When Jesus comes again, much will be revealed. This devotion looks at whether it will be an apocalyptic reveal or an epiphany.
Nuggets
- We’ve never met Jesus, but we know Him – we have a relationship and a history.
- Since Jesus had emptied Himself of His divinity, there is one whole aspect of Him to which we haven’t really been exposed.
- We see Jesus in the Bible and lived out through lives of others.
- We limit what we think of the coming kingdom by what we know.
- What is hidden is the source of supply, true nature, and destiny of our lives.
Devotions in the What I Believe series
Devotions in the End Times category
Second Coming Focus
Jesus Will Be Revealed in the Second Coming
When Jesus is coming is an important question. How He is coming is probably a close second.
I found a neat sermon that explains Jesus’ return. I have been using it as the foundation for these last two devotions in this focus. It is Manton’s The Coming of Christ with His Angels.
Resource
Let's Put It into Context
“and to grant relief to you who are afflicted as well as to us, when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with his mighty angels” (II Thess. 1: 7 ESV)
Manton stated that Jesus would be revealed at the second coming. The Holman Bible Dictionary defines revelation of God as “the content and process of God’s making Himself known to people.” Manton described it as an unveiling.
If we look at the Scriptures, we can get some clues as to what to expect. No, God doesn’t give us chapter and verse as to how it will happen. He gives us enough, though, for us to keep a look out.
Manton wrote that Jesus’ second coming is portrayed as an apocalypse and an epiphany.
Apocalypse, according to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary, means “something viewed as a prophetic revelation.” According to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary, an epiphany is “an appearance or manifestation especially of a divine being.”
Hmmm. A revelation or an appearance. A revelation is a process.
Okay. Work with me a second to process. I always figured that an apocalypse was something that happened with a bang. We picture Armageddon as being an apocalypse.
An epiphany, to me, was more like a light bulb going off. We had an ah-ha moment and started understanding something.
Okay. Let’s see if Manton clears it up or muddies the waters even more.
Apocalypse
“Now you have every spiritual gift you need as you eagerly wait for the return of our Lord Jesus Christ” (I Cor. 1: 7 NLT)
Manton wrote that Jesus’ second coming could be an apocalyptic return based on five reasons.
Many Have Never Seen Him
“Though you have not seen him, you love him; though not seeing him now, you believe in him, and you rejoice with inexpressible and glorious joy” (I Pet. 1: 8 CSB)
Jesus walked on earth 2,000 years ago. None of us were alive then, so we haven’t seen Him.
Still, Jesus is alive. We still can know Him.
What popped into my mind was, when I was growing up, I had a pen pal. I was in the sixth grade, and she was in the fifth grade, when we started writing.
But I was in Illinois, and she was in West Germany. We exchanged letters and a couple of phone calls.
We finally met when she came over for my high school graduation. I got to go visit her several years later after one of my college graduations.
When she stepped off the plane in St. Louis, we knew each other. No, I had never met her, but I knew her. She knew me. We had a history together.
No, I’ve never met Jesus. But I know Him. He and I have a relationship and a history.
But one day, Jesus is going to step off His cloud and walk up to me. And I am going to be in His Presence. I will meet Him.
His Earthy State Was Obscure
“Instead he emptied himself by assuming the form of a servant, taking on the likeness of humanity. And when he had come as a man” (Phil. 2: 7 CSB).
When Jesus was on earth last time, He had emptied Himself of His divinity. Emptied Himself is also translated as “Instead, he gave up his divine privileges …” (Phil. 2: 7 NLT).
So, there is one whole aspect of Jesus to which we haven’t really been exposed. We will be when He returns. “… And then all the peoples of the earth will mourn when they see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven, with power and great glory” (Mt. 24: 30 NLT).
One day, we will see Jesus as God. “Dear friends, we are already God’s children, but he has not yet shown us what we will be like when Christ appears. But we do know that we will be like him, for we will see him as he really is” (I Jn. 3: 2 NLT).
We usually use that verse to say that we will see Jesus as a spirit. But we will also see Him as God.
His Spiritual Glory Is Seen But in a Glass Darkly
“For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known” (I Cor. 13: 12 CSB)
I can look in the mirror and see me. But that really isn’t me — not flesh and blood me. It is a representation of me.
We see Jesus in the Bible. We see Him lived out through lives of others. It is a representation of Him.
One day, the mirror is going to be obsolete. “Father, I want those you have given me to be with me where I am, so that they will see my glory, which you have given me because you loved me before the world’s foundation” (Jn. 17: 24 CSB).
His Kingdom Is Not Always Clear to the World
Heading “When he was asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, he answered them, ‘The kingdom of God is not coming with something observable; no one will say, ‘See here!’ or ‘There!’ For you see, the kingdom of God is in your midst’” (Lk. 17: 20-21 CSB)
Ooo, baby. Manton hit it on the head when he said, “His kingdom is not always clear to the world.”
We just talked about God’s kingdom. The kingdom of God is a spiritual kingdom that describes His sovereign reign.
I think sometimes, when we think of the coming kingdom, we picture it as a Cinderella’s castle. We limit it by what we know.
God’s kingdom is going to be bigger and brighter and better than we can imagine.
His Subjects Are Under a Veil
“For you died to this life, and your real life is hidden with Christ in God” (Col. 3: 3 NLT)
Adeney described what this means. What is hidden, according to him, is the source of supply, true nature, and destiny of our lives.
One of my most favorite verses is John 3: 8. “The wind blows where it pleases, and you hear its sound, but you don’t know where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit” (Jn. 3: 8 CSB).
We say, “Look how windy it is!” But we can’t see the winds, we just see the effects of the wind.
A non-believer could say that God is hidden because He is a spirit. That is different from our normal so it is mysterious. They could say God is hidden because they can’t see Him.
The true nature of a disciple might seem hidden to a non-believer. Oh, they see the fruit of our works.
But what might be hidden from them is the reasons we submit to God as Sovereign Lord. They don’t understand why we would give control of our lives to someone we can’t see.
Our relationships with God are personal and private. Again, people see the results of that relationship — our character, our service, etc. But we can’t know exactly what someone else’s relationship with God is.
Manton wrote, “The world does not understand the aims and aspirations of the Christian. Thus he may be much maligned.” Since disciples don’t agree with the worldview, we might be looked at as someone from outer space to some.
One day, though, we won’t be hidden with Christ. We will be in His presence.
Epiphany
“There is reserved for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give me on that day, and not only to me, but to all those who have loved his appearing.” (II Tim. 4: 8 CSB)
I know. It feels like we’ve traversed the globe since we did definitions.
So, just to keep me straight. According to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary, an epiphany is “an appearance or manifestation especially of a divine being.”
If we go with the epiphany as the ah-ha moment, I think there will be some that — no matter how Jesus appears — will be surprised.
Non-believers are going to be very surprised. They are going to find out they were wrong.
It won’t matter if they were ambivalent or very vocal about there being no God. If they have not ABCDed, they are still spiritually dead. They will be judged accordingly.
Some disciples are even going to be surprised. God isn’t looking for a fake disciple — He is looking for sincere disciples. No one who hasn’t made a sincere profession of faith can enter heaven.
To read a related devotion, click the button below.
But all disciples are going to have some sort of ah-ha moment. “‘My thoughts are nothing like your thoughts,’ says the LORD. ‘And my ways are far beyond anything you could imagine’” (Isa. 55: 8 NLT).
No one is going to get it 100% figured out. There will be something we didn’t understand correctly, something that was beyond our limited reasoning, and something God just kept hidden from us.
Making the Connections
So, I am thinking it will be both. Jesus is going to be here with no warning. “Then two men will be in the field; one will be taken and one left. 41 Two women will be grinding grain with a hand mill; one will be taken and one left-leaning (Mt. 24: 40-41 CSB).
It is going to happen fast. We will be “… changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye…” (I Cor. 15: 51 CSB).
The apocalypse and the epiphany will be simultaneous.
Making the Connections to Self-Discipline
We’ve been asking these questions all along so we can prepare for when we are asked to defend our beliefs. Here is the worksheet again. How would explain how Jesus will reveal Himself at the second coming?
- What does the Scriptures say?
- What do I believe?
- Why do I believe the same/differently than the Scriptures?
- What are the talking points when witnessing to a non-believer?
Related Links
I have created a worksheet of the questions above. Click on the button below to access it.
How Do We Apply This?
If Jesus’ second coming is going to be instantaneous, we are really going to have to be ready. I know we said that before, but this makes it a little more urgent, doesn’t it? It slams home that there won’t even be a split second to change our minds.
How do we get ready?
The ABCDs of Salvation
If you have not become a believer in Christ, please read through the
Plan of Salvation and prayerfully consider what God is asking you to do.
A – admit our sins
B – believe His Son Jesus is our Redeemer
C – confess God as Sovereign Lord
D – demonstrate that commitment by making any changes needed in our lives to
live the way in which God has called us
The Disciple’s Job Description
Searching for and Seeking God
Hearing His Word (Rom. 10: 17).
Reading His Word (Rev. 1: 3).
Praying to Him (Heb. 4: 16).
Studying His Word (Ac. 17: 11).
Meditating on His Word (Ps. 1: 1-2).
Memorizing His Word (Ps. 119: 11).
Father. We admit we are sinners and need You in our lives. We believe Jesus paid the penalty for our sins and became our Savior. We confess You are Sovereign Lord and submit our lives to You. Help us to obey Your laws and commandments. Help us grow to be Holy and righteous, as You are. We wait for Jesus’ return. Amen.
What do you think?
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