RESOURCES — SHORT ARTICLES

 

SHORT ARTICLES BY TOM ELSEROAD
	2020-06-22	The Coming of Christ is Blessing Followed by God's Judgment
		The Associated with the Coming of Christ is blessing for believers but sorrow and mourning for unbelievers. Mat 24:29 "Immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken. Mat 24:30 Then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. • Notice two points here: (1) the fact that all will see the Son of Man Coming and (2) the reaction when Christ comes. • When the sign of the Son of Man appears, the reaction of the nations is to “mourn”. They will fear what is about to come upon them! • When Christ comes, it will BEGIN the wrath of God upon the earth. This point is emphasized by the multiple examples that follow which will elaborate on this point. > Noah and the Flood (Mt.24:37-39) Noah and his family go into the ark and immediately the Flood judgment begins. Safety for believers, followed immediately by judgment for unbelievers. > One taken, and one left (Mt.24:40-42) Mat 24:40 Then two men will be in the field: one will be taken and the other left. Mat 24:41 Two women will be grinding at the mill: one will be taken and the other left. Mat 24:42 Watch therefore, for you do not know what hour your Lord is coming. The concept is that one is “taken” (or resurrected) and the other is “left” to endure the coming judgments. So Christ comes to “take” believers to be with Him. Then those “left” (remaining) will BEGIN to see the wrath of God poured out. Notice the exhortation to watch, “for you do not know what hour your Lord is coming”. > Jesus and the Thief in the Night (Mt.24:43-44) From the standpoint of the unbelieving world, Christ will be seen as a thief because He takes believers from the earth to be with Him. Notice the exhortation to be ready, “for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect”. So Jesus comes for believers as a blessing. And Christ comes for unbelievers like a thief. Same event, different outcome. > Paul and the Thief in the Night (1Th.5:2-3) 1Th 5:2 For you yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so comes as a thief in the night. 1Th 5:3 For when they say, "Peace and safety!" then sudden destruction comes upon them, as labor pains upon a pregnant woman. And they shall not escape. This is the same “thief” event as Jesus gave in Matthew 24:43-44. Paul tells us that the Lord comes when the unbelieving world is saying, “Peace and safety”. Thus like a thief, unexpectedly. Believers will be taken to be with the Lord, and unbelievers will BEGIN to see the wrath of God poured out. > Peter and the Thief in the Night 2Pe 3:10 But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in which the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will melt with fervent heat; both the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up. Peter's context is the Day of the Lord. When Christ comes it BEGINS the Day of the Lord. For the unbeliever the coming of Christ will take them by surprise, or as a thief. So the believer looks for the Day of the Lord. But the unbeliever will dread it, because God's wrath will BEGIN to be poured out. > Paul connects the BEGINNING of Christ's Coming with the BEGINNING of the Day of the Lord's wrath 2Th 2:1 Now, brethren, concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our gathering together to Him, we ask you, 2Th 2:2 not to be soon shaken in mind or troubled, either by spirit or by word or by letter, as if from us, as though the day of Christ had come. 2Th 2:3 Let no one deceive you by any means; for that Day will not come unless the falling away comes first, and the man of sin is revealed, the son of perdition, The context is the Day of Christ, aka, the Day of the Lord (v.1) Paul makes it plain that Day has not yet begun (v.2) Two things must occur before the start of the Day of the Lord: (1) The great apostasy and (2) the revealing of the man of sin (antichrist). Both of these must take place PRIOR to the start of the Day of the Lord. If you are a believer in Jesus Christ these are words of encouragement as we see the day approaching. If you are an unbeliever, turn to Christ today for the forgiveness of your sins, lest His coming to you is like a thief. Then it will be too late. Pastor Tom Elseroad

 

An Evangelical Free Church of America

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