The Return o f Christ by I. M. Haldeman
For Jesus, baptism points to death, to His own death. “ Can ye be baptized with the baptism that I am bap tized with?” “ I have a baptism to be baptized with; and how am I straitened till it be accomplished!” At His baptism He was accomplished!” At His baptism He was encouraged by the Father’s “ good pleasure” : “This is My beloved Son, in Whom I am well pleased.” At His death the encouragement was gone. True, in the decisive battle in Gethsemane He was strengthened by the angel, that celestial being whose presence suggested the near ness of God in the threatening abandonment. Hence His cry on the cross, “My God, My God, why hast Thou for saken Me?” , was the anguish of being forsaken by God — all in accordance with the Father’s will, but with the Father’s fellowship broken, and broken on the Father’s side. Jesus died, in His essential deity eternally united with the Father, for the Godhead cannot be divided; but with His communion with the Father ended. Jesus died: forsaken by God; Jesus died: under the wrath. Paul can speak of being crucified with Christ, and we understand his meaning. He does not mean that we died for ourselves! Indeed, in a real sense he would say that we did not die with Christ: by the mercy of God we were not there. Jesus was forsaken by God — that we might never be. He died — that we might have life everlasting. He stood under the wrath — that we mightt be free from it for ever. It is not only delayed; not only delayed for ever; it is exhausted — THE SECOND COMING of our Lord Jesus, while spoken of as one great event, has two separate parts. It is of the utmost importance to distinguish and never to confound théwi. In the first part He comes as a jB i|jKRev , 16:15). In the second part He comes as lightning (Luke 17:24). In the first, the Morning Star (Rev. 22:16)^ In the second, Sun of Righteousness (Mai 4:1, 2) ‘K v i l H In the first, as a Bridegroom (Matthew 6 ). In the second, as a King (Matthew 34). In the the 2 5 : 10 ). ; m m In ihe second, to the Throne of Hfê^SSJôrv (Matt. 25:31),. ' ; jj ’W f - ' ‘ ' In the first, to the Virgins (Matthew In the second, to the Nations (Mâf$ièw|| .25 :32 ).' . . ( ? l M | In the first, before the Marriage (Matthew Z In the second, after the Mperiage (Luke 12 36) I m m SSaSÊm j § t In the first, for His Bride (John 14:3). In the second, with His Bride (Col 3:4),I;;^ | In the first, into the air (1 Thess. 4:17). In the second, He descends to the’ Mount In the to take His Bride inft|B heavenly e ityfjohn 1 4 : Eçrh, In the second, He comes to enter as King ! into the earthly Jerusalem (Matthew 25:31; i Jer. 3:17; Zech. 8:3;.Luke The first stage is called "Oyi* Gathering to gether unto Him" (2 Thess, 2^0T.' f The second stage is called | ,ïThe Revelation of Jesus Christ from Heaven1' (2 Thess. 1:7). The first stage, "Blessed Hope ' (Titus r 2:13). W jg j f f l | | Ì | | g ■ The second Glorious A pp e a l? ing" (Tifus 2 : “v, "’ jjPPP The first sta'g^^^^PçWcMied ing" from the Greek word Parousia, anglais nifies presence. The second stage is called the f'Brightr of His Coming," and is from the GiffMKySl Epiphaneia, meaning brightness the Epiphaneia of His Parousia is fMpflHHlH words, when He fir descends into the air to receive His Chuffch, He will be invisible ip the world; after an in- terval during which the kingdi^.of’Antichrist-, 1 is tunning its course on earth. He will mar»*,. fast Himself to the gaze or*W"fnl* ’^ fPPEred at JerdStrfep, and descend in visible glory and power to overthrow them. 11 SEPTEMBER, 1962
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