Is the Lord Returning in Love or Wrath?

When you think of the coming of the Lord, what do you think of? What is your image? Is it positive or negative? Is it a return in love or in wrath? And what do you feel? Fear or joy? Comfort or anxiety?

How would you characterize your overall attitude about the Lord’s return? Desire or apathy? Do you pray for it? Or, do you try not to think about it? Are you enthusiastic or passive?

Finally, how would you describe the Lord’s coming? How would you explain it to someone who knows nothing about it?

The Scriptural Images
There are two detailed descriptions of the Lord’s return in the New Testament, one written by the Apostle Paul and the other by the Apostle John. These descriptions are reproduced on page 2, side by side. Stop for a moment and read them carefully.

Now, let me ask you some more questions. How can these two descriptions be reconciled? I ask that because they are as different as night and day. Did you notice that?

Look again and make a careful comparison. Notice that they have absolutely nothing in common. In fact, they are totally incompatible.
Comparison and Contrast
The passage in 1 Thessalonians 4 presents a scene of love, mercy, and grace. The picture that is painted by Revelation 19 is one of vengeance and wrath. In the Thessalonian passage, the Lord appears in the sky, but does not descend to the earth. In the Revelation account, he come to the earth. Zechariah 14 says He will return to the Mount of Olives from which He ascended into Heaven.

One of the most significant differences between the two passages relates to the Church. In the Thessalonian account, the Lord comes for the purpose of taking His Church, both the dead and living members, out of this world. In Revelation, by stark contrast, He returns with His Church. This is indicated in Revelation 19:14 where it says that “the armies which are in heaven, clothed in fine linen, white and clean were following Him on white horses.” We know these people constitute the Church, because the same group is described a few verses before (verses 7 and 8) as being the “bride” of Christ.

Thus, in Paul’s description of the Lord’s return, He is portrayed as comingfor His Church, to deliver believers from the “wrath that is to come” (1 Thessalonians 1:10). But in John’s description, Jesus is portrayed as returning with His Church in great wrath. In Thessalonians Jesus returns as a Deliverer. In Revelation He comes back as a Warrior. In one scene He is coming to claim the righteous; in the other, He returns to condemn the unrighteous.

A Problem in Reconciliation
What is going on here? How could these two passages be talking about the same event? How can they be reconciled?

I believe there is only one way to reconcile them and that is to conclude that they are describing two separate events. That, in turn, implies rather clearly that there are going to be two future comings of the Lord.

One of those — the one described in 1 Thessalonians 4 — will be more of an appearing than a coming, for the Lord will not actually return to the earth. He will, instead, appear in the heavens and supernaturally draw the Church, living and dead, to Him.

The second future appearance of the Lord — the one described in Revelation 19 — will be the true “Second Coming,” for the Lord will actually descend to the earth to pour out the wrath of God and establish His reign over all the world.

This means the “Second Coming” of the Lord is going to be in two stages. The first stage will be what has come to be known as the Rapture — the snatching of the Church out of the world. The second stage, which will occur later, will be the return of the Lord to the earth.

The Issue of Imminence
This method of reconciling these passages solves a serious problem that emerges when you think of only one future coming of the Lord. That problem relates to the emphasis that the Scriptures give to imminence.

What I am referring to, of course, is the constant warning of the Scriptures that the Lord may appear any moment and, therefore, we are to always be ready for the Lord’s return (Matthew 24:36, 42, 44, 50 and 25:13).

If there is only one future coming of the Lord, then these warnings are a waste of time and there is no imminence because there are many prophecies that are yet to be fulfilled before the Lord can return. For example:

A peace treaty must be signed that will guarantee Israel’s peace with all of its Arab neighbors (Daniel 9:27).
The Jewish Temple must be rebuilt in Jerusalem (Matthew 24:15, 2 Thessalonians 2:3-4, and Revelation 11:1-2).
The Great Tribulation must begin and run its seven year course, resulting in the death of over half the world’s population (Revelation 6-18).
The Antichrist must reveal himself and begin an unprecedented persecution of the Jews — one that will result in the death of two-thirds of all the Jews (Revelation 12:13-17 & Zechariah 13:7-9).
The Gospel must be preached to every person on the earth (Matthew 24:14 and Revelation 14:6-7).
An unprecedented system of economic control must be established that will prevent persons from buying or selling anything unless they can display on their right hands or foreheads the mark or name of the Antichrist.
The worldwide kingdom of the Antichrist must be destroyed in “one hour of one day” (Revelation 17 & 18).

These are all events that are clearly prophesied in Scripture as occurring before Jesus returns to earth. None of them has yet been fulfilled in history. If there is only one future coming of the Lord, and it must take place after these events, then why should we be looking for Jesus Christ? We should be looking instead for the Antichrist!

Living with Expectancy
The only way that the imminence taught by the Scriptures can be maintained is to believe that Jesus can return any moment. The only way to maintain that belief is to conclude that the Lord’s appearing for His Church (the Rapture) is an event that is separate and apart from the Second Coming and is an event that can occur any moment.

That is what I have concluded from my study of prophecy, and I therefore live looking for the Rapture to occur any moment. This is exactly what Paul commands us to do when he writes that we are to live “looking for the blessed hope and the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Christ Jesus” (Titus 2:13).

I therefore do not believe there is one prophecy in the Bible that must be fulfilled before the Lord appears for His Church. He can appear any moment. And the imminence of His appearing increases daily as the signs of the time point to the events that will culminate with His Second Coming. Those signs include, among others, the re-establishment of the state of Israel, the Jewish reoccupation of the city of Jerusalem, the reunification of Europe, and the rise of Arab militancy in the Middle East.

Keep in mind that the Rapture is not the event that will kick-off the Tribulation. That event is the signing of a peace treaty that will guarantee the peace of Israel with all its Arab neighbors and will also authorize the Jews to rebuild their Temple (Daniel 9:27). The Rapture could occur years before the Tribulation begins, although it is most likely to occur near the beginning because the Tribulation is the time for the pouring out of God’s wrath, and 1 Thessalonians 1:10 says that Jesus will “deliver” His Church “from the wrath to come.”

Hope or Terror?
To summarize, we should be looking for two future comings of the Lord — one at the beginning of the Tribulation, the other at the end. The first, the Rapture, will be the appearing of the Lord for His Church. The second, the Second Coming, will be the return of the Lord to the earth to “judge and wage war” against the enemies of God (Revelation 19:11).

The signs of the times point to the fact that Jesus is at the very gates of Heaven, waiting for His Father’s command to appear for His Church. The Rapture is imminent.

Are you ready? Will Jesus appear (the Rapture) as your Blessed Hope? Or, will He return (the Second Coming) as your Holy Terror? The choice is yours.

PROPHECY STUDY RESOURCES
One of the best overall books on Bible prophecy that has ever been published is Things to Come by Dwight Pentecost (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 1964). It is scholarly and comprehensive, written for serious, college level students.

Surveys

The Master Plan, by David Reagan (Eugene, OR: Harvest House, 1993) contains a comprehensive survey of all aspects of Bible prophecy. It was written for the layman and is easy to read and understand. A similar comprehensive study that is more scholarly in its approach is a book by Paul N. Benware entitled Understanding End Time Prophecy (Chicago, Moody Press, 1995).

With regard to end time prophecies only, one of the best surveys for the more general reader is Leon Woods’ book, The Bible and Future Events (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 1973). Other very readable surveys are The Final Chapter by S. Maxwell Coder (Wheaton, IL: Tyndale House, 1984) and A Survey of Bible Prophecy by R. Ludwigson (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 1973). The King is Coming by H.L. Willmington (Wheaton, IL: Tyndale House, 1973) presents an overview of end time events in a very unique and easy to follow outline form.

A spiral bound study guide by David Reagan, called, The Christ in Prophecy Study Guide (Plano, TX: Lamb & Lion Ministries, 1987), presents an analytical survey of all Messianic prophecy contained in both the Old and New Testaments. Another indispensable reference volume that presents an exhaustive survey is All the Messianic Prophecies of the Bible by Herbert Lockyer (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 1979).

A survey book intended for the serious student is Arnold Fruchtenbaum’s encyclopedic study of Tribulation events which bears the strange title, The Footsteps of the Messiah(Tustin, CA: Ariel Press, 1982). It focuses on showing the sequence of end time events and their relationship to each other.

A brief and fascinating survey book full of penetrating insights is one titled What on Earth is God Doing? (Neptune, NJ: Loizeaux Brothers, 1973). It was written by Renald Showers, a gifted teacher and writer who serves the Friends of Israel Ministry. The book presents a capsule overview of God’s purposes in history from start to finish.
Interpretation

Nothing is more important to the understanding of Bible prophecy than the principles of interpretation that are applied to it. An excellent introductory book for the general reader isHow to Study Bible Prophecy for Yourself by Tim LaHaye (Eugene, OR: Harvest House, 1990).

The most profound book ever written on the topic is The Interpretation of Prophecy by Paul Lee Tan (Winona Lake, IN: Assurance Publishers, 1974). This book is an essential tool for any serious student of prophecy.

The history of prophetic interpretation is presented in great detail in the amazing, four volume, encyclopedic study calledThe Prophetic Faith of Our Fathers, edited by LeRoy Edwin Froom (Washington, D.C.: Review and Herald Press). Volume 1 (1950) covers the Early Church. Volume 2 (1948) surveys the Pre-Reformation and Reformation periods. Volume 3 (1946) looks at the Colonial American and European Awakening. Volume 4 (1946) provides a look at the 19th Century. This great work of scholarship took years to complete. The first two volumes are based upon original research conducted throughout Europe in the 1920’s and 1930’s, utilizing ancient documents, many of which were destroyed in World War II.
Symbolic
Perhaps the least understood area of prophecy is symbolic prophecy, sometimes called prophecy in type. About half of Herbert Lockyer’s book, All the Messianic Prophecies of the Bible, is dedicated to this important topic (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 1979).

Two books concerning symbolic prophecy that are easy to read and are full of useful insights are Christ in the Tabernacleby Louis Talbot (Chicago, IL: Moody Press, 1978) and Jesus in the Feasts of Israel by Richard Booker (S. Plainfield, NJ: Bridge Publishing, 1987).

Old Testament Prophets
A magnificent introduction to all the Old Testament prophets is provided by Leon Wood in his exceptional book, The Prophets of Israel (Schaumburg, IL: Regular Baptist Press, 1979).

One of the finest commentators on the Old Testament prophets is Charles Feinberg, a Messianic Jew. His works include God Remembers: A Study of Zechariah (Portland, OR: Multnomah Press, 1965); Jeremiah: A Commentary(Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 1982); and The Prophecy of Ezekiel: The Glory of the Lord (Chicago, IL: Moody Press, 1969). A good introduction to Isaiah can be found in the book by Herbert Wolf entitled Interpreting Isaiah: The Suffering and Glory of the Messiah (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 1985).

An outstanding series of scholarly commentaries on Isaiah, Jeremiah and Ezekiel can be found in volume 6 of The Expositor’s Bible Commentary edited by Frank E. Gaebelein (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 1986). The commentary on Isaiah is by G. W. Grogan; Jeremiah is by Charles L. Feinberg; and Ezekiel is by Ralph H. Alexander.

There are a number of good books about the Minor Prophets. Two that are designed for the general reader are Major Truths from the Minor Prophets by John Hunter (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 1977) and Will We Ever Catch Up with the Bible? by David Hubbard (Glendale, CA: Regal Books, 1977).

The best scholarly resource on the Minor Prophets is to be found in volume 7 of The Expositor’s Bible Commentaryedited by Frank E. Gaebelein (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 1985). The authors of the commentaries on the specific books read like a who’s who of Evangelical scholars. A fine single volume scholarly study is the one by Charles Fineberg entitledThe Minor Prophets (Chicago, IL: Moody Press, 1976).

Israel
The best panoramic survey of Israel in prophecy is contained in Walter K. Price’s intriguing book, Next Year in Jerusalem(Chicago, IL: Moody Press, 1975). Another very good overview is Richard Booker’s outstanding study, Blow the Trumpet in Zion (Tulsa, OK: Victory House, 1985).

An excellent book that relates prophecy to the history of Israel, particularly modern history, is called It is No Dream(W. Collingswood, NJ: The Spearhead Press, 1978). It was written by Elwood McQuaid, the Director of the Friends of Israel Ministry. Charles Feinberg has also produced an excellent volume that mixes prophecy with history. It is titledIsrael: At the Center of History and Revelation (Portland, OR: Multnomah Press, 1980).

Daniel
An outstanding verse by verse commentary on Daniel is the one by Leon Woods that is simply entitled, A Commentary on Daniel (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 1973). The best one for the general reader is by Renald Showers. It is titled The Most High God (W. Collingswood, NJ: The Friends of Israel, 1982). A lighter book that is both fun to read and inspirational in character is Daniel: God’s Man in a Secular Society by Donald Campbell (Grand Rapids, MI: Discovery House, 1988). It is designed to serve as a study guide for Bible study groups.

No book of the Bible has been attacked as viciously by theological liberals as the book of Daniel. A tremendous defense of the book’s integrity can be found in a volume calledDaniel in the Critic’s Den by Josh McDowell (San Bernardino, CA: Campus Crusade for Christ, 1979).

Revelation
Many excellent studies have been published about the book of Revelation. For the general reader, the two best areRevelation Illustrated and Made Plain by Tim LaHaye (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 1973) and There’s a New World Coming by Hal Lindsey (Santa Ana, CA: Vision House, 1973). Lindsey’s book is the best one he has ever written.

For those who desire to dig deeper, The Revelation Record(Wheaton, IL: Tyndale House, 1983) by Henry Morris presents a detailed verse by verse analysis. Dr. Morris is the distinguished founder of the Institute for Creation Research.

A very unique study of Revelation is the one produced by Salem Kirban, a born again Arab. The book utilizes hundreds of photos, charts and drawings to visually present the message of Revelation. It is titled, Revelation Visualized(Huntingdon, Valley, PA: Salem Kirban, Inc., 1978). What makes it even more unusual is that it is co-authored by Gary Cohen, a born again Jew!

An outstanding introduction to Revelation and the various methods of interpreting it is supplied by Merrill Tenney in his remarkably balanced volume, Interpreting Revelation(Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, 1957).

Millennial Viewpoints
The best introduction to the various and often confusing viewpoints of end time prophecy is a book by Robert Lightner called The Last Days Handbook (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson, 1990).

A very thought provoking book on the topic is one edited by Robert G. Clouse entitled The Meaning of the Millennium(Downer’s Grove, IL: Inter-Varsity Press, 1977). It contains four viewpoints presented by advocates of those viewpoints. A similar but more detailed presentation of the four viewpoints can be found in the parallel commentary by Steve Gregg calledRevelation: Four Views (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson, 1997). A scholarly presentation and analysis of the various views is contained in John Walvoord’s book, The Millennial Kingdom (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 1959).

For a classic presentation of the fundamentals of premillennial theology, the book to read is The Basis of the Premillennial Faith by Charles Ryrie (Neptune, NJ: Loizeaux Brothers, 1953). It is brief and incisive, and it is written with an irenic spirit.

The Antichrist
One of the most detailed studies of the Antichrist ever written is the book by Arthur W. Pink entitled, The Antichrist. It is thoroughly biblical and very thought provoking. It was originally published in 1923 but has been recently republished (Grand Rapids, MI: Kregel, 1988). The best current day study is the book by Ed Hindson entitled, Is the Antichrist Alive and Well?: Ten Keys to His Identity (Eugene, OR: Harvest House, 1998).

The Rapture
The important controversy over the timing of the Rapture has been best addressed by John Walvoord in two of his books:The Blessed Hope and the Tribulation (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 1976) and The Rapture Question (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 1979). Walvoord is the former President of Dallas Theological Seminary. Another fine book on the topic isThe Rapture by Hal Lindsey (New York, NY: Bantam Books, 1983).

Tim LaHaye has written a very powerful and exhaustive defense of the Pre-Tribulation Rapture entitled No Fear of the Storm: Why Christians Will Escape All the Tribulation(Sisters, OR: Multnomah, 1992, later re-published as Rapture Under Attack, 1998).

Signs of the Times
This is a field that attracts many sensationalist writers. There is an abundance of books, but few good ones. One of the most fascinating is World War III: Signs of the Impending Battle of Armageddon by John Wesley White (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 1977).

A volume that is comprehensive in scope but exceptionally brief is Signs of the Second Coming by Robert G. Witty (Nashville, TN: Broadman Press, 1969). A more recent study, and an excellent one, is by Henry Morris. It is titled Creation and the Second Coming (Green Forest, AR: Master Books, 1991).

One of the best prophetic writers to emerge in recent years is Ed Hindson of Liberty University. His books are solidly biblical and down-to-earth, readable by the average Christian. He has written two outstanding studies of the signs of the times:Final Signs (Eugene, OR: Harvest House, 1996) and Earth’s Final Hour: Are We Really Running Out of Time? (Eugene, OR: Harvest House, 1999). Another excellent writer in the field of Bible prophecy is Dave Hunt of Berean Ministries. He has produced a very insightful study of the end time signs in his book, How Close Are We? (Eugene, OR: Harvest House, 1993).

Heaven
The Eternal State has been the most ignored area of Bible prophecy, probably because the Bible says so little about it. The best book on the topic – one that covers death, resurrection and eternity – is The Future Life by the Frenchman, Rene Pache, translated into English by Helen Needham (Chicago, IL: Moody Press, 1962). A very worthwhile, exhaustive study of the Eternal State can be found in Bob Chambers’ book, Heaven (Joplin, MO: College Press, 1991). This is an unusual book because Chambers is an Amillennialist who spiritualizes the prophecies about the Millennial while interpreting the prophecies about Heaven literally!

Children
Only one book has ever been written for pre-school and elementary children concerning end time prophetic events. It was written by David Reagan and is entitled Jesus is Coming Again! (Eugene, OR: Harvest House, 1992). The book emphasizes the positive promises of God regarding the Millennium and the Eternal State.

Media
Dave Reagan and Chuck Missler have both produced cassette tape albums that contain verse-by-verse commentaries on the book of Revelation. Reagan’s Revelation Overview (Lamb & Lion Ministries) contains 12 tapes. Missler’s Revelation Commentary (Koinonia Ministries) consists of three albums with eight tapes each. Jack Van Impe has produced an excellent series of video commentaries on Revelation calledRevelation Revealed (Jack Van Impe Ministries).

Ray Stedman’s outstanding commentary on Revelation can be found posted on the Internet in 23 messages atwww.pbc.org/stedman (Peninsula Bible Church).

The best illustrations of Revelation have been produced by Pat Marvenko Smith. She has illustrated every main scene of the book and has made the pictures available in a variety of forms — slides, posters, overhead transparencies, video, and PowerPoint (Revelation Illustrated Ministries).

Fiction
The “Left Behind” series of books by Tim LaHaye and Larry B. Jenkins present a fictionalized story about the Rapture and the Tribulation that is based upon biblical prophecies. This series is published by Tyndale House and has broken all sales records for prophetic books. The series of novels has become a best seller even when compared to secular books. The books have been made available on audio tape, and special edited versions have been published for teens. The first of the volumes, entitled Left Behind, was published in 1995.

Bibles
The very first study Bible ever published came out in 1909. It is still one of the best selling study Bibles in the world. It was produced by a Dallas pastor named C.I. Scofield and is calledThe Scofield Study Bible (Urichsville, OH: Barbour Publishing, 2000) It has been revised and updated regularly over the years by an editorial committee representing a premillennial, pre-tribulational viewpoint.

A newer study Bible that presents the same view of the passages related to end time prophecy is The Ryrie Study Bible (Chicago, IL: Moody Press, 1976). Both the Scofield and Ryrie commentaries are available in a variety of translations. The latest and most up to date study Bible that focuses on the interpretation of prophecy is The Tim LaHaye Prophecy Study Bible (Chattanooga, TN: AMG Publishers, 2000).

The Living Bible Paraphrased (Wheaton, IL: Tyndale House, 1971) though not a typical study Bible, is nonetheless an interpretive Bible that reflects a premillennial interpretation of all key prophetic passages.

Classics
The greatest and most enduring classic on the return of Jesus is William E. Blackstone’s book, Jesus is Coming. It was written in 1878. The third revised edition of 1908 has been recently republished with an introduction by John Walvoord (Grand Rapids, MI: Kregel, 1989).

A foreign book that has come to be considered one the great classics of end time prophecy is The Return of Jesus Christby Rene Pache, translated into English by William S. LaSor (Chicago, IL: Moody Press, 1955). It is must reading for any Bible prophecy enthusiast.

The 20th Century American classic is, of course, Hal Lindsey’s book, The Late Great Planet Earth (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 1970). The New York Times has certified that it was the number one best selling book in the world (with the exception of the Bible) for ten years, between 1970 and 1980!

Perhaps the most unusual book ever published on Bible prophecy is Dispensational Truth by Clarence Larkin (Philadelphia, PA: Reverend Clarence Larking Estate, 1920). Larkin was a draftsman who devoted his talents to illustrating prophetic concepts with fascinating charts and diagrams. This is a classic that will keep you up all night!