Second Coming, when, where, and how?

Question: Dear Dr. Roane, what do you think about the Second Coming of Jesus? I am so confused when I listen to some preachers on television and radio. What about Matthew 24:29?

Answer: Well, once again to give you a quick answer again, not much when I hear the rants and pontifications of some of the doomsayers. In principle some of what they say is correct. Times will increasingly grow worst; men shall be lovers of pleasure more than lovers of God. That we can be sure of; as someone has said, you judge the future by the past, and, personally, I don’t see human behavior changing all that much, especially without Jesus. One thing I am sure of is that no born-again Christian will suffer the wrath of God 

I find it interesting that In Josephus Wars (vi. 5, § 2) that we have the records of false prophecy in connection with Judæa and Jerusalem. Up to the last moment of the capture of the city by Titus (70 AD) that men were buoyed up with false hopes of deliverance, based on the predictions of fanatics and impostors, so I am not so sure that we shall be delivered from all of the so-called Great Tribulation (Matthew 24:21) that shall transpire during the end times.

Benson Commentary has this to say concerning Matthew 24:29.

Immediately after, &c. — We now come to the last act of this dismal tragedy, the destruction of Jerusalem, and the final dissolution of the Jewish polity in church and state, which our Lord, for several reasons, might not think fit to declare nakedly and plainly, and therefore chose to clothe his discourse in figurative language. Commentators, indeed, have generally understood this, and what follows, of the end of the world, and of Christ’s coming to judgment: but the words, immediately after the tribulation of those days, show evidence that he is not speaking of any distant event, but of something immediately consequent upon the tribulation, before mentioned, and that must be the destruction of the Temple and city of Jerusalem, and the abolition of the Jewish polity, civil and religious. It is true, his figures are very strong, but not stronger than those used by the ancient prophets upon similar occasions. The Prophet Isaiah speaks in the same manner of the destruction of Babylon, Isaiah 13:10, The stars of heaven and the constellations thereof shall not give their light; the sun shall be darkened in his going forth, and the moon shall not cause her light to shine. The Prophet Ezekiel describes in similar terms the destruction coming on Egypt, Ezekiel 32:7-8. When I shall put thee out, I will cover the heaven, and make the stars thereof dark; I will cover the sun with a cloud, and the moon shall not give her light. The Prophet Daniel also uses similar language, when speaking of the slaughter of the Jews by the little horn, meaning probably Antiochus Epiphanes: And it waxed great even unto the host of heaven, and cast down some of the host and of the stars to the ground, and stamped upon them. And lastly, God, by Joel, foretelling this very same destruction of Jerusalem, Joel 2:30-31, says, I will show wonders in heaven and in the earth, blood, and fire, and pillars of smoke. The sun shall be turned into darkness and the moon into blood. So that great commotions and revolutions upon earth are often represented by commotions and changes in the heavens.

Now, in reference to Luke 20:34, I feel that we Pentecostals are stretching the allegory a bit too far when we try and separate Joel’s prophecy from Peter’s sermon on the Day of Pentecost. I for one find it most difficult to get it past 70 AD when Titus razed the walls and city proper of Jerusalem. And I am not alone in this. Here is what Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible has to say:

In that day, he which shall be upon the housetop... Either for diversion or devotion, when he shall hear that the Roman armies are approaching Jerusalem, to besiege it: and his stuff in the house; or "his vessels", his goods and furniture; or his utensils, and instruments of trade and business: let him not come down; the inner way of the house, from the top: to take it away; with him in his flight, but let him descend by the steps, or ladder, on the outside of the house, and make his escape directly to Pella, or the mountains: and he that is in the field; at work, and has laid down his clothes in some certain part of the field, or at home: let him likewise not return back; to fetch them, but make the best of his way as he is; See Gill on Matthew 24:17 and See Gill on Matthew 24:18.

So, in my opinion, we need to take a second look at some of the text proofing that we use to describe our days.

Now, the simple fact is that no one knows when Jesus is coming again, but rest assured He will. During the meantime, we preachers must be careful to properly and scripturally context anything we say about that awesome day when the Son of Man will return.

So, I would be careful and not put too much stock in the so-called blood moons or as with the 99 Reasons as with the false prophecy that Christ was going to return in 1999. Both of which, in my opinion, were just imaginations conjured up in an over-eager mind. "A magisterium of one," I call it cocksure that they and they alone had the key to interpreting Scripture as to when Christ was going to return. One thing for sure, tribulations come and go, but God's final wrath is permanent and something we born-again Christians must not fear (1 Thessalonians 5:9). 

Trust this helps,

Take care, and remember He cares for you!

 JimR_/

P.S. For an interesting analysis of this subject see "Got Questions?"