THE ADVENT WILL BE LITERAL

The advent of the Lord will be literal and personal. It is literal in distinction from a supposed figurative or representative coming, either at Jerusalem’s overthrow or at any other time. It is personal in distinction from any supposed spiritual, secret, or intangible coming, for which many now contend.EMTF 39.2

1. Analogy calls for a literal, personal coming. His first coming was literal. It is claimed, and with much show of reason, too, that his first coming had mostly to do with the spiritual condition of men. Yet his coming was literal and physical. His second coming will have mostly to do with the physical condition of men. Why, then, shall not his second coming be also literal—in the flesh? No repentance or pardon is offered at his second coming. It will be for “the redemption of our body;” the resurrection and translation of the saints, and the overthrow of his enemies. We say further:—EMTF 39.3

2. The resurrection of the dead will take place at his coming. That is not spiritual it is literal. Many now attempt to spiritualize the resurrection, but we can see neither reason nor propriety in the effort. (1) Jesus said that he was the resurrection, and proved the truth of his assertion, and showed the nature of the resurrection, by immediately calling Lazarus from the grave. (2) When Jesus himself was resurrected, he left the tomb vacant where he had lain, and the angel who said he was risen invited the disciples to examine the place where he lay, to be thus assured that he was not there but had risen. (3) They who deny the bodily resurrection assert that the resurrection means the rising of the spirit out of the body at death, which cannot be true, for Jesus was raised the third day after death. It did not take his spirit three days to leave his body after he died! (4) When Jesus referred to own resurrection under the figure of raising the temple, “he spake of the temple of his body.” John 2:19-21. (5) After his resurrection he showed them is hands and his feet to identify himself to them, and invited them to handle him,—to examine the wounds in his hands and his side. What more could be done to prove his bodily identity, and the physical nature of the resurrection? But his resurrection is the surety—he is the first-fruit—of the resurrection of them that are his. As was his resurrection, so will be theirs. At that day “this mortal shall put on immortality.” We leave it with the spiritualizers whether that is spoken of the spirit or the body.EMTF 40.1

3. The Scripture expressions demand a personal coming. (I) Jesus said he came down from heaven, was going back to his Father, and would come again. If his coming and returning were literal, so will be his coming again. (2) The angel said when he ascended on high, and a cloud received him out of their sight, “This same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven.” Acts 1:11. We cannot imagine how anything but a bold perversion of language, or a peremptory denial of it, can make of this other than an actual, real, and bodily coming. (3) Paul said, speaking of his coming, “The Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God.”1 Thessalonians 4:16. This was not fulfilled by Titus, nor yet even by the Lord himself; but it will be.EMTF 41.1

4. Paul said, “When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory.” Colossians 3:4. The saints were not glorified at the destruction of Jerusalem. Peter said, “And when the Chief Shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away.” 1 Peter 5:4. No saint received a crown of glory at the destruction of Jerusalem, for the Chief Shepherd did not then appear. Jesus said, speaking by his servant John, nearly thirty years after the destruction of Jerusalem, “Behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be.” Revelation 22:12. This agrees with his words in Luke 14:14, that recompense shall be given at the resurrection of the just, which, as has been shown, takes place when the Lord comes.EMTF 41.2

5. Taking the negative, we inquire if the coming of the Lord, with all its attendant glory, the resurrection and translation of the saints, the gathering of the saints unto the Lord himself, the bestowing of fadeless crowns of glory to the faithful,—if all this took place at the destruction of Jerusalem, what have we to hope for in the future? All the promises of redemption, glory, and immortality, cluster around the coming of the Lord. If that is already past, what is our hope? It is not difficult to show that they who have no part in the second coming of Christ have no part in his glory, no crown of life, no recompense of reward. Giving that away, they rob themselves of all.EMTF 42.1