The Second Coming of Christ: Fiery Judgment or Glorious Reunion?
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We continue our reflections on what it will be like when the Lord Jesus comes in His glory during the Second Coming. After the snatching up of God's people: “we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds” (1 Thessalonians 4:13-17), God's anger will be unleashed on those who refuse to repent and accept His forgiveness. We may hesitate to think of an angry Lord Jesus, but that is the truth Paul the Apostle wrote about, along with other prophetic writers:
The Reality of Blazing Fire and Judgment
7This will happen when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven in blazing fire with his powerful angels. 8He will punish those who do not know God and do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. 9They will be punished with everlasting destruction and shut out from the presence of the Lord and from the majesty of his power (2 Thessalonians 1:7-9).
A Personal Awakening: From Fear to Salvation
When God initially confronted me about my eternal future—particularly, where I would go after death—I saw a vision of the Lord Jesus riding a white horse in the sky, accompanied by angels, while I trembled in fear on Earth, desperately seeking a hiding place. I was scared I would be caught on the wrong side when He comes to judge.
The prophet Zephaniah also speaks of this fiery event. The Lord will assemble the nations and unleash His fierce anger:
Why God’s Anger is a Call to Grace
“Therefore wait for me,” declares the LORD, “for the day I will stand up to testify. I have decided to assemble the nations, to gather the kingdoms and to pour out my wrath on them—all my fierce anger. The whole world will be consumed by the fire of my jealous anger” (Zephaniah 3:8;).
Jesus will return in blazing fire with His mighty angels (Isaiah 66:15), bringing vengeance against those who do not know God. My view of Jesus changed after I read those words. The Lord instilled a fear of Him in me, prompting me to seek His salvation before judgment reached me. After becoming a Christian and reflecting on the truth of God's Word, I realized He had been working in my life for years, but I had not listened. It was He who found me, not the other way around. It took years for me to realize His gracious invitation: "No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him, and I will raise him up at the last day” (John 6:44). If you're reading this, is it just chance that you've come across these words, or is it God drawing you to Himself? There are no coincidences with God.
His arrival will happen at the same time as the gathering of all who have sought salvation from Him. Jesus emphasizes that both events—the gathering of the saints and the judgment fire—will take place on the same day (Luke 17:26-29). The prophet Zephaniah tells us that God's delight will be on those who have called on the Lord. The Lord will sing over His bride.
The LORD your God is with you; he is mighty to save. He will take great delight in you, he will quiet you with his love, he will rejoice over you with singing (Zephaniah 3:17).
The Great Separation: Sheep, Goats, and the New Eden
When Jesus comes in His fiery jealousy, a division will occur between sheep and goats—God’s people and the unsaved—as described in Matthew 25:31-46. He eagerly awaits the moment His followers will see His face, and the New Jerusalem will resemble Eden, with God walking with man in the evening cool: “They will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads” (Revelation 22:4). That will be a truly glorious day!
How to Live This Out
Examine Your Heart: Don't view this text as a distant history lesson. Ask yourself: "If the Lord returned today, would I be seeking a hiding place, or would I be ready to see His face?"
Acknowledge the 'Drawing': If you feel a tug on your heart while reading this, that isn’t a coincidence—it’s the Father drawing you (John 6:44). Respond to that pull by spending five minutes in quiet prayer, asking Him to reveal Himself more clearly. Keith Thomas
Continue Your Journey…
To keep up with our daily meditations on the Second Coming of Christ, consider bookmarking this link for all our 3-minute Bible meditations in English: https://www.groupbiblestudy.com/devotionals
Click on the following link for our in-depth English Bible Studies:
YouTube video teachings at: https://www.youtube.com/@keiththomas7/videos
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