We continue with the beliefs of the Seventh Day Adventist in regards to,

The Second Advent

We have decided to address the following statement which was quoted in the previous post by our Seventh Day Adventist friends here as it tends to go along with their next thought that the return of our Lord, will be a visible and worldwide event. (This is something most of the rest of professing church believes likewise).

They state in,

Acts 1:11, when an angel was addressing Jesus’ disciples after they witnessed His ascension, also confirms the visible manner of His return.  He will “come in the same way as you saw Him go into heaven” (ESV).”

Here too they have erred and misunderstood the intent of the angel.

The angel (there were two of them speaking) was not implying that as the Lord visibly rose and disappear in the cloud, that he would likewise upon his return visibly descend from a cloud for all to see. No that was not was implied at all. The emphasis was on “manner” or “way” in which he left, and on “who” it was that witnessed it.

Our Lord implicitly stated: “A little while longer and THE WORLD will see Me no more, but YOU will see Me. Because I live, you will live also.” (John 14:19)

“This same Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven (the resurrected Lord, the divine Jesus), will so come in like manner as you (his faithful followers) saw Him go into heaven.”

Who saw him depart?

Only the few who were watching saw him go, and so too now only those who are faithfully watching, not the sky mind you, but the sure word of prophecy shall know of his return.

How and in what manner did he go?

He went quietly, secretly, so far as the world was concerned, unknown except to his intimate followers, without splendor, commotion or noise.

And so too, he has returned to us, quietly, secretly “as a thief in the night”, and only those who are truly awake and looking in the right direction are aware of his presence presently.

As further support of the idea of a visible return they quote:

“Revelation 1:7 says “every eye shall see Him” (ESV). We will not have to guess or wonder if this is really Jesus or not. No matter where we are, we’ll be able to “see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory” (Matthew 24:30, ESV).

Before His crucifixion, Jesus told the high priest, “From now on you will see the Son of Man seated at the right hand of Power and coming on the clouds of heaven” (Matthew 26:64 ESV).

Jesus will be visible to all—those who hurt Him, those who choose to believe in Him, and those who don’t. The Second Coming will not be something anyone can miss!”

Once again, they fell to understand the true meaning of the text.

“Behold, He is coming with clouds (The clouds of the time of trouble; “For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be.” Matt. 24:21) and every eye will see [horao: Strong’s # 3708, perceive, decern] Him [as the trouble intensifies, it will become more and more evident that the day of God’s wrath has come], even they who pierced Him. And all the tribes of the earth will mourn because of Him. Even so, Amen.” (Rev 1:7)

Rev 1:7 cannot be taken literally since those who literally pierced Jesus have long since died. If however, “they also which pierced him” is symbolic of the living Jewish nation, then the “clouds” and “every eye” seeing him must likewise be symbolic.

As for Matt 26:64 and our Lord’s remark that, “… Hereafter shall ye see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven.”  

This was a declaration that those who there witnessed his humiliation and mock trial should in due time (following the general resurrection) see [horao: Strong’s # 3708, perceive, decern,] recognize him as the honored of God. Christ’s kingdom does not come peacefully, the present order must first be deposed, and it will not give up with out a fight, thus our Lord comes in the clouds (the great time of trouble) of heaven (The powers of spiritual control).

Many in the professing church as well as our Seventh Day Adventist friends insist that both Matt 24:30 and Rev 1:7 confirm that our Lord’s second advent will be a visible event, that “every eye shall see him”.

And yet the scriptures are very adamant that, “Without holiness no man shall see the Lord.” (Heb. 12:14).

“Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God” (Matt 5:8)

So then, are we to believe that the Church will have succeeded in converting the entire world to Christ at that time? That everyone (all the heathen in their multitudes of beliefs as well as all non-believers) will have surrendered and been converted by that time, that they will all be “pure in heart”, holy, being it is claimed that every eye shall see him?

What then are we to make of our Lord’s question: “WHEN THE SON OF MAN COMES, shall he find faith on the earth? (Luke 18:8) The intimation appears to be that faith; true faith will be on the decrease at that time. So how could they have been converted,  made holy?

Continued with next post.