Clearing the Air: Common Misconceptions About the Second Coming
Introduction:
I heard this one country song by this man named John Connelly. John’s big hit was a song entitled “Rose Colored Glasses.” I have never looked through rose colored glasses, but I can only imagine how they might distort the actual appearance of something.
I heard a story of a young soldier who was looking at a regiment of British soldiers who were wearing red coats. He was looking through rose-colored field glasses. When you look at red through red it appears to be white and he thought they were white coats. You can imagine what happened to that poor mistaken soldier.
It is my belief that people have been looking at what the Bible says about the second coming of Jesus and the end of time on earth through the rose colored glasses of popular authorship and thus bringing these misconceptions to the Bible. If you were to go into a grocery store you would find numerous books regarding the second coming of Jesus. If you were to turn on a Christian television network you would soon hear a televangelist spouting of his views regarding the end of times. It is easy to see how many people become confused regarding the second coming of Christ. People have made bookoos of money writing fiction novels about this event; it is even a popular headline for many tabloid magazines. The issue of the coming of Jesus has become one of the most popular subjects in Christianity. People today are confused and misled about the Second Coming of Christ.
I believe that the issue of the second coming is an important issue in which there is much confusion, debate and disagreement. There are countless different views about the second coming floating around. Many of those views are honest attempts to interpret Scripture, but some are blatant abuses of the Word of God. I do not believe that a person is lost because they are confused on the Second Coming or if they disagree with me, however buying into some of the common misconception regarding the coming of our Lord can affect us in many different ways. I don’t by any means claim to have all the answers, in fact there are many things regarding Jesus’ coming and the judgment that I do not understand fully. There are people that can disagree with me if they want on some of these issues, they can be wrong if they like. Admittedly, the issues of end times are some of the most difficult issues to comprehend in Scripture.
This morning though I want to clear up a few common misconceptions regarding the coming of Jesus, which I believe the Bible makes very clear. I would like to point out some popular false teachings which I believe the Bible does address, and I want to pick up on the things that are absolutely clear in Scripture regarding Jesus’ coming.
As I begin this message I want you to do something with me. I want you to pretend that you have never read Hal Lindsey’s “The Late Great Planet Earth,” you have never read any of the “Left Behind” series by Tim Lahaye. What I ask is that we look to the source of Truth; God’s Word to see what is real and what is just popular fiction made into popular theology. Therefore I ask of you to remove your rose colored glasses, to get rid of any presuppositions and let us see what the Truth is. Let me assure you that the Bible is a good commentary on popular authorship and I would encourage us to use it as our source for information on Christ’s coming. As we hear various teachings it is vital for us to hold those teachings up to the Word of God and let God’s Word dictate what is true.
With this in mind it is important to quickly define several terms that are associated with the second coming of Jesus.
1. The Antichrist—
Many people have attempted to identify a particular person as being the “Antichrist”. Many authors have taken the term and have made it into some sort of Frankenstein political monster. Some have tried to identify the Antichrist as such people as Hitler, Stalin and Saddam Hussein. The antichrist supposedly will come into the world just prior to the Second Coming of Jesus. Some of the ideas about the coming of an antichrist come from taking passages from Daniel, II Thessalonians and the book of Revelation out of context. Perhaps many of the popular end times experts ignore what the Apostle John says regarding the coming of an antichrist.
II John 7
I John 2:18
I do not believe the Scriptures point to one particular man that is going to arise as the antichrist, but simply put there are many who antichrists are, and they have been in the world since the first century as John pointed out. We must be careful looking for one particular person and identifying them as “antichrist” especially since the Bible does not identify one particular person as “antichrist”.
2. Rapture-
Popular authorship says a day is coming when Christians are going to be raptured or taken out of the world unexpectedly. This false theory suggests that there are two more comings of Jesus. The first one will be a secret removal of the Christians from the world, followed by a seven year tribulation. A popular bumper sticker says, “In case of rapture this car will be unmanned.” It is widely accepted among many people that a secret rapture will take place, where the saved are taken out of the Earth. The verse where much of this theology comes from a passage again out of context in Matthew 24.
Matthew 24:40-41
From reading this verse one cannot tell whether it is better to be left behind or taken away.
Matthew 24:37-39.
In the scripture we just read is it better to be taken away or left behind? Those who were taken were drowned and those left were spared. So, do you want to be taken or left behind?
Of course there is a whole set of phrases that are linked with the end times. I believe that the Second Coming of Jesus is one of the most abused teachings in Scriptures and has resulted in people believing many misconceptions. The best that we can do is study to show ourselves approved and let the Scripture rather than popular authorship teach us. There are a lot of things I do not know and do not understand about the Second Coming of Jesus. Among those things I have some opinions and ideas, but I also understand that many people disagree with me on those things. However, while there are some aspects of the end times that are unclear and difficult to understand, there are a few truths which the Bible teaches plainly, which I do know about. Those truths are not up for debate and they are not changeable. It is those truths that are clearly revealed that are most important for us to understand. People are fascinated by all the things which are difficult to understand, and there may be some level that those things are intriguing, but the things we should spend the most time taking in are those truths clearly revealed in Scripture.
Text: Matthew 24:35-44
I. The Date of His Coming Is Unknowable
Matthew 24:35-36
Once again popular authorship says that there are visible signs of the times that tell us that Jesus is coming soon. There are many people that look at events unfold in the world today and attempt to discern when the coming of Jesus is going to be. It becomes quite a popular topic when one begins to talk about when the world is going to come to an end, and it is mainly a popular topic because many people are not prepared for it spiritually.
Perhaps we could evaluate the world today and events that unfold before our eyes and attempt to determine when Jesus is going to come again. Perhaps we could be convinced that we are living in the last days. The Apostle John was convinced that in the first century he was living in the last days. Since that time many people have attempted to pen the date on the second coming. In the 1980’s a book was written called “88 Reasons Jesus Will Return in 1988”. People were sold on the book, but twenty years later and Jesus still hasn’t returned. The early Jehovah’s Witnesses said Jesus’ coming would occur in 1914. A few years ago a California cult group called “Heaven’s Gate” committed suicide thinking that it was the end and they were going to a space ship at the end of the Hale Boppe comet. However, I have an idea they found Heaven’s gate locked. There have been many other people who have convincingly attributed a date to the second coming of Jesus, but the date has come and gone. Why is that? It is because we do not know the times or the dates of the coming. The Scriptures are purposefully vague as to when the return of Jesus will take place. People are awaiting wars and other political events to unfold, which they believe point to the end of time. However, I believe that the Scriptures are intentionally vague as to the events that will unfold.
So The question comes up then, how do we harmonize what these end times scholars say about Jesus’ return and the fact that not even Jesus knew the times or the date?
II Peter 3:8-11
Jesus is going to come again, that promise is clear in scripture, but I believe it is just as clear that the time of Jesus’ coming is unknowable. Peter says that when Jesus returns he will come like a thief. A thief does not usually give a warning before they break in somewhere. The reason they don’t is because if someone gave me a warning before they were going to break in I would make necessary preparations. A thief needs the element of surprise to catch people off guard. There is not some special warning as to when Jesus will return, but He will come like a thief. Notice, not only are the times and dates unknowable, but the result of not knowing when Jesus is going to return ought to be that we live a godly life and always be prepared for His coming. The time of Jesus’ coming is unknowable—that way every generation must prepare like the previous one. If there were definite knowable signs, people wouldn’t be ready at all times. We do not know when, so that is why we must all be ready for Jesus to come and take us home
II. His Coming Will Happen On A Normal Day
Matthew 24:37-39
We read this passage earlier where Jesus’ coming was likened to the day that the flood came on the earth. What was life like on the earth right up until the time that God flooded the earth? It was life as normal—people were eating and drinking and getting married right up until Noah entered the ark. Jesus said when He comes it’s going to be life as normal just like it is today. People today will try to tell you that many things will change before the end times. They link Jesus’ coming with all these signs about the Earth and what will be going on. People will look at the state of the world and say how wicked the world has become, and conclude that we must be nearing the Second Coming.
Perhaps immorality have progressed, but the point is that every generation since the time of Christ thought they were living in the last days. Jesus said in verse 39 that the people in Noah’s day didn’t understand until the flood came and took them away and then He said, “So shall the coming of the Son of Man be.”
The point that we need to learn that times are normal, and they will continue to be reasonably normal until the time that Jesus comes again. That is why we must be ready because we do not have a promise to know when He will come again. Despite what people say things will not get chaotic, Jesus will come again on a normal day. This makes us determine what type of people are we going to be? We do not have a promise of knowing when Jesus will come again, we do not have the promise of signs for His coming, and therefore we must live every day anticipating His coming. Jesus will come again, but I think scripture is clear that He will come again on a normal day.
I cannot predict a date for you with any sense of integrity. I don’t have any inside information. I can tell you that today we are one day closer than we were yesterday.
I heard about an old farmer that had a grandfather clock that went haywire and chimed fourteen times one midnight. He jumped up and said, “Wake up, Nellie, it’s later than it’s ever been before.” I want to tell you folks, it’s later than it’s ever been before.
It is later now that it has ever been. I can’t interpret the signs of times, but I can tell you that we can trust in the promise that He will return again. I do not know the times or the dates, but I do know that He is coming again, and that is a promise that we who are in Christ can look forward to.
III. At His Coming the Unsaved Are Taken Away First
Matthew 24:40-41
Jesus said two men would be in the field and one would be taken and one left. Likewise, one woman grinding at the mill would be taken and one left. Again popular authorship, based upon the rapture theory, has assumed that the one taken was taken to heaven and the one left was lost.
When you read the context you see this story compared to Noah’s flood and in Noah’s day, which group was saved, the ones taken away or the ones left behind? In two other parables Jesus told that are parables about the church notice who was taken out first.
Matthew 13:24-30
In this parable about the weeds we see that an enemy came and sowed weeds among a man’s wheat. When the wheat and the weeds sprouted it was clear there was a problem that needed to be dealt with. The farmer’s decision was to let the wheat and the weeds grow together until the harvest rather than to go in and pick the weeds out right away. The farmer didn’t want any of the wheat to be picked in the attempt to remove the weeds. So he instructed that at harvest time they would first go and collect the weeds and burn them up, and then they would go an gather the wheat. Jesus proceeds to explain that the enemy is the Devil, the good seeds are the Christians and the weeds are non-Christians, and the harvest is the end of time. Who is it that was taken out first; it was not the righteous, but the wicked. If that is the case I want to be left behind.
Following that parable Jesus tells another one about a net and some fish. The bad fish were taken out first and thrown away. Jesus said, “So it will be at the end of the age; the angels shall come forth and take out the wicked from among the righteous.”
I Thessalonians 4:13-18
When you read this passage do you know who the last people are to leave the earth? It is the living in Christ. That is directly opposite to what we are taught today.
IV. His Coming Will Surprise Many People
Matthew 24:42-44
Jesus return in going to surprise many people. When Jesus returns it’s going to be a global event where the entire world will be made aware of His coming all at the same time!
Don DeWelt had a sign in his office that read “Perhaps Today” maybe so and maybe no, but let’s be in the “ready crowd” and not the “surprised crowd” when he comes.
As I said earlier Jesus likened his coming to a thief in the night. There is great shock in a thief’s coming. Many people in the world feel they will know when to expect the coming of Jesus. Many people feel that they know what the signs are, but I think that His coming will surprise many people. While people are saying peace and safety, then he will come again.
As people are going about their daily lives one day He will come again. He may come again while you are sleeping, maybe when you are working or maybe even while you are at church. His coming will be a shock, but think about this: what do you want to be found doing when He returns?
Thomas Jefferson always wanted to die on the Lord’s Day because it was the day to worship God. Sometimes we do not have a choice when we will meet Jesus, and His coming will be a surprise to many people.
The Bible uses the analogy of Jesus’ return being like that of a groom returning for His bride, the Church. When a couple in that time would become engaged it was a legally binding agreement that could not just be broken off. They groom would go away and would begin to prepare a place for his new bride. When he was finished he would come to get his bride, and the wedding would begin. The problem was the bride and the rest of the wedding party had to be prepared for the groom’s coming. They didn’t know exactly when he would come, but they had to have their preparations. Jesus even related to this in the parable of the ten virgins.
Matthew 25:1-13
Some of them did not make the necessary preparations because the coming took them off guard. In the end they were shut out because they were not prepared. No exception was made for them. The question we need to answer is not when Jesus is coming, but rather are we prepared for His coming right now? What if He did return right now? Perhaps we always think of His coming as a distant event that we have plenty of time to prepare for, but that is not a promise we have. His coming will be a surprise to many people.
I love surprises! I love the expectation, but this will be one surprise many people should not look forward to because they are not prepared for His coming. It is something those of us in a right relationship with Christ can look forward to with joy, which is why when talking about His return Paul told the Thessalonians to encourage one another with those words. It is not just a thing to be feared, but it is an event to look forward to. The Dome of the Capitol in Washington D.C. has this inscription: "One God, one law, one element; And one far off, divine event to which the whole creation moves."
Since His coming will be unexpected and a surprise to us all, how should we live as we wait for the coming of our Lord. His coming is not something any person can avoid. His coming is worldwide to be seen and known by all people, all nations, all peoples, and all religions. The good news is we know what we must do to be prepared for His coming. While there may be many who are surprised, there won’t be many who can say, “I didn’t know.” Many people may think they have plenty of time to get it right, but we must understand that the Lord is not slow in keeping His promise.
Maybe the exact time of His coming will be a surprise, but the fact that He is coming shouldn’t shock us too much. We have been warned. However, many people attempt to deny His coming. This is nothing new.
II Peter 3:3-7
At the beginning of WWII, the Philippines were about to fall to the Japanese, and General Douglas MacArthur was ordered by President Roosevelt to evacuate his staff immediately. Before he left, MacArthur made a promise to the Philippine people: “I shall return!” Because of the complexity of the war, he was unable to make good on that promise for another 3 years. But all during that long period, Short Wave Radios broadcast support to those carrying on the battle behind the lines, and they repeatedly carried MacArthur’s promise – “I shall return!” Eventually, on October 22nd 1944, General MacArthur waded ashore and declared “I have returned!” It was a promise that shaped MacArthur’s entire strategy for all those years. He’d made a promise, and he intended to fulfill it no matter what the obstacle.
If we look through Biblical glasses we can clearly see the truth.
