, pestilence of all types, and earthquakes in many places. Matt. 24:6.

""You will be hearing of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not frightened, for those things must take place, but that is not yet the end." (Matthew 24:6, NASB)

In Matthew 24:13, the “end” refers to the Jewish Age or the Age of Israel. The Tribulation will be the final seven years that still remain to be completed. “The one who endures” refers to those who will accept Jesus Christ as their Savior in the Tribulation. These will be Tribulational believers who will be delivered by Jesus Christ to go into the Millennium to enjoy the King and Kingdom on earth.

""But the one who endures to the end, he will be saved." (Matthew 24:13, NASB)

Matthew 24:14 indicates that the Gospel message will be communicated to the unbelievers who enter the seven literal years of the Tribulation. No unbeliever will miss the Gospel message prior to the Second Advent of Jesus Christ.

""This gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all the nations, and then the end will come." (Matthew 24:14, NASB)

Matthew 24:22 refers to the length of the Tribulation and that if it were any longer, the believers alive at the time of the Second Advent of Jesus Christ would not survive. The elect refers to believers and especially the remnant of Jewish believers still alive in the mountains of Israel and in Jerusalem.

""Unless those days had been cut short, no life would have been saved; but for the sake of the elect those days will be cut short." (Matthew 24:22, NASB)

The term “saved” refers to physical deliverance of believers. It is not a salvation reference. The Tribulation will be so fierce that all flesh would perish if it were any longer, which would thwart the plan of God. There will be believers that are physically alive on earth to enter the Millennium. All unbelievers living at the end of the Tribulation are removed from the earth at our Lord’s Second Advent so only believers will enter the Millennium.

Matthew 24:33 will be a comfort and encouragement to the Tribulational believers. Signs are numerous all during the Tribulation; wars, rumors of war, earthquakes, etc.

"so, you too, when you see all these things, recognize that He is near, right at the door." (Matthew 24:33, NASB)

Matthew 24:37 and Matthew 24:39 speak of our Lord’s Second Advent. It will arrive abruptly. For the believers with Bible doctrine in hiding in the mountains or fighting in Jerusalem, it will be fantastic. For the unbeliever, it will not.

""For the coming of the Son of Man will be just like the days of Noah." (Matthew 24:37, NASB)

"and they did not understand until the flood came and took them all away; so will the coming of the Son of Man be." (Matthew 24:39, NASB)

Matthew 24:40-41 refers to the end of the Tribulation where unbelievers will be taken or killed at our Lord’s Second Advent. One will be taken in judgment and only Tribulational believers remaining alive to go into the Millennium, Christ’s long awaited kingdom on earth.

""Then there will be two men in the field; one will be taken and one will be left. "Two women will be grinding at the mill; one will be taken and one will be left." (Matthew 24:40-41, NASB)

These verses do not refer to the Rapture of the Church where only believers will be taken from the earth to meet the Lord in the air. Unbelievers will remain alive on earth to enter the Tribulation.

Preparation and Return of the Bride of Christ

The Bride of Christ will include all Church Age believers with resurrection bodies. Preparation of the Bride of Christ will include being given a resurrection body, removal of the old sin nature, and removal of all human good. 1 Cor. 3:11-16.

"For no man can lay a foundation other than the one which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now if any man builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw, each man's work will become evident; for the day will show it because it is to be revealed with fire, and the fire itself will test the quality of each man's work. If any man's work which he has built on it remains, he will receive a reward. If any man's work is burned up, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire. Do you not know that you are a temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?" (1 Corinthians 3:11-16, NASB)

The bride will be prepared in heaven while the Tribulation occurs on earth. Once in heaven, the bride will be prepared for the Marriage Supper of the Lamb which will occur at the Second Advent. The Bride of Christ will return with Christ at the His Second Advent. 1 Thess. 3:13; Rev. 19:6-8; Rev. 19:11-16.

"so that He may establish your hearts without blame in holiness before our God and Father at the coming of our Lord Jesus with all His saints." (1 Thessalonians 3:13, NASB)

"It was given to her to clothe herself in fine linen, bright and clean; for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints. Then he said to me, "Write, 'Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb.'" And he said to me, "These are true words of God."" (Revelation 19:8-9, NASB)

"And I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse, and He who sat on it is called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and wages war. His eyes are a flame of fire, and on His head are many diadems; and He has a name written on Him which no one knows except Himself. He is clothed with a robe dipped in blood, and His name is called The Word of God. And the armies which are in heaven, clothed in fine linen, white and clean, were following Him on white horses. From His mouth comes a sharp sword, so that with it He may strike down the nations, and He will rule them with a rod of iron; and He treads the wine press of the fierce wrath of God, the Almighty. And on His robe and on His thigh He has a name written, "KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS."" (Revelation 19:11-16, NASB)

The Marriage Supper of the Lamb

The marriage takes place in heaven during the seven years of Tribulation on earth. The marriage supper takes place on earth at the Second Advent. The bridegroom is the Lord Jesus Christ. The bride is the Church made up of all believers of the Church Age. Eph. 5:25-27.

"Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself up for her, so that He might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, that He might present to Himself the church in all her glory, having no spot or wrinkle or any such thing; but that she would be holy and blameless." (Ephesians 5:25-27, NASB)

Just as a bride prepares herself at home, so the Church (the Bride of Christ) will be prepared at home in heaven. This preparation involves every believer being changed to have a resurrection body which will not have an old sin nature. It also includes the judgment of human good at the Judgment Seat of Christ. Rev. 19:6-9.

"Then I heard something like the voice of a great multitude and like the sound of many waters and like the sound of mighty peals of thunder, saying, "Hallelujah! For the Lord our God, the Almighty, reigns. "Let us rejoice and be glad and give the glory to Him, for the marriage of the Lamb has come and His bride has made herself ready." It was given to her to clothe herself in fine linen, bright and clean; for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints. Then he said to me, "Write, 'Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb.'" And he said to me, "These are true words of God."" (Revelation 19:6-9, NASB)

Friends of the Groom will be Old Testament saints who will be resurrected at the Second Advent and Tribulational saints who were resurrected at the Second Advent. All will be present in resurrection bodies. Part are already at the feast and part come back with Him. John 3:29.

""He who has the bride is the bridegroom; but the friend of the bridegroom, who stands and hears him, rejoices greatly because of the bridegroom's voice. So this joy of mine has been made full." (John 3:29, NASB)

Friends of the bride (wedding guests) will be Tribulational believers still alive at the Second Advent who go, in physical bodies, into the Millennium and populate the earth. When the groom arrives on the earth with the bride, there is the wedding supper – the Millennial reign of Jesus Christ.

The Battle For Jerusalem

The king of the North will attack Jerusalem seeking to destroy all of the Jewish believers located there. His armies will also be seeking to find and kill the Jewish remnant that fled to the mountains in the middle of the Tribulation. God will permit Israel's enemies to gather against them. As the armies of the king of the North sweep through Jerusalem, two-thirds of the city's population (unbelievers) will capitulate and will be slaughtered. One-third (believers) will be delivered by Jesus Christ. Zech. 13:8.

""It will come about in all the land," Declares the LORD, "That two parts in it will be cut off and perish; But the third will be left in it." (Zechariah 13:8, NASB)

Plunder, rape, violence, and enslavement often result for any nation defeated in war, especially when the conquering nation is an evil nation. This is why the laws of divine establishment mention the military as the guardian of human freedom. God uses historical disaster to punish believers with negative volition, in apostasy, reversionism, and degeneracy. There will be a total loss of freedom in Jerusalem because of the Jewish unbelievers. Zech. 14:2-3.

"For I will gather all the nations against Jerusalem to battle, and the city will be captured, the houses plundered, the women ravished and half of the city exiled, but the rest of the people will not be cut off from the city. Then the LORD will go forth and fight against those nations, as when He fights on a day of battle." (Zechariah 14:2-3, NASB)

The people (unbelievers) who capitulate will have been convinced that the king of the North means them no harm through a false sense of security from false treaties, by sincere promises couched in smooth words, and by religious phrases. These are people who are ignorant of the Word of God and will be easily deceived to their own peril. At first, their wealth will be plundered, but then they will become the victims of cruelty and brutality of every type.

The remnant of Israel will be Jewish believers with Bible doctrine in their souls. Most will have learned enough Bible doctrine since they became believers after the Tribulation began. They will have learned enough of God's promises contained in the Word of God to survive this disaster of disasters.

The better alternative is to stay with Bible doctrine and God's grace, which delivers the believer who lives by doctrine. The believers of the Tribulation will be no exception. A remnant of positive Jewish believers will be delivered while all this is happening. One-third of the people in Jerusalem are believers and will still be resisting. Zech. 13:9.

""And I will bring the third part through the fire, Refine them as silver is refined, And test them as gold is tested. They will call on My name, And I will answer them; I will say, 'They are My people,' And they will say, 'The LORD is my God.'"" (Zechariah 13:9, NASB)

After part of the city is raped and plundered, many of the civilian men will be motivated to fight back. They will come to understand the importance of freedom through military victory. There will be military men who begin to train as a counterattack force. What is left of the regular army will be used to hold back the enemy while these civilians are trained as a counterattack force. Zech. 14:2.

The Second Advent will take both the unbeliever and the apostate believer by surprise. The suddenness and the power of the Second Advent will surprise everyone, except for the believers with Bible doctrine in their souls. Doctrinal believers will be alert and happy. Growing believers will have the greatest happiness during the time of greatest tribulation. The mature believer takes refuge in the Lord Jesus Christ in times of peril regardless of historical circumstances. Psalms 18:2.

"The LORD is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer, My God, my rock, in whom I take refuge; My shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold." (Psalms 18:2, NASB)

In the Tribulation, believers with positive volition will be alert to prophetical trends. For those believers in the Tribulation, this spiritual alertness demands understanding of the prophetic events of the last half of the Tribulation. Many believers will be rescued by the return of Jesus Christ from the worst disaster in all of human history.

Zechariah 12:5-6 describes the Jewish remnant of believers in Jerusalem as “the clans of Judah” organizing for battle against the army of the king of the North. Some of the believers who have military training will take command and organize to fight with the courage and stability in crisis that only spiritual maturity brings. They will have absolute confidence that Jesus Christ will return to deliver them.

""Then the clans of Judah will say in their hearts, 'A strong support for us are the inhabitants of Jerusalem through the LORD of hosts, their God.' "In that day I will make the clans of Judah like a firepot among pieces of wood and a flaming torch among sheaves, so they will consume on the right hand and on the left all the surrounding peoples, while the inhabitants of Jerusalem again dwell on their own sites in Jerusalem." (Zechariah 12:5-6, NASB)

Zechariah 12:7-8 describes those believers who fled to the mountains in mid-Tribulation and also those who fight in Jerusalem during the second half of the Tribulation. Our Lord defends them all and delivers the remnant in Jerusalem first.

""The LORD also will save the tents of Judah first, so that the glory of the house of David and the glory of the inhabitants of Jerusalem will not be magnified above Judah. "In that day the LORD will defend the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and the one who is feeble among them in that day will be like David, and the house of David will be like God, like the angel of the LORD before them." (Zechariah 12:7-8, NASB)

Supernatural Darkness on the Day of the Second Advent

While the plight of the believers in Jerusalem and in Israel will appear to be dire indeed, Jesus Christ will cause a supernatural darkness to envelop on the entire earth to protect the remaining Jewish believers. Isaiah 60:2; Joel 2:10; Matt. 24:29; Zech. 14:6; Isaiah 13:10.

""For behold, darkness will cover the earth And deep darkness the peoples; But the LORD will rise upon you And His glory will appear upon you." (Isaiah 60:2, NASB)

"Before them the earth quakes, The heavens tremble, The sun and the moon grow dark And the stars lose their brightness." (Joel 2:10, NASB)

""But immediately after the tribulation of those days THE SUN WILL BE DARKENED, AND THE MOON WILL NOT GIVE ITS LIGHT, AND THE STARS WILL FALL from the sky, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken." (Matthew 24:29, NASB)

"In that day there will be no light; the luminaries will dwindle." (Zechariah 14:6, NASB)

"For the stars of heaven and their constellations Will not flash forth their light; The sun will be dark when it rises And the moon will not shed its light." (Isaiah 13:10, NASB)

This will be an absolute darkness where there will be no light from the sun, the moon, or the stars. Also, no man-made lighting will be able to illuminate it. It will be complete stygian darkness. This absolute darkness will have a profound effect on the armies of the Armageddon Campaign. Zech. 14:13; Zech. 12:4; Luke 21:25-26.

"It will come about in that day that a great panic from the LORD will fall on them; and they will seize one another's hand, and the hand of one will be lifted against the hand of another." (Zechariah 14:13, NASB)

""In that day," declares the LORD, "I will strike every horse with bewilderment and his rider with madness. But I will watch over the house of Judah, while I strike every horse of the peoples with blindness." (Zechariah 12:4, NASB)

""There will be signs in sun and moon and stars, and on the earth dismay among nations, in perplexity at the roaring of the sea and the waves, men fainting from fear and the expectation of the things which are coming upon the world; for the powers of the heavens will be shaken." (Luke 21:25-26, NASB)

This complete darkness occurred the first time to hide Jesus Christ bearing our sins on the Cross. The second time, it will be to reveal Jesus Christ at His Second Advent. Mark 13:24-27; Matt. 24:29-31; Luke 21:25-28; Isaiah 13:9-10 (fire and darkness); Ezekiel 32:7-8 (near and far fulfillment); Joel 2:10-11; Joel 3:15; Amos 5:18.

""But in those days, after that tribulation, THE SUN WILL BE DARKENED AND THE MOON WILL NOT GIVE ITS LIGHT, AND THE STARS WILL BE FALLING from heaven, and the powers that are in the heavens will be shaken. "Then they will see THE SON OF MAN COMING IN CLOUDS with great power and glory. "And then He will send forth the angels, and will gather together His elect from the four winds, from the farthest end of the earth to the farthest end of heaven." (Mark 13:24-27, NASB)

"Behold, the day of the LORD is coming, Cruel, with fury and burning anger, To make the land a desolation; And He will exterminate its sinners from it. For the stars of heaven and their constellations Will not flash forth their light; The sun will be dark when it rises And the moon will not shed its light." (Isaiah 13:9-10, NASB)

The Return of Jesus Christ

Some believers will have earlier fled to the mountains and some will be fighting in Jerusalem. When it all looks completely hopeless, the Lord Jesus Christ will return. Jesus Christ is the light of the world and will lighten the world at His arrival. When our Lord returns, He will be the only source of light. He will be the only source of light amidst the complete darkness that has surrounded the earth. All on earth will see Jesus Christ when He returns. Zech. 14:7; Rev. 1:7.

"For it will be a unique day which is known to the LORD, neither day nor night, but it will come about that at evening time there will be light." (Zechariah 14:7, NASB)

"BEHOLD, HE IS COMING WITH THE CLOUDS, and every eye will see Him, even those who pierced Him; and all the tribes of the earth will mourn over Him. So it is to be. Amen." (Revelation 1:7, NASB)

The first place on earth where the Lord Jesus Christ will stand at His Second Advent is on the Mount of Olives. This was the location where He ascended into heaven while His disciplines watched. Acts 1:9-11.

"And after He had said these things, He was lifted up while they were looking on, and a cloud received Him out of their sight. And as they were gazing intently into the sky while He was going, behold, two men in white clothing stood beside them. They also said, "Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into the sky? This Jesus, who has been taken up from you into heaven, will come in just the same way as you have watched Him go into heaven."" (Acts 1:9-11, NASB)

Jesus Christ will do all of the fighting on behalf of believers in the Armageddon Campaign. This will be very similar to the deliverance of the Exodus generation at the Red Sea. Exod. 14:13-14.

"But Moses said to the people, "Do not fear! Stand by and see the salvation of the LORD which He will accomplish for you today; for the Egyptians whom you have seen today, you will never see them again forever. "The LORD will fight for you while you keep silent."" (Exodus 14:13-14, NASB)

God's deliverance of both the Jews in history and believers in the spiritual life has always been by His grace alone. Grace is always based on who and what He is. Our Lord will split the Mount of Olives in two from East to West, so the believers who have stayed in Jerusalem to fight may walk to safety. Zech. 14:3-5.

"Then the LORD will go forth and fight against those nations, as when He fights on a day of battle. In that day His feet will stand on the Mount of Olives, which is in front of Jerusalem on the east; and the Mount of Olives will be split in its middle from east to west by a very large valley, so that half of the mountain will move toward the north and the other half toward the south. You will flee by the valley of My mountains, for the valley of the mountains will reach to Azel; yes, you will flee just as you fled before the earthquake in the days of Uzziah king of Judah. Then the LORD, my God, will come, and all the holy ones with Him!" (Zechariah 14:3-5, NASB)

There is a fault in the Mount of Olives that has been confirmed by geologists. God’s faithfulness (omnipotence and immutability) holds the mountain together in one piece. This great earthquake will form a new canal called the “valley of the mountains,” and will cause Jerusalem to become a seaport. Azal is the point at which the split will reach the Mediterranean. Zech. 14:5; Ezek. 47:1-11.

"Then he said to me, "These waters go out toward the eastern region and go down into the Arabah; then they go toward the sea, being made to flow into the sea, and the waters of the sea become fresh." (Ezekiel 47:8, NASB)

Today, the Dead Sea is over 1,400 feet below sea level and decreasing by about 3 feet every year. The living waters that will flow from Jerusalem to the east and to the west and will cause the Dead Sea to overflow to the south into the great Desert Valley (wadi el Araba) which is a natural waterway (a rift valley). Isaiah 35:1-2; Zech. 14:8; Isaiah 43:19.

"The wilderness and the desert will be glad, And the Arabah will rejoice and blossom; Like the crocus It will blossom profusely And rejoice with rejoicing and shout of joy. The glory of Lebanon will be given to it, The majesty of Carmel and Sharon. They will see the glory of the LORD, The majesty of our God." (Isaiah 35:1-2, NASB)

"And in that day living waters will flow out of Jerusalem, half of them toward the eastern sea and the other half toward the western sea; it will be in summer as well as in winter." (Zechariah 14:8, NASB)

""Behold, I will do something new, Now it will spring forth; Will you not be aware of it? I will even make a roadway in the wilderness, Rivers in the desert." (Isaiah 43:19, NASB)

Jerusalem will become an all-weather seaport in the Millennium. The splitting of the Mount of Olives at the Second Advent plus the great earthquake will cause fresh water to come up from under the earth that will change Jerusalem into a seaport. Water coming up from under Jerusalem is described in Ezekiel 47:1 and Joel 3:18.

"Then he brought me back to the door of the house; and behold, water was flowing from under the threshold of the house toward the east, for the house faced east. And the water was flowing down from under, from the right side of the house, from south of the altar." (Ezekiel 47:1, NASB)

"And in that day The mountains will drip with sweet wine, And the hills will flow with milk, And all the brooks of Judah will flow with water; And a spring will go out from the house of the LORD To water the valley of Shittim." (Joel 3:18, NASB)

The Jewish remnant and other believers who remain alive when our Lord returns will live on into the Millennial Kingdom of Jesus Christ in perfect environment. Jesus Christ will rule from Jerusalem which will be the capital city of the world. Zech. 2:4-5, Rev. 22:1-5, Zech. 14:9.

"and said to him, "Run, speak to that young man, saying, 'Jerusalem will be inhabited without walls because of the multitude of men and cattle within it. 'For I,' declares the LORD, 'will be a wall of fire around her, and I will be the glory in her midst.'"" (Zechariah 2:4-5, NASB)

"Then he showed me a river of the water of life, clear as crystal, coming from the throne of God and of the Lamb, in the middle of its street. On either side of the river was the tree of life, bearing twelve kinds of fruit, yielding its fruit every month; and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. There will no longer be any curse; and the throne of God and of the Lamb will be in it, and His bond-servants will serve Him; they will see His face, and His name will be on their foreheads. And there will no longer be any night; and they will not have need of the light of a lamp nor the light of the sun, because the Lord God will illumine them; and they will reign forever and ever." (Revelation 22:1-5, NASB)

"And the LORD will be king over all the earth; in that day the LORD will be the only one, and His name the only one." (Zechariah 14:9, NASB)

Jesus Christ Destroys Israel’s Enemies

The Lord Jesus Christ comes in judgment at His Second Advent. He comes to destroy the enemies of Israel arrayed against them. He will end the largest military action in human history – the Armageddon Campaign.

Revelation 19:11 refers to the first day of the Second Advent of Jesus Christ. The white horse is a reference to the white horse ridden by the victorious king of an army at the time John wrote Revelation. “Faithful and True” is the title of our Lord because He always keeps His promises to Israel and to believers throughout human history.

"And I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse, and He who sat on it is called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and wages war." (Revelation 19:11, NASB)

Here, our Lord meets the violence of Satan’s evil armies with His perfectly righteous violence. This is His justice being administered to those who oppose Him. This is the ultimate example of Jesus Christ controlling human history according to God the Father’s perfect plan. The only way to meet the violence of evil is with the violence of His righteous justice. His judgments are always just and righteous. When our Lord is done, there will be no more war for 1,000 years. Psalms 19:9; Isaiah 2:4.

"The fear of the LORD is clean, enduring forever; The judgments of the LORD are true; they are righteous altogether." (Psalms 19:9, NASB)

"And He will judge between the nations, And will render decisions for many peoples; And they will hammer their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks. Nation will not lift up sword against nation, And never again will they learn war." (Isaiah 2:4, NASB)

Revelation 19:12 emphasizes the perfect righteousness of the deity of Jesus Christ and His sinless humanity. All judgment has been delegated by God the Father to the Lord Jesus Christ. John 5:22-23.

"His eyes are a flame of fire, and on His head are many diadems; and He has a name written on Him which no one knows except Himself." (Revelation 19:12, NASB)

""For not even the Father judges anyone, but He has given all judgment to the Son, so that all will honor the Son even as they honor the Father. He who does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent Him." (John 5:22-23, NASB)

In Revelation 19:13-14, “a robe dipped in blood” means that our Lord will do all of the fighting against the enemies of Israel. In Revelation 19:14, “the armies which are in heaven” refers to the elect angels, Old Testament believers, Tribulational martyrs, and Church Age believers all in resurrection bodies. These armies will do no fighting in the Armageddon Campaign, they will simply watch.

"He is clothed with a robe dipped in blood, and His name is called The Word of God." (Revelation 19:13, NASB)

"And the armies which are in heaven, clothed in fine linen, white and clean, were following Him on white horses." (Revelation 19:14, NASB)

Our Lord comes in judgment at His Second Advent to destroy the enemies of Israel arrayed against them. He does this by slaughtering all who oppose Israel. He will do this by speaking. Zech. 14:12; Rev. 19:15.

"Now this will be the plague with which the LORD will strike all the peoples who have gone to war against Jerusalem; their flesh will rot while they stand on their feet, and their eyes will rot in their sockets, and their tongue will rot in their mouth." (Zechariah 14:12, NASB)

"From His mouth comes a sharp sword, so that with it He may strike down the nations, and He will rule them with a rod of iron; and He treads the wine press of the fierce wrath of God, the Almighty." (Revelation 19:15, NASB)

In Revelation 19:15, “a sharp sword” refers to our Lord destroying all of the armies arrayed against Israel by simply speaking. The “wine press of the fierce wrath of God” refers to the overwhelming slaughter that ensues that kills all of the soldiers in the four great armies of the kings of the North, South, East, and West.

“The nations” are the armies of unbelievers who are destroyed. This is the separation of unbelievers from believers. Zechariah 12:2-3 also refers to the armies gathered to destroy Israel and kill the remaining Jewish believers hiding in the mountains and still living in Jerusalem. “A heavy stone” refers to anti-Semitism that “causes reeling” to all that oppose Israel.

""Behold, I am going to make Jerusalem a cup that causes reeling to all the peoples around; and when the siege is against Jerusalem, it will also be against Judah. "It will come about in that day that I will make Jerusalem a heavy stone for all the peoples; all who lift it will be severely injured. And all the nations of the earth will be gathered against it." (Zechariah 12:2-3, NASB)

Destruction of the king of the North

The destruction of the army of the king of the north is found in Joel 2:20, Ezekiel 38:14-23, and Ezekiel 39:2-5.

""But I will remove the northern army far from you, And I will drive it into a parched and desolate land, And its vanguard into the eastern sea, And its rear guard into the western sea. And its stench will arise and its foul smell will come up, For it has done great things."" (Joel 2:20, NASB)

"and I will turn you around, drive you on, take you up from the remotest parts of the north and bring you against the mountains of Israel. "I will strike your bow from your left hand and dash down your arrows from your right hand. "You will fall on the mountains of Israel, you and all your troops and the peoples who are with you; I will give you as food to every kind of predatory bird and beast of the field. "You will fall on the open field; for it is I who have spoken," declares the Lord GOD." (Ezekiel 39:2-5, NASB)

Destruction of the king of the South

The destruction of the army of the king of the South is found in Isaiah 63:1-6.

"Who is this who comes from Edom, With garments of glowing colors from Bozrah, This One who is majestic in His apparel, Marching in the greatness of His strength? "It is I who speak in righteousness, mighty to save." Why is Your apparel red, And Your garments like the one who treads in the wine press? "I have trodden the wine trough alone, And from the peoples there was no man with Me. I also trod them in My anger And trampled them in My wrath; And their lifeblood is sprinkled on My garments, And I stained all My raiment. "For the day of vengeance was in My heart, And My year of redemption has come. "I looked, and there was no one to help, And I was astonished and there was no one to uphold; So My own arm brought salvation to Me, And My wrath upheld Me. "I trod down the peoples in My anger And made them drunk in My wrath, And I poured out their lifeblood on the earth."" (Isaiah 63:1-6, NASB)

Destruction of the king of the West

The destruction of the army of the king of the West is found in Revelation 19:19-21.

"And I saw the beast and the kings of the earth and their armies assembled to make war against Him who sat on the horse and against His army. And the beast was seized, and with him the false prophet who performed the signs in his presence, by which he deceived those who had received the mark of the beast and those who worshiped his image; these two were thrown alive into the lake of fire which burns with brimstone. And the rest were killed with the sword which came from the mouth of Him who sat on the horse, and all the birds were filled with their flesh." (Revelation 19:19-21, NASB)

Destruction of the kings of the East

The destruction of the army of the kings of the East is found in Revelation 14:20. In Revelation 19:16, the Lord Jesus Christ’s rank and title are “King of kings, and Lord of lords.”

"And the wine press was trodden outside the city, and blood came out from the wine press, up to the horses' bridles, for a distance of two hundred miles." (Revelation 14:20, NASB)

"And on His robe and on His thigh He has a name written, "KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS."" (Revelation 19:16, NASB)

In Revelation 19:17-18, a powerful seraph angel will invite all of the carrion birds to come and feast on the dead. This is the same angel of Revelation 5:2 and Revelation 18:1. Matthew 24:27-28 and Joel 3:9-17 also describe this immense scene of destruction.

"Then I saw an angel standing in the sun, and he cried out with a loud voice, saying to all the birds which fly in midheaven, "Come, assemble for the great supper of God, so that you may eat the flesh of kings and the flesh of commanders and the flesh of mighty men and the flesh of horses and of those who sit on them and the flesh of all men, both free men and slaves, and small and great."" (Revelation 19:17-18, NASB)

"And I saw a strong angel proclaiming with a loud voice, "Who is worthy to open the book and to break its seals?"" (Revelation 5:2, NASB)

"After these things I saw another angel coming down from heaven, having great authority, and the earth was illumined with his glory." (Revelation 18:1, NASB)

""For just as the lightning comes from the east and flashes even to the west, so will the coming of the Son of Man be. "Wherever the corpse is, there the vultures will gather." (Matthew 24:27-28, NASB)

The death and destruction will be so great that the ground these armies occupied will be saturated with blood. It will take seven months to bury them all. Rev. 14:19-20; Ezek. 39:12.

"So the angel swung his sickle to the earth and gathered the clusters from the vine of the earth, and threw them into the great wine press of the wrath of God. And the wine press was trodden outside the city, and blood came out from the wine press, up to the horses' bridles, for a distance of two hundred miles." (Revelation 14:19-20, NASB)

""For seven months the house of Israel will be burying them in order to cleanse the land." (Ezekiel 39:12, NASB)

The Final Judgment of the Beast and the False Prophet

In Revelation 19:19, the Beast, also known as the Dictator of the Revived Roman Emperor and the king of the North. The Jewish Dictator of Israel is also called the False Prophet. The Beast and the False Prophet will be cast alive into the Lake of Fire by Jesus Christ. There they will remain for eternity. These are the first to be cast into the Lake of Fire. Rev. 19:19-20.

The Removal of Satan and His Demons

Satan and all demons are removed from the earth at the Second Advent of Jesus Christ. Rev. 20:1-3.

"Then I saw an angel coming down from heaven, holding the key of the abyss and a great chain in his hand. And he laid hold of the dragon, the serpent of old, who is the devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years; and he threw him into the abyss, and shut it and sealed it over him, so that he would not deceive the nations any longer, until the thousand years were completed; after these things he must be released for a short time." (Revelation 20:1-3, NASB)

The mechanics of this action are not given in Zechariah 13:2 and Hosea 2:14-23 because the Church was not revealed in the Old Testament. It was a mystery. In Zech. 13:2, “cut off the names of the idols” refers to demon possession. “I will also remove the prophets and the unclean spirit from the land” refers to the removal of demons although the method is not given. Eph. 3:8-10.

““It will come about in that day,” declares the LORD of hosts, “that I will cut off the names of the idols from the land, and they will no longer be remembered; and I will also remove the prophets and the unclean spirit from the land.” (Zechariah 13:2, NASB)

“To me, the very least of all saints, this grace was given, to preach to the Gentiles the unfathomable riches of Christ, and to bring to light what is the administration of the mystery which for ages has been hidden in God who created all things; so that the manifold wisdom of God might now be made known through the church to the rulers and the authorities in the heavenly places.” (Ephesians 3:8-10, NASB)

Jesus Christ will remove all demons from the earth following His victory in the Armageddon Campaign immediately following His Second Advent appearance. Hosea 2:16-17; Eph. 6:12, Heb. 2:14; 1 Peter 3:22.

““It will come about in that day,” declares the LORD, “That you will call Me Ishi And will no longer call Me Baali. “For I will remove the names of the Baals from her mouth, So that they will be mentioned by their names no more.” (Hosea 2:16-17, NASB)

“For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places.” (Ephesians 6:12, NASB)

“Therefore, since the children share in flesh and blood, He Himself likewise also partook of the same, that through death He might render powerless him who had the power of death, that is, the devil,” (Hebrews 2:14, NASB)

“who is at the right hand of God, having gone into heaven, after angels and authorities and powers had been subjected to Him.” (1 Peter 3:22, NASB)

Jesus Christ will make a public display of them at His triumphal procession following the Second Advent. This is analogous to the March of Victory of ancient civilizations, where the Victor General demonstrated that His military plan and follow-through led to his victory.

Adam was ruler of the world in innocence and perfect environment before he sinned. He lost that rulership to Satan when he sinned in the Garden. Satan has remained the ruler of the earth since then. When Jesus Christ returns to the earth at the Second Advent, He will become the ruler of the earth. He does this be removing Satan and all demons from the earth and imprisoning them in the Abyss for the duration of the Millennium – 1,000 literal years.

Removal of All Unbelievers – The Baptism of Fire

The Baptism of Fire is the judgment that will come at the Second Advent of Jesus Christ. Unbelievers will be cast off the earth, believers will go into the Millennium. The doctrine of the Baptism of Fire is stated in Matthew 3:11-12, Luke 3:16-17, and 2 Thessalonians 1:7-9.

““As for me, I baptize you with water for repentance, but He who is coming after me is mightier than I, and I am not fit to remove His sandals; He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. “His winnowing fork is in His hand, and He will thoroughly clear His threshing floor; and He will gather His wheat into the barn, but He will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.”“ (Matthew 3:11-12, NASB)

“John answered and said to them all, “As for me, I baptize you with water; but One is coming who is mightier than I, and I am not fit to untie the thong of His sandals; He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. “His winnowing fork is in His hand to thoroughly clear His threshing floor, and to gather the wheat into His barn; but He will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.”“ (Luke 3:16-17, NASB)

“and to give relief to you who are afflicted and to us as well when the Lord Jesus will be revealed from heaven with His mighty angels in flaming fire, dealing out retribution to those who do not know God and to those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. These will pay the penalty of eternal destruction, away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power,” (2 Thessalonians 1:7-9, NASB)

Unbelievers will be removed through the seals, trumpet, and vial judgments, as well as the final battle of Armageddon. Rev. 6-19; Zech. 12. Revelation 19:21 is referring to all of the unbelievers alive at the end of the Tribulation. They too will be killed by Jesus Christ for their rejection of and opposition to the Lord Jesus Christ. They will be sent to Hades to await their final judgment at the Great White Throne Judgment at the end of the Millennium.

"And the rest were killed with the sword which came from the mouth of Him who sat on the horse, and all the birds were filled with their flesh." (Revelation 19:21, NASB)

Unbelievers are removed from the earth at the Second Advent of Jesus Christ (Baptism of Fire). Therefore, so we start the Millennium with believers only in physical bodies who will procreate and repopulate the earth. Ezekiel 20; Matt. 25. See category on the Baptism of Fire.

Fulfillment of the Unconditional Covenants to Israel

Our Lord regathers regenerate Israel and fulfills the four unconditional covenants: the Abrahamic, Palestinian, Davidic, and New Covenants to Israel. Israel is restored as a client nation to God. See category on Covenants to Israel.

Necessity of an Interval Between the Rapture and the Second Advent

There is a necessity of an interval between the Rapture of the Church and the Second Advent for the reasons discussed below. According to 2 Corinthians 5:10, all believers of this age must appear before the Judgment Seat of Christ in heaven, an event never mentioned in the Old Testament in the detailed accounts connected with the Second Advent.

"For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may be recompensed for his deeds in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad." (2 Corinthians 5:10, NASB)

The Rapture (Christ coming for His bride) must take place before the Second Advent for the wedding feast. Rev. 19:7-10.

""Let us rejoice and be glad and give the glory to Him, for the marriage of the Lamb has come and His bride has made herself ready." It was given to her to clothe herself in fine linen, bright and clean; for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints. Then he *said to me, "Write, 'Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb.'" And he *said to me, "These are true words of God." Then I fell at his feet to worship him. But he said to me, "Do not do that; I am a fellow servant of yours and your brethren who hold the testimony of Jesus; worship God. For the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy."" (Revelation 19:7-10, NASB)

Living Tribulation saints are not raptured at the Second Advent, but carry on with ordinary occupations as farming and building houses and shall bear children. This would be impossible if all saints were translated at the Second Advent as the Post-tribulationists teach. Isaiah 65:20-25.

""No longer will there be in it an infant who lives but a few days, Or an old man who does not live out his days; For the youth will die at the age of one hundred And the one who does not reach the age of one hundred Will be thought accursed. "They will build houses and inhabit them; They will also plant vineyards and eat their fruit. "They will not build and another inhabit, They will not plant and another eat; For as the lifetime of a tree, so will be the days of My people, And My chosen ones will wear out the work of their hands. "They will not labor in vain, Or bear children for calamity; For they are the offspring of those blessed by the LORD, And their descendants with them. "It will also come to pass that before they call, I will answer; and while they are still speaking, I will hear. "The wolf and the lamb will graze together, and the lion will eat straw like the ox; and dust will be the serpent's food. They will do no evil or harm in all My holy mountain," says the LORD." (Isaiah 65:20-25, NASB)

The judgment of the Gentiles following the Second Advent in Matt 25:31-46 indicates that both saved and unsaved are still in their natural bodies at the end of the Tribulation, which would be impossible if the Rapture had taken place at the Second Advent.

If the Rapture took place in connection with the Second Advent, there would be no need of separating the sheep from the goats at a subsequent judgment. The separation would have taken place in the very act of the translation of the believers before Christ actually sets up his throne on earth. Matt. 25:31-32.

""But when the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the angels with Him, then He will sit on His glorious throne. "All the nations will be gathered before Him; and He will separate them from one another, as the shepherd separates the sheep from the goats;" (Matthew 25:31-32, NASB)

The judgment of Israel in Ezekiel 20:34-38, which occurs subsequent to the Second Advent indicates the necessity of regathering Israel. The separation of the saved from the unsaved in this judgment obviously takes place sometime after the Second Advent and would be unnecessary if the saved had previously been separated from the unsaved by translation (the Rapture).

""I will bring you out from the peoples and gather you from the lands where you are scattered, with a mighty hand and with an outstretched arm and with wrath poured out; and I will bring you into the wilderness of the peoples, and there I will enter into judgment with you face to face. "As I entered into judgment with your fathers in the wilderness of the land of Egypt, so I will enter into judgment with you," declares the Lord GOD. "I will make you pass under the rod, and I will bring you into the bond of the covenant; and I will purge from you the rebels and those who transgress against Me; I will bring them out of the land where they sojourn, but they will not enter the land of Israel. Thus you will know that I am the LORD." (Ezekiel 20:34-38, NASB)

Distinctions Between the Rapture and the Second Advent

The Rapture involves the removal of all believers from the earth. The Second Advent involves the removal of all unbelievers from the earth. Matt. 24:37-43.

“"For the coming of the Son of Man will be just like the days of Noah. "For as in those days before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, and they did not understand until the flood came and took them all away; so will the coming of the Son of Man be. "Then there will be two men in the field; one will be taken and one will be left. "Two women will be grinding at the mill; one will be taken and one will be left. "Therefore be on the alert, for you do not know which day your Lord is coming. "But be sure of this, that if the head of the house had known at what time of the night the thief was coming, he would have been on the alert and would not have allowed his house to be broken into.” (Matthew 24:37-43, NASB)

The Rapture pictures the Church Age saints caught up to meet Jesus Christ in the air. At the Second Advent, our Lord Jesus Christ physically returns to earth at the Mount of Olives. Acts 1:11; Zech. 14:4.

“They also said, "Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into the sky? This Jesus, who has been taken up from you into heaven, will come in just the same way as you have watched Him go into heaven."” (Acts 1:11, NASB)

“In that day His feet will stand on the Mount of Olives, which is in front of Jerusalem on the east; and the Mount of Olives will be split in its middle from east to west by a very large valley, so that half of the mountain will move toward the north and the other half toward the south.” (Zechariah 14:4, NASB)

At the Rapture, Christ comes to claim His bride – the Church. In the Second Advent, He returns with His bride – the Church.

At the Rapture, the Church goes to heaven. At the Second Advent, the Church returns with Christ. John 14:3; 1 Thess. 3:13.

“"If I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself, that where I am, there you may be also.” (John 14:3, NASB)

“so that He may establish your hearts without blame in holiness before our God and Father at the coming of our Lord Jesus with all His saints.” (1 Thessalonians 3:13, NASB)

At the Rapture, the Church Age believers’ bodies will be changed. At the Second Advent, the earth will be changed. Phil 3:21; Zech. 14:9; Rom. 8:19-22.

“who will transform the body of our humble state into conformity with the body of His glory, by the exertion of the power that He has even to subject all things to Himself.” (Philippians 3:21, NASB)

“And the LORD will be king over all the earth; in that day the LORD will be the only one, and His name the only one.” (Zechariah 14:9, NASB)

“For the anxious longing of the creation waits eagerly for the revealing of the sons of God. For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself also will be set free from its slavery to corruption into the freedom of the glory of the children of God. For we know that the whole creation groans and suffers the pains of childbirth together until now.” (Romans 8:19-22, NASB)

Following the Rapture, Church Age believers will be judged for their use of God's grace resources while alive on earth at the Judgment Seat of Christ. At the Second Advent, unbelieving Gentiles and Jews will be judged and removed from the earth - the Baptism of Fire. 2 Cor. 5:10; Matt. 3:11-12; Luke 3:16-17; 2 Thess. 1:7-9.

Following the Rapture, the restraining ministry of the Holy Spirit will be removed. At the Second Advent, Satan will be removed from the earth for 1,000 years. 2 Thess. 2:6; Rev. 20:1-3.

“And you know what restrains him now, so that in his time he will be revealed.” (2 Thessalonians 2:6, NASB)

“Then I saw an angel coming down from heaven, holding the key of the abyss and a great chain in his hand. And he laid hold of the dragon, the serpent of old, who is the devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years; and he threw him into the abyss, and shut it and sealed it over him, so that he would not deceive the nations any longer, until the thousand years were completed; after these things he must be released for a short time.” (Revelation 20:1-3, NASB)

The Rapture results in the removal of the Church and the inception of the Tribulation. The Second Advent results in the establishment of the Millennial Kingdom of Jesus Christ on earth.

The Rapture is imminent, while the Second Advent is preceded by many signs in the Tribulation.

The Rapture brings a message of comfort to Church Age believers, while the Second Advent is accompanied by a message of judgment and a time of terror. Rev. 6:15‑17.

“Then the kings of the earth and the great men and the commanders and the rich and the strong and every slave and free man hid themselves in the caves and among the rocks of the mountains;” (Revelation 6:15, NASB)

The Rapture is related to the program for the Church, while the Second Advent is related to the program for Israel and the world.

The Rapture is a mystery, while the Second Advent is predicted in the Old and New Testaments.

The Rapture is the end of the Church Age. The Second Advent is the end of the Jewish Age.

The Rapture leaves creation unchanged, while the Second Advent entails a significant change in creation.

At the Rapture, Gentiles are unaffected, while at the Second Advent Gentiles are judged.

At the Rapture, Israel is under the fifth cycle of discipline. The Second Advent terminates the fifth cycle of discipline of Israel.

At the Rapture, Israel’s unconditional covenants are unfulfilled, but at the Second Advent all of Israel’s unconditional covenants will be fulfilled.

The Rapture is for believers only, but the Second Advent has its effect on believers and unbelievers.

The Rapture is said to take place before the day of wrath (the 7-year Tribulation), but the Second Advent follows it.

The expectation of the Church with regard to the Rapture is “the Lord is at hand,” while the expectation of Israel with regard to the Second Advent is “the kingdom is at hand.” Matt. 24:14.

""This gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all the nations, and then the end will come." (Matthew 24:14, NASB)

The expectation of the Church at the translation is to be taken into the Lord’s presence, while the expectation of Israel at the Second Advent is to be taken into the kingdom. Thus, there must be two different programs - the first being the Rapture and the second one being the Second Advent.