The Coming Of The Lord

Summary:  If we examine every occurrence of the phrase referring to the coming of the Lord, we will find that there is never an additional phrase “second time” attached to it. In other words, the expression THE SECOND COMING OF THE LORD does not appear in the Bible, for the Lord has come, is coming, and will continue to come into our inner being—whether through joyful or difficult circumstances—to transform us into His image and likeness. Certainly, at the culmination of His coming, the Lord Jesus will return to judge His church, and as His chosen people, we will be revealed before all creation to set it free from the bondage of decay and bring it into the glorious freedom of the children of Elohim (Romans 8:19–21).

Call to action: As we wait for and hasten the coming of the Day of the Lord, by His grace, let us take part in building His church according to the pattern He established in the Book of Acts—namely, “the church from house to house.”

The theme of the coming of the Lord is a very important theme declared in the Bible. However, the question is whether our understanding of the coming of the Lord is truly in accordance with what the Bible means. In general, the understanding among Christians about the coming of the Lord refers to the second physical coming of the Lord Jesus, accompanied by preceding events such as the great tribulation, the coming of the Antichrist with the mark of the number 666, the rapture of believers, and so on.

But let us examine these understandings one by one to see whether this is truly what the Bible teaches. The first thing we must examine is the term ‘the second coming of the Lord’. Does the Bible actually teach that Jesus Christ will come a second time? If we examine every occurrence of the phrase referring to the coming of the Lord, we will find that there is never an additional phrase “second time” attached to it. In other words, the expression THE SECOND COMING OF THE LORD does not appear in the Bible. This is something important for us to understand clearly. Generally, Christians always associate the phrase “the coming of the Lord” with a future event which they call His second coming.

The Bible mentions the coming of the Lord many times in ways that are completely unrelated to the idea of a second coming, because the Bible speaks about the coming of the Lord in various ways (manifestations), to various people or particular communities, and at specific times. Let us look at several examples of the coming of the Lord mentioned in the Bible.

In the New Testament, Christ is said to come ‘with the clouds’, come ‘like lightning’, come ‘like a thief’, come ‘with the voice of an angel’, come ‘with the trumpet of God’, come ‘as the bridegroom’, come ‘as the King’, come ‘as the morning star’, come ‘as the judge’, come ‘as the Savior’, come ‘into His temple’, come ‘to the Mount of Olives’, come ‘riding a white horse’, come ‘as the good shepherd’, come ‘in His kingdom’, come ‘in glory’, come ‘upon His throne’, come ‘with His angels’, come ‘with His saints’, come ‘to His saints’, come ‘in His saints’, and so on, and so on. All these comings that we have mentioned DO NOT REFER TO A SECOND COMING. Our understanding of His coming will become very confused if we think that He comes only twice—first, His coming 2000 years ago, and then His “second coming” sometime in the future. In reality, the Bible emphasizes that the Lord ‘has come, is coming, and will come’. He comes continuously and progressively reveals Himself until His entire plan is fulfilled.

If we can leave behind the concept of “the second coming of the Lord” and begin to understand that His coming is progressive until His whole plan is completed, then we can begin to understand what the Bible truly means regarding His coming.

We have already mentioned that the understanding of “the second physical coming of Jesus” is an understanding that does not have a strong biblical foundation. Now we will briefly examine six Greek terms related to His coming. In later writings, we will explain them in greater detail.

The first Greek term is PAROUSIA. This term appears 24 times in the New Testament and comes from the verb ‘paremi’, which means ‘to be present’. The noun form means ‘presence’. ‘Parousia’ never refers to the act of arriving, but rather to the presence of someone who has already come. In the New Testament, the use of the term ‘Parousia’ is never associated with the physical coming of the Lord. Therefore, ‘Parousia’ means presence. Where two or three are gathered in His name, there the Lord is present. That is ‘His presence’. That is His coming.

The second Greek term is APOKALUPSIS. This term comes from the verb ‘apokalupto’, which means ‘to uncover’ or ‘to reveal’, emphasizing a revelation. This means the unveiling of someone who was previously hidden.

The third Greek term is EPIPHANEIA. This term appears six times in the New Testament. It comes from a verb meaning ‘to bring to light’ or ‘to appear’. The noun means ‘manifestation’. This term is used to express the glory and splendor manifested by the coming of the Lord.

The fourth Greek term is PHANEROO. This term means to make something visible or manifest. However, it does not necessarily mean a visible presence to the physical eye, but rather a perception.

The next Greek term is ERCHOMAI. This term refers to the actual action of coming. It is not the same as Parousia, which refers to the presence of someone who has already come. Erchomai is used in Revelation 1:7: “Behold, He comes (an action of coming) with the clouds…”

The sixth Greek term is HEKO. This word emphasizes arrival at a particular place. It appears in Revelation 2:25: “But hold fast what you have until I come.”

Of course, these six Greek terms do not mean there are six different types of the Lord’s coming. However, the different uses of these terms help us understand the meaning intended in a text that speaks about the coming of the Lord. We will discuss each of these terms in greater detail in later writings. For now, it is enough for us to understand that ‘the coming of the Lord does not necessarily have to be a physical coming’.

In Matthew 5:17 it is written, “Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them.” Thus, Jesus came to fulfill the Law. The rabbis summarized the Law into a total of 613 commandments which they believed God gave to Moses on Mount Sinai. Of these, 248 were called mandatory laws, and the other 365 were called prohibition laws.

The regulations concerning the feasts fall into the category of festivals (rules no. 154–170). The rabbis were very strict with these regulations, but they did not realize that all these regulations were only shadows, while the reality is Christ (Colossians 2:17). The regulations of the Law were only a shadow of salvation, while the essence of salvation is found in its fulfillment by Jesus Christ (Hebrews 10:1).

There are three main feasts of the Jewish nation: Passover, Pentecost, and Tabernacles. These three feasts were fulfilled by the coming of the Lord Jesus. The coming of Jesus as the fulfillment of these three feasts is very important in helping us understand the concept of the Lord’s coming according to the Bible.

Let us begin with the Feast of Passover. According to the Gospel of John, Jesus came to Jerusalem during these three major feasts of the Jews. The first coming of Jesus during Passover occurred when He cleansed the Temple (John 2:13). His coming during the Feast of Pentecost is recorded in John 5:1. Although the verse does not explicitly mention Pentecost, since there is no definite article in the Greek term—which would refer to the Passover already mentioned earlier—it is reasonable to understand that the feast referred to in this verse points to the Feast of Pentecost. Then Jesus returned again to Jerusalem during the Feast of Tabernacles (John 7:2). Later, Jesus came again during Passover to die on the cross, fulfilling the word that He is the true Passover Lamb (1 Corinthians 5:7).

Before we continue our discussion about the coming of the Lord, we need to understand the principle of Trilogy written in Proverbs 22:20. The Indonesian LAI translation does not translate the Hebrew word SHALOSH, which means ‘threefold things’. Let us compare the translations:

KJV: “Have not I written to thee excellent things in counsel and knowledge”

Young’s Literal Translation: “Have I not written to thee three times”

Our conclusion here is that speaking ‘three times’ is considered something ‘excellent’. Therefore, the matter of Jesus coming three times to fulfill Passover, Pentecost, and Tabernacles is EXCELLENT.

We have briefly mentioned the coming of Jesus to fulfill Passover. In the following section, we will discuss more details about the three comings of the Lord in relation to fulfilling the three major feasts of the Jews.

We have already discussed that the coming of the Lord is progressive, meaning that the Lord is present continuously until His entire plan is fulfilled. Where two or three gather, the Lord is present (Parousia). We have also seen that the Bible does not support the teaching that Jesus will come physically twice—first 2000 years ago, and then again physically in the future, perhaps placing His feet on the Mount of Olives. Although this teaching has existed for centuries and is believed by most Christians, THE BIBLE NEVER SAYS THAT JESUS WILL COME PHYSICALLY TWICE. If we love the Lord and love the Bible, then we must learn to listen only to what God says through Scripture, regardless of any human teachings based on carnal thinking.

We have also discussed briefly the coming of the Lord related to the fulfillment of Israel’s main feasts (Passover, Pentecost, and Tabernacles), because Jesus came to fulfill the Law. The principle of three (trilogy) has also been mentioned (Proverbs 22:20). Now we will examine more deeply the coming of Jesus in fulfilling the Feast of Passover.

Before continuing, we need to look at the definition of trilogy according to the dictionary, with the addition of the concept of progressive understanding. A trilogy is defined as ‘a group of three plays, novels, operas, etc., to be performed or read in succession, each complete in itself but having a common subject’. In this definition, a trilogy simply refers to three sequential things that are each complete in themselves but share a common theme. However, it does not mention that the three are progressive. In the context of the Lord’s coming, we mean that the trilogy is progressive. Jesus came to fulfill Passover, then continued further into Pentecost, and then further and deeper into Tabernacles, until the Father’s plan is fulfilled.

When Jesus came to fulfill Passover, He died and rose on the third day. But the fulfillment of Passover continued when the risen Jesus breathed the Holy Spirit upon the disciples (John 20:22). Let us compare the Holy Spirit in this verse with 1 Corinthians 15:45: “…the last Adam became a life-giving Spirit.” Young’s Literal Translation renders it LIFE-GIVING SPIRIT. This means that Jesus, as the last Adam, after His death and resurrection, became the Spirit who gives life. This life-giving Spirit (zoe) was received by the disciples after Jesus rose from the dead. The disciples received life (zoe) when Jesus breathed on them, just as He said in John 10:10: “I have come that they may have life (zoe)...”

One more thing needs to be noted: the Holy Spirit received by the disciples in John 20:22 is not the same event as the Holy Spirit coming on the Day of Pentecost. Do not misunderstand me. I am not saying there are two Holy Spirits. In the universe there is only ONE Creator of heaven and earth, and He IS SPIRIT. There is ONLY ONE SPIRIT. However, the Holy Spirit received in John 20:22 is the LIFE-GIVING SPIRIT WHO IS THE LAST ADAM. The last Adam is Jesus who became the life-giving Spirit through His death and resurrection. This is important to understand because the fulfillment of Passover was not only through the death and resurrection of Jesus, but also through Jesus as the LAST ADAM WHO BREATHED UPON HIS DISCIPLES. Thus, the coming of Jesus fulfilled the Feast of Passover.

Now we will see how the coming of Jesus fulfilled the Feast of Pentecost. To understand this, we must first understand that the Jesus who came during Pentecost was not Jesus in the flesh. Just as when He fulfilled Passover, after His death and resurrection He came to His disciples as the life-giving Spirit to fulfill John 10:10—that Jesus came so that the disciples might have life. In the same way, when Jesus fulfilled Pentecost, He came in the Holy Spirit.

Many Christians know Jesus only in a physical sense. When they hear the name Jesus, they imagine a man about thirty years old with long hair, and so on—this is a physical perception. In 2 Corinthians 5:16 Paul says, “…even if we have known Christ according to the flesh, yet now we know him no more” (Young’s Literal). Even though Paul once knew Jesus in the flesh, his knowledge afterward became spiritual.

Let us look at Acts 1:11: “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into heaven? This same Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw Him go into heaven.” Almost all Bible teachers interpret this verse as meaning that Jesus will come again in a visible physical body. Yet after nearly 2000 years, He has still not returned in that manner. These teachers forget that the last Adam is the life-giving Spirit. They also forget that the Lord is Spirit (2 Corinthians 3:17). They also overlook Matthew 10:23: “…before you have gone through the cities of Israel, the Son of Man will come.” This implies that Jesus would come again while the disciples were still alive and still traveling through the cities of Israel.

So when did Jesus come again from heaven in the same way as Acts 1:11 says? The answer is simple. After the disciples waited for ten days, and when the day of Pentecost arrived, suddenly there came from heaven tongues like flames of fire that rested upon them all. THIS WAS THE COMING OF JESUS WHO IS SPIRIT.

The key to understanding the coming of the Lord is not to think of Jesus merely as a 30-year-old man with long hair, like the pictures often sold. Such pictures are an insult to Jesus, who is the life-giving Spirit, and to God, who is Spirit.

Let us examine again John 14:18: “I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you.” In His final-night conversation with the disciples, Jesus promised that He would come again TO HIS DISCIPLES. And He did come on the Day of Pentecost. If Jesus were to come a “second time” at some unknown future time—as commonly taught—then Jesus’ promise to His disciples would not have been fulfilled. The disciples have all died, and Jesus would never have come to them as He promised. Let us learn to think spiritually, not carnally.

Now we will see how the coming of Jesus fulfills the Feast of Tabernacles, the third major feast after Passover and Pentecost. We have already mentioned that Jesus came to fulfill Passover by breathing the life-giving Spirit into the disciples so that they received life (zoe) and were born again or born from above. Then Jesus came again to fulfill Pentecost by baptizing the disciples with the Holy Spirit as a guarantee (Ephesians 1:14).

Let us first examine Ephesians 1:14 to understand what is meant by the word ‘guarantee’. Ephesians 1:14 (Indonesian translation) says: “The Holy Spirit is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of His glory.” The term ‘guarantee’ is translated from the Greek word ARRABON, which Strong’s defines as a ‘deposit’, a ‘down payment’, or ‘earnest money’ given beforehand as a guarantee that the full payment will certainly be paid later.

To understand the coming of Jesus in fulfilling the Feast of Tabernacles, let us look at John 7:38–39: “Whoever believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.” Now this He said about the Spirit. These words were spoken by Jesus at the climax of the Feast of Tabernacles when He came to Jerusalem. During this feast, Jesus promised that He would give His Spirit to whoever believes.

If we pay attention to John 7:38–39 above, we can understand that the coming of Jesus at the Feast of Tabernacles is by giving His Spirit into the hearts of those who believe so that from within their hearts rivers of living water flow. The Spirit that is in the hearts of believers at present is only a guarantee, a pledge, or a down payment. We have not yet received the Spirit in its fullness. That is why we cannot yet do works far greater than those that Jesus did. But Jesus promised that we would do greater works (corporately) than the works He did (John 14:12). When will this promise be fulfilled? When Jesus comes to fulfill the Feast of Tabernacles.

Therefore, the coming of Jesus to fulfill the Feast of Tabernacles is by giving His Spirit without measure to those who believe. At that time we will be able to do greater works than those that Jesus Himself did. This very powerful event is actually the ‘manifestation of the sons of God’ who will restore all things (Romans 8:19–21). This is the moment that all creation eagerly awaits—the time when the children of God are revealed, the moment when the restoration of creation begins.

If we observe how Jesus fulfilled the three major feasts of the Jewish people, we will understand that He comes progressivel in giving His Spirit to those who believe. The teaching about the “second coming” of Jesus as a man visibly seen with the physical eyes is truly a teaching from people who think in a purely natural way. These teachers do not understand the intention of the Father in heaven regarding the coming of Jesus. The Father’s intention is clear: through the coming of Jesus, the sons of God appear, possessing the Spirit without measure, and they will restore all creation from the bondage of sin.

As a closing, let us look at the blessing of Abraham that we receive through Jesus Christ, because Abraham was appointed as the father of all believers. Galatians 3:14 says: “He redeemed us in order that the blessing given to Abraham might come to the Gentiles through Christ Jesus, so that by faith we might receive the promised Spirit.” The blessing of Abraham is the Spirit. May the people of God be kept away from teachers who say that the blessing of Abraham is material success in this world.

We have emphasized that the coming of the Lord is progressive, meaning continuous and advancing, going deeper and deeper until the entire plan of the Father is fulfilled, namely the new heavens and the new earth. The Lord has come, is coming, and will come. Where two or three are gathered in His name, there the Lord is present (Parousia).

We have discussed the coming of the Lord that fulfills the three major feasts of the Jewish people. This does not mean that the Lord comes only three times. The Lord has come, is coming, and will come in various manifestations, but we relate the coming of the Lord to the fulfillment of the three major Jewish feasts. Therefore we speak of the Lord coming three times, which we call ‘the trilogy of the coming of the Lord’. In this trilogy we see that Jesus comes in the form of the Spirit to fulfill the three Jewish feasts.

First, the Feast of Passover. Jesus fulfilled Passover through His death and resurrection, and then as the life-giving Spirit He breathed on His disciples so that they were born again and received life (John 20:22).

Second, the Feast of Pentecost, when Jesus came to His 120 disciples and baptized them with the Holy Spirit. This Holy Spirit is a guarantee before we receive the fullness (Ephesians 1:14).

Third, the Feast of Tabernacles, when Jesus will come by giving His Spirit without measure, so that we may do works greater than those Jesus Himself did.

Thus, the coming of Jesus in fulfilling the three major Jewish feasts is by progressively giving His Spirit to believers: first, the Spirit that causes the disciples to be born again; then the Spirit that gives the disciples power and gifts as witnesses of the Lord; and finally the Spirit without measure that enables the disciples to do greater works than Jesus did. The coming of the Lord Jesus is the coming of the Spirit, and this corresponds with the blessing of Abraham, which is the Spirit (Galatians 3:14).

The Feast of Passover and the Feast of Pentecost have already been fulfilled by the coming of Jesus, and now we are waiting for His coming to fulfill the Feast of Tabernacles, when He will give His Spirit without measure to those who believe. Through this outpouring of the unlimited Spirit, the sons of God will appear and restore all things (Romans 8:19–21).

Before closing this writing, it should be remembered that the children of God must not misunderstand the coming of the Lord as the Jewish people did when they failed to recognize the Messiah they were waiting for. The Jews expected the Messiah to be a physical leader who would build a physical kingdom of Israel, build a physical temple, and drive out physical enemies. When Jesus came as the Messiah, they rejected Him. If the teaching that Jesus will come a “second time” physically continues to be believed by the people of God, then the people of God will fail to recognize the coming of the Lord Jesus.

Now we will examine the Greek term PAROUSIA, which is often translated as ‘coming’ in various Bible versions. As we know, the term parousia appears 24 times in the New Testament and actually always means presence. It never means “coming” or “coming again.”

We will take only a few examples of the occurrence of parousia in the New Testament to demonstrate that it should be translated presence. There is a golden rule in word studies: the meaning of a word is determined by how it is used in a sentence.

Let us look at the first example in 1 Thessalonians 5:23–24: “May the God of peace sanctify you entirely, and may your spirit and soul and body be kept blameless at the coming (Parousia) of our Lord Jesus Christ.” If parousia is translated “coming,” then this verse would mean that Paul believed and hoped that the spirit, soul, and body of believers would be preserved until the “second coming” of the Lord—which after 2000 years has still not occurred. Paul did not mean this. Parousia should be translated presence. Thus the verse would read: “…kept blameless in the PRESENCE of our Lord Jesus Christ.”

Let us look at another example in 1 Thessalonians 3:13: “…so that He may establish your hearts blameless in holiness before our God and Father at the coming (Parousia) of our Lord Jesus with all His saints.”

If parousia is translated “coming,” the meaning becomes confusing, as if Paul did not care about the holiness of believers ‘now’, but only at His future coming. That is not Paul’s intention. If parousia is translated presence, the verse reads: “…that He may establish your hearts blameless in holiness before our God and Father in the PRESENCE (Parousia) of our Lord Jesus.”

Let us look at one more example, Matthew 24:27: “For as lightning comes from the east and flashes to the west, so will be the coming of the Son of Man.” This verse seems to say that the coming of the Son of Man will be a sudden event in the physical sky like lightning flashing from east to west. That is not the meaning. The key lies in the Greek word translated ‘lightning’, which is ASTRAPE. Strong’s defines it as ‘a flash of lightning, brightness, luster’. It comes from ASTRAPTO, meaning lightning or glare.

Scholars understand this term as a ‘bright radiance from a source of light’, not a sudden flash moving from one location to another. If the coming of the Lord were like lightning appearing only in one place, it would contradict other verses that say “every eye will see Him.”

So what light shines from east to west? It is the light of the sun. And we know that the Lord is a sun to us (Psalm 84:11). His light illuminates our spirit, soul, and body so that they may be preserved blameless. Therefore the verse should be understood as: “For as the brightness shines from the east and gives light to the west, so will be the PRESENCE (Parousia) of the Son of Man.” This means His presence is like sunlight that increasingly illuminates our whole being. Thus, every occurrence of Parousia in the New Testament should be translated presence. In conclusion, the presence (parousia) of the Lord continues within us until our whole being is fully permeated by Him.

We have discussed the term PAROUSIA, often translated “coming.” In fact, it never refers to the act of arriving but to ‘the presence of someone who has already come’. In the New Testament it is never connected with a physical coming of the Lord. Thus Parousia means presence. Where two or three gather in His name, there the Lord is. That is His presence. That is His coming. The Parousia of Jesus Christ is the presence of Jesus Christ—past, present, and future. Jesus said, “I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”

Now we will examine the second Greek term: APOKALUPSIS. This word comes from the verb apokalupto, meaning ‘to reveal’ or ‘to uncover’. It emphasizes revelation—something previously hidden being unveiled.

Jesus has always been present—past, present, and future—but not visible to the physical eye. Through the work of the Holy Spirit, His presence is revealed. Apokalupsis is about seeing what was previously hidden. For example Romans 8:19: “For the creation waits in eager expectation for the revealing (Apokalupsis) of the sons of God.”

1 Peter 4:13: “…so that you may rejoice when His glory is revealed (Apokalupsis).” When we read Romans 8:19–23 we understand that all creation waits to be freed from bondage to decay. When will this begin? When the sons of God are revealed. At present the sons of God have not yet been revealed. They are still being formed, processed, and refined until the time they are manifested.

Colossians 1:27 says: “Christ in you, the hope of glory”. When Christ reveals Himself, we also will be revealed with Him in glory. When will this happen? When the sons of God are revealed (Apokalupsis).

Therefore, our hope of glory is within us—Christ in our inner being. We do not look up into the sky waiting for Christ to come down from heaven. We are being formed so that Christ within us will appear in glory. This is the moment when the sons of God are revealed—the hope of creation to be delivered from the bondage of corruption and enter the freedom of the glory of the children of God. This is the Apokalupsis of the sons of God.

Finally, let us look at the use of Apokalupsis in the book of Revelation. Revelation 1:1 says: “The revelation (Apokalupsis) of Jesus Christ…”. The book of Revelation unveils Jesus Christ. And this Jesus Christ stands ‘among the lampstands’ (1:13). As the revelation continues, we see how Christ calls His ‘overcomers’ in every church age.

Thus the Apokalupsis of Jesus Christ becomes the Apokalupsis of Jesus Christ and His overcomers. In due time all creation will see this revelation and will be set free into the glorious liberty of the children of God. Amen.

Now we will discuss the third Greek term related to the coming of the Lord: EPIPHANEIA, which appears six times in the New Testament. We have seen that Parousia means presence. His presence exists in the past, present, and future, but it is not visible to the physical eye. We also discussed Apokalupsis, the unveiling or revelation through which we perceive His presence.

Epiphaneia comes from a verb meaning ‘to shine upon’, ‘to bring to light’, ‘to appear’, or ‘to manifest’. As a noun it means ‘manifestation’ or ‘brightness’. In classical Greek it was used for a divine being who becomes visible, or for the sun appearing after dark clouds pass. Thus the best translation of Epiphaneia is manifestation.

For example, in 2 Thessalonians 2:8: “…whom the Lord Jesus will destroy with the breath of His mouth and bring to nothing by the appearance (Epiphaneia) of His coming (Parousia). Young’s Literal Translation renders it: “…and shall destroy with the MANIFESTATION (Epiphaneia) of His presence (Parousia).” The manifestation of His presence destroys the lawless one.

If we arrange these three Greek terms, we see a sequence: Parousia (Presence) → Apokalupsis (Revelation) → Epiphaneia (Manifestation). The presence of the Lord is always available to us. But we need revelation to realize it. And when the veil is removed, the manifestation of His presence follows.

Thus manifestation is the direct result of revelation. When His presence is unveiled, the power and glory of His presence will be manifested. This manifestation is progressive in our lives. Day by day His presence becomes more manifested within us. We grow from glory to glory.

In closing, all creation longs for the manifestation of His presence. Creation groans under the bondage of death—a realm where His presence is not manifested at all. But when His presence is manifested, His power and glory will liberate all creation.

And how does the Lord accomplish this? By forming you and me through a process of discipline. The process of crushing and suffering so that His life may be forged within us. When His life has matured and is manifested, then all creation will experience liberation through the power and glory of His presence… Hallelujah.

Now we will enter the fourth Greek term related to the coming of the Lord, namely PHANEROSIS. Phanerosis is a noun, while its verb form is PHANEROO. This term means to appear or to manifest. The term Epiphaneia, which we discussed earlier, also means manifestation, but it is different from Phaneroo. Phaneroo is often used when someone manifests another person, such as the Son manifesting the Father, or when we manifest Christ who is within us. Therefore, when the Bible uses the term Phaneroo, it does not mean that the Lord manifests Himself TO us, but THROUGH us. In other words, someone manifests another person.

Let us see how the term Phaneroo is used. John 17:6: “I have manifested (Phaneroo) Your name to the men whom You gave Me out of the world…”

2 Corinthians 4:10: “…so that the life of Jesus also may be manifested (Phaneroo) in our body.”

Colossians 3:4: “When Christ, who is our life, is manifested (Phaneroo), then you also will be manifested (Phaneroo) with Him in glory.”

1 Timothy 3:16: “…He who was manifested (Phaneroo) in the flesh…”

1 John 1:2: “…which was with the Father and was manifested (Phaneroo) to us.”

1 John 4:9: “In this the love of God was manifested (Phaneroo) among us…”

The purpose of the PHANEROSIS of Christ is so that humanity may SEE God. Seeing here means knowing Him, having the correct perception of Him. Likewise, our Phanerosis with Him in glory (Colossians 3:4) aims so that all people may know Him. We become salvation for all creation.

As a closing thought, let us examine Luke 2:30–31: “for my eyes have seen Your salvation, which You have prepared before the face of ALL PEOPLES.” Young’s Literal Translation renders it as ALL THE PEOPLES. This means that all humanity, in due time, will SEE the salvation of the Lord. When our Phanerosis with Him in glory takes place, at that time we become His salvation prepared for all mankind.

Now we will study the coming of the Lord as the Morning Star. In the book of Revelation, the morning star is mentioned twice. Let us look at Revelation 22:16: “…I am the Root and the Offspring of David, the bright Morning Star.” Young’s Literal Translation states: “…I am the root and the offspring of David, the bright and morning star.”

The ‘eastern star’ referred to here is the ‘morning star’. The Greek term used for ‘morning’ is PROINOS, referring to something related to ‘dawn’, ‘sunrise’, or ‘daybreak’. In other words, the morning star appears before the morning arrives or before the sunlight appears.

This morning star is not the sun. In our solar system, the morning star is the bright planet Venus, which appears in the east at certain times of the year. This star usually appears in the darkness of the night, perhaps around four in the morning. Therefore, those who are not watching in the darkness of the night will not see the appearance of this morning star.

This morning star is the Lord Jesus, who comes in the darkness of the night. Those who are not watchful will certainly not experience or enjoy His coming. But for us who are watchful and waiting for Him, who are not absorbed in the “darkness of the night”, the Lord Jesus appears to us as the bright Morning Star.

Being absorbed in the “darkness of the night” does not necessarily mean engaging in evil activities done at night. Rather, it refers to any activity done at any time that causes us not to wait for the Lord. Even “full-time” church workers or ministers who are extremely busy preaching here and there may feel the need for rest or retreat because they lack time for fellowship with the Lord. Being absorbed in such busyness of ministry is also what we mean by being absorbed in the “darkness of the night.”

The second appearance of the morning star in Revelation is found in Revelation 2:26–28: “And he who overcomes and keeps My works until the end… to him I will give the morning star.” Revelation chapters 2 and 3 contain the Lord’s call to the overcomers. The church has fallen because of the teachings of Jezebel, the Nicolaitans, and Balaam. The Lord calls His overcomers. These overcomers do not necessarily have to be famous people in today’s fallen Christian world; they may simply be ordinary people who do not participate in the church’s decline. Perhaps they are people who are “not busy in church ministry,” yet have a passion to fellowship with the Lord, remain watchful, and faithfully carry out their responsibilities wherever they are placed.

As a closing thought, let us compare the morning star with the Sun of Righteousness. In Malachi 4:2 it is written: “But for you who fear My name, the Sun of Righteousness shall arise with healing in His wings…”. We know that the Sun of Righteousness refers to the Lord Himself, namely Christ, the Sun of righteousness. In our solar system, the morning star appears before the sun. After the morning star illuminates the earth with its gentle light, then the sun shines upon the earth so that the earth receives its life.

The morning star represents His overcomers as the FIRSTFRUITS, meaning that there will still be another harvest afterward until the whole earth is illuminated by the sun. As firstfruits, we will be used by Him until the whole earth is filled with His glory—hallelujah.

We have already seen that the Morning Star is the Lord Jesus as the descendant of David (Revelation 22:16), and that the morning star appears around four in the morning before the sunlight follows. The coming of the Morning Star in certain seasons of the year can only be seen and enjoyed by those who are watchful and not absorbed in the darkness of the night. To the overcomers the Lord also promises to grant the morning star (Revelation 2:28). In reality, for the overcomers the Morning Star is ‘the glory of Christ within’. Christ in you, the hope of glory…

Now we will discuss the Sun of Righteousness, which appears after the morning star that we have just discussed. Let us look again at Malachi 4:2: “But for you who fear My name, the Sun of Righteousness shall arise with healing in His wings…”. The Lord Jesus is the Sun of righteousness, for Psalm 84:11 says: “For the LORD God is a sun and shield…”.

Thus, the Lord Jesus first appears as the Morning Star, illuminating the depths of our hearts gently, and later He comes as the Sun, illuminating the depths of our hearts fully. In Matthew 24:27 it is written: “For as the lightning comes from the east and flashes to the west, so also will the coming (Parousia) of the Son of Man be.”

We have discussed the meaning of this verse, namely that His presence is like sunlight that grows brighter and brighter, shining upon our entire being. The presence of the Lord Jesus as the Sun illuminates our inner being gradually, thus fulfilling Proverbs 4:18: “But the path of the righteous is like the light of dawn, which shines brighter and brighter until full day.”

Here again we see that the concept of the Lord’s coming is not physical. The coming of the Lord is an ‘inward reality’. If our understanding of the Lord’s coming is merely that Jesus will come from the sky visibly to the physical eyes, then we have already lost much of the true understanding of His coming. It is time for us to see the ESSENCE of the Lord’s coming—that it occurs spiritually within our inner being.

In closing, we see that the coming of the Lord is likened to the sun, which we know rises in the east and sets in the west. The coming of the Lord is from east to west. If we observe the history of God’s movements, we will also see this principle of from east to west. We can see several examples of God’s movement from east to west:

First, Cain went east of Eden, moving away from the Lord (Genesis 4:16).

Second, Abraham went from Babylon to Canaan, which means moving from east to west.

Third, Lot chose the direction of Sodom and Gomorrah, toward the east (Genesis 13:11).

Fourth, the entrance of the Tabernacle was from east to west (Exodus 27:13–16).

Fifth, the movement of the Gospel was also from east to west. After Jerusalem was destroyed, the center of the Gospel moved to Greece, then Asia Minor, then penetrated Rome, continued westward to Germany (Luther), to England (revivals), and further west to America. The Pentecostal revival, the Latter Rain Movement, and others occurred in America. Even today, America is still the country that sends the most missionaries.

If the coming of the Lord that fulfills the Feast of Tabernacles has not yet arrived, then perhaps the movement of God will continue westward from America, which, if we look at the globe, leads toward China, Korea, Japan, and Russia. Perhaps it is not a coincidence that America is currently engaged in a trade war with China, which many believe China may win. Will the next center of God’s movement be in China? We do not know. But the principle remains that God’s movement goes westward, just like the sun that rises in the east and sets in the west.

Now we will discuss the coming of the Lord as rain. Let us examine several verses. Hosea 6:3: “He will come to us like the rain, like the latter and former rain to the earth.” James 5:7–8: “Therefore be patient, brethren, until the coming of the Lord… See how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, waiting patiently for it until it receives the early and the latter rain.” Psalm 72:6: “He shall come down like rain upon the mown grass, like showers that water the earth.” This is a Messianic Psalm, where the King of Glory comes down like rain that waters the earth.

In the region of Palestine there are rainy seasons called the early rain and the latter rain. The early rain comes when the seed has just been planted in the earth. Six months later comes the latter rain, which makes the growing seed ready for harvest. Thus, the farmer who has just planted the seed hopes for the early rain so that the seed can begin its growth. Later, when the seed has begun to mature, the farmer hopes for the latter rain so that the seed may mature fully and be ready for harvest.

From the verses above we see that the coming of the Lord is likened to rain. What kind of coming of the Lord is symbolized by the early and latter rain? Let us read Joel 2:23: “Be glad then, you children of Zion… for He has given you the former rain faithfully, and He will cause the rain to come down for you—the former rain and the latter rain as before.”

It is not a coincidence that Peter quoted Joel 2:28–32 when he preached at the outpouring of the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost. The context of Joel chapter 2 is the Lord’s promise of restoration for the children of Zion, and this restoration occurs through the outpouring of the Spirit.

Therefore, we can conclude that the coming of the Lord as rain—the early rain and the latter rain—refers to the outpouring of the Spirit, where the early outpouring occurred at the Feast of Pentecost.

What about the latter outpouring of the Spirit? Many believe that the latter outpouring began with the restoration through Martin Luther and continued with the outpouring of the Holy Spirit known as the Latter Rain Movement, which began in 1948 in America.

Finally, let us return to Joel 2:24: “The threshing floors shall be full of wheat, and the vats shall overflow with new wine and oil.”

The purpose of the early and latter rain is HARVEST. The seed that was sown receives the early rain and the latter rain so that it grows and matures until there is a harvest. In Joel 2:24, that harvest is wheat, wine, and oil.

In the Old Testament the harvest was wheat, wine, and oil. But what about in the New Testament? In John 12:24, the Lord Jesus likened Himself to a grain of wheat that falls into the ground and dies, producing much fruit. The fruit of the death and resurrection of the Lord Jesus is the sons of God, conformed to His image. Thus, the harvest in the New Testament context is the sons of God. At the end of the age, when this harvest occurs, the sons of God will be revealed and will restore creation (Romans 8:19–21).

Now we will discuss the coming of the Lord with clouds. Let us examine several verses. Daniel 7:13–14: “I was watching in the night visions, and behold, One like the Son of Man, coming with the clouds of heaven… Then to Him was given dominion and glory and a kingdom…”. Revelation 1:7: “Behold, He is coming with clouds, and every eye will see Him…”. Mark 14:62: “You will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Power, and coming with the clouds of heaven.”

Daniel 7 explains that the Son of Man who receives authority, glory, and an everlasting kingdom is the Messiah awaited by Israel. The verse clearly states that the Messiah comes with the clouds of heaven. Revelation 1:7 also states that Jesus comes with clouds and every eye will see Him. Jesus Himself told the high priest that He would come with the clouds.

The question is: Are these clouds physical clouds, formed from evaporated water that cools and becomes white clusters in the sky? Too many people teach the Bible with a purely natural mind, so that believers expect Jesus to come from the physical sky and be seen with physical eyes by all people.

Let us examine several verses that explain these clouds. Exodus 13:21: “And the LORD went before them by day in a pillar of cloud to lead the way, and by night in a pillar of fire…”. It must be understood that there was only one pillar leading Israel. The pillar of fire is also called the pillar of cloud (Exodus 14:19; Numbers 9:21). Thus, the pillar that led Israel was a pillar of cloud containing fire.

This pillar became a dark cloud during the day, protecting Israel from the scorching desert sun, and at night it became a pillar of fire, giving light and warmth in the cold desert air. Therefore, this cloud was not a physical cloud. The pillar of cloud containing fire is the cloud of the Lord’s glory (Exodus 40:34–35).

Returning to Revelation 1:7, which says that He (Jesus) comes with clouds, the phrase ‘He comes’ comes from the Greek term ERCHOMAI. This Greek term appears in the third person singular, present indicative.

Those who understand the conjunction of verbs know what this means: First, He comes as a present reality.

Second, because the verb ‘comes’ is in the present indicative, it also means He is in the act of coming. In other words, He comes now, He is coming now, and He continues to come. Thus, more than one coming of the Lord is implied in the term Erchomai.

Meanwhile, the expression ‘clouds’ carries the meaning of the Lord’s witnesses or the saints (Jude 14, I Thessalonians 3:13, Zechariah 14:5). Therefore, the meaning of Revelation 1:7 is that Jesus ‘is coming, continues in the act of coming, and will come together with His saints’. This is the meaning of His coming with the clouds.

Now we will discuss the coming of the Lord as King. When speaking about the coming of the Lord as King, we must also speak about the kingdom, because a kingdom is the realm or territory of a king’s authority. The word kingdom comes from king and domain (territory of authority), therefore a kingdom is the territory under the authority of a king. Jesus is the King, and His realm of authority is the heavenly realm. That is why when Pilate asked, “Are You a king?” Jesus answered that for this purpose He was born, yet His kingdom is not from here (not of this world). This does not mean that Jesus has no authority over the whole earth. Jesus said that all authority in heaven and on earth has been given to Him. However, it means that the sphere of Jesus’ kingdom is the heavenly realm.

Nevertheless, we must understand that the Father’s plan is that the kingdom of heaven be established on the earth. That is why Jesus taught us to pray that the kingdom of heaven would come to the earth. It is in this sense that we speak about the coming of Jesus as King.

Before we look further, we must clearly understand where the kingdom of heaven is. Let us look at two verses that speak about this. First, Luke 17:21: “…for indeed the Kingdom of God is among (ENTOS) you.” Second, Matthew 23:26: “…first cleanse the inside (ENTOS) of the cup, so that the outside of it may also become clean.”

The Greek term ENTOS (which appears only twice in the New Testament) is translated as ‘among’ in Luke and ‘inside’ in Matthew. Both translations cannot be correct. The golden rule in understanding the meaning of a word is to see ‘how the word is used in a sentence’. In Matthew 23:26, the usage of ‘entos’ makes it impossible to translate it as ‘among’. Therefore, it is clear that ‘entos’ must be translated ‘inside’, so that Luke 17:21 becomes: “Indeed, the Kingdom of God is within you.”

Truly, the Kingdom of God or the Kingdom of Heaven is ‘within you’. If we look at the context of Luke 17, the kingdom of heaven was ‘also within the Pharisees’ who opposed Jesus, but the ‘effect or influence’ of the kingdom was absent because they did not believe.

Therefore, the kingdom of heaven is within us. Because of this, the kingdom of heaven ‘has already come, is coming, and will come’. The kingdom has ‘already come’ into us because it is within us. It ‘is coming’ in the sense that it is growing within us—meaning Jesus as King increasingly rules and governs every aspect of our lives. And it ‘will come’ in the sense that we will appear (manifest ourselves with Jesus in glory) when the ‘seventh trumpet’ is sounded, when the kingdoms of this world become the kingdom of the Lord (Jesus) and of His Anointed (that is, ‘us’)—see Revelation 11:15. When the kingdom of heaven comes to the earth, we will reign together with the Lord Jesus. This is the meaning of His coming as King.

The event of Jesus coming as King that we await is also written in Romans 8:19, Colossians 3:4, Jude 14, and other passages that affirm the coming of the Lord ‘with His saints to rule the earth’. If we understand the coming of the Lord Jesus as King whose kingdom is within us, then we will not wait for Jesus to come from the physical sky with a physical throne, perhaps descending to physical Jerusalem to rule the earth from there. Such a literal teaching comes from a fallen Christianity. The overcomers certainly realize that the Kingdom of Heaven is within them… Christ in you, the hope of glory…

Revelation 19:11–16: “Then I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse. He who sat on it is called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and makes war. His eyes were like a flame of fire, and on His head were many crowns. He had a name written that no one knew except Himself. He was clothed with a robe dipped in blood, and His name is called The Word of God. And all the armies in heaven followed Him; they rode on white horses and were clothed in fine linen, white and clean. And out of His mouth came a sharp sword with which to strike the nations. And He will shepherd them with a rod of iron, and He treads the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God Almighty. And on His robe and on His thigh He has a name written: KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS.”

Now we will speak about the coming of the Lord on a white horse. In the verses above it is explained that the Lord Jesus rides a white horse, and all the armies in heaven follow Him, also riding white horses and clothed in fine linen, white and pure. Here the Lord Jesus has many names: Faithful and True, The Word of God, King of kings and Lord of lords, and even a name that no one knows.

The purpose of the coming of the Lord Jesus together with the armies of heaven is to judge all nations with righteousness and also to shepherd them. The instrument used by the Lord Jesus and His armies is a sharp sword, which is the Word of God.

Who are the armies in heaven that follow Him? These armies wear fine linen, which is the righteous deeds of the saints (Revelation 19:8). Likewise, in Jude 14 it is written, “…behold, the Lord comes with ten thousands of His saints.” Also, the overcomers in Revelation 2:26–27 are given authority over the nations, and when the seventh trumpet is sounded, the kingdom of the world is handed over to the Lord and to His anointed saints (Revelation 11:15). Therefore, we can conclude that the armies in heaven who follow Him are the overcomers in every church age.

When will the Lord Jesus come with His overcomers to rule and judge all nations with the sword of the Word of God? According to Revelation 11:15, this happens when the seventh trumpet is sounded, but we do not know when this will occur. However, for His overcomers who will be entrusted to use the sword of the Word of God to judge the nations, they themselves must first be judged and subdued by the Word of God. For His overcomers, the Lord Jesus has already come, is coming, and continues to come with the sword of His Word to judge and subdue. The overcomers must first be conquered by the Word of God before they can be entrusted to conquer and judge the nations with the sword of the Word of God.

Therefore, as the overcoming people of God, we do not wait for the Lord Jesus to come from the physical heavens riding a white horse to rule the nations. For us, the Lord Jesus comes every day with the sword of His Word, judging, subduing, disciplining, and breaking our rebellion until we are conquered by His Word. Then, in His time, He will reveal Himself, and we also will be revealed with Him in glory. That will be the time when we reign with Him. That will be the moment when the Lord Jesus and His overcomers reveal themselves to the nations to judge, subdue, and rule until the Father becomes all in all.

Now we will discuss the coming of the Lord as the Bridegroom. His coming as the Bridegroom occurs when the time for the marriage of the Lamb has arrived. But we must understand several things before we can grasp this matter.

Many Christians have the concept that the coming of the Lord is a single historical event in the future—often called the Second Coming—when Jesus will come from the physical heavens to take (rapture) His bride (the church), and there will be a meeting in the air, which is understood as the marriage of the Lamb. Those who are not taken will experience the great tribulation together with the Antichrist. But is this physical understanding really what the Bible means?

Let us look at several passages of Scripture to explain the coming of the Lord Jesus as the Bridegroom. Colossians 1:27 says, “…Christ in you, the hope of glory.” (Young’s Literal). Our Bridegroom is within us, within our spirit. He will not come from the physical heavens to take up His bride. The marriage of the Lamb will occur within us. The question is: are we ready as His bride?

We know that marriage speaks of ‘union’. The bride must be someone who has matured, someone who is ready to unite with the bridegroom, someone who is ready to leave everything in order to be united with Him. First Corinthians 6:17 says, “But he who is joined to the Lord becomes one spirit with Him.” This is the marriage—when we become one spirit with Him. But again, have we joined ourselves to the Lord, or are we still bound by many things in this world?

Matthew 25:1–13, the parable of the wise and foolish virgins, helps explain what we are discussing. The foolish virgins were not ready to welcome the bridegroom, while the wise virgins were ready to receive him. There is one phrase in this passage that we should carefully reflect upon. Verse 6 says, “…Behold, the bridegroom comes! COME OUT to meet him.” (ILT version).

The Indonesian Literal Translation (ILT) uses the term COME OUT, which is very helpful in explaining the readiness of the bride. When we compare this phrase COME OUT with Revelation 18:4, the issue becomes clearer. Revelation 18:4 emphasizes that God’s people must COME OUT of the Babylon system, which is the harlot woman. This harlot is not the bride of the Lamb. The marriage of the Lamb can only occur after the harlot is judged.

Notice Revelation 19:2,7 which says, “…for He has judged the great harlot…” (v.2) “…for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and His bride has made herself ready.” (v.7). So after the harlot is judged, the marriage of the Lamb can take place.

What does this mean for the people of God? Revelation 18:4 emphasizes that God’s people must COME OUT from the confusion of Babylon, from the harlot, because the bride of Christ is a virgin (2 Corinthians 11:2; Revelation 14:4). God’s people must come out from the “Babylon” programs that seek greatness, the busyness of religious commerce, and the fleshly ambitions within the Christian world. Everything that causes us to become careless and unprepared to unite with CHRIST WHO IS WITHIN, we must lay aside.

As a closing thought, let us look at the condition of the last-days church symbolized by the church of Laodicea (Revelation 3:20). The Lord Jesus is not inside this church, even though it considers itself rich and lacking nothing. The Lord Jesus, as the Bridegroom, stands outside knocking at the door of this church. O people of God… COME OUT, welcome the Lord Jesus as the Bridegroom… Hallelujah…

Malachi 3:1–3 says: “Behold, I send My messenger, and he will prepare the way before Me. And the Lord whom you seek will suddenly come to His temple, even the Messenger of the covenant in whom you delight. Behold, He is coming,” says the LORD of hosts. “But who can endure the day of His coming? And who can stand when He appears? For He is like a refiner’s fire and like launderer’s soap. He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver; He will purify the sons of Levi and refine them like gold and silver, so that they may offer to the LORD an offering in righteousness.”

Now we will talk about the coming of the Lord as a refiner’s fire and as launderer’s soap. It is explained here that the Lord comes into His temple. When this prophecy was written, His temple referred to the physical temple of the Jewish people in Jerusalem. But the fulfillment of this prophecy in the New Testament era has a different meaning regarding His temple. In the New Testament age, we know that His temple is the Body of Christ. Therefore, this prophecy is fulfilled when the Lord comes into the church.

The coming of the Lord into the church is to purify and cleanse, like a refiner’s fire and launderer’s soap. The purpose of this purification and cleansing is so that the servants of the Lord may become those who offer righteous offerings to Him.

In reality, the temple built by Solomon, as well as the temple rebuilt by Zerubbabel and later renovated by King Herod, was destroyed because much idolatry occurred among the priests, the Levites, and even among the people of Israel. Also, in the time of the Lord Jesus, the temple had become a den of robbers because its leaders were conducting business within the temple.

Today the Body of Christ has also been divided into thousands of denominations, and much religious commerce occurs, just as in the days of the Jewish temple. In such conditions, the Lord needs to come like fire and soap that purify and cleanse.

Before discussing this further, we need to understand the difference between serving God in the realm of blessings, gifts, and miracles, and serving God in a higher realm where His servants have passed through the refining fire.

If someone serves God only in the realm of blessings and gifts, there is a great possibility that he will misuse God’s grace for money, position, and popularity. Servants like this will not stand in the day of judgment, as written in Matthew 7:21–23.

However, those who are called to go further with the Lord through the refining fire have learned to offer sacrifices that are pleasing to Him. Many are called, but few are chosen. Indeed, many are called to serve God in the realm of blessings and gifts and become famous in the Christian world today, but only a few are chosen to be processed further by the Lord. The refining fire is not pleasant from a human perspective. It is even said in the verse above that the Lord sits while refining. To sit means it takes time. The work of refining is a process that takes time—sometimes several years, even tens of years. Faithfulness is required from those who are chosen to go through this process. Thus it is fulfilled that the overcomers are those who are called, chosen to be processed further, and faithful in the Lord’s process.

The Lord comes to those who will be processed further. The Lord comes to those who are chosen to pass through the refining fire. The Lord does not come later as a “second coming” as many people believe. Rather, the Lord comes NOW to those who are chosen to be processed further.

If the Lord comes into our lives today as a refining fire, do not complain, my brother… Do not compare our lives with those who live easily, serving God with blessings and gifts… Let us learn to be faithful in the Lord’s process. One day we will offer sacrifices that are pleasing to the Lord. Hallelujah.

Now we will look at the coming of the Lord in the power of His resurrection. When does the Lord come in the power of His resurrection? Let us look at 1 Peter 1:3: “…who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead…” Here we see that we are born again because of the resurrection of Jesus. If we apply this to the Lord’s disciples, the disciples experienced the new birth and received life (zoe) when Jesus breathed on them after His resurrection (John 20:22). The zoe life that the disciples received is resurrection life. When the Lord gave resurrection life to the disciples, at that moment the Lord came in the power of His resurrection.

For us, the coming of the Lord in the power of His resurrection occurs when we believe and receive Him as our Lord and Savior. At that moment the Lord comes to us in the power of His resurrection. Before we discuss further the resurrection life (zoe) that we receive when we are born again, we need to revisit what happened to Adam and Eve when they fell into sin.

To Adam and Eve, God said that they would die if they ate from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. We know that the term ‘die’ in the Hebrew text is MUT TAMUT, which should be translated ‘dying thou dost die’ (Young’s Literal) or ‘dying you will die’.

This means that when Adam ate the forbidden fruit, he immediately died in the sense that he received the life of death, and afterward he began the process that would lead to physical death. Thus, when Adam ate the fruit, his spirit and soul immediately died because they were cut off from the zoe life symbolized by the Tree of Life, while his body died after undergoing a process of death over a period of time.

When we are born again or born of God, we receive the life of God which, although still in the form of a seed, will continue to grow and swallow up death, as emphasized in II Corinthians 5:4. Life swallowing up death—this is what happens to those who possess the resurrection life of Christ. Day by day the Lord comes in the power of His resurrection, and His life continually swallows up death so that we experience metamorphosis. Metamorphosis is a transformation of form. Just as a caterpillar changes form into a butterfly, so by His resurrection life we are transformed from mortal humans into immortal humans in whom our spirit, soul, and body become like Him and in His image.

As a conclusion, let us consider Philippians 3:20–21: “For our citizenship is in heaven, and FROM THERE we also eagerly await the Lord Jesus Christ as Savior, who will transform our lowly body so that it may be conformed to His glorious body, according to the power by which He is able to subject all things to Himself.”

This verse emphasizes that our citizenship is in heaven. We are citizens of heaven. Through His resurrection life that continues to grow within us, our spirit and soul become increasingly aware that we are indeed already in heaven and have become citizens of heaven. And FROM THERE ALSO, that is, from our existence in heaven, we await the Lord Jesus Christ who will transform our mortal body so that it becomes like His glorious body. We are not waiting for the Lord Jesus to come from heaven to earth in order to lift our bodies (rapture) into the clouds. We are already in heaven, and from there we await the Lord Jesus who will transform our bodies to be like His body… Hallelujah.

Up to this point, our understanding of the concept of the coming of the Lord is not the “second coming of the Lord” concept commonly held in Christianity today. The Christian world generally understands that Jesus comes twice: first, when He came as the Lamb of God who died on the cross to redeem humanity’s sins; and then He will come again a second time as the righteous Judge. Of course this teaching is often accompanied by teachings about the rapture, the coming of the Antichrist, the great tribulation, and so on. Bible teachers who support the concept of the second coming of the Lord always connect verses about the coming of the Lord with a future event which they call “the second coming of Christ.”

If our concept of the coming of the Lord is the same as the concept described above, then we have lost much of the biblical understanding of the Lord’s coming. As we have discussed so far, the coming of the Lord is ‘progressive’, meaning it advances. The coming of the Lord is ‘past, present, and future’. The Lord has come, is coming, and will come. The Lord Jesus also does not come physically as He did the first time, because after His resurrection He became the life-giving Spirit and dwells within our inner being. The coming of the Lord is ‘in and through His saints’.

Now we will discuss the coming of the Lord as Judge, or His coming in judgment. Let us examine several verses before entering the discussion. Isaiah 26:9: “…for when Your judgments are in the earth, the inhabitants of the world will learn righteousness.” II Thessalonians 1:7–10: “…when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven… dealing out retribution… when He comes on that day…” Psalm 96:13: “…for He is coming to judge the earth…” I Peter 4:17: “…for it is time for judgment to begin with the household of God…”

Many people understand God’s judgment to be the same as God’s punishment. It is true that whatever a person sows, that he will also reap. But God’s judgment is more than mere punishment; it is corrective. Therefore, when the Lord comes to judge the earth, it is so that humanity may learn righteousness.

And we see that judgment begins first in the house of God. We, His saints, will be judged first. What does it mean that the Lord judges His church first? So that the Lord may obtain His firstfruits, His overcomers, and then through these firstfruits the Lord will judge the earth so that the earth may learn righteousness. Jude 14–15 affirms: “…Behold, the Lord comes with ten thousands of His saints to execute judgment upon all…”. This judgment of the Lord through His saints will continue until the Father becomes all in all, because the purpose of judgment is ‘restoration’ or total restoration.

When does the Lord come as Judge for His saints? When someone experiences the new birth or is born of the Spirit, at that moment he begins to experience the judgment of the Lord. The Lord’s correction and discipline continue throughout the life of that saint. If that saint responds correctly to the Lord’s judgment, then in the age to come he will reign and judge together with the Lord. Thus, the Lord comes as Judge for us when we are born again. And He has come, is coming, and will continue to come as the Judge who corrects and restores our lives. May we respond correctly to the Lord’s judgment in our lives today so that in the coming age we may reign and judge with Him toward total restoration, until the Father becomes all in all. Amen.

I Thessalonians 4:16–17:

“For when the signal is given, namely when the archangel calls out and the trumpet of God sounds, the Lord Himself will descend from heaven, and those who have died in Christ will rise first. After that, we who are alive and remain will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever”.

The term KELEUSMA, translated ‘shout’ (calls out), comes from the word KELEUO, meaning a command urging someone to do something—a commanding cry, a battle shout like the command of a general to his army. The Lord Himself will descend from heaven and cry out words of command like a general addressing his troops.

Now we will discuss the coming of the Lord in the shout. But we should not immediately assume that the Lord will come from the physical sky and shout a battle cry that will be heard by everyone on earth. The Lord Jesus said, “My sheep hear My voice” (John 10:27). The religious world in Jesus’ time (Judaism) could not hear His voice; indeed, they rejected and killed Him. Christianity today has also become a system, and of course it cannot hear the voice of the Lord from heaven. Only the Lord’s sheep—those who follow Him wherever He goes—sheep who are not bound by organizational regulations or human programs—only these sheep who have the freedom to follow the Lord will hear the battle shout of the General, our Lord Jesus Christ.

Nor should we think that the Lord descends from heaven in the sense of the physical sky and is seen by everyone. The kingdom of heaven is within us. Luke 17:21: “…the kingdom of God is within you (Greek: ENTOS = within).” Therefore, from within our inner being the Lord speaks and cries out the battle shout so that we may rise and become His overcomers in these last days.

When does the Lord come and speak to us? He first comes into our lives when we experience salvation. He comes and speaks words of salvation, words of repentance, words urging us to put off our old life. And He continues to come and speak to us today.

As the end-time battle approaches, He speaks so that His overcomers leave behind the noise and human ambitions of the Christian system, the trading in the temple, and the mixed teachings about tithes, firstfruits, and so on. Revelation 18:4 affirms: “…Come out of her, My people, lest you share in her sins and receive her plagues”. Have you heard His call, His battle shout, His urging to leave the confusion of Babylon? The Lord’s sheep surely hear His voice… Hallelujah.

Thus, the Lord has come, is coming, and continues to come, crying out the battle shout so that His overcomers may arise to meet the full manifestation of the kingdom of heaven on earth.

1 Thessalonians 4:16 (ILT): “For with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trumpet of Elohim, He will descend from heaven…”. The Greek language uses the preposition EN, meaning ‘in’. Thus the correct sense is: He will descend from heaven ‘in’ a shout, ‘in’ the voice of the archangel, ‘in’ the trumpet of Elohim.

Now we must understand who this archangel is. We are accustomed to imagining angels as heavenly beings with wings. This is true for the Seraphim in the book of Isaiah. However, the word angel comes from the Greek AGGELOS, which means ‘messenger’. AGGELOS simply means a messenger—someone sent to deliver a message.

Besides Seraphim and Cherubim, we see that angels can also be humans. In Revelation 19:10, the angel says to John: “Do not do that! I am a fellow servant with you and your brothers…”. John’s brothers were human beings. Therefore, that strong angel was a human. Likewise in Revelation 22:9 the angel says: “I am a fellow servant with you and with your brothers the prophets…”. The prophets were clearly human.

If angels can be humans, then who is the archangel mentioned in I Thessalonians 4:16? In the Old Testament, the Lord often appeared as the Angel of the LORD (Judges 6:20; 2 Samuel 24:16; 1 Kings 19:5–7). In Joshua 5:14 there appears a man who is the ‘Commander of the army of the LORD’, and Joshua fell down to worship Him. When we compare Old Testament passages with New Testament passages about the army of Christ, we understand that the Commander of the Lord’s army is the Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, the archangel in I Thessalonians 4:16 is none other than ‘the Lord Jesus Christ, our Commander’.

As a conclusion, the verse says that the Lord’s coming from heaven in the archangel will first raise those who have died in Christ. This speaks of the firstfruits. We are the firstfruits who will rise first to reign with Him throughout the ages until the Father becomes all in all.

Next, we consider the ‘trumpet’. The trumpet does not refer to a literal trumpet sounding from the physical sky. Isaiah 58:1 says: “Lift up your voice like a trumpet…”. Here, the voice carrying God’s message is compared to a trumpet. Psalm 47:5–6 likewise connects God’s voice with the sound of a trumpet. Thus, the trumpet is the voice of Yahweh delivered by the messenger. The coming of the Lord occurs when His divine messages are proclaimed by the messenger.

Finally, I Thessalonians 4:16–17 speaks about being ‘caught up in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. Many interpret this as the physical “rapture” in the future, but this interpretation arises from understanding the language in a purely literal and physical sense to escape the time of the “great tribulation” and the reign of the Antichrist. This teaching of the “rapture” is very popular, even though it actually only began in the 1800s. We will briefly review the history of this teaching so that we may understand the background that led to the emergence of the doctrine of the “rapture.”

During the time of the Reformation, Martin Luther wrote that the Pope was the Antichrist and even proved it from the Bible. Other reformers such as Knox and Calvin followed him. Through the teachings of these reformers, the Catholic Church lost thousands of people every day because many agreed with and followed the reformers. Of course, this caused the financial income of the Catholic Church to decline drastically. To address this problem, a Jesuit named Ribera (1537–1591) taught that the Antichrist would come later in the future. A priest named Cardinal Bellarmine and another Jesuit named Lacunza helped Ribera introduce this teaching. This teaching entered Evangelical Christian circles around the 1800s.

Later, Edward Irving, the founder of the Catholic Apostolic Church, taught the idea of the “rapture.” Edward Irving was a Presbyterian minister who received the teachings of Lacunza. Irving’s church was in London, and during one of the services, Margaret McDonald “prophesied” about a “secret rapture.” Afterwards, J. N. Darby, the leader of the Brethren movement, taught this idea of the rapture and popularized it through the famous footnotes in the Scofield Bible. Thus, these three people—Lacunza, Irving, and Darby—were the early teachers who popularized the doctrine of the rapture.

Many people do not realize that the doctrine of the rapture began from the effort of a Jesuit to save the Catholic Church from financial collapse caused by the Reformation movement. It was later “confirmed” by the “prophecy” of Margaret McDonald and then continued by J. N. Darby, who explained it from the Bible. Therefore, the teaching of the “rapture” DID NOT BEGIN FROM BIBLICAL INVESTIGATION.

For now, it is sufficient for us to know the brief history of the doctrine of the rapture. In the following writing, we will see that the Bible teaches a spiritual “rapture,” not a physical one as is widely known today.

I Thessalonians 4:16–17: “For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain ‘will be caught up’ together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord.”

In the previous writing, we briefly discussed the history of the teaching of the “rapture” as understood by many Christians. From that brief history we can understand that the doctrine of the “rapture,” which is very popular among Christians today, did not begin with responsible biblical study, but rather from the effort of a Jesuit to avoid the pressure of the Reformers at that time. It was then followed by a “vision” from Margaret McDonald, and only afterwards did J. N. Darby quote Bible verses to “prove” all these teachings in the footnotes of the Scofield Bible.

The rapture teaching that is widely known today is very physical in nature, namely an act of evacuation by the Lord to lift His saints from the earth in order to avoid the time of great tribulation and persecution by the Antichrist. Although there are various variations of this teaching, the principle is essentially the same: the removal of the saints from the earth.

Let us first look at our passage above. The term CAUGHT UP in this verse comes from the Greek term HARPAZO, which contains the idea of an action performed quickly by someone with great skill and strength. Paul used this term when he described his experience of being caught up to the third heaven (2 Corinthians 12:2). From the context we know that Paul’s experience was spiritual and not physical, meaning that he was not physically lifted from the earth to some distant place called the third heaven. That was not the case. Rather, Paul experienced HARPAZO in the sense that, in the spirit, he was lifted into a higher spiritual realm or dimension.

Paul’s experience of HARPAZO should also be our experience, because in Ephesians 2:6 the Father has raised us up and seated us together with Him in the heavenly places. Through the process of the Father’s discipline and formation, we experience HARPAZO, meaning our spirit is lifted into the heavenly dimension, a higher realm of the Spirit, even while we are still living our natural lives on this earth. In Young’s Literal Translation it says that the Father “did seat us together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus.” We are “caught up” and seated together with Christ in a higher spiritual realm or dimension. Even though on this earth we face many challenges, in the spirit we are already reigning together with Christ. This is the meaning of HARPAZO, or being “caught up” into a higher realm or dimension.

Therefore, we are not “caught up” physically from this earth to some distant place in order to avoid the great tribulation, but we are “caught up” spiritually into a higher dimension. Thus, even though we experience tribulation on this earth, we still appear as victors because we are already seated with Christ in heaven.

Now we will talk about the coming of the Lord where ‘His feet shall stand on the Mount of Olives’. Let us read several verses. Zechariah 14:4: “And in that day His feet shall stand on the Mount of Olives, which faces Jerusalem on the east…”. Isaiah 66:1: “Thus says the LORD: Heaven is My throne, and the earth is My footstool…”. Isaiah 60:13: “…for I will glorify the place of My feet.”

Generally, those who hold to the teaching of the second physical coming of the Lord understand Zechariah 14:4 as a prophecy that will be fulfilled literally, meaning that the feet of the Lord Jesus—imagined like the feet of a thirty-year-old man—will literally stand on the Mount of Olives. But is that really the case?

Let us consider Isaiah 66:1, which says that ‘the earth is His footstool’. I am sure no one imagines that the Lord’s “physical” feet literally stand upon the earth. We all understand that this is figurative language. The meaning of the verse is that God reigns from heaven, while the earth is the place where His authority operates. Likewise, Isaiah 60:13 does not mean that God glorifies the place where His “physical” feet stand, but rather the place where His authority works.

Similarly, Zechariah 14:4 does not mean that Jesus’ physical feet will descend from heaven and stand on the Mount of Olives. The letter to the Corinthians says that ‘the Lord is the Spirit’, and that the ‘last Adam is a life-giving Spirit’. Therefore, we should not imagine Jesus as a thirty-year-old man who once walked on the dusty land of Israel two thousand years ago.

Today Jesus Christ is the Head of the church, and the church is His Body. The feet of Jesus Christ represent the ‘part of the Body of Christ’ in the last days. This group—the “feet” of Christ—will stand on the Mount of Olives in the last days.

If “feet” are symbolic language, then the Mount of Olives is also symbolic. In the Bible, olive oil was used for the lamps in the tabernacle of God. The olive represents the source of light, and a mountain symbolizes a kingdom. Therefore, the Mount of Olives speaks of the ‘kingdom of light’, the kingdom of Christ that will come upon this earth.

The coming of Christ’s kingdom on earth will take place through the group called the “feet,” namely His overcomers in the last days. The Father is preparing and maturing the Body of Christ in these last days, namely the “feet.” It is this “feet” portion that will be manifested in the last days to bring and establish His kingdom upon the earth. Hallelujah… Prepare yourselves, sons of God… the coming of Christ’s Kingdom is within and through you… Amen.

John 14:1–3: “Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me. In My Father’s house are many dwelling places; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also.”

Now we will discuss the coming of the Lord with the purpose of bringing us ‘into Himself’. The coming of the Lord is not to bring us to “heaven” as if it were a certain geographical location somewhere far away with streets of gold where we will sing forever. God also does not come to lift us up so that we will not experience the great tribulation or the time of the Antichrist. Rather, the Lord comes to bring us ‘into Himself’.

To understand this, we must first understand what Jesus meant when He said that He would ‘go there’ to prepare a place for us. If we examine the context of John chapters 13–17, not once does Jesus speak about heaven as a location. What Jesus meant by ‘going there’ to prepare a place for us was ‘going to the Father’ (John 13:1,3; 14:12,28; 16:5,28). Jesus went to the Father through His death, resurrection, and ascension. Then Jesus and the Father came again to the disciples and made their dwelling with them (John 14:23).

The Greek word translated ‘dwelling place’ in John 14:2 is the same as in John 14:23, namely MONE. Therefore, the Father’s house is the “place” where the Father and the Lord Jesus dwell and abide within the disciples. The Father’s house is ‘us’ (Hebrews 3:6). We are the temple of the Spirit.

We must always remember that the Lord said He is the way, the truth, and the life, and that no one comes to the Father except through Him. We are accustomed to thinking of the “Father’s house” as a geographical location somewhere in the universe. Jesus never spoke about such a place. He always spoke about ‘personal relationship’. The way is the person of Jesus, and the destination is also a person—the Father.

When Jesus told the disciples that He would not leave them as orphans and that He would come again, many Christians think about His second coming, which until now they believe has not yet been fulfilled. Some even think that the Comforter, the Holy Spirit who came on the Day of Pentecost, was not the fulfillment of Jesus’ promise that He would come again. But Jesus only left the disciples for a short moment. He came again as the Holy Spirit.

Do not misunderstand PARAKLETOS. Many people make a mistake with the root word. Parakletos is often understood as ‘para’ meaning ‘beside’ and ‘kaleo’ meaning ‘to call’, so it is interpreted as someone called to stand beside and help. This understanding does not fit the context of John chapters 14–16. In this context, ‘Parakletos is another Jesus’. The Holy Spirit is the person who continues the ministry and presence of the Lord Jesus. Therefore, when Jesus promised to come again to the disciples, He truly came in the person of PARAKLETOS.

Jesus’ promise to come to the disciples has already been fulfilled. Jesus has come in the Holy Spirit and has brought the disciples ‘into the Father’. Even now, the Lord Jesus has come into us and brought us to the Father. There is no need to keep waiting for Jesus to come from the physical sky and take us to a place we call the “Father’s house.” May God’s chosen people realize that Jesus has already come as PARAKLETOS (another Jesus) within us and has brought us to the Father. Amen.

The Jewish people, until now, continue to await the coming of the Messiah whom they expect will deliver them from their enemies, rebuild the Temple, and bring peace to the whole world, where the Jews will be the “head” and the other nations the “tail.” Their concept of the Messiah as a political leader, economic ruler, and even a military commander arises from their understanding that the Messiah is the son of David. As David was, so they expect the Messiah to be, even though Jesus tried to correct their concept when He said that David called the Messiah his Lord (Matthew 22:42–45). Jesus tried to explain that the Messiah’s kingdom is in a higher realm than David’s kingdom; the Messiah’s kingdom is the kingdom of heaven. Yet they rejected Jesus who came as a carpenter’s son and who had no formal education, even though He performed many miracles before their eyes.

The same case may occur in Christianity today. Generally, Christians believe that Jesus will come a second time physically to lift up His church and take it to a faraway place called the Father’s house or heaven. When the Lord Jesus comes TO, WITH, and IN His saints, as we will discuss now, they do not receive Him. Many Christians do not welcome the coming of the Lord because their concept is physical.

Let us look at several verses to explain the coming of the Lord TO, WITH, and IN His saints. In John 14:23 it is written: “Jesus answered and said to him, ‘If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home with him.’” Young’s Literal Translation renders it: “…unto (TO) him We will come…” According to the context, this coming occurred on the Day of Pentecost, when the Father and the Lord Jesus came in the person of the Parakletos.

Meanwhile, His coming WITH His saints is recorded in Jude 14: “Behold, the Lord comes ‘with’ ten thousands of His saints.” This is also in line with 2 Thessalonians 1:7: “…when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven ‘with His mighty angels’…”. We know the Greek word AGGELOS means messenger, namely people sent by God.

II Thessalonians 1:10 says: “…when He comes in that day to be glorified ‘among’ His saints…”. The term ‘among’ comes from the Greek preposition EN, which should be translated IN. Therefore, the Lord Jesus comes and is glorified IN His saints. Revelation 3:20 confirms this: “Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him…”. The Greek verb translated ‘come in’ here is EISERCHOMAI, meaning ‘to go in, come in’. In other words, Jesus enters ‘into’ the person who opens the door. Paul also said that God was pleased ‘to reveal His Son in me’ (Galatians 1:16). Thus, the Lord comes through His Spirit and enters into the inner being of His saints.

We have seen that the Lord comes in three dimensions: TO, WITH, and IN His saints. If we continue to hold the concept of a physical second coming of the Lord, we will not welcome, receive, or respond correctly to His coming. May God’s chosen people become increasingly aware and respond rightly to His coming.

In Revelation 3:3 it is written: “Remember therefore how you have received and heard; hold fast and repent. If you will not watch, I will come upon you as a thief, and you will not know what hour I will come upon you.” Luke 12:40 says: “You also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.”

Now we will conclude our series of discussions with the theme ‘the coming of the Lord as a thief’. In Revelation 3:3 we see the Lord’s warning to receive, hear, obey, even repent and be watchful so that the coming of the Lord will not be like a thief who suddenly comes, so that we cannot respond properly, true and to welcome His coming. We are asked to always be ready as it is said in Luke 12:40 above.

In the case of the nation of Israel, we see how they failed to welcome the Lord Jesus as the Messiah. When the Lord came to Jerusalem riding on a donkey, He wept over the city and said, “…If you, even you, had only known on this day what would bring you peace—but now it is hidden from your eyes” (Luke 19:42). Israel failed to receive Jesus as the Messiah, and as a result Jerusalem was besieged and destroyed by the Roman army in AD 70. Afterwards Israel was scattered as a nation for almost 2,000 years. For the nation of Israel, the Lord Jesus truly came as a “thief.” They were not ready to welcome Him.

Indeed, the Lord Jesus comes like a thief to those who are not watchful and who also have a wrong concept about the coming of the Lord. Israel expected the Messiah as the Son of David, and therefore they imagined the Messiah to be a military commander, a political and economic leader who would bring Israel into its golden age. But the Lord Jesus came as the Son of Man, without worldly splendor, who would establish the kingdom of heaven within the hearts of those who receive Him. The Lord desires to rule all things beginning from the inner being of man. This was what the nation of Israel did not understand, and therefore they failed to receive the Messiah.

Perhaps in the Christian world today the Lord Jesus will also come like a thief, and many Christians will not be ready to receive Him. Because of a mistaken concept, many Christians are waiting for the Lord Jesus to come from the physical sky and take His church to a faraway place in order to escape the great tribulation that will come upon the earth. They are expecting a physical coming of the Lord, which they call “the second coming of the Lord.” This will not happen, my brothers and sisters, because the Lord has already come, is coming, and will continue to come within our inner being to reveal Himself until we all become conformed to His image and likeness.

Let us discuss briefly the term ‘watch’. There are five different Greek terms translated as ‘watch’ in many Bible versions. Two of them, TEREO and PARATEREO, mean to watch in the sense of focusing on a certain object. The soldiers who guarded the cross of Jesus, and the Pharisees who watched Jesus to see whether He would perform a miracle on the Sabbath, used these terms. However, these two expressions—watching as a physical action with a specific focus—are never used in relation to the coming of the Lord.

The next term is NEPHO. In I Peter 4:7 this term is translated as ‘be sober’ (NIV/ESV). Actually, it means having a ‘sober mind’, that is, behaving seriously and judging things properly. The last two terms are GREGOREO and AGRUPNEO, which are more often used to exhort believers to ‘watch’ in relation to the coming of the Lord. These terms mean ‘to be aware, to be awake, not to be careless or negligent, and to arise’. When the Lord Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane asked His disciples to pray and watch, these were the terms used there.

Therefore, regarding the coming of the Lord, we must not only be aware, awake, not negligent, and arise, BUT WE MUST ALSO HAVE THE RIGHT CONCEPT ABOUT THE COMING OF THE LORD. May the Lord’s chosen people always remain watchful, for the Lord has come, is coming, and will continue to come into our inner being—whether through joyful or difficult circumstances—to transform us into His image and likeness. Amen.