Who stands up for God's people? Daniel 12:1 Who is this Michael? Daniel 12:1
The great
NOTE: Many have understood "Michael" to be
another name for Jesus the great prince that stands for God's people.
The archangel is also called Michael ( Jude 9 ). Jesus is returning the
second time with the voice of the archangel ( 1 Thessalonians 4:16 ). Thus it
would seem logical that "Michael" is a reference to Jesus. However, it
must remain very clear that Jesus, even though He may be called an
archangel or "Michael," is still fully God -- not a created being.
Thus, the one who comes to deliver God's people at this time of
apparent defeat is none other than Jesus Himself.
What happens when Michael attempts to deliver
God's people? Daniel 12:1
There will be a time of
NOTE: As Jesus prepares to come to deliver His
people and destroy the final great apostate, the world is plunged into
the greatest time of trouble there ever has been.
What happens to God's people at the end of
this time of trouble? Daniel 12:1
Your people .... will be
NOTE: God's people go through this climactic
time of trouble, but they are delivered.
While those who are alive at this time are
delivered, what happens to those who are dead? Daniel 12:2
Multitudes who sleep in the dust of the earth
will
NOTE: There will be a glorious resurrection of
the righteous at this time!
THE SECOND
COMING OF CHRIST What event delivers God's people and
resurrects the righteous? 1 Thessalonians 4:16, 17
the
NOTE: When Jesus comes, the righteous dead are
resurrected. Those who are alive are delivered and caught up to meet
Jesus in the air. The second coming of Jesus is one of the most
glorious truths in the entire Bible. Numerous passages of the New
Testament speak of this momentous event.
What did Jesus promise to His disciples? John 14:1-3
I will come
NOTE: The second coming of Jesus is based upon
the sure promise of Jesus himself.
How will Jesus come again? Acts 1:9-11
This same Jesus ... will come back in the
NOTE: Jesus will return in the same way that He
ascended. His ascent was visible and personal; therefore, His descent
will be visible and personal.
How many people on earth will see Jesus come
the second time? Matthew 24:30
And
NOTE: The second coming of Jesus will be a
world-encircling event. Not only the righteous, but all the wicked will
see Him. The wicked will mourn His coming, but the righteous will
rejoice.
How many eyes will see Jesus come? Revelation 1:7
And
NOTE: Both the wicked and the righteous will
see Jesus return the second time.
What are Christians to do when somebody tells
them that Jesus is come secretly? Matthew 24:26
Do
NOTE: The Bible is clear. There is nothing
secret about the second coming of Jesus. Anyone who says Jesus is
coming secretly is completely mistaken and the Christian is not to
believe him.
What does Jesus use to describe the
visibility of His second coming? Matthew 24:27 What words does Paul use to indicate that
Jesus will come with much noise? 1 Thessalonians 4:16
For the Lord himself will come down from
heaven, with a
NOTE: There is no silent trumpet! The trumpet
pierces the ear to announce the glad tidings that Jesus has returned
(see also Psalms 50:3 ).
Where do the righteous meet Jesus? 1 Thessalonians 4:16, 17
To meet the Lord in the
NOTE: Jesus does NOT touch the earth when He
comes back the second time. The righteous living and those resurrected
from the dead are caught up to meet Him in the air. At the end of the
thousand years Jesus returns and touches the earth (see Lesson 13), but
not when He comes back the second time.
The Bible uses very strong words to indicate
that the second coming will be accompanied by much noise and
visibility. For centuries it has seemed that God has been silent, but
now, suddenly, at the Second Coming, God speaks; and the whole world
will know it.
IS THERE A
SECRET RAPTURE? One of the popular teachings in the Church
today is the doctrine of the secret rapture. This doctrine asserts that
Jesus will come secretly: one morning several of us will wake up to
discover that many people are missing. What has happened to them? Jesus
has raptured them! Those who are left will then be plunged into a deep
time of trouble when the mark of the beast will be inflicted and the
anti-Christ will appear.
This seems strange in view of the clear Bible
teaching that Jesus will come visibly and personally. The Bible makes
it very plain that the righteous will not be secretly raptured out of
the world before this final time of trouble comes. The will remain here
during the time of trouble, but as they pass through it they will be
protected by the angels of God.
Why has such a doctrine been propounded? The
advocates of the doctrine of the secret rapture believe that God is
going to use the literal nation of Israel in a special way in the last
days. Since God is going to use the nation of Israel as His final
evangelizing agency, there is no longer any need for the church.
Therefore, God raptures the church out of the way so He can use Israel
to evangelize the world. In Lesson 20 we discovered that in New
Testament time, "Israel" refers to the Christian church. The Bible is
clear that the church is God's evangelizing agency to the very end of
time. Therefore, there is no need of a rapture to get rid of the church
so God can use Israel. The foundation of the secret rapture doctrine is
therefore built on shifting sand.
We have examined the many clear texts of the
Bible that indicate that the coming of Jesus will be visible and
personal. Let us now examine another major premise of the rapture
doctrine, namely, that the saints will not be here during the time of
trouble--the final great tribulation--and that the anti-Christ does no
appear until after the so-called "rapture."
Does the book of Daniel indicate that the
saints will be delivered before, or during the time of trouble? Daniel 12:1
NOTE: Daniel is very clear. It is while this
great tribulation is going on for God's people that they are delivered.
The deliverance does not come before the time of trouble, but during,
just as it did to Daniel in the lion's den and the three worthies in
the fiery furnace.
What promise does God give to His people
while the plagues are being pouring out during this time of trouble? Psalms 91:10
No
NOTE: God does not promise deliverance from the
plagues, but deliverance in the midst of the plagues. Troubles will
fall all around, but they will not come upon God's people.
What event is Paul talking about in 2 Thessalonians 2:1 ? Concerning the
NOTE: In this passage Paul is talking about the
second coming of Jesus, when the righteous are gathered with Jesus.
According to Paul, what must happen before
this day of the second coming and our gathering to Jesus occurs? 2 Thessalonians 2:2, 3
That day
NOTE: Those who teach the secret rapture
doctrine state the man of lawlessness, the anti-Christ, will come after
the second coming, when the righteous are gathered to Jesus. Paul, in
contrast, states unequivocally that the day that we are gathered to
Jesus will not come unless the man of lawlessness, the anti-Christ,
comes first.
What will destroy the man of lawlessness? 2 Thessalonians 2:8
and
NOTE: It would seem very strange for the man of
lawlessness, the anti-Christ, to be destroyed by the brightness of
Jesus' second coming, it he doesn't appear until after the second
coming. It is obvious from the Bible that the anti-Christ is fully
revealed before the second coming of Jesus to gather His saints. ( For an understanding of Luke 17:34-37,
"one will be taken and the other left" ).
JESUS IS
COMING Why do the great men of earth cry to the
rocks and mountains to fall on them at the second coming of Jesus? Revelation 6:15, 16
Fall on us and hide us from the
NOTE: To the wicked, the second coming of Jesus
is a day of bitter despair and gloom.
In contrast to the wicked, how do the
righteous respond to the second coming of Jesus? Revelation 19:5, 6
Then a voice came from the throne, saying:
NOTE: What a contrast! The wicked call for the
rocks and mountains to fall on them, and the righteous praise and exalt
God because Jesus has come.
What does the Bible call the second coming of
Jesus? Titus 2:13 Can we know the exact time of the second
coming of Jesus? Matthew 24:26 one
knows... but only the Can we know that the second coming is near? Matthew 24:32, 33
! We
can know that it is near, right at the
NOTE: While we do not know the exact day of
Jesus' return, we can know that it is near.
What celestial signs did Jesus give to
indicate that mankind has arrived at the last days? Matthew 24:29
The sun will be
NOTE: Immediately after the tribulation of the
Dark Ages, there occurred these great celestial signs to indicate that
we have come to the time of the end.
On May 19, 1780 (just 18 years before the fall
of Papal Rome) the great dark day in North America took place. On this
particular day an inky black darkness crept across the land. John
Greenleaf Whittier, the famous poet, wrote the poem "Abraham Davenport" in which he described the great dark day. In some places the
darkness was so great that people could not read print in the open air
at mid day. That night the full moon was blood red.
Likewise, on November 12, 1833 (just 11 years
before the beginning the Judgment in 1844) there occurred the greatest meteoric shower in history , in which an estimated billion shooting stars fell visible
above the United States and Canada. These great celestial signs
indicated the approach of the predicted time of the end.
Since Jesus is coming soon, what should
Christians do? Matthew 24:42 Are you ready and watching for the second
coming?
