TEXT: "And saying, Where is the promise of his coming? for since the fathers fell asleep, all things continues as they were from the beginning of creation."-2 Peter 3:4

The promise of his coming is the second coming of Jesus Christ. His second coming is in two parts. In the first part: he shall come openly in the clouds, firstly, to translate the Christians, Luke 17:34-36; 1 Thessalonians 4:16, 17; and secondly, to translate the children of Israel, the elect, Matthew 24:29-31; Revelation 7:1-8; and lastly, to establish his kingdom, Matthew 16:28; Revelation 19:11-16. While in the second part of his coming, he shall come secretly, like a thief in the night, Matthew 24:42-44; Revelation 16:15.

In the first part of his second coming, 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 the Christians that are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air, Matthew 24:40, 41; 1 Thessalonians 4:16, 17. This is the translation of the Christians. And this is what some scholars call the rapture.

And immediately after the tribulation of those days, the sun shall be darkened, the moon shall not give its 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 nations of the earth mourn, and the nations 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, the children of Israel, the Jews, from the four corners of the earth, and from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other, Matthew 24:29-31; Revelation 7:1-8. This is the translation of the children of Israel, the Jews.

And to round off the first part of his second coming, he shall come with the clouds to establish his kingdom, Matthew 16:28; Revelation 19:11-16; 20:1-7.

Today, Christians should expect the second part of his second coming, which is, his coming secretly like a thief in the night. Jesus commanded us to watch, for we do not know the day nor the hour of his coming.

Meanwhile, in the first coming of Jesus Christ, the Jews were expecting him to come as a great king, John 6:14, 15, or to be born in a wealthy family, John 1:46, but they were disappointed, because he came neither as a great king nor was he born in a wealthy family. No wonder for two years the religious leaders and the elders of the Jews did not even know that he has come and he has been living among them for that number of years. Not until the wise men from the east came to Jerusalem to tell them, Matthew 2:1-18.

Similarly, as it was then, so shall it also be today, the religious leaders of today, and others will be expecting Jesus Christ to come openly with the clouds, but he will come secretly like a thief in the night. And sadly for these religious leaders of today, and others that will be expecting him to come in the clouds, the first part of his second coming, which is, his coming in the clouds has already happened!

Subsequently, to prove that the first part has happened. Jesus said in Matthew 16:28, "Verily I say unto you, There be some standing here, which shall not taste of death, till they see the Son of man coming in his kingdom." If those people Jesus addressed then, are yet to see the Son of man coming in his kingdom by now, it means they should still be alive today. But, we know that is unlikely, because they are all dead by now.

Furthermore, Jesus told the high priest, Thou hast said: nevertheless I say unto you(referring to the high priest), Hereafter shall ye see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven, Mark 14:62. This means the high priest saw Jesus coming in the clouds of heaven. But, if the high priest is yet to see him coming in the clouds of heaven, then the high priest should still be living today, but you and I know that the high priest is dead long time ago!

In addition, Jesus inferred that the apostle John will be alive in his coming, John 21:20-23. This also means that the apostle John was alive when Jesus came with the clouds in the first part of his coming.

In another development, and in the book of Revelation, John wrote, "Behold, he cometh with the 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. The question then is, who were those that pierced him? Answer: the Roman soldiers, John 19:34. The Roman soldiers also saw Jesus when he came with the clouds. But, if the Roman soldiers are yet to see him come with the clouds. Then they should still be living today, but we know that the Roman soldiers are also dead long time ago!

However, Jesus Christ shall come in his real form as the Word of God, John 1:1, to reveal to us things that have happened, and things that are presently happening, and things that will happen in the future. From the beginning of this Third World, in the year 1, to this present year 2017, and unto the end of the Third World, in the year 7000.

The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the Communion of the Holy Ghost, be with you all. Amen.

Pastor K. C.