End-Time Insights

Jesus will arrive and gather his people on the Day of the Lord, and in the New Testament, this event becomes the Day of Christ . In his second letter to the Thessalonians, Paul refutes claims that the “ Day of the Lord ” is imminent. That day will not arrive until the “ Apostasy ” and the “ revelation of the Man of Lawlessness, the Son of Destruction .” Jesus will destroy this Master Deceiver at his “ Arrival ” or ‘ Parousia ’, an event the Apostle links to this final great day.

The saints will be assembled before Jesus on the Last Day, and the wicked will be collected for judgment and cast from his presence . On the Last Day, the righteous and the unrighteous will be “ gathered ” before Jesus, the former for vindication and salvation, and the latter for judgment and condemnation. This event is linked in the New Testament to Christ’s “ arrival ” at the end of the age when he will resurrect the dead, judge the dead and living, terminate the “ Last Enemy, Death ,” and consummate the Kingdom of God.

In explaining the resurrection, Paul lists key events that will precede or coincide with the arrival of Jesus at the close of the present age . Paul outlined the events that will occur at or shortly before the “ arrival ” of Jesus in  1 Corinthians . The Greek noun ‘ Parousia ’ or “ arrival ” is one of several terms Paul applies to the future coming of the Lord in his letters. Regardless of which term is used, the Apostle always refers to one “ coming ,” one “ appearance ,” one “ revelation ” and one “ appearance ” of the Son of God, not two or more.

Paulus listet Schlüsselereignisse auf, die der Ankunft Jesu am Ende des Zeitalters vorausgehen oder damit zusammenfallen werden . Paulus skizzierte die Ereignisse, die bei oder kurz vor der “ Ankunft ” Jesu in 1. Korinther stattfinden werden. Das griechische Substantiv ‘ Parousia ’ ist einer von mehreren Begriffen, die Paulus auf das zukünftige Kommen des Herrn anwandte. Unabhängig davon, welchen Begriff er verwendete, bezog er sich immer auf ein “ Kommen ”, eine “Erscheinung” oder eine “ Offenbarung ” des Sohnes Gottes, nicht auf zwei (oder mehr).

Das Kommen Jesu wird das Ende der gegenwärtigen Ordnung und den Beginn des kommenden Zeitalters markieren . Jesus wird am “ Ende ” des gegenwärtigen Zeitalters auf die Erde zurückkehren. Seine glorreiche “ Ankunft ... auf den Wolken ” wird zum Gericht der Gottlosen, zur Auferstehung der Gerechten, zur Ankunft der Neuen Schöpfung und zum Ende des Todes führen. Es wird ein Ereignis von großer Endgültigkeit sein.

The coming of Jesus will mark the end of the present order and age, and the commencement of the age to come . Jesus will return to the Earth at the “ end ” of the present age. His glorious “ arrival…on the clouds ” will result in the judgment of the ungodly, the resurrection of the righteous, the arrival of the New Creation, and the termination of death. It will be an event of great finality .

Rumors about the Day of the Lord caused alarm and confusion in the Thessalonian congregation  – 2 Thessalonians 2:1-2. The Apostle Paul addressed rumors and false claims about the “ Day of the Lord " in his second letter to the Thessalonians. Incorrect information concerning Christ’s return had disrupted the congregation. The disinformation was attributed either to a “ spirit ,” word (' logos ' ), or a letter “ as if from ” Paul and his coworkers.

The biblical faith is forward-looking and foundational to our salvation is the resurrection of the dead. That event will coincide with the arrival of Jesus. It is based on the past resurrection of Jesus, and our salvation will remain incomplete until he raises the dead, transforms those believers who remain alive, and “ gathers ” ALL his saints to himself (“ He will send his angels, and they will assemble his elect from the uttermost part of the earth to the uttermost part of heaven ”).

In Chapter 5 of 1 Thessalonians , Paul continues his discussion about the “ coming ” or ‘ parousia ’ of Jesus. But now, he addresses the question of its timing, as well as the different ways it will impact believers and nonbelievers. But rather than provide chronological information, he reminds the Thessalonians that the “ DAY OF THE LORD ” will come like a “ THIEF IN THE NIGHT .” No one except God knows its timing, therefore, believers must remain ever vigilant and prepared for its sudden and unexpected arrival.

According to Jesus, the “ Son of Man ” will arrive “ upon the clouds with great power and glory ” at the end of the present age. At that time, he will dispatch his angels to gather his elect, and he will “ render to each man according to his deeds .” And to those he finds worthy, he will declare, “ Come, you blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world ” – (Matthew 24:27-28).

The arrival of Jesus will mean vindication and rest for the righteous, but everlasting loss for the wicked - 2 Thessalonians 1:5-10. The “ Revelation ” of Jesus “ from Heaven ” will mean vindication and reward for his faithful followers but a great loss to all men and women who reject the Gospel, especially those who persecute the Church. The return of the Lord will generate “ just judgment ” for the righteous and the wicked.

If anyone fails to keep the words of the book, he will be excluded from citizenship in the city of New Jerusalem – Revelation 22:6-21.  The book of concludes with an epilogue that recalls the earlier promises to “ overcoming saints ,” reiterates warnings against faithlessness, summons believers to render homage to God alone, and calls for Jesus to “ come quickly .” Testimony from uncontestable sources attests to the trustworthiness of the “ words of the book .”

Paul responded to concerns about the dead in Christ by pointing to the resurrection that will occur when Jesus arrives from Heaven .  In his first Letter to the Thessalonians, Paul reassured the congregation concerning the participation of saints who die before the ‘ Parousia ’ in the glories of that day. According to him,  BOTH  dead and living saints will assemble and “ meet ” the Lord as he descends from Heaven. Thereafter, they will be with Jesus “ forevermore .” He wrote these words in response to believers who were sorrowing over the deaths of fellow saints.

Foundational to our future hope is bodily Resurrection when Jesus arrives in glory at the End of the Age . Paul’s description of the “ arrival ” or ‘ Parousia ’ of Jesus in his first letter to the Thessalonians was written to comfort believers over the fate of their compatriots who die before Christ’s return. We need not sorrow “ like the others ” since   the righteous dead will be resurrected when the Lord “ arrives ” from Heaven.

The arrival of Jesus at the end of the age will mean the termination of the Last Enemy, Death - 1 Corinthians 15:24-28. Certain members of the Corinthian congregation denied the future resurrection of the righteous. Paul responded by stressing how necessary our resurrection is and pointing to Christ’s Death and Resurrection as the precedent for our bodily resurrection. We will be raised from the dead when he “ arrives .” His appearance will mean nothing less than the termination of Death itself. Death will cease to occur after that final day.

The arrival of Jesus will mean the resurrection of the dead, the commencement of the New Creation, and the final judgment . Several Greek terms are applied by the New Testament to the return of Jesus, including ‘ Parousia ’ (“arrival”), ‘ erchomai ’ (“coming”), ‘ apokalupsis ’ (“revelation”), and ‘ epiphaneia ’ (“appearance”). Regardless of which one is used, it is always singular in number, it always refers to only one future “arrival,” “appearance,” “revelation,” or “coming.”

The coming of Jesus is not a major topic in Paul's letters to the Corinthians though it is in his Thessalonian correspondence. However, he does touch on several aspects of the event, including its identification as the “ Day of the Lord ,” the consummation of God’s kingdom, the resurrection of the righteous, the judgment of the wicked, and the cessation of death.

In his first letter, Peter addresses congregations under pressure to conform to the expectations and values of the surrounding society. Their situation is not unique. They are members of a worldwide suffering community. A key theme of the Letter is the necessity for believers to persevere in tribulations and remain steadfast in holy living until the “ Day of Visitation ” when Jesus will be “ revealed ” from Heaven.

When Jesus is revealed from Heaven, the saints will experience glory, but the wicked will receive everlasting destruction . In his introduction to  First Corinthians , the Apostle Paul describes the members of the congregation as those who are “ eagerly waiting for the Revelation of our Lord Jesus .” The Apostle connects this event to the “ Day of the Lord .”

When Jesus “appears,” faithful believers will rejoice exceedingly and participate fully in the glories of that day .  In his first epistle, John exhorted his congregations to “ abide ” in Jesus so that “ when he appears , we may have boldness and not be shamed away from him at his  arrival .” John was summoning believers to holy living in consideration of the inevitable “ arrival ” of Jesus and the rewards that he will bring with him – ( 1 John 2:28–3:3 ).