The Doctrine Of The Second Coming And Eschatology Matters

The Doctrine Of The Second Coming And Eschatology Matters

Bodie Hodge, M.Sc., B.Sc., PEI

Biblical Authority Ministries, June 29, 2026 (Donate)

The doctrine of the Second Coming of Jesus Christ is one of the great hopes of Christianity. Throughout the New Testament, we are repeatedly reminded that Jesus Christ will physically, visibly, and gloriously return just as He promised (Acts 1:9–11; Matthew 24:30; Revelation 19:11–16).

His return will bring history to its appointed conclusion, judge the wicked, reward the righteous, defeat all evil, and usher in the eternal state (consummate heavens).

The study of "last things" is called eschatology (from the Greek eschatos, meaning "last"). Throughout church history, faithful Christians have agreed on the core doctrines of Christ's return, the resurrection, final judgment, and eternal life. However, they have differed over the timing and sequence of prophetic events surrounding Christ's return and His kingdom.

The Four Views

The four major Protestant views of eschatology are:

1.     Historic Premillennialism

2.     Dispensational Premillennialism

3.     Amillennialism

4.     Postmillennialism.

These are often abbreviated as Historic Pre-mil, Dispensational Pre-mil, A-mil, and Post-mil. The first two teach that Christ will return before the Millennium described in Revelation 20, while the latter two teach that Christ will return after the Millennium. Thus, there are two major forms of premillennialism and two major forms of postmillennialism.

Image requested by Bodie Hodge*

Although Revelation 20 is often the focal point of discussions about the Millennium, the debate actually extends much further. The central question is how Revelation 5-20 should be interpreted. Are these chapters describing events that are entirely future, events that have largely already occurred, or events that have been unfolding throughout the present Church Age?

There is broad agreement among orthodox Christians that Revelation 1-4 primarily describes first-century historical circumstances surrounding the seven churches of Asia Minor. Likewise, all orthodox Protestant views affirm that Revelation 21-22 describes the future new heavens and new earth, which have not yet arrived.

A notable exception is Full Preterism (sometimes called Hyper-Preterism), which teaches that even Revelation 21-22 has already been fulfilled. This position falls outside the bounds of historic Christian orthodoxy because it denies the future bodily resurrection and the future consummation of God's kingdom. Scripture plainly teaches that the curse has not yet been removed. Thorns and thistles still grow, suffering and tears remain, and death continues to affect mankind. Therefore, we are clearly not yet living in the new heavens and the new earth.

Full Preterism should not be confused with Partial Preterism, which is an orthodox position held by many faithful Christians. Partial Preterists believe that many prophecies in Revelation, especially those in chapters 5-19 (or at least significant portions of them), were fulfilled in the first century, often in connection with the destruction of Jerusalem in AD 70. However, the Partial Preterist still affirm the future bodily return of Christ, the general resurrection, the final judgment, and the creation of the new heavens and new earth described in Revelation 21-22.

Since all positions see Revelation 1-4 as past events, all people are technically partial preterists. However, a partial preterist, by theological definition, is someone who hold that Revelation 5-19 is past events—not just the first 4 chapters. Likewise, all orthodox Christians are futurists in one sense because they believe Revelation 21-22 awaits future fulfillment. However, in theological usage, the term "Futurism" usually refers to the view that some or most of Revelation 5-20 primarily describes events that are still future, particularly the Great Tribulation, the rise of a future Antichrist, and Christ's Second Coming.

These differing approaches to interpreting Revelation, along with broader theological considerations regarding Israel, the Church, the Kingdom of God, and biblical covenants, have given rise to the four major Protestant views of eschatology. Let us now examine each of these views more closely.

Historic Premillennialism

Historic Premillennialism is one of the old views held within the early church. It teaches that Jesus Christ will return before (pre-) a literal thousand-year reign (the Millennium) mentioned in Revelation 20.

According to this position, the Church will experience great persecution and the Tribulation before Christ returns. At His Second Coming, believers are resurrected, Satan is bound, Christ reigns on earth for one thousand years, and afterward comes the final judgment and eternal state.

Unlike dispensationalism, Historic Premillennialism generally sees one people of God throughout history rather than maintaining a sharp distinction between Israel and the Church. Nor is there a dispensational rapture event.

Dispensational Premillennialism

Dispensational Premillennialism arose during the nineteenth century through the influence of figures such as John Nelson Darby and later became popular through study Bibles (e.g., Scofield) and prophecy conferences.

Like Historic Premillennialism, it teaches that Christ returns before a literal thousand-year kingdom. However, it differs by teaching a distinction between Israel and the Church and by interpreting many Old Testament promises as awaiting future fulfillment specifically for national Israel. The Church is essentially a “parenthesis” in God’s plan for Israel.

Within dispensationalism there are three primary views concerning the timing of the dispensational rapture.

Pre-Tribulation

The Pre-Tribulation view teaches that Christ secretly gathers His Church before the seven-year Tribulation begins. Believers are taken to heaven while God's judgments fall upon the earth (called the dispensational rapture). At the end of the Tribulation, Christ returns visibly with His saints to establish His Millennial Kingdom and reigns out of Jerusalem.

This has become the most widely recognized form of dispensationalism.

Mid-Tribulation

The Mid-Tribulation position teaches that Christians remain on earth through the first half of the Tribulation but are caught up to Christ (dispensational rapture occurs in the middle) before God's most severe judgments during the final three and one-half years.

Although less common, its followers believe this better harmonizes various prophetic passages.

Post-Tribulation

The Post-Tribulation position teaches that the Church remains on earth throughout the entire Tribulation. Christ returns once at its conclusion, believers are caught up to meet Him (dispensational rapture occurs here at the end), and immediately accompany Him as He establishes His kingdom on earth.

Unlike the Pre-Tribulation view, there is no lengthy interval between the Rapture and Christ's public return.

Amillennialism

A-Mil is a form of post millennialism where Christ returns after the millennium. With amillennialism, the nature of the millennium is figurative and in a spiritual sense. Amillennialism teaches that the "thousand years" of Revelation 20 is symbolic rather than a literal earthly kingdom.

According to this view, Christ presently reigns from heaven. Satan has been restrained in a limited sense so the Gospel can spread throughout the nations. The Millennium represents the current Church Age between Christ's first and second comings.

At Christ's return there will be one general resurrection, one final judgment, and then the eternal state without an intervening earthly thousand-year kingdom.

Many Reformers and numerous Reformed churches have historically embraced this understanding or the its optimistic sister—Post-Mil. A-Mil was typically the view held within Roman Catholicism as well.

Postmillennialism

Postmillennialism teaches Christ is currently King (technically the King of Kings with all authority) and reigns over heaven and earth right now. It also teaches that through the preaching of the Gospel and the work of the Holy Spirit. As Christianity grows, it will increasingly influence the world.

The milestones in post-Mil are nearly identical to that of A-mil—they are both post-millennial variant positions so much is expected to be similar. One primary difference is the nature of the millennium and its blessing. In A-mil, the blessing in an intermediate state (e.g., Abraham’s bosom) and not reflected on earth. In Post-Mil, the blessing is occurring on earth as more become Christians, more of God’s blessing flow through the church and believers to affect the world. As more and more become Christians think God’s thoughts after Him, we see technical advances, more liberty, and freedom in Christ—as people love one another as Christ taught.

Rather than expecting the world to become progressively worse before Christ returns in final judgment, Postmillennialists anticipate widespread Gospel success due to the work of the Holy Spirit whom post-mils argue doesn’t fail in His task to convert nations.

And that results in an extended era of righteousness and peace growing often identified with the Millennium. After this golden age, Christ returns once, followed by the resurrection, judgment, and eternal state. That doesn’t mean there won’t be periods of decline in certain areas and that evil doesn’t lash out from time to time. But rather, it is that Christianity will continue to grow and the natural outcome of more Christians is that it causes a better life for all around them.

Historically, this view experienced significant popularity during periods of optimism, particularly from the Reformation until the twentieth century with revivals today.

How Do The Various Views See These Things Differently?

Although all four views affirm the authority of Scripture and Christ's ultimate victory, they differ on several major prophetic subjects—though they agree on some as well. One area that they have slight disagreements is the General Resurrection.

·       Historic Premillennialists generally teach two phases of resurrection: believers at Christ's return before the Millennium and unbelievers after the thousand years.

·       Dispensational Premillennialists typically distinguish several resurrections occurring at different times, including Church saints, Tribulation saints, Old Testament believers, and finally unbelievers after the Millennium.

·       Amillennialists teach one general resurrection of both believers and unbelievers at Christ's Second Coming.

·       Postmillennialists likewise teach one general resurrection immediately preceding the final judgment at Christ's Second Coming.

The chart below gives a visual of generalized foundational differences between the positions on various subjects. Of course, there are always variations depending on certain individualistic.

Table 1: Millennial Views (in a general sense)

	Dispensational Premillennialism	Historic Premillennialism	Amillennialism	Postmillennialism
Kingdom	Now (heavenly) and future (earthly)	Now (heavenly) and future (earthly)	Now	Now
Millennium	Future	Future	Now[1]	Now
Prosperity	Future	Future	[Now] Only in a spiritual sense	Now and growing
Date of the book’s writing	Mid AD 90’s[2]	Mid AD 90’s[3]	Prior to AD 70[4]	Prior to AD 70[5]
View in the End	Pessimistic	Pessimistic	Pessimistic	Optimistic
Dispensational rapture event	Yes	Typically, No	No	No
Matthew 24	Future Return of Christ	Classically, the Temple’s destruction	Temple’s destruction	Temple’s destruction

Kingdom of God

Without going into all of these, let’s evaluate the differences between the Kingdom of Christ.

·       Historic Premillennialists believe Christ's earthly kingdom begins at His Second Coming and lasts one thousand years before eternity but His heavenly kingdom began with Christ at the first advent.

·       Dispensational Premillennialists also expect a future literal earthly kingdom centered in Jerusalem where many Old Testament promises to Israel are fulfilled.

·       Amillennialists believe Christ's kingdom is already present spiritually through His reign in heaven and in His Church.

·       Postmillennialists believe Christ's kingdom exists now because Christ is currently King over the earth (being the King of Kings and having all authority over heaven and earth) and His Kingdom gradually expands throughout history as the Gospel, through the power of the Holy Spirit) transforms individuals, families, churches, and nations.

According to the New Testament, the Kingdom of God (or "Kingdom of Heaven" in Matthew's Gospel or Kingdom of Christ) began with the earthly ministry of Jesus Christ. John the Baptist announced its nearness, proclaiming, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand" (Matthew 3:2, NKJV). Jesus repeated this same message (Matthew 4:17) and showed the arrival of the Kingdom through His preaching, miracles, and authority over demons. He even declared, "If I cast out demons by the Spirit of God, surely the kingdom of God has come upon you" (Matthew 12:28).

Jesus taught that the Kingdom was already present, though not yet fully realized. He told the Pharisees, "The kingdom of God is in your midst" (Luke 17:20-21), referring to His own presence as the King. After His resurrection, Jesus ascended to the Father's right hand, where He now reigns as King (Acts 2:32-36). Peter proclaimed at Pentecost that Christ had been exalted to David's throne, fulfilling Old Testament promises concerning the Messiah's reign.

The apostles likewise taught that believers are already citizens of Christ's Kingdom. Paul wrote that God "has delivered us from the power of darkness and conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of His love" (Colossians 1:13). Christians presently belong to Christ's Kingdom, even while awaiting its future consummation.

The New Testament therefore presents the Kingdom as both a present reality and a future hope. It was inaugurated during Christ's first coming, continues throughout the Church Age as Christ reigns from heaven, and will be fully manifested at His Second Coming when every enemy is defeated, the dead are raised, and God creates the new heavens and the new earth. This is often described as the "already, but not yet" nature of God's Kingdom.

The primary disagreement over the Kingdom of God is not whether Christ will reign forever, but when His Kingdom began (or will begin) and how Old Testament kingdom promises are fulfilled.

This is one of the central debates between premillennialism and amillennialism/postmillennialism. Premillennialists generally do not deny that there is a present aspect of the Kingdom; rather, they argue that the Davidic/Messianic Kingdom promised in the Old Testament has not yet begun in its fullest sense. How they explain this depends on whether they are Historic Premillennialists or Dispensational Premillennialists.

Amillennialists and Postmillennialists argue that the Kingdom was inaugurated during Christ's first coming. John the Baptist and Jesus proclaimed that the Kingdom was "at hand" (Matthew 3:2; 4:17), Jesus declared that the Kingdom had come upon His hearers (Matthew 12:28), Peter proclaimed that Christ now reigns from David's throne (Acts 2:30-36), and Paul taught that believers have already been transferred into Christ's Kingdom (Colossians 1:13). They understand the Kingdom as "already, but not yet"—presently established but awaiting its final consummation at Christ's return.

Historic Premillennialists generally agree that Christ presently reigns spiritually but believe His earthly Millennial Kingdom described in Revelation 20 is still future.

Dispensational Premillennialists make a stronger distinction between Christ's present heavenly reign and His future Davidic reign on earth. They often argue that the Messianic Kingdom was offered to Israel during Christ's earthly ministry but was postponed following Israel's rejection of her King (John 6:15). Thus, they distinguish between a present spiritual kingdom and a future literal kingdom centered in Jerusalem after Christ's Second Coming.

Ultimately, the debate centers on whether the New Testament presents the Kingdom as already inaugurated through Christ's first coming and whether He is king over the earth now or whether the promised Messianic Kingdom primarily awaits His future return. 

Consummate Eternity

All four views ultimately agree that history concludes with the defeat of Satan, the final judgment, and God's everlasting kingdom. Their primary disagreement concerns what prophetic events occur before this final consummation.

·       Historic Premillennialists and Dispensational Premillennialists place a literal Millennium before eternity.

·       Amillennialists and Postmillennialists move directly from Christ's return into the eternal state.

Conclusion

The Second Coming of Jesus Christ is a foundational Christian doctrine. We all agree!

While faithful Protestants have differed over the order and timing of prophetic events, they share agreement on the essential truths: Jesus Christ will personally return, the dead will be raised, every person will stand before God's judgment, evil will be defeated forever, and believers will enjoy everlasting life in the new heavens and new earth.

The emphasis should always remain on the clear teachings of Scripture rather than speculative prophecy models. Christians should avoid dividing over secondary matters of prophetic timing while standing firmly together on the certainty of Christ's return. The New Testament repeatedly calls believers not merely to debate the details of eschatology but to live holy, faithful, and watchful lives as they eagerly await the appearing of "our great God and Savior Jesus Christ" (Titus 2:13).

Though secondary, the issues of eschatology are still very important. I encourage you to see your local congregation and see what stand they take and why biblically.

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Bodie Hodge, Ken Ham's son in law, has been an apologist defending 6-day creation and opposing evolution since 1998. He spent 21 years working at Answers in Genesis as a speaker, writer, and researcher as well as a founding news anchor for Answers News. He was also head of the Oversight Council.  

Bodie launched Biblical Authority Ministries in 2015 as a personal website and it was organized officially in 2025 as a 501(c)(3). He has spoken on multiple continents and hosts of US states in churches, colleges, and universities. He is married with four children.

Mr. Hodge earned a Bachelor and Master of Science degrees from Southern Illinois University at Carbondale (SIUC). Then he taught at SIUC for a couple of years as a Visiting Instructor teaching all levels of undergraduate engineering and running a materials lab and a CAD lab. He did research on advanced ceramic materials to develop a new method of production of titanium diboride with a grant from Lockheed Martin. He worked as a Test Engineer for Caterpillar, Inc., prior to entering full-time ministry.

His love of science was coupled with a love of history, philosophy, and theology. For about one year of his life, Bodie was editing and updating a theological, historical, and scientific dictionary/encyclopedia for AI use and training. Mr. Hodge has over 25 years of experience in writing, speaking and researching in these fields. 

*Image generated by ChatGPT

[1] The nature of the millennium is different between A-millennialism and Post-millennialism.

[2] Irenaeus, Against Heresies, 5:30:3 ~A.D. 175–180; Although, there has been some dispute as to the meaning of the Greek phrase as to whether it referred to the vision or to John being around in the reign of Domitian. Most take it as the vision since church historian Eusebius (4^th century) took it that way.

[3] Ibid.

[4] It comes from Revelation 17:7-11 for the date prior to AD 70, having the sixth king of the beast (Rome) currently in power and that the Temple in Jerusalem was mentioned in Revelation and not destroyed yet (e.g., Revelation 11:1-2)—which occurred in AD 70.

[5] Ibid.

Revelation Day 22

Variant Eschatological Positions

Day 22

B. Hodge, M.Sc., B.Sc., PEI

Biblical Authority Ministries, June 15, 2020 (Donate)

The Dispensational Pre-millennial view has a rapture, but the other end times views don't. So obviously Christians are not in agreement on this. A-millennialism, Post-millennialism, and Historic Pre-millennialism do not have a dispensational rapture event. The modern idea of a rapture is solely associated with Dispensational Pre-millennialism—a view that largely began in the 1830s in the Plymouth Brethren and Exclusive Brethren churches.  

A few Historic Pre-millennialists may claim to believe it but most do not; but generally the view doesn’t pertain to a rapture event. I suggest that the Historic Pre-millennialists that do believe it is because of recent influence by Dispensational Pre-millennialists and the two positions are being convoluted into each other by people unfamiliar with the intricacies of the two positions.

Another preliminary point is what is meant by “rapture”. There is an old meaning (pre-1830s) and a new meaning (post-1830s). Prior to the 1830s, rapture largely meant the last day and final judgment—or Second Coming (i.e., the final judgment and the end of all things here on earth before the Kingdom of God is consummate and we spend eternity with God in perfection.) But the word rapture has a different meaning today in comparison to its past definition. This is what occurred beginning in the 1830s. 

Rapture By Today's Meaning

Rapture today (as of the 1830s) has taken on a new and different understanding due to dispensationalism. Bear with me as I explain this briefly.  

What is meant by rapture today is generally seen as the alleged partial return of Christ (just to the clouds) to take believers to heaven (also sometimes called the “Second Coming” by Dispensationalists, but usually distinguished as merely the “rapture”). This is metaphorically when the wheat is taken out of the field and the tares are left (Matthew 13:24-30).

Continuing in the dispensational worldview, Christ awaits His real Second Coming (some denote this as the Third Coming) where He will leave His heavenly throne either 3 ½ or 7 years later and bring the resurrected saints with Him to set up an earthly kingdom for a literal 1,000 years on earth. After this return, then Jesus now has an authority on earth to reign from a physical throne in Jerusalem.

And then finally after the dispensational understanding of the 1,000 years, Christ will have the final judgment and the end of all things here on earth when the future kingdom is finally consummate and we spend eternity with God in perfection. This initial event of Jesus reaping people in the sky and taking them to heaven is what is meant by rapture or the rapture event for this discussion.

The word rapture is not used in the Bible. However, that is not necessarily a reason for rejecting it. Many times, Christians give names to biblical doctrines and theological out-workings of Scripture. For example, “Trinity” is also not found in the Bible yet is a biblically derived understanding of the nature of God.[1]

The rapture is supposed to be a future event that has Christians disappear. Then they are caught up in the clouds with the Lord in His “partial” second coming to go to heaven and wait for their return to earth. So Jesus leaves the throne of God, leaves heaven, almost makes it to earth and then goes back. He gets Christians and then returns to heaven leaving behind non-Christians.

It is supposed to happen at either 7 years, 3 ½ years, or immediate before Jesus comes back a third time, giving up His heavenly throne to set up an earthly kingdom (depending if you are Pre-Tribulation, Mid-Tribulation or Post-Tribulation within the dispensational worldview). When Christ’s thousand years of reigning are up, He gives up His earthly throne for a heavenly throne again. At this point, it is to usher in the end/resurrection and inauguration of the perfect state (I understand there are variations in these models depending on whom you are talking).   

Brief History of “the Rapture”

Early Church fathers didn’t comment on the Dispensational “rapture”. There is a reference, by modern rapture-believers, to Irenaeus (d. A.D. 202) writing about the end and the evil associated with it where he quotes: “And therefore, when in the end the Church shall be suddenly caught up from this, it is said, ‘There shall be tribulation such as has not been since the beginning, neither shall be.’ For this is the last contest of the righteous, in which, when they overcome they are crowned with incorruption.”[2]

But Irenaeus was merely quoting 1 Thessalonians 4:17 and Matthew 24:21. To interpret his quoting of these verses as evidence of his belief in the Dispensational rapture is without warrant. Furthermore the context reveals that Irenaeus was talking of the final judgment and resurrection as he finishes that section by saying that due to this evil, “…a cataclysm of fire shall also come upon the earth.”[3] As a note, Irenaeus, in this same section predicted that the end would be 6,000 years after creation, which has come and gone. 

Others have grasped at straws to make early church leaders sound as though they support a rapture but without much success. It is usually because they don't realize that the word rapture had a different meaning in the past. So when were there any legitimate references to the Dispensational rapture?

Prior to the 1830’s one would be hard-pressed to find churches that had creeds, catechisms, or faith statements that had the rapture. Though a few vague unpopular references[4] preceded John Darby and Edwin Irving, around 1830 (reinforced with possible influence from Darby’s and Irving’s supposed prophetess friend Margaret MacDonald), it was these two men that began to popularize this view with a new definition of rapture.

More so, it was Darby; and he even called it the “doctrine of the secret rapture”, which proves it was not a known concept. By the late 1800s, they began having a rash of followers. And when the view was adopted by gap theorists C.I. Scofield [and he inserted into his Bible study commentaries in 1909] and author and Rev. Clarence Larkin, with his books Dispensational Truth (1918-1920)[5] and The Second Coming of Christ (1918-1922), the view catapulted into the mainstream for a Dispensational Pre-tribulation Premillennial position. Other views predominantly reject it.

The idea of a Dispensational rapture is the idea of Christ having two second comings or more properly, a second coming and then a third coming. This is problematic in light of Hebrews 9:28 and Acts 1:11. But the view holds that Jesus will secretly return for the saints and rapture out believers (the Dispensational resurrection); then will return 3½  or 7 years later to return to earth for a 1,000 year reign (this is also associated with a form of Judaism with sacrifice at the Temple being reinstated) and then after the millennium there will be another resurrection.

Biblical Evidence of a Rapture?

The primary text in the Bible pointed to for a rapture is 1 Thessalonians 4:17:

Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord.

However, the context (1 Thessalonians 4:13-18) reveals this is discussing the resurrection at the end, not a pre-end event. The word rapture is derived from Greek word harpazo, which is translated “caught up”.

Some might say, that all Christians believe in the rapture since all Christians believe in the day of judgment/the final day. However, that is an bait and switch fallacy. The “dispensational rapture event” is not to be equated with the “end/resurrection sometimes called a "rapture’”—they are two different instances. The rapture and the doctrine of the end/final resurrection are two different concepts/events—even within Dispensational Pre-millennialism. The doctrinal position of the rapture by dispensationalists is NOT the end.

Furthermore, the context of 1 Thessalonians 4:15-17 has the dead in Christ resurrecting first and those in Christ who are still alive are the ones who are caught up with the Lord afterwards.

Interestingly, the parable of the wheat and the tares has the tares being taken out first (Matthew 13:24-30)! John 5:28-29 indicates the resurrection will have all people, good and evil, coming forth at the same basic time, not separated by 1000 years.     

The second primary passage used to give support to the rapture is Matthew 24:39-42.

And did not know until the flood came and took them all away, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be. Then two men will be in the field: one will be taken and the other left. Two women will be grinding at the mill: one will be taken and the other left. Watch therefore, for you do not know what hour your Lord is coming.

The context of Matthew 24 regards the judgment on the Jews, particularly Jerusalem and the Temple’s destruction (see the parallel passages like Mark 13:1-30; also see: John 2:19 and Mark 15:29). It marks the event that ends the old covenant with its sacrificial system (e.g., Hebrews 8:13) and the final transition into the new eternal covenant in Christ (Jeremiah 32:40, Hebrews 13:20). [See Question on Day 17 for more].

This is not a future rapture of Christians out of the earth when things get bad. Context mustn’t be neglected. Although brief, I hope this gets the point across about why the rapture is problematic.

Read 1 Thessalonians 4:13-5:11, Matthew 13:24-30 (note again that the tares/weeds are gathered first which is opposite of the rapture teachings. Also note, that it is a wheat field, not a tare field).

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[1] Bodie Hodge, God is Triune. 

[2] Irenaeus, Against Heresies, Book 5, Chapter 29.

[3] Ibid.

[4] For example, a college paper by Morgan Edwards for Bristol Baptist College in 1744 mentioned a two fold return of Christ by confusion over the second coming with the first resurrection, but claimed they were new ideas on his part. But these had influence over virtually no one. 

[5] Larkin falsely predicted the Second Coming  of Jesus in A.D. 2000 in his book Dispensational Truth, Rev. Clarence Larkin Est., publisher, Philadelphia, PA, [37^th printing (1920)], 1918, p. 16.

Revelation Day 18

If much of Revelation (up to chapter 19) is discussing the judgment of the Jews (and Matthew 24 and Luke 21:5-38), then what verses pertain to the Second Advent of Christ (the history ending physical return of Christ/The Second Coming event)?

Day 18

B. Hodge, M.Sc., B.Sc., PEI

Biblical Authority Ministries, June 8, 2020 (Donate)

Let’s instantly clarify something important here. There was a judgment on the Jews of the first century. But there is also a final judgment otherwise known as “the end” [or more specifically “the end that will usher in the consummate new heavens and new earth for the eternal state].

But many Christians today blur this distinction and use verses applying to the judgment of the Jews as “end of the world” passages and vice versa. One needs to be discerning since there are clearly passages referring to the final judgment.

For example, it is wise to use verses in reference to the last day as opposed to those obviously discussing the judgment on Jerusalem. Some of these verses are: Matthew 7:22-23; 13:24-30; John 6:39-54, 11:24-25, 12:48; Acts 1:9-11; 1 Corinthians 15:22-26, 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17; 2 Thessalonians 1:7-10; 2 Timothy 4:8; and so on.

We have not yet reached this last day. The last two chapters of Revelation are obviously yet to happen (e.g., thorns still exist from the curse in Genesis 3 and have not been removed per Revelation 22:3 yet; death still reigns has a grip as a result of Genesis 3, no access to the Tree of Life, et cetera). And what do Christians have to look forward to? We still await this final day. 

Read Revelation 20:11-22:21.

Revelation Day 17

To interpret Matthew 24 (part of the Olivet Discourse) properly and the destruction of the Temple, should parallel passages be used to clarify?

Day 17

B. Hodge, M.Sc., B.Sc., PEI

Biblical Authority Ministries, June 5, 2020 (Donate)

Yes, as well as the immediate context of the chapter. Let’s start with passages leading up to Matthew 24 since chapter divisions are not inspired Scripture, the text is: Matthew 23:37-38, then Matthew 24 itself through the end of Matthew 25, which is the actual end of the Olivet Discourse. Next let’s view the parallel passage in Luke 21 and Mark 13. See also Luke 19:41-44, and Matthew 21:43.

            Two Questions: Matthew

Take note in each of these parallel accounts that Jesus is asked two questions about the destruction of the Temple:

1. "Tell us, when will these things be?”

2. “And what will be the sign of Your coming, and of the end of the age?"

In Matthew, Jesus proceeds to answer the second question first regarding the signs leading up to the coming destruction and the end of the Old Testament sacrificial age/system. Jesus finishes answering that second question in Matthew 24:25.

Then the text of Jesus shifts to answer the first question regarding the timing of the destruction. Jesus answers this and gives some parables regarding this timing as well and doesn’t finish until Matthew 25:31.

Then Jesus once again shifts to discuss what happened when the Son of Man comes in His glory that finally concludes in Matthew 26:1. Matthew 25:31 is explicitly stated so as not to confuse readers into thinking that the judgment on Jerusalem and the Temple are one and the same as the final judgment when Christ returns in His glory. Sadly, many Christians today, mix these two events—the very thing this passage (Matthew 25:31) was meant to distinguish—even though there is a marked separation mentioned in the text. 

Two Questions: Mark

One can see the same divided answer by Christ in the parallel account of Mark. Mark 13:5-31 is discussing the second question first (“And what will be the sign when all these things will be fulfilled?") and Mark 13:32-37 discusses the first question second ("Tell us, when will these things be?”).

Two Questions: Luke

One can again see the same division in the parallel account of Luke. Luke 21:8-33 is discussing the second question first (“And what sign will there be when these things are about to take place?”) and Luke 21:34-38 discusses the first question second ("Teacher, but when will these things be?”).

This confuses many because they see the division and think Jesus is now switching to discuss the history-ending Second Coming instead of answering the first question, even though this isn’t in context of the Second Coming, but instead the end of the physical Temple age with its sacrificial system and associated Jewish mandates or more precisely the “end of the age.”

The shift forward to the end in glory

There is indeed a shift in Matthew 25:31 though. It is an obvious shift since it discusses Christ “coming in glory”. This directs us to finality of judgment on these first century Jews who rejected Christ. At the final judgment, they will not be spared. 

This is a reminder to all of us too. All who are unrighteous, unrepentant, and without salvation in Jesus Christ will have nowhere to stand on judgment day being enemies of God. And this judgment reveals the eternal consequences.