February 22

THE “SECOND” COMING “?”

According to J. Preston Eby:

-"It may surprise many people to learn that the Bible nowhere speaks of the “second coming” of Christ. We must purge our conversation, purify our terminology, and remove from our consciousness the multitude of non-scriptural and extra biblical expressions carried over from Mystery Babylon." ( Looking For His Appearing, J. Preston Eby )

-We have been taught by man to think in terms of the first and second coming of Christ, rather than looking to the Bible which speaks of the progressive revelation of Jesus Christ, and of His progressive comings. This thought is brought out in Micah 5:2.

-Micah 5:2 states, … Who is to be ruler in Israel, Whose GOINGS FORTH have been of old, from everlasting … ( Notice GOINGS is plural ) Let us now arrive at the mature understanding of the GOINGS FORTH of the Lord, for the Bible speaks of many comings of the Lord.

-The Lord comes:

-WITH CLOUDS

-AS LIGHTNING

-AS A THIEF

-AS THE BRIDEGROOM

-AS THE MORNING STAR

-AS THE SON OF RIGHTEOUSNESS ARISING

-IN RESURRECTION POWER

-IN FLAMING FIRE

-AS REFINER’S FIRE AND FULLERS’ SOAP

-IN THE AIR

-AS THE RAIN

-ON A WHITE HORSE

-AS KING

-AS THE CHIEF SHEPHERD

-WITH HIS ANGELS

-WITH HIS SAINTS

-TO HIS SAINTS

-IN HIS SAINTS

-IN JUDGMENT

-WITH REWARDS

-WITH A SHOUT

-WITH THE VOICE OF THE ARCHANGEL

-WITH THE TRUMP OF GOD

-TO THE MOUNT OF OLIVES

-TO HIS TEMPLE

-IN GLORY

-AS LORD

-IN HIS KINGDOM

-AS SEASONS OF REFRESHING

-ETC.

-ETC.

-Are you getting the point yet? We have limited Jesus Christ to a first and second coming ( which words are not even found in the Bible ), and we have totally missed the point of HIS PROGRESSIVE REVELATION TO MANKIND. THESE COMINGS OF THE LORD ARE TO BE CHARACTERIZED AS HIS GOINGS FORTH.

-The Greek word "parousia", which occurs twenty-four times in the New Testament, comes from the verb "paremi", which means at hand, or to be present. "Parousia" denotes the presence of one who has already arrived. THE COMING OF THE LORD IS ACTUALLY HIS PRESENCE. James 5:7 states, … Be patient unto the coming ( presence ) of the Lord…

-HIS GOINGS FORTH HAVE BEEN OF OLD, FROM EVERLASTING!-