THE COMING GREAT EVENT

The coming great event in human history will be most wonderful and startling. No pen can fully describe it; no mind can imagine what it will be and what it will mean to all the world. The event will not be a new and great discovery before which all previous discoveries pale into insignificance. Nor will it be a great invention, which produces mighty changes, nor anything else that man does.  

The next great event will be the manifestation of the Super-Man. For years the world has been speaking of the coming of a super-man. Artists have painted imaginary pictures of him, with a high forehead, showing super-intelligence, attractive face, indicating his moral and sweet disposition. Poets have sung his praises and imagined what the coming super-man would accomplish in the betterment of the race. Eugenics, new educational schemes, hygenics, and different sciences are attempting the production of such a super-man. But he has not made his appearance yet. We are still waiting for the super-man to spring from the race. If he should come, and through him the race should be lifted to a higher plane, the manmade laws of evolution would be scientifically proved correct and unimpeachable. But the super-man of whom the world dreams, whom poets sing, and artists picture and model in clay, will never come forth from the human race. The super-man is an idle hopeless dream. Sin, disease and death, these laws which govern human existence, not like evolution, a hypothesis, but unalterable facts, shatter the dream of the super-man. Yet there is a Super-Man, one who is above all and over all. There is a Super-Man, not a spirit or a phantom, but a real Man with a human body. This Super-Man is The Lord Jesus Christ.  

The coming great event in human history is the visible and glorious manifestation of the Son of Man, the Super-Man, far above all principalities and powers, and every name that is named; the Super-Man who has all power in heaven and on earth; the Super-Man whose are the crown rights over all the earth.

The Super-Man is the Son of God. He became Man not by natural generation, but by the supernatural process of the virgin birth, He was conceived by the Holy Spirit. The life He lived on earth demonstrates the fact of His super-humanity. His own witness was, "I am from above . . . I am not of this world" (John viii:23). He was sinless, holy and undefiled. No flaw has ever been found in His life and character; nor was there one. He towers above the rest of humanity. The words He spoke and the works He did are the credentials of His Deity. And this wonderful person, the God-Man, came to die a sacrificial death. He died as the Lamb of God, and then conquered death and the grave in His triumphant resurrection from among the dead. Through Him humanity can be lifted from sin and death, and become also super-human. Those who believe on Him, accept Him as their Saviour, who died for their sins, are born again. In this new birth they receive the nature from above and with it eternal life. Like Himself they are then "from above and not of this world" (John xvii:14). Believers, in their spiritual nature, are super-human beings. Sin, death and the grave are for them conquered foes.  

And Christ, the Son of Man, the Super-Man, the mighty victor over Satan, sin, death and the grave, is in heaven at the right hand of God, as the head of a new humanity, the new creation. He who existed in the form of God, exists now in the form of Man, risen from the dead and glorified. This Super-Man, in whom the fulness of the Godhead dwells bodily, who lived a brief life on this earth, who has been and is the most tremendous factor and power in all history, the same One will come once more into human history. This second coming will be the most wonderful and the most startling event of the future.  

The Certainty of It

Future history is uncertain.

Many times men have tried to forecast future political events and failed in it. No one knows if the government of the United States is going to continue as it is now; nor does any one know for certain that France will remain a Republic, or that Mussolini will succeed in reviving the dominion and glory of the Roman Empire. All future events in human history are shrouded in mystery. While it is true, "history repeats itself," no one knows how and when it will happen, or what new forms the repetition of history will take on. But there is a way by which man can know the future. There is a knowledge put at the door of the human race, which is trustworthy, because it is infallible. It is knowledge given by revelation of the omniscient Spirit of God, and this knowledge is found in the Bible, the Word of God.  

The Bible forecasts the future. Its forecasts are sure and certain beyond the shadow of even the remotest doubt. History proves it. Hundreds of years before certain empires came into existence, the Bible predicted their coming and what should come to pass. This we find in the prophecies of Daniel. Other prophets of God foretold the fall and utter ruin of Babylon and Nineveh, when these cities were flourishing and in the zenith of their power. Egypt's history is prewritten in the Word of God and all was minutely fulfilled. Still more striking is the pre-written history of the people Israel. This fact no infidel has ever been able, nor will be able, to answer. Fulfilled prophecy demonstrates the Bible as the infallible Word of God.  

The crown of all Bible prophecy is what is written concerning the Messiah, promised to the people Israel. For many centuries His coming was announced. "When the fulness of the time (the appointed time) was come, God sent forth His Son, made of a woman, made under the law" (Gal. iv :4). He came as the second Man, made a little lower than the angels, the Holy One, the Super-Man. His birth, His life, His words, His works, His sufferings, His sacrificial death, His burial, His physical resurrection, His ascension and His presence at the right hand of God, confirm what the prophets had spoken, for all these events were literal fulfil164 merits of their predictions. Still one great line of prophecy given by the same man of God, who spoke and wrote as they were moved by the Holy Spirit, remains to be fulfilled. These are the prophecies which announce His second coming in power and visible glory, the prophecies which predict His enthronement as King, surrounded by the heavenly hosts, and His reign as the Prince of Peace. There was no failure in the accomplishment of the predictions relating to His coming in humiliation; there can be no failure in the fulfilment of His glorious return. The absolute certainty of it is assured.  

He Was Not Mistaken  

It is a common statement, found among the liberals in Protestant Christendom, that the Lord Jesus Christ in saying certain things, was mistaken. They speak of Him as if He was ignorant of certain facts, or that He accommodated Himself to the mistaken beliefs of the Jews. All these dishonoring expressions are the results of disbelief in the God-Man, the infallible Son of God and infallible Son of Man. Those who walked with Him, and talked with Him, testified, "Thou knowest all things." Could He who is the Truth Himself speak that which is not true? Or could He endorse error? Whatever He spoke and taught, is infallibly true. He was not mistaken in anything.  

He was not mistaken when He announced that after His passion, after His resurrection and ascension, He would come back to earth again the second time. Majestically, though bound, He stood before the high priest and answered his question—"tell us whether Thou be the Christ, the Son of God." "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" (Matt. xxvi:64). Many times before He had spoken in His teachings and parables of His return. He had comforted His griefstricken disciples, when He had announced His departure from them, that they would soon be orphaned, by promising, "I will come again and receive you unto myself that where I am ye may be also" (John xiv:3). What He said about this coming in glory is in fullest harmony with the unfulfilled prophecies as to the same event. No, He was not mistaken when He announced His return to this earth on which He lived, on which He died, in which His body rested for a little while, and which He left as the risen, glorified Super-Man. Nor has His Church been mistaken in looking and waiting for Him to redeem His promise.  

It is true, centuries have come and gone, and the longing expectation of His people has not been realized. It is true the heavens have been silent; they are silent today. But it cannot be thus for all time. That silence will be broken and the hope and expectation of His waiting people will be gloriously consummated.  

To this we add, that all Christian doctrines are vitally linked with this great, coming event. The whole system of these doctrines demands His return. Christian service, the Christian's life, his walk, his hope of resurrection, the reunion with loved ones, and much else, cannot be detached from His return. It is one of the great truths of Christianity. Therefore, it is sure and certain. Nothing can be as sure and certain as the re-appearing of the Son of Man on this earth. He will surely come, and be revealed in His power and glory, when once more the appointed time comes. When that time arrives it will bring the consummating event of the ages; His visible, personal and glorious manifestation is the great coming event.  

What It Will Mean  

Historians often have found it hard to give an adequate description of some great events, or history making epochs in the drama of human existence. Historians who were eyewitnesses of battles, or the triumphal returns of victorious armies, spoke of what they beheld as indescribable. Though we read in the Scriptures of Truth the events of that coming day of all days, and prophetic vision acquaints us with what will take place, the finite mind cannot fully grasp it, nor can any human pen picture this great coming event. It is indescribable and transcends the most vivid imagination. What will it mean when heaven above opens and a glory light bursts forth, before which our sun pales, when heaven and earth shake, and He suddenly appears? What will it mean when once more the feet of the Son of Man touch this earth and He comes back to the place where He suffered and died? What will it mean when He receives the many diadems, and the throne of His glory, to reign henceforth as King of kings, and Lord of lords? What will it mean when he manifests in a sincursed, ruined creation His almighty redemption power? What will it mean?  

It will mean the complete defeat of His enemies and their eternal silence. Never before in the history of Christendom has the question, "What think ye of Christ?" been such a burning question as it is now in our approach of the middle of the Twentieth Century. Books upon books are written about or Lord, generally under the name of "Jesus," "The Man of Galilee," or some other name. His blessed life is being commercialized. One writes "The Life of Christ," and this one is a bigotted Romanist. Another writes a puerile volume on "The Man Nobody Knows," a book which has next to no literary value. Still another modernist writes a new life of Christ, and a Reformed Jew produces "The Story of the Son of Man." Then there are motion pictures, passion plays and theatrical pageants, all depicting Him. And the writers get rich by their unscriptural descriptions of Him, who had not where to lay His head. But all dishonor His blessed, holy and worthy Name.  

Worse still are the opinions expressed among those who use His name, and who claim to believe on Him. Thousands deny His Virgin-birth; they speak of Him as a philosopher, a religious leader, a socialist, a fine specimen of manhood, and as a good example to follow. His substitutionary suffering and death is denied; they do not believe that He ever rose physically from the dead. They sneer at the idea that there is a local heaven and that the Christ is seated there upon a throne. The Christ of modernism is the complete denial of the supernatural Christ of the Bible. These denials are crystallized in powerful movements. They are found in all evangelical denominations and their leading educational institutions. Instead of diminishing, these denials increase. They threaten now to sweep everything before them. There is but a small remnant which is true and faithful to the true Christ, the Son of the living God. The confusion is appalling and many ask, how will it end? Oh! it will end! And the end will be the complete defeat of His enemies. His manifestation will silence every mouth and will for ever prove that Peter was right, and the true Church was right, in believing and confessing, "Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God!" Such systems as Christian Science, Modernism, Unitarianism, and all the Christ rejecting systems and cults will suddenly terminate with that great coming event, the return of the glorified Son of Man.  

It will mean the glory of the Church, the Body of Christ. The Church, the true Church before this great coming event bursts upon the world, will be translated to meet the Lord in the air. This is fully revealed in 1 Thessalonians iv :13-18. Every member of that body will then be changed into the image of the Firstborn. The Son of God and the Son of Man will bring then His many sons unto glory. He will be glorified in them, while the whole body will be glorified with Him. The Church will share His glorious inheritance; the Saints will rule with Him over the earth.  

It will mean the end of Gentile world rule. The times of the Gentiles continue till He returns. His return will mean the passing away of the present world government, whether it is autocracy, monarchy or the rule by the people and for the people. Both forms of human government, the oneman government or the people's government, are represented in the two feet of Nebuchadnezzar's dream-image (Dan. ii). The smiting stone is Christ's return. The stone ends every form of government as it is in existence now.  

It will mean judgment for the wicked. He comes to judge and to punish according to His righteousness. He comes "in flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ; who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of His power" (2 Thess. i:8, 9). All the enemies of Christ, the apostate, among the Gentiles and the Jews will face Him as Judge in that great coming event.  

It will mean the conversion of the remnant of Israel. When this great event arrives and He is manifested, Israel's hope will be realized. They shall look upon Him, whom they pierced, and know Him by the prints of the nails in His hands. All the promises made to them as a nation will then be made good. The national blood-guiltiness will be wiped away; He will forgive their sins and remember them no more. A nation will be born in a day. The Spirit will be poured out upon them and they all shall know the Lord from the least to the greatest. They will be gathered from all the countries of the earth. Their land will become Immanuel's glorious land and Jerusalem will be a praise in the whole earth, for it is the City of the great King.  

It will mean the establishment of His Kingdom on the earth and the conversion of the world. He will receive in that day the throne of His father David and the throne over all the earth. He asks the Father and He gives Him the nations for His inheritance and the uttermost parts of the earth for His possession. The universe hears the never ending shout, "The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdom of our Lord, and His Christ; and He shall reign for ever and ever"— "Hallelujah, the Omnipotent reigneth." He reigns from sea to sea and His glory covers the earth as the waters the sea. It will mean the binding of Satan. The Super-Man from heaven, the seed of the woman, when this great coming event has arrived will put His heel upon the serpent's head. The enemy's complete overthrow has come. He is bound to deceive the nations no more. All idolatry and every form of wickedness which flourishes now will end. Righteousness will be for ever enthroned.  

It will mean Peace on Earth. All peace treaties, disarmament pacts and national agreements cannot bring permanent peace for this peace-less world. Nor can nations, by legislation or education, be taught to learn war no more. "Peace on Earth" comes with the coming of the Prince of Peace. Then nations will learn war no more and turn their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks. He only can speak peace to the nations and hush the national strifes as He hushed the waves of the Galilean Sea.  

It will mean the banishment of oppression, of poverty, of famines and of pestilences. The King upon the throne will rule the world in righteousness. No longer will the hire of the laborer be kept by fraud; no longer will the greater part of the race struggle on in poverty; no longer will famines and pestilences sweep their millions away into untimely graves. The King is righteous. The King upon the throne is almighty. In His humiliation He showed His power over disease; He showed His power in satisfying the poor with bread, so that their hunger was stilled. Oh! the blessing He brings when He has received His own throne and rules in righteousness with all power in heaven and on earth!  

It will mean the removal of the curse which rests on all creation. "For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God. For the creature was made subject to vanity, not willingly, but by reason of Him who hath subjected the same in hope, because the creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God. For we know that the whole Creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now" (Rom. viii:19- 22). "The wolf shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid, and the calf and the young lion and the fatling together, and a little child shall lead them. And the cow and the bear shall feed; their young ones shall lie down together; and the lion shall eat straw like the ox" (Is. xi:6-7). The curse which rests upon creation now will then be removed. No more devastating floods, hurricanes and storms! No more earthquakes and other physical disasters! Creation's Lord and Redeemer is upon the throne.  

Such is the great coming event and what this event, His visible and glorious return, will mean. But not the half of it has been told.