There is a lot of confusion as to the Second Coming of Jesus. I recently ran across an article written by Donnie S. Barnes, Th.D. I want to share it with you today. Mr. Barnes takes a negative approach, explaining what Jesus is not coming for.
FOR WHAT IS CHRIST NOT COMING?
There are many false ideas being circulated around the world concerning the second coming of Christ. Briefly let me refute some of the major ones.
1. Jesus is not coming to establish His kingdom.
a. It has already been established.
b. Many Bible passages so indicate that the kingdom is now in existence, and has been for nearly 2,000 years.
1. Daniel 2:44 2. Acts 2:47 3. Mark 1:15 4. Colossians 1:13 5. Mark 9:1
6. Revelation 2:9 7. Acts 8:1
2. Jesus is not coming to sit on David’s throne. He was resurrected for that purpose. Acts 2:29-32
3. Jesus is not coming to restore Palestine to the Jews. God has already fulfilled ever promise He ever made to the Jews concerning Palestine. Joshua 21:43
4. Jesus is not coming to convert the Jews.
a. There is no second chance to be converted after this life.
b. If the Jews are to be converted at all, they must obey the gospel of Christ in this life.
1. Romans 1:16 – “For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.”
2. 2 Corinthians 6:2 – “For He says, “AT THE ACCEPTABLE TIME I LISTENED TO YOU, AND ON THE DAY OF SALVATION I HELPED YOU.” Behold, now is ‘THE ACCEPTABLE TIME,’ behold, now is ‘THE DAY OF SALVATION’” 5 3. Hebrews 9:28 – “So Christ also, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time for salvation without reference to sin, to those who eagerly await Him.” 4. Acts 10:35 – “But in every nation the man who fears Him and does what is right is welcome to Him.”
5. Jesus is not coming to reign on the earth for 1000 years.
a. Christ is now reigning as king.
1. 1 Corinthians 15:25-26 – “For He must reign until He has put all His enemies under His feet. The last enemy that will be abolished is death.”
2. People are still dying, therefore death has not been destroyed.
3. And until death is destroyed, Christ will continue to reign.
4. Jesus said in John 18:36 – “My kingdom is not of this world.”
5. He refused to be crowned as an earthly king.
a. But what about the twentieth chapter of Revelation?
1. Revelation is a highly figurative book.
2. In studying the Bible, we should never attach a meaning to a figurative passage that is not in harmony with all plain passages on the same subject.
b. The twentieth chapter of Revelation is the only place in all the Bible that mentions a thousand years reign.
c. After reading the Bible from Genesis through the nineteenth chapter of Revelation, one has read nothing about it.
d. The word “millennium” is not in the Bible, but by common use has been given a permanent place in religious literature.
1. It is a Latin word meaning “a thousand years,” and is used six times in Revelation 20:1-15.
2. If reference is being made to a distinct period in which Christ will reign personally on the earth, it is remarkable that neither Christ nor any of His apostles in their plain teaching said anything about it.
e. Why should so important a matter be mentioned only in a book of symbols and in a highly figurative passage?
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