When Jesus comes, what then?

Because we do not know when it will take place, we must be living our lives in a state of preparation, always being ready for the Lord’s return.

“For 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: Then 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. Wherefore comfort one another with these words.”(1 Thessalonians 4:16–18 KJV) S ome

Jeremy Thornton

people go through life never giving heed to the Bible’s warnings of the great day that is to come. Jesus taught that the resurrection will take place and when it does everyone will be judged according to the things they have done in their lives (John 5:28-29). Jesus also taught that on that great day that is to come that everyone will be judged according to the Word of God (John 12:48). The apostle Paul, writing to the church at Corinth, spoke of the great day of judgment reminding them and us that when that day comes, we will all stand before the judgment seat of Christ and be judged according to the life we have lived (2 Cor.

5:10). When some people think about the Judgment Day they think of it as a day to be dreaded, but we have been given God’s Word in order to be fully prepared for the day that is to come when we will all be resurrected and stand before the Judgment Seat of Christ. There has been a multitude of false teaching in regard to the “end times” and what people think will happen when Jesus comes, but we are not concerned with what people think but are concerned with what God’s Word teaches, therefore let’s notice what the Bible teaches on this matter.

First, let’s make a few observations about what will happen on the Day of Judgment. Jesus Christ will return. The Bible plainly teaches that Jesus will return to call all that are in the graves and all that are living on the earth at that time to be judged (John 5:28-29). Jesus comforted His apostles as He was preparing them for the time of His departure by telling them of the time that He would return and at that time He would escort the faithful into the place He went to prepare for them (John 14:1-3). When the apostle Paul was writing the church at Thessalonica, we wrote of the time that is to come when Jesus will return, He will call all to meet Him, and with these words they were to “comfort one another” (1 Thess. 4:13-18). Notice what the Scriptures teach in regard to His coming (1 Thess. 4:13ff.); the Scriptures teach that He is coming in the clouds and that we will meet Him in the clouds. This is what was proclaimed by the angels when Jesus ascended into heaven and the apostles stood by watching His ascension as they were told “why stand ye gazing up into heaven? This same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven.” (Acts 1:10).

Another observation to be made is that the time of His coming will not be revealed. Jesus stated that no man knows the day nor the hour of His coming, but only the Father in heaven knows this information (Mark 13:32). Paul, writing to the Thessalonians, spoke of the Judgment Day as a time that will come like a thief that comes in the night (1 Thess. 5:2). There have been many throughout the past that have made predictions of when the Lord will return, and those dates that they have been so sure of have come and gone, which is proof of the Scriptures teaching that no one is privy to the information the Father has in regard to the time of the Judgment Day. Because we do not know when it will take place, we must be living our lives in a state of preparation, always being ready for the Lord’s return. If one has never taken heed to the Lord’s commands, repenting of sin, confessing Jesus before men, putting Christ on in baptism, being added to the church, and living a faithful life, now is the time to do so because no man knows when the Judgment Day will come.

When the Day of Judgment comes there are some things that have been taught that will not take place. First, Jesus will not set up an earthly kingdom after a rapture of the righteous. Jesus came to the earth for the purpose of bringing salvation to man, and as He went to the cross to shed His blood for the remission of our sins (Matt. 26:28), He purchased the church with His blood (Acts 20:28). This is the kingdom that belongs to Christ, the kingdom that was promised by Daniel (Daniel 2:44), the kingdom that Jesus promised to build (Matt. 16:17-19), this kingdom exists now and those that obey the commands of the Lord can be delivered out of darkness and translated into the kingdom (Col. 1:13). On the Day of Pentecost, after hearing the commands to repent and be baptized, those that obeyed these commands were added to the church, the kingdom of Christ (Acts 2:37-47).

There is no need for Jesus to establish a kingdom as this is something He has already successfully accomplished. Something else that will not take place on that day, there will not be another chance given for the sinner to obey the commands of the Lord.

There has been ample time given to each of us in this life to obey the Lord’s commands, and the invitation of the Lord has been given for many years, as the Lord has patiently been pleading for everyone to come to repentance (2 Peter 3:9), but when we meet the Lord in the clouds and stand before His judgment seat there will not be another invitation offered, there will not be a verse of “Just as I Am” led, but the time will have been past to obey the commands of the Lord. Dear reader, I do not write these things in a way of sounding brash but write these things that you may contemplate your soul’s condition while you have the opportunity to obey the Gospel if you never have.

Knowing what will not take place, what will take place on that day? The Scriptures teach that on the Day of Judgment, Jesus will call forth all that are in the graves (John 5:28-29; Rev. 20:12; 1 Thess.

4:16-17). Those that remain, those that are living on the earth at that time will be called to judgment as well (1 Thess. 4:16-17).

As we stand before the Great Judge, He will divide the righteous from the unrighteous (Matt. 25:31-32). Those that are righteous, those that are in the kingdom will be delivered (1 Cor. 15:21-28), being able to enter into the place that has been prepared by Jesus (John 14:1-3). Those that are escorted into heaven will receive rest, peace, and tranquility (2 Thess. 1:7; Rev. 21:4; Rev.

14:13). Those that are in heaven will be able to be with the heavenly Father for eternity (Rev. 22:3; Rev. 4:8-11), being able to enjoy the pleasures of heaven forever. Those that are unrighteous, however, will suffer untold punishment (Rev. 21:8; Matt.

13:49-50; Rev. 20:10-14).

Perhaps the worst part about hell is the fact that those that are there will be banished from God forever (Matt. 25:41) and will remain there for eternity (Rev. 20:10).

To those that have been redeemed by the blood of Christ, the Day of Judgment is a day to look forward to, just as the Scriptures teach to “comfort one another with these words” (1 Thess. 4:18). To those that do not obey the Gospel, this day is a day to dread, as it is a day when pain begins that will never end, having no chance of calling out for God’s saving you. Knowing what the Scriptures teach about this day, why not take the opportunities you may have right now to obey the Father’s commands and look forward to the rewards of heaven that await the faithful?

Jeremy Thornton is Minister of Highway 77 Church of Christ in Marion.