The Appearing

View daily reading plan: 2 Thessalonians 1.7-8

The Lord’s coming will be in two parts or stages at two different times. First, He is coming from heaven for His people. Then He will come publicly to judge the earth. We sometimes call this His Appearing, because then everyone will see Him in all His power and great glory. Revelation 1.7 tells us that “every eye shall see Him”.

2 Thessalonians 1.7-8 describes this second stage of His coming – “revealed from heaven with His mighty angels, in flaming fire” to take vengeance on His enemies. Believers will also come with Him, for we read in Colossians 3.4, “When Christ who is our life shall appear, then shall you also appear with Him in glory”. We have also read about this in Revelation 19. He is coming from heaven with His people.

Several Old Testament scriptures prophesy about the Lord coming in power and great glory. Zechariah 14.4, for example, tells of a time when He will come and His feet will stand on the Mount of Olives in the land of Israel. The time when this begins to happen is called the Day of the Lord, when God will again intervene publicly and openly in world affairs and bring about His purposes of final good. 

Many  prophecies focus on God’s purpose for the nation of Israel in the future. They describe great blessing and prosperity to come, for example Isaiah 60.  Israel will be the head of the nations of the world instead of being surrounded by suspicion and hatred as it is today. Long ago God promised the land of Israel to Abraham, and He promised its throne to David’s seed for ever. The angel Gabriel spoke of this when Jesus was born: “He will reign over the house of Jacob forever; and of His kingdom there will be no end” (Luke 1.26-33).

Saturday, 8 June, 2024