THE SECOND COMING OF CHRIST

DANIEL 12:1-13

Jn. 14:3 [ESV]. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also.

Acts 1:11 [ESV]. And said, "Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into heaven? This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven."

Heb. 9:28 [ESV]. So Christ, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time, not to deal with sin but to save those who are eagerly waiting for him.

      The writer of Heb. 10:37 said, “For yet a little while, and he that shall come will come, and will not tarry.” John Wesley White said that the Bible contains 1,845 references to the Lord's return.

1. Order of Prophetic Events

2. Signs of the End

3. Reasons for the Delay

4. Preparation for His Coming

  I. “In his own order”–1 Cor. 15:23 (2 Pet. 3:10, 12-13)

      A. Church age (Eph. 3:1-11; Rev. 2-3; time of the Gentiles–Lk. 21:24)

      B. Rapture of the church (1 Th. 4:13-18; resurrection bodies–1 Cor. 15:52; Phil. 3:20-21)

      C. Judgment seat of Christ (Rom. 14:10; 1 Cor. 3:12-15, 4:5; 2 Cor. 5:10; Phil. 1:6-10, 2:16, 3:14; 1 Pet. 1:7; 1 Jn. 4:17; crowns of reward–1 Cor. 9:25; 1 Thess. 2:19; 2 Tim. 4:8; Jas. 1:12; 1 Pet. 5:4; Rev. 2:10, 4:10)

      D. Great tribulation (Jer. 30:7; Dan. 12:1; Rev. 6:17, 7:14)

      Anti-christ will rise after the chaos caused by the rapture in a revived Roman confederacy and exercise authority seven years empirically (Rev. 17:12), ecclesiastically (Rev. 13:11), and economically (Rev. 13:16). Anti-christ will make a covenant with Israel, then break it in the middle of the tribulation period. Anti-christ will demand worship in a new temple (Dan. 9:27; 2 Th. 2:1-12).

      A fourth (Rev. 6:8), then a third of mankind will be killed (Rev. 9:15) with worldwide war, famine, and pestilence.

      God will fulfill His promise to “graft in” Israel again (Rom. 9:27, 11:26). Converted Jewish evangelists will preach the gospel in the first half of the tribulation, and God will convert a remnant (Zech. 13:8-9) at the second coming.

      Armageddon will end the period of tribulation (Zech. 12:9, 14:3-4; Rev. 16:16) when Christ returns (Rev. 19:19-20).

      E. Marriage Supper of the Lamb (Rev. 19:7)

      F. Second coming of Christ (Dan. 7:11-13; 2 Th. 1:7-10; Jude 14-15; Rev. 1:7, 19:11-16; beast and false prophet cast into lake of fire)

      G. Millennial reign of Christ (Rev. 20:1-9)

      H. Great white throne judgment (second death, the resurrection to judgment, hell, the lake of fire–Mt. 13:40-41, 49-50, 16:27, 25:31, 41; Rev. 20:12-15)

      I. Heavenly city (Rev. 21-22)

 II. “What shall be the sign of thy coming?”–Mt. 24:3 (2 Pet. 3:3-8)

      A. Return of Israel to the land (Ezek. 38:8; Mt. 24:32-33; Rom. 11:25; temple in Jerusalem–2 Th. 2:4; Rev. 11:1-13)

      B. Alignment of the nations (Mt. 24:7; west–Dan. 7:1-8, north--Ezek. 38-39, south–Dan. 11:40, east–Rev. 9:13-16, 16:12)

      C. War, famine, and pestilence (Mt. 24:7; four horsemen–Rev. 6:1-8)

      D. Weapons of mass destruction (Rev. 6:8, 9:15)

      E. Increase of knowledge (Dan. 12:4–travel; Rev. 11:9–technology)

      F. Earthquakes (Mt. 24:7)

      G. Fear (Lk. 21:26–heart failure)

      H. False messiahs (Mt. 24:5, 11, 24)

      I. Economic unification (Rev. 13:16-17)

      J. Increase of lawlessness (2 Tim. 3:1-7)

      K. Evil imaginations and sodomy (Lk. 17:26-30)

      L. Drugs, murders, immorality, and theft (Rev. 9:21)

      M. Scoffers (2 Pet. 3:3-4--evolutionists)

      N. Occultism (Mt. 13:37-39; 1 Tim. 4:1-3)

      O. Apostasy (Lk. 18:8; 2 Th. 2:3; 2 Tim. 4:3-4)

III. “How long, O Lord?”–Rev. 6:10 (2 Pet. 3:9)

      A. Determined time of God (Mt. 24:36; Acts 3:20-21)

      B. Longsuffering of God (2 Pet. 3:9)

      C. Evangelization of the world (Mt. 13:37-39; Mk. 13:10)

      D. Unexpected hour (Mt. 24:44)

 IV. “Looking for that blessed hope”–Tit. 2:13 (2 Pet. 3:11, 14-18)

      A. Watch (Mt. 24:42-51, 25:1-13; Lk. 12:36-48; 1 Th. 5:1-10)

      B. Witness (Mk. 8:38; Acts 1:6-8)

      C. Occupy (Lk. 19:11-28)

      D. Awake (Rom. 13:11)

      E. Use spiritual gifts (1 Cor. 1:7)

      F. Please the Lord (1 Cor. 7:29-33)

      G. Assemble (1 Cor. 11:26; Heb. 10:25)

      H. Forbear (Phil. 4:5)

      I. Crucify the flesh (Col. 3:4-5)

      J. Be blameless (1 Th. 5:23)

      K. Be spotless (1 Tim. 6:14)

      L. Be pure (Tit. 2:14; 1 Jn. 3:3)

      M. Be patient (Jas. 5:7-8)

      N. Be holy (2 Pet. 3:11, 14)

      O. Abide (1 Jn. 2:28)

      P. Love (Jude 21)

      In 1 Cor. 16:22 Paul closed the letter with the word “Maranatha.” The Lord comes.

NIV

 1. "At that time (Dan. 8:17, 9:21-25, 11:6-13-14-24-35-40, 12:1-4-9-11) Michael (Dan. 10:13-21, 12:1; Jude 1:9; Rev. 12:7), the great prince (Dan. 8:11-25, 9:6-8, 10:13-20-21, 11:5, 12:1) who protects your people, will arise (Dan. 12:1-5-13). There will be a time of distress (Neh. 9:27; Ps. 34:6-17, 46:1, 91:15; Ob. 1:12-14; Jon. 2:2) such as has not happened from the beginning of nations (Dan. 8:22, 11:23, 12:1) until then. But at that time your people (Dan. 8:22, 11:23, 12:1)--everyone whose name is found written in the book (Ex. 32:33; Ps. 69:28, 87:6; Is. 4:3; Ezek. 13:9; Dan. 12:1; Mal. 3:16; Lk. 10:20; Phil. 4:3; Heb. 12:23; Rev. 3:5, 13:8, 17:8, 20:12-15, 21:27, 22:19)--will be delivered (Gen. 19:17; Ps. 33:17; Dan. 11:41, 12:1).

 2. Multitudes who sleep (Job 3:13; 1 Cor. 15:20-51; 1 Th. 4:14) in the dust of the earth will awake: some to everlasting (Dan. 9:24, 12:2-3-7) life, others to shame (Jos. 5:9; Neh. 4:4; Dan. 9:16, 11:18, 12:2) and everlasting contempt (Is. 66:24; Mt. 25:46; Lk. 14:14; Jn. 5:29; Acts 24:15).

 3. Those who are wise (Dan. 1:4-17, 9:13-22-25, 11:33-35, 12:3-10) will shine (Ps. 19:11; Ezek. 3:17, 33:7) like the brightness (Ezek. 8:2) of the heavens, and those who lead many to righteousness (Dan. 9:7-16-24, 12:3), like the stars (Job 38:7; Ps. 8:3) for ever and ever (Dan. 9:24, 12:2-3-7).

 4. But you, Daniel, close up (Ps. 51:6; Ezek. 28:3; Dan. 8:26, 12:4-9) and seal (seal up ; authenticate it with one’s seal and signature; shut up in prison; Dan. 9:24, 12:4-9; Job 14:17) the words of the scroll (Dan. 9:2, 12:1-4) until the time (Dan. 8:17, 9:21-25, 11:6-13-14-24-35-40, 12:1-4-9-11) of the end (Dan. 8:17-19, 11:6-13-27-35-40-45, 12:4-6-9-13; Gen. 6:13; Is. 9:7; Amos 8:2; Hab. 2:3). Many will go here and there to increase (Dan. 11:38, 12:4) knowledge (Job 42:3; Prov. 1:7; Dan. 1:4, 12:4; Hos. 4:6)."

 5. Then I, Daniel, looked (Dan. 8:1-2-3-4-6-7-15-20, 9:18-21, 10:5-7-8, 12:5), and there before me stood two others, one on this bank of the river (Dan. 12:5-6-7) and one on the opposite bank.

 6. One of them said to the man clothed in linen, who was above the waters of the river (Dan. 12:5-6-7), "How long (Dan. 8:13, 12:6) will it be before these astonishing things are fulfilled (Dan. 8:17-19, 11:6-13-27-35-40-45, 12:4-6-9-13; Gen. 6:13; Is. 9:7; Amos 8:2; Hab. 2:3)?"

 7. The man clothed in linen (Ezek. 9:2; Dan. 10:5, 12:6-7), who was above the waters of the river (Dan. 12:5-6-7), lifted (Dan. 11:12-36, 12:7; Prov. 6:17; Is. 2:12, 14:13) his right hand and his left hand toward heaven, and I heard him swear by him who lives forever (Dan. 9:24, 12:2-3-7), saying, "It will be for a time (Dan. 8:19, 11:27-29-35, 12:7), times and half (half, middle ; Dan. 9:27, 12:7; Ps. 102:24; Zech. 14:4) a time. When the power of the holy (Dan. 8:13-14, 9:16-20-24-26, 11:28-30-45, 12:7) people has been finally broken (Jud. 7:19), all these things will be completed (Dan. 11:36, 12:7)."

 8. I heard, but I did not understand (Dan. 1:4-17, 8:5-16-17-23-27, 9:2-22-23, 10:1-11-12-14, 11:30-33-37, 12:8-10). So I asked, "My lord (Dan. 10:17-19, 12:8), what will the outcome (Dan. 8:19-23, 10:14, 11:4, 12:8) of all this be?"

 9. He replied, "Go your way, Daniel, because the words are closed up (Ps. 51:6; Ezek. 28:3; Dan. 8:26, 12:4-9) and sealed (seal up ; authenticate it with one’s seal and signature; shut up in prison; Dan. 9:24, 12:4-9; Job 14:17) until the time (Dan. 8:17, 9:21-25, 11:6-13-14-24-35-40, 12:1-4-9-11) of the end (Dan. 8:17, 11:6-13-35-40, 12:4-9) (Dan. 8:17-19, 11:6-13-27-35-40-45, 12:4-6-9-13; Gen. 6:13; Is. 9:7; Amos 8:2; Hab. 2:3).

 10. Many will be purified (2 Sam. 22:27; Ps. 18:26; Is. 52:11; Dan. 11:35, 12:10), made spotless (Ps. 51:7; Is. 1:18; Dan. 11:35, 12:10) and refined (Ps. 26:2, 66:10; Dan. 11:35, 12:10; Mal. 3:2-3), but the wicked will continue to be wicked. None of the wicked (Neh. 9:33; Dan. 9:5-15, 11:32, 12:10) will understand, but those who are wise (Dan. 1:4-17, 9:13-22-25, 11:33-35, 12:3-10) will understand (Dan. 1:4-17, 8:5-16-17-23-27, 9:2-22-23, 10:1-11-12-14, 11:30-33-37, 12:8-10).

 11. "From the time (Dan. 8:17, 9:21-25, 11:6-13-14-24-35-40, 12:1-4-9-11) that the daily sacrifice (Dan. 8:11-12-13, 11:31, 12:11) is abolished (Dan. 9:5-11, 11:31, 12:11) and the abomination (detested thing ; Dan. 9:27, 11:31, 12:11; 2 Kg. 23:13-24; Jer. 32:34; Ezek. 5:11, 37:23) that causes desolation (Dan. 8:13-27, 9:18-26-27, 11:31, 12:11; Lev. 26:31-33-35; 1 Kg. 9:8; 2 Chr. 36:21; Ps. 69:25; Is. 54:3, 61:4; Ezek. 36:35; Amos 9:14) is set up, there will be 1,290 days.

 12. Blessed is the one who waits (Is. 64:4; Hab. 2:3) for and reaches (Dan. 8:5-7-18, 9:21, 10:10-16-18, 12:12; Jud. 6:21; Jer. 1:9) the end of the 1,335 days.

 13. "As for you, go your way till the end (Dan. 8:17-19, 11:6-13-27-35-40-45, 12:4-6-9-13; Gen. 6:13; Is. 9:7; Amos 8:2; Hab. 2:3). You will rest (Jos. 1:13), and then at the end (Dan. 8:17-19, 11:6-13-27-35-40-45, 12:4-6-9-13; Gen. 6:13; Is. 9:7; Amos 8:2; Hab. 2:3) of the days you will rise to receive your allotted (Jos. 14:2; Ps. 16:5) inheritance."