Jesus Today and TomorrowJesus Today and Tomorrow

© John Stevenson, 2011

What is Jesus doing today?What is Jesus doing today?

What did Jesus say He What did Jesus say He would do in the future?would do in the future?

Luke 17:22Luke 17:22And He said to the disciples, “The

days will come when you will long to see one of the days of the Son of Man, and you will not see it.”

Luke 17:22Luke 17:22“They will say to you, ‘Look there!

Look here!’ Do not go away, and do not run after them. 24 For just like the lightning, when it flashes out of one part of the sky, shines to the other part of the sky, so will the Son of Man be in His day. 25 But first He must suffer many things and be rejected by this generation.

Matthew 24:29Matthew 24:29But immediately

after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, and the stars will fall from the sky, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken.

Matthew 24:30-31Matthew 24:30-31And then the sign of the Son of

Man will appear in the sky, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming of the clouds of the sky with power and great glory. 31 And He will send forth His angels with a great trumpet and they will gather together His elect from the four winds, from one end of the sky to the other.

Church AgeRev. 1-3 Rev. 4-19 Rev. 20

“Rapture”

Tribulation Millennium EternalState

SecondComing

Judgment

• Artificially separates between Artificially separates between different comings of Christdifferent comings of Christ

• Tries to segregate Israel and Tries to segregate Israel and churchchurch

Church Age EternalState

• Revelation 20 literallyRevelation 20 literally

• Takes the language of Takes the language of “the last day” figuratively“the last day” figuratively

Rev. 1-3 Rev. 4-19 Rev. 20Tribulation Millennium

SecondComing

(“Rapture”)

Judgment

Church Age

Rev. 1-20(Millennium) Eternal

State

(Tribulation)

• Views Revelation 20 as Views Revelation 20 as symbolic languagesymbolic language

• Takes the language of Takes the language of “the last day” literally“the last day” literally

SecondComing

Judgment“Rapture”

Church AgeRev. 1-19 Rev. 20

Millennium EternalState

“Rapture”Judgment

SecondComing

• Envisions the gospel as Envisions the gospel as being victoriousbeing victorious

• Takes the language of “the Takes the language of “the last day” literallylast day” literally

ShortMillennium

“Rapture”Judgment

SecondComing

Church Church(Eternal State)70

A.D.

• Denies any future Denies any future Second Coming of ChristSecond Coming of Christ

• All prophecy fulfilled in All prophecy fulfilled in the year 70 A.D. the year 70 A.D.

Rev.

“Rapture”For the Lord Himself

will descend from heaven... (1 Thess.

4:16).

Second ComingThey will see the Son

of man coming... (Matthew 24:30).

With the trumpet of God...(1 Thessalonians

4:16).

He will send forth His angels with a great

trumpet (Matt. 24:31).

We... shall be caught up together with them

in CLOUDS (1 Thessalonians 4:17).

They will see the Son of Man coming on the CLOUDS of the sky...

(Matthew 24:30).

“Rapture” Second Coming...if you will not wake up, I will come like a

thief (Revelations 3:3).

The Son of Man is coming at an hour

when you do not think He will (Matthew 24:44;

see also 1 Thessalonians 5:2-6 and 2 Peter 3:10).

...the coming of our Lord Jesus WITH all

His saints (1 Thessalonians 3:13).

...the Lord came WITH many thousands of His

holy ones (Jude 14).

How should we live in the How should we live in the light of Jesus’ future work?light of Jesus’ future work?