Risen to Return
By Pastor Ohm Prakash
As we think about our lord Jesus and his resurrection from dead. I want to draw our attention –not so much on his resurrection but on purpose for which he rose
I know not more comforting message of hope- Then our lord’s Return: Doctrine of second Coming of our lord-of-of Christian faith on which our hope revolves: I have title this article as RISEN TO RETURN.
Nothing baffles us human beings more then two very basic things and they are namely nothingness-and death, it is because we human being are firm believer of the fact- that out of nothing comes nothing .If you say something coming out of nothing that is absurd it does not fit in our rational thinking. Secondly it is the reality of death because death is the one such event over which we have absolutely no control and from which we cannot escape. Someone has rightly said the dust of death is upon us and the grave is waiting to maul us anytime. No one can get out of this world without facing his or her own death. But nothingness and death are no problem to God – because out of nothingness he created the whole universe-and out of death he raised Jesus Christ thus the Creation and the resurrection remains the two major manifestations of God’s power. One more is yet to come and that is when He shall raise us from the dead. That will happen when we shall return.
Scripture tells us in Acts 1:11 “ You men of Galilee, why stand you gazing up into heaven? This same Jesus, who is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as you have seen him go into heaven. (KJV)
“BEHOLD!!” Predicts the prophetical oracles “ 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.”
Let me draw your attention to some of the facts in the scripture so that you will understand how important is the second coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.
q There is 333different prophecy in O.T concerning the coming of Christ. 109 of them are already fulfilled in his first coming remains 224 of them are yet to be fulfilled during his II coming.
Out of 46 O.T prophet –10 of them speaks of Christ’s first coming –36 speaks of Christ’s II coming
1527 verses of O.T verses tells the detail about the second coming
1 out of every 25 verses in N.T refers to the second coming of Christ
For every time Bible mentions the first coming of Christ once it mention second coming of Christ 8 times.
Every time Bible mentions sacrificial death of Christ once, it mention second coming twice
Every time –it mentions the resurrection of Christ once and it mentions His second coming l3 times
Our lord Jesus Christ himself –mentioned his II coming at numerous times
This is how important is the second coming of our Lord.
To give you a general picture of scenario. According to the scripture the true church that is those who has personal relation to Christ by grace –through faith will be all of sudden snatched out this world that can happen any moment in twinkling of an eye and we’ll meet the lord in the sky and go to heaven
Those saints who are already dead will rise first and given a new glorious body. All those still alive will be caught up in the heaven we’ll all be joined together to meet the lord in air.
Immediately – after the church is raptured a world government will be set up by satanic forces. The political leader of that world government will a peace treaty or covenant with many especially with Israel.
As soon as the leader of this world govt comes to the pick of his power, He eventually exercise and absolute control over the world. The head of that world govt. will then demand that whole world should worship him. - Those who refuse to do, will be killed in massive numbers
Then the Bible says at the same time this is going on- there will come from God a series of catastrophic judgments. Through which almighty god will himself pour out his fury and wrath – resulting half of the whole population destroyed .The whole thing will finally culminate in massive world war involving the forces of this world who shall meet in a valley in Israel known as plan of Megiddo to fight the battle of Armageddon.
As the army of this world will be fighting that battle, the heavens will slip and the sky will go black, and Jesus will appear in blazing glory with glorified church. He’ll judge the wicked and he will establish his kingdom on earth, reign, as king of king –lord of lords –At the end of his 1000 years of reign the Satan and his emissaries---- will be cast into lake of fire. And the righteous will be taken into new heaven ---That’s how this world will come to an end.
But some people don’t believe that –many people don’t believe that –that should not surprise us .Do you know why? Because the scripture already tells us before hand.
Listen to what apostle Peter says in I Peter 3 – that there shall come in last days. Scoffers walking after their own lust They says where is the promise of his coming –come on all of you who keep saying Jesus is coming where is He.
How can we be sure He is coming how can we know Jesus is coming back what evidence do we have
Let me give you some –All right?
1. THE PROMISE OF GOD DEMANDS IT
Throughout the O.T God made promises-Promises, which says. There is coming a Savior who will deliver the righteous from sin, that savior will also be judge who will condemn the wicked. That Savior will also be the king who will reign forever ever.
As I said there are still 224 O.T promises unfulfilled. If those promise are not fulfilled God’s credibility / integrity is at stake, Can God be trusted.
Well….
God gave prophecies in O.T, which says much about messiahs first coming and every one of these came true.
· In Isa 7:14 God said “Messiah will be born of a virgin and he was
· In Micah 5:2 God said Messiah will be called out Egypt and he was
· Zech 9:9 God said He will enter Jerusalem – on Palm Sunday riding on a baby donkey and he did.
· Ps 41:9 it says: He will betrayed by a friend, and he was
· Zech 13:7 God said “He will be forsaken by his follower, and he was
· Zech 11:12 God said “he will sold for 30 piece of silver-predicting the exact price and he was
· Isa 50:6 God said “he will beaten and spit up on, and he was
· Ps 22 god said “ His crucified will be crucified, and he was
· Ps 34:20 God said “not a bone of his will be broken and not one was
· Ps 2:7,16:10 God said “he will raised from, the dead and he was
Scripture tells us –God’s word never returns void it always accomplishes for which he send it, all of those prophesies concerning Christ first coming literally fulfilled that proof to us that god keeps his promises his words con be trusted.
Therefore we can conclude that God’s promises concerning about his II coming will literally fulfilled. We can believer those as well.
E.g. (Ps, isa9: 6,micah) Messiah will be the king and will reign and rule the earth forever. That has not yet happened but it will
Micah 4:3 –When he comes he will bring peace that did not happen – during His first coming but it will happen during His second coming
Now based on gods perfect past performance we should believe that everything, which he has said concerning II coming of Christ, would be exactly fulfilled.
POINT# 2 THE PROMISE OF CHRIST DEMANDS IT
Secondly our Lord Jesus Christ Himself promised that He would return. In John’s Gospel 14:1-4 Jesus spoke to his disciples about his departure where he said:
“Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me.
In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.
And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.”
Likewise in the Gospel of Matthew ch. 24 when his disciple asked “tell us when these things will be, what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age
Those days the sun will be darken and moon will not give its light, the stars will fall from heaven and powers of heaven will shaken then the son of man shall come on clouds with great power and glory, he will send his holy angels to collect his elects.
So you see Jesus must return because the promise of Jesus requires His return. Jesus declared he is coming soon.
Even after return my to heaven 50years later Jesus spoke through apostle john in book of Revelation, 6 times he said “Behold I am coming quickly
Can his words be trusted?
Jesus said “Heaven and earth shall pass away but my words shall never pass away’ Now look at some of his predictions:
Jesus predicted –Peter’s Denial (In Mark 14:30,Matt.26: 30-36,Luke22: 31-39,John 13:36-38) that was exactly fulfilled.
Secondly Jesus promised he would send the comforter (the Holy Spirit) and that come to pass on the day of Pentecost.
Thirdly Jesus predicted –the destruction of Jerusalem temple and that was literally fulfilled
POINT # 3 GOD’S PROGRAMME FOR THE CHURCH DEMANDS IT.
In II Corinth 11:2 Apostle Paul wrote “For I am jealous for you with godly jealousy. For I have betrothed you tone husband that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ”
You may wonder what he is saying what is this all about. Let me explain this to you
. A Jewish wedding had 3 parts
1) Contract
2) Engagement
3) Wedding
Part # 1 was the legal part both the parents of girl and boy got together worked out the contract. In those dayboy’s parents had to pay a dowry to girl aren’t so they sat down and negotiated the price and price was paid.
Thus later on after that can II phase of wedding which we call engagement .In Jewish tradition The calibration was always held in home of the bride which we call an engagement party during this the relatives and guests came together and this couple will soon be getting married .The pledge was made, the gifts were given and there was a time of rejoicing.
About a year later came the third phase The Wedding-Day. In those days the wedding took place in the house of bridegroom. Bridegroom came took the bride went back to his father’s house and there the wedding took place.
Now fallow this thought in the book of Revelation 19:7 “Let us be glad and rejoice and give Him glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and His wife has made herself ready.”
This is the marriage between Christ and His church.
At Calvary, when Jesus died on the cross, He purchased the elect. The contract was written by His blood. The phase one of our unions with Christ was completed at the cross, by His death He fulfilled the contract and paid the price.
When you believed and I believed (Who are the elect) the vary moment the engagement took place. We received the gifts of the Holy Spirit and other gifts of graces and we also receive The Holy Spirit which is called in Greek ARABAN.And there was rejoicing in heaven.
The Greek word araban means the engagement ring. Christ gave us The Holy Spirit as pledge and as His promise that one day He will come and take us His Heavenly Home.
So the engagement took place when we believed. The purchase price was paid at Calvary, but beloved we are still waiting for the rapture and we are also waiting for the wedding only remaining question is are you ready for His coming? In Luke ch. 12 Jesus tells us who is that wise and faithful person! And who is going to rule with Christ! And receive His eternal blessing. “I tell you” He said, “ Blessed is the one when He comes and finds them doing righteous things and doing what honors God.
