The spiritual gaze of
Christians should be focused upon the approaching joyous event — the Second
Coming of Christ on earth: "And when these things [the sorrows of the
last days] begin to come to pass then look up and lift up your heads, for your
redemption draws near" (Lk 21:28). The reality of His coming again was
witnessed to by the Savior Himself, with the indication of some details, and
was proclaimed by the Angels during the Lord's AscensAscension, and often
reminders were given by the Apostles (Mt. 16:27; Mt. ch 24; Mk. 8:38; Lk 12:40
and 17:24; John. 14:3; Acts. 1:11; Jude 14-15; 1 John 2:28; 1 Pet. 4:13; 1 Cor.
4:5; 1 Thes. 5:2-6 and other places). The Lord described His Second Coming as
being sudden and obvious to all: "For as the lightning comes from the
east and flashes to the west; so also will the coming of the Son of Man
be." Prior to this, the "sign of the Son of Man will appear in
Heaven," and having seen it, "all the peoples of the world
will mourn" (Mt. 24:30). According to the Fathers of the Church, this
will be the sign of the saving Cross of our Lord.
The Lord will descend in all His glory surrounded by innumerable angels:
"Then they will see the Son of Man, coming on the clouds of heaven with
power and great glory, and all His angels with Him … Then He will sit on the
throne of His glory…" (Mt. 24:30, 25:31, Mk. 13:26). From these words
we should conclude that the Second Coming of Christ will look substantially
different from the first one, during which He willingly humbled Himself and
came in the semblance of an ordinary man. Then He lived in poverty and voluntarily
suffered all kinds of humiliations. His Second Coming will also differ in
purpose. First He came to give His soul for the salvation of many; then He will
come to judge the world and recompense everyone according to his deeds. (Acts
17:31; Mt. 24:27).
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