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Why Jesus
Isn't Coming Again
Mike McClellan
The Bible tells us that Jesus Christ spoke to His disciples 2000 years
ago, telling them that he would return, that he was "coming again". His
promise remains one of the most central themes in the myriad of
Christian belief systems. Except for a very small minority, Christians
still believe he is coming again, the Parousia, the rapture. Is His
promise still valid? Has He yet to return? Or did He make the promise
only to break it in the lifetime of those to whom He spoke?
The Promise
The following is taken
from the Bible. All verses are from the King James version unless
otherwise noted. The Bible references are hyperlinks and will take the
reader to the New International Version quotation if so desired.
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.
Verily I say unto you, There be some standing here, which shall not
taste of death*, till they see the Son of man coming in his kingdom.
Matthew 16: 27-28
The language is clear.
Jesus told his disciples that some of them would not taste of death -
would not die - before he returned, until he came into his kingdom.
If you've been mistakenly taught that the verses above refer to Christ's
Transfiguration, read Revelation 20:12 which coincides with Matthew
16:27 in describing a Judgment Day scenario:
And I saw the dead,
small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and
another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were
judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to
their works.
Revelation 20:12
Christ was, again,
clearly referring to his second coming before that present generation
passed.
Again, Jesus tells his disciples:
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
cloudsof heaven with power and great glory.
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.
Now learn a parable of the fig tree; When his branch is yet tender, and
putteth forth leaves, ye know that summer is nigh: So likewise ye, when
ye shall see all these things, know that it is near, even at the doors.
Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass*, till all these
things be fulfilled.
Matthew 24:30-34
Again, Christ describes
certain events and warns those who are listening to him that "This
generation shall not pass*, till all these things be fulfilled". He is
speaking about their present generation.
Although the above scriptures clearly convey that Christ was talking
about his present generation, there are many other references in the New
Testament indicating that the writers of the Gospels and Epistles as
well as the followers of Christ firmly believed that Jesus was speaking
of their present generation and not some future time hundreds or
thousands of years down the road.
Jesus spoke to his followers again about his coming according to the
book of Matthew:
And ye shall be hated
of all men for my name's sake: but he that endureth to the end shall be
saved.
But when they persecute you in this city, flee ye into another: for
verily I say unto you, Ye shall not have gone over the cities of Israel,
till the Son of man be come.
Matthew 10:22-23
The cities of Israel
were not so numerous that it would have taken a fleeing man 2000 years
to go over or through them. No man could live that long. Christ said
before a fleeing man could go through all the cities, he would come.
Again, Christ was speaking of his return in that generation. He left no
doubt as to his meaning in this passage.
What I mean, brothers,
is that the time is short*. From now on those who have wives should live
as if they had none; those who mourn, as if they did not; those who are
happy, as if they were not; those who buy something, as if it were not
theirs to keep; those who use the things of the world, as if not
engrossed in them. For this world in its present form is passing away.
(1 Corinthians 7:29-31 - NIV)
Paul tells the
Corinthians that time is short and that the world in its present form is
passing away. His words have a strong sense of urgency, rather than
being a mere suggestion. Paul believes the world is presently passing
away. He is not speaking of some event which could take place 2000 years
in the future.
Now this I say,
brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God;
neither doth corruption inherit incorruption. Behold, I shew you a
mystery; 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 15:50-53
In this passage, Paul
tells the Corinthians We shall not all sleep. Again, Paul is convinced
and is convincing the Corinthians that the second coming of Christ is
imminent in that generation and not all who hear his words will "sleep"
or die prior to Christ's coming.
We Which Are Alive
And Shall Remain
In the following
portion of the letter which Paul writes to the Thessalonians he
discusses those who remain alive in the present tense.
For this we say unto
you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain* unto
the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep.
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: 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. Wherefore comfort one another
with these words.
1 Thessalonians 4:15-18
More Scripture
Indicating Immediate Urgency
The New Testament is abundantly filled with references to the immediacy
of Christ's return.
But the end of all
things is at hand:* be ye therefore sober, and watch unto prayer.
1 Peter 4:7
God, who at sundry
times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the
prophets, Hath in these last days* spoken unto us by his Son, whom he
hath appointed heir of all things...
Hebrews 1:1-2
In 1 John, the false
prophets foretold by Jesus who existed in that time period to give
notice of the end times are discussed.
Beloved, believe not
every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many
false prophets are gone out into the world. Hereby know ye the Spirit of
God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh
is of God: And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is
come in the flesh is not of God...
1 John 4:1-3
*(italics mine)
According to the Bible, Jesus Christ said he would return in the
generation in which he lived. He said the sign of the Son of Man would
appear in heaven. He said all the tribes of Israel would mourn. He said
the tribes would see the Son of Man coming in the clouds of heaven with
power and great glory. He said he would send his angels with a great
sound of a trumpet. The angels were to gather the "elect" from the four
winds, from one end of heaven to the other. All of these things were to
have happened in his generation. They didn't happen.
Jesus did not return as he said he would. He did not return as his
disciples believed and preached that he would. Jesus didn't come in the
disciples generation. He didn't come in any generation. The disciples
all died. Jesus' promise was broken. The disciples believed and lived a
false hope.
Jesus didn't come then and he isn't coming in the future. Those who
cling to the broken promise and false hope of his return will be just as
disappointed as the disciples who died looking in vain for the second
coming of their Christ.
He isn't coming again.
http://www.angelfire.com/pa/greywlf/comingagain.html
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