Doctrine of the Return of the Lord

Doctrine of the Return of the Lord

Introduction

The Doctrine of the return of the Lord ensures the return of Christ as a righteous judge over everyone, to give the reward for righteousness to those who are faithful and given the punishment for unrighteousness to those who are faithless.

Eschatology is the field of Christian theology that concerns the study of last things. It is the study of Christ’s future return, the resurrection, the rapture, the final judgment, the eternal blessedness of the redeemed with Christ, and the eternal punishment of the damned who are apart from His presence.

1.0. Etymology and Synonyms

Return of the Lord in Hebrew is יהוה בשׁוב (Shoob Yehovah) (Isa 52: 8) and in Greek, it is Επιστροφή Κυρίου (Epistrophe Kuriou).

Some of the words associated with the return of the Lord in the Old Testament could be Day of the Lord (יום יהוה – yom yehovah (Oba 1: 15)), Vengeance of the Lord (נקמת יהוה- neqamah yehovah (Jer 50: 15)), etc.

Some of the words associated with the return of the Lord in the New Testament could be Day of the Lord (ημέρα του Κυρίου – hemera tou kuriou (1 Thes 5: 2)), Coming of the Lord (παρουσία του Κυρίου- Parousia tou kuriou (1 Thes 4: 15)), Day of Judgment (Ημέρα της Κρίσεως- Hemera tis kriseos (2 Pet 2: 9)), Wrath of God (Οργή Θεού- Orgi theou (Col 3: 6)), etc.

2.0. Day of the Lord

The day of the Lord is the day of the return of the Lord Jesus Christ as a judge over everyone. Many prophets prophesied from the old times about the coming of the Lord, and many of them said that the day of the Lord is near. On the day of the Lord, there will be signs and wonders, and it would be like the arrival of a thief to sinners who will be destroyed.

Obadiah prophesizes to Edom that for the day of the LORD is near upon all the nations. As you have done, it shall be done to you; your deeds shall return on your own head (Oba 1:15).

The Day of the Lord is near and it will be a day of clouds, a time of doom for the nations (Eze 30:3).

Isaiah prophesizes wail, for the day of the Lord is near, as destruction from the Almighty it will come (Isaiah 13:6). Also he says that the day of the Lord comes, cruel with wrath and fierce anger, to make the land a desolation and to destroy its sinner from it (Isa 13: 9).

Jeremiah prophesied that Jerusalem shall warn the nations that He is coming, and announce to Jerusalem, that the besiegers come from a distant land, and they shout against the cities of Judah. Like keepers of a field are they against her all around, because she had rebelled against Him, declares the Lord (Jer 4: 16, 17).

Joel prophesied oh no, for the Day of the Lord approaches, and like destruction from the Almighty, it will come (Joel 1:15).

Day of the Lord is great and very awesome, and Joel asked who can endure it (Joel 2:11).

Joel prophesied that, and it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my Spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions: and also upon the servants and upon the handmaids in those days will I pour out my Spirit. And I will show wonders in the heavens and in the earth: blood, and fire, and pillars of smoke.  The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and terrible day of the Lord come. And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of Lord shall be delivered; for in mount Zion and in Jerusalem there shall be those that escape, as Lord has said, and among the remnant those whom Lord calls (Joel 2:28-32; Act 2: 18-21).

Joel exclaimed calling multitudes, multitudes, in the valley of decision. The day of the Lord is near in the valley of decision (Joel 3:14).

Woe to those who desire the day of the Lord, Amos asked why would they have the day of the Lord. It is darkness, and not light, as if a man fled from a lion, and a bear met him, or went into the house and leaned his hand against the wall and a serpent bit him. It is gloomy with no brightness in it (Amos 5: 18-20). 

The great day of the Lord is near and hastening fast, the sound of the day of the Lord is bitter, the mighty man cries aloud there. A day of distress and anguish, a day of ruin and devastation and gloom, a day of clouds and think darkness, a day of trumpet blast and battle cry against the fortified cities and against the lofty battlements (Zeph 1: 14-17).

Behold, He sends His messenger, and he will prepare the way before Him. And the Lord whom they seek will suddenly come to His temple, and the messenger of the covenant in whom they delight, behold, He is coming, says the Lord of hosts. He asked that but who can endure the day of His coming, and who can stand when He appears. For He is like a refiner’s fire and like fullers’ soap. He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver, and He will purify the sons of Levi and refine them like gold and silver, and they will bring offerings in righteousness to the Lord. Then the offspring of Judah and Jerusalem will be pleasing to the Lord as in the days of old and as in former years. Then He will draw near to them for judgment. He will be a swift witness against the sorcerers, against the adulterers, against those who swear falsely, against those who oppress the hired worker in his wages, the widow and the fatherless, against those who thrust aside the sojourner, and do not fear Him, says the Lord of hosts (Mal 3: 1-5).

Act 2:17  And it shall be in the last days, saith God, I will pour forth of my Spirit upon all flesh: And your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, And your young men shall see visions, And your old men shall dream dreams: 

The person who is sexually immoral, of a kind that is not tolerated even among pagans, a man having his father’s wife should be delivered to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, so that his spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord (1 Corin 5: 1-5).

Day of the Lord shall come like a thief in the night (1 Thess 5:2).

But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, and then the heavens will pass away with a roar, and the heavenly bodies will be burned up and dissolved, and the earth and the works that are done on it will be exposed (2 Pet 3:10).

 

2.1. Day of the Lord- Christ’s Life on Earth and Judgement

The Day of the Lord is sometimes used in reference to the life of Christ on earth to redeem mankind and the day of Judgement.

Before the day of the Lord, God will send Elijah the prophet (Malachi 4:5).

The Spirit of the Lord God is upon him, because the Lord has anointed him to bring good news to the poor, and He had sent him to bind up the broken hearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound, and to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor, and the day of vengeance of their God, and to comfort all who mourn, and to grant to those who mourn in Zion- to give them a beautiful headdress instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, the garment of praise instead of a faint spirit, and that they may be called oaks of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that He may be glorified. They shall build up the ancient ruins, and they shall raise up the former devastations, and they shall repair the ruined cities, the devastations of many generations. Strangers shall stand and tend their flocks, and foreigners shall be their plowmen and vinedressers, but they shall be called the priests of the Lord, and they shall speak of them as the ministers of their God, and they shall eat the wealth of the nations, and in their glory they shall boast. Instead of their shame there shall be a double portion, and instead of dishonour they shall rejoice in their lot, and therefore in their land they shall possess a double portion, and they shall have everlasting joy. For He the Lord loves justice, and He hates robbery and wrong, and He will faithfully give them their recompense, and He will make an everlasting covenant with them. Their offspring shall be known among the nations, and their descendants in the midst of the peoples, and all who see them shall acknowledge them, that they are an offspring the Lord has blessed. He will greatly rejoice in the Lord, His soul shall exult in His God, for He had clothed him with the garments of salvation, and He had covered him with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decks himself like a priest with a beautiful headdress, and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels. For as the earth brings forth its sprouts, and as a garden causes what is sown in it to sprout up, so the Lord God will cause righteousness and praise to sprout up before all the nations (Isaiah 61: 1-11).

 

3.0. Coming of the Lord/ Return of the Lord

Many people spoke and sang about the coming of the Lord to judge the whole world in His splendor and might. When the Lord comes again, He will judge the people with fairness and righteousness. Also, sometimes the coming of the Lord or return of the Lord signifies the first coming of Jesus Christ to save the people from sins.

All the earth shall sing a new song to the Lord and sing to the Lord, all the earth. They shall sing to the Lord, and bless His name, and proclaim His deliverance every day. They shall declare His glory among the nations and His awesome deeds among all the peoples. For the Lord is great, and greatly to be praised, and He is awesome above all gods. For all the gods of the peoples are worthless idols, but the Lord made the heavens. Splendor and majesty are before Him, and might and beauty are in His sanctuary. They shall ascribe to the Lord, they families of peoples, ascribe to the Lord glory and strength. They shall ascribe to the Lord the glory due His name, bring an offering and enter His courts. They shall worship the Lord in holy splendour, and tremble before Him, all the earth. They shall declare among the nations that the Lord reigns. Indeed, He established the world so that it will not falter. He will judge people fairly. The heavens will be glad and the earth will rejoice, and even the sea and everything that fills it will roar. The field and all that is in it will rejoice, and then all the trees of the forest will sing for joy in the Lord’s presence, because He is coming, and indeed He will come to judge the earth. He will judge the world fairly and its people reliably (Psalm 96: 1-13).

Isaiah prophesied that the voice of the watchmen is that they lift up their voice and together they sing for joy, for eye to eye they see the return of the Lord to Zion (Isaiah 52: 8).

Isaiah prayed O Lord, why did He make them wander from their ways and harden their heart, so that they fear Him not. He shall return for the sake of His servants, the tribes of His heritage (Isaiah 63: 17).

Jesus said that whoever is ashamed of Him and of His words in the adulterous and sinful generation, of him will the Son of Man also be ashamed when He comes in the glory of his Father with the holy angels (Luke 9: 26).

Jesus told the Disciples that when they see the abomination of desolation spoken by the prophet Daniel, standing in the holy place, and when they see Jerusalem surrounded by armies they could know that its desolation had come near. Then they ought to let those who are in Judea to flee to the mountains. And the one that is on the housetop not go down into the house, neither enter therein, to take to anything out of his house, and let those who are inside the city depart, and let not those who are not in the country enter it, for those are days of vengeance, to fulfil all that is written. The one who is in the field need not turn back to take his cloak. Women who are pregnant and those who are nursing infants during those days shall pray that their flight may not be in winter or on a Sabbath, because there will be great affliction or tribulation then, such as that has not been from the beginning of the world until then. They will fall by the edge of the sword and be led captive among all nations, and Jerusalem will be trampled underfoot by the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled. If those days had not been cut short, no human being would be saved. But for the sake of the elect, those days will be cut short. Jesus continued saying that then if anyone says to them to look here is the Christ, or there he is, they should not believe it, because false Christs and false prophets will arise and perform great signs and wonders so as to lead astray, if possible even the elect. The disciples need to see that Jesus had told them beforehand. So, if they say to them to look Christ in the wilderness they should not go out. If they say to look that he is in the inner rooms, they should not believe it, because lighting comes from the east and shines as far as the west, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. Wherever the corpse is, there the vultures will gather (Matt 24: 15-28; Mark 13: 14-23; Luke 21: 20-24).

Jesus told the high priest that from then they will see the Son of Man seated at the right hand of Power, and coming on the clouds of heaven (Matt 26: 64).

While Disciples were gazing into heaven as Jesus went and was carried up into heaven, behold two men stood by them in white robes, and asked the Men of Galilee why do they stand looking into heaven and told that the Jesus who was taken up from them into heaven, would come in the same way as they saw Him go into heaven. (Act 1: 10, 11).

Paul writes that but since they were torn away, brothers, for a short time, in person not in heart, they endeavoured them more eagerly and with great desire to see them face to face, because they wanted to come to them, He, Paul, again and again, but Satan hindered them. For what is their hope or joy or crown of boasting before their Lord Jesus as His coming. It is not them. For they are their glory and joy (1 Thess 2: 17-20).

Paul writes to Thessalonians that then may their God and Father Himself, and their Lord Jesus, direct their way to them, and may the Lord make them increase and abound in love for one another and for all, as they do for them, so that they may establish their hearts blameless in holiness before their God and Father, at the coming of their Lord Jesus with all His saints (1 Thess 3: 11-13).

Paul writes that but they do not want them to be uninformed, brothers, about those who are asleep, that they may not grieve as others do who have no hope. For since they believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, through Jesus, God will bring with Him those who have fallen asleep. For that they declare to them by a word from the Lord, that they who are alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then they who are alive, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, And so, they will always be with the Lord. Therefore, they shall encourage one another with those words (1 Thess 4: 13-18).

Paul writes to the brothers and sisters, that they have something to say about the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ. They want to talk to them about that time when they will meet together with Him. They should not themselves be easily upset or worried if they hear that the day of the Lord has already come. Someone might say that the idea came from them- in somethings the Spirit told them, or in something they said, or in a letter they wrote. They should not be fooled by anything they might say. That day of the Lord will not come until the turning away from God happens. And that day will not come until the Man of Evil appears, the one who belongs to hell. He will stand against and put himself above everything that people worship or think is worthy of worship. He will even go into God’s Temple and sit there, claiming that he is God. Paul told them before that all those things would happen.  Paul asks do they remember and told that they know what is stopping that Man of Evil then. He is being stopped then so that he will appear at the right time. The secret power of evil is already working in the world then. But there is one who is stopping that secret power of evil. And he will continue to stop it until he is taken out of the way. Then that Man of Evil will appear. But the Lord Jesus will kill him with the breath that comes from his mouth. The Lord will come in a way that everyone will see, and that will be the end of the Man of Evil. When the Man of Evil comes, it will be the work of Satan. He will come with great power, and he will do all kinds of false miracles, signs and wonders. The Man of Evil will use every kind of evil to fool those who are lost. They are lost because they refused to love the truth and be saved. So God will send them something powerful that leads them away from the truth and causes them to believe a lie. They will all be condemned because they did not believe the truth and because they enjoyed doing evil (2 Thess 2: 1-12).

Peter writes to the elite exiles that when they told them about the power and coming of the Lord Jesus, the Messiah, they did not follow any clever myths. Rather, they were eyewitnesses of His majesty (2 Peter 1: 16).

Jude writes that it was about ungodly and pervert that Enoch, the seventh from Adam, prophesied, saying that behold the Lord comes with ten thousands of His holy ones, to execute judgment on all and to convict all the ungodly of all their deeds of ungodliness that they have committed in such an ungodly way, and of all the harsh things that ungodly sinners have spoken against him. Those are grumblers, malcontents, following their own sinful desires, they are loud-mouthed boasters, and showing favouritism to gain advantage (Jude 1: 14-16).

Behold, Jesus is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see Him, even those who pierced Him, and all tribes of the earth will wail on account of Him. Even so. Amen. He is the Alpha and the Omega, says the Lord God, who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty (Rev 1: 7, 8).

Behold Jesus is coming like a thief. Blessed is the one who stays awake, keeping his garments on, that he may not go about naked and be seen exposed (Rev 16: 15).

 

4.0. Being Prepared for the Coming of the Lord

Surely, the Lord Jesus will be coming again to judge everyone. All of us need to practice and reflect on certain things in our lives as believers in the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.

James writes that they shall be patient, therefore, brothers, until the coming of the Lord. They shall see how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, being patient about it, until it receives the early and the late rains. They also shall be patient. Establish their hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand. They shall not grumble against one another, brothers, so that they shall not be judged, behold the judge is standing at the door. As an example of suffering and patience, brothers shall take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord. Behold, they consider those blessed who remained steadfast. They have heard of the steadfastness of Job, and they have seen the purpose of the Lord, how the Lord is compassionate and merciful. But above all, his brothers shall not swear, either by heaven or by earth or by any other oath, but their yes be yes and their no be no, so that they may not fall under condemnation (James 5: 7-12).

John rejoiced greatly to find some of her children walking in the truth, just as they were commanded by the Father. And then he asks her, dear lady, not as though he was writing her a new commandment, but the one they have had from the beginning, that they love one another. And that is love that they walk according to His commandments, that is the commandment, just as they have heard from the beginning that they love one another. And that is love that they walk according to His commandments, that is the commandment, just as they have heard from the beginning, so that they should walk in it. For many deceivers have gone out into the world, those who do not confess the coming of Jesus Christ in the flesh. Such a one is the deceiver and the antichrist. She shall watch herself so that she may not lose what she has worked for, but may win a full reward. Everyone who goes on ahead and does not abide in the teaching of Christ, does not have God. Whoever abides in the teaching has both the Father and the Son. If anyone comes to her and does not bring the teaching, she shall not receive him into their house or give him any greeting, for whoever greets him takes part in his wicked works (2 John 1: 4-11).

John writes to the angel of the church in Philadelphia, the words of the holy one, the true one, who has the key of David, who opens and no one will shut, who shuts and no one opens. He knows their works. Behold, He has set before them an open door, which no one is able to shut. He knows that they have but little power, and yet they have kept His word and have not denied His name. Behold, He will make those of the synagogue of Satan who say that they are Jews and are not, but lie behold, He will make them come and bow down before their feet, and they will learn that He loved them.  Because they have kept His word about patient endurance, He will keep them from the hour of trial that is coming on the whole world, to try those who dwell on the earth. He is coming soon. They shall hold fast what they have, so that no one may seize their crown. The one who conquers, He will make Him a pillar in the temple of his God. He shall never go out of it, and He will write on him the name of his God, the New Jerusalem, which comes down from his God out of heaven, and His own new name. He who has an ear, he shall hear what the Spirit says to the churches (Rev 3: 7-13).

And He told John that those words are trustworthy and true. And the Lord, the God of the spirits of the prophets has sent His angel to show His servants what must soon take place. And behold He is coming soon, blessed is the one who keeps the words of the prophecy of that book. He, John is the one who heard and saw those things. And when he heard and saw them, he fell down to worship at the feet of the angel who showed them to him, but he told him that he must not do that. He is a fellow servant with him and his brothers the prophets, and with those who keep the words of the book. He shall worship God. And he told to him not to seal up the words of the prophecy of that book, for the time is near. The evildoer shall still do evil, and the filthy still be filthy, and the righteous still do right, and the holy still be holy. Behold, He is coming soon, bringing His recompense with Him, to repay each one for what he had done. He is the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end. Blessed are those who wash their robes, so that they may have the right to the tree of life and that they may enter the city by the gates. Outside are the dogs and sorcerers and the sexually immoral and murderers and idolaters, and everyone who loves and practices falsehood. He, Jesus has sent His angel to testify to him about those things for the churches. He is the root and the descendant of David, the bright morning star. The Spirit and the Bride say to come. And the one who hears shall say to come. And the one who is thirsty shall come and the one who desires shall take the water of life without price. He warns everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of that book, if anyone adds to them, God will add to him the plagues described in the book, and if anyone takes away from the words of the book of the prophecy, God will take away his share in the tree of life and in the holy city, which are described in the book. He who testifies to those things says surely He is coming soon. Amen. Come, Lord Jesus. The grace of the Lord Jesus be with all. Amen (Rev 22: 6-21).

5.0. Judgment of the Lord

God is sovereign, righteous, and complete in all his acts and thoughts, though He is compassionate, caring, and loving. The judgment of God is based on the balance of all His attributes to establish justice without prejudices and favoritism, ultimately God is the source of everything and He has the ultimate authority to do anything He wants, like the potter has the authority over the clay to make or demolish as he wants.

Jesus told the Jews that the Father judges no one, but has given all authority to judge to the Son, so that everyone may honor the Son as they honor the Father. Whoever does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent Him (John 5: 22, 23).

Jesus told the Disciples that He tells them with certainty that it will be more bearable for the region of Sodom and Gomorrah on the day of judgment than for that town in which disciples are not received (Mat 10: 15; Luke 10:14).

Jesus began to denounce the cities in which most of His miracles had taken place, because they didn’t repent. He exclaimed how terrible it will be for them, Chorazin, and how terrible it will be for them, Bethsaida. Because if the miracles that happened in them had taken place in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes. Indeed He tell them, it will be more bearable for Tyre and Sidon on the day of judgment than for them (Matt 11: 20-22). 

Jesus told the Pharisees that He tell them, on the day of judgment people will give an account for every thoughtless word they have uttered, because by their words they will be acquitted, and by their words they will be condemned (Matt 12: 36, 37).

The men of Nineveh will rise up at the judgment with the generation and condemn the generation of Jesus, for they repented at the preaching of Jonah, because Jesus is greater than Jonah. The queen of the South will rise up at the judgment with that generation and condemn it, for she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon, and behold, Jesus is greater than Solomon (Mat 12: 41,42; Luke 11:31,32).

Jesus said that then His soul is troubled, and asked what He should say further. Jesus said that but for that purpose He had come to that hour. Jesus called Father and said to glorify His name. Then a voice came from heaven that He had glorified it, and He will glorify it again. The crowd stood there and heard it said that it had thundered. Others told that an angel had spoken to Him. Jesus answered that the voice had come for their sake, not His. Then is the Judgment of the world, then will the ruler of the world be cast out. And He, when He is lifted up from the earth, would draw all people to Himself. He told that to show by what kind of death He was going to die. So, the crowd answered Him that they had heard from the Law that Christ remains forever. They asked how He can say that the Son of Man must be lifted up, asking who is that Son of Man. So, Jesus told them that the light is among them for a little while longer. He told to walk while they have the light, lest darkness overtake them. The one who walks in the darkness does not know where he is going (John 12: 27-35).

Jesus told the disciples that the Spirit of God will convict the world of sin, righteousness, and judgment- of sin, because they do not believe in Him; of righteousness, because He is going to the Father and they will no longer see Him; and of judgment, because the ruler of that world has been judged (John 16: 8-11).

Paul writes to Romans that because of their stubborn and unrepentant heart they are reserving wrath for themselves on the day of wrath, when God’s righteous judgment will be revealed. For He will repay everyone according to what that person has done: eternal life to those who strive for glory, honor, and immortality by patiently doing good; but wrath and fury for those who in their selfish pride refuse to believe the truth and practice wickedness instead (Rom 2: 5-8).

The author of Hebrews writes that just as it is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment, so Christ, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time, not to deal with sin but to save those who are eagerly waiting in Him (Heb 9: 27, 28).

The author of Hebrews writes that if they go on sinning deliberately after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, but a fearful expectation of judgment, and a fury of fire that will consume the adversaries (Heb 10: 26, 27).

Peter writes that yet if anyone suffers as a Christian, he shall not be ashamed, but he shall glorify God in that name. For it is time for judgment to begin at the household of God, and if it begins with them, what will be the outcome for those who do not obey the gospel of God (1 Peter 4: 16, 17).

Peter writes that false prophets also arose among the people, just as there will be false teachers among them, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Master, who bought them, bringing upon themselves swift destruction. And many will follow their sensuality and because of them the way of truth will be blasphemed. And in their greed they will exploit them with false words. Their condemnation from long ago is not idle, and their destruction is not asleep. For if God did not snare angels when they sinned, but cast them into hell and committed them to chains of gloomy darkness to be kept until the judgment, if He did not spare the ancient world, but preserved Noah, a herald of righteousness, with seven others, when He brought a flood upon the world of the ungodly, if by turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah to ashes He condemned them to extinction, making them an example of what is going to happen to the ungodly, and if He rescued righteous Lot, greatly distressed by the sensual conduct of the wicked for as that righteous man lived among them day after day, he was tormenting his righteous soul over their lawless deeds that he saw and heard, then the Lord knows how to rescue the godly from trials, and to keep the unrighteous under punishment until the day of judgment, and especially those who indulge in the lust of defiling passion and despise authority. Bold and wilful, they do not tremble as they blaspheme the glorious ones, whereas angels, though greater in might and power, do not pronounce a blasphemous judgment against them before the Lord (2 Peter 2: 1-11).

Peter writes that it is then the second letter that He is writing to them, beloved. In both of them He is stirring up their sincere mind by way of reminder, that they should remember the predictions of the holy prophets and the commandment of the Lord and Savior through their apostles, knowing that first of all, that scoffers will come in the last days with scoffing, following their own sinful desires. They will ask where is the promise of His coming. For ever since the fathers fell asleep, all things are continuing as they were from the beginning of creation. For they deliberately overlook that fact, that the heavens existed long ago, and the earth was formed out of water and through water by the word of God, and that by means of those the world that then existed was deluged with water and perished. But by the same word the heavens and earth that then exist are stored up for fire, being kept until the day of judgment and destruction of the ungodly (2 Peter 3: 1-7).

John writes that whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God. So they have come to know and to believe the love that God has for them. God is love, and whoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him. By that, love is perfected with them, so that they may have confidence for the day of judgment, because as he is so also are they in the word (1 John 4: 15-17).

Jude reminds them, although they once fully knew it, that Jesus, who saved people out of the land of Egypt, afterward destroyed those who did not believe. And the angels who did not stay within their own position of authority, but left their proper dwelling, He had kept in eternal chains under gloomy darkness until the judgment of the great day, just as Sodom and Gomorrah and the surrounding cities, which likewise indulged in sexual immorality and pursued unnatural desire, serve as an example by undergoing a punishment of eternal fire (Jude 1: 5-7).

Then John saw another angel flying directly overhead, with an eternal gospel to proclaim to those who dwell on earth, to every nation and tribe and language and people. And he told with a loud voice to fear God and give Him glory because the hour of His judgment has come, and we shall worship Him who made heaven and earth, the sea and the springs of water (Rev 14: 6,7).

 

6.0. Vengeance of the Lord

The Day of Vengeance of the Lord is the time of judgment with the punishment for the evilness of the people, that showcases God’s righteousness and justice. The Lord genuinely gives chances and opportunities for the people to know Him and acknowledge Him, according to their situations; but most of them deny and follow their own perception and do things to gratify themselves without considering others. Therefore God’s wrath will be upon those who are evil and He will remove the unrighteous from the righteous. The Day of Vengeance could be the end times when God shows His wrath towards evilness, and it could be also God’s righteous acts when people fail as individuals or groups.

Isaiah prophesies that they shall say to those who have an anxious heart to be strong, and fear not. Behold, their God will come with vengeance, with the recompense of God. He will come and save them. Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf unstopped, and then shall the lame man leap like a deer, and the tongue of the mute sing for joy. For waters break forth in the wilderness, and streams in the desert, and the burning sand shall become a pool, and the thirsty ground springs of water, and in the haunt of jackals, where they lie down, the grass shall become reeds and rushes. And a highway shall be there, and it shall be called the Way of Holiness, and the unclean shall not pass over it. It shall belong to those who walk on the way, and even if they are fools, they shall not go astray. No lion shall be there, nor shall any ravenous beast come up on it, and they shall not be found there, but the redeemed shall walk there. And the ransomed of the Lord shall return and come to Zion with singing, and everlasting joy shall be upon their heads, and they shall obtain gladness and joy, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away (Isaiah 35: 4-10).

He asked who is that comes from Edom, in crimsoned garments from Bozrah, he who is splendid in his apparel, marching in the greatness of his strength. It is He, speaking in righteousness, mighty to save. He asked why is their apparel red, and their garments like his who treads in the winepress. He has trodden the winepress alone, and from the peoples no one was with Him, and He trod them in His anger and trampled them in His wrath, and their lifeblood spattered on His garments, and stained all His apparel. For the day of vengeance was in His heart, and His year of redemption had come. He looked, but there was no one to help, and He was appalled, but there was no one to uphold, so His own arm brought Him salvation, and His own wrath upheld Him. He trampled down the peoples in His anger, and He made them drunk in His wrath, and He poured out their lifeblood on the earth (Isaiah 63: 1-6).

The word of the Lord that came to Jeremiah the prophet concerning the nations. About Egypt. Concerning the army of Pharaoh Neco, king of Egypt, which was by the river Euphrates at Carchemish and which Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon defeated in the fourth year of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah, king of Judah to prepare buckler and shield, and advance for battle. O horsemen shall mount and harness the horses. They shall take their stations with their helmets, polish their spears, put on their armor. He asked why He had seen it. They are dismayed and have turned backward. Their warriors are beaten down and have fled in haste, and they look not back, terror on every side, declares the Lord. The swift cannot flee away, nor the warrior escapes, and in the north by the river Euphrates they have stumbled and fallen. He asked who is that, rising like the Nile, like rivers whose waters surge. Egypt rises like the Nile, like rivers whose waters surge. He said that He will rise, He will cover the earth, He will destroy cities and their inhabitants. O horses shall advance and O chariots shall rage. The warriors like the men of Cush and Put who handle the shield, men of Lud, skilled in handling the bow shall go out. That day is the day of the Lord God of hosts, a day of vengeance, to avenge himself on his foes. The sword shall devour and be sated and drink its fill of their blood. For the Lord God of hosts holds a sacrifice in the north country by the river Euphrates (Jer 46: 1-10).

Thus says the Lord that behold, He will stir up the spirit of a destroyer against Babylon, against the inhabitants of Leb-kamai, and He will send to Babylon winnowers, and they shall winnow her, and they shall empty her land, when they come against her from every side on the day of trouble. The archer shall not bend his bow, and he shall not stand up in his armor. Spare not her young men, and devote to destruction all her army. They shall fall down slain in the land of the Chaldeans, and wounded in her streets. For Israel and Judah have not been forsaken by their God, the Lord of hosts, but the land of the Chaldeans is full of guilt against the Holy One of Israel. They shall flee from the midst of Babylon, and Everyone shall save his life. They shall not be cut off in her punishment, for that is the time of the Lord’s vengeance, the repayment He is rendering her. Babylon was a golden cup in the Lord’s hand, making all the earth drunken, and the nations drank of her wine, and therefore the nations went mad. Suddenly Babylon has fallen and been broken, and she shall wail. They shall take balm for her pain, and perhaps she may be healed. They would have healed Babylon but she was not healed. She shall be forsaken, and they shall go each to his own country, for her judgment has reached up to heaven and had been lifted up even to the skies. The Lord has brought about their vindication, and come, they shall declare in Zion the word of the Lord their God. They shall sharpen the arrows, take up the shields. The Lord has stirred up the spirit of the kings of the Medes, because His purpose concerning Babylon is to destroy it, for that is the vengeance of the Lord, the vengeance for His temple (Jer 51: 1-11).

Then the remnant of Jacob shall be in the midst of many peoples like dew from the Lord, like showers on the grass, which delay not for a man nor wait for the children of man. And the remnant of Jacob shall be among the nations, in the midst of many peoples, like a lion among the beasts of the forest, like a young lion among the flocks of sheep, which, when it goes through, treads down and tears in pieces, and there is none to deliver. Their hand shall be lifted up over their adversaries, and all their enemies shall be cut off. And in that day, declares the Lord, He will cut off their horses from among them and will destroy their chariots, and He will cut off sorceries from their hand, and they shall have no more tellers of fortunes, and He will cut off their carved images and their pillars from among them, and they shall bow down no more to the work of their hands, and He will root out their Asherah images from among them and destroy their cities. And in anger and wrath He will execute vengeance on the nations that did not obey (Micah 5: 7-15).

7.0. Misconceptions of the Return of the Lord

There are many misconceptions about the return of the Lord among believers which may lead to false hopes and way of life. Also, many ideologies and theories arose based on the misconceptions of the return of Jesus, and there are also some theories and ideologies based on the attempt to interpret the scriptures regarding the Return of the Lord.  

1.      End days can be predicted by the calculations based on scripture.

2.      We have a part to play by our good words or preaching and teaching to bring forth the end times.

3.      There are some disadvantages or cons if we die before the return of Christ.

4.      We need not do anything but simply worship and pray to God, as the return of the Lord is very near.

5.      Christ had already come.

6.      Christ will come when Christianity prospers and when every person receives the gospel.

7.      God will protect His people from suffering and sins when Christ returns. There will be no justice before the day of judgment.

8.      Antichrist is yet to come and persecute the Christians before the return of the Lord.

 

Conclusion

There are many theories and ideologies based on the different ways of interpretation of some verses, which needs careful study and analysis. For example- The Millennium refers to the period of the 1,000-year reign of Christ mentioned in Revelation 20:3. The exact timing and nature of what is meant by the Millennium is debated between three viewpoints: Amillennialism (Millennial kingdom and  “one thousand” should be interpreted figuratively), Postmillennialism (Christ returns after the millennium), and Premillennialism (Christ returns before the millennium).

Final authority should be always given to the Scripture and if anything just promotes the fable stories with just the consideration of the part of the history of mankind and a particular geographical location without any biblical base, it should be neglected.

The return of the Lord is uncertain and will be like a thief to those who haven’t accepted Christ. But it should be an eager expectation for the believers by being prepared for it through the proper utilization of our resources and talents in a Godly manner and standards ( Matt 25 Ch) by excelling in everything and glorifying God in everything (Col 3 Ch).

 

References

1.       https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/essay/views-of-the-millennium/