Jesus Is Coming Soon?

Jim Reeves

Description

Jesus said he was coming soon. All his disciples and the writers of the New Testament heard what he said and believed he would return during their lifetime. Over two thousand years later, most Christian people believe he has still not come, yet continue to claim he is coming soon. Is it possible we have totally missed something from the Scriptures about this second coming of Christ? It may surprise you to learn Jesus explained in very clear, understandable terms not only when he was coming back but, more importantly, why. Over the past years there have been hundreds of "prophesies" about when Jesus was coming and when the world would end. All of them have proven to be false, doing little more than casting doubt on the credibility of the Bible and the faithfulness of God. Perhaps it is time we took a fresh look at what the Bible actually says about the end times. There are a lot of differing opinions about the "second coming," the "end of the world," the "last days," and a host of other topics associated with the promised coming of Jesus. This book examines what the Scriptures actually say about these topics and how they all fit perfectly into God's plan to redeem mankind from the consequences of sin. Jesus Is Coming Soon? presents a clear, easy to understand explanation about these "end time" events. And it is an exciting and positive message. God's plan for the world was, is, and always be its salvation...not its destruction! You will be glad you read this book.

Sujets

• Philosophie et théologie
• Christian theology

Informations

• Publié par: First Edition Design Publishing
• Date de parution: 01 octobre 2016
• Nombre de lectures: 0
• EAN13: 9781506902524
• Langue: English

Extrait

Jesus Is Coming Soon?

by
Jim Reeves

First Edition Design Publishing
Sarasota, Florida USA
Jesus Is Coming Soon?
Copyright ©2016 Jim Reeves

ISBN 978-1506-902-53-1 PRINT
ISBN 978-1506-902-52-4 EBOOK

LCCN 2016945322

June 2016

Published and Distributed by
First Edition Design Publishing, Inc.
P.O. Box 20217, Sarasota, FL 34276-3217
www.firsteditiondesignpublishing.com



ALL R I G H T S R E S E R V E D. No p a r t o f t h i s b oo k pub li ca t i o n m a y b e r e p r o du ce d, s t o r e d i n a r e t r i e v a l s y s t e m , o r t r a n s mit t e d i n a ny f o r m o r by a ny m e a ns ─ e l e c t r o n i c , m e c h a n i c a l , p h o t o - c o p y , r ec o r d i n g, or a ny o t h e r ─ e x ce pt b r i e f qu ot a t i o n i n r e v i e w s , w i t h o ut t h e p r i o r p e r mi ss i on o f t h e a u t h o r or publisher .

All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible,

New International Version®. NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by International

Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved.
From the cowardice that shrinks from new truth,
From the laziness that is content with half-truth,
From the arrogance that thinks it knows all truth,
O God of Truth, deliver us!
~ Ancient Prayer
TABLE OF CONTENTS

Introduction . 1

Chapter 1 Understanding God’s Time . 7
Chapter 2 The Time Of The End . 23
Chapter 3 The Last Days 33
Chapter 4 The End Of The World . 49
Chapter 5 The Atonement Sacrifice . 66
Chapter 6 The Kingdom Of Heaven . 81
Chapter 7 What Did Jesus Really Say? 96
Conclusion So What’s Next? 119

About The Author 121
Introduction

Jesus is coming soon? Of all the adjectives that might be used to describe one’s expectations about the second coming of Jesus, if he has not come in over 2000 years, soon is certainly not one of them. Yet, it was Jesus who said he was coming soon . If he did not return as promised, he was not the Son of God and Christianity is a false religion. It may surprise you to know that Jesus explained in easily understandable terms exactly when and why he was coming back…soon.
The Bible is the most incredible book ever written. It has been translated into virtually every language in the world and, although it is impossible to know the exact number of copies in print, recent estimates put the total between five and six billion copies! Without question it is the most renowned and influential literature ever produced. It has been the guiding force for individuals and nations, has been the basis for constitutions and governments, and has greatly influenced all civilization.
It is also the most controversial book ever written. Some, including this author, view the Bible as the divinely inspired, infallible word of the Almighty God. Some see it as a book of interesting stories and fables; others consider it just one of many good books containing worthwhile moral principles and religious teachings, while many believe it to be the greatest hoax ever perpetrated on mankind.
One’s view of the Bible depends entirely on how well he or she understands its contents. It is not just a collection of unrelated writings from many authors about various subjects and periods of history. It is one consistent story written by 40 different people over a period of almost 1500 years. Many of the Old Testament books contain prophecies of things that would happen hundreds of years in the future, yet every one of them happened exactly when and how they were predicted. Much of the New Testament is an explanation of how all the Old Testament prophecies were fulfilled, primarily in the person and work of Jesus Christ. Every book of the Bible is a part of one story…how God would redeem mankind from the consequences of sin. It is the most exciting and incredible story ever told.
That a book could be written over such a long period of time by so many different people about one story and contain no inconsistencies or contradictions is part of the overwhelming evidence that the Bible is the inspired word of the living God. People who choose not to believe in God are quick to point out all the differences and contradictions in doctrines taught by those who claim to be Christians and followers of the Scriptures. Their claims are based, not on what the Bible actually says, but on what different religious teachers say it says.
No religious subject has cast more doubt on the authenticity of the Holy Scriptures, nor caused more harm to the church of Jesus Christ, than modern interpretations of what is referred to by many as the “second coming of Christ.” That Jesus said he was going to come again is a fact that cannot be disputed. When and why he said he would return are the points of all the misunderstanding and confusion. Our failure to properly study and understand the Scriptures that refer to the “last days,” the “coming of the Lord” and many other such terms have led to a plethora of false ideas and teachings, even among Christian churches.
Atheists are quick to point out the inconsistency in our theology and denounce Christianity as a false religion and Jesus as a fake. Even many Christian writers publically say the apostles misunderstood Jesus and were mistaken in their belief about the timing of his coming. In his essay, The World’s Last Night , the renowned Christian writer C. S. Lewis wrote the following in 1960:
“Say what you like, the apocalyptic beliefs of the first Christians have been proven to be false. It is clear from the New Testament that they all expected the Second Coming in their own lifetime. And, worse still, they had a reason, and one you will find very embarrassing. Their Master had told them so. He shared, and indeed created, their delusion. He said in so many words, ‘this generation shall not pass till all these things be done.’ And He was wrong. He clearly knew no more about the end of the world than anyone else. It is certainly the most embarrassing verse in the Bible.”

Lewis is correct in his assessment of what Jesus said and what his disciples believed. Eschatology (a study of the “end times”) is no insignificant subject in the Scriptures. The imminent return of Jesus is a consistent, recurring theme throughout the entire New Testament. Many sincere people, in an effort to explain why they believe he did not returned as expected, have come up with a variety of explanations. Predictions of Jesus’ return have become commonplace and they have all proven to be false. The prevalent “left behind” philosophy proclaimed by most Christian churches today is simply not supported by Scripture and undermines the credibility of God and his word.
Perhaps we should look more closely at what the Scriptures actually say. Jesus and the apostles not only explained when the Lord would return, but they also explained why his return was necessary. His “second coming” was an integral part of the atonement sacrifice and fits perfectly within the overall story of redemption. If we understand why Jesus said he would return then we will understand when he said he was coming.
Christians have a mission with a message. Like Moses speaking to the Israelites before they entered the Promised Land, we set before the world a life and death choice. It is a positive message of hope because one can choose life. But it is also a choice based on reason and understanding. This challenge was the conclusion of Moses’ message in Deuteronomy 30. At the beginning of the previous chapter we read , “Your eyes have seen all that the Lord did in Egypt to Pharaoh, to all his officials and to all his land. With your own eyes you saw those great trials, those miraculous signs and great wonders. But to this day the Lord has not given you a mind that understands or eyes that see or ears that hear. During the forty years that I led you through the desert, your clothes did not wear out, nor did the sandals on your feet. You ate no bread and drank no wine or other fermented drink. I did this so that you might know that I am the Lord your God” (Deuteronomy 29:1-6). He goes on to tell them of one thing after another they had witnessed proving the goodness and faithfulness of God. Then, based on all the evidence, he tells them to choose between this faithful God who had led them from Egypt and through the wilderness for the past forty years, or the gods in the land they would soon enter.
What if Moses had promised them God was going to part the Red Sea, but it had never happened? What if Moses had promised them God would send meat in the wilderness, but it had never come? What if, after spending 40 years in the wilderness, they were not able to cross the Jordan River and move into the land God had promised them? Suppose Moses kept trying to explain to them God was going to do what he promised…SOME DAY? Now suppose those promises had not come to pass after thousands of years? How much credibility would Moses or his God have? Would there be any reason to “choose life” when other things that had been promised never came to pass?
That is precisely what is happening in the world today with the message of the gospel of Christ. Rather than hearing the simple truth of the Gospel and a reasonable, understandable and consistent explanation of Scripture, the world has witnessed decades of confused doctrine and failed prophecies. Moses based his plea for people to choose life on the faithfulness of God to keep his word. If people today, listening to television evangelists and a growing list of other preachers and teachers who make endless promises and prophecies that never come true, use the same criteria to judge the message of the modern church, how can anyone reasonably expect them to choose life? Only by getting back to the Bible and presenting God’s complete, understandable message can there be any hope of fulfilling our mission.
2 Corinthians 5:17-21, “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, h