The Raymer enterprise., 1920-03-18

4 then the attitude
of the Christians
Of Thessalonica should be the attitude
Of Christians today.
A careful study Of the Scriptures
will convince one that the truth Of
the second coming holds very large
place. Those who have counted tell
US that the second coming is men-
toned 3l8 times In the 26O chapters
Of the New Testament. The late DR..
James H. Brookes Of st. Louis says
that one verse In twenty-five refers to
this fact. Any one familiar with the
Old Testament prophecies knows that
vastly more Is said In them about the
second coming Of Christ than there is
about his first advent This Is one
reason why Israel failed to recognize
her Messiah. Israel, taken up with
these prophecies which tell Of his
glory failed to give consideration to
the prophecies which foretold his
humiliation, suffering and death. No
wonder that when he came they
failed to recognize In him the one
about whom the prophets had written
such glorious things.
Christ himself many times predicted
his return, and always in the clearest
Of terms. In John IA :3 he says: III
/ 90 and prepare place for you l will
come again and receive you unto my.
self; that where l am there ye may
be ALSO" Again, "For the Son OF
man shall come in the glory Of his
Father" Matt. :20).
The references by Christ to his Sec
ond coming are so numerous that we
can refer to only one more Of his
words concerning John spoken after
his resurrection. In answer to Peter:
"If he (John) tarry till l come what
is that to thee?" John q :22). Here
we have distinct reference by Christ
| to his second coming. and following 1t
the saying that went forth concerning
John, that he should not die. But the
writer adds: Jesus said not unto
him he shall not die; but II l will that
he tarry till come, what Is that to
| thee?" Now this should make 1t clear
that the death of the believer Is not
the second coming Of Christ. Death
| is spoken Of In the Scriptures as an
| enemy, while the second coming Is
called the blessed hope. II any passage
about the second coming Of Christ is
| taken and the word death substituted
for Christ, or the term used to refer
to him or his coming, 1t will be at
once seen how ridiculous It is to In
terpret the second coming Of Christ
as the death of the believer.
We should also note that Christ al
ways distinguished between the Holy
Spirit and himself, so that by no
means can the coming Of the Holy
Spirit on the day of Pentecost or to
the believer be interpreted as the re-
turn of our Lord from heaven.
Neither can the destruction Of
Jerusalem by Titus be considered as
the Lords return, for the Lord said
to John, on the Island OF Patmos,
about thirty years after that event ::
"Surely come quickly" to which the
aged apostle prayed In response !:
"Amen. Even so come, Lord Jesus"
(Rev. % 10Y.
Many, when they hear of the Lords
return, think that thereby is meant
the end of the world, but that is not
the case as will be evident. II the
events that are to follow his return
are studied. II will save from con-
fusion, as this Is done, II II is under
stood that Scripture clearly re-
veals what we may call two stages In
our Lords coming: First. his coming
In the air and gathering to himself
there his redeemed Il Thess 4:16-
10; and then his coming with his
people to the earth to set up thereon
his kingdom Matt. Is :31-32). Great
natural and governmental changes will
then take place on the earth. Its
golden age will have dawned, the
desert shall blossom as rose. no
man shall say. Know ye the Lord
for all shall know him. and peace on
earth shall prevail, for he whose
right 1t is to rule shall reign.
crowned King Of Kings and Lord Of
all.
The second coming Of Christ then is
not something to be dreaded as some
would have US believe, but to be ex-
pectantly looked and longed for. II
should be the hope Of the church and
find Its place In our life and practice.
1t does not. II properly held, make
one a crank. but an earnest Chris
tian; not a star gazer, but a servant
who Is always about his Masters
business and always ready, though be
know not the hour his Lord shall re.