He Cometh With Clouds, And Every Eye Shall See Him

The Return of Christ in the Clouds of Heaven

2 Thessalonians 2:1-12

Now we beseech you, brethren,
By the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ,
And by our gathering together in Him.
That you be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled,
Neither, by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from us,
As that day of Christ is at hand.

Let no man deceive you by any means;
For that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first;
And that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition,
Who opposes and exalts himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped;
So that he as God sits in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God.

Remember ye not, that, when I was yet with you, I told you these things?
And now ye know what withholdeth that he might be revealed in his time.
For the mystery of iniquity does already work:
Only he who now lets will let, until he be taken out of the way.

And then shall the wicked be revealed,
Whom the Lord shall consume with the Spirit of His mouth,
And shall destroy with the brightness of His coming,
Even Him, whose coming is after the working of Satan
With all power and signs and lying wonders.
And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish;
Because they receive not the love of the truth, that they might be saved.
And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion,
That they should believe a lie:
That they all might be damned who believe not the truth,
But had pleasure in unrighteousness.



Matthew Chapter 24

And I [John] saw another Mighty Angel come down from heaven, clothed with a cloud: and a rainbow was upon His head, and His face was as it were the sun, and His feet as pillars of fire. (Revelation 10:1)

And Jesus went out, and departed from the temple:
And His disciples came to Him for to shew Him the buildings of the temple.
And Jesus said unto them,
"See ye not all these things? Verily I say unto you,
There shall not be left here one stone upon another, that shall not be thrown down."

And as He sat upon the mount of Olives, the disciples came unto Him privately,
Saying, 'Tell us, when shall these things be?
And what shall be the sign of Thy coming, and of the end of the world?'

And Jesus answered and said unto them,
"Take heed that no man deceive you.
For many shall come in my name, saying, 'I am Christ;'
And shall deceive many.
And ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars:
See that ye be not troubled:
For all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet."

"For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom:
And there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places.
All these are the beginning of sorrows."

"Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you:
And ye shall be hated of all nations for my name's sake.
And then shall many be offended, and shall betray one another, and shall hate one another.
And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many.
And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold.
But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved."

"And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come."

"When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation,
Spoken of by Daniel the prophet,
Stand in the holy place,(Whoso readeth, let him understand:)
Then let them which be in Judaea flee into the mountains:
Let him which is on the housetop not come down to take any thing out of his house:
Neither let him which is in the field return back to take his clothes.
And woe unto them that are with child, and to them that give suck in those days!
But pray ye that your flight be not in the winter, neither on the sabbath day:
For then shall be great tribulation, 
Such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be.
And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved:
But for the elect's sake those days shall be shortened."

"Then if any man shall say unto you, 'Lo, here is Christ, or there;' believe it not.
For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets,
And shall shew great signs and wonders;
Insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect."

"Behold, I have told you before. Wherefore if they shall say unto you,
'Behold, He is in the desert;' go not forth:
'Behold, He is in the secret chambers;' believe it not.
For as the lightning cometh out of the east, and shineth even unto the west;
So shall also the coming of the Son of man be.
For wheresoever the carcase is, there will the eagles be gathered together."

"Immediately after the tribulation of those days 
Shall the sun be darkened,
And the moon shall not give her light,
And the stars shall fall from heaven,
And the powers of the heavens shall be shaken:
And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven:
And then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn,
And they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.
And He shall send His angels with a great sound of a trumpet,
And they shall gather together His elect from the four winds,
From one end of heaven to the other."

"Now learn a parable of the fig tree;
When his branch is yet tender, and putteth forth leaves, ye know that summer is nigh:
So likewise ye, when ye shall see all these things, know that it is near, even at the doors.
Verily I say unto you, 'This generation shall not pass, till all these things be fulfilled.
Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away.'"

"But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only.
But as the days of Noe were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.
For as in the days that were before the flood,
They were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage,
Until the day that Noe entered into the ark,
And knew not until the flood came, and took them all away;
So shall also the coming of the Son of man be.
Then shall two be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left.
Two women shall be grinding at the mill; the one shall be taken, and the other left.
Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come."

Luke Chapter 21

And He looked up, and saw the rich men casting their gifts into the treasury.
And He saw also a certain poor widow casting in thither two mites.
And He said,
"Of a truth I say unto you, that this poor widow hath cast in more than they all:
For all these have of their abundance cast in unto the offerings of God:
But she of her penury hath cast in all the living that she had."
And as some spake of the temple, how it was adorned with goodly stones and gifts,
He said,
"As for these things which ye behold, the days will come,
In the which there shall not be left one stone upon another,
That shall not be thrown down."

And they asked Him, saying, 'Master, but when shall these things be?
And what sign will there be when these things shall come to pass?'

And He said,
"Take heed that ye be not deceived:
For many shall come in my name, saying, 'I am Christ;'
And the time draweth near: go ye not therefore after them.
But when ye shall hear of wars and commotions, be not terrified:
For these things must first come to pass; but the end is not by and by."
Then said He unto them:
"Nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom:
And great earthquakes shall be in divers places, and famines, and pestilences;"

"And fearful sights and great signs shall there be from heaven.
But before all these,
They shall lay their hands on you, and persecute you,
Delivering you up to the synagogues, and into prisons,
Being brought before kings and rulers for my name's sake.
And it shall turn to you for a testimony.
Settle it therefore in your hearts not to meditate before what ye shall answer:
For I will give you a mouth and wisdom,
Which all your adversaries shall not be able to gainsay nor resist.
And ye shall be betrayed both by parents,
And brethren, and kinsfolks, and friends;
And some of you shall they cause to be put to death.
And ye shall be hated of all men for my name's sake.
But there shall not an hair of your head perish.
In your patience possess ye your souls."

"And when ye shall see Jerusalem compassed with armies,
Then know that the desolation thereof is nigh.
Then let them which are in Judaea flee to the mountains;
And let them which are in the midst of it depart out;
And let not them that are in the countries enter thereinto.
For these be the days of vengeance,
That all things which are written may be fulfilled."

"But woe unto them that are with child, and to them that give suck, in those days!
For there shall be great distress in the land, and wrath upon this people.
And they shall fall by the edge of the sword,
And shall be led away captive into all nations:
And Jerusalem shall be trodden down of the Gentiles,
Until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled."

"And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars;
And upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity;
The sea and the waves roaring;
Men's hearts failing them for fear,
And for looking after those things which are coming on the earth:
For the powers of heaven shall be shaken."

"And then shall they see the Son of man coming in a cloud with power and great glory.
And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads;
For your redemption draweth nigh."

And He spake to them a parable;
"Behold the fig tree, and all the trees;
When they now shoot forth,
Ye see and know of your own selves that summer is now nigh at hand.
So likewise ye, when ye see these things come to pass,
Know ye that the kingdom of God is nigh at hand."

Verily I say unto you,
"This generation shall not pass away, till all be fulfilled.
Heaven and earth shall pass away: but my words shall not pass away.
And take heed to yourselves, lest at any time
Your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting, and drunkenness, and cares of this life,
And so that day come upon you unawares.
For as a snare shall it come on all them that dwell on the face of the whole earth.
Watch ye therefore, and pray always,
That ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass,
And to stand before the Son of man."

And in the day time He was teaching in the temple;
And at night He went out, and abode in the mount that is called the mount of Olives.
And all the people came early in the morning to Him in the temple, for to hear Him.

Malachi Chapter 4

For, behold, the day cometh, that shall burn as an oven;
And all the proud, yea, and all that do wickedly, shall be stubble:
And the day that cometh shall burn them up, saith the LORD of hosts,
That it shall leave them neither root nor branch.
But unto you that fear my name shall the Sun of righteousness arise with healing in his wings;
And ye shall go forth, and grow up as calves of the stall.
And ye shall tread down the wicked;
For they shall be ashes under the soles of your feet in the day that I shall do this, saith the LORD of hosts.
Remember ye the law of Moses my servant,
Which I commanded unto him in Horeb for all Israel, with the statutes and judgments.
Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the LORD:
And he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers,
Lest I come and smite the earth with a curse.

The Sixth Seal, the Seven Trumpets, and the Return of Christ

And I beheld when He had opened the sixth seal,
And, lo, there was a great earthquake;
And the sun became black as sackcloth of hair,
And the moon became as blood;
And the stars of heaven fell unto the earth,
Even as a fig tree casteth her untimely figs, when she is shaken of a mighty wind.
And the heaven departed as a scroll when it is rolled together;
And every mountain and island were moved out of their places.
And the kings of the earth, and the great men, and the rich men,
And the chief captains, and the mighty men, and every bondman, and every free man,
Hid themselves in the dens and in the rocks of the mountains;
And said to the mountains and rocks,
'Fall on us, and hide us from the face of Him that sitteth on the throne,
And from the wrath of the Lamb:
For the great day of His wrath is come; and who shall be able to stand?'
And when He had opened the seventh seal,
There was silence in heaven about the space of half an hour.
And I saw the seven angels which stood before God;
And to them were given seven trumpets.
And another angel came and stood at the altar, having a golden censer;
And there was given unto him much incense,
That he should offer it with the prayers of all saints
Upon the golden altar which was before the throne.
And the smoke of the incense, which came with the prayers of the saints,
Ascended up before God out of the angel's hand.
And the angel took the censer, and filled it with fire of the altar,
And cast it into the earth:
And there were voices, and thunderings, and lightnings, and an earthquake.
And the seven angels which had the seven trumpets prepared themselves to sound.
The first angel sounded,
And there followed hail and fire mingled with blood,
And they were cast upon the earth:
And the third part of trees was burnt up,
And all green grass was burnt up. 
And the second angel sounded, 
And as it were a great mountain burning with fire was cast into the sea:
And the third part of the sea became blood;
And the third part of the creatures which were in the sea, and had life, died;
And the third part of the ships were destroyed.
And the third angel sounded,
And there fell a great star from heaven, burning as it were a lamp,
And it fell upon the third part of the rivers,
And upon the fountains of waters;
And the name of the star is called Wormwood:
And the third part of the waters became wormwood;
And many men died of the waters, because they were made bitter. 
And the fourth angel sounded,
And the third part of the sun was smitten,
And the third part of the moon,
And the third part of the stars;
So as the third part of them was darkened,
And the day shone not for a third part of it, and the night likewise.
And I beheld, and heard an angel flying through the midst of heaven,
Saying with a loud voice,
'Woe, woe, woe, to the inhabiters of the earth by reason of
The other voices of the trumpet of the three angels, which are yet to sound!' [the fifth, sixth and seventh trumpets]

(Revelation 6:12-17; 8:1-13)

The first four seals in the Book of Revelation describe death of 1/4 of the earth by war, scarcity, famine, diseases, plagues, etc. At the opening of the fifth seal, the souls in heaven ask: "How long, O Lord, holy and true, dost Thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth?" They are told: "Rest yet for a little season, until their fellowservants also and their brethren, that should be killed as they were, should be fulfilled."

Following the cosmic disturbances of the sixth seal (great earthquake, sun turns black, moon turns blood red, stars fall to earth, sky rolls up like a scroll, every mountain and island moves), there is silence in heaven about 1/2 hour before the seventh seal is opened.

The seventh seal in the Book of Revelation reveals itself as the seven trumpets, described as "the wrath of the Lamb." The first four trumpets will bring destruction upon the earth (1/3 of trees burned up, all green grass burned, 1/3 of sea turns to blood, 1/3 of sea creatures die, 1/3 of ships destroyed, 1/3 of waters poisoned, 1/3 of sun and moon and stars darkened).

When the fifth trumpet is sounded, Satan will be released from the bottomless pit to rule over his earthly kingdom (his one-world government and religion). He will stand in the holy place showing himself that he is God, and he will promise peace and security to a world in desperate need of grand solutions to profound problems. Satan, deceiving many with his signs and wonders, will reign as king over this earth for five months, during which time (sixth trumpet) 1/3 part of man will be killed (most likely Christians and others who refuse to worship "the beast" and to receive his "mark" in their right hand or forehead).

After this earthly reign by Satan for "a little season" and his persecution of the followers of Christ, Christ will return in the clouds of heaven with great power and glory (seventh trumpet) to deliver up His people to the kingdom of heaven. He then will destroy by fire the kingdom of "the beast" and create a new heaven and a new earth over which He will reign with His people for eternity.

"And I will bring the third part through the fire,
And will refine them as silver is refined, and will try them as gold is tried:
They shall call on my name, and I will hear them:
I will say, 'It is my people:' and they shall say, 'The Lord is my God'."
(Zechariah 13:9)

* * * * * * *

Sixth Seal - This is what precedes Satan's "reign" over his earthly kingdom, the one-world government and religion. Notice that the events revealed by the sixth seal are very similar to some of the events which immediately shall precede the return of Christ in the clouds of heaven (the seventh trumpet).

Great earthquake
Sun turns black
Moon turns blood red
Stars fall to earth
Sky folds up like a scroll
Every mountain and island moved out of their places

Seventh Seal - Reveals itself as the seven trumpets

Silence in heaven about the space of half an hour

First Four Trumpets

1/3 of trees burned up and all the green grass burned
1/3 of seas, sea creatures and ships destroyed
1/3 of waters poisoned
1/3 of sun, moon, stars darkened

These events could be the aftermath of a Nuclear World War, which most likely will originate in the Middle East, or they could be caused by the cosmic events of the sixth seal, which world leaders will likely blame on a fake alien invasion.

Fifth Trumpet - Satan released "a little season" to deceive the nations. Satan, the false messiah, will stand in the holy place, Jerusalem, promising peace and security to a world in desperate need of grand solutions to profound problems. Showing himself that he is God, Satan will deceive many with his signs and wonders. The world will worship the beast, this one-world power.

'Locusts' torment men without the seal of God for five months (a 'little season')

Sixth Trumpet

1/3 part of man killed

Seventh Trumpet - The Return of Christ in the Clouds of Heaven (The Day of the Lord)

Witnesses of Christ, lying dead in the streets, ascend to heaven in a cloud
Great earthquake
Voices from heaven
Temple of God opened in heaven
Lightning, voices, thunder, earthquake, great hail
A cloudy and dark day
Sun darkened
Moon darkened
Stars fall from heaven
Heaven and earth shaken

And I [John] saw another Mighty Angel come down from heaven, clothed with a cloud: and a rainbow was upon His head, and His face was as it were the sun, and His feet as pillars of fire. (Revelation 10:1)

For the Lord Himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trumpet 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 air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. (1 Thessalonians 4:16)

Behold I show you a mystery: we shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. (1 Corinthians 15:51)

"For false Christs and false prophets shall rise, and shall shew signs and wonders, to seduce, if it were possible, even the elect. But take ye heed: behold, I have foretold you all things. But in those days, after that tribulation, the sun shall be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars of heaven shall fall, and the powers that are in heaven shall be shaken. And then shall they see the Son of man coming in the clouds with great power and glory. And then shall He send His angels, and shall gather together His elect from the four winds, from the uttermost part of the earth to the uttermost part of heaven." (Mark 13:22-27)

Jesus said unto him, “Thou has said: nevertheless I say unto you, Hereafter shall ye see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven.” (Matthew 26:64)

Again the high priest asked Him, and said unto Him, Art Thou the Christ, the Son of the Blessed? And Jesus said, “I am: and ye shall see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven.” (Mark 14:61-62)

“And then shall they see the Son of man coming in the clouds with great power and glory.” (Mark 13:26)

“And then shall they see the Son of man coming in a cloud with power and great glory.” (Luke 21:27)

And when he had spoken these things, while they beheld, He was taken up; and a cloud received Him out of their sight… Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, 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 1:9,11)

"Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken: and then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory." (Matthew 24:29-30)

"Behold, He cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see Him, and they also which pierced Him: and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of Him. Even so, Amen." (Revelation 1:7)

I beheld till the thrones were cast down, and the Ancient of days did sit,
Whose garment was white as snow, and the hair of His head like the pure wool:
His throne was like the fiery flame, and His wheels as burning fire.
A fiery stream issued and came forth from before Him:
Thousand thousands ministered unto Him,
And ten thousand times ten thousand stood before Him:
The judgment was set, and the books were opened.
I beheld then because of the voice of the great words which the horn spake:
I beheld even till the beast was slain, and his body destroyed, and given to the burning flame.
As concerning the rest of the beasts, they had their dominion taken away:
Yet their lives were prolonged for a season and time.
I saw in the night visions, and, behold,
One like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven,
And came to the Ancient of days, and they brought Him near before Him.
And there was given Him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom,
That all people, nations, and languages, should serve Him:
His dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away,
And His kingdom that which shall not be destroyed.

(Daniel 7:9-14)

The Day of the Lord

And as it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment. (Hebrews 9:27)

The hour is coming, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God: and they that hear shall live… Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear His voice, and shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation.” (John 5:25,28-29)

He hath appointed a day, in the which He will judge the world in righteousness by that Man whom He hath ordained; whereof He hath given assurance unto all men, in that He hath raised Him from the dead. (Acts 17:31)

"Howl ye; for the day of the Lord is at hand;
It shall come as a destruction from the Almighty.
Therefore shall all hands be faint, and every man's heart shall melt:
And they shall be afraid: pangs and sorrows shall take hold of them;
They shall be in pain as a woman that travaileth:
They shall be amazed one at another; their faces shall be as flames.
Behold, the day of the Lord cometh,
Cruel both with wrath and fierce anger, to lay the land desolate:
And He shall destroy the sinners thereof out of it.
For the stars of heaven and the constellations thereof shall not give their light:
The sun shall be darkened in his going forth,
And the moon shall not cause her light to shine.
And I will punish the world for their evil, and the wicked for their iniquity;
And I will cause the arrogancy of the proud to cease,
And will lay low the haughtiness of the terrible.
I will make a man more precious than fine gold; even a man than the golden wedge of Ophir.
Therefore I will shake the heavens, and the earth shall remove out of her place,
In the wrath of the Lord of hosts, and in the day of His fierce anger."

(Isaiah 13:6-13)

Standing afar off for the fear of her torment, saying, Alas, alas, that great city Babylon, that mighty city! for in one hour is thy judgment come. (Revelation 18:10)

For in one hour so great riches is come to nought. And every shipmaster, and all the company in ships, and sailors, and as many as trade by sea, stood afar off. (Revelation 18:17)

And they cast dust on their heads, and cried, weeping and wailing, saying, Alas, alas, that great city, wherein were made rich all that had ships in the sea by reason of her costliness! for in one hour is she made desolate. (Revelation 18:19)

A day of darkness and of gloominess, a day of clouds and of thick darkness, as the morning spread upon the mountains: a great people and a strong; there hath not been ever the like, neither shall be any more after it, even to the years of many generations. (Joel 2:2)

“The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and the terrible day of the Lord come.” (Joel 2:31)

“The sun and the moon shall be darkened, and the stars shall withdraw their shining. The Lord also shall roar out of Zion, and utter His voice from Jerusalem; and the heavens and the earth shall shake: but the Lord will be the hope of His people, and the strength of the children of Israel. So shall ye know that I am the Lord your God dwelling in Zion, my holy mountain: then shall Jerusalem be holy, and there shall no strangers pass through her any more. And it shall come to pass in that day, that the mountains shall drop down new wine, and the hills shall flow with milk, and all the rivers of Judah shall flow with waters, and a fountain shall come forth of the house of the Lord, and shall water the valley of Shittim.” (Joel 2:15-18)

The sun and the moon shall be darkened, and the stars shall withdraw their shining. (Joel 3:15)

The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before that great and notable day of the Lord come. (Acts 2:20)

"For the day is near, even the day of the Lord is near, a cloudy day; it shall be the time of the heathen." (Ezekiel 30:3)

"As a shepherd seeketh out his flock in the day that he is among his sheep that are scattered; so will I seek out my sheep, and will deliver them out of all places where they have been scattered in the cloudy and dark day." (Ezekiel 34:12)

The great day of the Lord is near, it is near, and hasteth greatly, even the voice of the day of the Lord: the mighty man shall cry there bitterly. That day is a day of wrath, a day of trouble and distress, a day of wasteness and desolation, a day of darkness and gloominess, a day of clouds and thick darkness, a day of the trumpet and alarm against the fenced cities, and against the high towers. And I will bring distress upon men, that they shall walk like blind men, because they have sinned against the Lord: and their blood shall be poured out as dust, and their flesh as the dung. Neither their silver nor their gold shall be able to deliver them in the day of the Lord's wrath; but the whole land shall be devoured by the fire of His jealousy: for He shall make even a speedy riddance of all them that dwell in the land. (Zephaniah 1:14-18)

Hear, all ye people; hearken, O earth, and all that therein is: and let the Lord GOD be witness against you, the Lord from His holy temple. For, behold, the Lord cometh forth out of His place, and will come down, and tread upon the high places of the earth. And the mountains shall be molten under Him, and the valleys shall be cleft, as wax before the fire, and as the waters that are poured down a steep place. (Micah 1:1-4)

But now is Christ risen from the dead,
And become the firstfruits of them that slept.
For since by man came death, by Man came also the resurrection of the dead.
For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.
But every man in his own order:Christ the firstfruits; 
Afterward they that are Christ’s at His coming.
Then cometh the end,
When He shall have delivered up the kingdom to God, even the Father;
When He shall have put down all rule and all authority and power.
For He must reign, till He hath put all enemies under His feet.
The last enemy that shall be destroyed is Death.
For He hath put all things under His feet.
But when He saith all things are put under Him,
It is manifest that He is excepted, which did put all things under Him.
And when all things shall be subdued unto Him,
Then shall the Son also Himself be subject unto Him that put all things under Him,
That God may be all in all.

(1 Corinthians 15:20-28)

We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord. Wherefore we labour, that, whether present or absent, we may be accepted of Him. For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad. (2 Corinthians 5:8-10)

I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at His appearing and His kingdom; preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine… Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love His appearing. (2 Timothy 4:1-2,8)

This second epistle, beloved, I now write unto you;
In both which I stir up your pure minds by way of remembrance:
That ye may be mindful of the words which were spoken before by the holy prophets,
And of the commandment of us the apostles of the Lord and Saviour:
Knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days scoffers,
Walking after their own lusts,
And saying, 'Where is the promise of His coming?
For since the fathers fell asleep,
All things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation.'

For this they willingly are ignorant of,That by the Word of God the heavens were of old,
And the earth standing out of the water and in the water:
Whereby the world that then was, being overflowed with water, perished:
But the heavens and the earth, which are now, by the same Word are kept in store,
Reserved unto fire against the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men.

But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing,
That one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.
The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some men count slackness;
But is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish,
But that all should come to repentance.

But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night;
In the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise,
And the elements shall melt with fervent heat,
The earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up.
Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved,
What manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness,
Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God,
Wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved,
And the elements shall melt with fervent heat?
Nevertheless we, according to His promise,
Look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness.

Therefore, beloved, seeing that ye look for such things,
Be diligent that ye may be found of Him in peace, without spot, and blameless.
And account that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation;
Even as our beloved brother Paul also,
According to the wisdom given unto him hath written unto you;
As also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things;
In which are some things hard to be understood,
Which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest,
As they do also the other scriptures, unto their own destruction.

Ye therefore, beloved, seeing ye know these things before,
Beware lest ye also, being led away with the error of the wicked,
Fall from your own stedfastness.
But grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.
To Him be glory both now and for ever. Amen.

(2 Peter Chapter 3)

The Resurrection to Life: the Delivering Up of the Chosen Ones to the Kingdom of Heaven

In the dispensation of the fulness of times He might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in Him. (Ephesians 1:10)

But 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. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with Him. For 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. 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. (1 Thessalonians 4:13-17)

Then Jesus sent the multitude away and went into the house: and His disciples came unto Him, saying, Declare unto us the parable of the tares of the field. He answered and said unto them, “He that sows the good seed is the Son of man; the field is the world; the good seed are the children of the kingdom. But the tares are the children of the wicked one; the enemy that sowed them is the devil; the harvest is the end of the world; and the reapers are the angels. As therefore the tares are gathered and burned in the fire; so shall it be in the end of this world. The Son of man shall send forth His angels, and they shall gather out of His kingdom all things that offend, and them which do iniquity; and shall cast them into a furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth. Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Who hath ears to hear, let him hear.” (Matthew 13:36-43)

Another parable put He forth unto them, saying, “The kingdom of heaven is likened unto a man which sowed good seed in his field: but while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and went his way. But when the blade was sprung up, and brought forth fruit, then appeared the tares also. So the servants of the householder came and said to him, Sir, did not thou sow good seed in thy field? From whence then hath it tares? He said unto them, An enemy has done this. The servants said unto him, Is it thou will then that we go and gather them up? But he said, Nay, lest while ye gather up the tares, ye root up also the wheat with them. Let them grow together until the harvest: and in the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, Gather ye together first the tares and bind them in bundles to burn them: but gather the wheat into my barn.” (Matthew 13:24-30)

“I will accept you with your sweet savor, when I bring you out from the people, and gather you out of the countries wherein ye have been scattered; and I will be sanctified in you before the heathen.” (Ezekiel 20:41)

Thus saith the Lord God; “Woe to the women that sew pillows to all armholes, and make kerchiefs upon the head of every stature to hunt souls! Will ye hunt the souls of my people, and will ye save the souls alive that come unto you? And will ye pollute me among my people for handfuls of barley and for pieces of bread, to slay the souls that should not die and to save the souls alive that should not live, by your lying to my people that hear your lies?’ Wherefore thus saith the Lord God; ‘Behold, I am against your pillows wherewith ye there hunt the souls to make them fly, and I will tear them from your arms, and will let the souls go, even the souls that ye hunt to make them fly. Your kerchiefs also will I tear, and deliver my people out of your hand, and they shall be no more in your hand to be hunted; and ye shall know that I am the Lord. Because with your lies ye have made the heart of the righteous sad, whom I have not made sad; and strengthened the hands of the wicked that he should not return from his wicked way, by promising him life. Therefore ye shall see no more vanity, nor divine divinations: for I will deliver my people out of your hand: and ye shall know that I am the Lord.” (Ezekiel 13:18:23)

For thus saith the Lord God, “Behold, I, even I, will both search my sheep, and seek them out. As a shepherd seeks out his flock in the day that he is among his sheep that are scattered; so will I seek out my sheep, and will deliver them out of all places where they have been scattered in the cloudy and dark day. And I will bring them out from the people, and gather them from the countries, and will bring them to their own land, and feed them upon the mountains of Israel by the rivers, and in all the inhabited places of the country. I will feed them in a good pasture, and upon the high mountains of Israel shall their fold be. There shall they lie in a good fold, and in a fat pasture shall they feed upon the mountains of Israel. I will feed my flock, and I will cause them to lie down, saith the Lord God. I will seek that which was lost, and bring again that which was broken, and will strengthen that which was sick: but I will destroy the fat and the strong; I will feed them with judgment.” (Ezekiel 34:11-16)

The Resurrection to Damnation: the Raising of the Ungodly Dead for Final Judgment

Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear His voice, and shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation.” (John 5:28-29)

The Lord hath made all things for Himself: yea, even the wicked for the day of evil. (Proverbs 16:4)

Proclaim ye this among the Gentiles; prepare war, wake up the mighty men, let all the men of war draw near; let them come up: beat your plowshares into swords, and your pruninghooks into spears: let the weak say, I am strong. Assemble yourselves, and come, all ye heathen, and gather yourselves together round about: thither cause thy mighty ones to come down, O Lord. Let the heathen be wakened, and come up to the valley of Jehoshaphat: for there will I sit to judge all the heathen round about. Put ye in the sickle, for the harvest is ripe: come, get you down; for the press is full, the fats overflow; for their wickedness is great. Multitudes, multitudes in the valley of decision: for the day of the Lord is near in the valley of decision. (Joel 2:9-14)

“But I say this unto you, that every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment.” (Matthew 12:36)

The eyes of the Lord are in every place, beholding the evil and the good. (Proverbs 15:3)

And the Spirit of the Lord fell upon me, and said unto me, “‘Speak;’ thus saith the Lord; ‘Thus have ye said, O house of Israel: for I know the things that come into your mind, every one of them.’” (Ezekiel 11:5)

Therefore thus saith the Lord God: “Woe to the bloody city! I will even make the pile for fire great. Heap on wood, kindle the fire, consume the flesh, and spice it well, and let the bones be burned. Then set it empty upon the coals thereof, that the brass of it may be hot, and may burn, and that the filthiness of it may be molten in it, that the scum of it may be consumed. She hath wearied herself with lies, and her great scum went not forth out of her: her scum shall be in the fire. In thy filthiness is lewdness: because I have purged thee, and thou was not purged, thou shall not be purged from thy filthiness any more, till I have caused my fury to rest upon thee. I the Lord have spoken it: it shall come to pass, and I will do it; I will not go back, neither will I spare, neither will I repent; according to thy ways, and according to thy doings, shall they judge thee,” said the Lord God. (Ezekiel 24:9-14)