“THIS SAME JESUS SHALL SO COME IN LIKE MANNER.”

Q. Now with regard to Jesus’ second coming, does not this text, ‘You men of Galilee, why stand you gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as you have seen him go into heaven’ Acts 1:11, teach that when he comes, he will be seen by his watching disciples?

Will he not appear in the flesh to prove that he has come?

W. No, I think not. There is not a word about the disciple or anyone else seeing him. It merely tells us that he will come as he went.

How did he go? With trumpet blasts and shouts or wails of the people of earth?

No, but quietly and unseen of the world. As he said before he died, “Yet a little while and the world sees me no more.” And the world did not see him after his resurrection. During the forty days he was seldom seen, showing himself only to his disciples.

Did he go mid pealing thunder, flashing lightnings and rending rocks?

No, quietly, unknown of the world, he “ascended up where he was before.” Whenever he comes, he will come in the same quiet manner, unknown of the world. We know from other scriptures that his church (the true Church) will not be in darkness, to his presence at the time.

Q. I see that there is nothing in this text to teach that when he should come, he would be seen, but does it not seem reasonable to suppose that he will so appear?

W. There is no question as to his ability to appear now as then; but before calling your attention to scriptures which seem to teach that he will be present unseen, let me remind you that while it was necessary that he should then appear to make his disciples eye-witnesses of his resurrection, no such necessity now exists. He comes now not to call out a people to believe on Him, but to glorify a people already separated by his call then issued; to glorify his virgin church and make her His bride; “to make up His jewels.”

Thomas, who doubted and must see the print of the nails before he could believe, lived not in the Gospel Age but in the Jewish, not among spiritual children of God, but in the fleshly house (until Pentecost). He was used to seeing things after the flesh, and had not his eye of faith yet opened. Yet in Jesus’ words to Thomas, it would seem that he had expected even more from him. Jesus said to him: “Because thou hast seen me thou hast believed; happy those who see not and believe.” (John 21:29 Diaglott).

Would we consider it expedient for an earthly teacher after training his class up, up, up to the higher branches of learning to complete their studies by giving them a three months course in the alphabet. But this would be no more unreasonable than to suppose that our education in the school of faith, and growth in grace and knowledge under our Master’s instructions, should be finished by illustrations in the flesh; “Having begun in the Spirit are you now made perfect by the flesh?” (Gal 3:3.) “It is the spirit that quickens; the flesh profits nothing.”

Q. It does not seem as though much benefit would result to us by merely gratifying our desire to see him, and I remember he said before going: “It is expedient for you that I go away.” “Unless I go away the comforter cannot come.” Would this involve the thought that when he comes again the comforter will be withdrawn?

See our previous post intitled, “Will the Spirit be withdrawn?”

W. No, the reason the comfort of the Holy Spirit could not come was, that all were sinners and God could not recognize and comfort sinners. They must first be justified by Jesus’ death. Afterward being justified by his death, we have peace with God. We become His children, and to such, He sends the spirit of adoption whereby we cry “Abba, (our) Father.” Before this spirit could be sent to any, Jesus must not only die, but He must also ascend to the Father’s presence and present the evidence of our purchase as typified by the High Priest’s going into the holy place and sprinkling the blood. The coming out of the holy place (heaven) by our high priest does not undo the work of justification. We are still justified, and shall be forever; still sons and shall always be such, and consequently always possess the spirit as a comforter. It is the spirit of Christ. “Let the Spirit of Christ dwell in you richly.”

Q. If I understand you aright your view is, that though it was expedient that Jesus go from the world and present the proof of our ransom before the Holy Spirit, could come to us, yet the continuance of the Spirit’s comforting presence is not dependent on his absence, for once given, it will never be withdrawn from those who abide in Him.

W. Yes, but let us not leave our subject: We seem to agree then that so far as we can see, there would be nothing to be gained by Jesus’ appearing in the flesh to us at his second coming. But another point, if he should so appear, what satisfaction would or could it give any of us. It would not be Him we would see, for He is not flesh and if Jesus should so appear to me, I should pray as did Moses, – Lord that I might see thy Glory – that I might see thee really, not an appearance, but thyself, thy glorious body, as Saul and John saw thee, as thou art.

Oh no, I never could be satisfied with seeing an appearance of Jesus; I want to see Him as he is. “I shall be satisfied when I awake in thy likeness,” not by His appearing in our likeness.

Remember too that he tells us about the time of his presence, before we “are made like Him.” He says the world will not know of it but will go on eating, planting, building, marrying, etc., and “know not” of his (Parousia) presence. Matt 24:37-39. Luke 17:26.

Not only does Jesus intimate that his coming and presence will be unknown to the world (and the worldly church, the church nominal), but that many of His servants (fellow belivers) will be so asleep, and overcharged with the things of this world, that the day of the Lord (His presence) will be upon them as a snare, and some will “begin to smite their fellow servants, saying: My Lord (the Bridegroom) delays His coming“, (some suggesting as they do even now, that the Lords second advent is still many years away, possibly another thousand years away) while the ones smitten evidently are taking the opposite ground, viz: that the bridegroom does not delay, but is present even now. “Blessed is that servant whom his Lord when he (Greek: ako) has come shall find, giving meat in due season to the household of faith. (The meat due when the Lord has come, would unquestionably be, the evidences or proofs of His presence.) Evidently the presence is one not recognized by the natural eye, but by the eye of faith, else there could be no disagreement between the servants (professed believers) as to the fact of His presence. (Matt 24:44-49.)

Jesus tells us to beware, that false teachers will arise saying,

“Lo, here or lo, there, believe them not, I will not come in any such seen manner, but as the “lightning” which cannot be seen (electricity, an invisible force, yet nevertheless present and felt) so shall the Son of Man be in His day.” (Luke 17:24). As the lightning when present frequently sends forth light which may be seen by those awake, so Jesus intimates that in His days of presence light (truth, especially present truth) will shine.

Q. That seems a beautiful thought taken in connection with the wonderful amount of spiritual light and truth which has shone on us and to us during the very years you claim as being the days of the presence of the Son of Man – since 1875 (Autumn of 1874).

Continued with next post.