The LORD's Return

Biblical Academia
Oct 18
19 min read

The LORD's

Return

Introduction

As a supplemental study, The Lord's Return sheds light on the various phrases used to describe the prophesied events of the Lord's return and how those events relate to one another.

The Revealing of the Lord

The revealing of the glory of the LORD will be seen by all flesh. It will bring joy and a crown of glory to those who partook in Christ's sufferings.

Isaiah 40:4-5 KJV - "4 Every valley shall be exalted, and every mountain and hill shall be made low: and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough places plain: 5 And the glory of the LORD shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together: for the mouth of the LORD hath spoken it."

1 Peter 4:13 KJV - "But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ's sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy."

1 Peter 5:1, 4 KJV - "1 The elders which are among you I exhort, who am also an elder, and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and also a partaker of the glory that shall be revealed: ... 4 And when the chief Shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away."

When the Lord is revealed, he will reveal his salvation and righteousness; destroying the wicked and saving his faithful.

Isaiah 56:1 KJV - "Thus saith the LORD, Keep ye judgment, and do justice: for my salvation is near to come, and my righteousness to be revealed."

2 Thessalonians 1:7-8 KJV - "7 And to you who are troubled rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels, 8 In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ: 9 Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power;"

Romans 1:18 KJV - "For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness;"

Luke 17:29-30 KJV - "29 But the same day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven, and destroyed them all. 30 Even thus shall it be in the day when the Son of man is revealed."

The Appearing of the Lord

When the Lord appears, he will appear the second time, in his glory. The unrighteous will have shame. The righteous will have confidence and joy. They will also be like him, receive a crown of glory and appear with Christ in glory.

Psalm 102:16 KJV - "When the LORD shall build up Zion, he shall appear in his glory."

Isaiah 66:5 KJV - "Hear the word of the LORD, ye that tremble at his word; Your brethren that hated you, that cast you out for my name's sake, said, Let the LORD be glorified: but he shall appear to your joy, and they shall be ashamed."

Colossians 3:4 KJV - "When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory."

1 Timothy 6:14 KJV - "That thou keep this commandment without spot, unrebukeable, until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ:"

2 Timothy 4:1 KJV - "I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom;"

2 Timothy 4:8 KJV - "Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing."

Titus 2:13 KJV - "Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ;"

Hebrews 9:28 KJV - "So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation."

1 John 2:28 KJV - And now, little children, abide in him; that, when he shall appear, we may have confidence, and not be ashamed before him at his coming."

1 John 3:2 KJV - Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is."

1 Peter 5:1, 4, 7 KJV - "1 The elders which are among you I exhort, who am also an elder, and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and also a partaker of the glory that shall be revealed: ... 4 And when the chief Shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away. 7 That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ:"

The Coming of the Lord

When the Lord comes in the clouds of heaven, he will be seen by everyone and he will gather his elect from heaven and earth and destroy the wicked.

Genesis 49:10 KJV - "The sceptre shall not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet, until Shiloh come; and unto him shall the gathering of the people be."

Mark 13:32, 35-37 KJV - "32 But of that day and that hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels which are in heaven, neither the Son, but the Father. ... 35 Watch ye therefore: for ye know not when the master of the house cometh, at even, or at midnight, or at the cockcrowing, or in the morning: 36 Lest coming suddenly he find you sleeping. 37 And what I say unto you I say unto all, Watch."

1 Corinthians 1:6-8 KJV - "6 Even as the testimony of Christ was confirmed in you: 7 So that ye come behind in no gift; waiting for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ: 8 Who shall also confirm you unto the end, that ye may be blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ."

1 Corinthians 15:20, 22-23 KJV - "20 But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept. ... 22 For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive. 23 But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ's at his coming."

1 Thessalonians 2:19 KJV - "For what is our hope, or joy, or crown of rejoicing? Are not even ye in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at his coming?"

1 Thessalonians 3:13 KJV - "To the end he may stablish your hearts unblameable in holiness before God, even our Father, at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ with all his saints."

1 Thessalonians 4:15-17 KJV - "15 For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep. 16 For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: 17 Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord."

2 Thessalonians 2:1 KJV - "Now we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by our gathering together unto him,"

2 Thessalonians 2:8 KJV - "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:"

*Additional references include: 1 Corinthians 4:5, James 5:7-8, and 2 Peter 1:16

The Coming of the Son of Man

When the Son of man comes in the clouds of heaven, he will gather his elect from heaven and earth and destroy the wicked.

Matthew 16:28 KJV - "Verily I say unto you, There be some standing here, which shall not taste of death, till they see the Son of man coming in his kingdom."

Matthew 26:64 KJV – “Jesus saith unto him, Thou hast said: nevertheless I say unto you, Hereafter shall ye see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven." (See also Mark 14:62)

Matthew 24:3, 27-28 KJV - "3 And as he sat upon the mount of Olives, the disciples came unto him privately, saying, Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world? … 27 For as the lightning cometh out of the east, and shineth even unto the west; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. 28 For wheresoever the carcase is, there will the eagles be gathered together."

Luke 17:24, 37 KJV - "24 For as the lightning, that lighteneth out of the one part under heaven, shineth unto the other part under heaven; so shall also the Son of man be in his day. ... 37 And they answered and said unto him, Where, Lord? And he said unto them, Wheresoever the body is, thither will the eagles be gathered together."

Matthew 24:37, 39 KJV – “But as the days of Noe were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. ... 39 And knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be."

Matthew 24:30-31 KJV - "30 And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. 31 And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other."

Mark 13:26-27 KJV - "26 And then shall they see the Son of man coming in the clouds with great power and glory. 27 And then shall he send his angels, and shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from the uttermost part of the earth to the uttermost part of heaven."

Matthew 24:43-44 KJV - "43 But know this, that if the goodman of the house had known in what watch the thief would come, he would have watched, and would not have suffered his house to be broken up. 44 Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh."

Luke 21:27 KJV - "And then shall they see the Son of man coming in a cloud with power and great glory."

1 Corinthians 15:23 KJV - "But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ's at his coming."

The Day of Christ

The day of Christ will be the gathering of Christ's faithful and the end of their labor in the flesh.

Philippians 1:10 KJV - " That ye may approve things that are excellent; that ye may be sincere and without offence till the day of Christ;"

Philippians 1:6 KJV - "Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ:"

Philippians 2:16 KJV - "Holding forth the word of life; that I may rejoice in the day of Christ, that I have not run in vain, neither laboured in vain."

2 Thessalonians 2:1-2 KJV - "1 Now we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by our gathering together unto him, 2 That ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from us, as that the day of Christ is at hand."

The Day of the Lord

The day of the Lord will bring salvation for God’s people and vengeance upon the wicked.

Isaiah 2:12 KJV - "For the day of the LORD of hosts shall be upon every one that is proud and lofty, and upon every one that is lifted up; and he shall be brought low:"

Isaiah 13:6, 9 KJV - "6 Howl ye; for the day of the LORD is at hand; it shall come as a destruction from the Almighty. ... 9 Behold, the day of the LORD cometh, cruel both with wrath and fierce anger, to lay the land desolate: and he shall destroy the sinners thereof out of it." (See also Joel 1:15)

Jeremiah 46:10 KJV - "For this is the day of the Lord GOD of hosts, a day of vengeance, that he may avenge him of his adversaries: and the sword shall devour, and it shall be satiate and made drunk with their blood: for the Lord GOD of hosts hath a sacrifice in the north country by the river Euphrates."

Ezekiel 13:5 KJV - "Ye have not gone up into the gaps, neither made up the hedge for the house of Israel to stand in the battle in the day of the LORD."

Ezekiel 30:3 KJV - "For the day is near, even the day of the LORD is near, a cloudy day; it shall be the time of the heathen."

Joel 2:1, 11, 31 KJV - "1 Blow ye the trumpet in Zion, and sound an alarm in my holy mountain: let all the inhabitants of the land tremble: for the day of the LORD cometh, for it is nigh at hand; ... 11 And the LORD shall utter his voice before his army: for his camp is very great: for he is strong that executeth his word: for the day of the LORD is great and very terrible; and who can abide it? ... 31 The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and the terrible day of the LORD come."

Joel 3:14 KJV - "Multitudes, multitudes in the valley of decision: for the day of the LORD is near in the valley of decision."

Amos 5:18, 20 KJV - "18 Woe unto you that desire the day of the LORD! to what end is it for you? the day of the LORD is darkness, and not light. ... 20 Shall not the day of the LORD be darkness, and not light? even very dark, and no brightness in it?"

Obadiah 1:15 KJV - "For the day of the LORD is near upon all the heathen: as thou hast done, it shall be done unto thee: thy reward shall return upon thine own head."

Zephaniah 1:7, 14 KJV - "7 Hold thy peace at the presence of the Lord GOD: for the day of the LORD is at hand: for the LORD hath prepared a sacrifice, he hath bid his guests. ... 14 The great day of the LORD is near, it is near, and hasteth greatly, even the voice of the day of the LORD: the mighty man shall cry there bitterly."

Zechariah 14:1 KJV - "Behold, the day of the LORD cometh, and thy spoil shall be divided in the midst of thee."

Malachi 4:5 KJV - "Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the LORD:"

Acts 2:20 KJV - "The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before that great and notable day of the Lord come:"

1 Corinthians 5:5 KJV - "To deliver such an one unto Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus."

1 Corinthians 1:7-8 KJV - "7 So that ye come behind in no gift; waiting for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ: 8 Who shall also confirm you unto the end, that ye may be blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ."

2 Corinthians 1:14 KJV - "As also ye have acknowledged us in part, that we are your rejoicing, even as ye also are ours in the day of the Lord Jesus."

1 Thessalonians 5:2 KJV - "For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night."

2 Peter 3:10 KJV - "But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up."

1 Thessalonians 5:4, 9 KJV - "4 But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief. ... 9 For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ,"

The Day of Vengeance

The day of vengeance is a comfort to mourners and the year of his redeemed.

Isaiah 61:2 KJV - "To proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all that mourn;"

Isaiah 63:4 KJV - "For the day of vengeance is in mine heart, and the year of my redeemed is come."

Jeremiah 46:10 KJV - "For this is the day of the Lord GOD of hosts, a day of vengeance, that he may avenge him of his adversaries: and the sword shall devour, and it shall be satiate and made drunk with their blood: for the Lord GOD of hosts hath a sacrifice in the north country by the river Euphrates."

The Day of Gathering

The day of gathering is when Christ appears, which is also the appearing of the great God and the Saviour Jesus Christ, which is when the Son of man is revealed, which is when the Lord Jesus is revealed, which is the coming of Son of man, which is also Christ's coming, which is also the Lord's coming, in the day of the Lord Jesus, which is also the day of Christ; seen by all and bringing on that day, both salvation and vengeance.

Matthew 24:37-39 KJV - "37 But as the days of Noe were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. 38 For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark, 39 And knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be."

Luke 17:29-30 KJV - "29 But the same day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven, and destroyed them all. 30 Even thus shall it be in the day when the Son of man is revealed."

Mark 13:26-27 KJV - "26 And then shall they see the Son of man coming in the clouds with great power and glory. 27 And then shall he send his angels, and shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from the uttermost part of the earth to the uttermost part of heaven."

1 Corinthians 5:5 KJV - "To deliver such an one unto Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus."

1 Corinthians 15:22-23 KJV - "22 For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive. 23 But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ's at his coming."

1 Thessalonians 4:15-17 KJV - "15 For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep. 16 For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: 17 Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord."

2 Thessalonians 2:1-2 KJV - "1 Now we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by our gathering together unto him, 2 That ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from us, as that the day of Christ is at hand."

2 Thessalonians 1:7-8 KJV - "7 And to you who are troubled rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels, 8 In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ: 9 Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power;"

Titus 2:13 KJV - "Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ;"

Hebrews 9:28 KJV - "So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation."

1 John 3:2 KJV - "Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is."

All in the Day

Coming of the Lord Jesus Christ/ Day of the Lord Jesus Christ

The coming of the Lord Jesus Christ is the day of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Coming of the Lord Jesus Christ / Day of Christ

The coming of the Lord is the day of Christ.

2 Thessalonians 2:1-2 KJV - "1 Now we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by our gathering together unto him, 2 That ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from us, as that the day of Christ is at hand."

Coming of the Lord/ Coming of the Son of Man

The coming of the Lord is the coming of the Son of man.

Matthew 24:30, 36, 42 KJV - "30 And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. ... 36 But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only. ... 42 Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come."

Coming of the Son of Man/Day of the Lord

The coming of the Son of man is the day of the Lord.

1 Thessalonians 5:2 KJV - "For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night."

Matthew 24:27-28 KJV - "27 For as the lightning cometh out of the east, and shineth even unto the west; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. 28 For wheresoever the carcase is, there will the eagles be gathered together." (See also Luke 17:24, 34)

Zephaniah 1:7, KJV - "Hold thy peace at the presence of the Lord GOD: for the day of the LORD is at hand: for the LORD hath prepared a sacrifice, he hath bid his guests."

Isaiah 5:25 KJV - "Therefore is the anger of the LORD kindled against his people, and he hath stretched forth his hand against them, and hath smitten them: and the hills did tremble, and their carcases were torn in the midst of the streets. For all this his anger is not turned away, but his hand is stretched out still."

Revelation 19:17-18, 21 KJV - "17 And I saw an angel standing in the sun; and he cried with a loud voice, saying to all the fowls that fly in the midst of heaven, Come and gather yourselves together unto the supper of the great God; 18 That ye may eat the flesh of kings, and the flesh of captains, and the flesh of mighty men, and the flesh of horses, and of them that sit on them, and the flesh of all men, both free and bond, both small and great. ... 21 And the remnant were slain with the sword of him that sat upon the horse, which sword proceeded out of his mouth: and all the fowls were filled with their flesh." (See more in Day of Redemption)

Coming of the Son of Man/ Revealing of the Lord

The revealing of the Lord is the coming of the Son of man.

Matthew 24:30-31 KJV - "30 And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. 31 And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other."

Revealing of Christ (Lord)/ Appearing of the Chief Shepherd (Lord)

The revealing of the Lord is the appearing of the Lord.

1 Peter 5:1, 4 KJV - "1 The elders which are among you I exhort, who am also an elder, and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and also a partaker of the glory that shall be revealed: ... 4 And when the chief Shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away."

Revealing of the Lord Jesus/ Day of the Lord

The revealing of the Lord is the day of the Lord.

2 Thessalonians 1:7-8 KJV - "7 And to you who are troubled rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels, 8 In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ: 9 Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power;"

Jeremiah 46:10 KJV - "For this is the day of the Lord GOD of hosts, a day of vengeance, that he may avenge him of his adversaries: and the sword shall devour, and it shall be satiate and made drunk with their blood: for the Lord GOD of hosts hath a sacrifice in the north country by the river Euphrates."