The second coming of Christ is an important subject because it helps us to be prepared for eternity. As it will be a sudden and unexpected event, and will affect every individual who has ever lived. Surely, we owe it to ourselves to be educated and prepared for the second coming of Christ. Below are some things that will happen at Christ's appearing.

THE LORD WILL APPEAR IN THE SKY WITH HIS MIGHTY ANGELS. "For the Lord Himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first" (I Thessalonians 4:16). This appearance will be sudden and unexpected. In Matthew twenty-four Christ describes the world as going on as normal when He returns. People will be working, marrying, sleeping, eating and drinking when Christ suddenly returns (Matthew 24:32-44). Jesus is described as coming "as a thief in the night" (I Thessalonians 5:2). There will be no warning at all. Therefore, we need to be ready when He returns. If we are not, then suden destruction will come upon us. "For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape." (I Thessalonians 5:3). The second coming of Christ will not only be sudden, but it will also be spectacular and noisy. Every eye will see Him. "Behold, he cometh with the clouds; and every eye shall see him, and they also which pierced him: and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him. Even so, Amen." (Revelation 1:7).

WHEN HE COMES AGAIN THE DEAD WILL BE RAISED. "Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice, and shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation." (John 5:28-29). See also Acts 24:15. We do not see two different resurrections here, but simply two different groups of people being resurrected: the righteous and the unrighteous. They will both be resurrected in the same hour. There are not two resurrections, but there are two destinies: (1) The evil doer will be resurrected to damnation (hell) (2) The righteous will be resurrected to eternal life (heaven).

We notice that it is the bodies in the grave (tomb) that will be resurrected. We must not confuse the body with the soul, or spirit. Our souls have a conscious existence after death in hades (Luke 16:19-31). When our bodies are resurrected at Christ's return, our souls will return to our bodies (Revelation 1:18; 20:14).

WHEN CHRIST COMES AGAIN THOSE LIVING ON EARTH SHALL BE CHANGED. "Behold, I show you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an ey, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. " (I Corinthians 15:51-52). Those living on the earth will see the dead rising from their graves. All their uncles, aunts, family members, friends, and enemies. Everyone who is on the face of the earth will see the dead coming forth. At the sound of the last trumpet, however, they also will be changed in a twinkling of an ey, and given incorruptible bodes-- "For this corruption must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality." (I Corinthians 15:53). These incorruptible bodies are further described in Philippians, "Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his (Christ's) glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even ot subdue all things unto himself." (Philippians 3:21)

WHEN CHRIST COMES AGAIN ALL WILL RISE TO MEET THE LORD IN THE AIR. "Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord." (I Thessalonians 4:17). For faithful Christians this will be a time of great joy and expectation. They will be entering into "eternal joy." They are about to gain a crown of righteousness. Paul spoke of this in II Timothy 4:7,8; "I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith: Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the rightious judge, shall give me at this day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing." The faithful Christian at this time will be ready to hear the Lord say "...Well done, thou good and faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord." (Matthew 25:21).  He will look forward to spending eternity with the Lord Jesus Himself, seeing HIm face to face (I John 3:2).

For the non-christian and the unfaithful chidl of God, however, it will not be a joyous experience. There will be a great deal of fear and regret. They will realise that they are not ready to face the Lord. For the Lord is coming "In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not god, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ: Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power" (II Thessalonians 1:8-9). There awaits for them only a place of "outer darkness" and "weeping and gnashing of teeth" (Matthew 8:12). They are about to be "...cast alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone" (Revelation 19:20). "And the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever: and they have no rest day nor night" (Revelation 14:11).

WHEN CHRIST COMES AGAIN THE EARTH, AND ALL ITS WORKS SHALL BE BURNED UP. "But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up" (II Peter 3:10). This is not figurative happening but a literal one. Peter speaks first about how the heaven and earth were at "the beginning of creation" (v. 4). He then speak of how the sinful world perished during the time of Noah (v. 6). he then says, 'But the heavens and the earth, which are now, by the same word are kept in store, reserved unto fire against the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men" (II Peter 3:7). This universe will therefore, pass away. all the physical elements will melt. the sun, moon stars and galaxies. All the works of men will perish (Hebrews 1:10-12).

WHEN CHRIST COMES AGAIN EVERY ONE WILL STAND BEFORE THE JUDGMENT THRONE OF JESUS. "For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that everyone may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad" (II Corinthians 5:10). Many people think that the standard of good and bad simply refers to whether or not they have lived a reasonably honest life, minding their own business and having a benevolent heart. However, the standard of good and bad is based upon God's judgment, not man's (Romans 2:5-11). Men will be judged by the gospel, not by their own concept of righteousness (Romans 2:16).

                                                                                                                           - Ian McPherson