Biblical Prophecy: Lesson 5

Overview

Prophecy to Be Fulfilled at Christ's Return

Scripture paints a vivid picture of the day when our Lord returns. Unlike His first coming, when He was laid humbly in a feeding trough, His second coming will be marked by majesty, power, and great glory. He will appear in the clouds, visible to all Matthew 24:30, and His arrival will be sudden—like lightning flashing from one side of the sky to the other Luke 17:24. He will be revealed from heaven with His mighty angels 2 Thessalonians 1:7, descending with a cry of command, the archangel's call, and the sound of God's trumpet 1 Thessalonians 4:16. It will be a cosmic event in which the sun is darkened, the moon withholds its light, the stars fall, and the powers of heaven are shaken Matthew 24:29. No one will miss it, and no one will be granted extra time to repent.

The reactions on that day will be sharply different. Unbelievers will faint from fear and foreboding, and all the tribes of the earth will mourn Luke 21:25-27, realizing they cannot stand before a holy God clothed only in their own righteousness. But believers will lift up their heads, for their redemption is drawing near Luke 21:28. Because Christ has redeemed us by His blood, claimed us in baptism, and clothed us in His righteousness, we have nothing to fear: "There is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus" Romans 8:1, and "since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God" Romans 5:1. The unbeliever will cower; the believer will shout for joy.

That day will also bring the resurrection of the dead. All who are in their graves will hear His voice and come out—those who have done good to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil to the resurrection of condemnation John 5:28-29. We are not saved by our works but by what Christ has done for us; yet, as Luther said, faith is an active and busy thing, and where faith is genuine, it expresses itself. What is sown perishable will be raised imperishable; what is sown in weakness will be raised in power; the natural body will be raised a spiritual body 1 Corinthians 15:42-44. Whether buried, cremated, or scattered, God will reconstitute our bodies and reunite them with our souls. The dead in Christ will rise first, and those still alive will be caught up together with them to meet the Lord in the air—and so we will always be with the Lord 1 Thessalonians 4:15-18.

The present heavens and earth will pass away with a roar, the elements will be dissolved with fire, and everything done on the earth will be disclosed. In light of this, what sort of people ought we to be? People leading lives of holiness and godliness, waiting and hastening the coming of the day of God 2 Peter 3:10-12. Every prophecy already fulfilled in Scripture assures us that the prophecies still ahead will come to pass exactly as God has promised. So we encourage one another with these words and pray together: Come, Lord Jesus. May today be that day.

Transcript

Good morning and welcome back to our study on Prophecy. 1s

This is the concluding class in this series and I just want to briefly go over where we 5s

were last time in our study together. 12s

We took a look last time at prophecy being fulfilled today and in particular we took a 15s

look at signs in the realms of nature, in the realm of social and human activity, and 23s

also in the realm of the church. 31s

We also studied about the Antichrist and we saw that the marks of the Antichrist revealed 34s

in Holy Scripture, coincide with the Roman Catholic papacy. 41s

That's not a Lutheran idiosyncrasy in maintaining that the papacy is the Antichrist. 47s

In fact, it is really commonplace historical Protestant thought and so we examined why it is that 55s

that application of those text in Scripture are applicable to the Roman Catholic papacy. 63s

We also took a look at wonderful news, good news of prophecies being fulfilled today, 71s

prophecies like the normal rhythm of life, seed time and harvest time and seasons, how the gospel is 80s

spreading, Jesus ruling, Christ's church enduring because of God's touch upon it. 90s

As we studied last week, these times in which we live in, this new testament era in which we live in, 101s

there will be trouble and there will be blessing for all Christians. 109s

But we know that God is sovereign and God is in control. 116s

Today, as we conclude this study on prophecy, I'd like to examine with you the topic, 123s

prophecy to be fulfilled at Christ's return, prophecy to be fulfilled at Christ's return. 128s

So on that day, when the Lord Jesus comes again, what's going to happen on that day? 136s

Let's paint a picture scripturally. Let's lift up these portions of Holy Scripture where God reveals to us. 142s

This is what it's going to look like and this is what is going to happen. 150s

First, Jesus will appear in the clouds. 154s

Let's go, please, to Matthew chapter 24, verse 30. 159s

Matthew chapter 24, verse 30. 165s

Then the sign that the Son of Man will appear in heaven and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. 174s

So he will appear in the clouds and his Scripture says he will come with power and great glory. 191s

The second coming, then, of course, is going to be very different from the first coming. 199s

The first coming of our Lord, these humble beginnings here as he is literally placed in a feeding trough, very, very humble beginnings. 203s

Now when he comes, he will come in his majesty and splendor and glory. 217s

There will be the radiance of the Lord Jesus Christ. 224s

So he will appear in the clouds, he will come with power and glory. 229s

He will come suddenly and he will be seen by all. 234s

Let's go to Luke chapter 17, please. 240s

Matthew, Mark, and then Luke, Luke chapter 17, verse 24. 244s

Luke 17, verse 24. 250s

For as the lightning flashes and lights up the sky from one side to the other, so will the Son of Man be in his day. 256s

When he comes, it will be sudden all the world will see it and no part of the world will be given extra time to repent. 271s

What will accompany Jesus when he comes again? 283s

Let's go to the second Thessalonians chapter 1. 287s

Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, Acts, and Romans. 289s

First and second Corinthians, Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians. 292s

And then you hit the T-books, first Thessalonians, and then second Thessalonians. 298s

Second Thessalonians chapter 1, verse 7. 305s

And to give relief to the afflicted as well as to us, when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven 311s

with his mighty angels. 319s

And there will be noise when the Lord Jesus comes. 324s

Let's go to first Thessalonians chapter 4, verse 16. 328s

For the Lord Himself, with a cry of command, with the ark angels call, and with the sound of God's trumpet, 334s

we'll descend from heaven, and the dead in Christ will rise first. 343s

No one's going to have to wonder when Jesus comes again. 350s

It's not going to be quiet. He's not going to come with a whisper. 355s

He's going to come with this majesty, and there will be noise associated with it. 360s

It will be a cosmic event. 368s

Let's go to Matthew chapter 24, Matthew chapter 24, verse 29. 373s

Immediately, after the suffering of those days, the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light. 385s

The stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of heaven will be shaken. 394s

Quite literally, the universe will fall apart. 402s

What we will see is the sun and the moon will go dark, the stars will fall, and the heavens will be shaken. 409s

It is a dramatic, loud event that will not escape the notice of the world. 417s

What will be the reaction of the unbelievers on that day? 430s

What does Scripture tell us? What's the prophetic word with regard to that? 436s

Let's go to Luke chapter 21, please. 441s

Matthew, Mark, and then Luke. 444s

Luke chapter 21 will pick up in verse 25. 447s

There will be signs in the sun, the moon and the stars, and on the earth distress among nations, 454s

confused by the roaring of the sea and the waves. 461s

People will faint from fear and foreboding of what is coming upon the world for the powers of the heavens will be shaken. 465s

Then they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. 475s

Now when these things begin to take place, stand up, raise your heads, because your redemption is drawing near. 485s

That is a dramatic, dramatic event. 496s

And what we will see is unbelievers will mourn. 500s

They'll mourn. 507s

Let's go to Matthew 24, verse 30. 508s

Matthew 24, verse 30. 513s

Then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven that all the tribes of the earth will mourn, 517s

and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. 523s

They will mourn because they will realize that they are unable to stand before a holy, righteous, perfect God simply clothed in whatever righteousness they think they might have. 531s

They will mourn because they cannot stand before God in His holiness. 552s

What will the reaction of the believers be? 562s

What will the reaction of the believers be? 566s

Luke chapter 21 says, 570s

Now when these things begin to take place, stand up and raise your heads because your redemption is drawing near. 573s

See that's not one who is cowering out of fear. 580s

That's one who is raising the head in anticipation that the day of which we have been longing for and looking for has come upon us. 584s

That is one with head raised looking with great joy. 594s

You see our reaction as believers is totally different than the reaction of the unbeliever. 600s

Galatians, the third chapter says, 610s

Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law. 613s

That word, remember, redeemed means to buy back. 618s

We have been purchased through the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ. 622s

We are sinners through and through. 627s

We sin against God and thoughtward indeed by what we have done and by what we have left undone. 630s

But yet we have been redeemed by the grace of God, that grace of God expressed to the Lord Jesus Christ, who on the cross bears our sin and pays our sin debt. 636s

We have been claimed in the waters of baptism. 650s

We have been wrapped in the righteous garment of the Lord Jesus Christ. 653s

We do not fear the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ. 658s

We look forward to it with joy. 663s

Romans 8 says, 667s

There is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. 669s

When the Lord Jesus comes again in all of His holiness, we will not cower. 677s

No, we will rejoice because we know there is no condemnation upon us. 682s

That the blood of Jesus Christ covers us and has redeemed us. 691s

Romans 5 says, 696s

Therefore, since we are justified by faith, 699s

remember that word justified means to be made just as if you never sin. 703s

Therefore, since we are justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. 710s

The unbeliever will cower in fear. 721s

The believer will shout for joy on that day. 724s

Scripture tells us, 733s

There will be the resurrection of the dead. 735s

Let's go to John chapter 5, please. 739s

Matthew, Mark, Luke, and then John. 742s

John chapter 5. 745s

We'll pick up in verse 28. 751s

Do not be astonished at this. 755s

For the hour is coming when all who are in their graves will hear His voice, 757s

and will come out, those who have done good to the resurrection of life, 762s

and those who have done evil to the resurrection of condemnation. 767s

Just a little word on that. 773s

Remember, we're not saved by what we do. 775s

We are saved because of what Christ has done for us on the cross. 778s

So what does it mean then when it says, 782s

And will come out, those who have done good to the resurrection of life, 785s

and those who have done evil to the resurrection of condemnation. 791s

Where there is faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, 796s

that faith expresses itself. 800s

And Raluther said, 803s

Faith is an active and a busy thing. 805s

So we are not saved by our works, by what we do, 808s

but where there is faith, 812s

that faith will naturally express itself. 814s

Again, the believer has no need to fear that day of the second coming of Christ, 820s

that day in which there will be the resurrection of the dead. 827s

Job 19 records, 832s

After my skin has been destroyed, 836s

yet in my flesh I will see God. 840s

I myself will see Him with my own eyes. 846s

I and not another, 850s

how my heart yearns within me. 852s

So on that day when the Lord comes again, 859s

all the dead will be raised. 862s

And the particles remaining of our bodies, 865s

those particles of our body, 872s

whether buried or cremated or ashes spread wherever, 874s

those particles, God will wonderfully reconstitute into our bodies. 878s

And our souls then, 889s

if we have gone to be with the Lord before the second coming of Christ, 892s

our souls then will be the Scripture reveals reunited with our bodies. 897s

What an incredible, incredible day. 904s

Look with me please, at 1 Corinthians chapter 15, 908s

Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, Acts, and then Romans, 914s

and then 1 Corinthians, 918s

1 Corinthians chapter 15, beginning with verse 42. 920s

So it is with the resurrection of the dead. 929s

What is so in is perishable, what's raised is imperishable. 933s

It is so in and dishonored, is raised in glory, 939s

it is so in weakness, it is raised in power. 942s

It is so in a physical body, 947s

it is raised a spiritual body. 949s

If there is a physical body, 953s

there is also a spiritual body. 956s

Let's continue on verse 49. 960s

Just as we have borne the image of the man of dust, 967s

we will also bear the image of the man of heaven. 971s

What I am saying, brothers and sisters, is this, 977s

flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, 980s

nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable. 984s

Listen, I will tell you a mystery. 989s

We will not all die, but we will all be changed in a moment 991s

in the twinkling of an eye at the last trumpet. 994s

For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised, 999s

imperishable, and we will be changed. 1002s

For this perishable body must put on imperishability, 1006s

and this mortal body must put on immortality. 1012s

When this perishable body puts on imperishability, 1017s

and this mortal body puts on immortality, 1021s

then the saying that is written will be fulfilled, 1025s

death has been swallowed up in victory. 1030s

Where O death is your victory, 1035s

where O death is your sting. 1038s

Incredible, incredible words of comfort. 1045s

First Corinthians, the 15th chapter, verse 13. 1053s

If there is no resurrection of the dead, 1062s

then Christ has not been raised. 1064s

And if Christ has not been raised, 1069s

then our proclamation has been in vain, 1072s

and your faith has been in vain. 1075s

The doctrine of the resurrection is essential to salvation. 1078s

You see, if Jesus was still in the tomb, 1086s

our faith is in vain. 1089s

But we know for sure that the tomb is empty, 1091s

and that our Lord reigns. 1096s

When we say Christ crucified and risen, 1100s

what an incredible word to share with the world. 1106s

Let's go to 1st Thessalonians, chapter 4. 1112s

Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, Acts, and Romans. 1115s

1st and 2nd Corinthians, Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, 1118s

Colossians, then the first being, 1123s

1st Thessalonians, 1st Thessalonians, chapter 4, 1127s

verse 15. 1132s

For this we declare to you by the word of the Lord 1136s

that we who are alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, 1139s

will by no means proceed those who have died. 1142s

For the Lord Himself with the cry of command, 1146s

with the archangels call, and with the sound of God's trumpet, 1149s

we'll descend from heaven, and the dead in Christ 1153s

will rise first. 1156s

Then we who are alive, who are left, 1159s

will be caught up in the clouds together with them 1162s

to meet the Lord in the air. 1165s

And so we will be with the Lord forever. 1168s

And don't you love how this chapter ends? 1173s

This is incredible, true, this year. 1176s

And I love how it ends. 1177s

Therefore, encourage one another with these words. 1179s

Turn with me please. 1189s

To 2nd Peter, chapter 3, good way to find 2nd Peter. 1192s

Just go to the very end to Revelation, 1197s

and slowly work your way backwards. 1200s

You're going to cross over the Johns, 1203s

and then you're going to come to 2nd Peter, 1205s

2nd Peter, chapter 3, 1207s

and we'll pick up in verse 10. 1214s

2nd Peter, chapter 3, verse 10. 1217s

But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, 1221s

and then the heavens will pass away with a loud noise, 1225s

and the elements will be dissolved with fire, 1229s

and the earth and everything that is done on it 1232s

will be disclosed. 1235s

Since all these things have been dissolved in this way, 1239s

what sort of persons ought you to be 1241s

in leading lives of holiness and godliness, 1243s

waiting and hastening the coming of the day of God, 1247s

because of which the heavens will be set ablaze 1250s

and dissolved, and the elements will melt with fire. 1253s

What an incredible, incredible day that will be, 1260s

and Scripture paints this picture for us. 1264s

Really these prophetic words of that which is going to happen. 1269s

God says, here's the picture, 1274s

and as Christians we look forward to that each and every day. 1277s

In fact, we cry and we say, come, Lord Jesus, 1281s

may today be that day. 1287s

Well, in this class on prophecy, 1293s

we've covered various topics. 1296s

We took a look in the first week at the principles of prophecy 1298s

for us to gain an understanding of just some principles 1302s

undergirding the prophetic word. 1306s

In the second week, we took a look at prophecies 1309s

fulfilled before Christ's birth. 1312s

Week three, it was prophecy already fulfilled 1316s

by Christ. 1320s

Week four, prophecy being fulfilled today, 1322s

and today prophecy to be fulfilled at Christ's return. 1327s

I hope through these times together, 1333s

one of the themes that has come through clearly, I pray, 1336s

is the absolute reliability of the Word of God. 1341s

When we see in page after page after page, 1347s

prophecy fulfilled, we know that the prophecy yet to be fulfilled 1351s

is indeed that which we can count on, 1360s

for God is true to His promises. 1365s

And so, let's cry today, come, Lord Jesus, 1370s

come, Lord Jesus, what a day that will be. 1376s

God's blessings to you this week. 1383s