As we on Earth look up, and those in Heaven look down,
Anticipating The Lord’s second coming event,
When on Earth, He will sit on His Throne,
wearing God’s crown,
Now’s the time to compare and contrast His two advents.
His first arrival was heralded by angels singing,
And by gift-bearing men from the East who were so very wise.
The next time, He’ll be lauded by an archangel shouting.
Of gift-laden saints and angels, His entourage will comprise. 1
First time, in a dingy manger, as a babe He was laid,
In a smelly stable kept warm by animals’ bods,
Next time, on God’s Throne, all sinners on Earth
He will upbraid.
Into a bottomless pit He’ll cast all devil squads! 2
In strips of cloth his parents did tightly swaddle,
Their heavenly gift upon His first arrival.
Unwrapped, He’ll return to bang God’s justice gavel,
While wearing Heaven’s royal, glory apparel.
First time, t’was just a few shepherds who
left their posts to see,
The marvelous news over which angels lit the night sky.
Next time, some families will send reps to attend His feasts!
On lands of those who refuse to come, rain He will deny! 3
He first came to a land promised to Jacob’s progeny,
Centuries after the Babylonian invasion.
To that land He’ll return and reshape its geography,
Overspilling its rim with folks fleeing to their homeland. 4
In the second temple, He was circumcised,
Giving it greater glory than the first.
In the third temple, He will be GLORIFIED!
He will cleanse it of the anti-Christ’s curse! 5
He first came under Rome’s iron-fisted, world rule,
As the first child of His parents who were paupers.
Next, He’ll come to upend satan’s anti-Christ fool,
Then wield His own iron-rod over survivors! 6
Under Heaven’s banner of peace was His first arrival,
To pay for sin, so from its penalty we can be absolved.
Next, on war-footing He’ll come, speaking His ‘Word arsenal’!
The flesh of all Gog and Magog warriors …will be dissolved! 7
First came one who before Him, in ministry, would abound,
John The Baptist, who would turn folks hearts to repentance.
Next time, it’s Elijah who will turn hardened hearts around,
Hearts of fathers and children – family enhancements. 8
In His first advent, only to Israel was He assigned,
Children of Jacob who, against all things Godly, contrived.
Next time, to Him every aspect of life will be re-aligned,
For folks who, through tribulation’s judgments,
will have survived.
He grew up under an occupier force’s heel,
Rome’s delegated authority in Israel misused.
When He returns, He’ll ‘bring ALL world governments to heel’,
Under the same ‘heel’ that, on Calvary,
satan one day bruised. 9
To facilitate His ministry, He selected only 12 men,
Disciples who became apostles, His Gospel to spread.
To facilitate His monarchy, He’s electing those born again,
We who embrace Him as Savior; for us His blood was shed.
At His first coming, for just 33 years He was with us,
His life cut short to achieve His Father’s salvation purpose.
When He returns, for 1,000 years He’ll display God’s genius.
Then, after ‘a little while’, He’ll reveal the new Earth, GLORIOUS!10
He first came to die, then dominate him
who had death’s power.
Thus, He broke sin’s ‘second death power’ over every man.
With ‘angel-like saints’, He will return,
us whom He’ll empower.
To all the world, trophies we’ll be of God’s salvation plan!
There is so much more to compare and contrast,
About the life of Jesus back then,
and His soon coming global reign,
For sure…
His will be a government that’s un-surpassed.
So I hope you are inspired, Friend,
to join His recruitment campaign. 11
Having compared and contrasted His two comings,
For you, I trust the picture is less blurred.
Ponder this: We saints will know when He’s returning!!! 12
How does this comport with what you have heard??
While His history and predictions are pertinent,
There is one thing that, to me, is very relevant:
If, to His Word and ways, I will remain vigilant,
I will be with Him on His return, so imminent!
Will you?
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1 See: 1 Thessalonians 4:16, Zechariah 3:4 and 14:5, and Matthew 24:29-31, Revelation 2:17, 24-29. The white stone and new name in the last references likely relate to our royal/diplomatic titles and functions as ruling, immortal saints during the Millennial Reign.
3 Of three pilgrimage feasts God ordained for Israel (Passover, Pentecost and Tabernacles), only in the annual Feast of Tabernacles will Jesus, as King, require/command representation of (remnant) families in nations that fought against Israel, presumably in the 1st War of Gog and Magog. (Ezekiel 38:5 - 6, Zechariah 12:9 and 14:16-19). The exact timing of this specific event is not specified in the set of events described in Ezekiel 38, Zechariah 14, and Revelation 19. Gog and Magog may be satan’s chief demons over the territory of Russia. Revelation 20 signals they will have been promoted to global authority to trigger the final rebellion of mankind against all things Godly.
4 See: Zechariah 10:10, 14:4, 10.
5 See: 2 Thessalonians 2:4.
6 See: Psalm 2:9, and Revelation 2:27, 12:5 and 19:15.
7 ‘And this shall be the plague with which The Lord will strike all the people who fought against Jerusalem [in the 1st War of Gog and Magog, Ezekiel 38]: their flesh shall dissolve while they stand on their feet, their eyes shall dissolve in their sockets, and their tongues shall dissolve in their mouths.’ (Zechariah 14:12)
9 See: Genesis 3:15 and Isaiah 53:5, 10
10 See: Revelation 20:3-10. Where might Jesus, His angels and saints be during this ‘little while’??
12 Why are so many of us looking for His return on Earth? That may signal a fundamental error in our understanding of the sequence of events revealed in The New Testament. It indicates equating the next resurrection and rapture event, with His return on the Earth. These are separate events. To understand the resurrection and rapture process, please see: Bible Raptures - Types and Timings (Series).