Source of Light Sample Lesson

The New Life in Christ
Course 2, Lesson 11

Jesus Christ - Our Coming King

"Behold, the Lord comes with ten thousand of His saints." -- Jude 14

Dear Friend,

Jesus is coming again! How do we know? Because He said so! Jesus said,

"...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 unto Myself...." John 14:2, 3

When Jesus ascended back into Heaven after His resurrection, two angels appeared to His disciples and said to them,

"You men of Galilee, why stand you gazing up into Heaven? This same Jesus, which is taken up from you into Heaven, shall so come in like manner as you have seen Him go into Heaven." Acts 1:11

From these verses we know that Jesus is coming again and that He will come again in the same manner in which He ascended into Heaven.

What will happen when Jesus comes? What will happen to the believers? Does anyone know when Jesus is coming? How can we be ready for His coming? These are good questions, and we will find the answers to them in this lesson.

Jesus Is Coming for His Believers

When Jesus comes again, there will be a great separation - the believers will be separated from the unbelievers. The believers will go to be with the Lord Jesus; the unbelievers will be left behind. Jesus said,

"Two women shall be grinding together; the one shall be taken, and the other left. Two men shall be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left." Luke 17:35, 36

Christ Will Come Suddenly

When Christ comes to take His believers to be with Him, He will come suddenly and unexpectedly - like "a thief in the night."

In a moment, "in the twinkling of an eye," every believer will be caught up to meet the Lord in the air. This includes both those who have died and those who are living when Christ comes. The Bible says,

"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." I Thessalonians 4:16, 17

Believers Will Be Judged

The believers will go to be with the Lord Jesus in Heaven. There, they will be judged for what they have done after they were saved. This judgment is called "the Judgment Seat of Christ," and is for believers only.

Some believers will receive great rewards at this judgment because they were faithful in serving the Lord Jesus. Others will be ashamed because they did not live for the Lord.

The Marriage Supper of the Lamb

After judgment of the believers, "the Marriage Supper of the Lamb" will take place. There is no way for us to describe how beautiful and wonderful this event will be. As the Bride of Christ, we will be joined to the Lord Jesus - to love HIm and to be loved by Him forever.

What Will Happen to the Unbelievers?

While the believers are in Heaven with Christ, the unbelievers will go through a time of great trouble here on the earth. Evil and wickedness will abound. There will be terrible wars, famines, earthquakes, and pestilences such as the world has never seen before. One third of the inhabitants of the earth will be killed. This terrible time is known as "the Great Tribulation."

During this time, a man called "the Antichrist" will come to power. The word "anti" means "against," and the Antichrist is against God and against Christ.

The Antichrist will perform great miracles, but his power will not come from God; his power will come from Satan.

Through his miraculous power, the Antichrist will gain control of the whole world. No one will be able to buy or sell without his mark. He will demand that all men worship him and receive his mark. Those who refuse to worship the Antichrist and receive his mark will be killed. Those who do accept his mark and worship him will spend all eternity with him in the lake of fire. See Revelation 14:9-11.

Christ Will Return to the Earth in Great Power and Glory

At God's appointed time, the Lord Jesus will return to the earth with His believers and His mighty angels. He will come in great power and glory. He will destroy the Antichrist and his followers and put an end to this time of tribulation. The Bible says,

"...the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from Heaven with His mighty angels, in flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ." II Thessalonians 1:7, 8

Jesus Christ Will Reign as King over All the Earth

After the Antichrist is destroyed, the Lord Jesus will reign on the earth for a thousand years, and the believers will reign with Him. The Bible says,

"[Thou] hast made us unto our God kings and priest: and we shall reign on the earth." Revelation 5:10

"...and they lived an reigned with Christ a thousand years." Revelation 20:4

During the thousand year reign of Christ, Satan will be bound in chains. He will not be able to tempt people or to cause trouble on the earth.

God's Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, will rule the world in righteousness. The Bible syas,

"The Lord shall be king over all the earth...." Zechariah 14:9

"And He shall judge the world in righteousness...." Psalm 9:8

There will be no wars, no hunger, no disease. All men will live together in peace and harmony. Even the animals will be changed so that the fierce ones will not attack the weaker ones. All children will be taught about the Lord. Everyone, from the greatest to the least, will know that Jesus Christ is King over all the earth. The BIble says,

"The earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea." Isaiah 11:9

After the thousand year reign of Christ, Satan will be set free from his prison for a time. He will again go out and deceive many people.

Once again, Satan and his followers will rebel against God and His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ.

This time, fire will come down from Heaven to destroy them, and Satan will be cast into the lake of fire, which is his final destination. Never again will Satan be able to cause trouble. The Bible says,

"And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire...." Revelation 20:10

The Unbelievers Will Be Judged

After Satan is cast into the lake of fire, the wicked dead will be judged. This judgment of the wicked dead is called "the Judgment of the Great White Throne," and is for unbelievers only. The bodies of the unbelievers will be raised an all of them, small and great, will stand before God. The Apostle John wrote,

"I saw a great white throne, and Him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the Heaven fled away: and there was found no place for them. And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened...and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works." Revelation 20:11, 12

Christ Himself will be the Judge at this judgment. The Bible says that the Father has "committed all judgment unto the Son. " Those who rejected Christ as their Savior must now meet Him as their Judge.

The record books will be opened and each one will be judged according to his deeds. Some unbelievers will receive greater punishment than others (see Luke 12:47, 48), but all will be lost forever. The Bible says,

"Whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire." Revelation 20:15

God Will Create a New Heaven and a New Earth

After the Judgment of the Great White Throne, the earth will be destroyed by fire, and God will create a new Heaven and a new earth where there will be no more sin. The believers will be with the Lord Jesus in Heaven forever.

Yes, Jesus is Coming Again - Soon!

In this lesson we have learned about many great events that are going to take place. It is good for us to know these things, but the most important thing we can learn from this lesson is this: The Lord Jesus Christ is coming again - SOON!

How do we know that Jesus is coming soon? We know by the signs which the Bible gives concerning the time of His coming.

Does anyone know exactly when the Lord Jesus will come? No, no one knows just when Jesus will come. The Lord Jesus said, "But of that day and hour knows no man." Matthew 24:36

Though we do not know exactly when the Lord Jesus is coming, the Bible does give us certain facts concerning His coming:

It may happen at any time. Jesus said, "Therefore be... also ready: for in such an hour as you think not the Son of Man comes." Matthew 24:44
It will take place instantly. The coming of the Lord Jesus for His believers will be a sudden event. The Bible says that it will take place "in the twinkling of an eye."
Only those who are truly saved will be caught up with the Lord. The Bible says that only "they that are Christ's" will be caught up to meet Him in the air

Are You Ready?

When Jesus comes, will you meet Him as your Savior or will you be among the unsaved who must meet Him as Judge at the Great White Throne?

When Christ appears in the clouds to take His believers to be with Him, it will be too late then to "get ready." You may have your name on a church roll, but if you have not been born again, you will be left behind when Christ comes.

Perhaps you have read all of these lessons and yet you have never repented of your sins and received Christ as your Savior. Others may think that you are saved, but you know that you are lost, and God knows this too.

But there is no need for you to be lost. Jesus died for your sins, and He invites you to come to Him. Why not open your heart to Him right now and take Him as your Savior so you will be ready to meet Him when He comes. Here is a prayer that will help you:

"Lord Jesus, I know that I am a sinner. I am truly sorry for my sins. I thank you for loving me and for dying for my sins. I want to be ready when You come. Please come into my heart right now and be my Savior."

If you are already saved, you should be watching for the Lord's return. The Lord Jesus said,

"Watch therefore: for you know not what hour your Lord does come." Matthew 24:42

Do you want to be ready for your Lord's return? Then obey God's Word. DO what God tells you to do. If you have sin in your life, confess it turn from it. If you have wronged others, ask them to forgive you. If you have hatred or unforgiveness in your heart toward anyone, go to him and get it straight. Whatever God tells you to do, do it - now! This is what it means to be "watching for the Lord's return."