Article by: Kenneth J. Ester
Is the Second Coming Really the Second Coming?
I have had a discussion recently that got me wondering. Why do we call it the "Second Coming" when Jesus comes back to earth to set up His millennial kingdom? Is it really the second coming?
The first appearance of Christ as we can all agree on was when Jesus was born. He lived for 33 years and was crucified. Upon His death, His first appearance was over.
After Jesus died, He made a second appearance when He stood before Mary in which He told her not to touch Him because He had not yet ascended to the Father. This we recognize as the Resurrection of Christ, but it is His second appearance.
Later, Jesus appears before the disciples in which He allows Thomas to put His finger in His wrists and thrust a fist in His side to prove it is Him. The fact He allows them to touch Him means that he had ascended to heaven and has returned now for a third coming.
Jesus stayed for some time after that in which 500 people witnessed Him alive. After that He appeared before disiples once or twice more, but there is no proof in scripture that i am aware of to say this is a separate time.
In the near future, I believe we will be raptured. Jesus will come in the clouds and appear for a 4th time. Though He does not set foot on the earth, and nobody is mentioned to see Him except for the saved who will be raptured, scripture does say He comes in the clouds, so this would constitute a 4th coming.
Finally after the Tribulation period, Jesus will come in the clouds yet again. He will battle in Armageddon and set up His millennial kingdom here on earth for a thousand years of peace. We often refer to this appearance as the Second Coming, but in truth, it constitutes as the 5th coming of Christ.
You see, the "Second Coming" is only a name man has given that event. Likely it was named by someone who did not believe in the rapture. Today, post-tribulation rapture believers will try to use this to their advantage. They will try and say that the Lord is only coming back once. Yet nowhere in God's Word does it state that. As you see, Jesus has already come back three times. The rapture would make a 4th and the "second coming" would actually make it a 5th Coming. Sometimes, the names man gives an event can be deceiving.
The first appearance of Christ as we can all agree on was when Jesus was born. He lived for 33 years and was crucified. Upon His death, His first appearance was over.
After Jesus died, He made a second appearance when He stood before Mary in which He told her not to touch Him because He had not yet ascended to the Father. This we recognize as the Resurrection of Christ, but it is His second appearance.
Later, Jesus appears before the disciples in which He allows Thomas to put His finger in His wrists and thrust a fist in His side to prove it is Him. The fact He allows them to touch Him means that he had ascended to heaven and has returned now for a third coming.
Jesus stayed for some time after that in which 500 people witnessed Him alive. After that He appeared before disiples once or twice more, but there is no proof in scripture that i am aware of to say this is a separate time.
In the near future, I believe we will be raptured. Jesus will come in the clouds and appear for a 4th time. Though He does not set foot on the earth, and nobody is mentioned to see Him except for the saved who will be raptured, scripture does say He comes in the clouds, so this would constitute a 4th coming.
Finally after the Tribulation period, Jesus will come in the clouds yet again. He will battle in Armageddon and set up His millennial kingdom here on earth for a thousand years of peace. We often refer to this appearance as the Second Coming, but in truth, it constitutes as the 5th coming of Christ.
You see, the "Second Coming" is only a name man has given that event. Likely it was named by someone who did not believe in the rapture. Today, post-tribulation rapture believers will try to use this to their advantage. They will try and say that the Lord is only coming back once. Yet nowhere in God's Word does it state that. As you see, Jesus has already come back three times. The rapture would make a 4th and the "second coming" would actually make it a 5th Coming. Sometimes, the names man gives an event can be deceiving.