Three Comings Of Christ And Marriage Of The Lamb
THERE are three separate positions taken in regard to the advent of Christ;
1st, He comes to judge the world (began on Oct 22, 1844- Dan 8:14 sanctuary cleansed);
2nd, He comes as a thief (close of probation Matt 24/ Mark 13);
3rd, He comes to take His people to heaven (2nd Coming in the clouds).
There is truth in each position, for they do not relate to the same event but to three separate events which take place in their order.
1. Coming Of Judgment, Or Going To The Marriage
Mal. 3:1-5. Christ will suddenly come to judgment.
Dan. 7:9, 10, 13, 14; Matt. 25:10. Christ went to the marriage when He went to the judgment. G.C. 427.
Rev. 21:9, 10. The New Jerusalem, the bride.
Isa. 62:4. The land is married, becomes the bride.
2 Cor. 11:2; Isa. 54:5; Eph. 5:23. The church is the bride. Christ is married to the city, the land, and the church.
Dan. 7:13, 14. Christ brought before the Father to receive His kingdom. It takes four things to make a kingdom: viz., territory, people, capital, or seat of government, and a king. The giving of the city, people and land to Christ, the King, constitutes the marriage.
Luke 19:12. Christ has gone into a far country to receive a kingdom. T., v. 8, p. 37.
Dan. 7:9, 10. Judgment precedes the marriage, as it must be determined who are the subjects of the kingdom before they are given to Christ. G.C. 428.
Matt. 22:2, 8-14. The judgment is compared to the examination of wedding garments. G.C. 427.
Matt. 25:1-10. All that are ready will have on the wedding garment. C.O.L. 406, 407.
Rev. 19:7, 8. The necessary garment is the white robe of righteousness. Isa. 61:10. The garments are provided; guests have only to accept them. Rev. 3:5. They are given to the overcomers.
2. Coming As A Thief, Or The Marriage
Matt. 24:42-44. One coming of the Lord is compared to a thief; no one knows when a thief comes until after he has done his work and gone. T., v. 6, p. 129; v. 9, p. 135.
Dan. 7:13, 14; Rev. 22:11, 12. When the judgment closes and Christ receives the kingdom, the decree is given which forever determines the destiny of every soul on earth. But he comes as a thief; none know when they pass the line which forever closes probation. G.C. 491; T., v. 2, pp. 190-193.
Rev. 8:5. Christ then throws down His censer and ceases to be a mediator, or priest. T., v. 2, p. 691.
1 Thess. 5:2. This event is also spoken of as the coming of the day of the Lord.
2 Peter 3:10. During the “day of the Lord,” the judgments of God fall upon the earth.
Rev. 14:10. At that time the unmixed wrath of God is poured out.
Hab. 3:2. Previous to this time mercy is mingled with all the judgments of God. E.W. 281.
Ps. 75:7, 8. The wicked drink the dregs.
Heb. 11:16. Christ has prepared the city.
Dan. 7:13, 14. The city and subjects are all ready when the kingdom is given to Christ, but the land is still occupied by the enemy.
(This is an interesting statement regarding the land. And this is because Satan will still be the occupant of the land for 1000 years until the time when Christ completes the ATONEMENT by finally destroying sin, sinners and Satan once and for all at the end of the 1000 years…. THEN Christ and His saints will inherit the land (heavenly Canan) of which was originally promised to Abraham.) see EW 295 & Mal. 4:1-3
“The great truth of Christ’s second coming is ever to be kept before the church. “Let your loins be girded about,” we are admonished, “and your lights burning; and ye yourselves like unto men that wait for their lord, when he will return from the wedding; that when he cometh and knocketh, they may open unto him immediately. Blessed are those servants, whom the lord when he cometh shall find watching: verily I say unto you, that he shall gird himself, and make them to sit down to meat, and will come forth and serve them. And if he shall come in the second watch, or come in the third watch, and find them so, blessed are those servants…. Be ye therefore ready also: for the Son of man cometh (close of probation) at an hour when ye think not.” {RH November 13, 1913, par. 3}
Because we do not know the exact hour of Christ’s coming, we are commanded to watch. “Blessed are those servants, whom the Lord when he cometh shall find watching.” Those who watch for the Lord’s return do not wait in idle expectancy. They purify their hearts by obedience to the truth. With vigilant watching they unite earnest working. Because they know that the Lord is at the door (of the sanctuary), their zeal is quickened to cooperate with divine intelligences in working for the salvation of souls. These are the faithful and wise servants, who give to the Lord’s household their portion of meat in due season. They are declaring the truth that is now specially applicable. As Enoch, Abraham, and Moses each declared the truth for his time, so will Christ’s servants now give the special warning for their generation. {RH November 13, 1913, par. 4}
Now is the time to prepare for the coming of our Lord. Readiness to meet him cannot be attained in a moment’s time. Preparatory to that solemn scene there must be vigilant waiting and watching, combined with earnest work. So God’s children glorify him. Amid the busy scenes of life their voices will be heard speaking words of encouragement, faith, and hope. All they have and are is consecrated to the Master’s service. {RH November 13, 1913, par. 5}
But like the dwellers in Sodom, those who refuse to serve God will be awakened only when it is too late. As the sun rose for the last time upon the cities of the plain, the people thought to begin another day of godless riot. All were eagerly planning their business or their pleasure, and the messenger of God was derided for his fears and his warnings. Suddenly as a peal of thunder from an unclouded sky fell balls of fire on the doomed capital. {RH November 13, 1913, par. 6}
“So shall also the coming of the Son of man be.” The people will be eating and drinking, planting and building, marrying and giving in marriage, until the wrath of God shall be poured out without mixture of mercy. Men have been taught by their ministers to believe that the coming of Christ is to be spiritual, or is to take place in the distant future, and the message of his soon return has been denounced as fanaticism or heresy. Skepticism and “science falsely so called” have undermined faith in the Bible. The multitudes are striving to forget God, and they eagerly accept fables, that they may pursue the path of self-indulgence undisturbed. The people are hurrying to and fro, the lovers of pleasure intent upon amusement, the money-makers seeking wealth; and all are saying, Where is the promise of his coming? {RH November 13, 1913, par. 7}
The Jews misinterpreted and misapplied the Word of God, and they knew not the time of their visitation. The years of the ministry of Christ and his apostles—the precious last years of grace to the chosen people—they spent in plotting the destruction of the Lord’s messengers. Earthly ambitions absorbed them, and the offer of the spiritual kingdom came to them in vain. So today the kingdom of this world absorbs men’s thoughts, and there are few who take heed to the rapidly fulfilling prophecies, and the tokens of the swift-coming kingdom of God.” {RH November 13, 1913, par. 8}
“If left to the care of those who, while professing allegiance to God, know not the time of their visitation (close of probation- Matt 24/ Mark 13/ Islam on the scene), the light of the candle (see Rev18:23), or church, will go out in darkness. He who is a true watchman in this time of peril will work with tireless vigilance. He will keep faithfully the courts of the Lord’s house.”
{23LtMs, Lt 4, 1908, par. 10}
3. Christ Coming For His People, Or Coming From The Wedding
Luke 19:15. After having received the kingdom Christ returns to the earth. E.W. 251, 280.
Luke 12:35-37. This is also called returning from the wedding.
Matt. 13:38-41. Having received the kingdom, He comes to set it in order, and remove all trace of sin. E.W. 55.
Rev. 19:16. Christ comes in kingly robes.
Rev. 20:1-9. It takes over 1000 years to destroy the last race of sin from the earth.
Rev. 20:4. During this time the saints are with Christ.
1 Thess. 4:16. When Christ comes for His people, He remains in the clouds. E.W. 286, 287.
Zech. 14:4. At the end of 1000 years His feet will touch on the Mount of Olives, and the work of purifying the earth begins. E.W. 291.
Rev. 21:9, 10. The city descends.
Rev. 20:9. Fire from God devours the wicked. E.W. 294.
2 Peter 3:7-13. The same fire purifies the earth.
2 Peter 3:5-7. As the earth was once cleansed from sin by water, so it will again be cleansed by fire.
Nahum 1:9. Sin arose again after the flood; but after the fires have done their work, it will never rise up again a second time.
Isa. 33:14, 15; Gen. 8:1. As Noah rode in safety on the waters of the flood, so the righteous in the city of God will dwell safely in the midst of the fire. G.C. 673.
Isa. 35:1-10. Earth purified,–clad in wedding garments. Rev. 19:9. Then will come the marriage supper. E.W. 19. Luke 12:37. Christ Himself will serve.
(study texts/ references extracted from S. N. Haskell’s 1919 Bible Handbook, “Three Comings of Christ and the Marriage of the Lamb” p. 21-24)
