Basic Baptist Doctrine
Bethel MBC July 30, 2008
Lesson #22
As taken from a lesson by
Elder Aaron Hood

The Bible clearly teaches that Christ is coming back to Earth. His return, like His first coming, has a purpose and that purpose will be determined in this study. There is considerable debate regarding the exact happenings and sequencing of events surrounding Christ’s return. We will attempt to stay in our mold of discussing what the Bible says, what it does NOT say while also exposing you to the various interpretations of this prophecy of future events.

13But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope. 14For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him. 15For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep. 16For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: 17Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. 18Wherefore comfort one another with these words.

11And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war. 12His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on his head were many crowns; and he had a name written, that no man knew, but he himself. 13And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God. 14And the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean. 15And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. 16And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS. 17And I saw an angel standing in the sun; and he cried with a loud voice, saying to all the fowls that fly in the midst of heaven, Come and gather yourselves together unto the supper of the great God; 18That ye may eat the flesh of kings, and the flesh of captains, and the flesh of mighty men, and the flesh of horses, and of them that sit on them, and the flesh of all men, both free and bond, both small and great. 19And I saw the beast, and the kings of the earth, and their armies, gathered together to make war against him that sat on the horse, and against his army. 20And the beast was taken, and with him the false prophet that wrought miracles before him, with which he deceived them that had received the mark of the beast, and them that worshipped his image. These both were cast alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone. 21And the remnant were slain with the sword of him that sat upon the horse, which sword proceeded out of his mouth: and all the fowls were filled with their flesh.

Revelation 20

Christ’s future return to the earth at the end of the present age. Although the Bible explicitly speaks of Christ’s appearance as a "second time," the phrase "second coming" occurs nowhere in the New Testament. Many passages, however, speak of His return. In fact, in the New Testament alone it is referred to over 300 times.

The night before His crucifixion, Jesus told His apostles that He would return (John 14:3). When Jesus ascended into heaven, two angels appeared to His followers, saying that He would return in the same manner as they had seen His go (Acts 1:11). The New Testament is filled with expectancy of His coming, even as Christians should be today.

Various opinions exist about what is meant by the Second Coming. Some regard it as the coming of the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost. Others regard it as the coming of Christ into the heart at conversion. Christ’s coming for the believer at the time of death is still another view. Careful examination of the New Testament, however, makes it clear that the Second Coming will be a climatic historical event. The Lord will return in the same manner in which He left. His coming will be personal, bodily, and visible.

The time of the Second Coming is unknown. In fact, Jesus stated that only the Father knew the time. Therefore, the return of the Lord should be a matter of constant expectancy. As He came the first time, in the "fullness of time" (Galatians 4:4), so will the Second Coming be. The believer’s task is not to try to determine the time of the Second Coming. We should share the gospel message diligently until He returns (Acts 1:8-11).

(Copyright © 1986, Thomas Nelson Publishers)

The thousand-year period mentioned in connection with the description of Christ’s coming to reign with His saints over the earth (Revelation 19:11-16; 20:1-9). Many Old Testament passages refer to the millennium (Isaiah 11:4; Jeremiah 3:17; Zechariah 14:9).

These and many other Old Testament passages are often taken to refer only to the thousand year period itself. However, it is often difficult in these passages to see a clear dividing line between the earthly period of the millennium and the eternal state of new heavens and earth. Therefore, it is best to let one’s teaching of the millennium to be drawn specifically from the words in Revelation 20. The other great promises to Israel, while they have a temporary fulfillment in the thousand years, still await the fullness of the new heavens and new earth and the unhindered presence of Israel’s king and the church’s husband – Jesus Christ our Lord.

During that thousand-year period, Satan will be bound in the bottomless pit so he will not deceive the nations until his short period of release (Revelation 20:3,7-8). The faithful martyrs who have died for the cause of Christ will be resurrected before the millennium. They will rule with Christ and will be priests of God and Christ (Revelation 5:10; 20:4). The unbelieving dead will wait for the second resurrection (Revelation 20:5). After the thousand years, Satan will be released and will resume his work of deceit (Revelation 20:7-8).

The most important aspect of the millennium is the reign of Christ. Peter taught that Christ now rules from the right hand of God (Acts 2:33-36). That rule will last until His enemies are made His footstool (Psalm 110:1). The apostle Paul also understood Christ to be presently reigning in a period designed to bring all of God’s enemies underfoot (1 Corinthians 15:25-27). Thus, the impact of Christ’s present rule over the earth from God’s right hand must not be seen as unrelated to His future reign during the millennium.

The millennium is viewed by interpreters in several different ways. One position holds that the millennium only refers to Christ’s spiritual rule today from heaven. This symbolic view is known as the amillennial interpretation. Another position views Christ’s spiritual rule as working through preaching and teaching to bring gradual world improvement leading up to Christ’s return. This is the postmillennial view.

The position that holds to an actual thousand year period in the future is known as the premillennial view. This interpretation does not diminish the power of Christ’s present rule from heaven or limit that rule to the church only. That position sees the need for a thousand-year place in history for an earthly fulfillment of Israel’s promises of land and blessing. It stresses that the one thousand years in Revelation 20 are actual years and are not symbolic. (from Nelson’s Illustrated Bible Dictionary)

(Copyright (C) 1986, Thomas Nelson Publishers)