There are multitudinous signs in the
world today that indicate the nearness of the
return of Jesus Christ to planet earth. A study
of those signs is very important, but is beyond
the scope of this particular booklet.
Herein, I shall deal only with the HOW
of Jesus' return. Is it all at once, in stages,
etc.? Does He come secretly, visibly, or what?
And what about the "rapture"? Is it scriptural?
Are Christians to be taken or left? And if
taken, where to? And for how long? I hope that
this study will clear up many of these and other
questions; I have chosen to divide the material
into three sections:
The Coming of Jesus TO
His saints.
The Coming of Jesus
FOR His saints.
The Coming of Jesus
WITH His saints,
I hope you will carefully study this
booklet, trying to keep an open mind and heart
to the Lord. My only desire is to let the
truth that is contained in these pages bring
joy and comfort to your heart, and challenge
you to further study of this important
subject. I make no claim to have the final
word on this or any other scriptural truth,
but only want to be faithful to present the
insights I have received to
the praise of the Lord, I am open to further
light which will amplify or modify what has
been written. I would suggest that you read
through the whole booklet first, to get a
complete perspective;
then review and study.
Leland Earls
Word of Life
Fellowship
THREE COMINGS OF JESUS
Come, Lord Jesus!
Probably no man on earth, other than
the Lord Jesus Himself, has ever had such an
awe-inspiring, dramatic and revealing
experience, than the one granted to the apostle
John on the isle of Patmos
as he had unveiled to him in symbolic and
prophetic vision what he chose to call "The
Revelation of Jesus Christ" (Rev. 1:1). After
recording faithfully what he had seen and heard
with a hearty "Amen,” he no doubt began to
contemplate what he had written. The joy and
anticipation of his heart was beyond
description. How he longed to see this wondrous
vision fulfilled to himself and to all of the
church. Perhaps he quickly picked up his pen
again and appended that which was not only the
cry of his own heart, but also the longing in
the heart of every true Christian from that day
to this: "EVEN SO, COME, LORD JESUS" (Rev.
22:20).
Different Phases.
However, we need to see that there are
different phases to the coming of the Lord.
Whenever I long for the Lord to move by His
Spirit and make Himself real by His spiritual
presence, I say in my heart "Come, Lord Jesus!"
And this is scriptural, for Jesus Himself said,
when promising another Comforter in the person
of the Holy Spirit, "I will not leave you
comfortless: I WILL COME TO YOU" (John 14:18). But
the Lord's coming TO the church through the
ministry of the Holy Spirit is NOT His only
coming, as some are erroneously teaching. Jesus
also promised to come FOR His church when He
said: "I will come again, and RECEIVE
you to
myself; that where I AM, there you
may be also (John 14:3).
Please note, He was not speaking in
this verse of His coming in the ministry of the
Holy Spirit; for had He been. He would have
said, "that where YOU ARE, there I will be
also. For that is the purpose of His sending the
Holy Spirit, that we might experience His
spiritual presence where WE ARE (here and now).
But He said He would come to RECEIVE us that we
might be where HE IS. Since He is no longer an
earthly being walking this earth, that means
being translated into His own heavenly kingdom
realm, with a body like to
His (Phil. 3:21).
Final.
But there is a final coming of the Lord
Jesus expressed in the words of Jude in the 14th
verse of his book: "And Enoch also, the seventh
from Adam, prophesied, saying, "Behold, the Lord
comes
WITH ten thousands of his saints'.” Some say
this refers to angels only, but though there
will be myriads of angels returning with Him
(Mt. 25:31), I believe it is quite clear that
the glorified saints also return with Him in His
final descent, as in Rev. 19:14 the "armies" of
heaven follow Him to earth. And also in Luke
19:12 we read where Jesus told of a certain
nobleman (representing Jesus Himself)who went
into a far country to RECEIVE for himself a
kingdom, and to RETURN. Notice that He receives
the kingdom (His people) to
Himself first; then returns with it. Since His
people return WITH Him, it is quite obvious that
previous to that they have BEEN somewhere. But
that is just one of the "mysteries" which I will
seek to unveil in this study. Are you ready?
Then come and let us LOOK!
Taken and left?
Before dealing with the various phases
of the Lord's coming in detail, I want to jump
right into what seems to be a difficult
scripture passage, and which has been
frequently misinterpreted.
I refer to Mt. 24:37-41, where it
speaks of some being taken and others left.
After dealing with this passage, a certain
writer that I read recently, said: "Lord, we
want to be left!" I hope that by the time you
have finished reading this booklet, that you
will say with me, "Lord, we want to be taken!”
Another end-time writer that I read not too long
ago, also ridicules the idea that anyone would
want to be taken; for, he says, according to
this passage only the wicked are to be
taken. But does it? NOT if we examine carefully
and understand the TWO kinds of "taking" the
Lord was talking about.
The Key.
So often the truth is missed because
our English translations do not give the
distinction between different Greek words that
are used. Let me quote the passage under
consideration and then I will show you what I
mean. "For as in the days that were before the
flood they were eating and drinking, marrying
and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah
entered into the ark, and knew not until the
flood came, and took them all away; so
shall also the coming of the Son of man be. Then
shall two be in the field; the one shall be taken,
and the other left. Two women shall be grinding
at the mill; the one shall be taken, and
the other left. WATCH THEREFORE: for you
know not what hour your Lord comes”
(Mt. 24:38-42). The Greek word translated "took"
in the first instance, where it speaks of the
fact that he "took them all away" (in
judgment), is an entirely different Greek word
than that used in the verses following where He
says that "one shall be taken, and the
other left. " Let me illustrate this by using
the numbers and definitions in Strongs
concordance as follows:
Strongs: #142, Greek, AIRO:
"to lift; by implication, to take up or away;
away with, put away, remove, take.” This is the
Greek word that is used in Mt. 24:39 where it
says that God "took them (the wicked) all
away." It is the same word used in Lk. 19:26
where of the "wicked servant" it is said that
"even that which he has
shall be taken away from him."
Strongs: #3880, Greek, PARALAMBANO:
"to receive near, i.e. associate with oneself
(in any familiar or intimate act or relation);
by anal. to assume an office; receive, take
(unto, with)." WOW!
Does not this word literally SHOUT at
us? And this is the word used in Mt. 24:40-41
where it says that "one shall be taken,
and the other left." Here it is not the wicked
being taken away in judgment, but rather
Christians who are READY (this will be discussed
later) being taken to be near Jesus in intimate
relationship, to be associated with Him in a
particular work or ministry, where they will
"assume an office "or function in His
consummating plan for this age. Note the
following other scriptures where this Greek word
is used.
Mt. 1:20:”…fear not to take to you
Mary your
wife."
Mt. 2:24: "…and (Joseph) took to
himself his wife."
Lk. 9:28: "He (Jesus) took
Peter, John, James, and went. . ."
Mt. 26:37: "…and He (Jesus) took
with him Peter."
All indicate a taking or receiving to a
person for an intimate relation and purpose.
Hallelujah! Lord, we want to be taken!
Watch.
Immediately following His statement
that some would be taken and others left, Jesus
gives the admonition, "Watch therefore: for you
know not what hour your Lord comes."
Mt. 24:42.
Now WHY the admonition to "watch" if the
Lord is only talking about the wicked being
taken away? But if, as we have pointed out, the
Lord is warning Christians lest they be left
behind when He comes to take some to
Himself, THEN the admonition to watch makes
sense. All we have to do is to continue to read
the verses following the admonition (24:43-51),
and the misty fogs of man's confusion will
disappear.
"But know this, that if the goodman
(head) of the house had known in what watch the
thief would come, he would have watched, and
would not have permitted
his house to be broken up. Therefore BE
YOU
ALSO READY: for in such an hour as you
think not the Son of man comes"
(Mt. 24:43-44). Thus Jesus is coming to break
into the household of the church to TAKE
those who are READY, and leave others behind.
The same thought is presented under a different
analogy in 24:45-51 as the faithful and wise
servant who is ready when the Lord comes, is
contrasted with the unfaithful and careless
servant who is to be "cut asunder" (separated
from those who are ready by being left behind),
so that his portion (during the tribulation)
will be appointed with the hypocrites.
These thoughts will be developed more fully
little later.
I have been seeking to show now that
the whole context of the passage has to be
studied to grasp the significance of some being
taken and others being left because of
READINESS, as well as STRATEGY in dealing with
the household of the church.
[Next:
The Coming
of Jesus TO His Saints
.]
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