Real Life Radio

Jack Hibbs: Don't make a mistake in comparing the rapture of the church and the second coming as one event. They are at least seven years apart from one another. One is very private; no one will know except the believer. The other is very public.

David J: This is Real Life. Welcome to Real Life Radio with Pastor Jack Hibbs. I'm David J, thanking you for joining us today as we listen, learn, and are challenged by God's word, the Bible.

Jack Hibbs: Everything Pastor Jack Hibbs is doing has a home: jackhibbs.com. It's the place to catch the latest message, revisit a series, listen to the podcast, stream Real Life Network, or find resources that'll help you stay steady in God's word.

Whether you've got five minutes or an hour, start right there. The site makes it easy to watch, listen, learn, and grow. Visit jackhibbs.com today and stay connected to what God is doing through this ministry. Visit jackhibbs.com.

David J: On today's edition of Real Life Radio, Pastor Jack continues now in his series called "The Life and Times of Jesus Christ" and his message titled "Christ and the Second Coming." Now, this is a series about who Jesus really is, not the Jesus of popular opinion, but the Jesus of the Bible—God himself who stepped into our world.

And that same Jesus who once came in a manger has promised to come again, but this time in power and glory. So today, Pastor Jack teaches us that the second coming of Christ must be compared to his first coming, a real, physical arrival to this earth. And just as the disciples watched Jesus rise from the Mount of Olives, that same Jesus will boldly return, and every eye will see him.

Before we get into the message, I had a chance to sit down with Pastor Jack and talk about it with him. So let's get into that.

Pastor Jack, you've got this great football picture I love. The Holy Spirit as this huge offensive lineman holding back evil. And when the church gets pulled out, he steps aside and lets it through. Unpack that. What happens when the restrainer moves?

Jack Hibbs: The restrainer is the Holy Spirit and, exactly as you just said, through the church the Holy Spirit is holding back evil. We're not holding back evil; the Holy Spirit through us is holding back the evil.

That said, the Bible talks about how after or at the moment of the rapture, the Holy Spirit will set aside. He'll stand aside. It doesn't mean he leaves; he doesn't leave the planet. He can't; he's the spirit of God. He will stand aside, letting evil run through once the church is raptured.

And what's the result? The revelation of the Antichrist. Then the Antichrist will be revealed, and scripture makes that very, very clear in 2 Thessalonians chapter two.

David J: "Christ and the Second Coming." Let's jump in.

Jack Hibbs: Father, we thank you in Jesus' name that you right now have promised to inhabit the praises of your people. So Lord, go before us, we ask now in Jesus' name. And all God's people said, Amen.

Why don't you grab your Bibles this morning and turn with me in the scriptures, if you would, to Matthew chapter 24. Matthew chapter 24. And this morning we are continuing on in our series. This is part 15, by the way. We've got one more left, that's next week. We'll be done. But part 15 of our series, *The Life and Times of Jesus Christ*. And this morning we're looking at "Christ and the Second Coming."

And our theme verse, as you can see, is Colossians chapter two, verse nine. Very, very important verse. A verse that all of you now have memorized at Calvary Chapel, haven't you? You're not sick of seeing the verse; you're not tired of seeing the verse, because we would never want to feel that way of the Bible whatsoever. But the fact of the matter is that this is a verse that we have been in for the last 15 weeks together.

Listen to it and look at it closely. It says, "For in Christ"—that's Jesus, this Jesus—"all the fullness of the Godhead dwells in bodily form." The Bible makes it very clear that the very first coming of God to this earth in a physical form was being born in Bethlehem, brought into the world, God come in human flesh.

Now, all of you who are note-takers, at the top of your page where it says "title"—you know, you got your little notebooks there pre-printed in front of you—where it says "title," you can write down there "Christ and the Second Coming." And this is regarding the end-time events of our age. It's called eschatology in Bible science—very, very big word which simply means that God tells the future in advance. It's history in advance. His story he tells in advance. The definition of it is eschatology or prophecy. This is the area of the Bible.

And this is the discrepancy of the cult. They can mimic a lot of things. They can mimic healings; they can mimic miracles; they can do a lot of things. But what they cannot do is correctly foretell the future. The Bible does it perfectly. And it's by understanding prophecy that you will be able to discern what is right and what is wrong when it comes into your ears.

I do not know why, but there are a lot of Christians who shy away from the topics that we've just begun to cover these last couple weeks in this closing part of this series. We looked at the rapture of the church. Then last week we looked at the tribulation period. And this morning, Christ and his second coming. And then next week we'll end up with a great chronological timeline, and we'll use that to usher us into the understanding of the millennial reign of Jesus Christ and when that will take place. Is it next week? We'll tell you next Sunday.

Very, very important period of time in which you and I live in. Let's go to the scripture and look this morning concerning Christ and his second coming. The first thing that we want to notice this morning is that it's compared to his first coming. The second coming must be compared to his first coming. How so? Matthew chapter 24, beginning at verse one.

"Then Jesus," it says, "went out and departed from the temple. And his disciples came to him to show him the buildings of the temple. And Jesus said to them, 'Do you not see all of these things? Assuredly, I say to you, not one stone shall be left upon another that shall not be thrown down.' Now as he sat on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to him privately, saying, 'Tell us, when will these things be? And what will be the sign of your coming? And the end of the age?'

And Jesus answered and said unto them, 'Take heed that no one deceives you. For many will come in my name saying, "I am the Christ," and will deceive many. And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you're not troubled, for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. For nation—ethnos—will rise against ethnos. That's ethnic groups will rise against ethnic groups, and political realms will rise against political realms.

There will be famines, pestilence, earthquakes in diverse places. And these are all the beginning of sorrows. Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and kill you, and you will be hated by all ethnos, nations, for my name's sake. And then many will be offended and will betray one another and will hate one another. Then many false prophets will arise and deceive many.

And because of lawlessness abounding, the love of many will grow cold. But he who endures unto the end, the same shall be saved. And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all of the world as a witness to the nations, and then the end will come. Therefore, when you see the abomination of desolation spoken by Daniel the prophet standing in the holy place (whoever reads, let him understand)'"—that means you had better read.

This is so cool. Jesus here is saying you had better read the book of Daniel. "'Then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains. Let him who is on his housetop come down and take nothing out of his house. And let him who is in the field not go back to get his clothes. But woe to those who are pregnant and to those who nurse babies in those days.

And pray that your flight may not be in winter or on the Sabbath. For then there will be great tribulation, such as not been since the beginning of the world nor until this time, nor ever shall be. And unless those days are shortened, no flesh would be saved. But for the elect's sake, those days shall be shortened.'"

Jesus is talking about the events and his coming. We saw last week the horrific predictions of the great tribulation period. We saw that the first three and a half years of a seven-year contract or peace accord, peace agreement. We saw that the one that we've labeled, or the Bible calls and we call, the Antichrist will be on the global scene and he will deal with the nation Israel, says the Bible.

And he will speak peace to the nation Israel. He will somehow orchestrate a seven-year, the Bible says, contract of peace. And when he signs and when they sign the seven-year peace treaty, the tribulation begins. Remember this, Bible students. What starts the tribulation period? Not an earthquake, not some sign in the heaven. The fact of the matter is that the tribulation period begins with the signing of a peace treaty.

And the first three and a half years of that seven-year period of time will be a time of great deception through two key things: prosperity and peace. The Antichrist, the imitator—if I can put it that way—of Christ will be one who offers peace and prosperity. Well, after that, at the close, the latter three and a half years of the tribulation period, the Bible teaches us that Jesus Christ will return.

If you were here last week, we showed you in the closing moments of the message the Valley of Armageddon, the Valley of Megiddo. Remember? In that scene, as we panned the camera to the southeasterly section, we looked toward the areas of Moab. Believe it or not, the Bible says specifically that Jesus—did you know this?—that it gives us in his second coming his approach pattern.

Not only into the earth, because the Bible says every eye will see him and all those who dwell upon the earth will mourn because of his coming, but it says that he will arrive coming out of the area of Edom, from Bozrah. That is, and Jesus said, "As the lightning comes from the east and shines into the west, so shall the coming of the Son of Man be." He meant that literally.

He will be coming according to Isaiah chapter 61, 62, 63. When Jesus comes in the great second coming, the world will be watching and he comes out of the area—if you draw a line, some of you can even sneak right now to the back of your Bible where it's got the maps, and if I would have had time I would have assembled a map—the Bible gives us his second coming approach pattern into Israel.

He's going to be coming from the area of Kuwait, that region, Bozrah of the Old Testament time. He will be coming from the east toward the west, and his foot will just touch the Mount of Olives and that mount is going to split open. He's going to go through that Eastern Gate that we saw in that great second coming of his, and he will establish his kingdom.

But his robe, says the Bible, will be splattered from the blood of his enemies. He will have put an end to the battle of Armageddon. The second coming of Jesus Christ, my friend—don't make a mistake in comparing the rapture of the church and the second coming as one event. They are at least seven years apart from one another.

One is very private; no one will know except the believer. The other is very public. The believers at that time and the world will know of his coming. One you must be ready for because there's no signs, there's no indicators. The other has hundreds of prophetic indicators and warnings and signs. One says to wait for Christ. The other one says that you'll see the Antichrist appear first. One says that you must live for your faith, the rapture. The other one says what? That you must die for your faith by persecution.

We are studying this morning the events of the second coming. It is my prayer that none of us in this room experience the events of the second coming, except of the fact that we're coming with Jesus himself. Do you hear what I'm saying? I pray for you that you have accepted Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior and you will escape the tribulation period, as God has promised, via or through what is called the rapture of the church.

The second coming is compared to his first coming. How so? Well, look in Matthew 24. Just look at the verses preceding the chapter. Why did the disciples say to him, "When will these things be?" What a strange thing. Why do they take Jesus out to show him the buildings of the temple? Didn't he know the buildings of the temple? Of course. Didn't he grow up in that area? Sure.

Why were the disciples saying, "Jesus, we want to show you the thing of the temple"? They were a little unnerved. I'll tell you why. Look in Matthew chapter 23, verse 37. Matthew 23:37 says, "O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the one who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her! How often I wanted to gather your children together as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing! And behold, your house"—what house, everybody? The temple. The temple.

"Your temple is left you desolate, for I say to you, you shall see me no more till you say, 'Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!'" That's why the disciples said, "Hey Lord, we want to show you the temple." Have you ever seen a little child when they're hurt or offended or busted or whatever, they try to make an immediate little amends? Have you ever seen them try to be real politically correct about some blunder that they've made?

"Did you do this?" "Hi Daddy, I love you!" I know you love me, sweetheart, but did you break the glass? "I brought in your paper!" Yeah honey, that's good. That's not what we're talking about. Did you do that? "I love you!" Have you ever seen a child do that? You've done that. I've done that. Jesus says, "I'm telling you, because of the rejection of Israel of me as Messiah in my first coming, your house will be left you desolate. And you will not see me again until you say, 'Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!'"

The disciples try to respond because they thought he was going to establish all that he's going to do in the second coming, that is establish his political reign. They thought they could just, "Oh, look at the temple, isn't that wonderful?" And Jesus is going to go on in other passages to tell them, "I say to you not one stone shall be left upon another. It is all going to be torn down." This shocked them. It shocked them.

Listen, the first coming and the second coming are both to the nation Israel, and they are Jewish in their context. How so? Mark it down: by a literal, physical arrival. The rapture of the church is not a physical arrival. It is an appearance in the atmosphere. First Thessalonians chapter four, verses 13 through 18—don't confuse it. That's the rapture.

But the second coming is a physical arrival to the earth, just as it was at his first coming. A physical arrival. Acts chapter one, verse nine. "Now when he had spoken these things," that is Jesus on the Mount of Olives, "they watched him and he was taken up from them and received up into a cloud out of their sight. And while they looked steadfastly toward heaven as he went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel and said to them, 'Men of Galilee, why do you stand you here gazing up into heaven? This same Jesus who was taken up into heaven'—same Jesus—'who was taken up into heaven will come again in like manner as you've seen him go up into heaven.'"

What does that mean? The same Jesus that you've seen in physical form physically arise from Israel, from this mount—the Mount of Olives—his same second coming will be to the Mount of Olives again. Just as you've bodily seen him leave, he will bodily return. This is so Jewish. In my car I have a little yarmulke, you know? I think it's called a kippah. We should all have them on right now. I should have just thrown them like Frisbees out to you. Why?

Because the second coming is so Jewish. From Revelation chapter four, verse two, all the way to the end of Revelation chapter 19 is all Jewish in context. You'll never understand the book of Revelation until you've read all of the Old Testament. That's why a lot of people say, "Well, I kind of stay out of that book." You know why you stay out of that book? First of all, you're ripping yourself off.

It's the only book of the Bible, that is the book of Revelation, that says, "I will bless all those who read this book and bless anybody who listens to its reading." So get blessed; read the book of Revelation. Secondly, understand the Old Testament via the book of Revelation. It's very Jewish. Jesus says, "You won't see me again until you say, 'Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!'"

A true physical return of Christ. Revelation chapter one, verse seven. Am I yelling? I'm excited. These things excite me really a lot. So forgive me if I'm yelling. "Behold," Revelation 1:7, "He is coming with clouds." Doesn't mean he's coming on a cloudy day. It means he's coming in glory. "And every eye will see him." Is that true concerning the rapture? No.

"Even they who pierced him"—Israel—"and all the tribes of the earth will mourn because of him." Why? You see, the rapture is the blessed hope. The second coming is an awful, dreadful event. "Even so, amen. 'I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end,' saith the Lord, 'who is, who was, who is to come, the Almighty.'"

Who is the Almighty? The one who's coming on that dreadful and tremendous day when the tribes of the earth will mourn. Christian, you don't need to be afraid of the events of the second coming. In fact, by the end of this message you're going to see that you're very involved in the second coming itself. But you'll be coming out of heaven with Christ.

Now, maybe those you've shared the gospel with who have yet to receive Jesus Christ, or maybe they'll never receive Jesus Christ—God knows—they'll see these great horrific events. I believe these things are going to unfold in our lifetime. I believe the world is prepared now for the advent of this deceiver that brings peace to the world and who ushers in these events that God does upon his head in judgment.

In Jude chapter one, verse 14, the scripture says, "Behold, the Lord comes with ten thousand of his saints." The word actually in Greek is thousands upon thousands of his saints in a physical arrival to the earth. Physically. Jude chapter one, verse 14—you can circle that verse or write it down and its corresponding passage is Revelation chapter 19. You can read that later.

The second thing that we see this morning, so very important, is that his first coming is compared to his second by a marked physical arrival. Secondly, at a time of great unbelief. Now, listen to this. It will be a time of great unbelief. What kind of unbelief? Well, first of all, the tribulation period will be in full swing and according to the Bible, there's going to be great religious activity, great religious fervor, more than ever around the world. Did you know that? It's going to be a very, very religious time.

But does religion save you? He will come at a time of great unbelief in the world. The Bible speaks about it as being the great apostasy, or in Greek *apostasia*, a great departure from the true faith. But listen, it's a departure from the true faith—that is, they have it presented before them. They don't lose their salvation; they never had it. They know of it, but they don't receive it.

They turn away from it. And they don't go into evolutionary theory, but what they do is they go into some other religious offer. And you know who one of those offers will be? The Antichrist will declare himself to be God. Religion will be running high, but not for Jesus Christ. Religion will be popular then. It will be cool to be of the world church. Just like it was at his first coming: many religious people, but they missed Jesus's coming altogether. A time of great unbelief.

David J: Pastor and Bible teacher Jack Hibbs here on Real Life Radio with his message called "Christ and the Second Coming." Thanks for spending part of your day with us today. You know, this message is part of Pastor Jack's series called *The Life and Times of Jesus Christ*. It's a series about the real Jesus of the Bible, God in the flesh, and why knowing him more deeply really changes everything. And we'll continue on the next edition of Real Life Radio.

Guest (Male): Hey everybody, we want you to be aware of a great book, and please listen up. Our friend Charlie Kirk, right before he was assassinated, Charlie Kirk had finished up a book titled *Stop In The Name Of God*. And I gotta tell you, friends, you're going to want to get a copy. It teaches you how to rest in our Lord Jesus Christ. *Stop In The Name Of God* by Charlie Kirk. Get a copy for yourself. It's the featured item for this September.

David J: That's *Stop In The Name Of God* by Charlie Kirk. Get your copy at jackhibbs.com. That's jackhibbs.com.

Hey, thank you again so much for listening. And if you'd like to hear or see more of what we do here, you can always go to jackhibbs.com for all the latest on what's going with this ministry. And please, if you're ever in the Southern California area, come see us at Calvary Chapel Chino Hills. We'd love to see you there in person. It has been so good to be with you today, and I pray you find yourself in the grace and mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ. See you on the next episode.

This program is made possible by the generous contributions of you, our listeners. Visit us at jackhibbs.com, that's jackhibbs.com. Until next time, Pastor Jack Hibbs and all of us here at Real Life Radio wish for you solid and steady growth in Christ and in his word. We'll see you next time here on Real Life Radio.