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Originally posted by infolurker
Easy answer... When Jesus comes back, he will NOT be a man and will come from the sky.... after the events of the tribulation...
When and how will Jesus make himself known
1- The 7 "signs" announcing the End (in Matthew 24:4-14):
1- The many "false prophets" that will deceive many, in v.5; it corresponds to the 1st seal, the "white horse" (Rev.6:2). The False Prophets are also mentioned in v.11, and in v.24, during the Great Tribulation.
2- "Wars and rumors of wars" in v.6; it corresponds to the 2nd seal, the "red horse", in Rev.6:3.
3- "Famines" in v.7, corresponds to the 3rd seal, the "black horse" of Rev.6:5.
4- "Earthquakes", in v.7, corresponds to the 4th seal, the "pale green horse" in Rev.6:7.
5- "Persecutions and tortures to the elect", v.9, corresponds to the 5th seal in Rev.6:9-11.
6- "Many will fall away... lawlessness... the love of many will grow cold", v.10-11, corresponds to the 6th seal in Rev.6:12-17... and it is the "apostasy" or "the final rebellion against God" of 2Thess.2:3.
7- "This good news of the kingdom will be proclaimed to the whole world", v.14, corresponds to the 7th seal, in Rev.8:1, the 7 Trumpets!.
There are another two signs in the Bible: The Jewish Temple will be rebuilt in Jerusalem, at Mount Moriah (Dan.8:11,Rev.11:2), and the "general apostasy" of 2Thes.2:3, which is the Abomination of Desolation.
2- "The Abomination of Desolation" (in Matthew 24:15-20):
This is the Time of Coming of the Antichrist!... and his very first work!.
"When you see the Abomination of Desolation, of which Daniel spoke, standing in the holy place (let the reader understand)...", in Matt.24:15.
When you go to "Daniel", he describes the horrors of this "Abomination" in 4 places: Daniel 8:11-17, 9:26-27, 11:31-32, 12:11.
This Abomination refers to the abolition of the Eternal Sacrifice and the destruction of the Temple and Jerusalem... but Daniel states that "the vision refers to the time of the End" (8:17), and Jesus himself refers us to it in Matt.24:15, and it will be the very first thing the Antichrist will do, as reported here by Jesus.
Paul told us that the Antichrist would sit in the temple as God (2.Thes.2:3-4).
The concept of the abomination of desolation is often spiritualized with explaining it as idolatrous worship established in the hearts of God’s people (His "temple"). But the simplest and more real explanation of all these passages is to see the abomination as the suppression of the eternal sacrifice, now a days only present in Christianity in the Holy Mass.
This "Abomination" in Daniel consists of 5 facts:
1- "Abolished the perpetual sacrifice" (Dan.8:11): And as a logical consequence, if there is no "sacrifice", there will be no "altar", and no "priests" to offer it... this is the main and most important feature, described by Daniel in his four descriptions of the Abomination in the Holy Place.
God established the "eternal sacrifice", which was offered daily as told by the Lord: "every day, two unblemished yearling lambs as a perpetual burning offering" (Num.28:3, Ex.29:42).
If it is "eternal", "perpetual", is got to be present now, and even in Heaven, because it is "eternal":
a- "In Heaven" it is present, as described by John in Rev.5:6: "a Lamb standing as it had been slaughtered"… he is Jesus in the center of the Throne of Heaven, the reason for all the joys and songs of Heaven!.
b- "On Earth", is got to be present also "now", because it is "eternal"… and it is!, as the Lamb of God offered daily in the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass.
2- "Threw down his sanctuary" (Dan.8:11).
3- "Shall destroy the city" (Dan.9:26).
4- "He magnified himself even to the prince of the host" (Dan.8:11).
5- By his deceit he shall make some who were disloyal to the covenant apostatize (an.11:26).
The reign of the Antichrist will last for 7 years, as described in Daniel 8:14 and Revelation 13:5: The "Abomination" will last for 3½ years, and the "Great Tribulation" for another 3½ years, or 42 months, or 1,260 days (Rev.13:5, 11:2-3, 12:5, Dan.12:11-12). See Duration of the Reign of the Antichrist
John tells us that the Antichrist is already with us (1Jn.4:3), and Paul says that the Antichrist is already at work (1Thes.2:6-8).
The Jews already have this Abomination: They have no sacrifice, no altar, no priests, no temple... as it was prophesied it will happen after the coming of the Messiah! (Daniel 8:11-17, 9:26-27, 11:31-32, 12:11). See Judaism after Christ
For many Protestants this "Abomination" means very little, because they already do not have the "perpetual sacrifice", nor "sanctuary", nor "altar", nor "priests"...
The Orthodox already do not have the "prince of hosts", nor "the city".
Many Catholics may wonder how come the Holy Mass and priests could be abolished... but this already happened partially at the coming of Muhammad when there were 800 Christian bishops in Africa, among them St. Augustine, and in a few years there were reduced to just 5!... the "remnant" always mentions by Isaiah. And when Martin Luther came, in a few years millions of Christians were left without sacrifice, altar, and priests... So, this is what it will happened at the coming of the Antichrist during the Abomination of Desolation, the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass will be abolished, and consequently there will be no need for altars nor priests to celebrate it... and, of course, a "remnant" will be left!.
The reign of the Antichrist, again, will last for 7 years, as described in Daniel 8:14 and Revelation 13:5:
1- The "Abomination" will last for 3½ years,
2- And the "Great Tribulation" for another 3½ years, or 42 months, or 1,260 days (Rev.13:5, 11:2-3, 12:5, Dan.12:11-12)... the same 3½ years of the duration of the ministry of Jesus Christ on earth. See Duration of the Reign of the Antichrist
For the Adventists, the 42 months or 1,260 days are 1,260 years... and right now, for them, all who celebrate Sunday as the Day of the Lord are of the Antichrist, all 2 billion Christians, except them!... but really, nobody adores Luther nor the Pope, not even the Protestants nor the Catholics... and no Protestant nor Pope has ever had the economic authority of the Antichrist of Rev.13:17 so that no one can buy or sell unless he is branded with the name of the Beast... and no one has ever had the political authority of the Antichrist of Rev.13... and honestly, never a Catholic or a Protestant denied the Christ!.
There is no way to translate this 1260 days into 1260 years, as some scholars do invoking Ezekiel 4:6
3- The "Great Tribulation" (Matt.24:21-28):
"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).
... So, it shall be a greater tribulation than the Flood at the times of Noah, the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah, the 10 plagues of Egypt...
The "elect", the Church, will be in the Great Tribulation repeats twice: "for the elect's shake those days shall be shortened... false Christs shall deceive the very elect, if it were possible" (Matt.24:22,24).
The "restrainer":
St. Paul talks about "that" or "the one" who restrains the Antichrist to appear, or who withholds him to appear, in 2Thess.2:6-7... and that "restrainer" is Jesus in the Eucharist!... when the Holy Sacrifice is abolished, that will be the Abomination of Desolation, and then the Antichrist will appear with full force with the Great Tribulation!. See Paul
4- The "Second Coming of Christ" (Matt.24:29-49).
"Immediately after the tribulation... they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory" (Matt.24:29-30).
The time of the Second Coming of Christ is "immediately after the Great Tribulation"... Paul says that first will come the man of sin, who is the Antichrist, and the general apostasy, which is the Abomination of Desolation (2Thes.2:3). See Paul.
Jesus tells us several things about this, "His Second Coming":
1- It will be "after the Tribulation"... "Immediately after the tribulation"!: "Immediately after the distress of those days... the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky, and all the nations of the earth will mourn. They will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of the sky, with power and great glory" (Matt.24:29-30).
2- The next verse, Mat.24:31, says: "And he will send his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of the heavens to the other"... those of his Church who just passed the Great Tribulation.
3- It will be "like in the days of Noah", says in Matt.37-39: At that time only were saved those who were in the Ark of God, which was the Ark where Noah was, all the other big ships shrunk and the people in them perished... now it will be the same: Only shall be saved those in the Ark of Christ, which is the Ark where Peter is!, or his successor, the Pope... all the other churches shall shrunk, and the people in them shall perish (2Pet.2:5).
4- The "Rapture": "Then shall two be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left. Two women shall be grinding at the mill; the one shall be taken, and the other left" (24:40-41).
This is the time and order of the "Rapture" described in 1 Thessalonians 4:14-18, 1Cor.15:52... it will be "after" the Great Tribulation.
The essence of the Work of Christ in His Second Coming is "to Judge": The bad ones to Eternal Hell, including Satan, the Antichrist, and his followers, and the good ones to Eternal Heaven... most beautifully described by Jesus himself at the end of His "Sermon of the End of the World", in the "Last Judgment of Matt.25:31-46.
Jesus will come this second time in glory, and he will not come "to save" anybody, but "to judge"... this is the time of salvation!... right now!... do not wait until the Second Coming of Jesus to be saved (2Cor.6:2).
Armageddon
4b- The Last Judgment
5- The 7 Parables
In the "Book of Daniel":
The same chronological order of the "End of the World" is presented in the Book of Daniel, not with so many details, and called there the "End of Times":
In Daniel 12
1- There shall be a time unsurpassed in distress since nations have been until that time (12:1)... this the Great Tribulation, in Dan.12:
2- After that, the dead shall awake, some for everlasting life, and some to shame for everlasting contempt... in the Second Coming of Christ, in Dan.12:3-4.
In Daniel 7:
1- The Antichrist and the Great Tribulation, in 7:1-12
2- Next, the coming of one like a Son of man with the clouds, given everlasting dominion, in 7:13-14.
Duration of the Reign of the Antichrist:
The total time of the reign of the Antichrist will be 2,300 evenings and mornings (Dan.8:14).
1- The Great Tribulation will last 1,290 days, and blessed the one who waits and reaches 1,335 days, adds in the next verse (Dan.12:12-13).
2- The Abomination of Desolation consequently will last 1,010 days according to Daniel.
In the Book of Revelation the Antichrist will do his work of the Great Tribulation for 42 months, or 1,260 days, counting 30 days per month (Rev.13:5, 11:2, 12:6)... there is a slight difference in Daniel, 1,290 days, because he considers the months of having either 30 or 31 days, in a similar way as we have them now.
The 1260 days of the reign of the Antichrist:
- The Woman (the Church) was in the wilderness 1260 days, and the Two Witnesses prophesied 1260 days (Rev.12:6, 11:3).
- The Beast reign for 42 months, and the Holy City was trodden down 42 months (Rev.13:5, 11:2).
Rev.11 makes the translation of the 42 months into 1260 days in two consecutive verses: 2 and 3.
- The expression of "a time, two times, and a half a time" is used both in Daniel and Revelation (Dan.7:25, 12:7, Rev.12:14). In Rev.12:14 is used as identical of the 1260 days of Rev.12:6, which are the same 42 months of Rev. 11:2 and 13:5... There are 3½ years, or 1260 days, or exactly 42 months of 30 days per month.
- These 3½ years are exactly the duration of the ministry of Jesus Christ on earth, another good counterfeit of Satan!
There is no way to translate this 1260 days into 1260 years, as some scholars do invoking Ezekiel 4:6.
St. Paul, in 2 Thessalonians 2:
St Paul says it very emphatically, "let no man deceive you by any means", the Second Coming of Christ will be after the coming of the Antichrist with his work, says in verse 3... "that day", the day of the Second Coming of Jesus Christ will not come until after the "falling away" or "general apostasy" occurs, which is the Abomination of Desolation of Jesus and Daniel... and after the "man of sin" has been revealed, which is the Antichrist... "Him", whose coming is after the working of Satan, repeats in verse 9.
This is how Paul says it in 2 Thessalonians 2:
3: Don't let anyone deceive you in any way, for that day (the Second Coming of Christ) will not come until the rebellion occurs and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of perdition.
4: He will oppose and will exalt himself over everything that is called God or is worshiped, so that he sets himself up in God's temple, proclaiming himself to be God.
9: The coming of the lawless one will be in accordance with the work of Satan displayed in all kinds of counterfeit miracles, signs and wonders,
10: and in every sort of evil that deceives those who are perishing. They perish because they refused to love the truth and so be saved.
The "restrainer": "the one who holds back the Antichrist": See The Great Tribulation
St. Paul tells us twice what withholds the Antichrist to appear, in 2Thess.2:6,7... and that "restrainer", "the one who holds back the Antichrist", is Jesus in the Eucharist!... when the Sacrifice of the Holy Eucharist is abolished, the Antichrist will appear with full force!... right now, says Paul, the Antichrist, the mystery of iniquity is already at work, but restrained by the Eucharist, and his work will start in full when the Abomination of Desolation comes, when the Holy Sacrifice and the Altar and Priests will be taken away.
This is how Paul say it in 2Thes.2:6-8:
6: And now you know what is holding him back (the man of lowslessness), so that he may be revealed at the proper time.
7: For the secret power of lawlessness is already at work; but the one who now holds it back, the restrainer,
will continue to do so till he is taken out of the way.
8: And then shall that Wicked be revealed...
Christ will destroy the Antichrist:
This the last thought of Paul on this issue in 2 Thes.2:8: Jesus Christ will destroy he Wicked, the Antichrist:
8: And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming:
For many Christians these questions of the Second Coming of Christ and the End of the World are at the heart of their lives, and they are daily expecting the Second Coming of Jesus, and being caught up in the clouds...
Millions of Evangelicals already died without being part of the Rapture... and many are wrong thinking the Rapture will take place "before" the Great Tribulation, when the Bible account says clearly otherwise: The Rapture will be "after" the Great Tribulation.
Many Christians are also mistaken when they believe that the "elect" will not have to suffer the Great Tribulation, because they will be Raptured before it: The Bible says the "elect", or the "chosen ones", will be in the Great Tribulation, and they will be Raptured after it, and it says it twice! (Matt.24:24, 31).
Other Christians are confused expecting a "Millennium" of peace and joy on earth, after the "Second Coming of Christ"... and this it is wrong!, there is no place for it in the simple, clear description of Jesus of the End of the World, in the three Gospels... and, on top of it, there would have to be a "Third Coming of Christ" at the end of the Millennium... absurd!... no place for that in the Bible!. See Millennium
Millions of Christians are confused, because they do not read the clear description of Jesus about the End of the World in the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke, and they misinterpret the beautiful prophecies of Daniel, Revelation, 1 Thessalonians 4, 2 Thess.2, 1 Cor. 15...
- Among them are many Protestants, Evangelicals, Adventists, Jehovah's Witnesses.
- To them I dedicate with love this simple writing.
Come "for" his saints...:
Some Christians are confused thinking that Jesus has to come "for" his saints, in order to come later "with" his saints.
Jesus does not have to come for the "good thief", because he is already in Paradise (Luc.23:43)... and surely this "good thief" is not in Paradise all alone... surely, Peter, and Paul, and John, and millions of others are already in Paradise with the good thief... Jesus does not have to come "for" his saints, they are already with him!...
... And otherwise, it will mean two more Comings of Christ!, one before the Millennium, and another after it, which has no place in the Bible See Millennium.
You and I are going to die, and soon!... before 100 years!... and two eternities are waiting for us, believe it or not: Eternally in Hell, or eternally in Heaven... and the day of our death will be the End of This World for us, the end of times for us, the end of time and space for us.
... I pray that you and I will go to eternal Heaven, with the "good thief" of Luc.23:43, and with Abraham, and St. Peter, and St. Therese... and if you are not a Christian, I pray for you to go forever to the same glorious Heaven of Virgin Mary, and St. Joseph, and Jesus the Messiah (the Christ in Greek). Amen.