March 13, 2025

The Two Advents of Christ: Prophecy and Fulfillment

The prophets proclaimed two distinct advents of Christ. The first advent saw Him come as a "dishonoured and suffering Man," an event already fulfilled in history. But the second advent, yet to come, speaks of His return "from heaven with glory, accompanied by His angelic host."

The Promise of Resurrection and Judgment

This second coming is not merely a return but a transformative event. The document states that He "shall raise the bodies of all men who have lived, and shall clothe those of the worthy with immortality, and shall send those of the wicked, endued with eternal sensibility, into everlasting fire with the wicked devils."

Prophetic Voices on the Second Advent

Several prophets foreshadowed this grand event. Ezekiel prophesied, "Joint shall be joined to joint, and bone to bone, and flesh shall grow again; and every knee shall bow to the Lord, and every tongue shall confess Him." This speaks to a universal resurrection and acknowledgement of Christ's Lordship. Isaiah adds, "Their worm shall not rest, and their fire shall not be quenched," depicting the eternal consequences for the wicked.

Zechariah's prophecy focuses on the Jewish people's reaction: "I will command the four winds to gather the scattered children... And then in Jerusalem there shall be great lamentation... and they shall look on Him whom they have pierced; and they shall say, Why, O Lord, hast Thou made us to err from Thy way? The glory which our fathers blessed, has for us been turned into shame." This paints a picture of profound repentance and recognition upon Christ's return.

The Certainty of Prophecy

The text emphasizes the reliability of prophecy. Because past prophecies concerning Christ's first coming have been fulfilled, we can have confidence that the prophecies concerning His second coming "shall certainly happen." Just as the first advent unfolded as foretold, despite being "unknown and disbelieved" by some, so too will the second.