So, the so called "Second Coming" of Jesus Christ. How do you imagine it would be? Obviously, if Jesus comes on a cloud over the Vatican or Greenwich, UK, from the opposite end of the world, they won't see Him since the wold is a sphere. If He descends in New York, they won't see Him in Hong Kong, where a lot of Christians live too. So, what's the decision? Broadcast the Second Coming as the Olympic games? After all it says in the Bible, "For as lightning that comes from the east is visible even in the west, so will be the coming of the Son of Man (Matthew 24:27)". Lightning - that's electricity. The same electricity that operates television and the Internet. Or may be Jesus would use some miracle for everyone to see Him? Or may be the term "Second Coming" is not to be taken literally and has a hidden meaning? What's your take?
I am a Christian, but I find it easier to believe in an immediate afterlife than a bodily resurrection.
Yeah, I've heard that before. That Jesus is gonna come to nuke us into Kingdom Come, that is. I don't mind.
I forgot that in Christianity it is often used the parable of 10 virgins and the "midnight Jesus". That makes things a bit more complicated, in terms of seeing Him "on a cloud in the sky". But then again, if it is a nuke cloud (that is a nuke mushroom cloud), that is something else. Plus, in night time big explosions are visible a lot better. Everything points to a "Nuke Jesus" so far. Anyone got better ideas?
It could also be an intellectual/spiritual understanding held in common, such that everyone sees him coming from where they are because his coming makes sense. We all are born the same, on the same earth, under the same sun. It is written that in the last days, God will pour out his spirit on all flesh. So perhaps that spirit is the common ingredient , such that all men will see him coming. And while the earth may hide us from one another's view, it doesn't hide us from God, nor he from us. His spirit testifies of him like a Mothers milk or the maker of any particular thing. When we are born, we are drowned in the air and find life in breathing, rather than to die. So if we are awash by his pouring out and drowned in his spirit, then we die from life to a life more fully in him. And it will be an awakening to a remembrance of what we had forgotten yet never known until brought to our recollection. So eternity beckons and time slips away, and we see that God has always been God. Perhaps in this fashion shall all see, every knee bend, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the Fathers glory.
So, you don't think Jesus will return on a bunch of clouds? That is good to know. I like your symbolic approach rather than the literal one.
I thought you asked how all men will see him coming if the earth is round. Where exactly he might go in person is a different matter. I've never given it much thought. It's my understanding that his return won't be to teach or convince but to judge and divide. But what do I know. I just try to live right and leave Gods part to him or to let God prevail.
It won't happen. Jesus said that the second coming would happen in the lifetime of his followers. He was a failed apocalyptic prophet, but at least he had some good reforms in the meantime.
Sounds like God is far more due for an execution and a do-over. He (at least according to the Bible) has done far, far worse than any human or any collection of humans could ever accomplish.
a real God could just think it, and it be done without all the drama course from a God so Jealous his name is "Jealous", would not expect perfection https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Exodus+34:14&version=KJV " Exodus 34:14 King James Version (KJV) 14 For thou shalt worship no other god: for the Lord, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God: "
That is exactly what I asked. But I'm glad you are smarter than St. Augustin who denied the roundness of the Earth because if the world wasn't flat but round, how would the people from "the other side" see the Lord Jesus when He descends from Heaven in His Second Coming. The rainbow is a promise God won't drown us again but it never said anything about nukes.
For starters, stop reading the KJV, you don't know the ****ing language. Jealous in this instance obviously means that the god mentioned in this case expects his followers to be a to only worship him. When it says his name is jealous, it means he doesn't like people speaking his name or using it for others. His name itself is set apart from other names. Finally, jealousy in this instance is not necessarily a trait which indicates imperfection unless you believe husbands and wives should not ever be faithful to one another.
According to Webster the term "Second Coming" doesn't appear until the 15th century. It's a Neo-Christian term. The second coming is something which many people have problems with because the sources for Jesus are not fully in agreement. Each Gospel is telling the story of Jesus in a way to support its view of Jesus. However, one thing is certain, Jesus has to be talking about event which will soon happen. One of the key attributes of a false prophet is one who announces something which doesn't happen. Even if you believe in a 2nd or 3rd century writing and revision of the Gospels which isn't substantiated by the textual evidence, the Gospels are pointing to something which will happen soon. In this case, the destruction of Jerusalem is the "end times". In fact, most of the Gospels and letters end at this point. Most people, especially the Jewish converts, expected Jesus to reappear at that point. Spoiler . . . he didn't. Especially after the second sacking of Jerusalem, you don't see any Jewish Christian writers any longer. Most reinterpretations of the passages after this time emphasize Jesus coming back at a much later time if at all. Amillennialism was the dominant viewpoint of Christianity from about 400-1500. This viewpoint is does not take the scripture literally but it does take it seriously. In this case, how the "Kingdom of God" returns to Earth is open to interpretation. The Pre-tribulation Post millennialism which you are familiar with and is likely the only interpretation you're aware of is a very modern interpretation which started with the Pilgrims and therefore became the dominant eschatology of that continent. Pre-tribulation Post millennialism is very literal. As a result, these people tend to try to match real-life events in their contemporary world to allegorical accounts in Revelation. I keep on trying to tell those people, Revelation is not about you! Revelation was written to a people about to suffer religious persecution for their beliefs. Revelation explained the game plan that the people would use to survive this persecution and gave them hope for a brighter future.
The KJV wasn't written in Old English or even Middle English. All modern English speakers, assuming they know enough English, should be able to understand it.
This is literally what most modern Christians believe: an immediate afterlife rather than a "soul sleep" with a later resurrection.