Category: Columns
All Who Are in the Graves
This is the 20th in a series of excerpts from What Every Christian Should Know About the Return of Jesus, released by High Street Press and available at Amazon.com.
No matter how people consider death, we can’t escape the truth that one day we breathe our last. But what then? Everyone who’s thought seriously about this question has an answer – or at least an opinion.
Those who embrace a naturalistic worldview say death is the end of our existence. We may live on in the memories of loved ones. Meanwhile, our contributions to mankind – or our crimes against humanity – may outlive us, but our consciousness ends permanently and irreversibly once we stop breathing.
Tibetan Buddhists believe the spirits of the departed embark on a journey lasting 49 days and divided into three stages. At the conclusion of the third stage, a person either enters nirvana – a place of liberation from the cravings that cause suffering – or returns to earth for rebirth.
Jehovah’s Witnesses believe most of the departed (except for the 144,000 of the anointed class) go into a state of soul sleep until a future date with destiny. At that time, many of the dead are resurrected and given an opportunity to prove themselves worthy to enter an eternal paradise on earth.
But Scripture paints a different picture. At physical death, the immaterial part of human beings – that is, our souls and spirits – enter an intermediate state, either with Jesus in heaven or in torment in hades. Meanwhile, our lifeless bodies await future resurrection, at which time our souls and spirits reunite with our resurrected bodies so we may stand before Jesus in final judgment.
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Your Kingdom Come
This is the 19th in a series of excerpts from What Every Christian Should Know About the Return of Jesus, released by High Street Press and available at Amazon.com.
In previous columns, we looked at the nature of Christ’s return. He’s coming personally, physically, victoriously, powerfully, and suddenly. Now, we turn our attention to the reasons for his return. First, Christ returns to establish his kingdom in fullness.
So, what is the kingdom of God? Simply stated, the kingdom is God’s reign, his authority to rule over all. Jesus taught primarily about the nature of the kingdom so he followers would understand that in his first coming, he inaugurated God’s kingdom. Through the Holy Spirit, he’s expanding the kingdom. And one day, he returns to bring the complete and final consummation of the kingdom, at which time he judges all people, creates new heavens and a new earth, and eradicates sin and its stain.
The king’s agenda
As we look for the return of the king, it may help to briefly survey his unfinished business.
1. The king returns in glory.
In his ascension, Jesus reclaims the glory he shared with the Father before the world existed (John 17:5). His coronation takes place as he ascends to the throne and sits at the Father’s right hand, with all authority given to him in heaven and earth (Matt. 28:18; Mark 16:19; Acts 2:33; Rom. 8:34; Heb. 12:2). When he returns, he bears that same divine glory as “King of Kings and Lord of Lords” (Rev. 19:16).
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Scriptural Warnings of Christ’s Return
This is the 19th in a series of excerpts from What Every Christian Should Know About the Return of Jesus, released by High Street Press and available at Amazon.com.
Paul, James, and Peter all record warnings about the suddenness of Christ’s return. In each case, the authors stress the need for followers of Jesus to live ethically and expectantly. Consider a few examples:
1 Thessalonians 5:1-11
Paul borrows from the language of Jesus in warning that the Lord is returning “just like a thief in the night.” And he echoes Christ’s exhortation to be ready at all times. Believers are to “stay awake and be self-controlled.”
While unbelievers ignore the clear signs of impending judgment – “like labor pains on a pregnant woman” – they cannot escape the wrath of God. But believers should take heart. Thanks to Christ’s finished work of redemption, we may eagerly anticipate a different outcome in which we “live together with him.”
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You Don’t Know the Day or the Hour
This is the 19th in a series of excerpts from What Every Christian Should Know About the Return of Jesus, released by High Street Press and available at Amazon.com.
In the previous column, we looked at a first-century Galilean wedding as the context for Jesus’ parable of the 10 virgins. Jesus tells the parable to prepare his followers for what’s ahead. After his imminent suffering, death, and resurrection, Jesus returns to his Father, prepares a place in heaven for believers, and then calls his bride to meet him at his return.
Many who hold a dispensational premillennial view of the end times point to this event as the rapture, inwhich followers of Jesus are “caught up” to meet him in the air (1 Cor. 15:50-57; 1 Thess. 4:13-18).
According to this view, the seven-day honeymoon depicts seven years the church is in heaven while tribulation takes place on earth. And the departure from the father’s house after the honeymoon pictures the glorious appearing of Christ when he returns to earth with the saints, sits on the throne of David, and rules the earth with his queen.
For historical premillennialists and amillennialists, this parable foretells a general resurrection of all people at Christ’s second coming. Glorified believers go up to meet Jesus in the air – like ancient citizens going out from their city to welcome a visiting king – and accompany him in his victorious return to earth. Meanwhile, unbelievers – the foolish virgins – are denied entrance into the kingdom.
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Behold, the Bridegroom Comes!
This is the 18th in a series of excerpts from What Every Christian Should Know About the Return of Jesus, released by High Street Press and available at Amazon.com.
There are well over a hundred parables in the Bible, but the most beloved are the 30-plus parables Jesus shares with us. While he’s not the first to use this form of teaching, Jesus endows his parables with unparalleled originality and spiritual depth. In fact, more than one-third of all his recorded sayings are parables.
Several of Jesus’ parables address the suddenness of his future return in glory. One of these is the parable of the 10 virgins in Matthew 25:1-13.
The central theme of this parable is readiness for the return of Christ. Like the bridegroom in first-century Galilean society, Jesus most assuredly is coming, but he’s coming suddenly and catches the unprepared by surprise.
The central character in this parable is the bridegroom (Christ), who is delayed in coming for his bride (the church). Scripture often refers to the church as the bride and Christ as the bridegroom (Matt. 9:15; Mark 2:19-20; Luke 5:34-35; John 3:29). Believers are “betrothed” to Jesus, who promises to come one day and take them to his Father’s house (John 14:1-3).
A general understanding of first-century Jewish wedding customs is helpful in navigating this parable.
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