The Last Day |
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Elder
Michael L. Montgomery |
When
Jesus ascended to heaven, the disciples were told that “this
same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so
come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven.”
Only the Father knows the “day and hour” of Jesus’ return.
It will be “as the lightning cometh out of the east, and
shineth even unto the west.” His return will be swift and
unmistakable.
Christ is “risen from the dead” and has “become the
firstfruits of them that slept.” Those “that slept” are
identified as those “in Christ” and as “they that are
Christ's.” When he returns to raise the dead, “then cometh
the end” when “He shall have delivered up the kingdom to
God.” He shall reign until he has “put all enemies under his
feet. The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death.”
Death shall not be victorious nor stop the Lord from
divinely quickening the last heir of promise. Until then,
Jesus reigns.
Jesus shall make only two bodily appearances to earth. His
first appearing came “in the end of the world…to put away
sin by the sacrifice of himself.” He now appears “in the
presence of God for us” in Heaven where “he ever liveth to
make intercession for us.” When “he shall have delivered up
the kingdom to God, even the Father,” then he “shall appear
the second time without sin unto salvation.”
Anyone who hungers and thirsts after righteousness shows
that they have been drawn to Him, and Jesus “will raise him
up at the last day.” The last day is when this material
world “shall be burned up.” None of His people shall perish
or be lost for “the Lord is longsuffering to us-ward, not
willing that any should perish…” All that the Father gave
Him, he shall not lose one but raise them up “at the last
day.”
When He
returns the second time, then shall be “the resurrection at
the last day.” On that day, “all that are in the graves
shall hear his voice, and shall come forth.” Not only will
the righteous be raised up the last day, but the wicked,
too. The last day is when Jesus shall return to raise “the
dead, both of the just and unjust.”
On the
last day, Jesus “shall descend from heaven with a shout…and
the dead in Christ shall rise first. Then we which are alive
and remain shall be caught up together with them.” The Lord
shall not step foot upon the earth when he appears the
second time. All the righteous shall meet the Lord in the
air and “so shall we ever be with the Lord.”
The Lord
reigns now. He awaits the last day when He shall return to
earth to raise the dead, both the just and unjust. The
unjust shall be consigned to the place of everlasting woe
and misery. The righteous shall be brought to live forever
in Heaven where they shall live in peace forever more.
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