ALL SCRIPTURE IS INSPIRED BY GOD

All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work (2 Timothy 3:16-17, NIV).

All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works (2 Timothy 3:16-17, KJV).

CONCERNING THE COMING OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST AND OUR BEING GATHERED TO HIM, WE ASK YOU, BROTHERS, NOT TO BECOME EASILY UNSETTLED OR ALARMED BY SOME PROPHECY, REPORT OR LETTER SUPPOSED TO HAVE COME FROM US, SAYING THAT THE DAY OF THE LORD HAS ALREADY COME ,DON'T LET ANYONE DECEIVE YOU IN ANY WAY, FOR THAT DAY WILL NOT COME UNTIL THE REBELLION OCCURS AND THE MAN OF LAWLESSNESS ("the Antichrist") IS REVEALED, THE MAN DOOMED TO DESTRUCTION ( 2 Thessalonians 2: 1-3, NIV).

HE (JESUS) MUST REMAIN IN HEAVEN UNTIL THE TIME COMES FOR GOD TO RESTORE EVERYTHING, AS HE PROMISED LONG AGO THROUGH HIS HOLY PROPHETS (Acts 3:21, NIV).

This is how it will be at the end of the age. The angels will come and separate the wicked from the righteous and throw them into the fiery furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth (Matt.13:49-50, NIV).

THE TRUTH ABOUT THE SECOND COMING OF JESUS

AND

THE RAPTURE OF THE CHURCH

The Glorious Appearing is a book on prophecy in which the author points out the false teaching of many authors and Bible teachers concerning the Second Coming of Jesus, the resurrection, the day of judgment, the rapture of the Church, the descent of unbelievers, the millennium and the commencement of eternity.

These authors and Bible teachers believe in one or more of the following: 1) There will be two Second Comings of Jesus, one at the time of the rapture and the other at the end of the Tribulation. 2) After the rapture, a great number of unbelievers, who will be left behind, will be saved. 3)There will be more than one future bodily resurrection. 4) There will be more than one day of judgment. 5) After the judgment at the Second Coming, Jesus will reign for a thousand years (millennial reign). During that reign, believers ,Jews and Gentiles, will live in natural bodies and have children. 6) There will be two Second Comings of Jesus, one at the end of the tribulation and the other at the end of the thousand years. 7) There will be a thousand years of peace and righteousness before the Second Coming.

The doctrines of these authors and Bible teachers are rejected by the following Scriptures.

According to the Scriptures, there will be only one Second Coming of Jesus and it will take place at the end of the age, that is, at the end of the Tribulation (Matt. 13: 36-43; Matt.24:29-31; Matt. 25:31-46; Acts 3:21; Heb. 9:27-28; 2 Pet.3: 7,10-13; Rev. 19:11-21).

The Scriptures teach that there will be only one resurrection of both the righteous and the unrighteous (Dan. 12:2, John 5:28-29; Acts 24:15) and only one day of judgment for all humanity (Acts 17:31; 2 Tim. 4:1; 2 Pet. 3: 3-13; Rev. 11: 15-19).

Therefore the teaching of more than one Second Coming of Jesus, more than one future bodily resurrection and more than one day of judgment is false.

When Jesus comes, he will judge the living and the dead. The righteous will be raptured into the kingdom of God (eternal life) and the unrighteous will descend into the fiery furnace (eternal punishment) (Matt 11:23-24; Matt. 13:42-43; Matt.25:31-46; Luke 10:14-15; 2 Tim.4:1; Rev. 21:1-8).

WHEN THE RAPTURE AND DESCENT TAKE PLACE, NO ONE WILL BE LEFT BEHIND. At that moment, there will be no believers or unbelievers in natural bodies (physical bodies) with the capability of having children ( Matt. 13: 36-43; Matt. 25: 31-46; Luke 20: 34-36;1 Cor.15:50-52; Phil.3:20-21; Col. 3: 4).

Therefore, the teaching of a thousand-year reign of Jesus, following the judgment at his Second Coming, in which believers will have children, is false.

The Scripture also shows that the eternal reign of Christ will commence at the end of the Tribulation. We read:

The seventh angel sounded his trumpet, and there were loud voices in heaven, which said: The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ, and he will reign for ever and ever (Rev. 11:15, NIV).

Jesus taught that there will be wars and rumours of wars before his Second Coming (Matt. 24:6).

Therefore the teaching of a thousand years of peace and righteousness before the Second Coming of Jesus is false.

In looking at prophecy in connection with the Second Coming of Jesus, the end of this age and the commencement of eternity, it is necessary to study carefully the Book of Revelation. In Chapter 20, verses one to seven, the phrases a thousand years and the thousand years are recorded six times. Are the numbers a thousand years and the thousand years literal or symbolic? Those who teach that the thousand years are literal and future also teach that there will be more than one future resurrection and more than one future day of judgment.

But the Scriptures clearly teach only one future bodily resurrection of both the righteous and the unrighteous (Dan. 12:2; John 5:28-29; Acts 24:15) and only one future day of judgment for all humanity ( Matt.25:31-46; Luke 10:14-15; 2 Tim.4:1; 2 Pet.3:3-13).

We conclude from Scripture that the thousand years and a thousand years mentioned in the Book of Revelation, chapter twenty, verses one to seven, are not literal but symbolic and they are being fulfilled now.

What about the first resurrection mentioned in the Book of Revelation ? Blessed and holy are those who have part in the first resurrection (Rev. 20:6, NIV). Is the first resurrection a spiritual resurrection? We read of a spiritual resurrection in John's Gospel. I tell you the truth, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be condemned; he has crossed over from death to life. I tell you the truth, a time is coming and has now come when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God and those who hear will live (John 5: 24-25, NIV).

THE SECOND COMING

The time of tribulation is described as a time, times and half a time (3 1/2 years or 42 months) (Daniel 7:25; Revelation 13:5). The following Scriptures prove beyond a reasonable doubt that the Second Coming of Jesus, the rapture of the Church, the descent of unbelievers and the commencement of eternity will take place after the time of tribulation, at the end of the age.

HE (JESUS) MUST REMAIN IN HEAVEN UNTIL THE TIME COMES FOR GOD TO RESTORE EVERYTHING, AS HE PROMISED LONG AGO THROUGH HIS HOLY PROPHETS (Acts 3:21, NIV).

The field is the world, and the good seed stands for the sons of the kingdom. The weeds are the sons of the evil one, and the enemy who sows them is the devil. The harvest is the end of the age, and the harvesters are angels. ... The Son of Man will send out his angels, and they will weed out of his kingdom everything that causes sin and all who do evil. They will throw them into the fiery furnace , where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. He who has ears, let him hear (Matthew 13: 38-39, 41-43,NIV).

Immediately after the distress of those days, the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; the stars will fall from the sky, and the heavenly bodies will be shaken. At that time the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky, and all the nations of the earth will mourn. They will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of the sky, with power and great glory. And he will send his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of the heavens to the other ( Matthew 24: 29-31, NIV).

There will be signs in the sun, moon and stars. On the earth, nations will be in anguish and perplexity at the roaring and tossing of the sea. Men will faint from terror, apprehensive of what is coming on the world, for the heavenly bodies will be shaken. At that time they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. When these things begin to take place, stand up and lift up your heads, because your redemption is drawing near (Luke 21:25-28, NIV).

CONCERNING THE COMING OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST AND OUR BEING GATHERED TO HIM, WE ASK YOU, BROTHERS, NOT TO BECOME EASILY UNSETTLED OR ALARMED BY SOME PROPHECY, REPORT OR LETTER SUPPOSED TO HAVE COME FROM US, SAYING THAT THE DAY OF THE LORD HAS ALREADY COME. DON'T LET ANYONE DECEIVE YOU IN ANY WAY, FOR THAT DAY WILL NOT COME UNTIL THE REBELLION OCCURS AND THE MAN OF LAWLESSNESS ( "the Antichrist " ) IS REVEALED, THE MAN DOOMED TO DESTRUCTION (2 Thessalonians 2: 1-3, NIV).

For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever. Therefore encourage each other with these words. Now , brothers, about times and dates we do not need to write to you, for you know very well that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. While people are saying, 'Peace and safety,' destruction will come on them suddenly, as labor pains on a pregnant woman, and they will not escape ( 1 Thess. 4:16 -5:3, NIV).

By the same word the present heavens and earth are reserved for fire, being kept for the day of judgment and destruction of ungodly men. ... But the day of the Lord will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything in it will be laid bare. Since everything will be destroyed in this way, what kind of people ought you to be? You ought to live holy and godly lives as you look forward to the day of God and speed its coming. That day will bring about the destruction of the heavens by fire, and the elements will melt in the heat. But in keeping with his promise we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth, the home of righteousness ( 2 Pet. 3: 7, 10-13, NIV).

When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his throne in heavenly glory. All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left. ... Then he will say to those on his left, 'Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. ... 'Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life' (Matt. 25: 31-33, 41, 46, NIV).

THE DAY OF JUDGMENT (RAPTURE AND DESCENT)

And you, Capernaum, will you be lifted up to the skies? No, you will go down to the depths. If the miracles that were performed in you had been performed in Sodom, it would have remained to this day. But I tell you that it will be more bearable for Sodom on the day of judgment than for you (Matthew 11:23-24, NIV).

ETERNITY WITH GOD

I declare to you, brothers, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable. Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed, in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. For the perishable must clothe itself with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality ( 1 Corinthians 15: 50-53, NIV).

But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, who, by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body (Philippians 3: 20-21, NIV).

When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory ( Colossians 3:4, NIV).

The people of this age marry and are given in marriage. But those who are considered worthy of taking part in that age and in the resurrection from the dead will neither marry nor be given in marriage, and they can no longer die; for they are like the angels. They are God's children, since they are children of the resurrection (Luke 20: 34-36, NIV).

Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, 'Now the dwelling of God is with men, and he will live with them.They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away' ( Revelation 21: 1-4, NIV).

ETERNITY WITH SATAN

If anyone worships the beast and his image and receives his mark on the forehead or on the hand, he, too, will drink of the wine of God's fury, which has been poured full strength into the cup of his wrath. He will be tormented with burning sulfur in the presence of the holy angels and of the Lamb. And the smoke of their torment rises for ever and ever. There is no rest day or night for those who worship the beast and his image, or for anyone who receives the mark of his name (Revelation 14: 9-11, NIV).

But the cowardly, the unbelieving, the vile, the murderers, the sexually immoral, those who practice magic arts, the idolaters and all liars – their place will be in the fiery lake of burning sulfur. This is the second death ( Revelation 21: 8, NIV).

And the devil, who deceived them, was thrown into the lake of burning sulfur, where the beast and the false prophet had been thrown. They will be tormented day and night for ever and ever (Revelation 20: 10, NIV).

Dear reader, you have a decision to make. You can accept the doctrine of man or you can acknowledge the authority of Scripture. Please remember that all Scripture is inspired by GOD (2 Tim.3:16,NIV).

As believers in Jesus Christ, the Scriptures warn us about false teachers. We read:

For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables (2 Timothy 4:3-4, KJV).