The Second Coming

I suppose the most famous place of all is in the first chapter of Acts where Jesus ascends from earth watched by his disciples. Remember, they had just completed a six-week concentrated course on ‘The Kingdom of God’ led by the King himself (Acts 1:3). They knew the kingdom will be on earth, that it will be the restored Kingdom of Israel (1:6) and that the man who had just disappeared into the clouds will be its king. They knew for sure, since God had given the guarantee, that Jesus will come back. Suddenly, the answer to their difficult question was given by angels in white robes: “’You men in Galilee, why stand you gazing up into heaven? This same Jesus which is taken up into heaven, shall so come in like manner as you have seen him go into heaven” (1:11).

This time there was no argument and no disbelief, just great joy and rejoicing all the way back to Jerusalem (Luke 24:52). There was a great determination on everyone’s part to fulfil the command that Jesus had given: “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. He that believes and is baptised shall be saved; but he that believes not shall be condemned” (Mark 16:15,16).

The absence of grief and doubt in the apostolic band is not surprising when looking at the three fold ‘guarantee’ that the angels had given: “This same Jesus … shall so come … in like manner …” How had he gone away? Actually, physically, vertically, upwards. How will he come back? Vertically downwards. It is as simple and definite as that.

Somehow all the wrong ideas developed, and often heard in different churches relating to the happy fate of everyone, are not from the bible. At one funeral service I attended, the wrong emphasis was put on the words of Jesus: “In my father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again” (John 14:2,3). What does that mean? My father’s house: the word ‘house’ does not mean a place or a building. The word is ‘oikia’ which means household, family. Had Jesus been referring to a building, or equivalent, in heaven or on earth he would have used ‘oikos’ ie a place in which the household lives.

Mansions: literally, an abiding place, somewhere to live Jesus is explaining: ‘There are abiding places for those who comprise my Father’s family. I am going to make one ready for you, and then I am coming back here so that we can be together again, as a family’.

Jesus Christ will come soon to establish the kingdom. The responsible dead will be raised from their graves, together with ourselves to be judged according to how they have prepared for that kingdom. So, as we meet each Sunday and break bread and drink wine, the question to ask ourselves is: Are we ready for when Jesus comes?

Bro David & Sis Jacklyne Wanjula (Chwele, Kenya)