Good weekend to you my “Walking with Jesus” friends,
Yesterday and today, we’re facing a remarkable rumor head on. What rumor? That Jesus Christ is returning to earth! Have you heard that rumor? The rumor started when Jesus said these words to His disciples: “The Son of Man is going to come in His father’s glory, with His angels, and then He will reward each person according to what they have done.” (Matt. 16:27)
Yesterday, we looked closely at this promise, coming true in the near future, when Jesus will return to earth to gather up all His followers. Who are these ‘followers of Jesus’? All the people who have trusted Jesus for their salvation, from the time of Jesus’ death & resurrection up until that moment when Jesus returns to gather us all up to Him. It is explained to us in 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 and we discussed it yesterday.
That event concludes with Jesus GOING BACK to heaven with all these believers in their immortal bodies! (1 Thess. 4:17) And that then sets the stage for Jesus to return to earth yet another time! Today, let’s look more closely at THAT next return of Jesus, and by the way these are not rumors, these are factual events predicted in the Bible.
The triumphant return of King Jesus to earth is described in Zechariah 14 and Revelation 19,20. This time Jesus returns to earth as a triumphant, warrior king. (Rev.19:11-16) Jesus will return specifically to Jerusalem (Zech. 14:4) from which He had ascended into heaven (Acts 1:9-11) but this time King Jesus will establish His kingdom reign from Jerusalem in holy justice, as King over the entire earth, for 1000 years! (Zech. 14:9; Rev. 20:5) In His victorious return, King Jesus will defeat all the enemies of God and enemies of Israel. King Jesus will also bind Satan and put him into the Abyss pit for 1000 years! (Rev. 20:1-3)
As triumphant King Jesus returns to earth for this 1000-year reign He will bring with Him all His followers whom He had raised up in His previous return, (1 Thess. 4:13-18) and they will reign with Him here on earth for those 1000 years! (Rev. 20:4-6)
At the conclusion of that 1000-year kingdom reign, King Jesus will release Satan from his temporary bondage in the Abyss and, for one last time, Satan and his demonic forces will be permitted by Jesus to tempt the world in rebellion against Jesus. (Rev. 20:7-9)
While many people will turn against Jesus, rising up to oppose the righteous reign of King Jesus, in one final, triumphant victory, Jesus will defeat Satan and his demonic forces, and all those opposed to Him, throwing Satan and his demons into the lake of fire for all eternity! (Rev. 20:10)
Finally, at that time, King Jesus will set up His final Great White Throne Judgment during which time EVERY human being, who has ever lived through all time, will stand before Judge Jesus and face their accounting before God. (Matt. 25:31-46; Rev.20:11-13)
Jesus Himself will be the ultimate Judge, and each person will receive what Holy Judge Jesus determines is justice for the things they did during their lifetime on earth. This will be the fulfillment of the words Jesus spoke as recorded in Matthew 16:27.
An important part of that judgment day will be the opening of God’s Book of Life, and every person whose name is NOT found recorded in God’s Book of Life will be sentenced by Jesus and sent to eternity in hell with Satan and his demons. (Rev. 20:14,15) Those of us whose names ARE in God’s Book of Life will be welcomed into the kingdom of God forever with Jesus as our King!
Now, my friends, it is very important for us to remember two vital realities for genuine Christians about this final judgment day. First, for all persons who have fully trusted Jesus Christ to be their Savior, all their sins are covered by the blood of Jesus, and we are declared justified by God the Father! (Romans 4:25; 5:1) Second, for genuine, redeemed Christians our names are absolutely written in God’s Book of Life and written there as adopted sons and daughters of God with whom we’ll spend eternity.
I hope both these future returns of Jesus to earth are clear now for us, my friends, as we have the advantage of the New Testament explaining them to us. Matthew records that Jesus said one more thing in closing that day at Caesarea Philippi: “Truly I tell you, some who are standing here will not taste death before they see the Son of Man coming in His kingdom.” (Matt. 16:28)
Now that really threw the minds of those disciples into a tailspin. What? Was all this going to happen in their generation? But wait, it’s now been 2000 years and still Jesus has NOT yet returned? So, what did Jesus mean?
Once again Jesus was pointing forward to His death, burial, resurrection and ascension with this statement. It is in THOSE four events which Jesus’ was confirmed by God the Father as King Jesus, reigning over the Kingdom of God. His resurrection was announced by angels, and His ascension was explained by angels!
In His atonement death Jesus defeated the unbreakable bonds of our sin bondage and sin condemnation, redeeming us, rescuing us from Satan’s kingdom of darkness by paying our sin ransom price. In His resurrection, King Jesus defeated DEATH and Satan. In His ascension Jesus returned to resume His sovereign, Holy reign over all things visible & invisible, from God’s throne room in heaven!
And from that throne room Jesus will return two more times in days to come, as we have seen in our study these past two days. I hope you are rejoicing that Jesus is your Savior and your King, and you are thrilled to be a citizen of God’s kingdom!
More “lessons learned” study notes are ready for you and the link below as well as a triumphant song which celebrates King Jesus! And I’ll be here on Monday waiting for you. I hope you’ll worship King Jesus in your church enthusiastically this weekend!
Today’s Scripture: Matt. 16:27- 28.
Choose below to read or listen.
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Bible images provided with attribution to www.LumoProject.com.
Have a comment or question about today’s chapter? I’m ready to hear from you, contact me here.
Pastor Doug Anderson
“Let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, with our eyes fixed on Jesus…” (Heb. 12:1,2)
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