Daily Bread

1 Thessalonians 3:13 - "Unto the establishment of your hearts blameless in holiness before God and our Father in the coming of the Lord our Jesus with all His holy ones."

When the scripture refers to the coming of the Lord Jesus it is important to recognize that there are four separate events that are referred to. The first time that Jesus came was when He was incarnated and born of the virgin to live, die, and resurrect for all mankind. The second time that Jesus comes is when He comes to manifest himself to the believers (John 14:18, 23). In fact, every time that two or three are gathered together in His name He is there. The third time that Jesus will come is at the time of the "catching away" or "rapture of the church." This takes place at the end of the church age which is also the end of God calling the nations to salvation; rather, God will come to fight against the nations on behalf of Israel. God will only be calling the nation of Israel to repentance during the seven years of the Tribulation. The church age ends just prior to the beginning of the Tribulation or the chronology of events that begin in the fourth chapter of Revelation (1 Thessalonians 4:15-17; 1 Corinthians 15:51-52; John 14:3; James 5:7-8; Revelation 1:19; 4:1). The fourth time that Jesus will come is when He comes with all of His saints and will set up God's Kingdom on earth for 1000 years. This event is pictured in Revelation 19:11-20:6; 2 Thessalonians 2:8; Matthew 24:3-31 and Jude 1:14-15). There are several Greek words that are used for the coming of the Lord. One of these Greek words is "parousia" which is the Greek word used in this verse. Another is "apokalupsis" which means revealing or revelation. This particular word was used by the Apostle Peter in 1 Peter 1:7 and also used by Paul in 2 Thessalonians 1:7. The Greek word "parousia" is used seven times in 1 and 2 Thessalonians. It is used of the coming of the Lord Jesus when He came 2000 years ago as well of His future coming (2 Peter 1:16). It is used of the catching away when Jesus meets His saints in the air. It is also used of the time when Jesus returns with His saints to fight in the Battle of Armageddon. And, finally, it is used of the coming of God when the New Heavens and the New Earth will be created at the end of the 1000 year reign of Christ Jesus and His saints (2 Peter 3:12). When the scripture addresses the "parousia" of Jesus to the saints it is always referring to His coming at the time of the catching away (1 Thessalonians 4:15; 1 John 2:28; 1 Thessalonians 2:19; 3:13). In summary, Jesus came to redeem, He comes to reveal Himself to His church, He will come to receive His church unto Himself, He will come with His saints to destroy the armies of the antichrist and set up his eternal Kingdom.

Blessings,

Pastor Mark Spitsbergen
www.abidingplace.org