IV. Jesus’ Teaching on the Second Advent

1. THE SECOND ADVENT PORTRAYED

It was toward the close of His ministry that, having elicited from Peter that sublime confession, “Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God,” He began to tell His disciples about His approaching rejection, death, and resurrection. Then, to relieve the en shrouding gloom of this news, He introduced the prophetic promise of His second coming in glory.PFF1 139.4

“The Son of man shall come in the glory of His Father with His angels; and then He shall reward every man according to his works.” Matthew 16:27, (See also Mark 8:38; Luke 9:26.)PFF1 140.1

“Then He declared that some of the twelve would see “the Son of man coming in His kingdom” (Matthew 16:28), and a few days later He took Peter, James, and John up the mount of transfiguration. There they were given a visualized preview of the kingdom in miniature—the glorified Christ with Moses and Elijah, the one a representative of the saints who will pass through death and resurrection, and the other of those who, still living at His coming, will be translated without death. (Matthew 16:28 to 17:3; see also Mark 9:1-4; Luke 9:27-32.)PFF1 140.2

2. THE PROMISE OF His COMING

In the last week before the cross we find the record of Jesus’ speaking on three more occasions of His second coming. The first of these, the “Prophecy on the Mount,” we shall consider in the next section. Then, on the night of the last supper, when He was trying to prepare the eleven for the imminent ordeal of His death, He spoke those words of comfort which have echoed through the centuries to sustain the faith of the believers:PFF1 140.3

“Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in Me. In My Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto Myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.” John 14:1-3.PFF1 140.4

Once more, in the same night, during the trial before the Sanhedrin, when the high priest Caiaphas solemnly adjured Him to testify as to whether He were the Christ, the Son of God, He made the final statement, as it were, of His case, coupling with His assent the words which sealed the verdict of His judges.PFF1 140.5

“Hereafter shall ye see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coining in the clouds of heaven.” Matthew 26:64. (See also Mark 14:62; Luke 22:69, 70.)PFF1 140.6